Court clears UK arms sales to Saudi Arabia

LONDON • London's High Court rejected yesterday a claim that Britain's arms sales to Saudi Arabia should be halted because they were being used in Yemen in violation of international humanitarian law.

The Campaign Against The Arms Trade had sought an order to block export licences for British-made bombs, fighter jets and other munitions which it said the Saudi-led Arab coalition was using in a campaign against Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen's civil war.

REUTERS

France may shut a third of N-reactors

PARIS • France's new Environment Minister said yesterday nearly a third of the country's reactors could be shut under plans to scale back nuclear power generation.

Environment Minister Nicolas Hulot said as many as 17 might be closed to meet a law passed by the previous Socialist- dominated Parliament requiring a reduction in the proportion of electricity generated from nuclear power from around 75 per cent to 50 per cent by 2025.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Cholera outbreak in Yemen escalates

GENEVA • A cholera outbreak in Yemen has now surpassed 300,000 suspected cases, the Red Cross said yesterday as the war-torn country reels from disease as well as the threat of famine.

About 7,000 new cholera cases were being recorded daily in the capital Sanaa and three other areas.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE