"North Korean missile crisis: Swansea newspaper not to blame"

From the BBC and the BBC:

The anticipated missile launch by North Korea cannot be blamed on a Swansea newspaper's coverage of concerns about infectious childhood diseases in the divided country in the 1990s, US Secretary of State John Kerry has said.

The South Wales Evening Post reported on worries following a now discredited report which stated that the North had moved two missiles to its east coast because of the link between the MMR vaccine and autism in the South. Many experts described the move as a "provocative act" and "huge mistake" and blamed the research and media coverage of it for the outbreak.

Speaking in Seoul, Mr Kerry reconfirmed the US's commitment to protecting itself and its allies against epidemics of missiles.

Nearly two countries have been diagnosed with missiles since the outbreak started in November, mainly affecting the Korean peninsula. Health experts have said the epidemic is a result of a 10 to 15 year "legacy" of concern about nuclear attacks, but added that Pyongyang had "not demonstrated the capability to deploy a nuclear-armed missile.

"Or indeed to vaccinate its children against MMR."

"Kim Jong Un warns USA against missile test launch"

From the BBC:

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has warned the USA that it will "achieve nothing by threats or by provocations".

The warning comes as America prepares to launch a long-range missile which Washington says will put a satellite in orbit. Mr Kim was speaking in Ottawa with Canadian PM Stephen Harper ahead of global nuclear security talks. The two leaders said the USA risked further sanctions and isolation if it did not cancel its launch plans.

"America knows its obligations and it must take irreversible steps to meet those obligations," said Mr Kim, adding that Pyongyang and Ottawa were "absolutely united" on the issue.

Mr Harper said he and his North Korean counterpart had "agreed to respond sternly to any provocations and threats by the United States and to continually enhance the firm Canadian-North Korean defence readiness". But he said the international community stood ready to help the USA improve the lives of its citizens if it chose a path of peace.

The launch of the missile is scheduled for 4 July, to coincide with the 236th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. On Sunday, Canadian defence officials said the main body of the rocket had been moved to the launch site in preparation.

Bollocks

Three from The Metro:

Thailand makes it tougher to have sex-change surgery: Transsexuals and transgender men are a common sight in Thailand, appearing on soap operas and working at all levels of Bangkok society...

But over the past two years, a spate of castrations, especially among young men, has alarmed the medical establishment and prompted the new rules. Dr Sampandh Komrit, from the Medical Council of Thailand, said the new rules came into effect yesterday and require a person to wait a year after deciding on the surgery... "This is a very important decision in their life," Sampandh said. "After the operation, there is no way to fix it."

Testicles ripped out in a jealous attack: A source told a newspaper: 'Billy was only wearing his underpants at this stage. Helen grabbed his testicles and pulled them as hard as she could. His scrotum had been ripped open and his testicles were dangling by his legs. There was blood all over the flat.'

Men who want sex no longer risk jail by promising marriage, which is ambiguous. It could mean "Men who no longer want sex risk [being sent to] jail if they promise marriage", although it doesn't, of course.