World briefs

PHILIPPINES President Rodrigo Duterte lashed out yesterday at another U.N. human rights expert for making critical remarks about his supposed role in the expulsion of the chief justice, telling him “to go to hell.”

INDONESIA’s Mount Merapi erupted twice, shooting ash plumes as high as 6 kilometers in the sky and forcing the closure of two airports. A no-go zone around the crater was put into force.

INDIA-PAKISTAN Two paramilitary soldiers were killed and eight civilians wounded yesterday when Pakistani soldiers attacked dozens of forward posts along the highly militarized frontier in disputed Kashmir, Indian officials said.

KAZAKHSTAN A Russian Soyuz space capsule carrying three astronauts from the International Space Station has landed safely in the steppes of Kazakhstan.

QATAR A senior official said yesterday his country will not be dragged into any conflict with Iran, as he responded to a question on whether Qatar’s air bases could be used to launch airstrikes.

JORDAN Several thousand Jordanians have joined the largest protest yet against the government’s recent austerity measures, including price hikes and planned tax increases.

GERMANY-ITALY Chancellor Angela Merkel says she will approach Italy’s populist new government with an open mind and try to work with it “instead of speculating about its intentions.” 

SPAIN The separatist leader of Catalonia says he will continue to push for secession after the end of a seven-month takeover by Spanish authorities following last year’s failed breakaway bid. 

BRITAIN Prime Minister Theresa May joined survivors, victims’ families and emergency workers at a memorial service yesterday to mark a year since a deadly vehicle-and-knife attack brought terror to London Bridge on a warm Saturday night.

CUBA President Miguel Diaz-Canel convened a special session of Cuba’s parliament on the weekend to propose a list of people to undertake a rewrite of the Soviet-era charter.

NICARAGUA A U.S. citizen was found shot to death in the capital Saturday as violence and social unrest continue to grip Nicaragua.