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This is VOA news. I'm Marissa Melton.
The U.S. State Department says it condemns Gaza militants rocket attacks on Israel and supports Israel's right to self-defense. The statement was issued Saturday after Palestinian militants fired more than 200 rockets into Israel, drawing retaliatory fire. Three Palestinians were killed and three Israelis were wounded. The United States called for an immediate cessation of what it called Islamic jihad from Gaza and said Israeli citizens have a right to defend themselves. Earlier in the day, Turkey's foreign minister said Israeli forces targeted a building in Gaza where the offices of Turkey's state-run news agency are located. He called the attacks a crime against humanity. U.S. federal transportation authorities say a Boeing 737 jetliner that skidded off a runway and ended up in a river Friday had no prior record of accidents. The accident took place in a heavy thunderstorm at Jacksonville, Florida, naval air station as the plane traveled from Cuba to north Florida. One hundred thirty-six passengers were on board. Captain Mike Connor, the commanding officer at the naval air station, says a number of people were transported from medical attention but only one was hospitalized. "There was a dependent 3-month-old child. It was, the child was admitted to hospital as a precaution for observation overnight and last I checked this afternoon. The child was to be released." While all the humans made it out alive, several pets riding in the plane's cargo hold are believed to have died. National Transportation Safety Board Vice Chairman Bruce Landsberg said investigators will examine the aircraft, the environment and human factors as they try to figure out how the crash happened. For this and the latest news around the clock, get visit us at voanews.com. This is VOA news. North Korea says it has tested long-range multiple rocket launchers and tactical guided weapons a day after Pyongyang appeared to have launched its first short-range missile in more than a year. The Korean Central News Agency called Saturday's action a strike drill that was overseen by Korean leader Kim Jong Un. KCNA said the tests in the East Sea also known as the Sea of Japan aimed to estimate and inspect the operating ability and the accuracy of striking duty performance of the weapons. Reuters Michelle Hennessy has more on Saturday's launch. The last known launch by North Korea was at the end of 2017. Since then, it declared the building of its nuclear force complete and extended an olive branch to the South and the U.S. Kim had vowed not to test nuclear weapons or intercontinental ballistic missiles but the North has conducted other weapons tests since then, including a test of what is called a tactical guided weapons system in April. The White House said it's aware of North Korea's actions and it will continue to monitor the situation. That's Reuters Michelle Hennessy reporting. Thailand has crowned a new king. AP's Sarah Bassett reports. In the anointment ceremony, King Maha Vajiralongkorn wore gold-embroidered royal vestments while sitting on an octagonal throne. He placed a tall golden crown atop his head as horn sounded and saluting cannons fired outside the palace. The end of the ceremony saw the monarch being presented with a nine-tiered white umbrella of state, symbolizing his full consecration. The coronation represents a renewal of the monarchy's power after the October 2016 death of the king's revered father. I'm Sarah Bassett. A horse named Maximum Security has won the 145th running of the Kentucky Derby. Country House finished second and Code of Honor was third. An inconvenient rain fell much of the day Saturday, making for a track gauged as sloppy. The Kentucky Derby is the first of three annual horse races that have become known as the Triple Crown. The second contest is the Preakness Stakes to be held (on) the third Saturday in May and the Belmont Stakes will follow three weeks later. SpaceX launched a load of supplies to the International Space Station on Saturday following a pair of unusual power delays. A Falcon rocket raced into the predawn darkness carrying a capsule with 2,500 kilograms of supplies and experiment material for the six-person crew on the orbiting space station. (The) cargo is expected to arrive at the space station on Monday. The recycled capsule is making its second space trip. I'm Marissa Melton, VOA news. |