Tropical Storm Melissa lumbers through the Caribbean

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — Tropical Storm Melissa is lumbering through the Caribbean Sea and bringing a risk of dangerous landslides and life-threatening flooding to Jamaica and the southern part of the island shared by the Dominican Republic and Haiti. Officials urged residents of flood-prone areas to seek higher ground. The storm was blamed for downing a large tree that killed an elderly man in southern Haiti, while five others were injured in flooding in the central Artibonite area. Schools and offices were closed in the Dominican Republic and Jamaica and storm shelters were opening. Melissa could be a hurricane by Friday and a major hurricane by the late weekend.

Vance calls Israel’s parliament vote on West Bank annexation an ‘insult’

JERUSALEM (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance has criticized Israel’s parliament vote on West Bank annexation. Vance says that the move was an “insult.” He said that if the vote was a “political stunt, then it is a very stupid political stunt” and that he takes “some insult to it.” He also said the Trump administration’s policy is that “the West Bank will not be annexed by Israel.” Vance’s harsh words at the end of his trip to Israel on Thursday came a day after the Israeli parliament passed a symbolic preliminary vote in support of annexation. The bill is unlikely to pass the final vote but was an embarrassment to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while Vance was still in Israel.

Putin deplores US sanctions as ‘unfriendly’ as EU joins in heaping restrictions on Russia

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union has heaped more economic sanctions on Russia, adding to U.S. President Donald Trump’s new punitive measures the previous day against the Russian oil industry. Russian President Vladimir Putin responded by warning that the measures were an “unfriendly act” by Washington that could backfire against the U.S. by fueling oil prices. The American and European sanctions are intended as part of a broadened effort to choke off the revenue and supplies that fuel Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine, compelling Putin to negotiate an end to the war. Speaking to reporters in Moscow, Putin said the new U.S. sanctions were serious but will not significantly impact its economy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy hailed the new restrictions.

Nigerian army kills over 50 Boko Haram militants as it fights off drone attacks

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s military has killed more than 50 Boko Haram militants in response to drone attacks on military bases in the northeast. The army said Thursday that militants launched simultaneous attacks on bases in Borno and Yobe states. Ground and air assaults helped defeat the militants, who attacked from northern Cameroon and Katarko, a village in Yobe State. Ground troops, backed by the Air Component, are still pursuing more than 70 wounded militants. Last month, Boko Haram killed at least 60 people in a nighttime attack on a village in northeastern Nigeria. The conflict has resulted in the death of around 35,000 civilians.