BBC News with Nick Kelly.

The Pentagon has announced it’s sending an advanced ballistic

missile

defence system to the pacific island of Guam as a

precaution

against threats from North Korea. At the same time, the North said it in view what it called the US nuclear threat. It had ratified a possible diversified nuclear strike. That statement on Pyongyang’s official news

agency

came amid warnings from the U.S. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel over North Korea’s behavior.

“I hope the North will ratchet this very dangerous rhetoric down. There is a pathway that is responsible for the North to get on a path to peace, working with their neighbours. There are many, many benefits to their people that could come. But they’ve got to be a responsible member of the world community.”

Lawmakers in the American state of Connecticut are debating a package of measures on gun control. They are expected to pass ushering in some of the toughest laws in the US. The measures include a wider ban on assault weapons and more background checks on gun-owners in Connecticut which suffered one of the worst school shootings in US history in December. President Obama is also continuing his push for more control of guns. He’ll be speaking at the Denver Police Academy in Colorado close to the scene of a mass shooting at a cinema last year. Congress is resisting tougher rules on firearm sales.