Reuters World News Summary

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Missile strikes in Ukraine show Putin 'must be stopped,' Biden says

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday called Russia's latest missile barrage on Ukraine a "stark reminder" that Russian President Vladimir Putin remained committed to destroying Ukraine and said "he must be stopped." Biden, in a statement issued during his vacation in St. Croix, said the overnight attack, which killed 31 civilians and wounded over 120 across Ukraine, was the largest aerial assault since Moscow launched its invasion in February 2022.

More than 180 Palestinians killed as Israel forges on with Gaza assault

Tens of thousands of fleeing Palestinians sought shelter on Friday as Israeli tanks pushed through the central Gaza Strip, with more than 180 people reported killed in 24 hours of airstrikes and artillery barrages on the shattered enclave. Israeli warplanes attacking the south of Gaza flattened homes and buried families as they slept, residents said.

Baby saved from Gaza rubble after mother killed in Israeli strike

The rescuers in orange vests shouted as they reached a baby girl still alive in the rubble of an Israeli air strike on the Gaza Strip's Rafah city after yet another night of bombardment of the Palestinian enclave. Baby Mariam Abu Akel's skin was grey with dust and she made little noises as the rescuers reached deep into the rubble to free her legs and lift her clear.

South Africa files genocide case against Israel at World Court

South Africa asked the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on Friday for an urgent order declaring that Israel was in breach of its obligations under the 1948 Genocide Convention in its crackdown against the Palestinian group Hamas in Gaza. The ICJ, sometimes known as the World Court, is the United Nations venue for resolving disputes between states. Israel's foreign ministry said in a reaction that the suit was "baseless."

Poland says Russian rocket entered its airspace, summons diplomat

Poland summoned the Russian charge d'affaires and demanded an explanation for the violation of Poland's airspace by a missile and an immediate halt to such activities, Poland's foreign ministry said in a statement on Friday evening. According to the General Staff of the Polish Armed Forces, a Russian missile entered the airspace of the NATO member on Friday morning. Ukrainian authorities had reported a mass attack on various cities throughout Ukraine overnight.

Russia's biggest air attack of war kills 31 in Ukraine, officials say

Russia unleashed its biggest air attack of the war on Ukraine on Friday, killing 31 civilians, wounding more than 160 others and hitting cities and infrastructure across the country, officials said. NATO member Poland said a Russian missile appeared to have flown into its airspace for some 40 km before returning to Ukraine under three minutes later. There was no immediate comment from Moscow and NATO said it remained "vigilant".

Russia's air assault on Ukraine draws criticism at UN Security Council meeting

Russia drew sharp criticism at the UN Security Council on Friday for launching massive missile and drone attacks against Ukraine, after Kyiv and its supporters called for an urgent meeting of the 15-member body to address the strikes. Russian strikes across Ukraine on Friday killed 31 civilians and wounded more than 160 others in the biggest aerial attacks since the start of the war in February 2022, according to officials, and Poland said a Russian missile appeared to have flown into its airspace before returning to Ukraine.

Arrests of Catholic priests in Nicaragua tick up as dragnet intensifies

Nicaraguan police on Friday arrested two more Catholic priests, bringing the number of clergymen detained this week to at least eight, according to two sources close to the church and opposition groups in exile. The sources, who declined to be named for fear of arrest, said the two priests were taken into custody for publicly praying for jailed Bishop Rolando Alvarez, the most prominent critic of President Daniel Ortega.

US skips congressional review to approve sale of artillery projectiles to Israel

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has approved the sale to Israel of 155 mm artillery shells and related equipment without congressional review, the Pentagon said on Friday. Blinken determined that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to Israel, thereby waiving congressional review requirements, according to the Pentagon.

Three Gaza brothers say they were beaten, mistreated in Israeli detention

Three Palestinian brothers rounded up by Israel in the Gaza Strip said they and fellow detainees were beaten, stripped to their underwear, burnt with cigarettes and subjected to other forms of mistreatment during their detention. Sobhi Yaseen, his brothers Sady and Ibrahim were among dozens of Palestinian men sheltering in a school in Rafah in southern Gaza who spoke to Reuters about their treatment at the hands of Israeli soldiers.

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