The Kremlin-orchestrated referendums, which have been widely denounced by Ukraine and the West as shams with no legal force, are seen as a step towards annexation of the territory by Russia. Voting is taking place in the Luhansk, Kherson regions and the partially Russian-controlled regions of Zaporizhia and Donetsk. The vote, which asks residents whether they want their regions to be part of Russia, is certain to go Moscow’s way....

The previously secretive Wagner Group of Russia, a private mercenary force, has opened its first official headquarters in the Russian city of St. Petersburg. The group, controlled by Yevgeny Prigozhin, a close ally of President Vladimir Putin, opened the glossy, glass-fronted high-rise on Friday – topped by a large white “Wagner” sign. The opening of the “Wagner Center” is seen as another step by Prigozhin to publicize his military credentials and take a more public role in shaping Russia’s defense policy....

Thatcher, 84, was invited to Wednesday’s throne speech by longtime friend and Saskatchewan Party MLA for Lumsden-Morse Lyle Stewart. On Monday, the provincial government announced it was relieving Stewart of his duties as legislative secretary. Thatcher, 84, was found guilty in 1984 of the first-degree murder of his ex-wife Joan Wilson, who was found beaten and shot to death in the garage of her home the previous year. He was sentenced to life in prison without parole for 25 years and was granted full parole in November 2006....

Unzählige Wienerinnen und Wiener haben in den vergangenen Tagen Post von der Stadt Wien erhalten. Aber der Inhalt des Briefes war alles andere als angenehm. Wie der „Kurier“ berichtet, sollen die Betroffenen darüber informiert worden sein, dass die Mieten in ihren kommunalen Gebäuden deutlich steigen. Ab Oktober steigen diese um mindestens 100 und im Extremfall sogar um 300 Euro – für viele ein unerschwinglicher Betrag. Als Grund für die plötzliche Mietpreisexplosion wird das Ende der Wohnbauförderung angegeben....

The lawmaker said he wants to return to academia as the country re-evaluates “the radical work stoppage” following the pandemic. “UF is the most important institution in the nation’s most economically dynamic state,” he said in a statement. “Washington’s cooperation is not going to solve these workforce challenges – new institutions and business communities will have to lead this work.” “If UF wants to go big, I’m excited about the wide range of opportunities,” Sasse added....

Although not officially employed by the grocery store, Mickey the cat has been a staple there for the past two years, patrolling the aisles for mice and enjoying the affection of customers. But after someone reported Mickey to the province, Vancouver Coastal Health visited the store. The inspectors said Mickey wasn’t allowed to be there. “It’s here for everything — therapy for all of us in this stressful time,” said Matthew MacDonald, Top Ten’s general manager for 21 years....

ITV News’ Harry Horton reports on the allegations against Sir Gavin Williamson Cabinet minister and South Staffordshire MP Sir Gavin Williamson is facing an investigation into a series of abusive and threatening messages allegedly sent to the then Tory leader, complaining he had been excluded from the Queen’s funeral. Sir Gavin, who was a backbencher at the time, accused Wendy Morton of using the monarch’s death to “punish” senior MPs who were out of favor with Liz Truss’s government....

After the summer weather extended into the fall months this year, winter is fast approaching in BC’s interior. Up to five centimeters of wet snow is forecast to fall over the Okanagan Valley and Kamloops Thursday afternoon and into the evening, with overnight lows expected to hover around freezing. And even more are expected on high-elevation highways like the Coquihalla and the Okanagan Connector. “It’s likely to be snow mixed with rain depending on how warm it gets, but don’t be surprised if we get some accumulation on the road,” said Environment Canada meteorologist Derek Lee....

The annual celebrations in the popular Itaewon nightlife district in Seoul also lacked a central organizing entity, which meant that government authorities were not required to establish or enforce security protocols. District authorities for Yongsan, where Itaewon is located, discussed measures to prevent illegal drug use and the spread of COVID-19 over the Halloween weekend, according to a district press release. However, there was no mention of crowd control. On Saturday, when the tragedy occurred, an estimated 100,000 people were in Itaewon, an area known for its hills and narrow streets....

Wie in den Vorjahren gehen Arbeiter auf die Straße ©APA/HANS PUNZ In stockenden Tarifverhandlungen für die 130.000 Beschäftigten im privaten Pflege-, Gesundheits- und Sozialbereich machten die Beschäftigten am Dienstag mit Betriebsversammlungen und einer Demonstration vom Christian-Broda-Platz zum Ballhausplatz am Nachmittag Druck. Die Gewerkschaften GPA und vida fordern eine Lohnerhöhung von 15 % von den Arbeitgebern, die 7,5 % angeboten hatten. Besonders zu spüren ist die Gewerkschaftsaktion am Dienstag in Wiens Ganztagsgrundschulen: Die Nachmittagsbetreuung fällt wegen Arbeitstreffen der städtischen Freizeitpädagogen aus, der Unterricht endet um 14 Uhr....

Wie die Volksstimme erfuhr, waren auch die B-Junioren des Fußballvereins SV Fortuna Magdeburg in den Unfall verwickelt. Er war auf dem Weg zu einem Meisterschaftsspiel in Mersenburg. Keiner der Schauspieler wurde Berichten zufolge tödlich verletzt. Alle Spieler und Trainer wurden ins Krankenhaus gebracht, teilte der Klub auf seiner Facebook-Seite mit. Der Klub sagte die letzte Veranstaltung der Saison ab, die eigentlich für das Wochenende angesetzt war. Hunderte Einsatzkräfte und drei Rettungshubschrauber waren im Einsatz....

On Monday, 36-year-old Timothy Lee Wilson was found guilty of two counts of falsely imprisoning a child under 13, three counts of aggravated child gun abuse, four counts of aggravated child abuse and one count of child neglect, the prosecutor’s office said. Orange County in a statement to People. The arrest made headlines last year when an employee at Mrs. Potato, Flavaine Carvalho, noticed the boy’s injuries and realized he was the only member of the family not fed at the restaurant....

Futures tied to the Dow Jones industrial average rose 104 points, or 0.32%. Futures tied to the S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 both rose 0.35 percent. Monday’s trading marked the end of what was the best month for the Dow since 1976, up 13.95%, as investors turned away from technology and hedged their hopes on strongmen like banks. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite added about 8% and 3.9%, respectively....

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our journalists around the world Sign up for our free Morning Headlines email Storm Claudio is set to bring gusts of up to 70mph with heavy rain to parts of southern England. The Met Office issued a yellow warning for southerly wind until 8am on Tuesday, saying the weather could cause disruption. As well as strong winds, people across much of England and Wales are facing heavy rain as an additional yellow warning is in place until 8am on Tuesday, bringing the risk of flooding and travel disruption....

Der 30-jährige Soldat hatte am Donnerstag mit seiner in Baden-Württemberg stationierten Einheit ein Bergtraining im Raum Kirchdorf (Raum Tirol) absolviert, als er beim Klettern von einer Steinlawine verschüttet wurde. Am Freitag gelang es den Einsatzkräften, nur die toten Angehörigen des Kommandos Spezialkräfte (KSK) zu retten.

Comment Hurricane warnings are in effect for parts of Florida’s east coast as Subtropical Storm Nicole heads toward the Sunshine State. Confidence is rising that the storm could be near or at hurricane strength as it makes landfall on Florida’s Atlantic coast Wednesday night. Rain, strong winds and coastal flooding may begin along Florida’s east coast early Wednesday, with conditions worsening in the afternoon and especially overnight. Hurricane warnings — representing the threat of winds of up to 74 mph — extend from Boca Raton to the Flagler-Volusia county line....

Forecasters have warned of a possible “extreme threat” to life and property from Noru, also known as Super Typhoon Karding. The storm reached “super typhoon category after a period of explosive intensity,” they said. Although the storm was expected to weaken by Monday as it crossed the main island of Luzon, which includes Manila, and made landfall, officials said it was “very likely” it would “remain a typhoon during landfall....

A lawyer at the Emergency Act inquiry questioned the credibility of convoy leader Tamara Lich on Friday as she disputed documentary evidence and argued she was never told to leave Ottawa or that the protests were illegal. Ms Lich also told the inquest that she did not object to a court order against honking, despite swearing an affidavit challenging the order. argued that she would have followed a court order ordering the protesters to leave despite their failure to follow a previous honking; and said her repeated messages to “hold the line” did not mean the protesters should stay in Ottawa but rather stay “true to your values”....