World News Roundup: UAE detains U.S. lawyer for Khashoggi on money laundering charges; Crew members killed in Ukraine cargo plane crash in northern Greece and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

UAE detains U.S. lawyer for Khashoggi on money laundering charges

United Arab Emirates authorities have detained Asim Ghafoor, a U.S. citizen and civil rights attorney who previously served as a lawyer for slain journalist Jamal Khashoggi, said U.S.-based rights group DAWN of whose board Ghafoor is a member.

A UAE government official confirmed Ghafoor was arrested while transiting through Dubai International Airport on July 14 on charges related to an in absentia conviction for money laundering pursuant to evidence heard by Emirati courts.

Crew members killed in Ukraine cargo plane crash in northern Greece

A Ukrainian cargo plane carrying munitions from Serbia to Bangladesh crashed near the city of Kavala in northern Greece late on Saturday, killing the crew members on board, Serbian authorities and Meridian airline said on Sunday. Drone images from the scene showed smouldering debris from the Antonov An-12 aircraft strewn in fields. Greek authorities said there were eight crew members on board and a Ukrainian foreign ministry spokesman said they were all Ukrainian citizens.

France, Spain, Portugal battle wildfires amid intense heat

Authorities across southern Europe battled on Sunday to control huge wildfires in countries including Spain, Greece and France, where thousands of people have been evacuated in soaring temperatures. In Spain, helicopters dropped water on the flames as searing heat and often mountainous terrain made the job harder for firefighters.

India's COVID vaccinations hit 2 billion, new cases at four-month high

The Indian government's COVID-19 vaccinations hit 2 billion on Sunday, with booster doses underway for all adults, as daily infections hit four-month high, official data showed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extolled the vaccination milestone, celebrating the world's largest and longest-running inoculation campaign, which began last year.

Russia preparing for next stage of offensive, Ukraine says

Russia is preparing for the next stage of its offensive in Ukraine, a Ukrainian military official said, after Moscow said its forces would step up military operations in "all operational areas". As Western deliveries of long-range arms begin to help Ukraine on the battlefield, Russian rockets and missiles have pounded cities in strikes that Kyiv says have killed dozens in recent days.

Guinea junta names acting prime minister during absence of PM Beavogui

The military junta in Guinea has appointed an acting prime minister while prime minister Mohamed Beavogui is absent, state television said late on Saturday. The announcement did not explain why Beavogui was taking a leave of absence or how long he would be absent for.

Biden disputes Saudi account of Khashoggi murder discussion

U.S. President Joe Biden on Saturday differed with Saudi Arabia in their account of discussions at a bilateral summit about the 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a major point of contention between the two countries. U.S. intelligence agencies believe Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the killing in 2018 of Khashoggi, a Saudi-U.S. citizen, which the de facto Saudi ruler denies.

Pope hopes Canada trip will help heal 'evil' done to indigenous people

Pope Francis said on Sunday his trip to Canada next week will be a "pilgrimage of penance" that he hopes can help heal the wrongs done to indigenous people by Roman Catholic priests and nuns who ran abusive residential schools. The July 24-30 trip will include at least five encounters with native people as Francis makes good on a promise to apologise on their home territory for the Church's role in the state-sanctioned schools, which sought to erase indigenous cultures.

Italians ask Draghi to overcome political crisis, stay in office

Italy's mayors, business organisations and union leaders urged Prime Minister Mario Draghi at the weekend to rethink his decision to resign, warning that the stability of the debt-laden country was at risk. Draghi tendered his resignation last week after one of the parties in his broad coalition, the 5-Star Movement, refused to back the government in a parliamentary confidence vote.

Ukraine war shows West's dominance is ending as China rises, Blair says

The Ukraine war shows that the West's dominance is coming to an end as China rises to superpower status in partnership with Russia at one of the most significant inflection points in centuries, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said. The world, Blair said, was at a turning point in history comparable with the end of World War Two or the collapse of the Soviet Union: but this time the West is clearly not in the ascendant.