Reuters World News Summary

Palestinian health officials said two Israeli strikes on the Al-Shejaia suburb in eastern Gaza City killed 17 people, while an Israeli air strike on a house in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip killed eight people. Sudan needs 'immediate action' on hunger to avert widespread death, UN-backed report says Immediate action is needed to "prevent widespread death and total collapse of livelihoods and avert a catastrophic hunger crisis in Sudan," a United Nations-backed global authority on food security warned on Friday.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

After veto, Russia says big powers need to stop 'strangling' North Korea

Russia said on Friday that major powers needed a new approach to North Korea, accusing the United States and its allies of ratcheting up military tensions in Asia and seeking to "strangle" the reclusive state. Russia vetoed the annual renewal of a panel of experts monitoring enforcement of longstanding United Nations sanctions against North Korea over its nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes.

Biden acknowledges 'pain' of Arab Americans over war in Gaza

Joe Biden on Friday acknowledged "the pain being felt" by many Arab Americans over the war in Gaza and over U.S. support of Israel and its military offensive that has left Arabs, Muslims and anti-war activists angry and disappointed. Many Muslims and Arabs in the United States have urged the Democratic president to call for a permanent ceasefire, stop the sale of weapons to Israel and use more leverage to protect civilian lives as a humanitarian crisis unfolds in Gaza.

Ukraine's Zelenskiy reports his income increased in 2022

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Friday declared his income for 2022 rose to 12.42 million hryvnias ($306,000) from 3.7 million hryvnias the previous year, with the increase attributable to improved rent collection and sale of some government bonds. A statement on the president's website said most of the income of the president and his family came from his salary, bank interest and rent payable from his properties.

Senegal top court confirms Faye's election victory

Senegal's Constitutional Council on Friday confirmed the presidential election victory of opposition candidate Bassirou Diomaye Faye, paving the way for his inauguration as the country's fifth president. The top court validated provisional results announced on Wednesday based on vote tallies from 100% of polling stations.

Israel kills dozens in airstrikes across the Gaza Strip

Israel sustained its aerial and ground bombardment of the Gaza Strip on Friday, killing dozens of Palestinians, as fighting raged around Gaza City's main Al Shifa hospital, Palestinian officials and the Israeli military said. Palestinian health officials said two Israeli strikes on the Al-Shejaia suburb in eastern Gaza City killed 17 people, while an Israeli air strike on a house in the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip killed eight people.

Sudan needs 'immediate action' on hunger to avert widespread death, UN-backed report says

Immediate action is needed to "prevent widespread death and total collapse of livelihoods and avert a catastrophic hunger crisis in Sudan," a United Nations-backed global authority on food security warned on Friday. The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) had been due to issue an update to its December analysis that found nearly 5 million were on the verge of catastrophic hunger. But it was unable to do so due to the war.

Outspoken Cuban priest cries foul as country marks Good Friday

Cuban Roman Catholics held public processions across the Communist-run country on Friday to mark Good Friday, but there was at least one exception in Havana where 150 of the faithful were relegated to the church parking lot. Father Lester Zayas Diaz, 45, pastor of Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish of Vedado, told Reuters the government denied his parish permission to hold the Holy Burial procession off church grounds to punish him for speaking openly in his often-fiery sermons, live streamed on Facebook, about hardships Cubans face.

Biden threatens Russia with costs on Evan Gershkovich arrest anniversary

President Joe Biden said on Friday the U.S. will impose costs for Russia's "appalling attempts" to use Americans as bargaining chips in a statement to mark the one-year anniversary of Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich's arrest in Russia. Gershkovich, 32, became the first U.S. journalist arrested on spying charges in Russia since the Cold War when he was detained by the Federal Security Service (FSB) on March 29 last year.

Russia mulls labelling Pugacheva, queen of Soviet pop, a 'foreign agent'

Russian prosecutors have asked the justice ministry to consider labelling Alla Pugacheva, the queen of Soviet pop music, as a "foreign agent", a move that would officially designate Russia's most famous star a foe of the Kremlin. Pugacheva, known across generations for hits such as the 1982 song "Million Scarlet Roses" and the 1978 film "The Woman who Sings", has expressed disgust with the Ukraine war.

Massive crane put in place to clear Baltimore bridge debris as crews assess damage

The biggest operational crane on the U.S. Eastern Seaboard towered over Baltimore's port on Friday, ready to begin clearing the wreckage of the Francis Scott Key Bridge days after a cargo ship crashed into it, sending the span crashing into the harbor. Crews were still surveying the damage as of midday Friday. The crane, which can lift up to 1,000 tons, arrived late Thursday night and will probably start hauling debris out of the water on Saturday morning, according to U.S. Coast Guard spokesperson Carmen Carver.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)