📹 Refugees from Donbass who are in temporary accommodation centers in Russia's Rostov region told Sputnik that they have always considered themselves Russian and that they will definitely take part in the referendum on joining Russia to confirm this

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🇺🇸 A horrifying story in New York City: human remains were found inside a Brooklyn apartment. The body parts are believed to belong to a 22-year-old woman, media report.

❗📹 A resident of Nikolaev told Sputnik that a majority of people would vote for joining Russia if a referendum similar to those in the DPR, LPR, and Kherson and Zaporozhye regions were held in the city

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😏 Boris Johnson suddenly thanks Vladimir Putin for his “inspirational leadership” while giving his first major speech as a backbench MP during a Commons debate

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The West builds its policy towards Volodymyr Zelensky according to the principle "he's a son of a b*tch but he's our son of a b*tch," Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, speaking at the UN Security Council on Ukraine.

The expression Lavrov quoted is attributed to US President Franklin Roosevelt, who said it in reference to Anastasio Somoza Garcia, a Nicaraguan leader who was given political support by the US for his anti-communist views.

🔎The U.S. Federal Reserve on Wednesday enacted the third consecutive three-quarter-point rate hike. It signaled a more hawkish path ahead as it continued to ramp up its fight against surging inflation.

The central bank cautioned strongly against prematurely loosening policy and acknowledged that getting inflation under control could push up unemployment and inflict hardship on households and businesses. Economists warn that Americans should brace for more pain as recession risks grow.

My main message had not changed since Jackson Hole," Fed Chair Jerome Powell said at a press conference Wednesday afternoon, referring to his annual policy speech in late August when he said the historical record cautions strongly against "prematurely loosening policy."

"The FOMC is resolved to bring inflation down, and we will keep at it until the job is done," Powell said.

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💥🚗According to an early estimate released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), in the first half of 2022, U.S. traffic deaths rose to 20,175, a 0.5 percent increase and the highest number killed nationwide's roads since 2006.

However, this week officials said traffic deaths dropped by 4.9 percent in the second quarter of 2022, the first decline after seven consecutive quarters of year-over-year increases in fatalities, but still higher than pre-pandemic levels.

"Despite the second-quarter decline, the number of people dying on roads in this country remains a crisis," said Ann Carlson, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration general counsel.

In a statement issued this week, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the U.S. needs safer drivers, vehicles, roads, and speed limits, adding, "These deaths are preventable, not inevitable, and we should act accordingly."

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🇷🇺 Russian FM Sergey Lavrov also had a one-on-one meeting with Foreign Minister of 🇿🇦 South Africa Dr Naledi Pandor on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly.

🇭🇺 Péter Szijjártó, Hungary's Minister of trade and foreign affairs said "I was just looking for you", when he was entering 🇷🇺 Russian FM Sergey Lavrov's office at the 🇺🇳 UN General Assembly on Thursday evening. Lavrov asked him whether most reporters covering the meeting came with Szijjártó.

🔹US President Joe Biden and his Philippine counterpart, Ferdinand Marcos Jr, underscored their support for freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea on Thursday in response to China’s efforts to exert its influence there.

Biden and Marcos Jnr held their first face-to-face talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly. Marcos Jr, son of the late Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos, took power in June.

“The leaders discussed the situation in the South China Sea and underscored their support for freedom of navigation and overflight and the peaceful resolution of disputes,” the White House said in a statement after the talks.

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🏙Singapore overtakes Hong Kong in new global financial center rankings. The city jumped third place behind New York and London in the latest Global Financial Centres Index. The semi-annual survey by the China Development Institute and the London think tank Z/Yen Partners evaluates 119 financial hubs.

Singapore ranks among the world’s leading international financial centers as the latter city moves closer to ending its strict hotel quarantine rules for arrivals. It is one of several measures to control the coronavirus pandemic that has weighed on the local economy.

Hong Kong ranked fourth in the 32nd edition of the semi-annual Global Financial Centers Index, produced by the China Development Institute in Shenzhen and the London think tank Z/Yen Partners. New York was ranked as the top financial center, followed by London and Singapore.

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Sergey Lavrov's final meeting on the sidelines of the 🇺🇳United Nations General Assembly on Thursday was with the 🇺🇳 UN Secretary General Antinio Guterres. More bilaterals scheduled for Friday.

😷U.S. health officials say 4.4 million Americans have rolled up their sleeves for the updated COVID-19 booster shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention posted the count Thursday as public health experts bemoaned President Joe Biden's recent remark that "the pandemic is over."

The White House said more than 5 million people received the new boosters by its estimate, which accounts for reporting lags in states.

Health experts said it is too early to predict whether demand would match up with the 171 million doses of the new boosters the U.S. ordered for the fall. A temporary shortage of Moderna vaccine caused some pharmacies to cancel appointments while encouraging people to reschedule for a Pfizer vaccine.

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📈📉According to the latest numbers from the U.S. Labor Department, more Americans filed for unemployment last week. Applications for unemployment benefits for the week ending Sept. 17 rose by 5,000 to 213,000.

To tame inflation, the Federal Reserve has announced another 0.75% interest rate hike. It's meant to slow down demand, outpacing supply, but slowing the economy is expected to eliminate some jobs.

Lead economist at Zip Recruiter Sinem Buber says employers face an uphill battle as nationwide labor shortages continue. While the latest unemployment report shows a slight increase in claims, it's still near a record low, at 3.7%. Before the pandemic, the last time the U.S. had that unemployment rate was in Aug. 2017.

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American weapons manufacturer, Raytheon Missiles & Defense, has received a contract worth $985Mln from the US Air Force to development and deliver hypersonic cruise missiles, the Pentagon said

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⚡️Referendum on joining Russia starts throughout the DPR, Election Commission told Sputnik

Ukrainian soldier wants to hang on oaks the friends he grew up with and kill if he gets back to Kakhovka

⚡️A boat carrying 41 Chinese citizens has capsized off the coast of Cambodia, an official said. Only 18 have been rescued, leaving 23 missing

❗️A deadly outbreak of cholera has spread through northern Syria over the past two weeks. The Ministry of Health reported 23 deaths from the disease in Aleppo.

The ministry added that it is carrying out an epidemiological study of the disease, and investigating suspected cases and samples, as well as conducting preventative measures for those who have come into contact with the disease in an attempt to contain the outbreak.

The number of suspected cases of cholera is at 2,867 and rising. The western countryside of Deir ez-Zor has been the worst hit area

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