World News Roundup: Dutch review government art collection for possible Nazi plunder; Exclusive-Pope Francis denies he is planning to resign soon and more

We renew the invitation to Pope Francis to visit our country and urge you to continue praying for the Ukrainian people," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said when asked for comment about an interview Francis gave to Reuters.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Dutch review government art collection for possible Nazi plunder

For at least two decades, a painting of fishing boats under an overcast sky hung on the wall of the Dutch parliament, admired by lawmakers who gave little thought to its origins. Now, experts are looking at whether the 19th-century masterpiece by Hendrik Willem Mesdag, "Fishing Boats off the Coast" may be Nazi-looted art.

Exclusive-Pope Francis denies he is planning to resign soon

Pope Francis has dismissed reports that he plans to resign in the near future, saying he is on track to visit Canada this month and hopes to be able to go to Moscow and Kyiv as soon as possible after that. In an exclusive interview in his Vatican residence, Francis also denied rumours that he had cancer, joking that his doctors "didn't tell me anything about it", and for the first time gave details of the knee condition that has prevented him from carrying out some duties.

'Sell premium' - Thailand discourages discounts, and wants high value tourists

Thailand's hotels, businesses and private hospitals should refrain from offering big discounts to lure tourists and focus instead on raising the country's value as a premium travel destination, government ministers said on Monday. Thailand has received about 2 million foreign visitors in the first six months of this year, a steady revival after its tourism industry almost collapsed due to the pandemic and more than 18 months of complex and costly entry requirements.

No indication Danish mall shooting was 'act of terror' - police

A shooting in a Copenhagen shopping mall which left three people dead and several wounded could not be viewed as an "act of terror" based on current evidence, Danish police said on Monday. A 22-year-old Danish male has been arrested and charged with manslaughter. He will face questioning in front of a judge later on Monday.

Lebanon PM chides unofficial moves in Israel row after Hezbollah sends drones

Lebanon's prime minister on Monday criticised as risky and unacceptable any unofficial dealings over its sea border row with Israel, after the powerful Hezbollah movement sent three drones towards an Israeli gas rig that were shot down. Hezbollah launched its operation on Saturday following long-standing but so far fruitless U.S.-mediated efforts to agree on a maritime border between the two countries near an area where Israel has made large natural gas discoveries.

China rejects NASA's accusation it will take over the moon

China on Monday rejected as an irresponsible smear a warning from the chief of NASA that China might "take over" the moon as part of a military programme, saying it has always called for the building of a community of nations in outer space. China has stepped up the pace of its space programme in the past decade, with the exploration of the moon a focus. China made its first lunar uncrewed landing in 2013 and expects to launch rockets powerful enough to send astronauts to the moon towards the end of this decade.

Man suspected of organising killing of Dutch crime reporter arrested

A Polish man suspected of organising the killing of Dutch celebrity crime reporter Peter R. De Vries was arrested on Monday, the Dutch public prosecutor's office said. "A suspect was arrested, a 27-year-old Polish man, for coordinating the men who carried out the killing," prosecutor spokesperson Brechtje van de Moosdijk told Reuters.

Ukraine war to shift to Donetsk after fall of Luhansk; Russia claims major victory

Russian forces in Ukraine will focus on trying to seize all of the Donetsk region, having forced Ukrainian troops to withdraw from the last major city under their control in the neighbouring Luhansk region, the governor of Luhansk said on Monday. After abandoning an assault on Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, during the early weeks of the war, Russia concentrated its military operation on the industrial Donbas heartland that comprises the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, where Moscow-backed separatist proxies have been fighting Ukraine since 2014.

European Union to set up platform for Ukrainian reconstruction

The European Union will set up a reconstruction platform to coordinate the rebuilding of Ukraine after its war with Russia, Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission said on Monday. The platform will be used to map investment needs, coordinate action and channel resources, von der Leyen told the

Ukraine renews its invitation for Pope Francis to visit - Foreign Ministry

Ukraine renews its invitation for Pope Francis to visit Ukraine and urges the pontiff to continue praying for the Ukrainian people, a Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesperson said on Monday. "It is time to deepen connections with those who sincerely desire it. We renew the invitation to Pope Francis to visit our country and urge you to continue praying for the Ukrainian people," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said when asked for comment about an interview Francis gave to Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies.)