North Korea Says Border Units on Standby to Shoot amid Drones Dispute

A North Korean military guard post, top, and a South Korean post, bottom, are seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP)
A North Korean military guard post, top, and a South Korean post, bottom, are seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP)
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North Korea Says Border Units on Standby to Shoot amid Drones Dispute

A North Korean military guard post, top, and a South Korean post, bottom, are seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP)
A North Korean military guard post, top, and a South Korean post, bottom, are seen from Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024. (AP)

North Korea's artillery units near the border with South Korea have been ordered to be ready to fire amid frictions over drones that Pyongyang says are being flown over the frontier, state media cited the government as saying on Sunday.

Some defectors and activists in South Korea fly aid parcels into the North and drop leaflets criticizing leader Kim Jong Un.

North Korea has blamed the South Korean military for the practice. It has also been floating balloons with trash into the South in reprisal.

North Korean state news agency KCNA quoted the defense ministry's spokesperson as saying Pyongyang sees a high likelihood of more drones flying over the capital, with its military told to prepare for all scenarios including conflict.

On Friday, North Korea accused South Korea of sending drones into Pyongyang at night this week and last, and said the intrusion demanded retaliatory action.

Kim Yo Jong, powerful sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, warned Seoul on Saturday of a "horrible disaster".

She said the blame lies with the South Korean military if it failed to identify drones sent by a non-governmental organization crossing the border.

South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it could not confirm the North's accusations.



Trump Says He Recently Spoke with Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu

Surrounded by Army cadets, President Donald Trump watches the first half of the 121st Army-Navy Football Game, Dec. 12, 2020, in West Point, N.Y. (AP)
Surrounded by Army cadets, President Donald Trump watches the first half of the 121st Army-Navy Football Game, Dec. 12, 2020, in West Point, N.Y. (AP)
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Trump Says He Recently Spoke with Israel Prime Minister Netanyahu

Surrounded by Army cadets, President Donald Trump watches the first half of the 121st Army-Navy Football Game, Dec. 12, 2020, in West Point, N.Y. (AP)
Surrounded by Army cadets, President Donald Trump watches the first half of the 121st Army-Navy Football Game, Dec. 12, 2020, in West Point, N.Y. (AP)

Former US President Donald Trump, who is the Republican presidential candidate, said he spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "like two days ago."

Trump was asked when last he spoke to the Israeli leader during a Fox News interview that aired on Sunday.

"Like two days ago and he came to my house in Florida, Mar-a-Lago with his wife who was lovely," he responded.

Trump met with Netanyahu at his resort in Palm Beach, Florida, in July. It was their first meeting since the end of Trump's presidency.

US President Joe Biden also spoke with Netanyahu last week amid tensions with Iran.

Their Wednesday call was the first known conversation between the two leaders since August.

It coincided with a sharp escalation of Israel's conflict with Iran and the Iran-backed Lebanese Hezbollah.

Trump called the lack of conversation between Biden and Netanyahu in nearly two months "pathetic."

"I can tell you that Bibi has been very strong," Trump said. "He's not listening to Biden."

Relations between Biden and Netanyahu have been tense, strained over the Israeli leader’s handling of the war in Gaza and the conflict with Hezbollah. Israel has said it will pursue its military operations until Israelis are safe.