Saudi to host meeting of new group pushing for Palestinian state

Saudi Arabia is on Wednesday expected to open the first meeting of a new "international alliance" to press for the establishment of a Palestinian state, state media said. The "International Alliance to Implement the Two-State Solution" was unveiled last month on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Saudi state media reported at the time, bringing together Arab and Islamic countries and European countries. This week's meeting in Riyadh is expected to last for two day

Oct. 30, 2024

McDonald's global sales fall on muted demand; E. coli outbreak fallout looms

McDonald's posted a steeper-than-expected drop in quarterly global sales, hurt by muted demand across key markets, including Europe and the United States where it is expected to face more weakness as the burger giant reels from a deadly E. coli outbreak. Shares of the company were down 2.4 percent before the bell on Tuesday even as it beat profit estimates. Global sales fell 1.5 percent in the third quarter, the biggest decline in four years, compared with analysts' average estimate of

Oct. 29, 2024

Trump, Harris lean on traditional bases eight days before US vote

WASHINGTON (AFP) -- A nail-biting US presidential campaign heads into its final week Monday, with polls showing little daylight between the two candidates as they ramp up appeals to their respective bases to turn out and vote. More than 41 million Americans have already cast early ballots ahead of Election Day on November 5, in what is expected to be one of the tightest elections of modern times. Outgoing President Joe Biden will join them in casting his own vote Monday, the White House said. On

Oct. 28, 2024

Israeli strikes on Gaza kill 22, officials say, while truck ramming near Tel Aviv hurts dozens

RAMAT HASHARON, Israel (AP) — Israeli strikes on northern Gaza have killed at least 22 people, mostly women and children, Palestinian officials said Sunday, as the Israeli offensive in the hard-hit and isolated north entered a third week and aid groups described a humanitarian catastrophe. Israel said it targeted militants. In a separate development, a truck rammed into a bus stop near the Israeli city of Tel Aviv, wounding 35 people, according to first responders. Israeli police described

Oct. 27, 2024

What would N. Korean troops mean for the war with Ukraine?

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — US and South Korean officials said Wednesday that there’s evidence North Korea has dispatched troops to Russia in a potential escalation of the nearly 3-year-old war with Ukraine. If the soldiers’ goal is fighting with Russia in Ukraine, it would be the first time a third country puts boots on the ground in the war. Other countries on both sides of the divide have sent military aid, including weapons and training: Iran has supplied Russia with drones, and W

Oct. 24, 2024

[Graphic News] South Korea tops culinary travel destinations in Asia

A recent survey by the digital platform Agoda.com has revealed that South Korea is Asia’s leading culinary travel destination. Among over 4,000 travelers who booked through the platform, 64 percent cited “experiencing Korean food” as their primary reason for visiting. Taiwan closely follows in second place with 62 percent, while Thailand ranks third at 55 percent. Japan and Malaysia come in fourth and fifth, with 52 percent and 49 percent, respectively. In recent years, South

Oct. 24, 2024

UK and Germany sign 'milestone' defense deal

London and Berlin on Wednesday hailed a "milestone" in military cooperation, as they signed a new defense pact that would see German submarine-hunting planes operate from British bases and counter threats from Russia after its full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Europe's two biggest defense spenders said the Trinity House Agreement, signed by defense ministers John Healey and Boris Pistorius, would strengthen NATO's "European pillar" at a time of increased threat from t

Oct. 23, 2024

Hezbollah claims drone attack on Israeli PM's residence

Hezbollah claimed responsibility Tuesday for a drone attack last week targeting the home of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and acknowledged that some of its fighters have been taken captive by the Israeli army. Hezbollah spokesman Mohammed Afif made the remarks during a press conference in Beirut's southern suburbs that was cut short following an Israeli evacuation warning for the area. An Israeli strike hit a target hundreds of meters (yards) away from the site of the conferenc

Oct. 22, 2024

Tunisia's president is inaugurated for a second term following a crackdown on his opponents

Tunisia's President Kais Saied has been inaugurated for a second term, following a monthslong crackdown and string of arrests against his political opponents. Weeks after winning re-election with a 90.7% share of the vote, the 66-year-old former law professor in his inauguration speech Monday called for a “cultural revolution” to combat unemployment, fight terrorism and root out corruption. “The aim is to build a country where everyone can live in dignity,” Saied sai

Oct. 22, 2024

[Graphic News] S. Korea rises to 26th in World Talent Ranking

South Korea ranked 26th out of 67 countries in the World Talent Ranking 2024 report by the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland, scoring 63.56 points. This marks a notable improvement, as the country had previously dropped from 34th in 2021 to 38th in 2022, before rebounding to 34th last year and climbing eight places this year. The ranking scores countries’ development, retention and attraction of a domestic and international highly-skilled workforce to eval

Oct. 17, 2024

Zelenskiy sets out 'victory plan' as Ukraine faces precarious moment

Balmforth KYIV (Reuters) -- President Volodymyr Zelenskiy unveiled his much anticipated "victory plan" on Wednesday, calling on his allies to take urgent steps to bolster Kyiv at a precarious moment in a bid to end the war with Russia next year. As Moscow's forces advance in the east and a bleak winter of power cuts looms, he told parliament his plan contained five main points that were in the hands of his allies, including an unconditional invite to join NATO now and weapons supp

Oct. 16, 2024

[Graphic News] NYC ranked America’s ‘rattiest’ city

New York City has been named the “rattiest” city in the US for 2024, according to pest control company Terminix. The ranking is based on the number of new rat treatment requests, including residential and public spaces. Following NYC, the San Francisco Bay Area, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Washington also made the top five. Rodents are more likely to breed in cities because they can easily find food and warmth, and tend to inhabit densely populated areas. It was also noted that,

Oct. 15, 2024

Biden, Harris, other US officials mark 1 year since Hamas attack

US President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and other officials marked the first anniversary of the Hamas militant group's deadly attack on Israel on Monday, mourning the death of victims and calling for the return of hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza. They issued separate statements, taking stock of what has happened since Hamas militants killed more than 1,200 people, including 46 Americans, and took over 250 people hostage, including 12 Americans, in the Oct. 7 attack. "One

Oct. 8, 2024

Nobel Prize in medicine honors American duo for their discovery of microRNA

The Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was awarded Monday to Americans Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA, tiny pieces of genetic material that alter how genes work at the cellular level and could lead to new ways of treating cancer. The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute, which awarded the prize, said the duo's discovery is “proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function." “Their groundbreaking discovery r

Oct. 7, 2024

At least 14 dead in worst Bosnian floods in years, officials say

KISELJAK, Bosnia (Reuters) -- At least 14 people died in floods in Bosnia and Herzegovina on Friday and many others were missing as torrential rain and landslides destroyed homes, roads and bridges across the center of the country, officials said. The municipality of Jablanica, about 70 kilometers southwest of the capital Sarajevo, where the deaths were reported, was completely cut off after road and railway links were destroyed. Bosnia's inter-ethnic presidency -- a Bosniak, Serb and Croat

Oct. 4, 2024

Israeli airstrikes rock southern suburbs of Beirut and cut off a key crossing into Syria

BEIRUT (AP) -- Israel carried out a series of massive airstrikes overnight, hitting suburbs of Beirut and cutting off the main border crossing between Lebanon and Syria for tens of thousands of people fleeing Israeli bombardment. The blasts in Beirut's southern suburbs sent huge plumes of smoke and flames into the night sky and shook buildings kilometers away in the Lebanese capital. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on what the intended target was, and there was no informati

Oct. 4, 2024

Israel army says it 'eliminated' Hamas leader in Lebanon

JERUSALEM (AFP) -- The Israeli army said Monday its forces "eliminated" Hamas's leader in Lebanon in the latest strike targeting senior members of Iranian-backed militant groups in the neighboring country. "Overnight ... the IAF (air force) struck and eliminated the terrorist Fatah Sherif, head of the Lebanon branch in the Hamas terrorist organization," the military said in a statement. Fatah Sharif Abu al-Amine "was responsible for coordinating Hamas' terror a

Sept. 30, 2024

Israel targets Palestinian group in first strike on Beirut center

BEIRUT -- Israel hit a Beirut apartment block on Monday, killing three members of a Palestinian armed group in its first strike on the city center since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza nearly one year ago. Israel has turned its focus from Gaza to Lebanon in recent days, carrying out attacks on Iran's regional allies. Strikes on Hezbollah targets killed the Iran-backed group's leader Hassan Nasrallah on Friday. Monday's drone attack targeted a "flat belonging to Jamaa Islamiya,&

Sept. 30, 2024

[Graphic News] Ronaldo tops 2024 Instagram earnings list

Soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the highest-paid celebrity on Instagram, according to a survey by British data analyst Hopper HQ. Ronaldo can earn up to $3.43 million per post. Following closely behind is Lionel Messi, while Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner and Dwayne Johnson round out the top five. Hopper HQ reveals how much your favorite celebrities are earning from sponsored posts this year, using internal data, agency rates and publicly available information. Notably, all four membe

Sept. 30, 2024

Nasrallah's killing reveals depth of Israel's Hezbollah penetration

In the wake of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah's killing, Hezbollah faces the enormous challenge of plugging the infiltration in its ranks that allowed its arch enemy Israel to destroy weapons sites, booby-trap its communications and assassinate the veteran leader, whose whereabouts had been a closely guarded secret for years. Nasrallah's killing on Friday came barely a week after Israel's deadly detonation of hundreds of booby-trapped pagers and radios. It was the culmination of a rapid

Sept. 29, 2024