North Korea has accused the United States of setting up a military alliance like NATO in Asia..

According to North Korea’s government, it has been forced to develop stronger defences because of the U.S’ aim to oust Kim Jong Un from power.

The North Korean criticism comes amid concern it could be preparing its first nuclear test in five years and after a recent agreement between South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and U.S. President Joe Biden to deploy more U.S. weapons if deemed necessary to deter the North.

“While blatantly holding joint military exercises with Japan and South Korea, the United States is making a full-fledged move to establish an Asia-style NATO,” North Korea’s foreign ministry said in a statement on its website on Sunday, June 26.

North Korea was referring to recent military exercises conducted by U.S., South Korean and Japanese forces in Asian.

The exercises also involved a U.S. aircraft carrier, the first time one was used in more than four years.

North Korea, which has been conducting regular missile tests this year, repeated its assertion that such drills were preparation for war aimed at overthrowing it.

The United States is insisting that North Korea give up its nuclear weapons and has repeatedly offered to meet North Korean officials “at any time without preconditions” to discuss the issue. North Korea has rebuffed the offers.

The North Korean criticism came a day before South Korea’s president left to attend a NATO summit in Spain, the first South Korean leader to do so.

“This proves the hypocrisy of the U.S. rhetoric of ‘diplomatic engagement’ and ‘dialogue without preconditions’, while at the same time revealing again that there is no change in the U.S. ambition to overthrow our system by force,” the North Korean ministry said.

“The reality … makes us feel the need to make all-out efforts to develop even stronger power to be able to subdue all kinds of hostile acts by the United States,” it said.

A charity watchdog will be investigating the €3million in cash stuffed into bags and handed to Prince Charles by a Qatari sheikh.

The Sun reported that three payments of €1million each, totalling more than £2.5million were accepted by the heir to the throne during private meetings between 2011 and 2015.

The gifts from controversial Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani were reportedly bundled into a holdall, a suitcase and Fortnum & Mason carrier bags.

Though Clarence House insists all ­correct processes were followed over the donations from Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani, known as HBJ, it was however stated that the Charity Commission may choose to interview fund trustees.

The Charity Commission can also freeze accounts if it discovers serious wrongdoing, suspend or remove trustees or make referrals to the police.

A spokesperson said;

“We are aware of reports about donations received by The Prince of Wales’s Charitable Fund. We will review the information to determine whether there is any role for the commission in this matter.”

It’s understood that the payments will be verified and fund trustees may be questioned before the commission’s next steps are decided.

Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis said yesterday he was confident the donations would have gone through “proper due process”.

Mr Lewis told the BBC:

“What I have seen is the Palace have been very clear, that all monies go through proper due process, the charities obviously go through proper due process.

“I’m confident having had some dealings with charities, The Prince’s Trust, The Prince’s Foundation, around the Palace in the past myself, that these will have gone through proper due process.”

This is coming after another of Charles’s charities, the Prince’s Foundation, is being probed by police amid a cash-for-honours scandal.

Chelsea legend, Petr Cech will leave his role as Technical and Performance Advisor at the club on June 30.

Cech is the latest to leave the club following the Todd Boehly-Clearlake takeover after the departures of chairman Bruce Buck and director Marina Granovskaia.

Cech said: “It has been a huge privilege to perform this role at Chelsea for the past three years. With the club under new ownership, I feel now is the right time for me to step aside. I am pleased that the club is now in an excellent position with the new owners, and I am confident of its future success both on and off the pitch.”

Todd Boehly, chairman and co-controlling owner, said: “Petr is an important member of the Chelsea family. We understand his decision to step away and thank him for his contributions as an advisor and his commitment to the club and to our community. We wish him the best.”

Cech was appointed three years ago to provide advice and guidance on all football and performance matters at Chelsea having played 333 times for the club.

However, according to The Telegraph, part of Cech’s decision to leave his role at Chelsea was based on how much his influence had been diluted under the new ownership.

He reportedly disagreed with Chelsea co-owner Todd Boehly over his decision to loan Romelu Lukaku back to Inter prior to leaving.

Cech had acted as a go-between for Chelsea managers and director Marina Granovskaia, playing an instrumental role in a number of transfer and football decisions, notably recommending the signing of goalkeeper Edouard Mendy.

With Granovskaia’s departure last week, Boehly has taken on the role of ‘interim sporting director’, with both the American and manager Thomas Tuchel now in charge of transfer decisions with Cech sidelined.