JERUSALEM / AP Israel on Tuesday refuted a White House claim that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu “surprised” the Obama administration by cancelling a planned visit to Washington, saying that the White House knew Netanyahu was considering not coming. Netanyahu had been expected to visit later in March on a trip coinciding with a major pro-Israel group’s annual summit, but his …

CANBERRA/ AP The US Air Force will continue to fly daily missions over the South China Sea despite a buildup of Chinese surface-to-air missiles and fighter jets in the contested region, with both nations’ militaries in discussions to avoid any miscalculations, a top US general said on Tuesday. Gen. Lori Robinson, the commander of the Pacific Air Forces, also urged …

Tehran / AFP Iran conducted multiple ballistic missile tests on Tuesday in an exercise to demonstrate “deterrent power,” a move that comes in defiance of US sanctions imposed over its missile programme in January. The announcement by the official IRNA said the tests showed the country’s “all-out readiness to confront threats” against its territorial integrity. State television a short time …