Reuters World News Summary

The inquiry found Israeli forces mistakenly believed they were attacking Hamas gunmen when drones hit the three vehicles of the World Central Kitchen aid group late on Monday night, and that standard procedures had not been followed. Biden's Israel shift: not enough for Democrats, too much for Republicans President Joe Biden's demand this week that Israel improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza and support a ceasefire drew sharp attacks both from frustrated political allies who said the U.S. president did not go far enough and opponents who said he went too far.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

UN chief to Israel: 196 aid workers have been killed, why?

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday called for independent investigations into the deaths of all 196 aid workers killed in the Gaza Strip during the Israel-Hamas war and said he hopes Israel quickly and effectively boosts aid access. Global outrage at the humanitarian crisis in the occupied Palestinian territory of 2.3 million people escalated after three Israeli airstrikes on Monday killed seven people working for U.S.-based food charity World Central Kitchen.

US on high alert for Iran threat in region after Israeli strike in Syria

The United States is on high alert and preparing for a possible attack by Iran targeting Israeli or American assets in the region in response to Israel's strike on the Iranian embassy in Syria, a U.S. official said on Friday. "We're definitely at a high state of vigilance," the official said in confirming a CNN report that said an attack could come in the next week.

Senegal's new government has been appointed, PM Sonko says

Senegal has a new government with 25 ministers and five junior ministers, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko said on Friday, following the president's landslide election victory in March. The cabinet was approved by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, 44, who was inaugurated on Tuesday and appointed Sonko, a key backer, as prime minister. Outgoing President Macky Sall was defeated in a wave of discontent after holding power for 12 years.

Slovaks pick between Fico ally and pro-Western diplomat for president

Slovaks go to the polls on Saturday to pick a new president, choosing between pro-Western opposition candidate Ivan Korcok and Peter Pellegrini running for the ruling nationalist left coalition. At stake is whether Prime Minister Robert Fico, who took power in October for the fourth time, will get an ally in the presidential palace or an opponent who could challenge his pro-Russian stance and plans to reform criminal law and the media, which have raised concern over weakening the rule of law.

Six months into Gaza war, Israel faces deepening isolation

Six months into the war in Gaza, the killing of a group of aid workers by an Israeli air strike summed up both the dire humanitarian crisis and the lack of a clear way out of a conflict that is leaving Israel increasingly isolated. The attack on Monday night that killed seven staff of the World Central Kitchen (WCK) aid group, including six foreigners, has angered even some of Israel's closest allies, adding to growing pressure for an end to the fighting.

Flood-hit Sydney residents urged to higher ground after torrential rains

Australian authorities on Saturday urged people in parts of New South Wales capital Sydney to move to higher ground because of the danger of flooding from torrential rains. New South Wales authorities said on Saturday morning that 12 emergency evacuation orders were in place including several in Sydney, home to more than 5 million people, where there was "dangerous and rising flooding" in some areas.

Biden urges Egypt, Qatar to press Hamas on hostage deal ahead of weekend talks

U.S. President Joe Biden on Friday urged the leaders of Egypt and Qatar to pressure Hamas militants to agree to a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal ahead of a fresh round of talks this weekend in Cairo. CIA Director Bill Burns will lead the U.S. delegation to the Cairo talks, a U.S. official said.

Israel fires two officers after finding grave errors in strike on aid workers

The Israeli military dismissed two officers and formally reprimanded senior commanders after an inquiry into the killing of seven aid workers in an air strike in Gaza this week found serious errors and breaches of procedure, the military said. The inquiry found Israeli forces mistakenly believed they were attacking Hamas gunmen when drones hit the three vehicles of the World Central Kitchen aid group late on Monday night, and that standard procedures had not been followed.

Biden's Israel shift: not enough for Democrats, too much for Republicans

President Joe Biden's demand this week that Israel improve humanitarian conditions in Gaza and support a ceasefire drew sharp attacks both from frustrated political allies who said the U.S. president did not go far enough and opponents who said he went too far. On Thursday in a call with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Biden threatened to condition U.S. support for Israel's offensive in Gaza on its taking concrete steps to protect aid workers and civilians.

Biden surveys collapsed Baltimore bridge, pledges help

President Joe Biden took an aerial tour on Friday of the collapsed Baltimore bridge that is blocking a key East Coast shipping lane, and he pledged federal help in rebuilding the span, an idea some Republican lawmakers in the U.S. Congress have resisted. A cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, sending it splashing into the harbor. Work to clear the wreckage and restore traffic through the Mid-Atlantic state's shipping channel is ongoing.

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