Cease-fire progress reported in Sudan
CAIRO -- Saudi Arabia and the United States said Friday that the warring sides in Sudan's conflict are adhering better to a new, weeklong cease-fire after days of sporadic fighting.
The truce, brokered by Riyadh and Washington, went into effect Monday, but fighting continued in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum and the western Darfur region. Particularly intense clashes flared up Wednesday, the two mediators said in a joint statement.
The conflict in Sudan started in mid-April after months of escalating tensions between the military, led by Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, a powerful paramilitary commanded by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo. The conflict has killed at least 863 civilians, including about 190 children, according to the most recent numbers from the Sudanese Doctors' Syndicate.
The latest weeklong cease-fire is the seventh attempt at a truce after the others were violated.
Amid the reported calm Thursday, humanitarian missions were able to deliver "urgently needed medical supplies to several locations in Sudan," the joint statement said. Efforts were also underway to restore telecommunications services in Khartoum and other areas of the country, it said.
On Friday, Khartoum residents reported only sporadic gunfire. However, Sudan TV broadcast a statement later in the day by the Defense Ministry, calling on all retired soldiers and citizens capable of fighting to head to the nearest military command to arm themselves for self-protection.
It did not elaborate. Over the past six weeks, looting has become widespread across many Khartoum districts, which are also without water and electricity.
Palestinian's stabbing attempt foiled
JERUSALEM -- A Palestinian man was shot and killed Friday in the occupied West Bank after sneaking into a Jewish settlement and trying to stab a resident there, the Israeli army said.
In a statement, the military said the man attempted to stab a resident in the Tene Omarim settlement and was shot by an armed civilian. It said the incident had set off an alarm and soldiers were scanning the area.
The Palestinian Health ministry confirmed the death and identified the killed man as Alaa Qissaya, 28.
Meanwhile, Jewish settlers attacked Palestinian farmers and torched five vehicles at the village of al-Mughayyir near the city of Ramallah, the official Palestinian news agency reported. It said five farmers were beaten and injured by the settlers. Israeli media reported that Israeli forces were sent in to bring the situation under control. There was no immediate comment from the military.
The incidents occurred as Jews were celebrating Shavuot, a festival marking the day that Jews believe the Torah was given to Moses on Mount Sinai in Egypt.
Plane passenger opens door in flight
SEOUL, South Korea -- A passenger opened an emergency exit door during a plane flight in South Korea on Friday, causing air to blast inside the cabin and slightly injure several people, officials said. The plane landed safely.
Some people aboard the Asiana Airlines Airbus A321 aircraft tried to stop the person, who was able to partially open the door, the Transport Ministry said.
The person was detained by airport police on suspicion of violating the aviation security law, a ministry statement said. The person's identity and motive weren't immediately released.
The plane with 194 people aboard was heading to the southeastern city of Daegu from the southern island of Jeju. The flight is normally about an hour, and the incident occurred when the plane was reaching the Daegu airport at an altitude of 700 feet.
The passengers included teenage athletes on their way to a track-and-field competition. Some screamed and cried in panic, Yonhap news agency reported, citing their unidentified coach.
Twelve people were taken to hospitals for treatment, according to the Transportation Ministry. Emergency officials in Daegu said the injured people suffered breathing problems and other minor symptoms.
Unexploded WWII bomb found in Poland
WARSAW, Poland -- A large unexploded bomb from World War II discovered in the Polish city of Wroclaw forced the evacuation of 2,500 residents Friday.
The bomb weighing 550 pounds was found near a railway overpass in the city in southwestern Poland during construction work. Poland's armed forces said it was a German SC-250 aerial bomb from the war.
The city organized buses to take the evacuated residents to a safe area while bomb removal experts worked at the scene. Train traffic also had to be halted until the bomb was removed, according to Polish media reports.
During World War II, Wroclaw was the German city of Breslau. It saw heavy fighting and widespread destruction, coming under heavy Soviet bombardment before Germany's surrender. The city became part of Poland when borders were redrawn after the war, with the defeated Germany forced to give up territory.