World News Roundup: Shanghai eases return to work, moves to support economy; Pope names 21 new cardinals, putting a stamp on Church's future and more

China's commercial hub of Shanghai reported a broad decline in its economy last month as COVID-19 outbreaks prompted stringent restrictions and lockdowns, impacting manufacturing to retail sales and its property sector. Clashes at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque before contested Israeli flag march Israeli police faced off with Palestinians holed up inside Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque on Sunday as hundreds of Jews visited the holy compound ahead of a contentious Jewish nationalist march through the Old City.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Shanghai eases return to work, moves to support economy

Shanghai authorities will cancel many conditions for businesses to resume work from Wednesday, a city official said on Sunday, easing a city-wide lockdown that began some two months ago, and will also introduce policies to support its battered economy. China's commercial hub of Shanghai reported a broad decline in its economy last month as COVID-19 outbreaks prompted stringent restrictions and lockdowns, impacting manufacturing to retail sales and its property sector.

Pope names 21 new cardinals, putting a stamp on Church's future

Pope Francis announced on Sunday that he would appoint 21 new cardinals in August, including an Italian leading the Church in Mongolia, again putting his stamp on the future of Catholicism. Of the 21, 16 are cardinal electors under 80 years old and thus eligible to enter a conclave to elect his successor after his death or resignation.

Clashes at Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque before contested Israeli flag march

Israeli police faced off with Palestinians holed up inside Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa mosque on Sunday as hundreds of Jews visited the holy compound ahead of a contentious Jewish nationalist march through the Old City. The annual Jerusalem procession celebrates Israel's capture of the Old City in the 1967 Middle East war and draws thousands of cheering, chanting participants to its narrow, stone streets.

China-Swiss trade talks stall over rights issues - newspapers

Efforts by Switzerland to refresh its free trade agreement with China have stalled as Bern takes a more critical view of Beijing's human rights record, Swiss newspapers reported on Sunday. Switzerland and China signed a free trade agreement in 2013, Beijing's first such deal with an economy in continental Europe. The move was styled as a mutually beneficial pact aimed at contributing to increased trade between the two economies.

India withdraws warning on national biometric ID after online panic

India on Sunday withdrew a warning not to share photocopies of the national biometric identity card after the announcement caused widespread panic on social media. The Aadhaar card, which has a unique number tied to an individual's fingerprints, face, and eye scan, aims to block theft and leakage in India's welfare schemes. But critics fear it could spawn a surveillance state.

Serbia's Vucic says agreed 3-year gas supply contract with Putin

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday he had agreed on a new three-year gas supply contract in a phone call with Russian President Vladimir Putin. "I can not speak about the price now, all details will be agreed with Gazprom," Vucic told reporters. Vucic said that Serbia he had agreed with Putin that the price of gas would be linked to the oil price, but did not elaborate.

African Union chair calls for dialogue over rising Congo-Rwanda tensions

Senegal President Macky Sall, who chairs the Africa Union organization, on Sunday, called for dialogue between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda as tensions escalate between the two countries over a resurgence of the M23 rebel group. Congo on Saturday summoned Rwanda's ambassador and suspended RwandAir flights to Congo in response to what it says is Kigali's support for M23 rebels carrying out a military offensive in its eastern borderlands.

Nepal plane goes missing with 22 onboard, teams head to fire site

A small passenger plane operated by a private airline went missing in mountainous Nepal on Sunday with 22 people on board during cloudy weather, and officials said search teams had been sent to the site of a fire spotted by local residents. State-owned Nepal Television said villagers had seen an aircraft on fire at the source of the Lyanku Khola River at the foot of the Himalayan mountain Manapathi, in a district bordering Tibet.

Ukrainian defenders hold out in Donbas city under heavy fire

Ukrainian forces on Sunday resisted a Russian assault on Sievierodonetsk, the largest city they still hold in the Luhansk region of the Donbas, but endured heavy artillery barrages, Ukrainian officials said. The shelling was so intense it was not possible to assess casualties and damage, Luhansk governor Serhiy Gaidai said. Dozens of buildings have been destroyed in the past few days.

Ukraine get missiles, howitzers as Zelenskiy expects good news on arms

Ukraine has started receiving Harpoon anti-ship missiles from Denmark and self-propelled howitzers from the United States, arms that will bolster forces fighting Russia's invasion, Ukrainian Defence Minister Oleksiy Reznikov said on Saturday. "The coastal defense of our country will not only be strengthened by Harpoon missiles – they will be used by trained Ukrainian teams," Reznikov wrote on his Facebook page.

(With inputs from agencies.)