News in Brief (12-11-2020)

WHO not sharing enough info about China virus probe: US

GENEVA, Nov 11: A senior U.S. government official complained Tuesday that the World Health Organization has not shared enough information about its planned mission to China to investigate the animal origins of the coronavirus. arrett Grisby of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services griped that the criteria for WHO's China mission had not been shared with other nations. He spoke during a weeklong meeting of the U.H. health agency's member countries. The (terms of reference) were not negotiated in a transparent way with all WHO member states," he said via video conference. — AP

Bahrain's longest-serving PM dies at 84

DUBAI, Nov 11: Bahrain's Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa, one of the world's longest-serving prime ministers who led his island nation's government for decades and survived the 2011 Arab Spring protests that demanded his ouster over corruption allegations, died on Wednesday. He was 84. Bahrain's state-run news agency announced his death, saying he had been receiving treatment at the Mayo Clinic in the United States, without elaborating. The Mayo Clinic did not immediately respond to a request for comment. —AP

Fire burns tents, structures in Greek refugee camp

ATHENS, Nov 11: A fire has burnt through tents and some structures in a refugee camp on the eastern Greek island of Samos. There were no immediate reports of any injuries. The fire department said the blaze, which broke out Wednesday morning, was limited in size and was tackled by 18 firefighters using nine vehicles. There was no immediate information on how many tents were destroyed. — AP

Sudan braces for up to 200,000 fleeing Ethiopia war

NAIROBI, Nov 11: Up to 200,000 refugees could pour into Sudan while fleeing the deadly conflict in Ethiopia's northern Tigray region, officials say, while the first details are emerging of largely cut-off civilians under growing strain. Already at least 6,000 people have crossed the border. Long lines have appeared outside bread shops in the Tigray region, and supply-laden trucks are stranded at its borders, the United Nations humanitarian chief in the country told The Associated Press in an interview. — AP

Pompeo confirms sale of F-35 jets to UAE

WASHINGTON, Nov 11: Secretary of State Mike Pompeo confirmed Tuesday that the United States planned to sell top-of-the-line F-35 fighter jets to the United Arab Emirates as part of a $23.37 billion package. The State Department sent a formal notice to Congress on the sale of the stealth precision planes, long sought by the Gulf Arab ally which won a green light after agreeing in September to recognize Israel. —AFP

Cambodia bans state-organized events in capital

PHNOM PENH, Nov 11: Cambodia on Wednesday banned all state-organized events in the capital and a neighboring province for two weeks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus after a number of people connected to a Hungarian official's visit tested positive. The Interior Ministry did not elaborate on the ban on government events and meetings. It had already closed schools, nightclubs, beer halls and cinemas in Phnom Penh and neighboring Kandal province. — AP