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| North Korea holds huge parades for 70th anniversary | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| North Korea is holding what is expected to be one of its biggest celebrations ever, marking the 70th anniversary of the ruling Workers' Party. | |
| A cavalcade of armoured vehicles and ballistic missiles has started rumbling through the capital Pyongyang, accompanied by marching troops. | |
| North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un will preside over the ceremony, but no world leaders will be attending. | North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong-un will preside over the ceremony, but no world leaders will be attending. |
| Heavy overnight rain delayed the start of proceedings. | |
| Correspondents say Saturday's event will be closely watched for any new military hardware indicating the North's military development. | Correspondents say Saturday's event will be closely watched for any new military hardware indicating the North's military development. |
| When it announced plans for the anniversary earlier this year, the government spoke of "cutting-edge" weaponry suitable for modern warfare. | When it announced plans for the anniversary earlier this year, the government spoke of "cutting-edge" weaponry suitable for modern warfare. |
| It is not known if Kim Jong-un - grandson of North Korea's first leader, Kim Il-sung - will speak at any of the day's events, although the anniversary is expected to send a signal of defiance, particularly to South Korea and the United States. | It is not known if Kim Jong-un - grandson of North Korea's first leader, Kim Il-sung - will speak at any of the day's events, although the anniversary is expected to send a signal of defiance, particularly to South Korea and the United States. |
| The North Korean leader began the day by paying respects to his late father and grandfather at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang, official media reported. | The North Korean leader began the day by paying respects to his late father and grandfather at the Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang, official media reported. |
| Officials did not divulge details of the day's celebrations, although thousands of Pyongyang citizens have been seen in public squares across the city practising for a torchlight parade to be held in the evening. | Officials did not divulge details of the day's celebrations, although thousands of Pyongyang citizens have been seen in public squares across the city practising for a torchlight parade to be held in the evening. |
| A stage has also been set up on a river for a late-night concert featuring the all-female Moranbong Band - North Korea's most popular musical group. | A stage has also been set up on a river for a late-night concert featuring the all-female Moranbong Band - North Korea's most popular musical group. |
| China, North Korea's closest ally, has sent a senior Communist Party official to the anniversary. | China, North Korea's closest ally, has sent a senior Communist Party official to the anniversary. |
| Nuclear tests | Nuclear tests |
| North Korea's nuclear programme has long been a cause for alarm in the region. | North Korea's nuclear programme has long been a cause for alarm in the region. |
| Pyongyang is believed to have conducted three underground nuclear tests and is threatening a fourth, despite international condemnation and sanctions. | Pyongyang is believed to have conducted three underground nuclear tests and is threatening a fourth, despite international condemnation and sanctions. |
| Last month, it announced it was restarting its main nuclear facility Yongbyon and that it was improving its nuclear weapons "in quality and quantity". | Last month, it announced it was restarting its main nuclear facility Yongbyon and that it was improving its nuclear weapons "in quality and quantity". |
| The North claims it has made a nuclear device small enough to fit into the warhead of a missile. | The North claims it has made a nuclear device small enough to fit into the warhead of a missile. |
| US officials, however, have cast doubt on this claim and experts say it is difficult to assess the progress North Korea has made on miniaturisation. | US officials, however, have cast doubt on this claim and experts say it is difficult to assess the progress North Korea has made on miniaturisation. |
| North and South Korea remain technically at war because the 1950-1953 war ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. | North and South Korea remain technically at war because the 1950-1953 war ended in an armistice, not a peace treaty. |