Afghan intelligence: Massive truck bomb seized

KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — The Afghan intelligence service says it has seized a massive truck bomb packed with 17,200 pounds of explosives on the eastern outskirts of Kabul.

Intelligence spokesman Shafiqullha Tahiri said Friday that intelligence agents also killed five suspected suicide bombers and arrested two others during a raid early Wednesday when the truck was seized.

He says all were suspected members of the militant Haqqani network, which is closely allied with the Taliban.

Tahiri says the explosive material was disguised as bags of cement, a trademark method of the Haqqanis, who are known for conducting spectacular attacks.

He says agents also seized several suicide bomb vests, rocket-propelled grenade launchers and hand grenades.

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China defends massive growth in military spending

BEIJING (AP) — China is defending its booming military spending, saying its vast investments in the armed forces have contributed to global peace and stability.

However, in a break with previous years, no figure for this year's defense budget was presented at a news conference held Monday on the eve of the opening of the annual legislative session. Spokeswoman Fu Ying said the figure would appear in the overall budget to be released Tuesday.

Chinese defense spending has grown substantially each year for more than two decades, and last year rose 11.2 percent to 670.2 billion yuan ($106.4 billion), an increase of about 67 billion yuan.

Only the United States spends more on defense.

Fu cited U.N. peacekeeping and anti-piracy patrols as examples of China's contribution to world peace and stability.

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