UNITED NATIONS: The United States accused China and Russia on Wednesday of enabling North Korea by protecting it from attempts to strengthen U.N. Security Council sanctions on Pyongyang over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programs.

"The DPRK (North Korea) has enjoyed blanket protection from two members of this council," US Ambassador to the United Nations, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, told the 15-member Security Council.

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"In short, two permanent members of the Security Council have enabled Kim Jong Un."