Japan seeks biggest defense budget rise in 22 years
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japan’s Defense Ministry said on Friday it was seeking a three percent increase in next year’s budget allocation, the biggest rise in 22 years, with most of the growth linked to revised personnel costs and equipment imports made more …
Al Qaeda claims responsibility for Iraq bombings
BAGHDAD (Reuters) – An al Qaeda affiliate claimed responsibility for a series of bombings in Baghdad and other areas of Iraq in retaliation for the execution of Sunni Muslim prisoners, according to an Internet statement on Friday.
Afghanistan suicide attack kills Kunduz district governor, civilians
KUNDUZ, Afghanistan (Reuters) – A suicide attack in Afghanistan’s northern Kunduz province killed a district governor, one of his bodyguards and 10 civilians at a memorial service at a mosque on Friday, government officials said.
Former China security chief faces corruption probe: report
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s senior leadership has agreed to open a corruption investigation into Zhou Yongkang, one of China’s most powerful politicians of the past decade, stepping up its anti-graft campaign, the South China Morning Post reported on F…
Australia investigates elite troops over Taliban corpse mutilation
CANBERRA (Reuters) – Australia’s military is investigating a unit of special forces soldiers accused of mutilating the corpses of one or more insurgents killed during operations in Afghanistan, Australian state television reported on Friday.
Exclusive: Syrian army moves Scud missiles to avoid strike
AMMAN (Reuters) – President Bashar al-Assad’s forces have removed several Scud missiles and dozens of launchers from a base north of Damascus, possibly to protect the weapons from a Western attack, opposition sources said on Thursday.
Colombian president calls for calm as farm protests reach Bogota
BOGOTA (Reuters) – Thousands of Colombian farmers and state workers marched through Bogota on Thursday, banging pots and pans as they converged on the capital after 11 days of increasingly violent protests against agricultural and trade policies they s…
China urges no U.N. action on Syria before probe completed
BEIJING (Reuters) – There should be no rush to force U.N. Security Council action against Syria until a probe by U.N. experts into suspected chemical weapons use is complete, and unilateral action will not help matters, China’s foreign minister said.
China: no Security Council action on Syria before probe complete: Xinhua
BEIJING (Reuters) – China’s foreign minister said on Friday the UN security council should not be pushed into any action on Syria before inspectors have completed a probe into allegations of chemical weapons use.
U.S. consults oil experts as it weighs action against Syria
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Obama administration officials have contacted energy experts in recent days to discuss oil market conditions as the president weighs a military strike against Syria, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
