IN BRIEF (Page 12)

United Nations

Russia, China veto resolution

Russia and China vetoed on Thursday a draft resolution intended to refer the Syrian civil war to the International Criminal Court. The unadopted draft resolution, proposed by France, received 13 votes in favor and two against. The vote at the 15-nation UN body made it a fourth double veto by Russia and China on a West-drafted resolution on Syria.

Ukraine

11 troops killed by insurgents

Three days before Ukraine holds a presidential vote, insurgent militia forces attacked a military checkpoint on Thursday in eastern Ukraine, killing at least 11 troops and wounding 30 others in the deadliest raid yet in weeks of fighting. Journalists saw 11 bodies scattered around a checkpoint near the village of Blahodatne, 30 kilometers south of Donetsk.

Sri Lanka

Drug lord to be extradited

A Maldivian drug kingpin was arrested in Sri Lanka and is awaiting extradition to the Maldives, local media reported on Thursday. The man, identified as Ibrahim Shafaz, was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment in November 2013 on charges of drug trafficking. In early February he went to Sri Lanka, alleging medical problems.

Republic of Korea

DPRK fires shells in ROK waters

The Democratic People's Republic of Korea fired on Thursday several rounds of artillery shells toward waters in the Republic of Korea, and two rounds fell near a ROK patrol ship sailing around the western maritime border.

United Kingdom

Charles' quote outrages Russia

Prince Charles' comparison of Vladimir Putin with Nazi leader Adolf Hitler triggered a diplomatic row on Thursday when Moscow scolded the heir to the British throne for what it said was an outrageous attempt to sully Russia's reputation over Ukraine.

AP-Xinhua-AFP-Reuters

(China Daily 05/23/2014 page12)