RAMALLAH/JERUSALEM -- Two Palestinians were killed on Friday in an Israeli airstrike targeting a vehicle in Qabatiya, south of Jenin in the northern West Bank.

Kamal Abu al-Rub, the governor of Jenin, said an Israeli drone struck the vehicle near the town's medical complex, burning the vehicle thoroughly. He identified the victims as Mahmoud Kamil and Hamoud Zakarneh.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the strike, saying it was part of a counterterrorism operation in the northern West Bank over the past four days, which involved the IDF, Israel Security Agency, and Border Police forces. (West Bank-Israeli Airstrike-Casualty)

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UNITED NATIONS -- Intensified fighting in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has triggered significant new displacement of civilians and injured nine peacekeepers, a UN spokesman said on Friday.

Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, said UN humanitarians reported that clashes between DRC government forces and the March 23 Movement (M23) rebels in the last three weeks sent more than 35,000 people fleeing violence in Masisi into displacement sites in and around Goma, the capital of North Kivu province. (UN-DRC)

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WILHELMSHAVEN, Germany -- The first container ship of the "China-Europe Express," the fastest direct route connecting Europe and China's Yangtze River Delta region, arrived at its destination at the Jade Weser Port in Wilhelmshaven on Friday.

The "KAWA Ningbo" cargo ship, carrying over 1700 containers of new-energy and other high-value goods, completed its non-stop voyage in 26 days, well below the shipment time of 45 days in the past. (Germany-China-Cargo Ship)

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NEW YORK -- U.S. existing-home sales fell in 2024 to the lowest level since 1995, the second straight year of anemic sales due to stubbornly high mortgage rates, according to local media.

"High costs related to homeownership sapped sales again," reported The Wall Street Journal on Friday. The average rate for a 30-year fixed mortgage has hovered between 6 percent and 8 percent since late 2022, making it prohibitively expensive for many Americans to buy homes at current prices, which hit record highs last year.

Rising home insurance and property tax costs are also adding to homeowners' expenses, it noted. (U.S.-Home Sales) Enditem

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