World briefs

UKRAINE  Two Ukrainian military fighter jets have been shot down in the east, according to the country’s Defense Ministry. The Sukhoi-25 fighters were shot down over an area called Savur Mogila. The planes may have been carrying up to two crew members each.

SWITZERLAND The U.N.’s top human rights official has warned all sides in the two-week war in the Gaza Strip to not indiscriminately attack civilians, and that violations may amount to war crimes.

CHINA Authorities have tightened already rigorous Internet controls by cracking down on online pornography and what state media called “rumormongers” and “slanderous content.

INDONESIA’S losing presidential candidate plans to file a legal challenge in the nation’s highest court, a move likely to prolong the political uncertainty in the country’s transition to democracy. Jakarta Gov. Joko Widodo, known to most as “Jokowi,” was declared the winner late Tuesday after all the votes were counted from the July 9 election.

THAILAND’S new temporary constitution allows the leader of the ruling junta to become interim prime minister and gives the military government sweeping powers in the run-up to a planned October 2015 election.

ITALY The Costa Concordia cruise liner began its final voyage yesterday, slowly being towed away from the tiny Italian island where it capsized more than two years ago, killing 32 people.

SINGAPORE Home prices in will probably extend declines as the government sticks with curbs, according to Keppel Land Ltd., signaling further losses for Asia’s second-most expensive housing market.

US The Senate Foreign Relations Committee approves an agreement on civilian nuclear cooperation between the U.S. and Vietnam, as Washington looks to expand its relationship with its former Southeast Asian foe.

UK Britain is still authorizing the export of arms and military equipment to Russia despite the government’s call for tough sanctions over Moscow’s arming of separatist rebels in Ukraine, a group of lawmakers said yesterday.

BULGARIA Prime Minister Plamen Oresharski has introduced in Parliament the resignation of his left-leaning government, a move that should ease political tensions in the European Union’s poorest member state.

GERMANY’S largest airline, Lufthansa, says it is cancelling all flights to Tel Aviv for at least another 24 hours because of ongoing safety concerns. Lufthansa said yesterday that the decision applies also to its subsidiaries Germanwings, Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines. In all, 20 flights from Frankfurt, Berlin, Munich, Zurich, Vienna and Brussels are being cancelled.

SOMALIA A police official says gunmen have killed a lawmaker in a drive-by shooting in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Capt. Mohamed Hussein said yesterday that Saado Ali Warsame, who also was a popular singer of Somali folk music, was shot dead by gunmen who pulled up near her car as she was being driven to a hotel.

AFGHANISTAN A Kabul court announced yesterday that the Afghan police officer charged with killing Associated Press photographer Anja Niedringhaus and wounding veteran AP correspondent Kathy Gannon has been convicted and sentenced to death.