Hyundai, Kia post record US sales last month amid surging demand for EVs SEOUL, November 4 (AJP) - Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia posted their highest-ever U.S. sales last month, thanks to growing demand for hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs). Hyundai Motor and its affiliate Kia posted record U.S. sales last month, as demand for hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs) continued to grow. The two automakers sold a combined 160,083 vehicles in the U.S. in October, up 9.5 percent from a year earlier, marking their highest-ever sales for the month. Hyu November 4, 2026

SK hynix's US investment hits snag due to US export curbs SEOUL, November 4 (AJP) - SK hynix's planned investment in new chipmaking facilities in New York faces uncertainty amid the U.S. government's delay in approving exports of American-made semiconductor equipment to China, Reuters reported on Wednesday. According to the news outlet, the chipmaker is seeking U.S. approval to ship American-made semiconductor manufacturing equipment to its existing plant in Dalian to expand production and generate additional revenue to help fu November 4, 2026

South Korean space firm Innospace joins defense offset list SEOUL, November 04 (AJP) - South Korean space company Innospace has become the first domestic firm to have its satellite launch service selected for a government program that encourages foreign defense contractors to use Korean products and services, the company said Tuesday. The selection means foreign companies selling weapons to South Korea could potentially use Innospace's launch service to meet their defense offset obligations. Under such arrangements, foreign defense su November 4, 2026

North Korea fires multiple missiles toward East Sea SEOUL, November 04 (AJP) - North Korea fired multiple missiles toward the East Sea from its eastern region, with South Korean and U.S. authorities analyzing their specifications, Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Wednesday. The missiles were launched from the Sondok area in South Hamgyong Province on Wednesday morning and are believed to have flown less than 300 kilometers. The military has yet to confirm the type of missiles, leaving open the possibility that they we November 4, 2026

North Korea's Kim calls for stronger naval capabilities SEOUL, November 4 (AJP) - North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has called for strengthening the country's naval capabilities, citing growing security threats, during an inspection of a shipyard earlier this week, state media reported on Wednesday. According to the state-run Korean Central News Agency (KCNA), Kim visited the shipyard in Nampo on Monday to inspect progress in the modernization of the facility and the construction of a new warship. Kim was quoted as saying th November 4, 2026

Lawmakers debate petition against Britain's under-16 social media ban ZURICH, November 02 (AJP) - British lawmakers on Monday debated a petition opposing the government's plan to ban children under 16 from social media, after it drew more than 217,000 signatures. The debate will not change the plan, because debates on public petitions in Parliament end without a vote. The ban is due to take effect in spring 2027, and the first rules are expected to go before lawmakers by the end of this year. The petition argues that many young people rely November 4, 2026

Leaked emails cast doubt on German far-right leader's Swiss donation account ZURICH, November 02 (AJP) -Leaked internal emails from the far-right Alternative for Germany have raised new questions over whether party co-leader Alice Weidel knew more about an illegal Swiss donation than she has admitted, German media reported. The emails do not settle the matter. Not all of them have been confirmed as genuine, it is unclear whether they refer to the disputed donation, and they do not prove any wrongdoing. Weidel's spokesperson said she stands by every November 4, 2026

Europe prepares Ukraine force as peace talks near ZURICH, November 04 (AJP) -Europe is stepping up preparations for a possible postwar deployment to Ukraine as President Volodymyr Zelenskyy seeks stronger military backing ahead of U.S.-mediated talks with Russia next week. Zelenskyy met German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin on Tuesday to discuss air defense, winter energy supplies and diplomatic coordination. Britain and France meanwhile announced an exercise involving about 2,800 troops from 11 countries to rehearse a pote November 4, 2026

Belgian prime minister offers resignation as budget talks collapse ZURICH, November 03 (AJP) - Belgium's governing coalition has failed to agree on next year's budget, and Prime Minister Bart De Wever offered his government's resignation on Monday. The crisis hits the country that hosts the headquarters of both the European Union and NATO. The government has not yet fallen. Under Belgium's constitutional monarchy, a prime minister's resignation takes effect only if the king accepts it. King Philippe has held off on November 4, 2026

Swiss inflation hits highest level since 2023 as oil prices climb ZURICH, November 03 (AJP) - Inflation in Switzerland rose to its highest level in nearly three years in October, as higher global oil prices pushed up the cost of fuel and heating. Consumer prices rose 1.5 percent from a year earlier, up from 1.0 percent in September, the Federal Statistical Office said Tuesday. The figure was above market expectations. Swiss prices still remain far more stable than in most advanced economies. Inflation was 3.8 percent in the eurozone and 3.7 November 4, 2026