World News Roundup: Turkish court adds new Saudi defendants in Khashoggi trial; Iran sees foreign firms returning if U.S. lifts sanctions and more

Iran sees foreign firms returning if U.S. lifts sanctions Iran expects foreign companies to return to the country if U.S. sanctions are lifted under President-elect Joe Biden and some firms have made initial contacts already, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Tuesday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Erdogan ally says Turkey's governing coalition strong despite critics

President Tayyip Erdogan's nationalist ally pledged his loyalty to their government coalition on Tuesday and dismissed media speculation about cracks in the alliance amid a recent reform push as "incomprehensible dirty rumours". Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) leader Devlet Bahceli's attack on government critics came after Erdogan vowed earlier this month a new era of judicial reforms, after years of growing criticism from opponents at home and allies abroad.

Parents of Briton killed in road accident lose diplomatic immunity challenge

The parents of a 19-year-old Briton killed in a road accident in 2019 lost their court battle with the British government on Tuesday over whether the wife of U.S. official involved in the crash had diplomatic immunity from criminal prosecution. Harry Dunn's family have said Anne Sacoolas was driving on the wrong side of the road when she crashed with the teenager, who was riding a motor-bike, near an air force base in central England which is used by the U.S. military.

Ethiopia says foes surrendering, Tigray forces report battle win

The Ethiopian government said on Tuesday that Tigrayan soldiers were surrendering in the face of its advance towards the regional capital, but the local forces reported they were resisting and had destroyed a prestigious army division. Hundreds have died, more than 41,000 refugees have fled to Sudan, and there has been widespread destruction and uprooting of people from homes in the northern Tigray region. Special Report: 50,000 COVID-19 deaths and rising.

How Britain failed to stop the second wave

By Andrew MacAskill, Stephen Grey, Ryan McNeill, Steve Stecklow, Tommy Wilkes and Andrew R.C. Marshall On the doorstep of a terraced house in northern England, virus hunter Colin Hutchinson came face-to-face with the new wave of COVID-19, and the obstacles to slowing its spread.

Russia's Lavrov, Iran's Zarif discuss Syria, Karabakh, nuclear deal in phone call

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the situations in Syria and Nagorno-Karabakh in a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, Russia's foreign ministry said on Tuesday. The two men also discussed Moscow and Tehran's commitment to ensuring the prompt return of all participants to fully observing obligations laid out in the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, formally called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).

International donors meet to pledge billions in aid to Afghanistan

Dozens of nations began pledging billions of dollars in aid for Afghanistan at a conference in Geneva on Tuesday, hoping that peace negotiations recently begun between the government and the Taliban will end nearly two decades of war. During the lead up to the quadrennial international donors conference, diplomats reckoned Afghanistan could receive 15-20% less funding than the roughly $15.2 billion pledged at the last conference in Brussels in 2016 due to uncertainties over the peace process and difficulties getting commitments during the coronavirus pandemic.

Taiwan to protect sovereignty with new submarines amid China tensions

Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen on Tuesday vowed to defend the democratic island's sovereignty with the construction of a new fleet of domestically-developed submarines, a key project supported by the United States to counter neighbouring China. Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has been for years working to revamp its submarine force, some of which date back to World War Two, and is no match for China's fleet, which includes vessels capable of launching nuclear weapons.

Iran sees foreign firms returning if U.S. lifts sanctions

Iran expects foreign companies to return to the country if U.S. sanctions are lifted under President-elect Joe Biden and some firms have made initial contacts already, Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei said on Tuesday. Major foreign companies left Iran after U.S. President Donald Trump two years ago abandoned Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and restored economic sanctions.

Swedish watchdog finds serious failures in COVID care at nursing homes

Sweden's health watchdog said on Tuesday it had uncovered "serious shortcomings" in COVID-19 care for residents of nursing homes where thousands have died, increasing pressure on the country's unorthodox pandemic strategy. Nursing homes were ravaged by the initial wave of the coronavirus, prompting Prime Minister Stefan Lofven's sombre admission in May that the country failed to protect its elderly.

Turkish court adds new Saudi defendants in Khashoggi trial

A Turkish court on Tuesday added new defendants to the case against Saudi officials charged over the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, state media reported, in a trial that Ankara says is needed to reveal the full truth behind the killing. Khashoggi, a critic of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was last seen entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on Oct. 2, 2018. Turkish officials believe his body was dismembered and removed, while his remains have not been found.

(With inputs from agencies.)