AFP, Rio de Janeiro
Truckers, lawyers and politicians are among millions of Brazilians eligible to carry loaded weapons in public under far-right President Jair Bolsonaro’s decree relaxing gun laws that experts say is unconstitutional and will fuel deadly violence.
Pro-gun Bolsonaro, whose tough-on-crime rhetoric helped get him elected last year, signed the controversial order on Tuesday, but the full text was only released Wednesday showing a wide range of professions, including hunters, farmers and even certain journalists, are now allowed to carry their guns on the street or at work.
Prominent Russian journalist, critic of Putin dies at 59
AP, Moscow
A prominent Russian journalist whose TV reports changed between acclaiming President Vladimir Putin to scathing criticism has died. He was 59.
The Govorit Moskva radio station said on Friday that its editor-in-chief, Sergei Dorenko, died of internal bleeding after an aorta rupture. Earlier, media reports said Dorenko lost consciousness while riding his motorbike in Moscow.
Syrian rebels try to retake village from govt troops
AP, Beirut
Syrian activists and state media say rebel groups are fighting back, trying to retake territory lost to government forces this week in their stronghold in the country’s northwest.
Syria state al-Ikhbariya TV says troops foiled insurgent attacks on Friday on Kfar Nabudah village, taken three days earlier as government forces pushed into the southern edge of the rebel enclave.
China indicts former Interpol chief on bribery charges
AP, Beijing
Chinese prosecutors indicted former Interpol president Meng Hongwei on Friday on charges of accepting bribes, the latest development in a case that began with his disappearance while on a journey to Beijing.
The announcement from the prosecutor’s office in the northeastern city of Tianjin said Meng had abused his positions, including as a vice minister of public security and head of the maritime police to “illegaly accept cash and property in return for performing favors for others.”
Greece’s Tsipras faces confidence vote after backing ally
AP, Athens
Greek lawmakers are holding a vote of confidence in the left-wing government, after Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras turned a censure motion against a junior minister into a test of his entire administration.
Tsipras is expected to win the ballot late Friday. His Syriza party has 145 seats in the 300-member parliament, but he’s also counting on the support of independent lawmakers.
The vote follows a motion by main opposition, the conservative New Democracy party.
