SANTIAGO -- A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck the southern maritime zone of Chile on Friday, prompting authorities to issue a tsunami alert for the Magallanes region.
The National Seismological Center of the University of Chile said the quake occurred at 8:58 a.m. local time (1258 GMT), with its epicenter located 218 km south of Puerto Williams -- the country's southernmost city, nearly 3,500 km from the capital city of Santiago. (Chile-Tsunami)
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KIEV -- The Ukrainian parliament will vote on ratifying a natural resources agreement with the United States next week, parliament members said on Friday.
In a post on Telegram, lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak said a vote on the agreement is planned for May 8. Separately, another parliament member, Oleksii Honcharenko, also confirmed that an extraordinary parliamentary session will be held on May 8 to discuss the deal. (Ukraine-U.S.-Mineral Deal)
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JUBA-- At least 15 people were killed and 16 injured in Thursday's clashes in Tonj South County of the restive Warrap State in northern South Sudan, a local official said Friday.
The clashes followed an attack on Manyangok Payam by members of the Apuk, Yar and Muok communities, said Ring Deng Ading, commissioner of Tonj South County.
He said the fighting, which erupted in Agama village, resulted in several houses being burnt to ashes, property looted, and families displaced. (South Sudan-Communal Violence)
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JERUSALEM/DAMASCUS -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement on Friday that Israel attacked overnight near the presidential palace in Syria's capital, Damascus.
The strike followed the deadly clashes that intensified earlier this week between local Druze fighters and pro-government forces south of Damascus.
"This is a clear message to the Syrian regime," the Israeli statement said. "We will not allow the move of forces south of Damascus and any danger to the Druze community." (Israel-Syria-Attacks) ■
