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US authorities are investigating whether a parcel bomb that exploded at a FedEx depot in Texas on Tuesday is connected to a suspected serial bomber.

The incident occurred at 00:30 (05:30 GMT) in Schertz, 65 miles (104km) south of Austin, where four bombs have killed two people in recent weeks.

One person was lightly injured but did not require treatment, police said.

FBI spokeswoman Michelle Lee told CNN the agency believed the blast could be connected to the four previous attacks.

Local media, citing law enforcement sources, reported that the package that detonated in Schertz was addressed to Austin, and had been packed with metal to create shrapnel.

Three of the four previous devices were hidden in parcels left at residential addresses in Austin. Police said another was probably activated by a tripwire, tripped by two men walking along a street in south-west Austin.

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A French citizen employed at the country’s consulate in Jerusalem will appear in court on Monday charged with smuggling weapons to Palestinians.

Israel’s Shin Bet security agency said Romain Franck, 23, was arrested in February. The agency said he used a diplomatic car to evade detection as he smuggled arms from Gaza to the West Bank.

Mr Franck is accused of transferring 70 pistols and two assault rifles. He is one of nine suspects arrested so far. Shin Bet said Mr Franck acted for his own financial gain.

The agency said he received the weapons from a Palestinian employed at the French Cultural Center in Gaza and transferred them to a third person in the West Bank in the course of five trips. « This is a most serious incident, cynically exploiting the immunity and additional privileges extended to foreign representatives to Israel, » the agency said in a statement.

A spokesman for the French embassy in Tel Aviv told AFP news agency: « We take this case very seriously and are in close contact with the Israeli authorities. »

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A British woman volunteer with the all-female Kurdish armed unit the YPJ has been killed in Syria, her father said.

It is understood Anna Campbell, 26, from Lewes in East Sussex, died on 15 March in Afrin, which has been under bombardment by Turkish forces. Dirk Campbell said his daughter was « very idealistic » and « determined ».

Turkey has been fighting Kurdish groups on Syrian territory close to its border since January.

Ms Campbell, who was a qualified plumber in the UK, travelled to Syria in May 2017 to help the Kurds, who were battling the Islamic State group.

Her father said: « She wanted to create a better world and she would do everything in her power to do that. » He added: « I told her of course that she was putting her life in danger, which she knew full well she was doing. « I feel I should have done more to persuade her to come back, but she was completely adamant. »

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Saudi Arabia has warned that it will develop its own nuclear weapon if regional rival Iran acquires one.

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman told US network CBS News his country did not want to acquire nuclear weapons. « But without a doubt, if Iran developed a nuclear bomb, we would follow suit as soon as possible, » he added.

Iran limited its nuclear programme under a 2015 deal with several world powers – but US President Donald Trump has threatened to withdraw from it.

Saudi Arabia and Iran have long been rivals in the Middle East. Each is dominated by different branches of Islam – Sunni for Saudi Arabia, Shia for Iran – and they have historically supported opposing powers in regional conflicts.

In recent years, tensions have escalated over the wars in Syria and Yemen.

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A French judge has issued an arrest warrant for Princess Hassa bint Salman, the daughter of the Saudi king.

Princess Hassa is accused of ordering her bodyguard to beat up a worker at her apartment on Avenue Foch in Paris.

The victim of the alleged assault says he took a photo of the room he was due to work on and was suspected of wanting to sell the images, French media say.

The bodyguard has already been charged in relation to the incident, which took place in 2016.

The alleged victim claims he was punched, tied up and forced to kiss the princess’s feet, and was only able to leave the apartment several hours later, according to AFP.

Princess Hassa, whose brother is Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, was reported at the time to have fled France shortly after the incident.