Tuesday briefing: North Korean missiles in Ukraine

North Korea's newest missiles appear in Ukraine

Russians begin using North Korean weapons on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Although many of the North Korean artillery shells appear to be fake — some appear to have been manufactured decades ago — they give the Russians something to fire while the Ukrainian military rations its own dwindling supply of ammunition.

But what worries U.S., NATO and European officials are the missiles: Fewer than 50 appear to have been transferred to Russia so far, but many more could follow. Three barrages of North Korean missiles targeted Ukrainian positions around the new year, U.S. officials say, and they believe more were used on the battlefield this weekend.

An analysis by Conflict Armament Research, an organization that has documented the weapons used in Russia's war in Ukraine, found that the North Korean missiles were designed relatively recently. U.S. officials say they appear to be as accurate as Russia's home-made equipment.

A testing ground: In South Korea, officials and analysts say the war in Ukraine is giving the North something it desperately needs: a way to see how its new missile arsenal, designed for a conflict with South Korea and the U.S., fares against the… Western-designed air defense.

Supplies: Last summer, Ukraine fired as many as 7,000 artillery shells a day, compared to 5,000 a day by Russia. Now the Ukrainians are struggling to fire 2,000 shells a day, while Russia, supplemented by the North Korean shells, is reaching about 10,000 a day, analysts said.

Modi opens a triumph for Hindu nationalists

Prime Minister Narendra Modi yesterday inaugurated the Ram Temple in the northern Indian city of Ayodhya. Built on over 70 hectares at a cost of nearly $250 million, it is the culmination of a national movement aimed at establishing Hindu supremacy in India.

But among the country's 200 million Muslims, the new temple has heightened a sense of despair and dislocation. It was built on the site of the centuries-old Babri Mosque before it was destroyed by Hindu activists in 1992, sparking sectarian violence that left thousands dead. These events set a precedent of impunity that continues to resonate today: Muslim men accused of slaughtering or transporting cows are lynched, interfaith couples are beaten to combat 'love jihad', and 'bulldozer justice' is imposed on the homes of Muslims being razed to the ground by officials without due process.

A landslide in southern China has buried dozens of people

At least eight people were killed and another 39 buried by a landslide in southwest China's Yunnan province yesterday, according to state media, as a cold wave blanketed much of the country. According to state media, more than 500 people have been evacuated.

The landslide occurred just before 6 a.m. and struck Hexing and Heping, two small villages near the border with Sichuan and Guizhou provinces. Hundreds of rescuers searched the rubble in sub-zero temperatures as snow continued to fall.

To discover what stylish men are wearing this season, our Style Outside columnist Simbarashe Cha took to the streets during the men's fashion weeks in Milan and Paris.

Double-breasted overcoats, some shorter, others long, were among the most popular outerwear. Jeans can be torn, torn or wrinkled – anything but simple. Which trends will be embraced by the masses? Time will tell.

A 'revolutionary' ancient way of feeding the world

Cary Fowler, now the US global envoy for food security, once helped build an Arctic vault to save the world's seeds from extinction. Now he's trying to plant a completely different seed.

For decades, U.S. policy has pushed developing countries to grow vast quantities of staple grains, such as corn. But Fowler is promoting a return to the traditional crops that people used to grow more of, such as chickpeas, cassava and a range of millets. They are sturdy, packed with nutrients and can withstand extreme weather.

Fowler aims to increase agricultural productivity of the most nutritious and climate-resilient varieties. The effort is still in its infancy, but at a time when climate shocks and rising costs are exacerbating food insecurity and increasing the risks of political instability, the stakes are high.