Nation, world briefs 2/3/16

More funding for Pentagon proposed

WASHINGTON -- The Obama administration said Tuesday it will propose quadrupling what it spends on its troops and training in Europe as part of the U.S. military's accelerating effort to deter Russia. President Barack Obama, in his final budget request to Congress, will ask for $3.4 billion -- up from $789 million for the current budget year -- for what the Pentagon calls its European Reassurance Initiative, which was announced in 2014 in response to Russia's annexation of Crimea and incursion into eastern Ukraine. The president also calls for a 50 percent increase in spending on the war against the Islamic State group, to $7.5 billion. Defense Secretary Ash Carter, giving an overview of the administration's proposed 2017 defense budget of $582.7 billion, described Russia as a growing challenge for the United States.

Syria allows aid in rebel-held area

GENEVA -- The Syrian government allowed aid into a rebel-held area near Damascus on Tuesday in what appeared to be a goodwill gesture after U.N.-mediated indirect peace talks got off to a rocky start in Geneva. The Syrian Arab Red Crescent delivered 14 trucks of aid provided by the International Committee of the Red Cross to the al-Tal suburb, said Damascus-based ICRC spokesman Pawel Krzysiek. He said the delivery included food and hygiene kits for about 3,500 families as well as 25 metric tons of bulk food. The Syrian opposition had demanded aid be allowed into 18 besieged areas throughout the country and Syrian and Russian forces halt the bombardment of rebel-held areas before the talks, which officially began Monday.

Yahoo to cut 1,700 workers

SAN FRANCISCO -- Yahoo is laying off about 1,700 employees and shedding some of its baggage in a shakeup likely to determine whether CEO Marissa Mayer can save her job. The long-anticipated purge, announced Tuesday, will jettison about 15 percent of Yahoo's workforce along with an assortment of services Mayer decided aren't worth the time and money the Internet company has been putting into them. The cost-cutting is designed to save about $400 million annually to help offset a decline in net revenue this year. Mayer also hopes to sell some of Yahoo's patents, real estate and other holdings for $1 billion to $3 billion. Products to be dumped include Yahoo Games, Yahoo TV and some of the digital magazines Mayer started as CEO.

Mayor accused of impersonating cop

JACKSONVILLE, Ga. -- The mayor of a tiny Georgia town is jailed on criminal charges after sheriff's deputies pulled him over for driving a police cruiser. John Dopson is mayor of Jacksonville, Georgia, a town of about 140 residents about 90 miles southeast of Macon. Dopson was being held Tuesday at the Telfair County jail on charges of impersonating an officer and driving under the influence. Sheriff Chris Steverson said Dopson was arrested Monday after residents complained they often saw him driving a police car. Steverson said the mayor told deputies he had "weed" in his system after he refused a blood and urine test.

-- From wire reports