Eastern ukraine. if you want more on the situation in ukrainejust head to our website there s plenty of analysis and backgrond including answers to the main questions. that s all at bbc.com/news or download the bbc news app. the united states has made a direct appeal to north korea to join talks about its nuclear and missile programs. it comes after pyongyang tested one of its most powerful ballistic missiles in years. the japanese government said it reached an altitude of around one thousand, two hundred miles, before landing harmlessly in the sea ofjapan. earlier, i spoke to policy expert soo kim on why north korea has launched seven missile tests this month. we could look at the timing, i think. the geopolitical atmospheres