World News Roundup: Iranian police fire shots, teargas to disperse protests over building collapse; Russia forces blast Ukraine's Sievierodonetsk after claiming capture of railway junction town and more

So far 13 people have been arrested for building violations, they said. 'Message to the world' - Lithuanians club together to buy drone for Ukraine Hundreds of Lithuanians are clubbing together to buy an advanced military drone for Ukraine in its war against Russia, in a show of solidarity with a fellow country formerly under Moscow's rule.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Iranian police fire shots, teargas to disperse protests over building collapse

Iranian police used tear gas and fired shots in the air to disperse another night of protests over a deadly building collapse in the southwestern city of Abadan that officials are blaming on corruption and lax safety, Fars news agency and reports on social media said. Officials in the oil producing region of Khuzestan, where Abadan is located, said the death toll had risen to 28 people, and another 37 were injured in Monday's collapse of the 10-storey residential and commercial building. So far 13 people have been arrested for building violations, they said.

'Message to the world' - Lithuanians club together to buy drone for Ukraine

Hundreds of Lithuanians are clubbing together to buy an advanced military drone for Ukraine in its war against Russia, in a show of solidarity with a fellow country formerly under Moscow's rule. Some 3 million euros ($3.2 million) have been raised in just three days - out of the 5 million euros needed - largely in small amounts, according to Laisves TV, a Lithuanian internet broadcaster that launched the drive.

First case of monkeypox confirmed in Ireland

Ireland has confirmed its first case of monkeypox, the country's health agency said on Saturday. A separate suspected case is also being investigated and test results are awaited, the Health Service Executive (HSE) said in a statement.

Russia forces blast Ukraine's Sievierodonetsk after claiming capture of railway junction town

Russian forces were assaulting the Ukrainian city of Sievierodonetsk on Saturday after saying they had captured the nearby rail hub of Lyman as Moscow pressed its offensive in the eastern Donbas. Russian gains in recent days indicate a shift in momentum in the war, now in its fourth month. The invading forces appear close to seizing all of the Luhansk region of Donbas, a main Kremlin war goal, despite Ukrainian resistance.

Russian ex-president Medvedev calls for tougher 'foreign agent' law

Former president Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday called for Russia to toughen its laws on "foreign agents" and prosecute individuals working for the interests of foreign states. Russia has legislation that labels groups and individuals as foreign agents - a term that carries Soviet-era connotations of spying - if they receive foreign funding to engage in what the authorities say is political activity.

Russia says eastern Ukraine town of Lyman is under its full control

Russia's defence ministry said on Saturday that the eastern Ukrainian town of Lyman had fallen under the full control of Russian and Russian-backed forces in the region. Pro-Russian separatists from the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic had said on Friday that they had fully captured the town, a railway hub west of Sievierodonetsk.

U.S. doctors reconsider Pfizer's Paxlovid for lower-risk COVID patients

Use of Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 antiviral Paxlovid spiked this week, but some doctors are reconsidering the pills for lower-risk patients after a U.S. public health agency warned that symptoms can recur after people complete a course of the drug, and that they should then isolate a second time. More quarantine time "is not a crowd-pleaser," Dr. Sandra Kemmerly, an infectious disease specialist at Ochsner Health in New Orleans, told Reuters. "For those people who really aren't at risk ... I would recommend that they not take it."

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican power broker for decades, dies at 94

Cardinal Angelo Sodano, a controversial Vatican power broker for more than a quarter of a century who was accused of covering up one of the Catholic Church's most notorious sex abusers, has died at the age of 94. Sodano, who had been ill for some time and died on Friday night, was secretary of state under two popes -- John Paul II and Benedict XVI -- holding the number two post in the Vatican hierarchy for 16 years between 1990 and 2006.

Russia shows off Zircon hypersonic cruise missile in test-launch at sea

Russia successfully test-fired a hypersonic Zircon cruise missile over a distance of about 1,000 km (625 miles), the defence ministry said on Saturday. The missile was fired from the Barents Sea and hit a target in the White Sea, it said. Video released by the ministry showed the missile being fired from a ship and blazing into the sky on a steep trajectory.

Shanghai edges towards COVID reopening as Beijing plans to ease curbs

The Chinese metropolis of Shanghai inched further towards a gradual reopening from two months of grinding COVID-19 lockdown, while officials in Beijing prepared to ease curbs in parts of the capital, saying on Saturday the outbreak was under control. Shanghai aims to essentially end its lockdown from Wednesday after relaxing restrictions over the last week.

(With inputs from agencies.)