World in Turmoil: A Recap of World News Highlights

This summary encapsulates recent global events including the rescue of migrants off Libya, UN criticisms against Israel and Hamas over violations against children, the ongoing Gaza conflict, a shooting incident in Panama, Putin’s stance on nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Yemen’s Houthi attacks, NATO’s support for Ukraine, South African political changes, UN staff detentions in Yemen, and Denmark’s PM being assaulted.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Rescue charity recovers 11 bodies from sea off Libya

A charity rescue ship recovered the bodies of 11 migrants off the coast of Libya on Friday after saving more than 160 people from boats close to the North African country, the Doctors Without Borders (MSF) group said. MSF said its Geo Barents search and rescue vessel picked up 146 migrants in two operations and then found a further 20 in a separate boat. However, they also plucked the bodies of 11 people who were seen by a spotter plane floating in the sea.

UN chief to call out Israel, Hamas for violations against children

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has added Israel's military to a global list of offenders for committing violations against children in 2023, said Israel's U.N. envoy Gilad Erdan, describing the decision as "shameful." Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad will also be listed, said a diplomatic source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Israeli forces batter central, south Gaza as tanks advance in Rafah

With a renewed ceasefire push in the eight-month-old Gaza war stalled, Israel bombarded central and southern areas again on Friday, killing at least 28 Palestinians, and tank forces advanced to the western edges of Rafah. U.S.-backed Qatari and Egyptian mediators have tried again this week to reconcile clashing demands preventing a halt to the hostilities, a release of Israeli hostages and Palestinians jailed in Israel, and an unrestricted flow of aid into Gaza to alleviate a humanitarian disaster. But sources close to the talks said there were still no signs of a breakthrough.

Shooting at Panama university leaves one dead, another injured

Two shooters opened fire on Friday at a rural branch of the University of Panama, killing a young man and wounding another, police and university officials said. The unknown gunmen arrived at the university's Veraguas regional college, about 155 miles (250 km) west of the capital, where a group of first-year agricultural science students had gathered to work on a project on the grounds, said college director Pedro Samaniego.

Putin says Russia does not need to use nuclear weapons for victory in Ukraine

President Vladimir Putin said on Friday Russia had no need to use nuclear weapons to secure victory in Ukraine, the Kremlin's strongest signal to date that Europe's deadliest conflict since World War Two will not escalate into a nuclear war. Since Putin ordered troops into Ukraine in February 2022, he has said on several occasions that Russia would use such weapons if necessary to defend itself - comments the West says are nuclear sabre-rattling.

Yemen's Houthis say they targeted two vessels in the Red Sea

Yemen's Houthis on Friday said they targeted two vessels in the Red Sea with drones and missiles, but there was no independent confirmation of the purported attacks. The group targeted the Elbella and AAL GENOA vessels with "a number of drones and ballistic and naval missiles", the Iran-aligned group's military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a televised speech.

Ukraine has right to strike targets in Russia, NATO's Stoltenberg says

Ukraine has the right according to international law to attack legitimate military targets in Russia to defend itself, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said during a visit to new alliance member Sweden on Friday. "Ukraine has the right to self defence," Stoltenberg told a news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson at a military base near Stockholm.

South African parties await details of ANC unity government proposal

South African opposition parties said on Friday they were waiting for more details on a proposal by the African National Congress to form a government of national unity after it lost its majority for the first time in the democratic era. The former anti-apartheid liberation movement once led by Nelson Mandela has run South Africa since 1994. But voters, angered by years of economic stagnation, high unemployment and corruption, punished it at the ballot box on May 29.

Houthis detain Yemeni staff for UN, US organisations

Houthi security forces have detained 11 United Nations personnel in Yemen over the past three days and the U.N. is seeking their safe and unconditional release as soon as possible, U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Friday. He said the U.N. was very concerned about the developments and was seeking clarification from the Houthis about why the Yemeni staff were detained. The two women and nine men work for five different U.N. agencies and the U.N. envoy for Yemen.

Denmark's Prime Minister Frederiksen assaulted in central Copenhagen, man arrested

Denmark's Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen walked away following an assault by a man in central Copenhagen on Friday and had no outward signs of harm, a local resident told Reuters.

"Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was beaten on Friday evening at Kultorvet (square, red.) in Copenhagen by a man who was subsequently arrested. The Prime Minister is shocked by the incident," her office said in a statement without giving further detail.

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