ROME: Pope Francis has called for international mediation to ease rising tensions between the US and North Korea over Pyongyang’s nuclear activity. The pontiff suggested that Norway was “always ready to help”. He warned the crisis risked sparking a devastating war in which “a good part of humanity” would be destroyed. His comments came hours after North Korea test-fired another ballistic missile, which the US and South Korea say exploded shortly after take-off. The missile was fired from a site in South Pyongan province, north of Pyongyang, South Korea said.