Photo: ReutersNorth Korea fired a missile on Friday (local time) that experts said was capable of hitting Los Angeles and other US cities and the United States and South Korea responded by staging a joint missile exercise. "By threatening the world, these weapons and tests further isolate North Korea, weaken its economy, and deprive its people," President Donald Trump said in a statement. "The joint governments of South Korea and the United States will firmly punish North Korea for its missile provocation." The two allies had staged a similar exercise after the North Korean test earlier in the month. Michael Elleman of the International Institute for Strategic Studies said the window for a diplomatic solution with North Korea "is closing rapidly."

Source: Otago Daily Times July 29, 2017 01:52 UTC