North Korea sanctioned by U.N.

Russia and China had resisted the imposition of sanctions on North Korea, even after the Hermit Kingdom's recent missile tests and with the possibility of more to come, but, at long last, according to Reuters, "the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously on Saturday to impose weapons-related sanctions".

The resolution, which is mandatory if not legally binding (a sop to China, which would have vetoed a firmer resolution), "requires all U.N. members to prevent imports from or exports to North Korea of missiles and missile-related items as well as materials that could be used in weapons of mass destruction".

More -- that is, sanctions beyond merely weapons-related ones (if not, eventually, military action) -- may be necessary if North Korea continues to press ahead with its missile program (and with its nuclear program), but this is a good start. I'll give it that.