
Beijing defends Confucius Institutes amid US academic freedom debate
China on Friday defended its overseas Confucius Institutes, one day after a US congressman called for a probe into the language and cultural centres over concerns that they violate academic freedom. ... more
|  |

New Pentagon chief inherits friction with White House
President Barack Obama's pick to be the next defense secretary, Ashton Carter, will inherit a tense relationship between the US military and the White House that is unlikely to ease even with a fresh face at the Pentagon. ... more
|  |
Scaling rules for metamaterials promise better implants and safer devices
Experts warn of urgent need to address human reproduction risks in space
Indigenous Brazilians protest Amazon river dredging for grain exports
|  |

Iran says it carried out air strikes in Iraq: report
A senior Iranian official said the country's military had conducted air strikes against Islamic State jihadists in Iraq, in an interview with British newspaper The Guardian. ... more
|

South Africa's Zuma calls China an anti-colonial force
South African President Jacob Zuma said Friday that China's growing influence in Africa would allow the continent to free itself from "colonial shackles" as he wound up a visit to Beijing. ... more
|  |

Pakistan aiming for jet boost to defence exports
A revamped version of Pakistan's JF-17 jet fighter took centre stage at a defence exhibition in Karachi this week as the restive nuclear-armed state looks to boost its role as a military exporter on the world stage. ... more
|
 |

China ex-general says force an option in 'Taiwan problem'
An army general has warned that China will not leave the Taiwan problem "unresolved for a long time", after the island's Beijing-friendly ruling party suffered a bruising election defeat, a state-run newspaper said. ... more
|  |

Syria army repels jihadist advance on key air base: monitor
Syrian troops have repelled an attack by jihadists from the Islamic State group on a key military airport in the eastern province of Deir Ezzor, a monitoring group said Sunday. ... more
|