Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday arrived in the United States for a crucial visit to present Kyiv's plan to end two and a half years of war with Russia. Zelensky will present his proposals -- which he calls a «victory plan» -- to President Joe Biden, as well as presidential hopefuls Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. The visit comes after a summer of intense fighting: with Moscow advancing fast in eastern Ukraine and Kyiv holding on to swathes of Russia's Kursk region. It also comes as Kyiv has for weeks pressed the West to allow it to use long-range weapons to strike targets deep inside Russia -- so far to no avail. When they meet at the White House on Thursday, Zelensky is expected to try to convince Biden to change his mind. On the first leg of his US visit, Ukraine's president visited a factory in Pennsylvania on Sunday that produces badly needed 155mm artillery shells. «I began my visit to the United States by expressing my gratitude to all the employees at the plant,» Zelensky said Sunday in a post on X, formerly Twitter. The post included photos of him shaking hands with workers at the plant, where he said production had been ramped up. «It is in places like this where you can truly feel that the democratic world can prevail,» he wrote. He will next travel to New York and Washington. Zelensky said the coming weeks would decide how more than 30 months of fighting that has killed thousands would end. «It is now being determined what the legacy of the current generation of states leaders will be. Those in the highest offices,» he said. In comments before his trip, Zelensky said the United States and UK have not given Ukraine permission to use the long-range weapons as they fear escalation, but hinted he had not given up hope. «We have had some decisions in the history of our relationship with Biden -- very interesting and difficult dialogues,» Zelensky said earlier this week, adding: «He later changed his point of view.» Moscow has said it considers such a go-ahead as NATO countries being «at war» with Russia. - 'Fair and stable peace' - A close adviser to Biden said this month that the US leader would use his remaining time in office to «put Ukraine in the best possible position to prevail.» No details on Ukraine's plan have been made public. Zelensky said Biden would be the first foreign leader to see the plan «in full» -- saying it will then also be presented to «all leaders of our partner countries.» Zelensky plans to present the proposals to the US Congress, Harris and Trump. The White House has said he will meet with Democratic Vice President Harris separately from Biden, and Zelensky has said he expects to meet with Republican Trump on Thursday or Friday. Harris has indicated she would continue Biden's policies on Ukraine, while Trump has been hugely critical of Washington's massive aid packages for Kyiv. Zelensky said earlier this week that the plan envisages that «war will not return to us again in an even bigger wave» in years to come. He has said Kyiv plans to hold meetings throughout autumn and that the «entire plan» will be ready by «early November.» The proposals, he told the media Friday, envisage «quick and concrete steps by our strategic partners.» - 'Clear place for Ukraine' - One of those steps, he said, is «related to strengthening Ukraine's weapons capabilities» while another demands a «clear place for Ukraine in the world's security architecture». Zelensky has also said he plans to invite Russia to a possible second international peace summit in November. But Moscow this weekend said it would not attend and referred to President Vladimir Putin's conditions to enter talks: that Ukraine surrender four of its regions. «I think both are still betting on the possibility of a military victory,» UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres told CNN Sunday. Russian attacks on Ukraine killed six people -- including two children -- this weekend, while a strike on the city of Kharkiv wounded 21 people in a residential neighbourhood. Ukraine said it struck two arms depots in Russia, with Kyiv's army saying it hit a key ammunition storage base important to the Russian army's logistics for its invasion. © Agence France-Pressee

The UN's refugee chief questioned Sunday what future awaited the Sudanese people as the country's civil war rages, pushing its people ever further afield including to Uganda and Europe's maritime borders. Since the start of the war in April 2023, «well over 10 million people have been chased away from their homes,» two million of whom fled Sudan, Filippo Grandi told AFP in an interview, ahead of the annual UN General Assembly high-level week. «What's the future for a country like Sudan, devastated by war?» Grandi asked. Grandi's role leading the UNHCR and its 20,000 staff is one of the most important in the United Nations due to the ever-growing number of refugees in the world, and the agency has won the Nobel Peace Prize twice. Grandi said it was «worrying» that «people are starting to move away from the immediate neighborhood,» describing a sharp increase of Sudanese -- around 40,000 -- arriving in non-bordering Uganda. «We have seen at least 100,000 Sudanese arrive in Libya,» Grandi said. «We know that, given the active presence of trafficking networks and also the proximity with Europe, many of them may now try, or are already trying, to take boats on to Italy and other European countries,» Grandi said. - Crisis 'unobserved' by international community - «We have been warning the Europeans,» he added, insisting that humanitarian aid for Sudan was inadequate, and that Sudanese people would continue to leave and would reach more countries. «This crisis is really beginning to impact the whole region in very, very risky ways.» Chad, South Sudan, Ethiopia and the Central African Republic are home to tens of thousands of refugees, while Egypt, where many Sudanese migrants were already living, is home to millions. Sudan's civil war has pitted the army led by general Abdel Fattah al-Burhan against the paramilitary RSF forces of general Mohamed Hamdane Daglo, claiming tens of thousands of lives and plunging 26 million into severe food insecurity. Famine has been declared in Zamzam camp in Darfur near to the city of El-Fasher, where the RSF this weekend launched a large-scale offensive after months of siege. «We have very patchy information about the situation inside,» Grandi said. «(But) we know that there are certain patterns» -- namely that militias, sometimes linked with one of the warring parties or the RSF itself «targets or puts pressure on civilians.» The RSF, with the support of Arab militias, have killed between 10,000 and 15,000 people in the West-Darfur town of El-Geneina alone, UN experts said. «This most grave crisis -- a crisis of human rights, a crisis of humanitarian needs -- passes largely unobserved in our international community,» Grandi said. «Every new crisis chases the other crisis away» -- from Ukraine to Gaza. But even before the deadly war in Gaza, the war in Sudan had been «marginalized» despite its massive impact, he said, condemning the «deficit of interest for crises in Africa,» like those in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Sahel, as «frightening and shocking.» Grandi questioned the outlook for Sudan even if peace was achieved, warning that the Sudanese middle class which had «held the country together had been completely destroyed. »They know that it's over. They've lost their jobs, their homes have been destroyed,« he said. »Many times relatives have been killed. It's atrocious." © Agence France-Presse

Thunder brought as many as 13,000 lightning strikes yesterday with more heavy rain set to hit parts of the country.

Egypt called on its nationals Sunday to leave Somalia’s breakaway region of Somaliland as soon as possible.

Kenya's foreign exchange reserves had reached a new high of 7.85 billion U.S. dollars as of Thursday, marking an increase for the third consecutive week, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) said in its weekly financial market update released Friday evening.

Kenya has pledged to send 600 more police officers to Haiti in the coming weeks to help fight gangs controlling much of the capital, Port-au-Prince, and nearby areas.

In a bold move to blend art, technology, and community service, seven Rotary Clubs and one Rotaract Club in Kingston and St Andrew have collaborated to create a striking mural in the heart of the Kingston Creative Art Walk on Water Lane. The mural...

JPS provided more than $37 million in back-to-school aid across the parishes of St Elizabeth, Trelawny, St Thomas and Kingston and St Andrew, benefiting over 2,000 students in preparation for the 2024-25 academic year. The contribution was a part...

Jamaica’s National Commission on Violence Prevention (NCVP) has submitted a preliminary report to the government and, according to Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness, his administration will be seeking to develop a social consensus around the...

Western Bureau Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr says the 37 senior citizens, all female, who recently completed a 10-week course at HEART NSTA College of Innovation and Technology, international certification in digital...

Last month, OpenAI came out against a yet-to-be enacted Californian law that aims to set basic safety standards for developers of large artificial intelligence (AI) models. This was a change of posture for the company, whose chief executive Sam...

The event will also be attended by First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov, Minister of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov, Minister of Science and Higher Education Valery Falkov and Minister of Digital Development and Communications and Mass Media Maksut Shadayev

«The details will be published later,» the press office said

«Both leaders reaffirmed their commitment to further deepening of the bilateral relations between India and Palestine,» the Indian Foreign Ministry said

The victim of the fatal car accident in Woodlands last Saturday (Sep 21) had just gotten married last year, with his daughter less than a year old. Chen Guosheng, 29, was returning to Malaysia while hitching a ride with a colleague surnamed Zheng (transliteration) last Friday, reported Shin Min Daily News.  The two met with an accident at the junction of Woodlands Avenue 7 and 10 after a BMW collided with the rear of their vehicle.  The force of the impact reportedly threw Chen, a factory worker, out of the vehicle and he was pronounced dead at scene, according to Shin Min. Chen's colleague was arrested for careless driving causing death, according to The Straits Times. Speaking with the Chinese paper at the morgue in Singapore General Hospital, Chen's cousin, also surnamed Chen, shared that the latter was an easy going person who loved joking with his friends.  He was also a very generous person. 

Unconfirmed reports have claimed that Hamas' leader Yahya Sinwar has been killed in an Israeli airstrike. 

Sicilian mafia figure Giovanni Brusca has described himself as a 'monster' in a book to be released on Thursday. Among his victims was anti-mafia prosecutor Giovanni Falcone.

The Director of Public Prosecutions said the anger of the mother and father, who took their son to a police station after learning of his part in the disorder on social media, was punishment enough.

Pregnant Margot Robbie showed off her growing baby bump on Sunday as she stepped out in Santa Monica, California. 

Muehl, called Papa by his followers, built his commune with the belief that humanity's future lay in a life of 'free love' while all his followers had to have sex four times a day.

[WHO-AFRO] Brazzaville -- Widespread flooding in West and Central Africa has affected more than 4 million people, caused extensive damage to homes, schools, health facilities and swaths of farmland, heightening the risk of water-borne diseases, food insecurity and malnutrition.

[The Conversation Africa] South African playwright, academic, novelist and short story writer Nadia Davids is the winner of the 2024 Caine Prize for African Writing. It's an important award that has played a significant role in shaping the career trajectories of numerous African writers. She received the prize for her exquisitely written and disturbing short story Bridling.

[Dabanga] Brussels / El Fasher -- The European Union (EU) is ready to consider additional sanctions, including against those in positions of leadership in Sudan, the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs Josep Borell warned in a statement today, that condemns «the dramatic escalation of fighting» in El Fasher, capital of North Darfur. He also reiterates the EU call on «those who are fuelling the war, particularly regional and international sponsors to cease their support...»

[The Conversation Africa] Lesotho, a small country landlocked by South Africa, has been struggling to make constitutional reforms since the advent of coalition politics in 2012. It needs the reforms to address political instability which has been a feature of the country for more than five decades.

While Typhoon Pulasan may have wreaked havoc in China last week, it didn't stop Max Maeder from claiming his second title in as many races.  The 18-year-old was declared the winner on Sept 22 (Sunday) after the medal series was called off due to strong winds, as he had won eight of the 12 races in the opening series between Sept 20 and 21.  The Straits Times reported that winds exceeded 60kmh and reached gale level on the Beaufort scale.  In doing so, the Paris 2024 bronze medalist reclaimed the Formula Kite Asian Championships title which he last won in 2022. He also won 9,800 yuan (S$1,800).  China's Zhang Haoran and Wu Jiangang finished second and third respectively. Defending champion Huang Qibin finished sixth.  'It was gusty and shifty' The opening series, scheduled for Sept 19 (Thursday), had to be postponed as Typhoon Pulasan made landfall the same day.  According to Chinese state media Xinhua, the maximum wind force (near its centre) reached 25m per second when it struck Daishan Country in Zhejiang province, where the race was held. 

A holiday to China came to a tragic end for one man who died during the trip.  Xie Tianci (transliteration), joined a 87-person tour group travelling to Urumqi, the capital of Xinjiang, China.  He was the owner of Ah Hua’s Kitchen Econ Bee Hoon and Nasi Lemak, located at a coffee shop in Block 826 Tampines Street 81. The 69-year-old ran the business for 35 years before passing it to his children.  He was accompanied by his wife and eight other close friends. The group set off on Sept 6, and were scheduled to return on Sept 17, reported Shin Min Daily News.  On Sept 11 at about 6.30pm, the tour group was preparing to leave after visiting Sailimu Lake when Xie suddenly fainted.  Xie's wife, Chen Zhuhua, told Shin Min Daily News: «I heard someone calling me, saying my husband had fallen down.»  «He was just two steps away from the tour bus. I went over the moment I heard something amiss, and saw him holding his face. There was blood coming out from his nose and mouth. When I tried to open his eyelids and treat him with acupuncture he remained unresponsive.» 

Residents of St James are to benefit from the construction of four additional health centres in the parish. The project, to be funded by the National Health Fund (NHF) at a cost of $500 million, will see centres being built in Farm Heights,...

Custos Rotulorum for Clarendon, Edith Chin, on Friday handed over one of two retrofitted container houses, developed under an initiative she spearheads, to a family residing in Rocky Point in the parish who lost their possessions during Hurricane...

Donald Trump said he would not run again for US president if he loses Read Full Article at RT.com

Ukrainian leader Vladimir Zelensky has lashed out at J.D. Vance in a recent interview Read Full Article at RT.com

The Royal Canadian Mint has introduced its latest Gold Maple Leaf bullion coin – made entirely from gold sourced from a single mine in northern Ontario

SINGAPORE — Investors trying to get their money back from a gemstone scheme which bears the hallmarks of a multi-level marketing programme say they have been stonewalled for years. The investors, who set up a chat group of about 100 participants, include a number of elderly retirees. On Aug 23, about 10 of them turned up at the fourth floor of Ubi Techpark, in Ubi Crescent, and thumped tables and shouted at staff. The police were called in to restore calm. The Straits Times understands that they are looking into the investors' complaints. The investment scheme involved amber gemstones. Investors were awarded points, which could be redeemed for cryptocurrency tokens that promised high returns. Shonna Seow, 42, a business owner, turned up at the Ubi Techpark office on Aug 23 with her parents, who are in their 80s. She said her parents each invested $35,000 in 2017 with Global GC. Her mother told ST in Mandarin: «We didn't earn any profits, not even one cent. We only got a few hundred dollars from introducing new members. They said those were profits, but it was actually only commission.»

JAKARTA — Police in Batam, Indonesia, have arrested a Singaporean for allegedly sexually abusing his underage stepdaughter for more than two years.   Police arrested the 50-year-old man, whom they identified as AH, at his house in Mutiara View housing complex in Sekupang, Batam, Riau Islands, on Sept 7. They also confiscated two mobile phones and a passport, among other items.  «Based on our investigation, the perpetrator had sexual intercourse some 120 times with the victim. He did that repeatedly every week during his return trips to Batam,» Senior Police Commissioner Heribertus Ompusunggu, chief of Barelang precinct police, said on Sept 21. Under Indonesian law, any sexual act with a person under 18, without or with mutual agreement, including through persuasion or lies, is considered a crime. The case came to light after Sekupang police received a report from a friend of the mother of the 16-year-old victim, identified as AF. The alleged sexual abuse began soon after AF, who used to live with her grandmother in Karawang, West Java, moved to Batam to be with her mother in June 2022.

SINGAPORE — When his father did not return home for dinner on Sept 19, his mother waited with concern. But it was not unusual for Lim Choon Siew, 65, to dine out after work and have drinks with friends, said his younger son, Lin Qiyang. At about midnight, the police came knocking at the family's home in Hougang, bringing tragic news — Lim, a carpenter, was one of two victims of a fire that ravaged a signage shop, Amen International, at an industrial building in Kaki Bukit Road 4. Lin told The Straits Times at his father's wake on Sept 22: «My mother has been unstable since the fire and can't sleep. My older brother and I have to be strong for her. But I have many questions about the incident.» The distraught 28-year-old, who works in the technology and sales industry, said he wants to know if a fire alarm or sprinkler system had been triggered by the fire, and whether the two victims heard the fire alarm if it had gone off. The blaze on the fifth floor of the Synergy@KB building occurred just before 1pm, witnesses told ST.

New York, le 22 septembre 2024-Le Président de la Transition, Président de la République, Chef de l'Etat le Général Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema a pris part ce jour à l'ouverture du Sommet de l'Avenir qui se tient parallèlement à la 79ème AGNU. Evènement de haut niveau dont les travaux ont été ouverts par monsieur Philémon Yang, Président de la 79ème session de l'AGNU, le Sommet de l'Avenir rassemble de nombreux dirigeants du monde afin de discuter des questions présentes et futures, (...) - POLITIQUE / SUJET_ECRIT_MAISON