By PAULINE JELINEK and ROBERT BURNS, Associated Press Writers Pauline Jelinek And Robert Burns, Associated Press Writers – Wed Aug 4, 11:13 pm ET

WASHINGTON – More than 30 years after his death, an Air Force general has been exonerated of charges that he violated presidential restrictions on aerial bombing during the Vietnam War and that he ordered the falsification of records to conceal the missions.

John D. Lavelle was forced to retire in April 1972 at the rank of major general — two stars below the rank he held as commander of air operations in Vietnam — after being relieved of duty for ordering unauthorized airstrikes against North Vietnamese military targets.

AP

In this 1972 file photo, Gen. John D. Lavelle, right, talks with then Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John C. Stennis, D-Miss., before a closed session to hear his case, in Washington.

Continue reading Obama restores rank of disgraced Vietnam general →

A row has broken out between Wikipedia and the FBI over the use of its seal.

In a letter sent to Wikipedia’s San Francisco office, the FBI said that “unauthorised reproduction of the FBI Seal was prohibited by US law”.

“Whoever possesses any insignia…or any colourable imitation thereof..shall be fined…or imprisoned… or both,” the FBI wrote.

Continue reading Wikipedia and FBI in logo use row →

A large airborne military exercise is underway in China’s central and eastern provinces and seas.

Fighter jets, spy planes and helicopters, along with 12,000 soldiers, are taking part in the drill.

It is one of several announced in official media in recent weeks.

The exercise follows verbal sparring between the US and China over conflicting territorial claims by China and many South East Asian nations in the South China Sea.

Continue reading China air force exercises ‘carry message’ →