In brief: U.S. reporter faces ‘espionage’ charges in Iran

TEHRAN, Iran – A Washington Post journalist detained in Iran for over eight months is accused of “espionage” and “acting against national security,” the semiofficial Fars news agency reported Sunday.

The report did not elaborate on the source of the information, but the agency is regarded as close to Iran’s hard-liners.

Iranian officials have previously said Jason Rezaian is facing “security” charges and that he will stand trial before the Revolutionary Court – which mainly hears sensitive cases involving national security.

Rezaian, along with his wife, Yeganeh Salehi, and two photojournalists were detained July 22 in Tehran. All were later released except Rezaian, who is a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen. The Post, U.S. officials and Rezaian’s family have all called for his release.

The Fars report alleged that Rezaian had obtained economic and industrial information from Iran and sold it to unnamed Americans. It also linked him to Omid Memarian, an independent Iranian journalist based in the U.S.

Al-Qaida: Drones killed two leaders

DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan – U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan killed two leaders of al-Qaida’s South Asia branch earlier this year, a spokesman for the militants said Sunday, confirming a major blow to the affiliate only months after its creation.

In an audio message, spokesman Usama Mahmood said a Jan. 5 drone strike in North Waziristan killed Ubaidullah, who was in charge of the group’s Afghan affairs, while a later strike killed deputy chief Raja Suleman. His claim corresponds with the dates of previously reported U.S. drone strikes in Pakistan’s tribal region near the Afghan border.

Mahmood also lashed out at Pakistan over a military offensive launched last summer in North Waziristan, along the Afghan border.

“This operation is being carried out under direct supervision of American forces, its leadership, and with their direct help through drones and jets,” Mahmood said.

Mahmood said U.S. drone strikes had killed about 50 members of his group, known as al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent.

U.S., west Europe cut arms spending

HELSINKI – World military spending was largely unchanged in 2014 as lower spending in the United States and Western Europe was matched by increases elsewhere, prompted by conflicts in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Africa, an arms watchdog said Monday.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute said total global arms expenditure was down 0.4 percent at $1.8 trillion.

American spending was reduced by 6.5 percent as part of measures to cut the U.S. budget deficit, while the three biggest arms spenders after the U.S. – China, Russia and Saudi Arabia – greatly increased their purchases. Saudi Arabia boosted its military investments the most, by 17 percent, while China’s arms spending rose by 9.7 percent to an estimated $216 billion.

SIPRI program director Sam Perlo-Freeman said the conflict in Ukraine has prompted many European countries near Russia to increase military spending, particularly in central Europe, the Baltics and the Nordic countries.

On the other hand, the five biggest spenders in western Europe – France, Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain – have all budgeted for further, small cuts this year.

S. Korean Embassy in Libya fired on

TRIPOLI, Libya – Gunmen opened fire early Sunday at the local guards of the South Korean Embassy in the Libyan capital, killing one of them as well as a civilian who was in the area, a Libyan security official said.

The South Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement that no embassy officials were killed or wounded in the attack. It said the gunmen fired nearly 40 rounds with a machine gun.