World News Roundup: Biden and Putin set to talk about Ukraine in video call on Tuesday; Indonesia's Semeru volcano spews ash, killing one, injuring dozens and more

Tehran's stance during the first such talks in more than five months disappointed not just the United States and its European allies but also China and Russia, historically more sympathetic to Iran, the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said this week. In Khashoggi's shadow, Macron holds Saudi talks with crown prince French President Emmanuel Macron held face-to-face talks in Saudi Arabia on Saturday with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, becoming the first major Western leader to visit the kingdom since journalist Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 murder.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Biden and Putin set to talk about Ukraine in video call on Tuesday

U.S. President Joe Biden and Russian President Vladimir Putin will hold a video call on Tuesday, with the two leaders set to discuss the tense situation in Ukraine. "Biden will underscore U.S. concerns with Russian military activities on the border with Ukraine and reaffirm the United States support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ukraine," White House spokesperson Jen Psaki said in a statement.

Indonesia's Semeru volcano spews ash, killing one, injuring dozens

The Semeru volcano on the Indonesian island of Java erupted on Saturday, killing one person, injuring at least 35 and trapping some people in buildings as it spewed out huge clouds of smoke and ash, officials said. Videos shared by emergency officials showed residents running as towering plumes of smoke and ash blanketed nearby villages in East Java province.

Thousands march against COVID restrictions in northwest Europe

Tens of thousands of protesters marched through several northwest European cities on Saturday to demonstrate against coronavirus restrictions imposed amid a surge in infections. Austria last month became the first country in Western Europe to reimpose a lockdown, which is set to last 20 days, and said it would make vaccinations mandatory from February.

Russia says airliner had to lose height to avoid NATO spy plane

A Russian Aeroflot airliner flying from Tel Aviv to Moscow was forced to change altitude over the Black Sea because a NATO CL-600 reconnaissance plane crossed its designated flight path, Russia's state aviation authority said on Saturday. The state airline said flight SU501 carrying 142 passengers had had to drop 2,000 feet on Friday after air traffic control told it that another aircraft had crossed its path.

Orthodox priest shouts 'Pope, you are a heretic' at Francis in Athens

An elderly Greek Orthodox priest shouted "Pope, you are a heretic" as Pope Francis was entering the Orthodox Archbishopric in Athens on Saturday and was taken away by police, a reminder of the lingering distrust between the two divided churches. Video showed the man, who was dressed in black robes and black hat and had a long white beard, shouting the words in Greek outside the building before police bundled him away.

Sudan's Burhan says military will exit politics after 2023 elections

Sudan's military will exit politics after elections scheduled for 2023, General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan told Reuters in an interview on Saturday, adding that the deposed former ruling party would have no role in the transition. Following a military takeover led by Burhan in late October that upended Sudan's transition to civilian-led democracy, a deal was struck on Nov. 21 reinstating Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok to lead a technocratic Cabinet until elections in July 2023.

Chinese military flights near Taiwan look like 'rehearsals'- Pentagon chief

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin on Saturday said Chinese military flights near Taiwan look like "rehearsals" though he did not indicate that he expected Beijing actually to carry out such operations. Cross-strait tensions have been rising in recent months, with Taiwan complaining for a year or more of repeated missions by China's air force near the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own.

Iran abandoned any compromises in latest nuclear talks - U.S

Iran abandoned any compromises it had made in talks to revive its 2015 nuclear deal with major powers, pocketed those made by others, and demanded more during indirect U.S.-Iran talks this week, a senior U.S. State Department official said. Tehran's stance during the first such talks in more than five months disappointed not just the United States and its European allies but also China and Russia, historically more sympathetic to Iran, the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said this week.

In Khashoggi's shadow, Macron holds Saudi talks with crown prince

French President Emmanuel Macron held face-to-face talks in Saudi Arabia on Saturday with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, becoming the first major Western leader to visit the kingdom since journalist Jamal Khashoggi's 2018 murder. Macron considers Saudi Arabia vital to help forge a region-wide peace deal with Iran, as well as an ally in the fight against Islamist militants from the Middle East to West Africa, and a rampart against the Muslim Brotherhood.

Presidential vote-count starts in Gambia in key test for stability

Polls closed in Gambia on Saturday after citizens cast their vote for president in a tightly fought race that is seen as a test of democratic progress. It was the West African country's first democratic election since former president Yahya Jammeh was voted out of office in 2016.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)