World briefs

China It could be as long as a decade before China recovers from its outbreak of African swine fever, the deadly pig disease that’s decimating hog herds in the world’s largest pork consumer. 

Indonesia The government said it will crack down on trash imported from the world’s richest countries after closer inspections showed it’s increasingly the recipient of toxic waste materials.

Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte pledged to continue his war against drugs in his final three years in office despite international calls for a probe into the rising death toll.

North Korea said that an Australian student who it detained for a week had spread anti-Pyongyang propaganda and engaged in spying by providing photos and other materials to news outlets with critical views toward the North. More on p13

Afghanistan The Taliban carried out a devastating suicide car bombing in central Afghanistan yesterday that killed 12 people and wounded over 150 others, said Afghan officials.

Iran said it would pursue nuclear talks with European nations in the coming days, while ratcheting up pressure on its partners to salvage the landmark 2015 deal by announcing it had abandoned restrictions on uranium enrichment.

Bahamas Accident investigators in the Bahamas say they have recovered the helicopter that crashed after taking off from a remote private island on July 4, killing coal billionaire Chris Cline and six other Americans, as well as a British citizen.

Greece Citizens voted yesterday in the first parliamentary election since their country emerged from three successive international bailouts still struggling with a crippling nearly decade-long financial crisis. 

UK Members of Britain’s Conservative Party have started receiving their postal ballots in the contest to choose the country’s next prime minister, but concerns emerged that some people have been sent more than one voting paper.

USA Leaked diplomatic cables reveal that Britain’s ambassador to the United States regards President Donald Trump’s administration as inept, hobbled by infighting, and unlikely to improve.