World News Roundup: Poland to hold the presidential election; Twenty-one dead after avalanche in eastern Turkey and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Airline conflict alert system gave new impetus after plane downed by Iran: IATA

The shooting down of a Ukrainian airliner near Tehran has given new urgency to efforts to develop a shared conflict alert system for airlines, the head of the world's biggest airline body said on Wednesday. Iranian air defense units said they mistakenly shot down Ukrainian International Airlines flight PS752, killing all 176 people on board, shortly after it took off from Tehran airport on Jan. 8. At the time, they were on heightened alert because of increased tensions with the United States.

Draft U.N. resolution condemns Israeli annexation in Trump peace plan

A draft United Nations Security Council resolution on Tuesday condemned an Israeli plan to annex its settlements in the West Bank in a rebuke of President Donald Trump’s pro-Israel peace proposal. The draft text, circulated to council members by Tunisia and Indonesia, would seemingly face a U.S. veto, but nonetheless offered some members’ dim view of the peace plan that Trump rolled out last week with great fanfare.

Poland to hold the first round of the presidential election on May 10

Poland will hold the first round of its presidential election on May 10, a vote that will decide whether the ruling nationalists can press ahead with policies criticized by Brussels and the opposition. The Law and Justice (PiS) party have vowed to pursue judicial reforms that critics say have marginalized Poland in the EU, but a defeat for the incumbent, PiS ally Andrzej Duda, would threaten the government's agenda as the president has the power to veto laws.

Twenty-one dead, others trapped after avalanche in eastern Turkey

An avalanche in eastern Turkey killed at least 21 people, including military police and civilians who were working to rescue victims of an earlier snowslide, the local governor said on Wednesday. Mehmet Emin Bilmez, governor of the eastern province of Van, said some 30 people had been pulled out from under the snow.

China virus toll nears 500, airlines cut Hong Kong flights, cases found on a cruise ship

The death toll from a coronavirus outbreak in China passed 490 on Wednesday, as two U.S. airlines suspended flights to Hong Kong following the first fatality there and 10 cases were confirmed on a quarantined Japanese cruise ship. China's National Health Commission said another 65 deaths had been recorded on Tuesday, bringing the toll on the mainland to 490, mostly in and around the locked-down central city of Wuhan where the virus emerged late last year.

Exclusive: Iran-linked hackers pose as journalists in email scam

When Iranian-born German academic Erfan Kasraie received an email from The Wall Street Journal requesting an interview, he sensed something was amiss. The Nov. 12 note purportedly came from Farnaz Fassihi, a veteran Iranian-American journalist who covers the Middle East. Yet it read more like a fan letter, asking Kasraie to share his "important achievements" to "motivate the youth of our beloved country."

Turkey's Erdogan demands Syrian forces in Idlib withdraw

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan threatened on Wednesday to drive back Syrian troops in Idlib unless they withdraw by the end of the month to stem an assault which he said had displaced nearly 1 million people. Shelling by Syrian government forces killed eight Turkish military personnel on Monday, prompting Turkish forces to strike back. The escalation raised concerns over future collaboration between Ankara and Moscow, which have backed opposing sides in the war despite joint efforts to ease the violence.

Climate protests shut BP's London headquarters on CEO's first day

Climate protesters forced BP to temporarily shut down its London headquarters on Wednesday, the first day in the office for the oil and gas company's new CEO Bernard Looney. BP said more than 100 Greenpeace activists attempted to place 500 solar panels in front of BP's building in St James' Square in central London and blocked the entrances with oil barrels.

Trial of former Malaysian PM's wife begins, court told she influenced government decisions

The corruption trial of Rosmah Mansor, the wife of Malaysia's former Prime Minister Najib Razak, began on Wednesday, with a prosecutor describing how she exerted "considerable influence" over government decisions. Accusations of graft on a massive scale were leveled against the couple after Najib lost a general election in 2018. They have both denied all charges, labeling them politically motivated.

Bodies of two U.S. firefighters killed in Australia sent home

The bodies of two U.S. firefighters killed battling Australian blazes were sent home on Wednesday in emotional ceremonies attended by officials and relatives. Mourners gathered on the tarmac at Sydney Airport to see off Captain Ian H. McBeth, 44, of Great Falls, Montana, and First Officer Paul Clyde Hudson, 42, of Buckeye, Arizona, as their flag-draped caskets were lifted into aircraft for the journey home.

(With inputs from agencies.)