WASHINGTON (AP) — As new Speaker Mike Johnson grabbed hold of the House gavel, he made a plea for Americans to “give me a chance” before making up their minds about the newcomer’s ability to lead the far-right House Republican majority that elected him to power.

What Johnson has shown in his first big test as the House passed a nearly $14.5 billion military aid package to Israel is that the easy-going social conservative is more than eager to lift up the priorities of his right flank rather than reach toward the political center in the name of compromise.

JERUSALEM, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met Friday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his war cabinet in Tel Aviv as Israel pressed ahead with its offensive against Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

It was Blinken's fourth visit to Israel since the fighting erupted on Oct. 7. He was shown an Israeli army video that purportedly documented part of the killing of Israeli civilians by Hamas on the first day of the conflict, according to a statement from Netanyahu's office.

SYDNEY, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- A light plane crashed in the Australian state of Queensland on Saturday, resulting in the deaths of three people.

According to Queensland Police, at about 2:30 p.m. local time, emergency services were contacted by a member of the public about a crash having occurred near a mine site about 40 kilometers northwest of McKinlay, an outback town in the state's northwest.

A rescue helicopter located the wreckage from the air while the ground crew made their way to the site.

SENECA, S.C. (AP) — A driver tried to crash through the exit gates of a South Carolina nuclear plant Thursday night about an hour after security asked the same car to leave when it tried to enter, authorities said.

A pop-up security barrier stopped the car with an Arkansas license plate at the Oconee Nuclear Station near Seneca around 8 p.m., Oconee County Sheriff’s spokesman Jimmy Watt said in a statement.

FRANKFORT (Kentucky, US), Nov 4 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Two workers were killed after an 11-story building collapsed in Kentucky earlier this week, trapping the men under concrete and steel and triggering a days-long rescue effort.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced Friday afternoon that both workers who were trapped in a Martin County coal preparation plant had died.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The Army reservist who opened fire inside at a bowling alley and a bar in Lewiston, Maine, before disappearing was alive and possibly on the run during a good portion of the massive search that followed, according to a conclusion from the state medical examiner’s office released Friday.

MANILA, Nov 4 (Reuters) - The Philippines' National Security Adviser on Saturday rejected talk of a plot to destabilise the government of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, saying the military and entire security sector were loyal to the commander-in-chief.

"Yes, there were healthy and passionate exchanges (and) debates among some retired or former military officers and even some criticism against certain policies of the current administration, but they are within the bounds of our democratic space," National Security Adviser Eduardo Año said.

WASHINGTON, November 4. /TASS/: Israel has significantly refined its plan for the military operation in the Gaza Strip following talks with Washington, a senior US official said.

The official said the "very direct" talks are happening all the time and the Israelis "have significantly refined what originally was their plan."

The US and Israel have conversations every time "when there are incidents," the official said at a news conference.

"We have regular discussions with the Israelis, offering them some advice from our hard experience," he said.

PUTRAJAYA (Malaysia), Nov 4 (NNN-Bernama) — The Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida will undertake a Working Visit to Malaysia on Nov 4-5, marking his first visit to Malaysia since his appointment as Japan’s Prime Minister in Oct 2021. 

Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) in a statement on Saturday said Kishida is scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting with his Malaysian counterpart Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim where both leaders are expected to review the progress of bilateral relations.

Nov 3 (Reuters) - Several U.S. MQ-9 Reaper drones have been orbiting over Gaza amid Israeli strikes and military activity there, U.S. officials and a source have told Reuters, and the flights are part of an effort to help locate hostages, 10 of whom are said to be from the United States.

Below is a description of the MQ-9 drone based on information from the Air Force and its maker, General Atomics.

WHAT IT DOES AND WHO OWNS IT:

Nov 4 (Reuters) - Hamas has prepared for a long, drawn-out war in the Gaza Strip and believes it can hold up Israel's advance long enough to force its arch enemy to agree to a ceasefire, two sources close to the organization's leadership said.

WASHINGTON, November 3. /TASS/: The US Administration provides another aid package to Ukraine worth $125 million, which will include air defense systems, weapons and vehicles, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced.