While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, April 1 edition

This photo taken on Feb 12, 2017 shows the launch of a surface-to-surface medium long-range ballistic missile Pukguksong-2 at an undisclosed location. PHOTO: AFP/KCNA VIA KNS

US sanctions North Koreans it links to weapons, financial networks

The United States on Friday (March 31) sanctioned 11 North Koreans and one North Korean company for their links to the country's weapons programs, banks and commodities trade, the US Treasury said.

It said the people were working as agents of North Korea's government in Russia, China, Vietnam and Cuba to provide financial support or help procure weapons for previously sanctioned companies.

"Today's sanctions are aimed at disrupting the networks and methods that the Government of North Korea employs to fund its unlawful nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation programs," Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said in a statement. "I urge our partners and allies to take similar measures to cut off its funding."

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Judge approves US$25 million settlement of Trump University lawsuit

A US judge on Friday (March 31) granted final approval of a US$25 million (S$34.9 million) settlement to resolve a class action lawsuit that claimed fraud against President Donald Trump and his Trump University real estate seminars.

The ruling from US District Judge Gonzalo Curiel in San Diego concluded a lengthy and contentious lawsuit that played a prominent role in the presidential campaign last year. The Trump University students, who paid as much as $35,000 for the seminars, claimed they were lured by false promises that they would learn Trump's investing "secrets" from his"hand-picked" instructors.

One Trump University student objected to the deal, in particular a provision blocking students from opting out of it. She said in court papers she would like to seek full recovery from Trump, plus punitive damages and other relief.

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London attacks: US victim's widow pictured recovering in hospital

The widow of Westminster terror attack victim Kurt Cochran has been pictured in hospital after her brother set up a GoFundMe page to give his sister an income during her recovery.

Melissa Cochran, 46, suffered a broken leg, rib and head wounds when Khalid Masood drove a Hyundai 4x4 into them on Westminster Bridge in London on March 22, 2017. Her 54-year-old husband was killed.

The couple, from Utah in the US, were sightseeing on the last day of a trip around Europe to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.

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Schiff says too early to debate Flynn immunity for testimony

The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said President Donald Trump's former national security adviser would have to go through several steps before lawmakers would consider offering immunity in exchange for his testimony.

Representative Adam Schiff of Washington said that he would discuss Mike Flynn's offer with the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Justice Department, and that he would need to receive details about what Flynn would say.

"As with any investigation - and particularly one that grows in severity and magnitude by the day - there is still much work and many more witnesses and documents to obtain before any immunity request from any witness can be considered," Schiff said Friday (March 31) in a statement.

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Boeing's newest, largest Dreamliner jet makes first test flight

Boeing's newest and largest Dreamliner model, the 787-10, took off successfully on its first flight on Friday (March 31), kicking off a flight test programme for the high-tech jet.

The plane, which sells for US$312.8 million (S$437.2 million) at list price and rounds out a family of three carbon-fibre composite Dreamliners, is being built exclusively at Boeing's factory in North Charleston, South Carolina.

The facility is Boeing's only jetliner assembly factory outside of Washington state and, in contrast to the others, is not unionised.

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