Syria says Israeli strike outside Damascus injured eight troops: World news in brief, 5/3
Syria says Israeli strike outside Damascus injured eight troops
(Reuters) — Israeli airstrike on the outskirts of Damascus injured eight Syrian military personnel late on Thursday, the Syrian defence ministry said, the latest such attack amid the war in Gaza. The Israeli strike, launched from the occupied Golan Heights towards “one of the sites in the vicinity of Damascus”, caused some material damage, the Syrian defence ministry said in a statement.
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Haiti transition council walks back PM nomination, exposing divide
(Reuters) — The majority of Haiti’s transition council who had nominated an interim prime minister earlier this week has walked back the decision, exposing the internal turmoil of the group charged with leading the Caribbean nation out of a prolonged crisis. Late on Wednesday, four of the council’s seven voting members issued a statement saying they will go back to an original agreement to choose a prime minister from a pool of applicants, after having tapped former official Fritz Belizaire for the job.
Turkey halts all trade with Israel
(Reuters) — Turkey stopped all exports and imports to and from Israel as of Thursday, the Turkish trade ministry said, citing “worsening humanitarian tragedy” in the Palestinian territories. “Export and import transactions related to Israel have been stopped, covering all products,” Turkey’s trade ministry said in a statement.
Russian troops enter base housing US military in Niger: US official
(Reuters) — Russian military personnel have entered an air base in Niger that is hosting U.S. troops, a senior U.S. defense official told Reuters, a move that follows a decision by Niger’s junta to expel U.S. forces from the country. The military officers ruling the West African nation have told the U.S. to withdraw its nearly 1,000 military personnel from the country, which until a coup last year had been a key partner for Washington’s fight against insurgents who have killed thousands of people and displaced millions more.
US and Saudi Arabia nearing agreement on security pact
(Reuters) — The Biden administration and Saudi Arabia are finalizing an agreement for U.S. security guarantees and civilian nuclear assistance, even as an Israel-Saudi normalization deal envisioned as part of a Middle East “grand bargain” remains elusive, according to seven people familiar with the matter. A working draft lays out principles and proposals aimed at putting back on track a U.S.-led effort to reshape the volatile region that was derailed by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel and the outbreak of war in Gaza, according to two sources who have seen the document.
