China reports first death from mystery pneumonia outbreak
AFP, Shanghai
China on Saturday said a 61-year-old man had become the first person to die from a respiratory illness believed caused by a new virus from the same family as SARS, which claimed hundreds of lives more than a decade ago.
Forty-one people with pneumonia-like symptoms have so far been diagnosed with the new virus in the central Chinese city of Wuhan, with one of the victims dying on Thursday, Wuhan’s health commission said on its website.
Britain seeks extradition of US diplomat’s wife over teen’s death
CNN, London
Anne Sacoolas, the wife of a US diplomat, has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving in the case of Harry Dunn, the British teenager who was killed in August.
Motorcyclist Dunn, 19, died in a crash outside a military base in central England controlled by the US Air Force. The UK’s Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said in a statement Friday that it has now started extradition proceedings.
7 countries lose vote in UN General Assembly over arrears
AP, United Nations
The United Nations says seven countries are so far behind in paying their dues that they are losing their voting privileges in the 193-member General Assembly, including Venezuela and Lebanon.
U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said Friday that three other countries – Comoros, Sao Tome and Principe and Somalia – are also in arrears by the assembly decided in October that they can retain their vote until September.
2 refugees shot dead in Tripoli forced out of UN facility
AP, Khartoum
Two Eritrean asylum-seekers were shot dead in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, days after the U.N. refugee agency pressed them to leave its facility citing overcrowding. The UNHCR confirmed the deaths in a statement Friday saying it’s “deeply saddened” by the Thursday deaths in Tripoli.
Three refugees told The Associated Press that the men were among dozens forced out of the UNHCR-run Gathering and Departure Facility 10 days ago.
The three spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution.
