World briefs

THAILAND’s military government says it is fighting a new threat to public health: distorted news reports. The country’s health ministry announced it is launching a new smartphone application that will allow users to flag media content they find “inappropriate” so it can be forwarded to government authorities.

INDONESIA The airport on the Indonesian resort island of Bali reopened yesterday after an erupting volcano forced its closure two days ago, but the country’s president said the danger had still not passed.

MYANMAR At an open-air Mass, an audience with Myanmar’s senior Buddhist monks and during an encounter with his own Catholic bishops, Pope Francis sought to encourage greater dialogue and understanding at a delicate time of transition in the predominantly Buddhist South Asian nation.

SAUDI ARABIA British Prime Minister Theresa May is visiting Saudi Arabia for talks with its assertive crown prince over the kingdom-led war in Yemen, the second European leader to specifically seek him out as he amasses power.

RUSSIA A Russian weather satellite and nearly 20 micro-satellites from various nations failed to enter their designated orbits Tuesday following the launch from Russia’s new cosmodrome, another blow to the nation’s space program.

GREECE Four people died during a police chase in northern Greece when an overcrowded smuggler’s car carrying eight migrants plunged off a 90-foot cliff.

CROATIA’s state TV says Slobodan Praljak, who claimed to have taken poison just after his 20-year sentence was upheld by appeals judges at a U.N. war crimes tribunal, has died. Praljak yelled, “I am not a war criminal!” and appeared to drink from a small bottle in the court.

BRITAIN The European Union’s chief negotiator in talks over Britain’s withdrawal from the bloc said yesterday he hopes to reach agreement on a financial settlement before an EU summit in mid-December.

BRAZIL Fans gathered at the stadium of Brazilian soccer club Chapecoense on Tuesday night to pay their respects and pray for the victims of a plane crash a year ago that killed 19 of the team’s players.

BOLIVIA’s highest court cleared the way Tuesday for President Evo Morales to run for a fourth term in 2019 despite voters’ rejection of such a move in a referendum last year. The opposition called it unconstitutional.