IN BRIEF (Page 12)

South Sudan

Transitional govt due in 60 days

Officials say that South Sudan's president and its former vice-president have agreed to complete talks on the formation of a transitional national unity government within 60 days. A statement by IGAD, a bloc of East African nations, released on Tuesday said the body was disappointed by the failure of government and rebel troops to honor a cease-fire agreement.

Yemen

Warplanes hit tribesmen

Yemeni warplanes conducted strikes on Wednesday against tribesmen suspected of sabotaging power lines, in attacks that have left the country without electricity for two days, tribal sources said, reporting casualties. Tuesday's attack on the power lines was the third of its kind this month, and officials have accused the tribesmen of blocking the road linking Sanaa to the eastern province of Marib.

United Kingdom

JK Rowling steps into politics

Harry Potter creator JK Rowling waded into the world of Muggle politics on Wednesday, announcing a 1 million pound ($1.68 million) donation to the campaign against Scottish independence. Scots will vote in a Sept 18 referendum on whether to leave their 300-year-old union with England and become an independent country.

Dr Congo

Army clashes with Rwanda

Soldiers from the Democratic Republic of Congo exchanged fire on Wednesday with Rwandan troops who crossed the countries' border and seized a Congolese soldier, a Congolese government spokesman said. "Elements from the Rwandan army crossed the border not far from Kibumba and took a Congolese corporal, which provoked a reaction from our soldiers there who opened fire," she said.

Hungary

Controversial tax adopted

Hungary's parliament approved on Wednesday a tax on advertising that critics say will further erode press freedom and cripple the media industry in the EU member state under Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The new tax is the latest in a series of so-called "special" levies passed by Orban's right-wing government since 2010 on sectors typically dominated by foreign companies like banking, energy, retail and telecoms.

Egypt

Activist jailed for 15 years

An Egyptian court jailed on Wednesday for 15 years prominent activist Alaa Abdel Fattah, a symbol of the 2011 revolt against Hosni Mubarak, for allegedly assaulting a policeman during an illegal protest. Abdel Fattah was arrested along with two co-defendants after the ruling was issued.

AP - AFP - Reuters

(China Daily 06/12/2014 page12)