IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Brazil

Temer faces vote on bribery charge

President Michel Temer was scheduled to face a vote by lawmakers on Wednesday to decide whether to put him on trial for corruption in the latest political turmoil shaking Latin America's biggest country. A veteran of the ruling PMDB party, Temer is accused of taking bribes from a meatpacking industry executive - part of a wider scandal sucking in major politicians of every stripe. He has been able to maintain most of his governing coalition in the Chamber of Deputies, where he was the presiding officer for many years.

Poland

Warsaw may seek WWII reparations

Poland is looking into demanding reparations from Germany for the massive losses inflicted on Poland during World War II, an official said on Wednesday. The Polish parliament's research office is preparing an analysis of whether to make the claim and will have it ready by Aug 11, said Arakadiusz Mularczyk, a lawmaker with the ruling Law and Justice party.

Republic Of Korea

Samsung heir denies corruption

The heir to the world's top smartphone maker Samsung took the stand on Wednesday in his corruption trial, to be questioned by prosecutors about the scandal that brought down a president. It was the first time that Lee Jae-yong, vice-president of Samsung Electronics had faced interrogation since the high-profile proceedings began in March.

General 'treated soldiers like slaves'

A general and his wife treated soldiers like "slaves", forcing them to retrieve golf balls and pick up toenail clippings, a rights group alleged, prompting officials to launch a probe on Wednesday. Soldiers assigned to the home of four-star General Park Chanju and his wife "did the laundry, ironing, gardening, cleaning bathrooms, picking up every little trash - even pieces of toenails or dead skin cells", the Center for Military Human Rights Korea said in a statement.

Turkey

Three missing after tour boat sinks

A mother and her two children were missing after a tour boat sank in the Mediterranean off the coast of Turkey's southwestern province of Mugla on Wednesday, an official said. The boat, named Anemore, was carrying 11 people when it sank off the Marmaris district of Mugla, a popular tourist area, the official said. Eight passengers have so far been rescued.

United States

Gold replica of space module lost

A gold replica of a lunar landing module gifted to US astronaut Neil Armstrong by French jewelers has been pilfered from an Ohio museum, with security footage offering little help to police. The 13-centimeter tall solid gold model of the 1969 Lunar Excursion Module, which took the first humans to the Moon, was one of three made by Cartier.

(China Daily 08/03/2017 page12)