Latest news

Chinese train reaches 800 km/h in five seconds

A high-speed train in China has set a new record, reports The Independent. During a test run, the train went from standstill to a speed of 800 km/h in 5.3 seconds, which is the fastest acceleration ever.

It is a maglev train, which is powered by a magnetic field that eliminates friction between the wheels and the rails.

The test was carried out on a kilometer-long test track.

Japan-North Korea relations
Japan and South Korea: North Korea has fired a missile

North Korea has fired a ballistic missile, the Japanese coast guard and the South Korean military said according to Reuters.

The missile is said to have landed in the sea between North Korea and Japan.

It is the second launch in less than a week, writes AP.

South Korea and the United States are planning joint military exercises starting next week. The exercises were expected to provoke a reaction from North Korea, which sees such exercises as a rehearsal for an invasion.

Extreme weather in Europe
Burnham calls his first “Cobra” crisis meeting

Britain’s new Prime Minister Andy Burnham is calling the government’s wartime command group Cobra to a meeting for the first time.

Today’s meeting will be about the country’s handling of the extreme heat. Several ministers and agencies will participate.

In addition to the obvious human risks of the heat, related issues of forest fires, water supplies, dry crops and healthcare difficulties will be discussed.

A weather warning has been issued for Wednesday with temperatures around 35 degrees, with possible peaks of 38. It could thus be the hottest day since 2003 when 38.5 degrees were measured, writes the BBC. 

Terrorist threats in Europe
Norwegian security service sounds the alarm about young extremists

The Norwegian security service PST is sounding the alarm that young boys are being exposed to extremist Islamism and that the risk of violence and terrorist acts from young people is increasing, several media outlets report.

– The development we are seeing now, with more minors and increased networking, could in the long term lead to a strengthened ability and willingness to carry out terrorist acts in Norway, says Ane Mannsåker Roald, head of the PST's counterterrorism department, to NRK.

She states that most young people who are exposed to extremism or are radicalized are between 15 and 17 years old and born in Norway. At the same time, she highlights cases where children as young as 12 have been drawn into extremism.