Reuters World News Summary

Exclusive: U.S. thinks Eritrea has joined Ethiopian war, diplomats say The United States believes Eritrean soldiers have crossed into Ethiopia to help Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government battle a rebellious northern force, despite denials from both nations, a U.S. government source and five regional diplomats said.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs. Trump sought contacts with Venezuela early in his term, Maduro says

U.S. President Donald Trump sought contacts with Venezuelan officials early in his term, President Nicolas Maduro said on Tuesday, adding that he hopes to establish dialogue with U.S. President-elect Joe Biden's incoming administration. Venezuela and the United States cut off diplomatic ties last year after the Trump administration, together with dozens of other countries, recognized opposition leader Juan Guaido as the South American country's rightful leader, arguing that Maduro had rigged his 2018 re-election. After weeks of caution, Mexican president set to recognize Biden win -sources

Mexico's president is expected to congratulate U.S. President-elect Joe Biden next week on his victory once it is certified, three officials told Reuters, after weeks of waiting that have upset allies of the incoming U.S. leader. President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is among a handful of world leaders yet to recognize Biden's election victory over Republican President Donald Trump, including Russia's Vladimir Putin and Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro. In COVID-19 milestone for West, Britain starts mass vaccination

A 90-year-old grandmother became the world's first person to receive a fully-tested COVID-19 shot on Tuesday, as Britain began mass-vaccinating its people in a global drive that poses one of the biggest logistical challenges in peacetime history. Health workers started inoculating the most vulnerable with the vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech, with the country a test case for the world as it contends with distributing a compound that must be stored at -70C (-94F). Ethiopia says U.N. team shot at in Tigray after defying checkpoints

A United Nations team visiting refugees in Ethiopia's war-hit Tigray region had failed to stop at two checkpoints when it was shot at over the weekend, the government said on Tuesday, proclaiming it did not need a "baby-sitter". The U.N. security team was seeking access to the Shimelba camp for Eritrean refugees when they were fired at on Sunday. U.N. spokesman Stephane Dujarric said there were four people in the U.N. team assessing roads in the area for aid deliveries. Talk of a 'no deal' Brexit grows as deadline looms

Talk of a chaotic British split from the European Union grew on Tuesday with just three weeks left to break a deadlock in trade deal negotiations, with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson warning that the two sides may have to accept "no deal". The EU's chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, told a meeting of the bloc's ministers that he believed a no-deal scenario at the end of the year was now more likely than an agreement on trade ties, an EU official and two diplomats told Reuters. Some of those involved in killing of Iranian nuclear scientist arrested, official says

Some of those involved in the assassination of Iran's top nuclear scientist last month have been arrested, an adviser to the Iranian parliament speaker said on Tuesday, according to the semi-official news agency ISNA. Iran has blamed Israel for the Nov. 27 killing of Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was seen by Western intelligence services as the mastermind of a covert Iranian nuclear weapons programme. Tehran has long denied any such ambition. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the killing. Farmers protest across India against Modi's liberalisation

Farmers' protests against new laws liberalising agricultural markets spread across India on Tuesday, as farm organisations called for a nationwide strike after inconclusive talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government. In eastern and western states, farmers blocked roads and squatted on railway tracks, delaying hordes of people getting to work, and preventing perishable produce from reaching markets. Leading cardinal says Church needs rules on status of ex popes

Cardinal George Pell, a leading Roman Catholic conservative, said the Vatican needs clear rules to govern the status of future popes who resign rather than rule for life and that such a move would help Church unity. Pell is one of the highest-ranking Church figures to speak publicly on the need for rules since 2013, when former Pope Benedict, 93, became the first pontiff in 700 years to abdicate. Explainer: How France will distribute COVID-19 vaccines

France is preparing the rollout of a first round of COVID-19 vaccines that it hopes will start reaching the most at risk citizens early next year pending regulatory approvals of the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The government will ensure vaccines are free for all in its social security system and has earmarked 1.5 billion euros ($1.8 billion) of next year's budget to cover costs, Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Thursday. Exclusive: U.S. thinks Eritrea has joined Ethiopian war, diplomats say

The United States believes Eritrean soldiers have crossed into Ethiopia to help Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed's government battle a rebellious northern force, despite denials from both nations, a U.S. government source and five regional diplomats said. Abiy and Eritrea's President Isaias Afwerki signed a peace pact ending two decades of hostilities in 2018 and now regard the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) as a mutual foe.