North Korea fires ICBMs that can hit DC, NYC

North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Wednesday that can reach the "whole" American mainland, in a bold act of defiance against US President Donald Trump after he put the country back on a list of state sponsors of terrorism. The latest launch drew swift global condemnation with Pyongyang's ally Beijing expressing "grave concern".

The Hwasong-15 missile, described by the state television as the country's "most powerful", was launched around 3 a.m. local time. It landed in Japanese waters but flew higher than any other missile the North had previously tested.

North Korea claimed the entire US mainland was within reach after "successfully" testing the missile that it claimed can carry a "super-large heavy warhead" to unprecedented heights of almost 4,500 kilometres.

State news agency KCNA said North Korean leader Kim Jong-un personally signed off on the launch of the missile that reached an altitude of 4,475 kilometre and flew 950 kilometre in 53 minutes.

The distance travelled appeared to be significantly greater than that of the two previous ICBMs, which flew for 37 minutes on July 4 and for 47 minutes on July 28.

Trump, together with his counterparts in South Korea and Japan and the UN Secretary General, condemned the launch. "We will take care of it," he told reporters at the White House, calling it a "situation we will handle".
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China asks North Korea to 'cease' its 'incorrect actions' after nuke test

China on Sunday strongly condemned North Korea's sixth nuclear test and asked the reclusive nation to "cease" its "incorrect actions" and return to the dialogue table for denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea claimed on Sunday that it successfully conducted a test of a hydrogen bomb meant to be loaded onto an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). It is the rogue nation's sixth, and most powerful, nuclear test.

China, North Korea's main diplomatic ally, criticised the country for ignoring international condemnation of its atomic weapons programme.

China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, "The Democratic People's Republic of Korea has once again conducted a nuclear test in spite of widespread opposition from the international community. The Chinese government resolutely opposes and strongly condemns it."

It said that China's firm stance, as well as the common goal of the international community, was achieving denuclearisation on the Korean Peninsula, protecting the nuclear non-proliferation mechanism and maintaining peace and stability in northeast Asia.
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North Korea threatens nuclear war as US deploys bombers near its border

The People's Democratic Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Friday has warned of imminent nuclear war following the US live-fire bombing run near its border.

In a Sunday editorial of the state-run Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the DPRK accused Washington of engaging in "military provocations," designed to commence nuclear conflict in the region.

"The Korean peninsula is the largest gunpowder area in the world with the highest risk of nuclear war, and is the largest hot spot in the world where there is always a risk of nuclear war," reads the DPRK editorial, cited by RT.

"[Washington] is surely spreading into a new world war," the Rodong Sinmun editorial asserted, adding that American military moves in the region were merely an attempt to distract from US  President Donald Trump's "serious crisis of power" on Capitol Hill.

Pyongyang's launch of what it claimed to be its first ICBM, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held an emergency meeting and the US deployed two B-18 strategic bombers to the region, Sputnik reported.

While the B-18 bombing runs were escorted by US, South Korean and Japanese fighter jets.

The Pentagon, through its Pacific Command, tweeted that the runs "demonstrated America's ironclad commitment to the defence of our allies," according to RT.

Moscow has already provided evidence to the United Nations (UN) that the missile Pyongyang launched on Tuesday was a mid-range, not a global ballistic missile.
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