Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Grilling over Scholz’s handling of multibillion-euro tax fraud ends in stand-off

A grilling by Hamburg lawmakers of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz over his handling of a multibillion-euro tax fraud when he served as the city’s mayor ended in a stalemate on Friday as Scholz denied any impropriety and opposition lawmakers accused him of obfuscating the truth. Although the 3-1/2-hour hearing yielded no new insights into the “cum-ex” scandal, the fact the case is dragging on threatens to undermine the chancellor, who is struggling to hold his fractious coalition together in the face of public discontent over soaring energy costs.

Finnish PM takes drugs test after party video causes stir

Finnish Prime Minister Sanna Marin said on Friday she had taken a drugs test following the publication of video footage this week that showed her partying with friends, and vowed she had never used illegal drugs. Marin, 36, also said her ability to perform her official duties had remained unimpaired on the Saturday night in question and that she would have left the party had she been required to work.

Safety concerns loom as writers show public support for Rushdie

Under the watch of counterterrorism officers and police in tactical gear, hundreds of people gathered in front of the New York Public Library on Friday to show support for Salman Rushdie, the author stabbed multiple times at a literary event a week ago. Irish novelist Colum McCann, British writer Hari Kunzru and others read passages from Rushdie’s works from the top of the flagship library branch’s steps off Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue. Below, at a distance enforced by organizers, a crowd of about 400 people gathered to listen, breaking out into a chant of “Stand with Salman” when the event concluded.

Swedish police arrest teenage boy for shopping centre shooting

Swedish police on Friday arrested a teenage boy for killing one person and injuring another in a shooting at a shopping centre in the southern city of Malmo. A man died from his injuries and an woman is being treated in the hospital after the incident at the Emporia centre, the police said.

Unidentified attackers seize control of hotel in Somali capital

Unidentified armed attackers have taken control of a hotel in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, following two car bomb blasts and gunfire, police and intelligence officers said on Friday. “Two car bombs targeted Hotel Hayat. One hit a barrier near the hotel and then the other hit the gate of the hotel. We believe the fighters are inside the hotel,” a police officer who identified himself only as Ahmed, told Reuters.

Blasts, fresh drone attacks rock Russian-held areas far from Ukraine war front

Russia reported fresh Ukrainian drone attacks on Friday evening, a day after explosions erupted near military bases in Russian-held areas of Ukraine and Russia itself, apparent displays of Kyiv’s growing ability to pummel Moscow’s assets far from front lines. The latest incidents followed huge blasts last week at an air base in Russian-annexed Crimea. In a new assessment, a Western official said that incident had rendered half of Russia’s Black Sea naval aviation force useless in a stroke.

Former UK minister Gove backs Sunak, says he is quitting frontline politics – The Times

Former British cabinet minister Michael Gove on Friday endorsed Rishi Sunak for prime minister and announced an end of his frontline political career, he said in an op-ed in The Times. Gove wrote in the op-ed that he thinks Liz Truss’ campaign for 10 Downing Street “has been a holiday from reality.”

Islamic State militant gets life in U.S. prison over killing of American hostages

A U.S. federal judge on Friday sentenced a member of an Islamic State cell known as “The Beatles” to life in prison for involvement in a hostage-taking plot that led to the killings of American journalists and aid workers in Syria. Families and friends of the four Americans killed and of other hostages previously detained by the militant group looked on as District Court Judge T.S. Ellis sentenced El Shafee Elsheikh, 34, to life without parole, calling his behavior “horrific, barbaric, brutal and of course criminal.”

‘The paycheck has died’: Argentine workers hold funeral for wages

Some women wore black funeral attire and sported flower crowns. Other people in the procession in Buenos Aires carried a gigantic coffin. But this funeral procession in the Argentine capital was not honoring a person. Instead it was to mourn the “death” of the wages of Argentine workers in a country where inflation is expected to hit 90% by the end of this year, eating up workers’ purchasing power despite years of government attempts to curb price increases.

Mexico’s ex top prosecutor arrested on disappearance charges in missing students case

Mexican former attorney general Jesus Murillo has been arrested on charges of forced disappearance, torture and obstruction of justice in the 2014 disappearance of 43 students, Mexican officials said on Friday. The attorney general’s office said in a statement that federal police carried out an arrest warrant issued by a Mexico City judge against Jesus M., whom a source at the office confirmed was Murillo.

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