World briefs

PHILIPPINES A Philippine city mayor known for parading drug suspects in public but also alleged to have drug ties himself was shot and killed by a sniper yesterday in a brazen attack during a flag-raising ceremony in front of hundreds of horrified employees and village leaders.

INDONESIA’s police and military are responsible for at least 95 unlawful killings in the easternmost Papua region since 2010, including targeted slayings of activists, Amnesty International said yesterday, condemning a near-total absence of justice for the mainly indigenous victims.

INDIA Police in western India said yesterday that they have arrested 23 people who took part in the weekend lynching of five men suspected of being members of a gang of child kidnappers, as deadly mob attacks fueled by social media rumors continues around the country.

US-N. KOREA The State Department says a senior U.S. diplomat held talks with North Korea in the demilitarized zone between the two Koreas over the weekend.

IRAN President Hassan Rouhani has arrived in Switzerland for talks expected to focus on salvaging progress from the Iran nuclear deal after the Trump administration’s walkout.

US-PALESTINE Seven former American ambassadors to the United Nations called on the Trump administration yesterday to restore funding to the U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees across the Middle East.

GREECE A former defense minister serving 20 years for corruption has again secured early release from prison on health grounds, pending the hearing of an appeal against his conviction.

GERMANY Chancellor Angela Merkel and her rebellious Bavarian allies searched yesterday for a way to end a standoff over migration after Germany’s interior minister offered to resign, but a compromise looked elusive in the dispute that has rocked the government.

FRANCE-BELGIUM A married couple with Iranian roots was arrested “just in time” as they allegedly prepared to head to France from Belgium to bomb a large rally an Iranian opposition group held over the weekend, authorities said yesterday.