Irish missionaries are spearheading a bid to plant a million trees as part of the re-greening of one of Africa's most parched regions.

The UN Security Council said it will consider a request from West African countries for military intervention in Mali to root out al-Qaida-linked Islamists who have seized control of the country's northern region.

Actress Catherine Zeta-Jones had to perfect her old accent for a new mountain climbing documentary after producers told her she didn't sound Welsh enough.