KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — Nepalese authorities said their focus was on finding survivors after a strong earthquake shook districts in northwestern Nepal just before midnight Friday, killing at least 128 people and injuring dozens more.

The death toll was expected to rise as communications were still cut off in many places, officials said Saturday.

“The priority is to find the survivors and take them to hospital,” said regional police chief, Bhim Dhakal, “while we recover bodies of the deceased.”

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia unleashed a wave of nighttime drone and missile attacks across 10 of Ukraine’s 24 regions, Ukrainian authorities said Friday as they prepare for another winter of infrastructure bombardment by the Kremlin’s forces.

Ukraine’s air force said it intercepted 24 of 38 Shahed drones and one Kh-59 cruise missile launched by Russia.

KYIV, Nov 4 (Reuters) - European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on Saturday that Ukraine had made "excellent progress" towards EU accession, days ahead of a key report on Kyiv's membership bid.

Standing next to President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, she said Ukraine had reached many milestones despite the war with Russia, highlighting Kyiv's judicial reforms.

"I must say you have made excellent progress," she told a joint news conference in Kyiv.

ST. LOUIS (AP) — For Sat PMs—Most members of Congress have stood firmly behind Israel since the Hamas attack last month, but not Cori Bush. The Missouri Democrat called Israel’s response a “war crime” and an “ethnic cleansing campaign,” and was among the few House members who opposed a resolution supporting Israel.

Her unwavering stance has angered some in her district. St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell on Monday dropped a U.S. Senate bid to challenge Bush in next year’s 1st District Democratic primary, and moderate Democrats believe he could win.

ANKARA, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he would try to facilitate the parliamentary ratification of Sweden's NATO membership as much as possible, but added that Stockhom had still not taken sufficient action on Kurdish militants.

Erdogan submitted a bill approving Sweden's NATO membership bid to parliament for ratification last month, a move welcomed by the alliance and Stockholm. Turkey had initially raised objections due to what it said was Sweden's harbouring of groups it deems terrorist.

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with Arab foreign ministers Saturday to find ways to ease Gaza’s growing humanitarian crisis. His mission is complicated by Israel’s insistence there can be no temporary cease-fire until all hostages held by Hamas are released.

ROME, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- At least six people died and one went missing in Italy on Friday, as Storm Ciaran battered the country's northern and central regions with heavy rainfalls and flooding.

The government declared a state of emergency for several areas in Tuscany, which has seen the worst flooding so far, and allocated 5 million euros (5.3 million U.S. dollars) to rescue and aid activities.

The provinces included in the emergency scheme are Florence, Livorno, Pisa, Pistoia, and Prato, the cabinet said in a statement.

ANKARA, November 4. /TASS/: Turkey’s ambassador has been recalled from Israel for consultations, the Turkish Foreign Ministry told reporters.

"In the wake of the unfolding humanitarian tragedy in the Gaza Strip caused by Israel’s incessant attacks on civilians and also by Israel’s rejection of appeals for a ceasefire and the unimpeded access of humanitarian aid, it has been decided to recall our Ambassador to Tel Aviv, Sakir Ozkan Torunlar, to Ankara for consultations," the ministry said.

WASHINGTON, Nov 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives easily passed a bill on Friday to bolster sanctions on Iranian oil in a strong bipartisan vote.

The Stop Harboring Iranian Petroleum (SHIP) bill, which passed 342-69, would impose measures on foreign ports and refineries that process petroleum exported from Iran in violation of U.S. sanctions.

BEIRUT, Nov 4 (Reuters) - Lebanon's Hezbollah said it carried out simultaneous attacks on Israeli positions at the Lebanese border on Saturday, as residents of south Lebanon reported some of the fiercest Israeli strikes yet during weeks of cross-border clashes.

The Israeli army said its warplanes had struck Hezbollah targets in response to an earlier attack from Lebanese territory, and was accompanying the air strikes with artillery and tank shelling.

ADDIS ABABA, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) has called on the African continent to build a new social contract to ensure sustainable development.

A new social contract that will boost fair and equal opportunities for citizens is a must to accelerate sustainable development in Africa, a UNECA statement issued late Thursday quoted Claver Gatete, the new executive secretary of the UNECA, as saying.

MOSCOW, November 4. /TASS/:The ruble exchange rate has stabilized and will remain within existing norms, Russia’s Finance Minister Anton Siluanov said.

"We can now see that the exchange rate has stabilized. We believe it will remain somewhere within these parameters. So, the budget rule, fiscal stability, and control over the operations of foreign economic activity agents all have an impact on the currency rate," he said.