US, S Korea raise alert

North Korea ramped up tensions this week with a series of provocations rarely seen since the 1950-53 Korean War, including war threats, missile launches and a nuclear test that puts it closer to having an atomic bomb.
The joint command for the 28,500 US troops that support South Korea’s 6,70,000 soldiers has raised its alert a notch to signify a serious threat from North Korea. It is the highest threat level since the North’s only other nuclear test in 2006.
North Korea looks certain to face fresh sanctions for defying a UN resolution by exploding a nuclear device for a second time, Western diplomat said, with a vote in the 15-nation Security Council expected next week.