Current World Issues (Hov.)

US rejects North Korea war allegations as ‘absurd The US has dismissed  North Korea's accusation  that President Donald Trump has declared war against the country, calling it "absurd".  The comments come as South Korea's National Intelligence Service (NIS) said that Pyongyang had moved to bolster its coastal defences by relocating its warplanes along the east coast.  Regional leaders on Tuesday warned that war on the Korean Peninsula would result in "catastrophic consequences".  The warnings came after Pyongyang said on Monday that it was ready to defend itself by shooting down American bombers, and accusing Trump of declaring war on the country.  Speaking to reporters outside his New York hotel, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho responded to Trump tweeting at the weekend that North Korea's leadership "won't be around much longer" if it keeps up its threats. Ri, who attended this year's UN General Assembly s...

UK firms make huge profits on arm sales to Saudi Arabia British companies selling weapons have earned hundreds of millions of dollars by selling arms to Saudi Arabia during the ongoing war in Yemen, a report says. New estimates released by the children's charity War Child reveal that since the Saudi-led coalition began its intervention in Yemen, UK weapons companies including BAE systems and Raytheon have earned revenues exceeding $8bn from dealings with Saudi Arabia, generating profits estimated at almost $775m. The UK government, however, has received just $40m of corporate tax, the report said. "This tax revenue figure is pitifully small and comes at the cost of thousands of children who have been killed, injured, and starved by a conflict that this trade has helped sustain," the report said. A Saudi-led military coalition was formed in March 2015 to support Yemen's internationally recognised government in fighting the Iran-backed Houthi rebels. ...

South Korea welcomes new UNSC sanctions on North Pressure builds on North following latest nuclear test after UN Security Council unanimously backs new measures. South Korea has welcomed the UN Security Council's move to impose new sanctions on its neighbour North Korea, describing it as a "strict warning from the international community". The country's foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday that South Korea will continue to strengthen cooperation with the international community to ensure that the resolutions "are thoroughly implemented". "North Korea should accept the strict warning from the international community that continued provocations only deepen the diplomatic isolation and economic pressure," the ministry said. On Monday, the 15-member council - which does not include South Korea - adopted a US-drafted resolution imposing fresh punishing measures against North Korea following its sixth and largest nuclear tes...

Kenya's Supreme Court has nullified the result of the August 8 presidential electionwon by President Uhuru Kenyatta. In a ruling issued on Friday, the court said the electoral board committed "irregularities and illegalities" during last month's vote, harming the integrity of the election. The court ordered another presidential election to be held within 60 days.  "The declaration [of Kenyatta's win] is invalid, null and void," said Judge David Maraga, announcing the verdict of four out of the six judges. No presidential election in Kenya has ever before been nullified. Maraga said the election commission "failed, neglected or refused to conduct the presidential election in a manner consistent with the dictates of the constitution". A lawyer for Kenyatta, Ahmednasir Abdullahi, said the decision was "very political" and the election board had "done nothing wrong". But he said the decision had to be respected. ...