World News Roundup: German police stop far-right vigilantes patrolling Polish border; Erdogan's critics say demand for expulsions is distraction from economy woes and more

The vigilantes were following a call by the Third Way, a far right-party with suspected links to neo-Nazi groups, for its members to stop illegal crossings near the town of Guben on the German-Polish border. U.S. envoy urges N.Korea to end 'provocations', accept offer of talks North Korea's recent ballistic missile tests were "concerning and counterproductive" for efforts to reduce tensions, and Pyongyang should instead engage in talks, the U.S. envoy for North Korea said on Sunday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

German police stop far-right vigilantes patrolling Polish border

German police said on Sunday they had stopped more than 50 far-right vigilantes armed with pepper spray, a bayonet, a machete and batons who were trying to patrol the Polish border to stop migrants from entering the country. The vigilantes were following a call by the Third Way, a far right-party with suspected links to neo-Nazi groups, for its members to stop illegal crossings near the town of Guben on the German-Polish border.

Erdogan's critics say demand for expulsions is distraction from economy woes

President Tayyip Erdogan's political opponents said his call to expel the ambassadors of 10 Western allies was an attempt to distract attention from Turkey's economic difficulties, while diplomats hoped the expulsions might yet be averted. On Saturday Erdogan said he ordered the envoys be declared 'persona non grata' for seeking philanthropist Osman Kavala's release from prison. The foreign ministry has not yet carried out the president's instruction, which would open the deepest rift with the West in Erdogan's 19 years in power.

U.S. envoy urges N.Korea to end 'provocations', accept offer of talks

North Korea's recent ballistic missile tests were "concerning and counterproductive" for efforts to reduce tensions, and Pyongyang should instead engage in talks, the U.S. envoy for North Korea said on Sunday. Speaking to reporters after meeting with his South Korean counterpart in Seoul, Special Representative Sung Kim said the United States is committed to exploring "sustained and substantive diplomacy" with North Korea.

Fire blazes on cargo ship containers off British Columbia

A fire broke out on Saturday on containers on a cargo ship carrying mining chemicals off British Columbia, and the Canadian Coast Guard said it is working with the U.S. Coast Guard to assess the situation, including environmental hazards. Sixteen crew members have been evacuated from the MV Zim Kingston, while five remained onboard to fight the fire, the Canadian Coast Guard said in a statement late on Saturday.

China strengthens land border protection with new law

China passed a law on Saturday to strengthen border protection amid a protracted standoff with India, worries about spillover effects from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and the spread of COVID-19 from Southeast Asia. The Land Borders Law will not necessarily change how border security is handled when the measure takes effect on Jan. 1, but it reflects China's growing confidence in its capability to manage its frontiers.

Don't send migrants back to unsafe countries, pope says, citing Libya

Pope Francis on Sunday urged countries not to send migrants back to insecure countries such as Libya, where he said many suffer violent and inhumane conditions similar to those in concentration camps. The pope's appeal at his Sunday blessing came as European Union leaders are struggling to overcome their differences on how to handle immigrants, an issue that feeds support for nationalist and populist groups across the EU.

Ethiopia conducts two air strikes in Tigray

Ethiopia conducted two air strikes in Tigray on Sunday as the government intensifies a nearly week-old campaign of aerial bombardment against the rebellious forces who control most of the region. One strike hit the western Tigray area of Mai Tsebri, targeting a training site of the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF), government spokesperson Legesse Tulu said. The other hit the northern Tigray town of Adwa, targeting a military manufacturing facility controlled by the TPLF, the government said in a statement.

Dozens killed in fighting between Somalia army and former allied group

At least 30 people died and over 100 were injured in intensified fighting between the Somali National Army and its former ally Ahlu Sunnah Wal Jama'a (ASWJ) in the Somali state of Galmudug over the weekend, residents and hospital officials said. The clashes, in the state's second-largest district of Guriceel, run the risk of distracting both groups from their fights against Al Shabaab, analysts and residents said.

Libyan elections commission to start registering candidates in Nov - commission head

Registration for candidates in Libya's presidential and parliamentary elections should open in November, the head of the electoral commission said on Sunday. Elections are a key step in a U.N.-backed process to end a decade of violence by creating a new political leadership whose legitimacy is widely accepted.

Israeli official says reopening of U.S. Palestinian mission in Jerusalem may not happen

Israel's deputy foreign minister said on Sunday that the Biden administration may shelve its plan to reopen a U.S diplomatic mission for Palestinians in Jerusalem after Israel voiced opposition to such a move. The Jerusalem consulate was subsumed into the U.S. Embassy that was moved to the contested city from Tel Aviv in 2018 by the administration of former President Donald Trump - a reversal of U.S. policy hailed by Israel and condemned by Palestinians.

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