World briefs

Bangladesh The telecommunications regulatory body has asked operators to shut down cellphone services in sprawling camps in the southeast where hundreds of thousands of Rohingya refugees from Myanmar live, citing a security threat and illegal phone use, an official said yesterday. 

Japan Tokyo’s newly appointed chief prosecutor defended his office’s handling of the case against former Nissan Chairman Carlos Ghosn yesterday, saying everything is being carried out properly under Japanese law, including a court-ordered ban on Ghosn’s contact with his wife.

Afghanistan The Taliban yesterday defended their suicide bombing against an international compound in the Afghan capital that killed at least 16 civilians and wounded 119 people, just hours after a U.S. envoy said he and the militant group had reached a deal “in principle” to end America’s longest war.

Persian Gulf As the U.S. tries a new way to protect shipping across the Persian Gulf amid tensions with Iran, it finds itself sailing into uncertain waters.

South Africa The president condemned days of widespread looting and arson attacks on foreign-owned businesses across Johannesburg and the capital Pretoria, calling the violence “totally unacceptable.” 

Yemen Experts backed by the U.N.’s top human rights body yesterday flagged allegations of rape, sexual assault and gender-based violence committed by all sides in Yemen’s civil war, now in its fifth year.

Bahamas Practically parking itself over the Bahamas for over a day and a half, Hurricane Dorian pounded away at the islands yesterday in a watery onslaught that devastated thousands of homes, trapped people in attics and chased others from one shelter to another. At least five deaths were reported.

Russia Investigators said yesterday they have dropped charges against five protesters who were arrested and charged with rioting connected to recent anti-government rallies. Separately, two protesters who accepted a plea bargain were given jail sentences in an expedited trial.

Vatican City Pope Francis heads this week to the southern African nations of Mozambique, Madagascar and Mauritius, visiting some of the world’s poorest countries in a region hard hit by some of his biggest concerns: conflict, corruption and climate change.

Spain Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez yesterday proposed policies including pension hikes and rent controls in a bid to win a new term as Spain’s prime minister, but rejected a coalition with a far-left ally whose support he needs to prevent a new general election.

USA Joe Biden entered the Democratic primary promising “from day one” to reject campaign cash from lobbyists. “I work for you — not any industry,” he tweeted.