World News Roundup: Beijing warns of 'explosive' COVID outbreak as Shanghai begins mass testing; Five people killed in helicopter crash near Tuscany in Italy and more

"With President Zelenskiy I will take stock of the joint work needed for reconstruction and of the progress made by Ukraine on its European path," she said in a post on Twitter. Canada accuses China of 'very concerning' behaviour in aerial spat Canada believes China showed "very concerning and unprofessional" behaviour while harassing its patrol aircraft near North Korea, Defence Minister Anita Anand said on Saturday, but she declined comment when asked whether she had raised the issue with her Chinese counterpart.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Beijing warns of 'explosive' COVID outbreak as Shanghai begins mass testing

China's capital Beijing is facing an "explosive" COVID-19 outbreak connected to a bar, a government spokesman warned on Saturday, as the commercial hub of Shanghai began mass testing to contain a jump in cases tied to a popular beauty salon. The warning followed a renewed tightening of COVID curbs in Beijing since Thursday, with at least two districts - including its most populous, Chaoyang - closing certain entertainment venues after a flare-up in a busy neighbourhood known for its nightlife, shopping and streets of embassies.

Prince Charles calls UK's Rwanda migrants policy 'appalling' -reports

Prince Charles has privately described the British government's plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda as "appalling", two media reports said, as the first flight taking refugees to the East African country is due to leave next week. Charles, heir to the British throne, has been heard criticising the policy, The Times and Daily Mail newspapers reported.

Five people killed in helicopter crash near Tuscany in Italy

Five people were killed after a helicopter crash in Italy, a regional governor said on Saturday, and two passengers were still missing two days after the aircraft vanished from radar screens. Eugenio Giani, the governor of the Tuscany region, wrote on Facebook the helicopter crashed in a mountain area at the border between Tuscany and the Emilia Romagna region. The bodies of the five dead were found on Saturday.

U.S. and allies trade barbs with China, but Ukraine dominates Asia security meet

The United States and its allies traded barbs with China at Asia's premier security meeting on Saturday, especially on Taiwan, but the war in Ukraine and a remote speech by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy dominated proceedings. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin earlier told the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore that Washington will do its part to manage tensions with China and prevent conflict even though Beijing was becoming increasingly aggressive in the region.

Ukraine says it will prevail over Russia as eastern battle grinds on

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy insisted on Saturday that Ukraine would prevail in its almost four-month-long war with Russia that has become focussed on a grinding artillery slugging match over an eastern Ukrainian city. Russian forces have been trying to seize Sievierodonetsk in an advance in the east, turning it into one of the bloodiest battles so far. Neither side has secured a knock-out blow in fighting that has pounded swathes of the city into rubble.

Ukraine hopes to save foreign soldiers sentenced to death, says lawmaker

Ukraine is doing everything possible to save three foreign nationals who were sentenced to death by proxy authorities in Donbas for fighting for Ukraine, a lawmaker in Ukraine's parliamentary security and defence committee said on Saturday. After being captured, two Britons and a Moroccan were convicted of "mercenary activities" on Thursday by a court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic (DPR), whose separatist leaders are backed by Moscow.

Zelenskiy tells Asian meeting: Stopping Russian invasion crucial for whole world

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, speaking remotely at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, said the outcome of the war in his country affected not just Ukraine, but the future of international order. His country is seeking to push the Russians out of areas it has controlled since early in the war, and is defending against ferocious Russian attacks in the country's east, particularly around the city of Sievierodonetsk.

Migration pact to cap Americas summit buffeted by discord

U.S. President Joe Biden and fellow leaders of the Americas are set to pitch a plan designed to stem illegal migration and manage record migrant numbers as a regional summit roiled by diplomatic squabbling draws to a close on Friday. Dubbed the "Los Angeles Declaration" and described by Biden as "ground-breaking", the U.S.-led pact aims to create incentives for countries taking in large numbers of migrants, and to spread responsibility for the challenge across the region.

EU's von der Leyen to discuss Ukraine's EU membership progress with Zelenskiy

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen returned to Kyiv on Saturday for a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy and said they would discuss Ukraine's reconstruction and progress towards European Union membership. "With President Zelenskiy I will take stock of the joint work needed for reconstruction and of the progress made by Ukraine on its European path," she said in a post on Twitter.

Canada accuses China of 'very concerning' behaviour in aerial spat

Canada believes China showed "very concerning and unprofessional" behaviour while harassing its patrol aircraft near North Korea, Defence Minister Anita Anand said on Saturday, but she declined comment when asked whether she had raised the issue with her Chinese counterpart. Speaking on the sidelines of the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, Asia's premier security meeting, Anand said the issue had been raised through diplomatic channels. Asked whether she had spoken to Chinese Defence Minister Wei Fenghe, who is also at the meeting, Anand said: "I am meeting with a number of counterparts while I am here."

(With inputs from agencies.)