Osama bin Laden has allegedly said in a new audiotape that President Obama's Afghanistan strategy is "hopeless" and has called on the US to end the Afghanistan war and break its alliance with Israel.

The Russian-crewed ship allegedly carrying timber and hijacked by pirates earlier this month may have actually been carrying secret missiles bound for the Middle East as cargo.

The ex-wife of the groom at a Kuwait wedding party that turned into tragedy when a fierce fire engulfed a tent has confessed to starting the blaze.