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8. April 2017, 21:58

US boosts defences after more threats from North Korea

The United States says it’s deploying an advanced missile defence system to the Pacific island of Guam, where it has naval and air bases, after North Korea said it has given its military final approval to launch attacks against the US, including the possible use of nuclear weapons. Pyongyang is not thought yet to have nuclear weapons capable of hitting America. Meanwhile joint US and South Korean military exercises continue. North Korea analyst, Aidan Foster Carter, says the extreme threats from Pyongyang may reflect tensions between the new ruler Kim Jong Un and the military. “Ever since Kim Jong Un got in, the party has been rising, the cabinet has been coming back, and lucrative export contracts which the military have got hold of, they’ve been divested of, so the military aren’t happy.“

Clashes follow death of a Palestinian prisoner

Israeli forces have shot and killed two Palestinian teenagers on a third day of clashes following the death of a Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli jail. Maysara Abu Hamdeya, who died of cancer was serving a life sentence for a planned bombing of a cafe in Jerusalem in 2002. Palestinians accuse Israel of medical negligence in his case, which Israel denies. There are concerns about further unrest with Hamdeya’s funeral underway in Hebron.

Japan to radically increase money supply

The Japanese central bank has said it will massively expand the country's money supply as it tries to combat two decades of deflation that have crippled growth. The Bank, under new governor, Haruhiko Kuroda, says it aims to increase inflation to around 2% within two years, and push down long term interest rates to encourage borrowing.

Pakistan told to tax its wealthy elite

A British parliamentary committee has said Pakistan should be given no extra aid unless it does more to collect tax from its wealthy elite. It called on the new Pakistani government, to be elected in May, to reform the tax system and combat corruption. The head of the international development committee Malcolm Bruce: “The fact is that some of the richest people in Pakistan pay no tax at all, and we’re talking about people who are a lot richer than the average taxpayer in the UK, who is contributing.”

Connecticut passes tough gun control laws

The US state of Connecticut has approved strict new gun control laws, in response to a school shooting last December in which 20 children and six adults were killed. President Barack Obama continues to campaign for tougher federal gun control laws, ahead of a debate in Congress on the issue this month.

Argentina mourns flood dead

Three days of national mourning have been declared in Argentina after over 50 people died in torrential rains and flooding. Tens of thousands have had to be evacuated from their homes.

The weather

Partly sunny, top temperatures 2 to 15 degrees, warmest in the west.

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