SEOUL (South Korea) - NORTH Korea accused the US military of making provocative moves along the tense border on the divided Korean peninsula, warning on Saturday of 'unpredictable military conflicts'.

The rare threat came as North Korea was apparently gearing up to test-fire a long-range missile believed capable of reaching US territory. Pyongyang has also stepped up its war of rhetoric against the South over Seoul's tough stance toward its communist neighbour.

BEIJING - A TIBETAN Buddhist monk doused himself with gasoline and set himself ablaze in western China in an apparent protest against government restrictions on religion, and security forces shot him, international Tibetan advocacy groups reported on Saturday.

KHAR (Pakistan) - PAKISTANI troops have defeated Taleban militants in one of their strongholds overlooking the Afghan border after a grinding six-month offensive, the general leading the military operation said on Saturday.