N. Korea Slams Latest U.S. Sanctions as 'Act of War'

North Korea on Sunday slammed the latest U.S. measures against its regime as an "act of war", after U.S. President Donald Trump announced the "heaviest sanctions ever" on the nuclear-armed regime.

The measures, which Washington says are aimed at forcing Pyongyang to roll back its banned nuclear and weapons programmes, target more than 50 North Korea-linked shipping companies, vessels and trade businesses.

"Like we have said repeatedly, we would consider any restrictions on us as an act of war, and we will not stop the U.S. if it really has the nerves to confront us in a 'rough' manner," the North's foreign ministry said in a statement carried by the state-run KCNA news agency.