War breaking news. Hezbollah: 'Iran will respond to Israel, nothing will ever be the same again'. Ukraine, 4 dead in Russian raid on Zaporizhzhia

Four people were killed and 20 injured after a Russian bombing raid hit the Ukrainian city of Zaporizhzhia. This was reported by Ukrainska Pravda, citing as a source Ivan Fedorov, head of the local regional military administration. Among the injured were two journalists who were shot while working on the spot. This was reported in a post on Telegram by Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko, as reported by Ukrinform.

Israel and the US are convinced that Iran is preparing to retaliate after the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Syria. CBS reports this, citing US officials. The US has gathered information that Iran is planning a retaliatory attack that would include a swarm of Shaheed drones and cruise missiles. Officials say the timing and target are unknown, but a proportional response to the Damascus attack would be to strike an Israeli diplomatic facility. The attack is likely, they say, to take place between now and the end of Ramadan next week. Another major unknown is where the drones and missiles would be launched, from Iraq or Syria.

At the end of an interrogation that lasted more than five hours, Peru's president, Dina Boluarte, left the prosecutor's office building in Lima today without making a statement, heading under heavy guard towards the government building. Magistrates, it is reported, questioned her about the origin of a certain number of jewellery and watches, including some Rolexes, of great value, worn by her during official events and apparently never declared to the Peruvian tax authorities. The judicial proceedings, journalistic sources report, were conducted by the nation's acting prosecutor, Juan Carlos Villena, for the alleged crime of illicit enrichment. According to former anti-corruption prosecutor Antonio Maldonado, if it is proven that Boluarte has committed the crime of unlawful enrichment, she could receive, according to Article 36 of the Peruvian Penal Code, a prison sentence of between five and ten years, in addition to disqualification from public office. However, the corresponding trial could only be held at the end of his presidential term, in 2026.

State security services in the Moldovan-backed breakaway region of Transnistria say a drone attacked a military unit near the border with Ukraine, causing minor damage to a radar station but no casualties. The region's security ministry said the incident occurred in the Rabnita region, about 6 kilometres from the border with Ukraine, and that a criminal investigation has been opened. Moldova's Office for Reintegration Policy responded by saying that the incident was part of 'a provocation scheme' in Transnistria designed to 'incite panic and tension'.

The death toll from the Russian missile attack on Zaporizhzhia has risen to four. This was said by Ivan Fedorov, head of the regional military administration in Zaporizhzhia, quoted by Ukrinform. "As for the current situation in Zaporizhzhia: four people were killed, more than 20 people were injured. The wounded are being provided with the necessary medical assistance,' Fedorov wrote on Telegram. Two Ukrainian journalists, Ukrinform correspondent Olha Zvonariova and reporter Kira Oves, were also injured in the attack.

"What really matters to us is that something like this never happens again. We expect concrete, verifiable, achievable and sustainable changes' in how Israel protects the safety of civilians and humanitarian workers." National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said this.

An Israeli airstrike on a house in south Lebanon killed three militants of the Amal movement, a Shia political party closely allied to the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah. This was the first Israeli attack in Marjayoun, a large city in south-east Lebanon, since the beginning of the war between Hamas and Israel on 7 October.

"After six months of war, Netanyahu, Gallant and others are out of their minds. Israel has no horizon after the war, it is lost'. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said this in a speech on live TV, as reported by Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen. "October 7 was a turning point in history and what comes next will no longer be what was before," he added.

"Iran will undoubtedly respond to the Israeli attack on the Iranian consulate in Damascus," Lebanese Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah said in a televised address. "Only Khamenei can decide how, when and where there will be Iran's response to Israel," Nasrallah added, referring to the Iranian leader. "The attack on the (Iranian) consulate in Damascus constitutes a turning point in the ongoing war and the region has entered a new phase," Nasrallah said.

A 4.7 magnitude earthquake was registered in New Jersey according to the US Geophysical Institute, USGS. The tremors were also felt in New York City. The earthquake was located near Lebanon, New Jersey, or about 45 miles west of New York City and 50 miles north of Philadelphia. The New York City Fire Department said there were no initial reports of damage. In downtown Manhattan, the usual cacophony of traffic grew louder as motorists honked their horns on the momentarily shaking streets. Some Brooklyn residents heard a rumbling sound and their building shook. In an apartment building in Manhattan's East Village, a resident of California, which is more prone to earthquakes, calmed nervous neighbours, writes Ap. New York Mayor Eric Adams was informed about the earthquake. According to initial indications there was no damage, but 'we are assessing the impact' of the quake, Adams' spokesman Fabien Levy said.

People in Baltimore, Philadelphia, Connecticut and other areas of the east coast not used to earthquakes also reported feeling the ground shake. New York Governor Kathy Hochul posted on X that the quake was felt across the state. "My team is assessing the impacts and any damage that may have occurred and we will update the public throughout the day," Hochul said.

The quake triggered memories of the 23 August 2011 earthquake that shook tens of millions of people from Georgia to Canada. With a magnitude of 5.8, it was the strongest earthquake to hit the East Coast since World War II. The epicentre was in Virginia. Joe Biden was informed of the earthquake in New York and New Jersey and asked his staff to stay in touch with local authorities. This was stated by White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre.

An emergency alert of a magnitude 4.7 earthquake is seen on a cellphone in New York City, U.S., April 5, 2024. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly

The United States is carefully reviewing the Israeli investigation into the massacre of the 7 World Central Kitchen aid workers killed in a raid in the Gaza Strip and Washington will closely monitor the measures Israel is taking "so that nothing like this ever happens again". This was said by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Brussels, quoted by the Guardian. "It is very important that Israel is taking full responsibility for what happened. And it's also important that steps seem to be being taken" against those responsible.

Lithuania announced today that it will supply Ukraine with around 3,000 combat drones, which have become crucial in the fight against the Russian invasion, and will also help set up three recovery centres for Ukrainian soldiers. "In the near future, Lithuania will purchase around 3,000 Lithuanian-made Fpv drones for Ukraine, for two million euros," Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte said at a press conference with her Ukrainian counterpart Denys Shmygal. Deliveries of the visual drones could begin this year, Simonyte pointed out. Lithuania has provided over one million euros in aid to Kiev since Moscow launched its assault on Ukraine in February 2022, representing 1.54% of its annual GDP according to an analysis by the Kiel Institute, one of the highest percentages among Ukraine's allies. Vilnius will also contribute to the creation of rehabilitation centres for soldiers in the Ukrainian cities of Lviv, Dnipro and Zhytomyr. Simonyte also urged the EU to start talks with Kiev on its accession to the EU 'as soon as possible' and insisted on the need for Ukraine to join the NATO military alliance. "The total security of Ukraine and Nato can only be guaranteed by Ukraine's full and complete membership of the Atlantic Alliance," the prime minister stressed

A crucial day in Peru over the Rolex scandal. The Peruvian President, Dina Boluarte, at the centre of a preliminary investigation for alleged illicit enrichment linked to a collection of luxury watches and other jewellery not declared to the tax authorities, arrived at the Public Prosecutor's Office. The Head of State, who received the summons on 30 March, at the same time as the searches at his private residence and at the Government Palace, promised to clarify all aspects of the case. The Public Prosecutor's Office has requested that Boluarte present the watches with their purchase receipt

La Presidente del Peru Dina Boluarte .REUTERS/Sebastian Castaneda//File Photo

The Kremlin described as 'unfounded' accusations by French President Emmanuel Macron that 'there is no doubt' that Russia will try to target the organisation of the Olympic Games by spreading information that Paris is not ready. "These are completely unfounded accusations," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told the press, stressing that "they are not supported by evidence". "Such behaviour is absolutely unacceptable," he added.

"Today's data marks a milestone in America's recovery: 3 years ago, I inherited an economy on the brink, with the 303,000 new jobs we've passed the milestone of 15 million jobs created since I took office." That's how Joe Biden comments on March's job data, which is above the monthly average for the past 12 months, reiterating the success of his plan to "grow the economy by the middle and from the bottom up, investing in all Americans and giving the middle class a fair chance." "Unemployment is below 4 per cent in one of the longest periods in more than 50 years, wages are growing, and inflation is coming down significantly," the president boasted again, noting that "we've come a long way, but I'm not going to stop working for hard-working families." And he recalled the action to bring down drug prices and then turned to corporations asking them 'to pass their profits on to consumers'. Finally, in a message with a distinctly electoral flavour, he concluded by saying that he will continue 'to oppose attempts by congressional Republicans to cut welfare, medicare and medicaid and adopt a massive tax giveaway for the rich and corporations'.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said of Gaza: 'There is a need for civilian lives to take priority over military operations, not the other way around'.

The Polish Foreign Ministry delivered a diplomatic note of protest to the Israeli ambassador following the deaths in Gaza of seven people, including a Polish citizen, in Monday's attack on a World Central Kitchen humanitarian convoy. Deputy Defence Minister Andrzej Szejna said Ambassador Yacov Livne apologised for the deaths of the organisation's workers, including 35-year-old Polish national Damian Soból, during a meeting at the Foreign Ministry. The Israeli ambassador will not be expelled from the country. Livne has been criticised for his reaction to the death of the aid workers. He repeatedly expressed Israel's deep regret, but rejected accusations that the attack constituted a war crime. The ambassador accused the deputy speaker of Poland's far-right parliament, Krzysztof Bosak, of being anti-Semitic for making such an accusation. Polish President Andrzej Duda called the ambassador the biggest problem for relations between the two countries. Szejna said Poland expects Israel to conduct a transparent investigation into the attack and pay compensation to Soból's family.

Russian troops have captured another village in the Ukrainian Donbass, that of Vodyanoye in the Donetsk region. This was announced by the Ministry of Defence in its weekly bulletin. Moscow forces also continue "to advance deep into enemy defences, as well as occupy more advantageous lines," the ministry added.

Israeli Efrat Katz, who was taken hostage by Hamas militiamen during the assault on kibbutz Nir Oz on 7 October, died probably as a result of an airstrike conducted by an Israeli Air Force helicopter gunship on the vehicle in which she was being held captive. This was established by an investigation conducted by the Israel Defence Forces, stating that the surveillance systems used by the IDF were unable to detect that Katz, 68, and other hostages were in the vehicle with the Hamas terrorists.

"The Israeli army's apology for the outrageous killing of our colleagues is cold comfort. Our operations remain suspended,' said Erin Gore, CEO of World Central Kitchen (Wck) following the results of the Israeli army's investigation into the killing of seven aid workers in Gaza. Wck's website reports this, renewing its call for the creation of an independent commission to investigate the killings: 'The IDF cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza.

The results of the army's investigation into the killing of the 7 aid workers in Gaza showed "that the incident should not have happened" and is "contrary to operational standards". "Those who approved the raid," continued the investigation submitted to Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi, "were convinced they were targeting armed Hamas operatives and not employees of World Central Kitchen (Wck). "The attack," it is explained, "is a serious mistake resulting from a serious failure due to misidentification, errors in decisions and an attack contrary to operational standards. The Idf will relieve those responsible'. The commander of the fire support brigade - an officer with the rank of major - and the brigade's chief of staff - a reserve colonel - will both be dismissed, the IDF says.

'The Israeli army's apology for the outrageous killing of our colleagues is cold comfort. Our operations remain suspended,' said Erin Gore, CEO of World Central Kitchen (Wck) following the results of the Israeli army's investigation. The Wck website reports this, renewing the call for the creation of an independent commission to investigate the killings: 'The IDF cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza'.

The Israeli embassy in Rome in Via Michele Mercati, near Villa Borghese, has been closed. Like other diplomatic offices in Tel Aviv, the alarm was triggered by reports of possible attacks following the raid on the Iranian consulate in Damascus.

Some 30 Israeli embassies have been closed around the world in fear of attacks over Iranian threats. This was reported by the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, which quoted a diplomatic source as saying that security measures have been stepped up at all Israeli institutions around the world since 7 October.

Thousands of schools in the Philippines suspended classes in attendance due to record heat, the Ministry of Education announced. Temperatures of 42-43 degrees were expected in many parts of the country today, a level considered 'dangerous', the state weather service said. In the capital Manila, 40 degrees were expected, a level at which the authorities advise 'extreme caution'. According to official data, more than 5,000 schools closed their doors in the Southeast Asian archipelago, sending more than 3.6 million students home.

Turkey's Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya announced that eight people were arrested on suspicion of spying for Israel. According to Yerlikaya, the suspects allegedly had contacts with Israeli intelligence services and transferred information and documents to them.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares, in an interview with the Spanish National Radio (Rne), said that at the moment 'there is no indication that we are heading towards World War III' or that any European or NATO state could go to war'. Albares praised Nato's defensive work and emphasised that the organisation has no plans for offensive action, only "the desire to continue supporting Ukraine".

Twenty-eight Israeli embassies are closed today amid fears of possible Iranian retaliation for the raid on Damascus in which seven Revolutionary Guard officers lost their lives. An Israeli source confirmed this to the Times of Israel, pointing out that the measure comes on a particularly sensitive day as it is the last Friday of the month of Ramadan and Iran celebrates the Day for al-Quds (Jerusalem).

"The situation in Chasiv Yar, in Donetsk, is very difficult, the fighting is continuous but the Russian troops have not managed to break through the Ukrainian defence, they are 500 metres away from the town," said Andriy Zadubinny, spokesman for the Eastern Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, contradicting Russian statements that the town had already fallen completely into the hands of the Kremlin army. Rbc-Ukraine reports

The Kremlin today dismissed as 'unfounded' accusations by French President Emmanuel Macron that Russia was preparing cyber attacks against the Paris Olympics. "These are totally unfounded accusations," Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said. "Such behaviour is completely and absolutely unacceptable," he added.

"The problem for us is time", "I would like to stress that now is a critical time. It is very important that the package is approved this month". This was said by Andriy Yermak, Chief of Cabinet of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, in an interview with Politico, referring to the US aid package being considered by Congress. "In the meantime it is costing us lives and I very much hope it will be approved this month because Ukraine is approaching a critical moment," he said. He added: "We know that Putin is preparing a new wave of mobilisation and we believe that new counteroffensive operations by the Russians could begin in late May or early June. Of course, we have to be ready for this'. Then a new appeal: 'We still need more air defence systems because without these it is impossible to defend our cities.

"An anti-Israeli resolution" that "does not mention Hamas or its crimes of 7 October" for which the ambassador, Merav Ilon Shahar, left the plenary session in protest. This is how the Israeli Foreign Ministry branded the resolution approved in Geneva by the UN Human Rights Council. "In the text," it added, "hostages are equated with detainees suspected of terrorist activity". Moreover, it "goes against Israel's right to defend itself" and provides for an "arms embargo on Israel while offensively ignoring the supply of weapons to Hamas by Iran and its allies".

Israel has hinted that the investigation into the airstrike that killed the seven World Central Kitchen aid workers in Gaza could take weeks. "In the coming weeks, when the results become clear, we will be transparent and share the findings with the public," Israeli government spokeswoman Raquela Karamson said in a briefing, as reported by Sky News

"Israel's actions, with the opening of the Erez crossing, are positive developments but the real test is the results and what we want to see in the coming days and weeks". This was said by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the end of the EU-US Trade and Technology Council. "An important data point will be the number of trucks entering Gaza and whether they can move, especially in northern Gaza. We want to see the bottlenecks resolved and be sure that the aid workers, the aid deliverers, can work safely".

The UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution calling for Israel to be held accountable for any war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in Gaza. Twenty-eight countries voted in favour, 13 abstained and six voted against the resolution. Sky News reports.

"Eight suspects who were providing Israeli intelligence with information about individuals and companies in Turkey have been captured". This was announced on X by Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, adding that arrests were confirmed for two of them. Operations were held in Istanbul to apprehend suspects who allegedly had meetings with Israeli secret agents and provided them with information and documents on Turkish citizens and companies. "We will never allow espionage activities against our national unity within our borders," Yerlikaya added.

"If Germany were to hand over Taurus missiles to Kiev, and German soldiers were to somehow play a role in the use of these weapons, this could lead to a situation in which our country could be considered a party to the conflict, and this could lead to further escalation": reiterating German Chancellor Olaf Scholz's decision and expressing in these terms "his concern" with respect to the possible supply of the Taurus was the ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany in Italy Hans-Dieter Lucas, during a Forum with Adnkronos. "This is the reason why he decided not to deliver the Taurus to Ukraine." As for support for Ukraine more generally, 'first of all, let's remember that Germany is already doing a lot: in 2024 we will make a contribution in the field of military assistance of around EUR 7 billion', he said, emphasising that Berlin 'is the second largest provider after the US'. The German contribution 'is already very substantial'. At the same time,' he added, 'it is important to note that what Ukraine needs most at the moment is ammunition and air defence because Russia attacks from the air. In both areas our support is very substantial and needs to be strengthened'.

The funerals of the seven Pasdaran officers killed last Monday in Damascus in a raid attributed to Israel against the Iranian consulate were held in Tehran. The funeral took place at the same time as another important event that has been celebrated in the Islamic Republic every year since 1979 on the last Friday of the month of Ramadan: the Day for al-Quds (Jerusalem). The local media speak of demonstrations taking place in the capital and in all the cities of the country and of a participation of "millions" of people in the event wanted by the leader of the Islamic revolution, Ruhollah Khomeini, as a sign of solidarity with the Palestinian cause. Iranian TV broadcast live the funeral of the officers of the Guardians of the Revolution, for whose death the leadership of the Islamic Republic vowed revenge. Slogans against Israel and the USA were chanted during the ceremony. Last night, another ceremony was held in honour of the seven officers led by the Supreme Guide, Ali Khamenei, and attended by the country's military establishment. Among the victims of the raid on Damascus were Brigadier General and Commander of the Quds Force, Mohammad Reza Zahedi, and his deputy, Mohammad Hadi Haji Rahimi. The bodies of the victims were repatriated to Iran on Wednesday night.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban's spokesman attacks Ilaria Salis and her father. "Ilaria Salis is not a heroine," writes Zoltan Kovacs in a video on X, "she and her 'comrades' came to Hungary and committed barbaric and premeditated attacks against Hungarian citizens: these are the facts. Everything else is mere political invention and we will defend the reputation and integrity of our judiciary, no matter how loudly the left cries wolf." For Budapest, 'the father of Ilaria Salis has repeatedly made serious unfounded accusations and has turned his daughter's case into a political issue'.

At least two people have died in the last few hours following new attacks by the Russian army in the Donetsk oblast. Governor Vadim Filashkin reported that the attacks by Russian forces also injured nine people, numbers that could be even higher since the Ukrainian authorities have no access to the cities of Mariupol and Volnovakha, now under Russian control. Throughout last night, Russia continued shelling large areas of eastern Ukraine, including the Dnipro district of Kherson, where several people were injured after the residential building they were in was hit by the Russian army. The governor of Kherson, Oleksander Prokudin, reported that at least fifteen towns in the province were besieged overnight by Russian shelling, including Antonivka, Berislav, Bilozerka, Kachkarivka and Novoberislav, among others. For its part, the Ukrainian army revealed that throughout the night Russian forces tried unsuccessfully to hit energy infrastructure in the Odessa region, across the Crimea, while in Zaporizhia several residential buildings were destroyed, damaged by shrapnel.

The death toll of the 7.4 magnitude earthquake that struck Taiwan on Wednesday rose to 12, Hong Kong's public broadcaster Rthk reported. Authorities today found two more bodies on a mountain trail in Hualien County, the worst hit by the quake. Meanwhile, the number of injured has exceeded 1,100, while more than 10 people are still missing.

Rescue operations in Taiwan, triggered after Wednesday's powerful earthquake, are proceeding with caution due to the risks associated with further landslides and rockfalls, while the search for about a dozen people still missing is ongoing. The death toll rose to 12 after two bodies were found on a trail in the mountains of eastern Hualien county, the worst hit by the 7.4 magnitude earthquake, the most powerful in 25 years. The number of injured exceeded 1,100, according to the latest data released by the National Disaster Management Agency. More than 50 aftershocks were recorded overnight, indicating that the phenomenon could last several days.

Nine people were freed from a popular cave for tourists called 'Tunnel of Nine Turns', also in Taroko National Park. In the city of Hualien, on the other hand, workers began demolishing the Uranus Building, the 10-storey building that tilted at a 45-degree angle after half of its first floor collapsed in the quake. Operations could take two weeks.

A Palestinian man was killed in clashes with the Israeli army in the Nour Shams refugee camp, east of Tulkarem in West Bank . This was reported by medical sources, quoted by the Wafa agency, who identified the man as Saed Abu Alawiya, who was killed "by bullets from an occupation sniper".

Today in Lisbon the swearing-in ceremony for the undersecretaries of Portuguese Prime Minister Luís Montenegro's new government will be held, following a similar one for his 17 ministers. Montenegro presented the list of names to the President of the Republic yesterday: there are 41 of them and they will be sworn in this afternoon at the Ajuda National Palace in the capital. Among ministers and undersecretaries, there are a total of 59 people (the previous executive had 56), of whom 24 are women (7 female ministers and 17 undersecretaries), with a strong component of the Social Democratic Party and three popular ones from the Cds-Pp, the other party of the Democratic Alliance coalition (the Minister of Defence, Nuno Melo, and two undersecretaries, also at Defence and Interior).

The director of the CIA William Burns will go to Cairo this week to meet Mossad chief David Barnea and mediators from Egypt and Qatar in negotiations for a truce agreement in Gaza and the release of hostages. This was reported by the Axios website. Barnea returned from the Egyptian capital a few days ago after presenting the mediators with a proposal that Hamas has already rejected. Now a new round is looming, this time with the head of the CIA.

Direct and indirect government support of China "is currently leading to a production capacity that significantly exceeds domestic demand and what the global market can bear". This was said by US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen when meeting the American business community in Guangzhou. "I understand that these policies may be driven by domestic development objectives, but excess capacity can lead to large volumes of exports at low prices," Yellen added, according to a Treasury Department note. This represents 'a risk to global economic resilience'.

The Israeli foreign minister, Israel Katz , congratulated the US "for making it clear that any ceasefire in Gaza will be conditional on the release of hostages". "We will continue to work together with our allies around the world," he added on X, "to preserve Israel's right to continue the war until the hostages are released and Hamas is finally defeated.

Russian forces attacked Ukraine last night with five missiles and 13 kamikaze drones: this was announced on Telegram by the Kiev Air Force, pointing out that all unmanned aircraft were shot down. The missiles - two S-300/S-400s and three Iskander-Ms - were launched from Russia's Belgorod region while the drones came from Cape Chauda in annexed Crimea and were destroyed in the Zaporizhzhia, Odessa and Dnipropetrovsk regions.

US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen kicked off her visit to China with "substantial commitments" to work to improve economic ties, but warning that China's excess manufacturing capacity poses risks to the rest of the world economy. "Today I hosted the roundtable with economic experts working in China. I spoke with business leaders to assess challenges and opportunities facing foreign firms in China and how government policies affect business operations," Yellen wrote on X about the meeting in Guangzhou with representatives of the US, EU and Japanese business communities.

Yellen arrived in the southern Chinese capital of Guangdong last night and will be in Beijing tomorrow, where she will stay until Tuesday. It is her second trip to China as Treasury Secretary. Before meeting with Vice Premier He Lifeng, Yellen met with Wang Weizhong from Guangdong.

The Israeli government is ready to take measures to prevent a repeat of cases like the one that led to the deaths of the seven aid workers at the World central kitchen . Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said this during a phone call with President Joe Biden, as reported to CNN by a senior US administration official. Netanyahu, who admitted that the IDF was responsible for the deaths of the seven Wck aid workers, also told Biden that Israel intends to improve the tracking of non-profit workers inside Gaza.

The US applauds the "steps announced tonight by the Israeli government at the request of the president ( Biden ) after the phone call with Prime Minister Netanyahu", including "the commitment to open the port of Ashdod for direct delivery of assistance to Gaza, to open the Erez Crossing for a new assistance route to reach northern Gaza, and to significantly increase deliveries from Jordan directly to Gaza", and call for them now to be "fully and swiftly implemented". This was stated by US National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson.

"As the president said during the call today, US policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel's immediate action on these and other measures, including those to protect innocent civilians and the safety of humanitarian workers," Watson stressed. "We stand ready to work in full coordination with the government of Israel, the governments of Jordan and Egypt, the United Nations and humanitarian organisations to ensure that these important steps are implemented and result in a significant increase in humanitarian assistance so that it can reach civilians in desperate need throughout Gaza in the coming days and weeks," he adds.

An air alert was triggered in the Odessa area due to a drone attack. Ukrinform reports. The alert was issued by the air force, which spotted a group of unmanned aircraft approaching the coast from the Black Sea. The broadcaster Suspilne also reports explosions in the region.

"Air defence systems destroyed more than 40 aircraft in the Rostov region and an electricity substation was damaged." This was written - as reported by Tass - by regional governor Vasily Golubev on Telegram. The drone attack was launched in the Morozovsky district. "Work is underway to restore the power supply," Golubev added.

The governor of the Murmansk region (north-west Russia) Andrey Chibis is hospitalised in serious condition after being stabbed. This was reported by Tass. The attack took place in the city of Apatity. Chibis underwent surgery and is now in intensive care. His condition is assessed as serious but stable.

The Israeli security cabinet has approved the reopening of the  Erez crossing between Israel and the northern Gaza Strip for the first time since Hamas attacks on 7 October. An Israeli official told CNN, adding that the reopening is to allow more humanitarian aid into Gaza. The Tel Aviv government also approved the use of the Israeli port of Ashdod to help transfer more aid to the enclave.

What happened on 4 April 2024