SANCTIONS DO LITTLE AGAINST NORTH KOREA

While the U.N. Security Council considers new sanctions on North Korea after its latest nuclear test, experts say existing sanctions are going unenforced.

Despite the mounting international concern over North Korea’s nuclear capabilities, less than 40 of the U.N.’s 193 member states have turned in reports on sanctions implementation since the latest round of sanctions was imposed in 2013. Compliance has been lowest in Africa, an increasingly important market for low-cost North Korean weapons sales.

Afghan forces struggle B

kandahar, afghanistan» Afghan forces are struggling to man the frontlines against a resurgent Taliban, in part because of untold numbers of “ghost” troops who are paid salaries but only exist on paper.

The nationwide problem has been particularly severe in the southern province of Helmand, where the Taliban has seized vast tracts of territory in the 12 months since the U.S. and NATO formally ended their combat mission and switched to training and support.

Karim Atal, head of Helmand’s provincial council, said in some cases, the “ghost” designation is more literal — dead soldiers and police remain on the books, with senior police or army officials pocketing salaries without replacing them, Atal said.

He estimates that some 40 percent of registered forces don’t exist, and says the lack of manpower has helped the Taliban seize 65 percent of the province — Afghanistan’s largest — and threaten the provincial capital, Lashkar Gah.

Planned Parenthood backs Clinton B

hooksett, n.h.» Planned Parenthood says its endorsement of Hillary Clinton won’t result in negative campaigning against her Democratic primary opponents.

President Cecile Richards says the group’s political arm is endorsing early so it can begin reminding voters about what she calls the Republican candidates’ “extreme” positions on women’s health. The endorsement is the group’s first in a presidential primary.

The group will spend $20 million in the 2016 presidential campaign.

Tesla software update allows self-parking

B detroit» Some Tesla Motors vehicles can park themselves without a driver inside with a software update beamed to customers over the weekend.

The update also puts new speed limits on Tesla’s semi-autonomous Autopilot mode and makes several enhancements, including automatically slowing when the car is approaching a curve and keeping the car in its lane even when the lane markings are faded.

CEO Elon Musk said the parking feature is a “baby step” toward his eventual goal: Letting drivers summon their self-driving, self-charging cars from anywhere using their phones.

Police search for man who shot passenger on train B

oakland, calif.» Police on Sunday were searching for a man who fatally shot a passenger on a packed Bay Area Rapid Transit train and then fled when the train stopped at the West Oakland station, causing panic among riders who thought it was a terrorist attack.

The suspect fled the train as some passengers frantically tried to save the shooting victim Saturday night, while others ran out of the train or got on the ground.

“Star Wars” tops box office for fourth week

B los angeles» “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” stayed on top of the North American box office for the fourth week to become the world’s third-largest grossing movie ever.

According to studio estimates Sunday, the movie raked in $41.6 million in the U.S. and Canada and $104.3 million overseas, led by a record-breaking opening in China.

Its global total now stands at $1.73 billion, according to The Walt Disney Co., passing “Jurassic World,” with $1.67 billion.