Court upholds Swiss officer’s graft conviction for Russia bear hunt
A Swiss court upheld on Friday the conviction of an ex-aide to Attorney General Michael Lauber for accepting gifts from Russian prosecutors, including a week-long bear hunt in Siberia’s Kamchatka peninsula, but imposed no penalty on him.
COVID-19 crisis shakes Brazil, but Bolsonaro keeps impeachment at bay
One of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks, a paralyzed economy sending investors fleeing for the exit, and accusations that he has undermined Brazil’s young democracy have not loosened President Jair Bolsonaro’s grip on power.
Citing COVID-19, Australia seeks to bar George Floyd protests
Australian authorities moved on Friday to scupper protests inspired by the death of black American man George Floyd, saying large gatherings risk new coronavirus infections and banning the biggest rally planned for Sydney.
Turkey jails three MPs stripped of parliamentary status
Turkey jailed three opposition lawmakers late on Thursday after parliament stripped them of their status as deputies, their two parties said, a move criticised by the country’s Western allies and rights groups.
Black Lives Matter rallies Papuan activists in Indonesia
Thousands of miles from the protests that have swept the United States, Black Lives Matter has become a rallying cry for pro-Papuan activists in Indonesia, provoking questions about accusations of deep-seated racism.
WHO denies its representative falsified Equatorial Guinea COVID-19 data
The World Health Organization (WHO) said the expulsion of its representative in Equatorial Guinea followed a “misunderstanding over data” and denied that she had falsified the central African nation’s COVID-19 case numbers.
Testing the waters: South Korea’s waterparks open under new anti-virus measures
Only a handful of rubber floats tumbled down the giant slide at South Korea’s largest waterpark on Friday, its first day back in business since the coronavirus pandemic hit.
Dutch PM now says ‘Black Pete’ tradition will disappear
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said his attitude towards “Black Pete”, a figure from pre-Christmas celebrations that has been criticised as a racist caricature, had undergone “great changes” in recent years.
Malaysia reports 19 new coronavirus cases, one new death
Malaysia reported 19 new confirmed coronavirus cases on Friday, taking the cumulative total to 8,266 infections.
Germany’s Merkel, China’s Li to hold video conference: spokesman
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang will hold a video conference on Thursday to discuss the coronavirus pandemic, economic policy and international issues, a German government spokesman said on Friday.
