Current World News Briefs: Arrests, Memorials, Raids, and Diplomatic Tensions

This summary highlights major global events including the arrest of a Russian army ex-commander, memorial for Iran's president, a deadly Israeli raid in Jenin, turbulence on a Singapore Airlines flight, and diplomatic tensions involving the U.S., Israel, Saudi Arabia, and China.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Russia arrests ex-commander of 58th army on suspicion of fraud, TASS says

The former commander of Russia's 58th army, Ivan Popov, has been arrested on suspicion of "large scale fraud", state-run TASS agency reported on Tuesday. TASS said a military court had ordered the detention of Major General Popov.

Iranian President Raisi's memorial muted amid public discontent

Thousands of Iranians turned out to mourn President Ebrahim Raisi in the city of Tabriz on Tuesday, after he was killed in a helicopter crash near the Azerbaijan border at the weekend along with his foreign minister and seven others. State TV broadcast live images of mourners, many of them dressed in black, beating their chests while a truck covered in white flowers carrying the caskets wrapped in the national flag was driven slowly through the crowd.

Israeli army raids West Bank's Jenin, Palestinians say seven killed

Israeli forces raided the West Bank city of Jenin on Tuesday, killing seven Palestinians, including a doctor, during a major operation that involved dozens of vehicles, witnesses and Palestinian health authorities said. The Israeli military said the operation targeted armed militants in the city, a longstanding centre for militant groups including Hamas, Fatah and Islamic Jihad, and it said a number of Palestinian gunmen were shot.

Passenger killed, 30 injured as Singapore Airlines flight hits severe turbulence

One passenger was killed and 30 injured after a Singapore Airlines flight from London hit severe turbulence en route on Tuesday, forcing it to make an emergency landing in Bangkok, officials and the airline said. "Singapore Airlines offers its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. We deeply apologise for the traumatic experience that our passengers and crew members suffered on this flight," the airline said, adding it was working with Thai authorities to provide all necessary assistance.

U.S. envoy: Israel-Saudi normalisation needs Gaza quiet, discussion of Palestinian rule

Forging formal Israeli-Saudi relations as part of an emerging trilateral deal involving Washington would require a calming of the Gaza war and a discussion of prospects for Palestinian governance, the U.S. envoy to Jerusalem said on Tuesday. "There's going to have to be some period of quiet, I think, in Gaza, and there's going to have to be a conversation about how do you deal with the question of the future of Palestinian governance," Ambassador Jack Lew said.

China sanctions ex-US lawmaker and supporter of Taiwan

China has banned former U.S. lawmaker Mike Gallagher from entering the country and taken other measures in response to his words and actions that "interfered in China's internal affairs", the foreign ministry said on Tuesday. China will freeze Gallagher's assets in the country and ban organisations and individuals there from trading and cooperating with him, the ministry said.

Another Russian exodus: Many who fled to Turkey move on again

Tens of thousands of Russians who fled to Turkey after Moscow's invasion of Ukraine have moved on to other countries in the last year, squeezed by residency issues and soaring costs, according to data and interviews, including with nine Russian citizens. When the war began in February 2022, Turkey, Russia's Black Sea neighbour and a NATO member, emerged as a magnet for Russians, especially its largest city Istanbul and the Mediterranean resort of Antalya.

Blinken to testify to US Congress under shadow of Israel policy divides

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken is due to make his case for President Joe Biden's $64 billion foreign affairs budget request in four congressional hearings this week, amid deep divides with Republicans over spending priorities and Israel policy. Blinken testifies on Tuesday in the Democratic-controlled Senate to the Foreign Relations Committee and to the appropriations subcommittee that oversees diplomatic and foreign aid spending.

Slovak PM Fico has CT scan during recovery from assassination attempt

Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico underwent a follow-up abdominal CT scan and remains conscious and communicative, doctors treating him said on Tuesday, as he recovers from being hit by four bullets in an assassination attempt last week. "At the same time, further actions are being taken to improve his health condition," the hospital in the central Slovak town of Banska Bystrica said in a statement.

China's foreign minister calls Taiwan's new president 'disgraceful'

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called Taiwan's newly-inaugurated President Lai Ching-te "disgraceful" on Tuesday, stepping up Beijing's rhetoric just a day after he took office. China, which claims Taiwan as its own territory, believes Lai to be a "separatist", and has rebuffed his offers of talks.

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