News Analysis: Pledge, Counter-pledge At Tokyo To Decide Afghanistan's Future - Xinhua

Todashev's body brought to Russia for burial GROZNY, Russia (AP) — The father of a Russian man killed while being questioned about ties to the Boston Marathon bombing suspects says he has brought the body to Russia for burial.

Woman pleads guilty in St. Louis dog neglect case ST. LOUIS (AP) — A St. Louis woman has pleaded guilty to misdemeanor animal abuse charges for nearly starving her two dogs to death, then tossing one in a trash bin behind her home. Under a plea deal, she was ordered to perform 24 hours of community service, take an animal care class and donate $75 to the Humane Society of Missouri. Randy Grim, founder of the animal protection group Stray Rescue, called it one of the worst cases of animal neglect he has seen. Cases like this were previously handed as ordinance violations in municipal court.

President Barack Obama proposed reducing the American nuclear arsenal by as much as a third on Wednesday, directing the Defense Department to align the United States with what the administration says are the more credible threats of the 21st century. The proposal outlined by Obama in a speech in Berlin includes the maintenance of a “strong and credible strategic deterrent,” and will instruct the De

KABUL, Afghanistan -- Underscoring Afghan President Hamid Karzai’s reputation in Washington as a mercurial U. S. ally, the Karzai administration suspended security talks with the United States on Wednesday, apparently without warning, a day before U. S. officials were due to meet with the Taliban for informal talks.