Itis15:30UniversalTime.I'mSteveEmberinWashington.
TheUnitedStatessaysitwillaskfortwomilliondollarsinnewaidtohelpPakistanfightmilitantsalongitsborderwithAfghanistan.AmericanSecretaryofStateHilaryClintonannouncedtheproposalFridayduringaplanningconferencebetweentheUnitedStatesandPakistan.Mrs.ClintonpraisedPakistanforcooperatingwiththeUnitedStatesinfightingterrorism.PakistaniForeignMinisterShahMehmoodQureshisaidAmericaandPakistanhavebothlostcitizenstoterrorismandthatPakistanisfacedthethreatofterrorismeveryday.Mr.Qurshisaidbothsidessharedthegoalofdefeatingterrorists.HecalledforcooperationbetweentheUnitedStatesandPakistaninbringingpeaceandsecuritytoAfghanistan.
Pakistaniofficialssayseparatebombattacksinthenorthwesthavekilledatleastninepeople.AbombexplosionalongaroadintheOrakzaitribalareakilledsixPakistanisoldiersandinjuriedatleasttwoothers.Ahigh-levelofficerwasamongthosekilled.TheareahasbeenatthecenterofaPakistanimilitaryoffensiveagainsttheTaliban.InJune,officialssaidoperationsagainsttheTalibaninOrakzaihadendedinsuccess.Butmilitantfightingintheareahascontinued.AlsointhenorthwestanexplosionatareligiouscenterinthecityofPkilledatleastthreepeople.22otherswerewounded.OfficialssaytheexplosionhappenedduringFridayprayers.
Afghanofficialssayabombexplosionhaskilledaprovincialgovernorandtwoothersintheeasternpartofthecountry.ThebombexplodedFridayonaroadinNangarharprovinceastheheadofdoorAareawastravellingtoworkinhiscar.Atleasttwootherpeoplewereinjuredintheexplosion.NATOforcesinAfghanistanreleasedthestatementcondemningtheattack.ViolencehasincreasedinthecountryasthewarinAfghanistanentersitstenthyear.
InFrance,policehaveforcedopenamajoroilprocessingcenternearParis.ThepoliceenteredthegroundpolicecenterearlyFridaytocarryoutorderstoforcethestrikerstoreturntowork.Atleastonepersonwasinjuredasthetwosidesclashed.Workershaveblockedentrytothecenterfordaysandworsenedthenationwidegasshortages.TheworkersareprotestingplannedchangestoFrance'sretirementsystemforolderpeople.ThesenateisexpectedtoapprovethemeasuresFriday.
DefenseChiefsfrom26AsiaPacificnationssaytheyagreethatNorthKorea'snuclearweapon'sprogramisamajorthreattothearea.ThetopgeneralofSouthKoreasaidthemilitarycommandersalsoagreedontheneedforclosecooperationtostopshipmentsofweaponsofgreatdestructionbysea.GenenalHanLinkuspoketoreportersFridayattheendofthefive-dayChiefsofDefenseConferenceinSeoul.AmericanadmiralRobertWillardsaidiftheNorthweretoholdathirdnucleartests.Itwouldbeaveryseriousissuefortheinternationalcommunity.AdmiralWillardheadstheUnitedStatesPacificcommander.