Russia, China in free trade talks
While his boss is away Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Kasyanov has been talking free trade with the Chinese.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is conferring with President George Bush at Camp David over the weekend, mostly about Iraq.
But China's proposal for a free trade zone is the project to watch, given China's growing hunger for Russian and Kazakh oil and gas, and Russia's problems in getting into the World Trade Organization.
Kasyanov's Chinese counterpart, Wen Jibao, unveiled the free trade plan at this week's meeting in Beijing of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which includes Russia, China and the four Central Asian republics of Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan.
So far focusing much more on anti-terrorism cooperation, the SCO is shifting fast to a commercial focus, signing a framework agreement this week to facilitate mutual investment and another to establish a permanent secretariat.
Israel to train Indian Special Forces
India's Special Forces are heading for Israel to conduct joint training sessions with Sayeret Matkal, Israel's equivalent of Britain's famed SAS.
Under confidential sidebar agreements reached ahead of prime minister's Ariel Sharon's brief trip to New Delhi this month, Israel will supply the Indian Special Forces with training and equipment, including the new Tavor assault rifles.
India's Special Forces, still nominally part of the paratroop forces, are slowly adapting from paratroop operations in 600-man battalions to the small 4-man teams now routine in Special Forces elsewhere. They recently held joint exercises with U.S. force and n Israel the Indians will be trained at the Mitkan (for counter-terror ops and sniping), Balish (for intelligence), Tzifrin (for communications) and Elyakim (for counter-guerilla ops) army bases.
No Egyptian troops for Iraq; but police?
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher is telling Washington there's no way they'll send troops to Iraq, but might train Iraqi police.
But given Amnesty International's report on Egyptian police methods, this may be an offer best refused.
The latest Amnesty briefing says: "Torture of political detainees is common in Egypt, in State Security Intelligence (SSI) branches, police stations and occasionally prisons. The most common methods of torture reported are: electric shocks, beatings, suspension by the wrists or ankles, burning with cigarettes, and various forms of psychological torture, including death threats and threats of rape or sexual abuse of the detainee or their female relatives."
Lebanese files charges against general
Exiled former Lebanese strongman General Michel Aoun is facing charges after criticizing Syria's occupation of his country before the U.S. Congress.
Aoun is being charged by Beirut's chief prosecutor for "undermining the image of the state" and stirring sectarian strife.
He is also charged with "impersonation of the role of prime minister" which could mean a 15-year jail sentence.
The question is how far Syria leant on the Beirut authorities to add charges that accused Aoun of "holding unlicensed speeches that aim at disrupting Lebanon's relations with a sisterly nation and spreading false rumors abroad in order to undermine the nation's prestige."
Aoun, who has lived in exile in Paris since being deposed in 1990, will probably be tried in absentia.
Mistresses OK, but not on taxpayers dime
An anti-corruption group in the Philippines is getting a huge response to its "Report-a-Mistress" campaign, but says its target is politicians not the ladies.
The anti-corruption watchdog groups says its campaign is not an attack on mistresses, but an attempt to deter politicians from boosting their sex lives with taxpayer funds.
Faxes, phone calls and e-mails are running at 500 a day, and are being forwarded at once to the Department of Justice and the National Bureau of Investigation for further action.
