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The former NBA star known as "The Worm" visited the Stalinist state to be part of an HBO series exploring cultures around the world.

The flamboyant former NBA star, now 51, has gone to the communist country for some basketball diplomacy and to take part in a film being made for HBO.

North Korea's latest nuclear weapons test is much more powerful than the previous two, according to estimates made by instruments that measure seismic waves from the blast. But it's hard to verify North Korea's claim that the test was of a miniaturized nuclear weapon.

A year ago, there was speculation that Kim Jong Un might be different from his father and grandfather. North Korea's nuclear muscle-flexing has all but silenced that discussion.

Analysts also say North Korea's claim that the device was smaller and lighter than ones it previously tested might be a sign it has moved closer to being able to fit a weapon on to a missile. Leaders around the world are condemning North Korea's actions.

Corporations pay millions to have their products turn up in the hands of famous people. But cellphone makers were not thrilled when a photo showed a smartphone on a table next to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. This set off fevered speculation about which brand it was.

The unanimous vote came after Pyongyang launched a rocket in December. The United States said the launch was a test of "ballistic missile technology."

In North Korea, profound social change is happening beyond the view of the outside world. The pressure of national ideology has forced women to become the primary breadwinners in many households — dramatically redrawing gender roles in the process.

U.S. officials wonder whether North Korea's successful rocket launch this week helped Iran — another country whose nuclear program concerns the U.S. The two countries have worked together in missile design, but it's unclear who's helping whom.

Given the history of first orbital space shots, North Korea's apparent struggle with its mission is fairly typical, experts say.