World News Roundup: Volunteers brave risks to give Belarus protesters medical aid, food; Thai school 'Hunger Games' salute protests spread and more

Coronavirus pandemic now driven by younger adults: WHO The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday it was concerned that the novel coronavirus spread was being driven by people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, many of whom were unaware they were infected, posing a danger to vulnerable groups.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Queues form at Italian COVID-19 test centers as holidaymakers return

Travellers returning to Italy from Greece, Spain, Malta, and Croatia lined up on Tuesday at centers across Rome to be tested for coronavirus after the health ministry imposed mandatory screening on visitors to the four countries. Since some Italian airports are still not offering on-site tests, people have been forced to attend local screening centers to comply with the regulation passed last week.

Hong Kong leader says won't take U.S. sanctions against her to heart

Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Tuesday she was not too bothered about U.S. sanctions against her but the Chinese-ruled city will complain to the World Trade Organization (WTO) about a new U.S. requirement on Hong Kong-made products. The United States this month imposed sanctions on Lam and other current and former Hong Kong and mainland officials whom Washington accuses of curtailing political freedom in the financial hub.

Volunteers brave risks to give Belarus protesters medical aid, food

When protests erupted after the disputed election in Belarus, Anna Koval transformed the office of the travel agency she runs in central Minsk into the headquarters of a volunteer operation helping casualties of a police crackdown. Her group of around 10 people, some of them doctors able to provide first aid, coordinated on social media as best they could amid an internet blackout to tip each other off about the location of protesters in need and risks on the ground.

Possible mutiny under way outside Mali capital, say Norwegian Embassy and security source

A possible military mutiny was under way on Tuesday outside Mail's capital Bamako, the Norwegian Embassy and a security source said. Local residents and security sources said there was gunfire at the army base in Kati, about 15 km (9 miles) outside Bamako, where a mutiny in 2012 led to a coup d'etat, although it was not immediately clear who was firing at whom.

U.N. tribunal: Main defendant in Hariri killing was Hezbollah member

The main defendant in the trial of four men charged with conspiracy to kill former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri was a member of Hezbollah and used a cell phone critical in the attack, judges at a U.N.-backed tribunal said on Tuesday. As an hours-long reading of the verdict got underway, judges said they were "satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt" that the evidence showed that Salim Jamil Ayyash possessed "one of six mobiles used by the assassination team."

Lockdown, leftovers and how food frugality is a climate boon

Clint Parry ransacked every kitchen cupboard and scoured all corners of his fridge during lockdown in Detroit, hunting for lost ingredients and leftovers to whip up meals. The 33-year-old is one of many people across the world to have embraced thriftiness and cut down on food waste during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to experts. They say the new habits, if maintained, will provide a major boost in tackling another global crisis: climate change.

Lukashenko, still in power in Belarus, rewards security forces as protests continue

Alexander Lukashenko, the leader of Belarus, on Tuesday awarded medals "for impeccable service" to law enforcement officials who have helped him crack down on protesters who have been demanding he step down for the last 10 days. In an effort to clamp down on strike action that has hit some of the country's most important factories, the government also issued a missive to managers of state-run plants telling them to ensure workers fulfil their duties or be disciplined.

Thai school 'Hunger Games' salute protests spread

Pupils at more than a dozen Thai high schools raised three-finger "Hunger Games" salutes during the national anthem on Tuesday in a sign of spreading support for student-led anti-government protests. Demonstrations that began on university campuses have taken place almost daily since mid-July in an increasing challenge to the ruling establishment in the Southeast Asian country that has long been dominated by the army and the monarchy.

Coronavirus pandemic now driven by younger adults: WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) said on Tuesday it was concerned that the novel coronavirus spread was being driven by people in their 20s, 30s and 40s, many of whom were unaware they were infected, posing a danger to vulnerable groups. WHO officials said this month the proportion of younger people among those infected had risen globally, putting at risk vulnerable sectors of the population worldwide, including the elderly and sick people in densely populated areas with weak health services.

Israel opposes any F-35 sale to UAE despite their warming ties

Israel would oppose any U.S. F-35 warplane sales to the United Arab Emirates despite forging relations with the Gulf power, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday, citing a need to maintain Israeli military superiority in the region. The statement followed a report in Israel's Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper that the Trump administration planned a "giant" F-35 deal with the UAE as part of the Gulf country's U.S.-brokered move last week to normalise ties with Israel.