Jordan executes 10 for terrorism, 5 for other crimes

BEIJING (Reuters) – China pledged more support to its military on Sunday including strengthening maritime and air defenses amid efforts to safeguard sovereignty, but in a highly unusual move did not give spending figures for 2017 despite promises of transparency.

Parliament’s spokeswoman Fu Ying said on Saturday defense spending for this year would rise about 7 percent, accounting for around 1.3 percent of gross domestic product – the same level as the last few years.

However, the actual defense spending target for this year was not included in the country’s budget released at the opening of parliament’s annual session on Sunday, as it has been in previous years.

“We will support efforts to deepen the reform of national defense and the armed forces, with the aim of building a solid defense and strong armed forces that are commensurate with China’s international standing and are suited to our national security and development interests,” the budget report said. It did not elaborate. China’s military build-up has rattled nerves around the region, particularly because it has taken an increasingly assertive stance in its territorial disputes in the East China Sea, the South China Sea and over Taiwan, which China claims as its own.

Giving his annual work report to parliament, Premier Li Keqiang said China would deepen military reforms.

“We will strengthen maritime and air defense as well as border controls and ensure the important operations

AMMAN (Reuters) – Jordan executed 15 people on Saturday, including 10 convicted on terrorism charges ranging from an attack a decade ago on Western tourists to the slaying of a writer in the largest mass execution in the country’s recent history.

Government spokesman Mohammad al Momani told state media those executed included one man who was convicted related to countering terrorism, safeguarding stability, international peacekeeping and providing escorts on the high seas are well organized,” he said.

“We will boost military training and preparedness, so as to ensure that the sovereignty, security, and development interests are resolutely and effectively safeguarded.” of an attack last year on an intelligence compound near a Palestinian camp that killed five security personnel.

Another five were involved in an assault by security forces on a militant hideout by suspected Islamic State militants in Irbid city in the same year that led to the death of seven militants and one police officer. The rest related to separate incidents

It was not clear why defenses numbers were not released. China has repeatedly said its defense spending is transparent.

A 7 percent rise for this year based on last year’s budget would bring the figure to 1.02 trillion yuan, still only a quarter or so of the US defense budget.

There were calls last week for China that go back as far as 2003.

It was the largest number of executions in one day in Jordan’s recent history, said a senior judicial source who was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter and requested anonymity.

At least 100 detainees have been sentenced to death in recent years, many on charges related to membership of militant to announce a commensurate rise in defense spending for this year.

“As far as our development is concerned, defense spending is not enough,” Wang Ning, commander of the paramilitary People’s Armed Police, told Reuters on the sidelines of parliament. “Such a large country is facing so many security issues.” Islamist groups, who could face capital punishment.

Among the 10 executed for terrorism was a gunman convicted of firing at a group of Western tourists near the Roman amphitheatre in downtown Amman in 2006, killing one Briton and injuring five other people, the source said on condition of anonymity.