President Barack Obama has directed the U.S. military to coordinate with South Korea to “ensure readiness” and deter future aggression from North Korea, the White House said on Monday. Read the full story

The Islamic administration of Al-Shabaab that controls Somalia’s southern regions of Jubba has on Sunday declared holy war on Kenya over reports that Nairobi is training Somali troops. Read the full story

Syria’s official newspaper Tishreen said Saturday that while Damascus is ready to make peace with Israel, it is also prepared for war. Read the full story

Goldsmith changed his mind on Iraq, the British government’s former top lawyer said today he initially believed a second United Nations resolution was necessary to justify invading Iraq in 2003, but later changed his mind. He also said that there was no evidence of an “imminent threat” from Iraq to justify a war in self defence. Read the full story

It is almost seven years since Tony Blair led Britain into war in Iraq. But when he strides into the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster at 9.30 on Friday morning, through a ring of steel set up by the security services, the passage of time will count for nothing. Read the full story