World News Roundup: Shooting at German Mercedes plant leaves two dead; man arrested; Pope urges countries to manage migrant waves, expand legal channels and more

The suspect, 53, opened fire on the victims before security workers at the site in the southern German city of Sindelfingen held him down and handed him over to police, police and the local prosecutor's office said in a statement. Pope urges countries to manage migrant waves, expand legal channels Pope Francis appealed to countries on Thursday to manage waves of migrants as best they can and to expand channels for their safe and regular movement, as the United States grapples with a surge of new arrivals at its southern border.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Shooting at German Mercedes plant leaves two dead; man arrested

A shooting at a Mercedes-Benz plant in southwestern Germany left two men dead on Thursday, and police have detained a suspect, mounting pressure on Berlin to tighten the country's already-strict gun laws. The suspect, 53, opened fire on the victims before security workers at the site in the southern German city of Sindelfingen held him down and handed him over to police, police and the local prosecutor's office said in a statement.

Pope urges countries to manage migrant waves, expand legal channels

Pope Francis appealed to countries on Thursday to manage waves of migrants as best they can and to expand channels for their safe and regular movement, as the United States grapples with a surge of new arrivals at its southern border. Francis made his comments in his message for the Roman Catholic Church's annual World Day of Migrants and Refugees, whose title this year is "Free to Choose Whether to Migrate or to Stay".

Israel kills senior Gaza commander, militants fire rockets across border

Israeli air strikes killed the head of Islamic Jihad's rocket force in Gaza early on Thursday, part of an operation that has cost 25 lives including women and children this week and been met with hundreds of rockets fired from the enclave. Israel struck what it said were Islamic Jihad targets as air raid sirens sounded in areas in southern Israel around Gaza, and as Egyptian mediation efforts continued.

Erdogan's rival boosted by withdrawal, poll lead ahead of Turkey vote

The man challenging Tayyip Erdogan in Turkey's presidential elections this weekend received a boost on Thursday when a small party candidate abruptly withdrew and a closely-watched poll gave him a more than five percentage point advantage. The withdrawal by Muharrem Ince, one of four contesting Sunday's presidential vote, could reshape the last days of campaigning in what is seen as Erdogan's biggest test in his two-decade reign.

Spike in U.S.-Mexico border crossings fuels political tensions as Title 42 ends

The U.S. will lift COVID-19 border restrictions known as Title 42 on Thursday night, a major shift that has drawn tens of thousands of migrants to the U.S.-Mexico border, straining local communities and intensifying political divisions. The number of migrants caught crossing illegally has climbed in recent weeks, with daily apprehensions surpassing 10,000 on Monday and Tuesday. U.S. border cities have struggled to shelter the new arrivals and provide transportation to onward destinations.

How Russians end up in a far-right militia fighting in Ukraine

Danil Yugoslavsky had long hated Vladimir Putin. The tech worker says he protested for fair elections in Russia for several years before he left his homeland in despair in 2017 and eventually settled in Spain. Even so, he never suspected his yearning to topple the Russian president would one day see him join a far-right paramilitary group founded by a former soccer hooligan known as White Rex and march into the war in Ukraine.

A year on, family and friends say no justice for slain Al Jazeera journalist

A year after Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was shot while covering an Israeli army raid, family and friends say her killers are yet to be held responsible. Abu Akleh, one of the most recognizable journalists covering Israeli-occupied territories, was shot dead on May 11, 2022 during an Israeli raid in the West Bank city of Jenin.

U.N. urges halt to Sudan conflict as fighting rumbles on despite talks

The U.N. on Thursday urged countries with influence in Africa to help end the conflict in Sudan after reported progress in truce talks between the army and the rival paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Clashes rocked Halfaya, an entry point to the capital, early on Thursday as residents heard warplanes circling over Khartoum and its adjoining sister cities of Bahri and Omdurman, but the fighting appeared calmer than on Wednesday.

Russia's Wagner says Ukraine makes gains; Kyiv says counteroffensive yet to begin

The leader of Russia's Wagner private army said on Thursday Ukraine's long-awaited counteroffensive was already underway and making gains on the outskirts of the eastern city of Bakhmut, while Kyiv said its main effort had not yet started.

Ukrainian operations were "unfortunately, partially successful", Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose force of mercenaries and convicts recruited from prison has led Russia's main military campaign in Bakhmut, said on social media.

Blast at apartment building injures German police, firefighters

Two police officers and several firefighters were injured in an explosion at an apartment building in the western German town of Ratingen on Thursday, said the state interior ministry. Police and firefighters were called to aid a helpless person and, when they arrived, there was an explosion at the door to the apartment, said a police spokesperson.