Turkey's foreign minister on Thursday ruled out sending troops to confront Yemen's Houthi forces, despite a defense pact with Saudi Arabia.

"This is a defense agreement," said Hakan Fidan. "This is not an offensive agreement. That is, Turkey will not send its troops to another country's territory to launch an attack."

High school students across France launched a fresh day of protests on Thursday, despite government attempts to ease the crisis.

Amid a growing outcry, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced Wednesday that the model of stun grenade suspected of mutilating a teenager in Lens will no longer be used against high schoolers, in light, he said, of a "strong possibility" that such a weapon was involved in ripping off the pupil's hand.

South Korea said Thursday it will recall its ambassador to Ukraine in response to a deepening diplomatic row over the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war to Seoul.

"The government has decided to recall its ambassador to Ukraine. The government hopes that all outstanding issues between the two countries will be resolved amicably and will continue consultations with the Ukrainian side to that end," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

Israel said the British consulate in Jerusalem ended its functions on Thursday but that seven diplomats would be allowed to remain in a limited capacity, with the UK saying it would continue to offer "vital services".

The move comes after Israel ordered the closure of the consulate in September as retaliation after London led Western sanctions over violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

Crude prices soared more than three percent Thursday after a report said the White House has asked the Pentagon to draw up options to hit sites in Iran ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.

Global benchmark Brent surged 3.6 percent to $103.80 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate was up 3.4 percent at $91.27, fueling fresh fears about a spike in inflation.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon said one of its posts was targeted on Wednesday near the border with Israel by small-arms fire, but there were no casualties.

"This morning, several rounds of small arms fire impacted a UNIFIL position near Kfarshouba along the Blue Line in Sector East," the U.N. force said in a statement, referring to the de facto border between Israel and Lebanon.

The International Monetary Fund is preparing to offer support to countries exposed to the effects of El Nino, the organization's director Kristalina Georgieva told AFP on Wednesday, expressing concern about food security.

The western world must embrace "national power" and technological innovation or risk sliding into decline, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio was set to warn on Wednesday during a visit to Greece.

A Palestinian man was killed and nine people were injured during an Israeli settler attack followed by army intervention in an occupied West Bank village on Wednesday, according to the mayor and the Palestinian health ministry.

A court Wednesday ordered ex-German spy chief August Hanning to remain jailed after his arrest on suspicion of espionage and treason, along with a former deputy who allegedly supplied him with secret files.