Sunday,  Aug 30th, 2020

Dutch police report that Two Laughing Boys with a Mug of Beer, a painting by Dutch golden age painter Frans Hals, was stolen from the Hofje van Mevrouw van Aerden in Leerdam. This is the third time the painting had been stolen. (Reuters)

American neurotechnology company Neuralink unveils a pig, named “Gertrude”, that has been living with a brain-implanted chip for two months at an event in San Francisco. (Reuters)

Trump blasts protesters, Harris in New Hampshire rally speech At a campaign rally in Londonderry, New Hampshire, on Friday night, President Trump gave a speech in which he called protesters demonstrating against police brutality “thugs” and “anarchists” who are just “looking for trouble” and “don’t even know who George Floyd is.” Trump said that Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was attacked by protesters Friday near the White House and claimed Paul and his wife would be “in very bad shape, or dead” if not for the police presence in the area. During the speech, the president also targeted the Democratic vice presidential nominee, Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.). Trump said he wants “to see the first woman president also,” but “I don’t want to see a woman president get into that position the way she’d do it, and she’s not competent.” Source: Reuters

Delta Air Lines has banned 240 passengers for refusing to wear masks since a policy requiring them went into effect in June. (CNN)

Kenosha police union releases account of Jacob Blake shooting The Kenosha Professional Police Association, the union representing police officers in Kenosha, Wisconsin, released what they called “the actual and undisputed” account of the events that preceded the shooting of Jacob Blake, a Black man who was shot by officers multiple times on Sunday, CNN and NPR report. The account says Blake had a knife and “forcefully fought” the officers trying to arrest him, putting one in a headlock. The statement also said the officers failed to subdue Blake after twice shooting tasers at him. Blake’s uncle, Justin Blake, said the union’s version was “garbage” and his nephew didn’t have a weapon, while legal defense called the statement “overblown.” Raysean White, a witness who recorded a brief video of the incident, said Blake did not pose a threat and that officers put Blake in a headlock while one “punched him in the ribs.” Source: CNN

Police in Berlin disperse around 18,000 anti-lockdown protesters massed in the Brandenburg Gate, despite a ruling from the city’s administrative court the previous day that overturned the government’s ban on public demonstrations. Police claim “most” of the protesters failed to observe “the minimum” social distancing measures implemented in the city. (AFP via Bangkok Post)

The Liberal Democratic Party in Japan is set to pick the next Prime Minister around September 15 after the sudden resignation of current Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Former defense minister Shigeru Ishiba and former foreign minister Fumio Kishida announce they intend to run but Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga and defense minister Taro Kono are considered the potential candidates. Environment minister Shinjiro Koizumi is also a candidate but deemed “too young” by party’s veterans. (Reuters)

Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates issues a decree abolishing a law that mandated an economic boycott on Israel following the approval of the historic peace deal between the two countries. On the Israeli side, the first El Al commercial flight from Israel to the UAE is expected on Monday. (Al Arabiya English)

A senior advisor to Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev accuses Russia of arming Armenia since the start of the recent border clashes. (Reuters)

Czech Senate President Miloš Vystrčil travels to Taiwan on an official visit to “promote business links” between the two countries, despite the Czech Republic maintaining unofficial relations with Taiwan as it recognizes the One-China policy of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), to which the European country maintains official relations with. Vystrčil’s predecessor, Jaroslav Kubera, had planned the trip but died in January 2020. In response to the visit, the PRC’s foreign ministry warned the Czech government of “possible consequences” for Czech companies with operations in mainland China, having previously written a threatening letter addressed personally to Jaroslav Kundera before his death. The neighboring country of Slovakia is reported to be closely monitoring the trip amid warming ties with Taiwan themselves. (Reuters)

Sweden bans far-right Danish leader Rasmus Paludan from entering the country for two years in response to last night’s unrest in the city of Malmö, in which hundreds of Muslim youths clashed with police, following the burning of a Quran. Malmö police say his behaviour posed “a threat to the fundamental interests of society”. (Euronews)

UAE leader issues decree formally ending economic boycott against Israel Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the ruler of Abu Dhabi and leader of the United Arab Emirates, issued a decree Saturday formally ending the federation’s economic boycott against Israel. The order comes on the heels of the U.S.-brokered deal opening up relations between the UAE and Israel earlier this month. Israelis and Israeli firms can now do business in the UAE, and the decree also allows for the purchase and trade of Israeli goods. As was the case when the deal was originally announced, some Palestinians criticized the order of undermining the efforts of the Boycott, Divest, and Sanctions movement which targets Israel. Historically, UAE law stated the recognition of Israel would only occur if Palestine became its own independent state. Source: The Associated Press

The End