‘Schrodinger’s dictator’: With rumours swirling, Kim Jong-un is ‘both dead and alive’
27 April 2020 |
5:18 pm
Papers speculate over the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who has been absent from public since mid-April. One cartoonist compares the situation to Schrodinger's famous thought experiment in which a cat, placed in a box with a potential poison, is both dead and alive until that box is opened. We also look at kids in Spain going back outside, kids in France possibly going back to school, and llamas and goats going to Zoom meetings!
Related
27 Apr 2019
Russia's Vladimir Putin said he was ready to brief the US on his talks with Kim Jong Un in Russia. Before leaving Vladivostok, Kim accused the US of acting "in bad faith" at the failed Vietnam summit with Donald Trump.
7 May 2019
Both Koreas have shied away from describing the weapons test as a "missile launch." Nonetheless, Kim Jong Un was reportedly very happy with his latest "projectile" launch into the Sea of Japan.
8 Apr 2020
As the coronavirus crisis rages worldwide, North Korea’s regime has reported zero cases, and instead forges ahead with rocket launches. What is happening behind the borders?
27 Apr 2020
Papers speculate over the health of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, who has been absent from public since mid-April. One cartoonist compares the situation to Schrodinger's famous thought experiment in which a cat, placed in a box with a potential poison, is both dead and alive until that box is opened. We also look at kids in Spain going back outside, kids in France possibly going back to school, and llamas and goats going to Zoom meetings!
4 May 2020
North Korean state media has released footage of the secretive Supreme Leader. Media speculation about his health grew when he failed to show up to his late grandfather's birthday celebrations.
25 Sep 2020
A South Korean official reads out a rare apology from Kim Jong Un over what the North's leader described as the "unexpected and disgraceful" killing of a South Korean at sea. A fisheries official was shot dead on Tuesday by North Korean soldiers, and Seoul says his body was set on fire while still in the water, apparently as a precaution against coronavirus infection.
8 Jan 2021
Kim Jong Un said the country's economic goals were not met "in almost all areas to a great extent." New development policies are expected to be set during the ongoing party congress, which is being held after five years.
13 Jan 2021
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has taken the title of Workers' Party general secretary in a move apparently aimed at consolidating his grip on power. He also promised to build more sophisticated nuclear weapons.
17 Feb 2021
Ri Sol Ju had not been seen with the North Korean leader for some time. Her absence fueled speculation about her position in the hierarchy and the Kim family.
17 Mar 2021
Kim Yo Jong, the sister of the North Korean dictator, lashed out at Washington as top US diplomatic and military representatives are set to visit Seoul.
16 Jun 2021
Kim has said extreme weather, the coronavirus pandemic and being cut off from Chinese trade could lead to another food crisis in North Korea.
20 Jun 2021
The North Korean leader didn't rule out the possibility of entering into dialogue with Washington but said his country should be more prepared to have an adversarial relationship with the Joe Biden administration.
Latest
1 hour ago
The Ukrainian government has been unable to collect taxes since Russia's invasion, and now international support aims to prop up its budget.
1 hour ago
She is the first woman to hold the position in over 30 years. French President Emmanuel Macron and Borne were expected to appoint the full government within days.
1 hour ago
American military leaders said the soldiers would help counter the Islamic extremist group al-Shabab in the Horn of Africa country.
1 hour ago
Elisabeth Borne has been appointed France's new prime minister. The former transport, ecology and labour minister faces numerous challenges, with the most pressing priority being helping French households with the soaring cost of living. She will also need to tackle the thorny issue of pension reform as well as steer the country through a major energy transition. Plus, Moscow residents display mixed feelings after US fast food giant McDonald's announces it's pulling out of Russia for good.
3 hours ago
Researchers from the US and France say that having more than 2 kids could have a negative effect on late-life cognition. The researchers analyzed data from the Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE).
3 hours ago
In the French region of Burgundy, home to the city of Dijon, it's not just the grapes that are famous. The region's other star fruit is the blackcurrant. A whole market has emerged based on the cultivation of this small berry. Today, the precious black fruit is transformed in many ways. Its best-known use in France is in the production of the famous liqueur known as crème de cassis, but blackcurrant is also used in cooking and even in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries. We take a closer look.