The North Korea-Russia border is seeing a sharp increase in rail traffic in likely signs of Kim Jong-un helping Russian president Vladimir Putin by supplying munitions, a US think-tank claimed, citing recent satellite photos. Satellite images from 5 October showed a “dramatic and unprecedented level of freight railcar traffic” at the Tumangang Rail Facility, according to Beyond Parallel, a website run by the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies. Approximately 73 railcars were visible in the images from last week, whereas previous satellite pictures over the past five years showed about 20 railcars at this facility at the most. It was not immediately clear what the contents of the railway shipments were as the shipping crates were covered under tarpaulin. This was likely a follow-up action after the North Korean leader met with his Russian counterpart in Russia’s far east last month, according to Beyond Parallel. “Given that Kim and Putin discussed some military exchanges and cooperation at their recent summit, the dramatic increase in rail traffic likely indicates North Korea’s supply of arms and munitions to Russia,” it said on Friday. “However, the extensive use of tarps to cover the shipping crates/containers and equipment makes it impossible to conclusively identify what is seen at the Tumangang Rail Facility" on the border, it said. This comes at a time leaders and experts have warned against North Korea’s plan to assist Russia’s depleting munition reserves in its continuing invasion of Ukraine. As Mr Kim met Mr Putin in Russia and visited key military sites and discussed strategic cooperation on defence, leaders speculated that North Korea could aid Moscow. The North Korean leader could have sought sophisticated Russian weapons technologies to boost his nuclear programme in barter for the munition, foreign leaders said. Officials in the US and South Korea warned North and Russia of consequences if they went ahead with the speculated weapons transfer deal in violation of the UN Security Council resolutions that ban all weapons trade involving Pyongyang which is under heavy sanctions for its nuclear weapons programme. The White House has said Russia wants to buy "literally millions" of artillery shells and rockets from North Korea. The reports of North Korea aiding Russia in invading Ukraine emerged last year when the US said the hermit kingdom was sending ammunition, artillery shells and rockets to Russia, with many of them copies of Soviet-era munitions. Officials in South Korea said the weapons provided by the North have already been used in Ukraine. “While access to such stocks of North may help Russia prolong the conflict, it is unlikely going to change the outcome,” according to Joseph Dempsey, a defence researcher at the International Institute for Strategic Studies. “The size of these stores and its degradation over time is less clear, as is the scale of ongoing production, but these stockpiles could help replenish those severely depleted in Ukraine,” he said. Read More North Korea vows strong response to Pentagon report that calls it a 'persistent' threat North Korea's Kim sets forth steps to boost Russia ties as US and Seoul warn about weapons deals North Korea says Kim Jong Un is back home from Russia, where he deepened 'comradely' ties with Putin North Korean state media says Kim Jong Un discussed arms cooperation with Russian defense minister North Korean arms for Russia probably wouldn't make a big difference in the Ukraine war, Milley says

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Tucker Carlson pushed a new conspiracy theory that Donald Trump is being prosecuted for calling out Washington DC insiders over Iraq and weapons of mass destruction in his latest Twitter show. The former Fox News host defied his former employer’s threats after they sent him a “cease-and-desist” letter stating that his new show is a violation of his contract with the right-wing network. Carlson told his audience that the former president was now in legal trouble because of his position on Iraq during the 2016 Republican primary debates, in which he said the US had “destabilised” the Middle East with its invasion of Iraq. “Seven-and-a-half years later we can point to the precise moment when permanent Washington decided to send Donald Trump to prison,” said Carlson on Tuesday evening as he played footage of the debate in Greenville, South Carolina. In it Mr Trump excoriates Washington DC insiders, saying “We should have never been in Iraq...they said there were weapons of mass destruction and there were none, they lied, they knew there were none.” Carlson insisted that by calling them “liars” Mr Trump had “sealed his fate.” “That was the one thing you were not allowed to say as it implicated too many people on both sides, which on this topic is really just one side,” he said. “Hillary Clinton was guilty, but so was Paul Ryan, all of them were guilty, they all knew and they all lied and to a person they hated Donald Trump for exposing them.” Carlson said that from the start of his administration, Mr Trump was targetted by “flatterers”, and name-checked Mike Pence, Nikki Haley, Mike Pompeo and Lindsey Graham. He then accused them of “piling on with maximum force” in the wake of Mr Trump being charged over his alleged mishandling of classified documents after he left the White House. Carlson then accused Mr Pompeo of not supporting Mr Trump’s agenda and “undermined at every turn” the former president’s policies and ideas, before accusing him of “toadying up” to his boss. “Now the same person is telling Fox News he fears for the safety of our military...because Donald Trump took some classified documents home and didn’t immediately return them to the National Archives. What a lie that is,” he said. Carlson then said that the prosecution of Mr Trump was not “just political it is ideological.” “Nobody with Trump’s views is allowed to have power in this country. Criticise our wars and you are disqualified, if you keep it up we will send you to prison,” he said. “That’s the message that Washington DC is sending, not just the Democratic party but the message both parties are sending.” Read More Trump indictment - live: Trump pleads not guilty and turns arraignment into 2024 rally in Miami and Bedminster Special counsel Jack Smith stared at Trump throughout historic court appearance, report says Supporters pray over Trump and sing him ‘Happy Birthday’ immediately after arrest Trump lashes out at ‘Fake’ Tapper after disgusted CNN host cuts away from arraigned ex-president meeting fans Trump's historic federal arraignment was virtually invisible to the public Ivanka and Jared split over attending Trump 2024 launch – follow live Why was Donald Trump impeached twice during his first term? Four big lies Trump told during his 2024 presidential announcement

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