Dozens of nations sign nuclear weapons ban — but US, UK and France abstain
UN, New York — Dozens of countries signed a treaty to ban nuclear weapons on Wednesday amid tensions over North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests, although the US, Britain, France and others boycotted the event at the annual UN gathering of world leaders. The treaty on the prohibition of nuclear weapons will enter into force 90 days after 50 countries have ratified it. Only a few countries were due to deposit their ratification on Wednesday. "There remain some 15,000 nuclear weapons in existence. We cannot allow these doomsday weapons to endanger our world and our children’s future," UN secretary-general António Guterres said as he opened the treaty for signing. Earlier this month, North Korea conducted its sixth and largest nuclear weapons test. US President Donald Trump told the 193-member UN general assembly on Tuesday that if threatened, the US would "totally destroy" the country of 26-million people and mocked its leader, Kim Jong-un, as a "rocket man". The prohibition treaty w...
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