NATO plans larger presence in E. Europe
LONDON -- NATO plans to create a rapid-deployment force and a "more visible" presence in eastern Europe to assuage concerns about Russian intentions during the crisis in Ukraine, the alliance's secretary-general said Wednesday.
Anders Fogh Rasmussen said that while the proposal anticipated the prepositioning of supplies and equipment at new bases, it would not infringe on the alliance's agreements with Russia, which have prevented substantial NATO buildups in the lands that joined the alliance after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
NATO's strategy in response to Russian pressure on Ukraine has been to conduct more exercises, aircraft patrols and the like. Rasmussen suggested that the alliance now plans to augment those measures by increasing its preparedness to send more troops to eastern European bases if necessary.
"We will adopt what we call a readiness action plan with the aim to be able to act swiftly in this completely new security environment in Europe," he said, adding that the plan was designed to address the fears of newer NATO members that Russia might intervene militarily to protect large ethnic Russian minority groups, such as those in the Baltic states.
EU to help Italy with refugee rescues
ROME -- The European Commission agreed Wednesday to Italian demands for a European Union project to replace Rome's emergency operation for rescuing would-be refugees crossing the Mediterranean.
The European commissioner for home affairs, Cecilia Malmstrom, announced plans to beef up the European border patrol agency at a news conference in Brussels alongside Italy's interior minister. She urged all EU member states to contribute planes, ships and personnel to the "Frontex Plus" operation that she hopes to launch by November.
Italy began its $13 million a month "Mare Nostrum" operation in October after 360 foreigners drowned off the Sicilian island of Lampedusa while trying to reach Italy.
Refugee numbers have since swelled as thousands of people have fled conflicts across the Mideast and Africa. So far, nearly 110,000 people have been rescued since January, but at least 1,889 have died making the perilous crossing, the U.N. refugee agency said.
Italy had demanded that the EU do more to help out, arguing that it shouldn't bear the burden alone since most of the foreigners want to settle elsewhere in Europe.
Group splinters from Pakistani Taliban
DERA ISMAIL KHAN, Pakistan -- Several militant commanders and their followers have split from the Pakistani Taliban, the second group this year to part ways with the umbrella organization.
The Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban, have been fighting for several years in an insurgency aimed at overthrowing the Pakistani government and installing their harsh interpretation of Islamic law. The militants have killed thousands of people across the country in recent years.
In a video released late Tuesday, commander Maulana Qasim Khurassani said he and several of his associates and fighters left the Pakistani Taliban and formed their own group, named Jamaat-ul-Ahrar.
Khurassani said they were inspired by the Afghan Taliban and their fight against U.S. troops, as well as that group's leader, Mullah Mohammad Omar.
Japan confirms premier's war-dead note
TOKYO -- Japan's conservative prime minister, Shinzo Abe, sent a message of support earlier this year to a ceremony honoring more than 1,000 Japanese who died after being convicted as war criminals after World War II, a government spokesman confirmed Wednesday.
Abe wrote in the message, sent to the April ceremony at the Koyasan temple in western Japan, that the convicted war criminals had "sacrificed their souls to become the foundation of the fatherland."
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga said Abe had sent the message not in his public capacity as prime minister but as a private citizen. A report in the Asahi Shimbun newspaper said the message was read aloud at the ceremony, which Abe did not attend.
The annual ceremony honors 1,180 Japanese who were executed or died in prison after being convicted of war crimes by Allied tribunals. Many on Japan's right believe the tribunals wrongfully convicted the men.
Such sentiments have made Abe the target of criticism by China, a victim of Japan's wartime empire-building. China did not immediately respond to the report Wednesday.
A Section on 08/28/2014