NEW YORK (AP) — Cruise, the autonomous vehicle unit owned by General Motors, is suspending driverless operations nationwide days after regulators in California found that its driverless cars posed a danger to public safety.

The California Department of Motor Vehicles revoked the license for Cruise, which recently began transporting passengers throughout San Francisco, this week.

Cruise is also being investigated by U.S. regulators after receiving reports of potential risks to pedestrians and passengers.

NEW YORK (AP) — A month after federal officials recommended new versions of COVID-19 vaccines, 7% of U.S. adults and 2% of children have gotten a shot.

One expert called the rates “abysmal.”

The numbers, presented Thursday at a meeting held by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, come from a national survey of thousands of Americans, conducted two weeks ago.

The data also indicated that nearly 40% of adults said they probably or definitely will not get the shot. A similar percentage of parents said they did not plan to vaccinate their children.

26 October 2023; MEMO: The head of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, praised “the position of Russia and China in the Security Council and their thwarting of the biassed American resolution towards the occupation.”

In a press statement, Haniyeh expressed his “appreciation to all countries inside and outside the Security Council that have called for an end to the aggression against our Palestinian people in Gaza.”

VLADIVOSTOK, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that the first module of the Russian Orbital Station could be launched into orbit by 2027, as the International Space Station (ISS) resources are exhausted.

Speaking at a meeting with young scientists and space industry specialists, Putin said that Russia aims to build a complete station, not just a single segment.

MOSCOW, October 27. /TASS/: Moscow is set for active and constructive work within the framework of the 'Caspian Five' (Russia, Azerbaijan, Iran, Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan) in order to strengthen the region's stance as a zone of profitable international cooperation, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Friday.

"Russia is determined for active and constructive work within the ‘Caspian Five’ in order to bolster the region’s position as a zone of peace, harmony, good-neighborliness and fruitful international cooperation," Lavrov said.

GENEVA, Oct 27 (Reuters) - A U.N. committee on racism voiced concern on Friday about a "sharp increase in racist hate speech and dehumanisation" directed at Palestinians by Israelis, including senior officials, since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks.

Israel's diplomatic mission in Geneva criticised the statement which it said "failed all the victims of the October 7 massacre and the victims of antisemitic attacks worldwide".

JERUSALEM/RAMALLAH Oct 27 (Reuters) - Israeli security forces restricted young Palestinians from entering Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem for prayers on Friday and deployed in strength across the Old City and beyond to quell any unrest spilling over from the conflict in Gaza.

In the occupied West Bank, Israeli troops killed four Palestinians during raids, the official Palestinian news agency WAFA said. Two of the dead were identified by militant factions as their members.

BEIJING, Oct 27 (APP): Amid a mounting death toll and expanding humanitarian crisis in the Israel-Palestine conflict, Zhai Jun, Special Envoy of the Chinese Government on Middle East issues, visited Saudi Arabia to advance China’s efforts to cool down the situation.

Zhai told Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Al-Khuraiji during his visit to the country that the current situation between Palestine and Israel was grim.

26 October 2023; MEMO: Israeli Minister Benny Gantz has reportedly told residents of settlements near Gaza that it is possible they might not be able to return to their homes for a year, Israel’s Channel 12 reported yesterday.

TEHRAN, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- The Iranian army's Ground Force started a two-day military drill in central Isfahan Province on Friday, the official news agency IRNA reported.

The drill involves the Ground Force's infantry, armored vehicle, missile, artillery, drone, engineering, cyber security, communication and information technology units, etc., as well as the transport and support aircraft of the army's Air Force, IRNA quoted the exercise's spokesman Karim Cheshak as saying.

MOGADISHU, Oct 27 (NNN-XINHUA) — The Somali government on Thursday approved a bill aimed at enhancing efforts to combat maritime crimes such as piracy and kidnapping, with the goal of ensuring the safety of the country’s extensive coastline for economic activities.

The anti-piracy and anti-kidnapping bill, which outlines severe penalties for individuals involved in maritime crimes, was presented to the cabinet by Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs Hassan Moalim Mohamud. The bill will be submitted to the parliament for approval.

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — The Israeli military on Friday said its ground forces were “expanding their activity” in the Gaza Strip, as the army moved closer to a full-on ground invasion of the besieged territory.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the army’s spokesman, said aerial attacks had been targeting Hamas tunnels and other targets.

“In addition to the attacks that we carried out in recent days, ground forces are expanding their activity this evening,” he said. “The IDF is acting with great force ... to achieve the objectives of the war.”