World in brief

Far-right ex-foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman claimed today that sanctions would not stop Iran's nuclear programme.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's most prominent ally in the nuclear-armed country claimed that North Korea's nuclear test was an "obvious example" of diplomacy failing to curb a nuclear programme.

Mr Lieberman resigned two months ago after he was indicted for breach of trust in a fraud case.

Moscow to ship weapons to Syria

The head of the country's arms trader said today Moscow would continue shipping weapons to the Syrian government.

Rosoboronexport director Anatoly Isaikin said arms trade with Syria wasn't prohibited by the UN and so Russia had no intention to stop.

He said that Russia was sending Syria defensive weapons but nothing that could be used offensively such as planes, helicopters or armoured vehicles.

Nuclear power plant roof collapses

A roof section at the exploded Chernobyl nuclear power plant has collapsed.

Plant spokeswoman Maya Rudenko said a 6,500-square-foot section of the roof over the turbine hall at energy block No 4 collapsed on Tuesday due to heavy snowfall.

However Ms Rudenko claimed that radiation levels were normal and there was no danger to the public, so "everybody should be absolutely calm."

Council of Bishops supports miners

The Council of Bishops president rallied behind protesting miners today whose demonstration against concessions given to a Canadian mining company was broken up by police.

The miners blocked a highway over the weekend to protest against the government's decision to give Canada's B2Gold company the rights to gold fields the miners had long worked.

They demanded $38 million (£24m) in compensation.

Former president hides in embassy

Former president Mohamed Nasheed has taken refuge at the Indian embassy after a court ordered his arrest.

Police were deployed to arrest Mr Nasheed and present him to the court today after he failed to appear for a hearing Sunday on charges that he illegally ordered the detention of a senior judge, which led to his loss of power last year.

His party had claimed that Mr Nasheed was in India on Sunday and could not return because of health reasons.

Unemployment hits record 16.9%

The National Statistics Institute said today that the country's unemployment rate rose to a record 16.9 per cent at the end of last year.

The institute said that just over 923,000 people were out of work.

Unemployment has been rising since 2008, when it stood at 7.6 per cent.

The country took a €78 billion (£51bn) bailout in 2011. Austerity measures enacted in return for that loan are widely blamed for job losses.

Journalist freed after speaking out

A journalist was freed from jail today after being detained without charges for speaking out against the imprisonment of a fellow reporter.

Daud Abdi Daud said that the Somali government still wanted to charge him in court with "offending the president's wife."