Gunman kills 2 at Israeli-run crossing between West Bank and Jordan

JERUSALEM (AP) — Officials say a Jordanian aid truck driver opened fire and killed two people at an Israeli-run border crossing in the occupied West Bank on Thursday. The Israeli military said four more soldiers were killed in the southern Gaza Strip and that a drone had struck in the area of the southern Israeli city of Eilat. Israeli medics say that two men, around 60 and 20 years old, were killed. The military said the attacker had been “neutralized,” without elaborating. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack and identified the shooter as a man in his late 50s who it said had been driving aid trucks bound for Gaza for three months.

UK, Lithuania and Latvia detain people over allegations of arson and spying for Russia

VILNIUS, Lithuania (AP) — British, Lithuanian, and Latvian authorities have detained several people suspected of spying for Russia. London’s Metropolitan Police force arrested three people near the U.K. capital on Thursday. Lithuanian prosecutors on Wednesday uncovered a Russia-linked network planning arson attacks across Europe. Latvia’s security service detained a man suspected of passing military intelligence to Russia. European security officials have warned of a growing sabotage campaign blamed on Russia. There have been around 80 incidents linked to Russia including arson and sabotage since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. A joint investigation team has been formed with cooperation from nine countries.

Strikes and protests roil France, pitting the streets against Macron and his new PM

PARIS (AP) — Protesters have hit France with transport strikes, demonstrations and blockades that are targeting the Paris Metro and other sectors. The action on Thursday opposed President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to cut funding for public services. Protests were held in Paris and nationwide. Major trade unions are pushing for the abandonment of proposed budget cuts, social welfare freezes and other measures. These cuts are aimed at reducing France’s massive deficit. They have triggered the collapse of previous governments. The government has deployed about 80,000 police officers to maintain order. Regional rail lines and the Paris Metro are expected to be severely impacted.

UN’s top official in Syria is stepping down after 7 years of conflict and tumult

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The official who steered the U.N.’s diplomacy in Syria for nearly seven turbulent years is resigning. Geir Pedersen told the Security Council on Thursday that he’d leave his position in the “near future,” but didn’t say when. The 69-year-old diplomat said he’d intended for a while “to move on for personal reasons” and stayed on because of rapid and major developments in Syria. He was charged with implementation of a council resolution aiming to usher in a political solution to the conflict between the government of then-President Bashar Assad and its opponents. Efforts to broker a political solution faltered. Assad was ousted in a rebel offensive led by Syria’s now-interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa.