Japan's trade deficit expands 70% in April
Tokyo. Japan's trade deficit expanded a worse-than-expected 70 percent on year to $8.6 billion in April, government data showed Wednesday, as a weaker yen made imports costlier.

US Congress grills former IRS boss over tax scandal
Washington. Under fierce questioning by US lawmakers, the political appointee who headed the IRS during the tax agency's targeting of conservative groups insisted Tuesday he was not involved in the scandal.

Senate panel votes to provide weapons to Syrian rebels battling Assad regime
Washington. A Senate panel voted on Tuesday to provide weapons to rebels battling the forces of Syrian President Bashar Assad, the first time lawmakers have endorsed the aggressive U.S. military step of arming the opposition in the 2-year-old civil war.