World News Roundup: Macron says New Caledonia has voted to remain French in referendum; Israeli PM to pay first visit to UAE since formalising ties and more

He said he was praying for "dear Ukraine, for all its churches and religious communities and for all of its people, so that tensions there are resolved through a serious international dialogue and not with weapons". Putin and Biden agreed to hold more talks despite disagreements, says Kremlin Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden have agreed to hold more talks amid tensions over a Russian troop build-up near Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Sunday, and Putin would like to meet in person at some stage too.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Macron says New Caledonia has voted to remain French in referendum

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Sunday that New Caledonia will remain French, after a majority of voters in the French overseas territory voted against independence in a third and final referendum. "Caledonians have chosen to remain French. They decided that freely," Macron said in a televised address.

Israeli PM to pay first visit to UAE since formalising ties

Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett will travel to the United Arab Emirates on Sunday and meet the Gulf state's de facto ruler in the highest-level visit since the countries formalized relations last year. The trip comes amid heightened regional tension as world powers' try to renew a nuclear deal with Iran. Israel has broached setting up joint defenses with Gulf Arab states that share its concern over Iranian activities.

Storms pound parts of Greece, kill one

The driver of a car that was swept away by floods in northern Greece was found dead on Sunday after heavy storms pounded parts of the country on Saturday, causing flooding, police said. The body of the 55-year old woman was found near her car at the village of Skotina by the fire brigade.

South Africa's F.W. de Klerk feared democracy, says Ramaphosa

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday described the late FW de Klerk as "brave" for defying his party to negotiate an end to white minority rule but also recalled the horrors of the regime he led and his fear of democratic change. Frederik Willem de Klerk, credited with supervising a peaceful transition from white-minority rule in South Africa to a Black-majority government led by Nelson Mandela, died last month at the age of 85 after battling cancer.

Exclusive-G7 warns Russia of 'massive consequences' if Ukraine attacked -draft statement

Russia faces massive consequences and severe costs if President Vladimir Putin attacks Ukraine, the Group of Seven warned in a draft statement seen by Reuters on Sunday. U.S. intelligence assesses that Russia could be planning a multi-front offensive on Ukraine as early as next year, involving up to 175,000 troops.

Gas explosion in Sicily leaves at least three dead, six missing

Three people were killed and six are still missing after a gas explosion late on Saturday caused several residential buildings in the Sicilian town of Ravanusa to collapse, Italian authorities said on Sunday. Two apartment blocks in the town of 11,000 people were completely destroyed and several other buildings had partially collapsed in the blast.

Russian gas and EU law high on agenda as Scholz visits Poland

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz visits Warsaw on Sunday for talks on the Belarus migrant crisis, Poland's judicial independence, Russia's military build-up near Ukraine and a Russian gas pipeline to Germany. While Scholz has spoken of his aim to safeguard the good relationship Germany has with Poland for years to come, the two leaders have been clear about what they expect from each other.

Pope calls for 'serious international dialogue' to defuse Ukraine tensions

Pope Francis, in his first comments on the tensions between the West and Russia over Ukraine, called on Sunday for serious international dialogue to resolve tensions and urged both sides to avoid an armed conflict. He said he was praying for "dear Ukraine, for all its churches and religious communities and for all of its people, so that tensions there are resolved through a serious international dialogue and not with weapons".

Putin and Biden agreed to hold more talks despite disagreements, says Kremlin

Russian President Vladimir Putin and his U.S. counterpart Joe Biden have agreed to hold more talks amid tensions over a Russian troop build-up near Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Sunday, and Putin would like to meet in person at some stage too. The Kremlin said Putin and Biden had agreed to hold more talks during a video call on Dec. 7 which focused on East-West relations, which have sunk to their lowest level since the end of the Cold War and are currently strained by the Russian troop build-up near Ukraine.

China's Xi and Russia's Putin dominate the G7

While Russian President Vladimir Putin keeps the West guessing over Ukraine, it was the might of Chinese President Xi Jinping that garnered the long-term strategic focus when the diplomats from the Group of Seven richest democracies met this weekend. The United States and its other G7 allies are searching for a coherent response to Xi's growing assertiveness after China's spectacular economic and military rise over the past 40 years.