North Korea 'preparing for new nuclear test'

North Korea vowed on Monday to strengthen its defences amid concerns the country may conduct a nuclear test as a follow-up to last month's long-range rocket launch.

Shias bury Quetta dead after protests

Shia Muslims in south-western Pakistan began burying the victims of a devastating bomb attack after a four-day protest ended when the government sacked the local political administration.

Muslim cleric brings Islamabad to standstill

Riot police patrolled the city, closing off roads and using containers to shield diplomatic missions.

The emergence of Tahir-ul-Qadri – who lived quietly in Canada until a month ago - has electrified the country's political scene, sparking frantic manoeuvring by a government

Mali: African troops due to arrive in days

Thousands of African troops are preparing to join the fight against Islamist rebels in Mali, as France said it wanted African forces to take over the offensive as quickly as possible.

Rafale fighter planes struck bases used by Al-Qaeda-linked fighters in Gao Photo: AFP

1:28AM GMT 15 Jan 2013

Some 600 soldiers from Nigeria are expect to arrive before next week, with Burkina Faso, Ghana, Niger, Senegal and Togo sending 500 troops each in the coming days.

Gerard Araud, France's UN ambassador, said

U.N. rights chief seeks international investigation of North Korea

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  Reuters/Reuters - U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay addresses a news conference at the United Nations European headquarters in Geneva October 18, 2012. REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

GENEVA (Reuters) - U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay called on Monday for an international investigation into what she said were decades of serious violations in North Korea, including torture and executions of political prisoners held in shadowy camps.

Second French soldier 'dies after Somalia raid

Islamist rebels in Somalia say a second French soldier has died of his wounds after a failed rescue attempt.

Sri Lanka lawyers fight impeachment of chief justice

COLOMBO — Sri Lanka's lawyers Monday announced a legal challenge to the impeachment of the chief justice and vowed to keep up a battle for judicial independence.

The Lawyers' Collective, which includes most of Sri Lanka's 11,000 attorneys, said they would also contest through the courts any appointment to replace