South Korea said yesterday that it would nearly triple the range of its ballistic missiles, allowing it to strike all parts of North Korea and a sliver of China, under a new deal with the United States.

The world's richest man has set himself a new challenge – to improve sanitation for the poor

Former West Point and Annapolis cadets claim officials systematically ignore sexual crimes

The strikes bring to six the number of countries where the drones have been used. US officials increasingly identify the East African country as a major terrorist base

Even the Arab League seems to be getting cold feet and has joined the Italian ceasefire call over Libya

President ponders details of phased withdrawal of forces from Afghanistan

Straying beyond the normal boundaries of diplomatic nicety, the American Ambassador to Afghanistan, Karl Eikenberry, delivered a sharp verbal slap to President Hamid Karzai yesterday for his criticism of Nato's operations in his country implying that the US was becoming weary of it.

The United States and other foreign powers are engaged in preliminary taks with the Taliban about a possible settlement to the near decade-long war in Afghanistan, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said today, the first official confirmation of US involvement in negotiations.

International Studies

Afghanistan is so dependent on foreign aid that it could face an economic crisis when the West ends its military intervention in the country in 2014, a United States Senate report warned yesterday, criticising the way the US had sunk billions into unsustainable projects in the shattered country.

In a parting pitch to Asian allies, retiring US Defense Secretary Robert Gates said today that the Pentagon is considering steps to widen its military presence across the Pacific Rim. He said budget woes won't interfere.

Careless talk costs lives, the White House warned yesterday, saying that unauthorised leaks about the special forces raid that killed Osama bin Laden are now endangering US troops, harming diplomatic relations and jeopardising the country's ability to carry out similar operations in future.

A British-trained Pakistani lawyer announced today that he intends to use courts in Pakistan, the UK and the United States to try and halt drone strikes in the country’s tribal areas.

The operation against Bin Laden was one thing; concealing it from the world something else