The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has described the latest UN sanctions imposed on the country as an "act of war".
In a statement by the foreign ministry, Pyongyong described the latest UN sanctions "as a violent breach of our republic's sovereignty and an act of war that destroys the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and a wide region."
Tropical Storm Tembin kills more than 100 In Philippines
More than 100 people are reported to have been killed as a tropical storm swept through the southern Philippines, with dozens more missing.
Storm Tembin brought flash flooding and mudslides to parts of Mindanao island.
Two towns badly hit were Tubod and Piagapo, where a number of homes were buried by boulders.
Tembin, with winds of up to 80km/h (50 mph), has now passed across Mindanao and is heading towards the southern tip of Palawan before moving further west.
Car Rams Into Crowd In Melbourne, Australia, Two Arrests Made
As many as 19 people have been injured after a car deliberately drove into a crowd of pedestrians in central Melbourne, Australia, Thursday, police have said. The driver of the sport utility vehicle and another man were arrested at the scene after the vehicle crashed into a signal pole outside a cable car stop.
Yemen Rebel Fires Ballistic Missile Into Riyadh
The Saudi-led coalition battling Yemen's Houthi rebels says it has intercepted a missile over Riyadh.
The Houthis' Al Masirah TV reported that a Burkan H2 ballistic missile had targeted a meeting at the al-Yamama Palace in the Saudi capital.
Witnesses said they heard an explosion and posted pictures online showing a cloud of smoke in the air. There were no reports of any damage or casualties.
The coalition accused Iran of supplying the Houthis with the missile.
Another North Korean Soldier Defects
Another North Korean soldier has defected to South Korea by crossing the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) under the cover of thick fog. According to Al Jazeera, South Korean soldiers fired about 20 warning shots at border guards from North Korea who appeared to be searching for the defected soldier.The report quoted political analyst and publisher of Korea Expose, a news magazine, Se-Woong Koo as saying that the economic situation is prompting soldiers and citizens to risk their lives by leaving the country.
North Korea Testing Warheads Loaded With Anthrax, South Korea Warns
South Korea says North Korea is conducting biological weapons experiments to test the possibility of loading anthrax-laden warheads on its intercontinental ballistic missiles. According to Asahi, a Japanese tabloid, an unnamed source in South Korea's Intelligence Service noted that the United States Government was aware of the tests, which were meant to ascertain whether the anthrax bacteria could survive the high temperatures that occur during warheads re-entry from space.
China’s Demand Pushes Donkey To The Brink Of Extinction
Increasing demand for donkey skin by China has escalated the prices for the beast of burden, creating a big problem for Nigerian peasants and artisans who use it.
In China, the skins of donkeys are believed to have medicinal properties.
“Two years ago we were buying donkeys strong enough for our trade for between 15,000 and 18,000 naira (between $42 and $50)—but now to get a good donkey you will require 70,000 to 75,000,” said Nigerian sand digger, Abubakar Ya’u.
“The reason for this is the huge purchase of donkeys which are transported to the south where their meat is consumed and their skin exported,” he explained.
“To us, it is a calamity because as a sand digger if you lose your donkey, you can hardly raise the money to replace it.”