In stark UN speech, Trump threatens to 'destroy' North Korea

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - President Donald Trump is vowing to "totally destroy North Korea" if the U.S. is forced to defend itself or allies against the renegade nation's nuclear weapons program.

The president's combative speech Tuesday to the U.N. laid out a stark, good-vs-evil view of a globe riven by chaos and turmoil. He urged nations to work together to stop Iran's nuclear program and defeat "loser terrorists." He denounced "radical Islamic terrorism" and called Syrian President Bashar Assad's government a "criminal regime." He said violence-plagued regions of the world "are going to hell." But he made little mention of Russia.

For all of that, he said there was still hope the United Nations could solve "many of these vicious and complex problems."