IN BRIEF (Page 11)

Saudi Arabia

Princes arrested over corruption

The country has arrested 11 princes and 38 sitting and former ministers and deputy ministers over corruption charges, Al Arabiya local news reported on Sunday. The arrest orders were made by a panel that King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud formed on Saturday. The charges against them vary from signing illegal armed deal, money laundering, embezzlement, accepting or giving bribes and exploitation of power.

Missile intercepted close to Riyadh

The air defense forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Yemen toward one of the kingdom's major international airports on the outskirts of the capital, Riyadh, on Saturday, state news agencies reported. The missile was fired across Saudi Arabia's southern border by Yemen's Houthi rebels, according to several Houthi-owned media outlets, including Al-Masirah and SABA. The rebels are at war with the kingdom.

South Asia

Smog blankets Pakistan, India

Smog has enveloped much of Pakistan and India, causing highway accidents and respiratory problems, and forcing many residents to stay home, officials said on Saturday. Pakistani meteorologist Mohammad Hanif said the pollution, caused by dust, the burning of crops, and emissions from factories and brick kilns in Pakistan and India, was expected to linger until the middle of the month. He advised people to wear face masks to protect themselves from respiratory ailments.

Switzerland

Red Cross admits fraud over Ebola

The Red Cross has uncovered several cases of fraud by officials during efforts to combat the Ebola outbreak that struck West Africa in 2014-16, estimating losses of $6 million. In a statement, the agency said it was "outraged", and said it would "ensure any staff involved are held to account". The Ebola virus killed more than 11,300 people and infected an estimated 29,000, mainly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Hungary

Indian elephant's paintings on sale

Paintings created by an Indian elephant who enjoys wielding a brush were auctioned off by a Hungarian traveling circus on Saturday. Three of 42-year-old elephant Sandra's abstract canvasses, with colored lines flowing across them resembling rivers, fetched about $150 each. Sandra paints with her trunk purely for pleasure, according to her owner Florian Richter.

Xinhua - Reuters - AFP - AP

(China Daily 11/06/2017 page11)