In brief

Afghanistan

Insurgents fail in attack on police checkpoints

Hundreds of insurgents attacked Afghan police checkpoints in a remote northeastern province Tuesday with AK-47s and rocket-propelled grenades but failed to overrun the government positions, officials said.

The assault in Nuristan, a rugged and mountainous area province Pakistan, is the second significant Taliban attack on Afghan government forces in less than four days and is part of the insurgents’ long-awaited spring offensive.

The effectiveness of the Taliban’s campaign could affect the size of President Barack Obama’s planned drawdown of U.S. troops in July, the scale of which military officials have said will depend on conditions on the ground.

iran

U.N. report: Sanctions are slowing nuclear plans

Iran is continuing to use front companies, financial transactions and concealed shipping methods to circumvent sanctions but the bans have succeeded in slowing its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, according to a U.N. report obtained Tuesday by the AP.

The panel said sanctions have made it harder, costlier and riskier for Iran to acquire items needed for its banned nuclear and missile activities.

The Security Council imposed a fourth round of sanctions against Iran in June for refusing to suspend uranium enrichment and start negotiations with the U.S., Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany on its suspect nuclear program.

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