World News Roundup: Cornered by Draghi, Italy's Salvini shifts his party out of far-right camp; Thai opposition party pushes to amend royal insult law and more

Democratic Taiwan has become a safe haven for many Hong Kongers who have fled the Chinese-run city in the face of a mounting crackdown on dissent after Beijing unveiled a new tough security law last year following months of protests.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Crashed Sriwijaya Air jet had engine thrust imbalance - preliminary report

The Sriwijaya Air plane that crashed last month killing 62 people had an imbalance in engine thrust that eventually led the plane into a sharp roll and then a final dive into the sea, a preliminary report by investigators said on Wednesday. When the 26-year-old Boeing Co 737-500 plane reached 8,150 feet (2,484 m) after take-off, the left engine throttle lever moved back while the right lever stayed in its original position, Indonesia's National Transportation Safety Committee (KNKT) said in its report.

Punctured lung, fractured ribs: some Russian protesters allege police brutality

Alexei Borisov was diagnosed by doctors as having a punctured lung, three fractured ribs and a broken tooth after he attended a rally on Jan. 31 in support of Russian opposition politician Alexei Navalny. The 42-year-old truck driver said he was injured by police who detained him after he led a march in central Ryazan, 200 km (120 miles) southeast of Moscow, shouting "Freedom to Alexei Navalny" and slogans against President Vladimir Putin.

Cornered by Draghi, Italy's Salvini shifts his party out of far-right camp

In February 2017, populist firebrand Matteo Salvini accused the-then European Central Bank chief Mario Draghi of being an "accomplice" in what he termed the economic "massacre" of Italy. Fast forward four years and Salvini has unexpectedly pledged the support of his League party for a government that Draghi is trying to put together to tackle the twin scourges of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis ravaging the country.

Thai opposition party pushes to amend royal insult law

A Thai opposition party on Wednesday submitted a proposal to amend the country's strict royal insult law, a potentially groundbreaking move that it said could ease political tension and improve freedom of expression amid anti-government protests. The proposed amendment by 44 lawmakers from the opposition Move Forward Party comes a day after four leaders of youth-led demonstrations were jailed pending trial under the royal insult law, known as lese majeste, which carries penalties of up to 15 years in prison.

WHO's Wuhan probe ends, U.S.-China bickering over COVID continues

China called on the United States on Wednesday to invite the World Health Organization to investigate origins of the COVID-19 outbreak there, as sparring over the pandemic continued after the WHO wrapped up its field work in the Chinese city of Wuhan. Hours after the WHO team revealed preliminary findings at a Wuhan news conference on Tuesday, Washington said it wants to scrutinize data used by the team, which concluded that the virus causing COVID-19 did not originate in a laboratory in Wuhan, and that bats remain a likely source.

Twenty U.N. peacekeepers injured in central Mali attack

Twenty United Nations peacekeepers were injured, including several seriously, in central Mali on Wednesday when their base came under fire, a U.N. mission spokesman said. The base near the town of Douentza in was attacked around 0700 GMT, a spokesman for the MINUSMA mission, Olivier Salgado, told Reuters.

Keep faith in democracy, Taiwan president tells Hong Kongers in new year message

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen reached out to the people of Hong Kong in a Lunar New Year message on Wednesday, telling them that while democracy is not perfect it is humankind's best system and they should keep the faith. Democratic Taiwan has become a safe haven for many Hong Kongers who have fled the Chinese-run city in the face of a mounting crackdown on dissent after Beijing unveiled a new tough security law last year following months of protests.

Protests rock Myanmar for fifth day, West condemns security response

Protesters took to the streets of Myanmar for a fifth day on Wednesday, vowing to keep up demonstrations against last week's military coup even after a woman was shot and critically wounded during clashes the previous day. The United States and United Nations condemned Tuesday's use of force against the protesters who are demanding the reversal of the Feb. 1 coup and the release of deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi, and other leaders of her National League for Democracy (NLD).

In Indian Himalayas, drones draw blank in search for workers missing in flooded tunnel

Rescuers in northern India made a vain attempt on Wednesday to find signs of life using a drone to search for 35 construction workers missing inside a tunnel days after a flash flood swept down a mountain valley destroying dams and bridges. Some 204 people remain unaccounted for since Sunday's disaster in Uttarakhand state, most of them workers at the Tapovan Vishnugad hydroelectric project and at the smaller Rishiganga dam, which was swept away by the torrent.

Saudi coalition says Houthis attack Saudi's Abha airport: state TV The Saudi-led coalition engaged in Yemen said the Iran-aligned Houthi group launched an attack on Abha airport in southern Saudi Arabia that caused a fire in a civilian aircraft, state media reported Wednesday. Yemen's Houthi movement regularly launches drones and missiles into Saudi, many of which Saudi says it intercepts. Some have previously hit Abha International Airport which is around 120 km (75 miles) from the Yemeni border.