April 5, 2023

This is TRT World’s Daily News Brief for Wednesday, April 5th. *) Israel strikes Gaza after troops storm Al Aqsa Mosque, attack worshipers Israeli planes have struck Gaza in response to rocket fire from the Palestinian enclave after Israeli police raided the Al Aqsa Mosque compound overnight. Hamas Radio reported that the Israeli strikes hit several targets within Gaza city and in a refugee camp. There were no immediate reports on casualties. The air strikes come after Israeli troops stormed Islam's third holiest site in occupied East Jerusalem while Palestinians pray on the second week of Ramadan. Witnesses and Palestinian Red Crescent also reported that Israeli troops have beaten up worshipers, leaving many wounded, raising fears of wider tensions. *) France, US want to engage China to end Russia-Ukraine conflict French President Emmanuel Macron and US President Joe Biden have agreed in a phone call to engage China to hasten the end of the war in Ukraine. The Elysee said the leaders both hoped China could contribute to solidarity efforts ahead of a visit by Macron to Beijing from Wednesday to Friday. The latest push to end the war comes as Ukraine’s armed forces repelled 45 Russian attacks during the past 24 hours while fighting raged in and around the city of Bakhmut. *) Taiwan leader set to meet US House Speaker despite China warning Taiwan has pushed back against threats of retaliation by China, ahead of an expected meeting between the self-ruled island's president and the US House speaker. The meeting on Wednesday comes during a stopover for President Tsai Ing-wen, after her two-country trip in Latin America. China warned US House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who is second in line to the US presidency, that he was "playing with fire" by meeting Tsai. *) Donald Trump slams criminal charges as 'insult to our country' Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts in a hearing in New York that began the countdown to the first ever criminal trial of an American president. Manhattan prosec