World News Roundup: More Russian men look to avoid military service, some lawyers and rights groups say; Jose Eduardo dos Santos: won Angola's war and took the spoils and more

Petkov's cabinet, which had pledged to tackle corruption and had taken a strong stance against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was toppled in a no-confidence vote last month after a coalition ally quit, stripping it of its majority. In mostly gun-free nation, Japanese stunned by Abe killing Japan struggled with shock and sadness on Friday, trying to come to terms with the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a nation where firearms are strictly regulated and political violence extremely rare.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

More Russian men look to avoid military service, some lawyers and rights groups say

Danila Davydov said he left Russia within weeks of the Kremlin sending troops into Ukraine because he feared having to fight in a war he doesn’t support. The 22-year-old digital artist who had been living in St Petersburg said that as the conflict dragged on he was concerned that Russia could place pressure on young people like him to serve in the military.

Jose Eduardo dos Santos: won Angola's war and took the spoils

José Eduardo dos Santos, who ruled Angola for nearly four decades, winning a brutal civil war and overseeing an oil-fuelled boom that did little to alleviate poverty, died on Friday. He was 79 years old. The presidency said Dos Santos died at the Barcelona Teknon clinic, where he had been receiving medical treatment following a prolonged illness.

Taiwan slams 'provocative' China for sending fighters across Taiwan Strait

Chinese fighter jets crossed the median line of the sensitive Taiwan Strait on Friday in what the island's government slammed as a provocation, as a senior U.S. senator visited Taipei for a meeting with President Tsai Ing-wen that China condemned. China claims democratically-ruled Taiwan as its own territory and has ramped up military and political pressure to try and force the island to accept Chinese rule.

Contest to replace Boris Johnson begins, opponents demand he goes now

As many as a dozen candidates were on Friday eyeing up replacing Boris Johnson as British prime minister who is quitting after his Conservative Party turned on him, as opponents said they wanted him out of Downing Street immediately. Johnson said on Thursday that he would step down as Conservative leader and British premier following resignations by more than 50 government ministers, and many of his lawmakers telling him they wanted him out of office.

War dominates G20 meeting as Russia chides West's 'frenzied' criticism

G20 host Indonesia urged the group's foreign ministers on Friday to help end the war in Ukraine, as Russia's top diplomat accused the West of scuppering a chance to tackle global economic issues with "frenzied" criticism of the conflict. The gathering in Bali was dominated by the war and its impact on food security and energy, and it was discussed in almost all bilateral meetings, Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in remarks after the talks finished.

Bulgaria's PP party likely to abandon coalition govt plans - PM

Bulgaria's outgoing Prime Minister Kiril Petkov said on Friday that his centrist PP party was likely to be forced to drop plans to propose a new coalition government because it had failed to secure a parliamentary majority for the time being. Petkov's cabinet, which had pledged to tackle corruption and had taken a strong stance against Russia's invasion of Ukraine, was toppled in a no-confidence vote last month after a coalition ally quit, stripping it of its majority.

In mostly gun-free nation, the Japanese stunned by Abe's killing

Japan struggled with shock and sadness on Friday, trying to come to terms with the assassination of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in a nation where firearms are strictly regulated and political violence extremely rare. Abe was shot while giving a campaign speech on a street corner and taken to hospital by helicopter. His death was announced late on Friday.

Snake Island is a warning to Russia, Ukraine "will not be broken', Zelensky

President Volodymyr Zelensky said the raising of the Ukrainian flag on Snake Island in the Black Sea was a sign his country would not be broken, as President Vladimir Putin warned the West that its efforts to defeat him would bring tragedy to Ukraine. In a hawkish speech to parliamentary leaders more than four months into the war, Putin said Russia had barely got started in Ukraine and the prospects for negotiation would grow dimmer the longer the conflict dragged on.

Exclusive-Pope Francis calls steps against clerical abuse irreversible, despite resistance

Pope Francis has acknowledged that there is resistance by some national Catholic Churches on implementing measures to protect children from sexual abuse by clergy but said that there is no turning back on an "irreversible" path. Sexual abuse in the Church and measures to combat it were among one of the many Church and international topics the 85-year-old pontiff discussed in an exclusive interview with Reuters in his Vatican residence on July 2.

Japan ex-PM Abe gunned down while making an election campaign speech

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan's longest-serving leader, died on Friday hours after he was shot while campaigning for a parliamentary election, shocking a country in which political violence is rare and guns are tightly controlled. The shooter opened fire on Abe, 67, from behind as the former premier addressed members of the public on a drab traffic island in the western city of Nara. Japanese media reported that the weapon appeared to be a homemade gun.

(With inputs from agencies.)