World News Roundup: African Union suspends Burkina Faso after military coup; Explainer-Can the U.N. do more than just talk about Russia, Ukraine crisis? and more

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the threat of such measures, echoing moves outlined by a senior U.S. official following a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine, would amount to an attack on Russian businesses. UAE blocks missile strike as Israeli president visits The United Arab Emirates said on Monday it intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement as the UAE hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog on his first visit to the Gulf business and tourism hub.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

African Union suspends Burkina Faso after military coup

The African Union has suspended Burkina Faso from all its activities in response to last week's military coup, effective until constitutional order is restored, the AU said on Monday. Burkina Faso had already been suspended from the West African regional bloc, the Economic Community of West African States, though ECOWAS stopped short of imposing sanctions after the Jan. 24 coup that ousted President Roch Kabore.

Explainer-Can the U.N. do more than just talk about Russia, Ukraine crisis?

The U.N. Security Council is due to meet in public on Monday, at the request of the United States, to discuss Russia's troop build-up on the border with Ukraine as international diplomacy aimed at easing tensions moves to the world body in New York. The United States describes the meeting of the 15-member body as a chance for Russia to explain itself, while Russia signaled it could try and block it. Nine votes are needed for the meeting to proceed and Washington is "confident" it has sufficient support.

Britain warns Russia of sanctions on oligarchs if Ukraine is invaded

Britain urged Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday to "step back from the brink" over Ukraine, warning that any incursion would trigger sanctions against companies and people with close links to the Kremlin. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the threat of such measures, echoing moves outlined by a senior U.S. official following a Russian troop buildup near Ukraine, would amount to an attack on Russian businesses.

UAE blocks missile strike as Israeli president visits

The United Arab Emirates said on MondUAE blocks missile strike as Israeli president visitsay it intercepted a ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi movement as the UAE hosted Israeli President Isaac Herzog on his first visit to the Gulf business and tourism hub. In the third such attack on the U.S.-allied Gulf state in the last two weeks, the Houthis' military spokesman said they fired Zulfiqar missiles at Abu Dhabi and drones at Dubai.

U.N. chief presses Myanmar junta for aid access

The U.N. Secretary-General has urged Myanmar's ruling military to allow humanitarian aid access and address the "desperate needs" of its people, highlighting a year since a coup ended a decade of democracy and plunged the country into turmoil. The Feb. 1 overthrow of an elected government triggered months of nationwide protests and a bloody crackdown by the military, whose use of heavy weapons and air strikes against armed resistance in the countryside has reignited old conflicts and displaced tens of thousands of people.

Exclusive-Hong Kong leader delays filling post, raising questions about judiciary's independence

Hong Kong's leader has left open for more than five months a seat on the panel that selects the city's judges, three lawyers familiar with the situation said. The unprecedented delay raises questions over the autonomy of the city's judiciary, these lawyers and nine diplomats and scholars told Reuters.

US prepared to sanction Russian elites close to Putin if Russia invades Ukraine

The United States and its allies have prepared a list of Russian elites in or near Russian President Vladimir Putin's inner circle to hit with economic sanctions should Russia invade Ukraine, a senior administration official said on Monday. "The individuals we have identified are in or near the inner circles of the Kremlin and play a role in government decision making or are at a minimum complicit in the Kremlin's destabilizing behavior," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Analysis-With seven tests in a month, N.Korea calls for world to accept its missiles

North Korea's unusually active month of missile testing appears aimed at securing global acceptance of its sanctioned weapons programmes, analysts said, whether through concessions or simply winning tired acquiescence from a distracted world. North Korea may feel safe taking advantage of the pandemic and Washington's preoccupation with crises such as Russia and Ukraine to fulfil leader Kim Jong Un's orders to advance its nuclear weapons and missile capabilities during his five-year plan, analysts said.

UK PM Johnson receives report into alleged Downing Street lockdown parties

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has received an update on the internal inquiry into alleged parties at his Downing Street residence that breached coronavirus lockdown restrictions, the Cabinet Office said in a statement on Monday. Johnson, facing the gravest threat to his premiership over the alleged lockdown-busting parties at his residence and office at Number 10 Downing Street, has so far weathered calls from opponents and some in his own party to resign by saying people should wait for the report by senior civil servant Sue Gray.

N.Korea tests biggest missile since 2017, U.S. calls for talks

North Korea confirmed on Monday it had launched a Hwasong-12 ballistic missile, the same weapon it had once threatened to target the U.S. territory of Guam with, sparking fears the nuclear-armed state could resume long-range testing. The launch of the intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) was first reported by South Korean and Japanese authorities on Sunday. It was the seventh test conducted by North Korea this month and the first time a nuclear-capable missile of that size has been launched since 2017.