Oddball, outlandish and eternally secretive, the country has provided a rich seam of humour for the world's comedians.

• February 15, 2013

South African authorities will have to address two critical issues as the country faces signing for its new nuclear procurement megaplan.

• February 15, 2013

Ukraine is interested in the resumption of Turkmen natural gas supply, Azerbaijan's Trend news agency quoted Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych as saying.

• February 14, 2013

A strategic partnership”: So Iran and Russia describe the series of security, economic and cultural agreements they’ve signed together in the past few weeks.

• February 14, 2013

North Korea has tested three atomic bombs and is widely believed capable of firing a nuclear warhead. But in the eyes of the United States, North Korea most definitely is not a nuclear weapons state.

• February 14, 2013

President of Ukraine Viktor Yanukovych and President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdymukhamedov have signed a joint Ukrainian-Turkmen Communique.

• February 13, 2013

Russia will continue deliveries of arms to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his armed forces, the head of the state weapons exporter said on Wednesday, despite the Middle Eastern country's civil war.

• February 13, 2013

A North Korean nuclear test draws international condemnation, modest U.N. sanctions and expressions of hope in the United States that China will finally rein in its brazen ally.

• February 13, 2013