Bay Ledger News Zonebill@blnz.comtag:www.blnz.com,2009:people/george_littletag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/21/Congress_budget_stopgap_broader_battle_4d17

US lawmakers approved a funding stopgap on Thursday to keep the US government operating through September and took a step towards adopting a blueprint for a decade of budget austerity.

2013-03-21T21:11:39ZAFP American Editionby Michael Mathestag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/20/Pentagon_chief_hails_French_action_a92c

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel on Wednesday hailed France's military intervention in Mali in a phone call with his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, thanking Paris for its "active leadership," officials said.

2013-03-20T22:46:22ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/Korea_threatens_action_over_B-52_16c3

North Korea on Wednesday condemned training flights by nuclear-capable US B-52 bombers over the Korean peninsula as an "unpardonable provocation" and threatened military action if they continue.

2013-03-20T01:29:58ZAFP Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/says_evidence_Syria_rebels_used_2312

The United States said Tuesday it had seen "no evidence" that Syrian rebels have used chemical weapons and warned it would be "totally unacceptable" for the regime in Damascus to use such arms.

2013-03-19T18:23:59ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/19/flies_B-52_bombers_over_Korea_713a

The United States said it was flying training missions of nuclear-capable B-52 bombers over South Korea, in a clear signal to North Korea at a time of escalating military tensions.

2013-03-19T09:43:25ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/18/flies_B-52_bombers_over_Korea_713a

The United States said it was flying training missions of nuclear-capable B-52 bombers over South Korea, in a clear signal to North Korea at a time of escalating military tensions.

2013-03-19T02:32:26ZAFP Asian EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/18/promises_Korea_military_resources_a2b1

US Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter on Monday promised to provide South Korea with every military resource under the US nuclear umbrella at a time of heightened tensions with North Korea.

2013-03-18T18:19:14ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/14/Iranian_fighter_tries_intercept_drone_9ab5

An Iranian fighter jet tried to intercept a US Predator drone over the Gulf but backed off after encountering two American military aircraft, the Pentagon said Thursday.

2013-03-14T20:49:20ZAFP Global EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/12/Pentagon_second_thoughts_drone_warrior_28e1

The US military said Tuesday it halted production of a new medal for drone and cyber warfare, ordering a review after critics called the award an insult to combat veterans.

2013-03-12T21:17:01ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/12/Pentagon_chief_orders_review_sexual_da17

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has ordered a review of US military law and of a sexual assault case in which an Air Force general overturned a fellow officer's conviction, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

2013-03-12T19:49:56ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/10/Karzai-Hagel_press_event_security_fears_62ae

Afghan President Hamid Karzai Sunday cancelled a high-profile press conference in Kabul with new US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, with US officials saying the event was dropped for "security concerns".

2013-03-10T14:02:34ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/08/Korea_scraps_peace_pacts_sanctions_14c3

An enraged North Korea responded to new UN sanctions with fresh threats of nuclear war on Friday, vowing to scrap peace pacts with South Korea as it upped the ante yet again after its recent atomic test.

2013-03-08T21:38:34ZAFP Global Editionby Park Chan-Kyongtag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/08/says_North_Korean_threats_not_ac2b

The United States warned Friday that North Korea's decision to scrap peace pacts and threaten South Korea was "not helpful" and said Pyongyang should mend ties with its neighbors.

2013-03-08T20:38:45ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/03/05/defense_chief_seeks_reassure_Israel_138a

The Pentagon's new chief held talks with Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Tuesday and pledged to ensure US budget cuts have no effect on funding for military assistance to the Jewish state, officials said.

2013-03-05T19:27:34ZAFP American Editionby Dan De Lucetag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/28/Pentagon_make_quick_decisions_sequester_1f6a

The Pentagon will make "some very quick decisions" on programs to be hit by automatic spending cuts under the so-called sequester, a Defense Department spokesman said Thursday.

2013-02-28T18:36:39ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/27/cant_dictate_world_Pentagons_chief_d316

America cannot "dictate to the world" and must work with allies and build relationships with other nations, US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said shortly after being sworn in Wednesday as the new Pentagon chief.

2013-02-27T19:39:17ZAFP American Editionby Dan De Lucetag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/27/Hagel_takes_helm_Pentagon_2466

US Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel was sworn in Wednesday after a divisive Senate debate over his nomination that signals a rocky road ahead as he tackles deep budget cuts and frayed ties with Congress.

2013-02-27T15:55:55ZAFP American EditionBy Staff Reportertag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/27/Taliban_kill_Afghan_police_checkpoint_f7be

The Taliban killed at least 16 people at an Afghan police checkpoint Wednesday and bombed an army bus in Kabul, highlighting a growing trend of strikes on Afghan rather than NATO targets.

2013-02-27T12:21:18ZAFP Global Editionby Sayed Rahmatulla Alizadatag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/27/Taliban_suicide_bomber_targets_Kabul_fea9

A Taliban suicide bomber attacked a bus carrying Afghan army personnel in Kabul Wednesday, wounding 10 people and highlighting a growing trend of strikes on Afghan rather than NATO military targets.

2013-02-27T08:51:35ZAFP Global Editionby Usman Sharifitag:www.blnz.com,2009:2013/02/26/Report_decline_Taliban_attacks_wrong_aafb

The US-led force in Afghanistan has incorrectly reported a decline last year in Taliban attacks, officials said Tuesday, casting doubts on NATO's claims of progress in the war.

2013-02-26T19:40:18ZAFP American Editionby Dan De Luce