America reaches Election Day and a stark choice between Trump and Harris

WASHINGTON (AP) -- A presidential campaign marked by upheaval and rancor approached its finale on Election Day as Americans decided whether to send Donald Trump back to the White House or elevate Kamala Harris to the Oval Office. Polls opened across the nation Tuesday morning as voters faced a stark choice between two candidates who have offered drastically different temperaments and visions for the world’s largest economy and dominant military power. Harris, the Democratic vice president,

Nov. 5, 2024

Delhi wants artificial rain to tackle worsening air pollution

India's capital territory of Delhi is keen to use artificial rain to fight air pollution this year, its Environment Minister Gopal Rai said on Tuesday, as deteriorating air quality in the region led to an increase in respiratory illnesses. Large swathes of north India battle pollution each winter as cold air traps dust, vehicle emissions and smoke from farm fires in the breadbasket states of Punjab and Haryana, shrouding the national capital and its suburbs in a toxic haze. Cloud-seeding --

Nov. 5, 2024

Harris, Trump make final appeals to voters on Election Day eve amid tight race

Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her Republican rival Donald Trump made their final pitch to court undecided voters and "get out the vote" on Monday, a day before the high-stakes general election that could reshape America's policy on its alliances, the economy, trade, and other key issues. Vice President Harris and former President Trump held a series of final campaign events, particularly in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which is seen as a must-win battleground

Nov. 5, 2024

EU's Borrell vows to advance security, defense ties with S. Korea

European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Sunday he will discuss ways to advance the EU's security and defense cooperation with South Korea during his visit to Seoul. Borrell, the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, wrote on social media platform X that he arrived in Seoul to co-chair the first Strategic Dialogue with Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul. "Over the past years, we have become even closer partners making significant progress with t

Nov. 3, 2024

Over 7,000 N. Korean troops deployed near border with Ukraine, armed with rifles, mortars

Kyiv's defense intelligence agency has said Russia appears to have deployed more than 7,000 North Korean soldiers, armed with AK-12 rifles, mortar rounds and other assault weapons, to areas near the border with Ukraine. South Korea and the West have warned that North Korean troops in Russia may soon enter into combat against Ukraine that would pose a major security threat to both Europe and the Indo-Pacific region. The Defense Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU) said on Saturday (local time) that

Nov. 3, 2024

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