Pyongyang / AFP North Korea’s first ruling party congress for nearly 40 years formally endorsed leader Kim Jong-un’s policy of expanding the country’s nuclear arsenal, as South Korea on Monday dismissed his proposals for military talks and improved ties. The congress, which opened on Friday, has largely been seen as an elaborate coronation for the 33-year-old Kim, securing his status …

  Tehran / AP Iran test-fired another ballistic missile, the latest in a spate of tests following the implementation of the nuclear deal with world powers earlier this year, according to a report Monday by the country’s semi-official Tasnim news agency. The test-firing of the missile, with a range of 2,000 kilometers, or 1,250 miles, was carried out two weeks …

  KIGALI / AP A Rwandan government official says at least 49 people have been killed by landslides in the country’s north following heavy rains on Saturday and Sunday. Disaster Management and Refugee Affairs Minister Seraphine Mukantabana told The Associated Press Monday that torrential rains in the area about 80 kilometers (50 miles) from the capital, Kigali, had destroyed several …