World News Roundup: India delivers COVID-19 shots to prepare for 'world's biggest vaccination drive'; Indonesia retrieves crashed Sriwijaya Air and more

Iran demands sanctions 'snapback' removed in any new nuclear talks Iran demands the removal of the so-called snapback mechanism in its nuclear accord, which could revive all U.N. sanctions against Tehran, in the event of new talks with world powers, a senior aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

India delivers COVID-19 shots to prepare for 'world's biggest vaccination drive'

Indian airlines started delivering batches of COVID-19 vaccines nationwide on Tuesday, preparing for the launch of a campaign to offer shots to 1.3 billion people, in what officials call the world's biggest vaccination drive. Vaccinations are set to begin on Saturday in an effort that authorities hope will see 300 million high-risk people inoculated over the next six to eight months.

Indonesia retrieves crashed Sriwijaya Air plane's flight data recorder

Indonesian divers on Tuesday retrieved from the sea bed the flight data recorder (FDR) of a Sriwijaya Air plane that crashed into the Java Sea with 62 people on board at the weekend, officials said. Divers had also found a separate radio beacon, raising hopes that the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) it was connected to could soon be found and reveal what caused the plane to lose control moments after takeoff.

Iran demands sanctions 'snapback' removed in any new nuclear talks

Iran demands the removal of the so-called snapback mechanism in its nuclear accord, which could revive all U.N. sanctions against Tehran, in the event of new talks with world powers, a senior aide to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said. Under the 2015 deal, Iran agreed to curb its nuclear work in return for relief from U.S. and other sanctions. The accord includes the option of a snapback of U.N. sanctions if Iran breaches the deal, requiring Tehran to suspend all nuclear enrichment-related and reprocessing activities, including research development.

Explainer: Why a state of emergency raises concerns in Malaysia

Malaysia declared a state of emergency on Tuesday to try to rein in coronavirus infections and suspended parliament in a move that helps Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin avoid an immediate challenge to his leadership. The emergency also gives Muhyiddin and his cabinet extraordinary powers, such as introducing laws without the approval of parliament.

EU seeks space alliance to defend against U.S. and Chinese ambitions

The European Union will pursue a more aggressive European space strategy to prevent being muscled out by U.S. and Chinese launcher technology, setting up an European alliance with industry this year, a EU official said on Tuesday. Over the past decades, Europe has sought to build independent access to space from U.S. and Russian pioneers to help its industry, with successes such as Ariane rockets or GPS-rival satnav Galileo.

Kremlin foe Navalny says Russian prison authority has asked a court to jail him

Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny said on Tuesday that Russia's prison authority has asked a court to jail him for having allegedly broken the terms of a suspended sentence he has been serving. Navalny, one of President Vladimir Putin's leading critics, was airlifted to Germany for treatment in August after collapsing on a plane in what Germany and other Western nations say was an attempt to murder him with a Novichok nerve agent.

Jordanian sentenced to death over knife attack at tourist site

A state security court in Jordan on Tuesday sentenced a Jordanian to death and jailed two others for their role in a stabbing rampage against foreign tourists in 2019, judicial sources said. Military judge Lieutenant Colonel Muwafaq al Masaeed told the court the men, in their early 20s, were involved in planning the attack in the ancient Roman city of Jerash in Nov. 2019 that wounded three Mexican tourists and one Swiss along with four local people, including a police officer.

Ireland to lay bare scandal of baby deaths at Church-run homes

An Irish inquiry into alarming death rates among newborns at church-run homes for unwed mothers will hand down its final report on Tuesday, laying bare one of the Catholic Church's darkest chapters and leading to demands for state compensation. The Church's reputation in Ireland has been shattered by a series of scandals over paedophile priests, abuse at workhouses, forced adoptions of babies and other painful issues.

As Canada battles rising COVID-19 cases, lack of sick leave fuels transmission

As Canadian provinces struggle to contain rising COVID-19 infections, a lack of adequate paid sick leave for front-line workers is fuelling transmission, doctors and advocates say. While political leaders and health officials advise sick people to stay home, many people can't afford to. Some 58% of workers in Canada lack enough paid sick leave, according to the Decent Work and Health Network, and that percentage rises as wages drop.

Inside Israel's social media campaign to woo the Middle East

Working in close quarters, surrounded by maps of the Middle East, a small team based in Israel's foreign ministry are focusing their sights on the Arab world. Their mission: using social media to convince Arabs to embrace the Jewish state.