IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Pakistan

Travel ban on Musharraf lifted

A Pakistani court ordered the government on Thursday to lift a travel ban on former president Pervez Musharraf, his lawyer said, paving the way for him to leave the country in 15 days. Musharraf, who has faced a battery of court cases - including a charge of treason - since returning to Pakistan from exile last year, has been waiting since April for a decision to lift the travel ban.

United Kingdom

Terror trial is 'partly secret'

Britain's appeals court ruled on Thursday that a criminal trial can be held largely in secret on national security grounds - a decision some say sets a dangerous precedent. Three judges said that the case of two terrorism suspects was "exceptional". Under the ruling, a small number of journalists will be allowed to attend most of the proceedings, but cannot report on the trial as it unfolds.

Qatar

Freed militants may remain

Five Taliban leaders released by the United States have told visitors that they are likely to seek to remain in Qatar beyond an agreed one-year travel ban, sources said. The US released the men from Guantanamo in exchange for US soldier Bowe Bergdahl, held prisoner in Afghanistan for five years. Under the terms of the swap, mediated in secret by Qatar, the leaders must remain in the Gulf kingdom under surveillance for at least a year.

Russia

Ukraine's rebels ready for talks

Russia's foreign minister said on Thursday that rebels in eastern Ukraine are ready for a cease-fire but that Kiev has to initiate the process. Sergey Lavrov also said Moscow will introduce a resolution in the United Nations on the Ukrainian crisis, but that Russia was not seeking authorization to send in peacekeeping troops.

Ukraine

Govt boosts defense budget

Ukraine had increased its military spending for 2014 by 22 percent in response to the tensions in the eastern part of the country, a senior military official said on Thursday. "Today, the overall budget of the Defense Ministry totals 20.1 billion hryvnyas ($1.72 billion)," said Sergei Vinnik, deputy director of the Defense Ministry's Finance Department. The extra funds would be used to service military equipment, purchase fuel and ammunition for Ukrainian troops and fund the government's military operation in the east.

Syria

Car bomb kills 7 people in Homs

Syria's state media said a car bomb has exploded in the central city of Homs, killing seven people and wounding others. Homs has been struck by a wave of car bombs in recent weeks that have left dozens killed or wounded.

AP-AFP-Reuters

(China Daily 06/13/2014 page11)