China to increase military budget again
BEIJING – China’s official military budget will grow by about 10 percent in the coming year, a legislative spokeswoman said Wednesday, amid unease among Beijing’s neighbors about its growing might and territorial ambitions.
The increase to about $145 billion in spending would mark the fifth year in a row of double-digit increases despite the country’s slowing economic growth, which fell to 7.4 percent last year from 7.7 percent the previous year.
The spending reflects China’s growing power and desire to assert itself in the region and globally.
Italian fleet rescues hundreds of refugees
ROME – In dramatic sea rescues north of Libya, a flotilla of ships saved more than 1,000 migrants and refugees, while 10 migrants perished in the southern Mediterranean, Italian officials said Wednesday.
Rescue vessels, including from Italy’s coast guard and navy, and three cargo ships saved 941 people in seven separate operations that began Tuesday, Italy’s coast guard said. On Wednesday, the coast guard and two cargo ships rescued 94 migrants whose motorized dinghy was in distress 40 miles north of Libya, the coast guard said.
Survivors were ferried to southern Italian ports.
Ukrainian mine blast kills at least 24
DONETSK, Ukraine – A rebel-held city scarred by months of conflict in eastern Ukraine suffered more tragedy Wednesday when a methane gas explosion in a coal mine killed at least 24 workers and left nine missing.
As rescue efforts stretched past sundown, separatist authorities were accused by Ukraine’s government of failing to do enough to save the lives of the miners.
Associated Press
