World News Roundup: Russia warns of global conflict over nuclear pact collapse; Syrian rebels say U.S. troops remain in key garrison near Iraq

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russia warns of global conflict over nuclear pact collapse

Russia said on Saturday that the scrapping of a Cold War era nuclear pact may lead to an arms race and direct confrontation between several global regions, after a proposal by Moscow was rejected in a United Nations vote. Moscow had put forward a resolution in support of the 1987 Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF) which bans Moscow and Washington from stationing short- and intermediate-range, land-based missiles in Europe.

U.N. tells UK: Allow Assange to leave Ecuador embassy freely

U.N. rights experts called on British authorities on Friday to allow WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to leave the Ecuador embassy in London without fear of arrest or extradition. The U.N. Working Group on Arbitrary Detention reiterated its finding published in February 2016 that Assange had been de facto unlawfully held without charge in the embassy, where he has now been holed up for more than six years.

Turkey says nearly 300,000 Syrians return home after military operations

Nearly 300,000 Syrians have returned to their country after Turkey's two cross-border operations in northern Syria, Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu was quoted as saying on Saturday. Turkey has carried out two operations, dubbed "Euphrates Shield" and "Olive Branch", against Kurdish YPG militia and Islamic State in northern Syria. Ankara regards the U.S.-backed YPG as a terrorist organization.

Russian fighter jets land in Crimea amid Ukraine tensions

More than a dozen SU-27 and SU-30 fighter jets which Russia is deploying to boost its air force, amid heightened tensions with Ukraine, arrived in Crimea on Saturday. A Reuters witness saw the jets land at Belbek air base in Crimea, which was annexed by Russia in 2014 after Moscow-leaning Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovich fled Kiev following street clashes and violent protests.

Iran Guards hold war games as U.S. carrier enters Gulf

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards launched war games in the Gulf on Saturday, state television reported, after a U.S. aircraft carrier entered the waterway amid rising tension with Washington over reimposed U.S. sanctions. Television showed amphibious forces landing on Iran's Gulf island of Qeshm during the exercises, in which naval vessels, helicopters, drones, rocket launchers and commando units also took part.

Syrian rebels say U.S. troops remain in key garrison near Iraq

U.S. troops have not left the strategic Tanf garrison on the Iraq-Jordan border following President Donald Trump's decision to pull out of Syria, the leader of a Pentagon-backed rebel group there said on Saturday. Colonel Muhanad al Talaa, leader of Maghawir al-Thawra whose several hundred fighters work alongside U.S. troops at the Tanf camp, said although they were notified of Washington's decision, the situation on the ground remained as it was.

Few turn out for French 'yellow vest' protests, driver dies at roadblock

A man died in southern France on Friday when his car hit a truck at a road block erected by "Yellow Vest" protesters, raising the death toll linked to the anti-government demonstrations to 10, the authorities said on Saturday. Several demonstrations were expected across France on Saturday, including a march in the formal royal city of Versailles, whose castle is a symbol of French state power and one of Europe's top tourist attractions.

A renegotiated Brexit would go ahead under Labour government-Corbyn

Britain's opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn would push ahead with Brexit and seek to renegotiate the terms if he won a snap election next year, he said on Saturday, in a blow to party supporters who want a second referendum. Like much of Britain, Corbyn's Labour party is deeply divided over Brexit, with some senior lawmakers leading calls for a fresh vote and others representing areas that recorded the highest support for leaving the European Union in the 2016 plebiscite.

U.S. to boost financing for Ukraine navy after Russian attack

The United States will provide an additional $10 million in military financing to Ukraine to bolster its navy after Russia captured three Ukrainian vessels at sea last month, in a "dangerous escalation," the State Department said on Friday. The move comes after Lithuania and the United Kingdom increased their security assistance to Ukraine, the department said, following the Nov. 25 attack near the Kerch Strait.

British police arrest two over Gatwick Airport drone disruption

Police have arrested two people after rogue drone operators crippled London's Gatwick Airport for three days by repeatedly flying onto the airfield, playing cat-and-mouse with the army. Britain's second-largest airport was forced to close its runway in the run up to Christmas after drones started appearing on the site south of London in the most disruptive incursion from unmanned aerial vehicles at any major airport.

(With inputs from Reuters)