World News Roundup: Macron health situation stable - French presidency; S.Korea scrambles jets as Chinese, Russian aircraft enter air defence zone and more

Four Chinese warplanes entered the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ) followed by 15 Russian aircraft, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS). Tibetan leader welcomes U.S. bill that reaffirms rights, angering China The political head of Tibetans in exile on Tuesday welcomed legislation passed by the U.S. Congress that reaffirms the rights of Tibetans to choose a successor to their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, a move that infuriated China.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Macron health situation stable - French presidency

President Emmanuel Macron's health situation remains stable after contracting COVID-19 last week, the French presidency said. "The health condition of the president remains stable," an official at the presidency told Reuters.

S.Korea scrambles jets as Chinese, Russian aircraft enter air defence zone

South Korea said on Tuesday it had scrambled fighter jets in response to an intrusion into South Korea's air defence identification zone by 19 Russian and Chinese military aircraft. Four Chinese warplanes entered the Korea Air Defence Identification Zone (KADIZ) followed by 15 Russian aircraft, according to South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS).

Tibetan leader welcomes U.S. bill that reaffirms rights, angering China The political head of Tibetans in exile on Tuesday welcomed legislation passed by the U.S. Congress that reaffirms the rights of Tibetans to choose a successor to their spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, a move that infuriated China. China regards the exiled Dalai Lama as a dangerous "splittist", or separatist, and the latest show of support from the U.S. Congress could increase already tense ties between the two countries.

Putin signs law letting ex-presidents become senators for life President Vladimir Putin signed legislation on Tuesday that allows former presidents to become lawmakers for life in Russia's upper house of parliament once they leave the Kremlin, a government website showed. The legislation follows sweeping changes to the Russian political system initiated by Putin this year that, among other things, allow him to run for two more six-year terms in the Kremlin if he chooses. He had been due to step down in 2024.

Rifts over fishing narrow but EU-UK trade deal still uncertain Britain and the European Union narrowed the gap on access to fish stocks from 2021 but the politically sensitive matter was still in the way of a new trade pact, Brussels sources said on Tuesday ahead of a Brexit update by their chief negotiator. As Brexit completes on Dec. 31, Britain will leave the EU's single market and customs union, meaning its current free trade arrangements expire.

Bethlehem's other children, and the home that cares for them Walk out of Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity, across Manger Square and along Star Street and you come to a part of town where few pilgrims venture. Behind a discreet plaque saying 'Crèche' is a children's home - the only one that many illegitimate and abandoned children brought up there have ever known.

Pollution deaths in India rose to 1.67 million in 2019 -Lancet Toxic air killed more people in India in 2019 than in 2017, The Lancet said in a report shared by the government on Tuesday, with 1.67 million deaths accounting for 18% of all fatalities. India, whose cities top global pollution lists, faces a growing economic as well as human toll from bad air quality, which was linked to 1.24 million, or 12.5% of total deaths in the previous such study for 2017.

Kremlin mocks foe Navalny over alleged underwear poison plot The Kremlin on Tuesday mocked opposition politician Alexei Navalny and tried to call his sanity into question, a day after he said he had tricked a Russian secret agent into disclosing lurid details of a botched plot to kill him. Navalny, one of President Vladimir Putin's most outspoken critics, was airlifted to Germany for medical treatment in August after collapsing on a plane in Russia.

Roadside bomb kills prison doctors in Afghan capital A roadside bomb killed at least five prison doctors and health workers in the Afghan capital on Tuesday while they were on their way to the country's largest jail, officials said. The Taliban said they were not involved in the attack as the five were on their way to the sprawling Pul-i-Charkhi prison housing hundreds of prisoners, including scores of Taliban insurgents.

Britain, stuck in COVID-19 isolation, strives to lift France's freight ban The United Kingdom was stuck in COVID-19 isolation on Tuesday after much of the world cut off travel ties due to a highly infectious new coronavirus strain, halting one of Europe's most important trade routes just days before the Brexit cliff edge. With queues of trucks snaking to the horizon in England and supermarket shelves stripped just days before Christmas, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson scrambled to get French President Emmanuel Macron to lift a ban on freight from Britain.