TWO suspected short-range missiles were fired from North Korea, according to South Korean military officials.
Projectiles were launched from the west of the country only hours after the North described its firing of rocket artillery as a regular and defensive exercise for its military.
As the second weapons launch in five days, disarmament talks with the USA may be endangered.
The type of missile fired has not been confirmed but according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff the weapons flew 260 and 167 miles respectively.
A return to testing long-range ballistic weapons, such as those fired frequently in 2017, may demonstrate the North is stepping away from diplomatic actions since sanctions are still in place.
Earlier this year a summit between US President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ended with disappointment after the US refused sanctions relief until further disarmament was seen.
MEANWHILE, a law issued from the Vatican will require all Catholic priests and nuns to report clergy sexual abuse to church authorities.
It comes as part of an effort to hold the Catholic hierarchy to higher accountability and outlines procedures for preliminary investigations into accusations.
Making 415,000 Catholic priests and 660,000 nuns mandated reporters, it will add local civil reporting requirements into church law for the first time.
As the latest effort from Pope Francis to respond to the global sex abuse scandal, the move may see an avalanche of cover-up reports in the following years.
ELSEWHERE, following a public vote Denver became the first US city to decriminalise the psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms.
Decriminalisation of the substance, psilocybin, led by a narrow 51% of the vote.
Campaigners advocated for the vote to keep people out of jail for using the drug for mental health treatment.
The vote de-criminalises use or possession of psilocybin making it a low enforcement priority for police, but it does not legalise the substance or permit its sale.
FINALLY, preliminary results from South Africa’s general election showed a lead for the ruling party but with significant drops in vote shares.
From the votes counted, the African National Congress led by 55%, falling from the 62% share received in 2014.
A vote share of under 60% may significantly impede the country’s president Cyril Ramaphosa from introducing much needed economic reform.
Turnout also fell from 74% in 2014 to 65% for this election.
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