IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Ukraine

Militia shoots down helicopter

Militia forces shot down a Ukrainian army helicopter on Thursday, killing 14 government soldiers including a general. Acting President Oleksandr Turchynov said militia forces used a portable air defense missile to down the helicopter over the city of Sloviansk in eastern Ukraine. He told parliament that General Serhiy Kulchytskiy was among those who died.

Lebanon

Syrian expats cast votes

Hundreds of Syrians living in Lebanon lined up outside their embassy near Beirut on Thursday to vote ahead of their country's presidential election as expat balloting was extended for another day in the neighboring country. The situation around the hilltop embassy in the town of Yarze appeared more orderly a day after Syrian voters clashed with Lebanese troops outside the embassy.

Kenya

Bribery hurting terrorism fight

Corrupt police and other government employees willing to break rules for bribes are weakening Kenya's ability to prevent a new rash of terror carried out by attackers with links to Somali militants, officials and analysts say. Kenya has seen a long string of deadly attacks this year, including grenade blasts and homemade bombs deployed against buses, in markets and at a beachside hotel.

Japan

Tokyo to ease DPRK sanctions

Japan said on Thursday it would ease sanctions against the Democratic People's Republic of Korea after Pyongyang agreed to reinvestigate the kidnapping of Japanese nationals to train spies, in a significant breakthrough for testy relations.

AP-Reuters-AFP

(China Daily 05/30/2014 page12)