Kazakh aristocrat gives struggling French label Vionnet a new life. Chinese Sinopec eyes Kazakhstan. NATO, Japan sign cooperation pledge.

South China Post - Kazakh aristocrat gives struggling French label Vionnet a new life - Kazakh aristocrat's sharp instincts breathe new life into a label that once rivalled Chanel, writes Divia Harilela

New Europe - Chinese Sinopec eyes Kazakhstan - According to the Flemish Chinese Chamber of Commerce in Belgium China Petroleum and Chemical Corp (Sinopec) is set to expand its overseas investments by acquiring oil and gas exploration assets in Kazakhstan and Russia from its parent for close to US$3 billion.

BBC - FBI probes Boston 'terror' blasts - An investigation is under way after two explosions near the finishing line of the Boston Marathon left three people dead and at least 140 injured.

The Diplomat - Global Military Spending Falls For First Time Since 1998 - Global military spending fell for the first time since 1998 despite spending increases in Russia and China, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s (SIPRI) annual report.

The Tehran Times - Iran’s “Low Economy” tops World Press Cartoon contest - “Low Economy” by Iranian artist Saeid Sedeqi has won first prize in the Gag Cartoon category at the World Press Cartoon contest in Portugal.

The National Interest - Magnitsky List's Limited Impact - On Friday, the State Department released the so-called Magnitsky List. The list, which State has described as the first tranche of what will be an ongoing investigation, came as something of an anticlimax. The United States did not launch a broad new human-rights crusade against the Russian leadership, and so the Kremlin reacted with only mildly ruffled feathers. The eighteen Russian citizens named are mostly those thought to have been directly involved in the Magnitsky case, plus a couple of security officials linked to rights abuses in Chechnya.

The Washington Times - Law on sex orientation therapy for youths heads to court - A first-of-its-kind California law is going to court this week, when a panel of judges will hear testimony about whether mental health professionals have the right to talk with young clients about reducing their homosexual attractions or the state has the right to outlaw such “dangerous quackery.”

Trend - Over 500 foreigners violating the law detected in Azerbaijan - Last week, the State Migration Service (SMS) identified 564 foreigners and stateless persons, who have violated the terms of their stay, as well as temporary and permanent residence in the country, the SMS press service said on Tuesday.

Xinhuanet - NATO, Japan sign cooperation pledge - NATO and Japan have signed a joint security agreement, covering a wide range of issues. Following a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the UN’s Secretary General Fogh Rasmussen said the two sides faced similar security challenges.