PUTIN ACCUSES UKRAINE OF CRIMEA BRIDGE 'TERRORISM'

Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of attacking the bridge to Russian-annexed Crimea, saying that it was an "act of terrorism".

President Putin said Ukraine's intelligence forces had aimed to destroy a critically important piece of Russia's civil infrastructure.

He was speaking at a meeting with the head of the Investigative Committee of Russia, Alexander Bastrykin.

Officials say three people were killed in the blast on the bridge.

The victims were in a nearby car when a lorry blew up, Russian officials say.

"There is no doubt, this is an act of terrorism aimed at destroying Russia's critical civilian infrastructure," Mr Putin said.

"Its authors, perpetrators and beneficiaries are the security services of Ukraine."

Mr Bastrykin said that citizens of Russia and some foreign states had aided preparations for the attack.

Ukrainian officials have not indicated that their forces were behind the attack.

But an adviser to Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky, Mykhailo Podolyak, denied Mr Putin's accusation.

He wrote that there is "only one terrorist state here" and that the "whole world knows who it is".

"Does Putin accuse Ukraine of terrorism? It looks too cynical even for Russia," he said.

On Saturday, President Volodymyr Zelensky acknowledged the incident in his nightly address, saying: "Today was not a bad day and mostly sunny on our state's territory."

"Unfortunately, it was cloudy in Crimea. Although it was also warm," he added.

CHINA BEGINS KEY MEETING OF TOP LEADERSHIP AHEAD OF CPC CONFERENCE

Xi is expected to secure an unprecedented third term at the end of the congress, which begins on October 16 and will continue for at least a week.

China on Sunday began a key meeting of its top leadership ahead of 20th national congress of Communist Party of China (CPC), with President Xi Jinping delivering a work report at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Xi delivered the work report on behalf of the CPC Central Committee’s Political Bureau (Politburo), briefing the to the 20th CPC national congress on the draft report by the outgoing 19th CPC Central Committee, the official news agency Xinhua reported.

More than 300 senior CPC officials attended Sunday’s meeting and all attending officials were also expected to be briefed on the outlines of the party’s political and economic policies besides deliberating draft amendments to the CPC constitution.

An official communique said the 19th Central Commission for Discipline Inspection (CCDI) – China’s anti-graft watchdog – was also set to submit a report during the meeting.

Xi is expected to secure an unprecedented third term at the end of the congress, which begins on October 16 and will continue for at least a week. The date on which the new leadership – besides Xi -- will be unveiled is yet to be announced.

Xi, 69, securing a third term means a break from a party custom of leaders retiring at the age of 68.

As many as 2,296 delegates will attend a series of meetings leading up to the and during the congress.

13 CIVILIANS DEAD IN MISSILE HITS ON ZAPORIZHZHIA

Less than a day after an explosion damaged Russia’s bridge to Crimea, a barrage of missiles slammed into civilian areas of the city of Zaporizhzhia overnight and killed at least 13 people, local officials said on Sunday. Ukrainian officials have accused Russia of carrying out revenge attacks on civilian targets as Kyiv’s forces have gained ground on the battlefield in recent weeks. Many were bracing for a severe Russian response to the bridge blast.

Ukraine’s ministry of foreign affairs said on Sunday that Russia had fired 20 missiles on residential areas of Zaporizhzhia, killing at least 13 people and injuring 60, including six children. “These areas have no military purpose,” the ministry said. The missiles destroyed part of an apartment building, Anatolii Kurtiev, the acting mayor of Zaporizhzhia, wrote on Telegram. He said five residences had been destroyed and 40 others damaged. Over 200 rescuers were involved in the operation, the state emergency services said. President Zelensky posted images on Telegram, writing that “the world must see the truth. A missile attack on the civilian population of Zaporizhzhia destroyed residential and private houses, where people just lived, didn’t attack anyone. ”

PROTESTS GO ON IN IRAN AS RIGHTS GROUP SAYS 19 CHILDREN KILLED SO FAR

Protests ignited by the death of a young woman in police custody continued across Iran on Sunday in defiance of a crackdown by the authorities, as a human rights group said at least 185 people, including children, had been killed in demonstrations. Anti-government protests that began on September 17 at the funeral of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, have turned into the biggest challenge to Iran’s clerical leaders in years, with protesters calling for the downfall of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

“At least 185 people, including at least 19 children, have been killed in the protests,” the Norway-based Iran Human Rights said on Saturday.

Authorities have described the protests as a plot by Iran’s foes, including the US.

Videos shared online showed protests in dozens of cities across Iran on Sunday with hundreds of high school girls and university students participating despite the use of tear gas and in many cases live ammunition by the security forces, rights groups said. Avideo posted on Twitter by the activist 1500tasvir showed security forces armed with clubs attacking students at a high school in Tehran. In another, a man shouted “don’t hit my wife, she is pregnant”, while trying to protecther from police in Rafsanjan on Saturday. Amini was arrested on September 13 for wearing “inappropriate attire”. She died three days later. A state coroner’s report said she died from pre-existing medical conditions.

UK MINISTERS URGE PARTY TO BACK UNDER-FIRE PM

London : Four ministers in Liz Truss’s government on Sunday urged conservative colleagues to back the embattled UK PM following a punishing week that exposed deep divisions within the party. Interior minister Suella Braverman, former finance minister Nadhim Zahawi, commons leader Penny Mordaunt and environment minister Ranil Jayawardena all wrote articles warning that they would soon find themselves in opposition unless the party unitedquickly. Fresh polling by Opinium for Observer has put Truss’s personal approval rating at minus47. Cabinet ministers are reported to be joining forces to demand Truss rules out mooted plans to raise benefits in line with wages rather than inflation, The Sunday Times reported.

AFTER FLAK FOR RUSSIA-UKRAINE ‘PEACE’ PLAN, MUSK OFFERS ‘WAY TO END’ CHINA-TAIWAN FEUD

China heaped praise on Elon Musk’s plan for a Hong Kong-like system for Taiwan. In a Financial Times profile published on Friday, Musk said while responding to a question about China, “My recommendation. . . would be to figure out a special administrative zone for Taiwan that is reasonably palatable, probably won’t make everyone happy. ” He added, “And it’s possible, and I think probably, in fact, that they could have an arrangement that’s more lenient than Hong Kong. ” Tesla electric car company operates a large factory in Shanghai. Qin Gang, China’s ambassador to the US, thanked Musk for the proposal,saying on Twitter the “one country, two systems” framework is a basic principle for “resolving the Taiwan question. ” Hours later, foreign ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning affirmed thoseremarks. “Provided that national sovereignty, security and development interests are assured, Taiwan can adopt a high degree of autonomy as a special administrative region,” she told reporterson Sunday. Such a proposal faces growing resistance in Taiwan. Earlier this week, Musk proposed that Ukraine cede Crimea to Russia, that new referendums be held under UN auspices to determine the fate of Russiancontrolled territory, and that Ukraine agree to neutrality. He drew sharp criticism from President Zelensky for his proposal.

DEADLY LANDSLIDES SWEEP AWAY HOMES IN VENEZUELA

Deadly landslides have swept away homes in Venezuela's Las Tejerias city, south of the capital Caracas.

At least 22 people have been reported dead, and a further 52 are missing after the torrential rainfall caused by La Niña weather pattern.

Vice President Delcy Rodriguez visited one of the worst-affected areas on Sunday. Rescue services are working to find those still missing, she said.

President Nicolas Maduro described the situation as "difficult and painful".

About 1,000 emergency personnel were taking part in search and rescue operations, deputy civil protection minister Carlos Perez Ampueda added.

The landslides happened after the El Pato river burst its banks, and the resulting floodwaters swept away several houses and shops.

La Niña is a naturally-occurring event, which involves a cooling of the Pacific Ocean and usually brings wetter conditions to Asia, Africa and Latin America.