Tags: United States

China has punished 17 officials for lapses in connection with explosions and riots in the Xinjiang region in September, state media said, as the regional Communist Party boss said the fight against "terrorism" was getting "more intense".

This week's deadly attacks in France by Islamist gunmen showed the limits of spy and anti-terrorist agencies, which often have information about perpetrators in advance but are only able to assemble all the clues after the bloodletting has taken place.

North Korea said on Saturday it was willing to suspend nuclear tests if the United States agreed to call off annual military drills held jointly with South Korea, saying the exercises were the main reason for tension on the Korean peninsula.