US leads boycott of UN talks

US Ambassador to the United Nations (headquartered in New York) Nikki Haley announced Monday that the United States and almost 40 other nations (including nuclear powers United Kingdom and France) would not participate in the first-ever talks on an international treaty to ban nuclear weapons. President Donald Trump said that he would prefer a nuclear-free world, but otherwise the United States should be "at the top of the pack.” President Barack Obama's administration also opposed the talks back in December. This decision is based on the idea that countries such as North Korea would not agree to a ban on nuclear weapons regardless of the UN decision and thus would give more power to such nations. The boycott on Monday drew criticism from backers of the treaty, who say the risk of a nuclear detonation are higher than at any time since the end of the Cold War. But Haley said of the foreign officials joining the discussions, "you have to ask yourself, are they looking out for their people? Do they really understand the threats that we have?” If adopted, the treaty would outlaw the use, possession and development of nuclear weapons and set up their eventual elimination.

In Other News The Oakland Raiders will be on the move for the second time in franchise history after they previously left Oakland for Los Angeles in 1982. On Monday, NFL owners approved the franchise's move to Las Vegas at the league's annual spring meeting by a vote of 31-1. The team will remain in Oakland for two more years while the new stadium is being built. Three teens dressed in black and wearing masks and gloves were killed by a resident when they broke into a home in Oklahoma. Shortly before 12:30 p.m., the apparent burglars broke through a door in the back of the home. The 23-year-old son of the homeowner fired shots from a rifle, who was there with his father. "There was a short exchange of words, then gunfire happened. " Two of the suspects were in the kitchen; the other was found on the driveway. Two were apparently 16 or 17 and one as 18.