World News Roundup: World scrambles for vaccine deals as COVID infections near 60 million; Car crashes into gate of Merkel's office and more

Exclusive: White House considers lifting European travel restrictions - sources The White House is considering rescinding entry bans for most non-U.S. citizens who recently were in Brazil, Britain, Ireland and 26 other European countries, five U.S. and airline officials told Reuters.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Exclusive: White House considers lifting European travel restrictions - sources

The White House is considering rescinding entry bans for most non-U.S. citizens who recently were in Brazil, Britain, Ireland and 26 other European countries, five U.S. and airline officials told Reuters. The Trump administration imposed the bans in a bid to contain the novel coronavirus pandemic. It is not considering lifting separate entry bans on most non-U.S. citizens who have recently been in China or Iran, the officials said.

African envoys head for Ethiopia where thousands of war dead reported

African Union envoys headed to Ethiopia on Wednesday hours before a government ultimatum was to expire for northern forces to surrender in a three-week war that has shaken the region and killed thousands of Tigrayan fighters according to one report. Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government has set a 72-hour deadline for the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) to lay down arms or face an assault on their highland capital Mekelle, home to half a million people.

Afghan migrant: I thought France was humane until police beat me

Murtaza Khademi left his home in Afghanistan and smuggled himself into France because he thought he would be safe, but this week he encountered a different side of Europe: a police operation in which, he says, he was beaten with a truncheon. "The police forces had no mercy. We thought they were humane people," he said on Tuesday night near a railway station in Paris where charities were distributing food. "They are not like that at all."

Unified ASEAN can avert South China Sea conflict - Philippine minister

Tensions in the South China Sea will increase due to a U.S.-China rivalry that could be kept in check, if only Southeast Asian countries took a united stand to influence the status quo, a top Philippine security official said on Wednesday. The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was caught up in the battle for regional influence but it could do more to ensure stability and should take a common approach, Defence Secretary Delfin Lorenzana told a security forum.

Erdogan slams jailed Kurdish leader, vows reforms with nationalist ally

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Wednesday a jailed Kurdish leader has "blood on his hands", scotching any hopes that a reform plan could lead to wider liberties for the opposition and dissidents. Erdogan promised a slate of judicial and economic reforms two weeks ago, leading to expectations of the possible release of politicians, including Kurdish ones, and human rights advocates from jail.

World scrambles for vaccine deals as COVID infections near 60 million

Countries around the world are scrambling to finalise vaccine deals as the global number of coronavirus infections approached 60 million on Wednesday, scientists urged caution and U.S. officials pleaded with Americans to stay home over Thanksgiving. The holiday weekend is expected to fuel a surge of infections in the United States, which leads the world with soaring COVID-19 infections and the daily toll on Tuesday climbing above 2,000, the highest 24-hour tally since early May.

Turquie et Russie veulent associer d'autres pays au Haut-Karabakh

Le président turc Recep Tayyip Erdogan a annoncé mercredi qu'il avait discuté avec son homologue russe Vladimir Poutine de la possibilité d'associer d'autres pays aux efforts visant à consolider le cessez-le-feu au Haut-Karabakh. L'Arménie et l'Azerbaïdjan ont signé le 10 novembre sous l'égide de la Russie un cessez-le-feu qui a mis fin à six semaines d'affrontements dans l'enclave à population arménienne mais partie intégrante du territoire azerbaïdjanais.

Japan's Suga calls for stable ties with China in first high-level meeting

In his first high-level meeting with Beijing, Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said stable ties with China were important, as his country pursues a balancing act with its neighbour. On Wednesday, Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met Suga at the end of his two-day trip in Japan, marking the first high-level visit since Suga was elected as new leader in September.

MH17 judges reject request for investigation into alternative crash scenarios

Judges hearing the case against four defendants in the 2014 downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 on Wednesday rejected a request by defence attorneys for more time to investigate alternative scenarios about what caused the crash. An international investigation led by the Netherlands, from where roughly two-thirds of the 298 victims originated, concluded that the plane was shot down with a Russian missile.

Car crashes into gate of Merkel's office

A car with slogans scrawled on its sides crashed into the gate of the office of German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin on Wednesday and police arrested the driver, a Reuters witness said. Reuters pictures from the scene showed police inspecting the estate car at the gate with the words "Stop Globalisation Politics" written in white on its right side and "You damn killers of children and old people" on the other.

(With inputs from agencies.)