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People at Ho Chi Minh airport in Vietnam during the pandemic 2021. Hau Dinh / AP  

 

Politicians and diplomats are convicted of bribery in Vietnam 

 

Former Deputy Foreign Minister To Anh Dung in Vietnam is sentenced to 16 years in prison, writes Reuters. Among other things, he is said to have received the equivalent of over nine million Swedish kronor in bribes. Also 53 other people, including several high-ranking diplomats, are sentenced to prison in what is described as one of the country's biggest crackdowns on corruption.  

 

It was when commercial flights were not operating during the pandemic that the crimes were allegedly committed. Several high-ranking diplomats and companies systematically accepted bribes from Vietnamese citizens who wanted to return to Vietnam on "rescue flights". The trial began on July 11 and lasted 18 days.  

 

Image from the rescue operation released by the Philippine Coast Guard. AP  

 

Overcrowded ship sinks near Manila - at least 27 dead  

 

At least 27 people have died since an overcrowded passenger boat capsized in a lake in the Philippines on Thursday evening, Coast Guard chief Artemio Abu said at a press conference. A further 43 people were rescued, AP writes.  

 

The boat was headed for the island of Talim outside the capital Manila. The captain admits the boat was overcrowded, but claims numbers skyrocketed near departure as desperate people ran aboard the boat. Stormy weather this week has prevented many ferries from traveling and the captain "could no longer convince people to go ashore", according to Abu.  

 

The trip was also authorized by two Coast Guard inspectors, who have been taken off duty and will be investigated. 

 

46 meters from shore, the boat sank when strong winds caused panic on board the vessel. 

 

Press photo of Aeolus. ESA  

 

The new space race Satellite must be brought home safely: "Space history" 

 

If everything goes as planned, the European satellite Aeolus will write "space history" today, writes Space.com. The satellite must be returned to Earth in a controlled manner using the remaining fuel.  

 

The goal is for the satellite to burn up above the Atlantic Ocean. When space debris normally falls to Earth, it happens in a "chaotic" way, and the parts that do not burn up can pose a threat to humans, even if the threat is small.  

 

The European Space Agency hopes that the safe return will "set a new precedent" when it comes to retrieving space debris. According to the ESA, 11,000 tons of space debris circulate around the Earth.  

 

The BBC focuses more on what the satellite has achieved in space: mapping how the winds move around the entire Earth. The mission is described as successful.