Briefly

NEPAL

Plane missing with 22 people on board

A plane operated by a private airline in Nepal went missing on Sunday with 22 people on board, officials said, adding cloudy weather was preventing search helicopters from flying into the area of the flight's last known location. The Tara Air plane took off from the tourist town of Pokhara, about 125 kilometers west of the capital Kathmandu, and headed toward Jomsom, about 80 km to the northwest, the officials said. Tara Air mainly flies Canadian-built Twin Otter turboprop planes. The airline said the plane was carrying four Indians, two Germans and 16 Nepalis, including three crew. Seven of the passengers were women.

SWITZERLAND

Health emergency rules reform takes first step

Countries around the world on Saturday adopted an initial US-led reform of the rules on disease outbreaks, known as the International Health Regulations, or IHR, the United States said. The amendments, adopted at the World Health Organization assembly, were agreed at a meeting seen as a once-in-a-generation chance for the UN health agency to strengthen its role after some 15 million deaths during the COVID-19 pandemic. The breakthrough came after early opposition from Africa and others was overcome last week.

Agencies Via Xinhua