World News Roundup: Turkey's Erdogan sworn in for new term as president; Counter-offensive on track despite Russian missile barrages, Ukrainian defence official says and more

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Turkey's Erdogan sworn in for new term as president

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan took the oath of office for a new presidential term on Saturday after winning re-election last weekend, extending his rule into a third decade. "I, as president, swear upon my honour and integrity before the great Turkish nation and history to safeguard the existence and independence of the state," Erdogan said during a ceremony at the parliament in Ankara, which was broadcast live.

Three Europeans return home after release by Iran in prisoner swap

Three Europeans returned home on Saturday a day after being released by Iran in a prisoner swap, and Tehran said there was no reason for Europeans to be arrested if they were not "exploited" by foreign security services. The three men - two with dual Austrian-Iranian nationality and one Dane - were released on Friday by Iran in return for Iranian diplomat Asadollah Assadi as part of a swap in which Iran freed Belgian aid worker Olivier Vandecasteele last week, a Belgian government spokesperson said.

Deadly Indian rail crash shifts focus from new trains to safety

India's vast rail network is undergoing a $30 billion transformation with gleaming new trains and modern stations but Friday's deadly train accident shows more attention should be paid to safety, industry analysts said. At least 261 people were killed in the country's worst rail accident in over two decades after a passenger train went off the tracks and hit another in the eastern state of Odisha.

At least 261 dead in India's worst train accident in over two decades

At least 261 people have died in India's worst rail accident in over two decades, officials said on Saturday, after a passenger train went off the tracks and hit another one in the east of the country. One train in Friday's accident also hit a freight train parked nearby in the district of Balasore in Odisha state, leaving a tangled mess of smashed rail cars and injuring 1,000.

US, Canadian navies stage rare joint mission through Taiwan Strait

A U.S. and a Canadian warship sailed through the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, the U.S. Navy said, in a rare joint mission in the sensitive waterway at a time of heightened tensions between Beijing and Washington over Chinese-claimed Taiwan. The U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet said the guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon and Canada's HMCS Montreal conducted a "routine" transit of the strait "through waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law".

U.S., China trade blame as hopes for military dialogue fade

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin rebuked China on Saturday for refusing to hold military talks, leaving the superpowers deadlocked over Taiwan and territorial disputes in the South China Sea. Speaking at the Shangri-La Dialogue, Asia's top security summit, Austin said Beijing's reluctance to talk undermined efforts to maintain peace in a region where the two rivals are increasing their military firepower.

NATO member Turkey to send troops to Kosovo amid unrest in the north

Turkey plans to send commandos to Kosovo on Sunday and Monday in response to a NATO request to join the alliance's KFOR peacekeeping force following unrest in the north of the country, the Turkish defence ministry said. In a statement on Saturday, the ministry called for restraint and constructive dialogue to resolve a crisis that it said could harm regional security and stability.

Pope to visit Mongolia, home to just 1,300 Catholics

Pope Francis will make an Aug. 31-Sept. 4 trip to Mongolia, one of the most far-flung places he has ever visited and which has only about 1,300 Catholics but is strategically significant for the Roman Catholic Church because of its proximity to China. The Vatican announced the trip in a brief statement on Saturday, saying it was being made at the invitation of the country's president and Catholic leaders. Details would be announced in the next few weeks, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

Counter-offensive on track despite Russian missile barrages, Ukrainian defence official says

Ukraine's plans for a counteroffensive against Russian occupation remain on track, its deputy defence minister told Reuters on Saturday, despite an "unprecedented" wave of missile and drone attacks across the country in recent weeks. Volodymyr V. Havrylov said that alongside cruise missile strikes, Ukraine had faced repeated volleys of ballistic missiles in May, especially in urban centres including the capital, Kyiv.

Zelenskiy says Ukraine ready to launch counteroffensive

Ukraine is ready to launch its long-awaited counteroffensive to recapture Russian-occupied territory, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in an interview published on Saturday. "We strongly believe that we will succeed," Zelenskiy told the Wall Street Journal.

(With inputs from agencies.)