The World in Brief

Police force is deployed  at a gate of the National Assembly to refrain protesters from entering in the building,  during a sit-in protest in Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014. Pakistani Muslim cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri and Pakistan's cricket-star-turned-politician Imran Khan have been leading mass rallies for two weeks in Islamabad. They want Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif' to resign over allegations of vote fraud in last year's elections. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)
Police force is deployed at a gate of the National Assembly to refrain protesters from entering in the building, during a sit-in protest in Islamabad, Pakistan, Thursday, Aug. 28, 2014. Pakistani Muslim cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri and Pakistan's cricket-star-turned-politician Imran Khan have been leading mass rallies for two weeks in Islamabad. They want Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif' to resign over allegations of vote fraud in last year's elections. (AP Photo/B.K. Bangash)

Pakistani protesters agree to mediator

ISLAMABAD -- Pakistan's military has stepped in to mediate between the government and opposition protesters who have camped out in the capital for two weeks demanding the resignation of the prime minister over accusations of voting fraud.

Opposition leader Imran Khan and cleric Tahir-ul-Qadri, who have led parallel anti-government protests, said late Thursday that they were ready to meet with army chief Gen. Raheel Sharif and for him to act as "mediator and guarantor" in talks with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Pakistani Defense Minister Khwaja Mohammad Asif welcomed the agreement, which came after the premier asked the military to mediate.

The army's spokesman, Maj. Gen. Asim Bajwa, later said on Twitter that the opposition leaders were meeting with the army chief.

Ex-Thai premier's murder case dropped

BANGKOK -- A Thai court on Thursday dismissed a murder case against ex-Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva and Suthep Thaugsuban, his former deputy, who were both indicted regarding their roles in ordering a deadly crackdown on anti-government protesters in 2010.

The judges ruled the Criminal Court has no authority to handle the case because the two accused were holders of political office when they gave the orders.

Dozens of people were killed in the 2010 crackdown, when the army and police violently dispersed demonstrators who occupied downtown Bangkok for nine weeks.

Last year, Suthep went on to lead his own protests that paralyzed the government of ousted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and culminated in a May 22 coup.

Official inquests have concluded that several of those killed in the 2010 crackdown were slain by bullets fired by Thai soldiers.

In their ruling Thursday, the judges said that the case will be handled by the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions if the country's anti-graft commission finds the two former officials responsible.

The National Anti-Corruption Commission has called in Suthep and Abhisit to clarify the crackdown orders they gave to security forces in 2010, but the commission has not pressed any charges against them.

China: Will respond if U.S. eyes fly close

BEIJING -- China said Thursday that it will continue responding to U.S. military surveillance flights off its coast, rejecting American accusations that one of Beijing's fighter jets acted recklessly when it intercepted a U.S. Navy plane last week.

Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said China's military would closely monitor U.S. flights and reiterated calls for the U.S. to scale back or end such missions altogether.

"According to different situations we will adopt different measures to make sure we safeguard our air and sea security of the country," Yang said at a monthly news briefing.

China has long complained about U.S. surveillance flights that skim the edge of China's territorial airspace.

In December, China accused a U.S. Navy cruiser, the USS Cowpens, of having veered too close to China's sole aircraft carrier in the South China Sea during sea drills, nearly leading to a collision with a Chinese navy ship.

Kashmir fighting keeps 2,000 in shelters

SRINAGAR, India -- Thousands of villagers stayed in shelters Thursday in the disputed region of Kashmir after Indian and Pakistani border troops traded gunfire and shelling overnight despite an attempt by their commanders to defuse escalating tensions.

A recent flare-up in violence has left two civilians and a border guard dead on the Indian side of what is widely recognized as an international border between the two countries. Both countries claim control over the whole region.

"We have witnessed intense firing and shelling in the past two weeks," said civilian official Shantamanu.

Up to 15,000 villagers fled to government buildings temporarily converted into shelters. By Thursday, many villagers had returned home, but about 2,000 were afraid and elected to stay.

Elsewhere, six other people -- four militants and two Indian army soldiers -- died this week in skirmishes farther north in the Himalayas, where the United Nations-drawn border is heavily militarized.

-- COMPILED BY DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE STAFF FROM WIRE REPORTS

A Section on 08/29/2014

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