Tuesday Briefing: North Korean missiles in Ukraine

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January 23, 2024

By Justin Porter

Good morning. We’re covering the use of North Korean missiles against Ukraine and the new Ram temple in India.

Plus, a “revolutionary” way to feed the world.

The aftermath of a Russian strike in Kyiv, Ukraine, in early January. Laura Boushnak for The New York Times

North Korea’s newest missiles appear in Ukraine

Russians are beginning to deploy North Korean arms on the battlefield in Ukraine.

Though many of the North Korean artillery rounds are proving to be duds — some appear to have been manufactured decades ago — they’re giving the Russians something to fire while Ukraine’s military rations its own dwindling supply of munitions.

But what has U.S., NATO and European officials worried are the missiles: So far, fewer than 50 appear to have been transferred to Russia, but there could be far more to come. Three barrages of North Korean-made missiles targeted Ukrainian positions around the new year, American officials say, and they believe more were used on the battlefield over the weekend.

An analysis by Conflict Armament Research, an organization that has documented the arms used in Russia’s war in Ukraine, showed that the North Korean missiles were relatively recent in their design. U.S. officials say they’re proving as accurate as Russia’s home-built equipment.

A testing ground: In South Korea, officials and analysts say the Ukraine war 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 Western-designed air defenses.

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

In front of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, in northern India on Sunday.  Atul Loke for The New York Times

Modi opens a triumph for Hindu nationalists

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

But for the country’s 200 million Muslims, the new temple has reinforced a sense of despair and dislocation. It was built where the centuries-old Babri Mosque stood before it was destroyed in 1992 by Hindu activists, unleashing sectarian violence that left thousands dead. Those events set a precedent of impunity that reverberates today: Muslim men accused of slaughtering or transporting cows are lynched, interfaith couples are beat to combat “love jihad,” and “bulldozer justice” is inflicted on the homes of Muslims, which are leveled by officials without due process.

More about the temple: Ram is one of the most revered gods among Hindus in India. As the hero of the Ramayana epic, he is a king and a paragon of virtue who has been exiled from his native Ayodhya and comes home for a jubilant coronation.

Rescuers searched for missing victims yesterday in Yunnan Province, China. Agence France-Presse — Getty Images

A landslide in southern China buried dozens

At least eight people were killed and another 39 were buried by a landslide yesterday in Yunnan Province in southwestern China, according to state media, as a cold wave blanketed much of the country. State media said that more than 500 people had been evacuated.

The landslide occurred just before 6 a.m., hitting Hexing and Heping, two small villages near the borders with Sichuan and Guizhou Provinces. Hundreds of rescue workers were searching the rubble in below-freezing temperatures as snow continued to fall.

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Smoke rising during an Israeli ground operation in Khan Younis, Gaza, on Monday. Ibraheem Abu Mustafa/Reuters

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To find out 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 cropped, others long, were some of the most popular outerwear. Jeans could be ripped, shredded or creased — anything but simple. Which trends will be embraced by the masses? Only time will tell.

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Harvesting cassava on a farm in Oyo, Nigeria, in May. Temilade Adelaja/Reuters

A ‘revolutionary’ old way to feed the world

Cary Fowler, now the U.S. 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 very different seed.

For decades, American policy has urged developing countries to grow huge amounts of staple grain, like maize. But Fowler is promoting a return to the traditional crops people used to grow more of, like cowpeas, cassava and a range of millets. They’re sturdy, full of nutrients and able to withstand extreme weather.

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

Kerri Brewer for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.

Cook: This spin on enchiladas verdes is a quick and easy skillet dinner.

Clean: You don’t need to dry clean these fabrics, no matter what the label says.

Train: Power is essential for aging well. Here’s how to increase yours.

Read: These seven books will help improve your yoga practice.

Play Spelling Bee, the Mini Crossword, Wordle and Sudoku. Find all our games here.

That’s it for today’s briefing. See you tomorrow. — Justin

P.S. “SPERMWORLD,” a documentary on the unregulated online marketplace for sperm that was inspired by a Times feature, will premiere on FX in March.

We welcome your feedback. Send us your suggestions at briefing@nytimes.com.

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