Iran, Tunisia, North Korea.

Today's three stories you should know.

Jan 29, 2023

Iran

Three bomb-equipped drones attempted to attack an Iranian military factory today, according to Iran’s defence ministry. The ministry said two of the drones were shot down and one made it through, causing “minor damage” to the building, which was reported to be an ammunitions plant. Footage circulated by news agencies showed a flash of light at the factory and fire engines outside. Iranian officials did not say who they believed to be behind the attack but Iran has been targeted by suspected Israeli drones in the past and explosions have taken place at several of its military and nuclear installations. Israel very rarely acknowledges that it carries out such attacks.

Tunisia

Apathy was the byword as Tunisians - a very small number of Tunisians, apparently - went to the polls today to vote in a second round of parliamentary elections. Turnout was a paltry 11% for the first round of voting last month. Many Tunisians appear to have checked out after President Kais Saied dissolved the previous parliament and seized many executive powers for himself in what his critics say amounted to a coup. Major opposition parties, including the influential Islamist party Ennahdha, have boycotted the election. The new parliament is expected to have little power.

North Korea

North Korea has angrily denied a US accusation that it is supplying weapons to Russia’s Wagner Group, a private military firm fighting alongside regular Russian troops in Ukraine. The White House today published satellite images it says show Russian rail carriages crossing into North Korea before returning to Russia brimming with infantry rockets and missiles. But a senior North Korean official, Kwon Jong Gun, said in a statement that the accusation was a US attempt to justify the fact that it has been supplying weapons to Ukraine, warning Washington would face a “really undesirable result” if it persisted in spreading “groundless” rumours.