World briefs

BANGLADESH Counterterrorism officers are questioning the wife and other relatives of a man accused of carrying out a bomb attack in New York City’s subway system, as the government condemned the attack, saying it opposes all forms of terrorism. 

HONG KONG A British banker sentenced to life in prison for the gruesome slayings of two Indonesian women appeared in a Hong Kong court yesterday to appeal his conviction. 

CAMBODIA The European Union said yesterday it has suspended assistance to Cambodia’s election commission following last month’s dissolution of the country’s main opposition party, and warned that next July’s general election will not be legitimate if the opposition is not allowed to participate. 

PAKISTAN’s army says militants opened fire on an army vehicle on patrol in the country’s mountainous northwestern region near the Afghan border, killing two soldiers.

TURKEY-RUSSIA Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are meeting to discuss developments in Syria and the Middle East, as well as bilateral relations. Putin and Erdogan have already met several times this year and are reportedly in regular communication.

ISRAEL A new survey released yesterday shows just how divided the country has become. The annual Israeli Democracy Index found that 45 percent of Israelis, believe the country’s democratic system of government is in serious danger.

AUSTRIA An explosion yesterday at a major natural gas facility near Austria’s border with Slovakia left one person dead and 21 injured, and caused some gas flow disruptions to other countries, authorities said.

THE NETHERLANDS The Dutch capital, with its World Heritage-listed canals, narrow streets and web of alleys in its red light district, is pushing back against excessive tourism in an attempt to keep the city attractive to visitors and residents alike. The government is considering a “tourist tax” among other disincentives.

US-MEXICO Advocates for a Mexican journalist detained in a remote West Texas facility asked the U.S. government to grant him asylum instead of deporting him to a country where he believes he’ll be killed.

UNITED NATIONS The global economy is growing by about 3 percent — its highest rate since 2011 and a significant acceleration from last year, the United Nations said.