PTI, Islamabad
General Parvez Musharraf was today declared an “absconder” by a special tribunal trying the former Pakistani dictator for high treason as he failed to appear in person despite repeated summons and directed authorities to produce him before the court within 30 days. The three-member court headed by Justice Mazhar Alam Khan Minakhel directed the government to publish advertisements in newspapers declaring General Musharraf an absconder, and also place similar posters outside the court and the former military ruler’s residence.
EU extends border controls in Austria, Germany, Scandinavia
AP, Brussels
The European Union has decided with immediate effect to allow Austria, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Norway to keep border controls in place for up to six months to deal with the migrant influx.
EU headquarters said in a statement Thursday that the controls should be “targeted and limited in scope, frequency, location and time, to what is strictly necessary to respond to the serious threat and to safeguard public policy and internal security.”
Australia defends US in South China Sea dispute
Reuters, Sydney
Australia on Thursday backed the United States in its so-called freedom of navigation operation close to a disputed reef in the South China Sea, a patrol China has denounced as an illegal threat to peace. U.S. guided missile destroyer the USS William P. Lawrence on Tuesday travelled within 12 nautical miles (22 km) of Chinese-occupied Fiery Cross Reef, in an operation undertaken to challenge excessive maritime claims by China.
US, UK, France block Russia bid to blacklist Syria rebels
Reuters, United Nations
Britain, the United States, France and Ukraine blocked a Russian proposal at the United Nations to blacklist Syrian rebel groups Jaish al-Islam and Ahrar al-Sham for links to Islamic State and al Qaeda militants, diplomats said on Wednesday.
Russia made the proposal late last month and the U.S. mission to the United Nations had signaled it would oppose the move, saying it would undermine attempts to get a sustained halt in the fighting in Syria.
