Jerusalem  - A Palestinian stabbed to death an elderly Israeli passerby Thursday in the Jewish settlement of Gilo, south of Jerusalem, Israel Radio reported.

The Palestinian was stopped by two police officers and asked to identify himself, but he drew a knife and stabbed one of the officers.

The officer then shot the stabber, but he escaped and while running away fatally stabbed a second Israeli, a civilian in his 80s, whom he ran into, a witness who chased after the attacker and overpowered him said.

Berlin  - Giant German carmaker Daimler AG became the first of the country's key auto groups Thursday to report its third-quarter results, reducing its earnings forecast again in face of deepening

Taipei- Taiwan said Thursday it has set November 3 as the date for it and China to begin a second round of high-level talks in Taipei, despite a recent attack on a Chinese envoy by pro-independence activists during his Taiwan visit.

"After a series of discussions between our two sides, the Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF) has strongly suggested that the meeting held on November 3" in Taipei, said Lai Shin-yuan, chairwoman of the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC).

Damascus - The Syrian government Thursday hailed a visit from the European Union's chief diplomat as a sign that its foreign policy is reaping successes.

"With the visit of (EU foreign policy chief Javier) Solana, Europe has truly and officially announced that it wants to open up to Syria," said Buthaina Shaaban, spokeswoman for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, after the meeting between the two men.

Shaaban went on to say that the EU's position was "only natural, given the positive and stable role that Syria is playing in the region."

Seoul- South Korean automaker Hyundai Motor Co on Thursday reported a 38-per-cent drop in third-quarter profits because of falling sales and strikes that caused drops in its production.

Net income fell to 264.8 billon won (187 million dollars) from 425.5 billion won in the same quarter in 2007.

Sales shrank 14.5 per cent to 6.1 trillion won.

Despite the decrease, the earnings were higher than analysts had expected, and Hyundai also held to its sales projection for the year of 33 trillion won.