World News Roundup: Belarus raids homes and offices of journalists, rights activists; Brazil's Bolsonaro recovering after second night in hospital and more

Afghan special forces had been fighting to retake the main market area of Spin Boldak when Siddiqui and a senior Afghan officer were killed in what they described as Taliban crossfire, the official told Reuters. Dutch court convicts Syrian of war crimes over killing of soldier A Dutch court sentenced a 49-year-old Syrian man on Friday to 20 years in prison for war crimes over his role in the execution of a government soldier during Syria's civil war.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Belarus raids homes and offices of journalists, rights activists

Belarusian police searched offices and homes of independent journalists and human rights activists for the third successive day on Friday, extending what President Alexander Lukashenko's opponents say is a new crackdown on dissent. The office of U.S. broadcaster Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty was one of 19 premises searched, the Belarus Association of Journalists said, denouncing "a massive attack by security forces on journalists across the country."

Brazil's Bolsonaro recovering after second night in hospital

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro spent a second night in hospital, being treated for an intestinal blockage linked to a stabbing in 2018, with his condition improving and surgery less likely. On Thursday evening the president's doctors said in a statement that they had removed a gastric catheter from Bolsonaro and that he would begin eating again on Friday.

U.S. to sanction Chinese officials and warn companies over Hong Kong -sources

The United States is preparing to impose sanctions on Friday on a number of Chinese officials over Beijing's crackdown on democracy in Hong Kong, and warn international businesses operating there about deteriorating conditions, two people with knowledge of the situation told Reuters. The sources said the financial sanctions would target seven officials from China's Hong Kong liaison office, the official platform which projects Beijing's influence into the Chinese territory.

U.S., Afghanistan, Pakistan Uzbekistan create platform for regional cooperation

The United States, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Uzbekistan formed a new diplomatic platform to support peace and stability in Afghanistan and foster regional trade and business ties, the State Department said Friday as U.S. troops continue their planned withdrawal from the country. "The parties consider long-term peace and stability in Afghanistan critical to regional connectivity and agree that peace and regional connectivity are mutually reinforcing," it said in a statement. The parties agreed to meet in coming months.

Floodwaters still rising in western Europe with death toll over 110

More than 1,000 people were missing and more homes were destroyed in flood-stricken regions of western Germany and Belgium on Friday where waters were still rising and the death toll was already at about 117. Entire communities lay in ruins after swollen rivers swept through towns and villages in the western German states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate, Belgium as well as the Netherlands.

South Africa's president says he won't allow 'anarchy and mayhem'

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Friday he would not allow "anarchy and mayhem" to prevail and suggested that a wave of looting and arson that has destroyed hundreds of businesses had been deliberately provoked. Ramaphosa said his government was doing all it could to deal with the unrest that has killed more than 100 people in the past week.

Reuters journalist killed covering clash between Afghan forces, Taliban

Reuters journalist Danish Siddiqui was killed on Friday while covering a clash between Afghan security forces and Taliban fighters near a border crossing with Pakistan, an Afghan commander said. Afghan special forces had been fighting to retake the main market area of Spin Boldak when Siddiqui and a senior Afghan officer were killed in what they described as Taliban crossfire, the official told Reuters.

Dutch court convicts Syrian of war crimes over killing of soldier

A Dutch court sentenced a 49-year-old Syrian man on Friday to 20 years in prison for war crimes over his role in the execution of a government soldier during Syria's civil war. Judges said Ahmad al Khedr, also known as Abu Khuder, was a member of the Nusra Front rebel group, at one point al Qaeda's affiliate in Syria. They concluded his voice could be heard in a video of the execution of a captured and bloodied Syrian soldier who was shot on the banks of the Euphrates river in 2012.

All passengers survive after plane makes hard landing in Siberia

All 19 people on board a Russian Antonov An-28 passenger plane that vanished from radars in Siberia survived after the aircraft made a hard landing on Friday, the emergencies ministry said. The aircraft -- operated by SiLA, a small airline offering regional flights in Siberia -- went missing while flying from the town of Kedrovy to the city of Tomsk.

Reuters photographer Danish Siddiqui captured the people behind the story

Danish Siddiqui, the Reuters journalist killed in crossfire on Friday covering the war in Afghanistan, was a largely self-taught photographer who scaled the heights of his profession while documenting wars, riots and human suffering. A native of New Delhi, Siddiqui, 38, is survived by his wife Rike and two young children.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)