KYIV –  A Russian attack on a Red Cross vehicle in eastern Ukraine has killed three aid workers, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) confirmed that three of its staff were killed and two were wounded on Thursday when shelling hit the site of a planned aid distribution in the Donetsk region.

“I condemn attacks on Red Cross personnel in the strongest terms. It’s unconscionable that shelling would hit an aid distribution site,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said in a statement, adding: “Our hearts are broken today as we mourn the loss of our colleagues and care for the injured.” All three were Ukrainian citizens, the country’s human rights ombudsman, Dmytro Lubinets, said. Zelenskyy called the incident “another Russian war crime”.

There was no immediate comment from Russia, which routinely says it hits only military targets. ICRC vehicles were struck while staff prepared to distribute wood and coal briquettes to vulnerable households in Viroliubivka village before winter, the organisation said in a statement, adding that because aid distribution had yet to begin, no residents were affected. “Our vehicles are clearly marked with the Red Cross emblem,” the statement said. The UN humanitarian mission to Ukraine said 50 aid workers were killed or injured in Ukraine in 2023, including 11 killed in the line of duty.

Thursday’s strike came just days before Spoljaric is due to carry out a long planned visit to Moscow – her second since Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, ICRC spokesman Jason Straziuso told the AFP news agency. She is due to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other senior government officials to discuss “critical issues in conflicts globally, such as the respect of international humanitarian law, prisoners of war, the fate of the missing and protections for humanitarian workers,” he said. (Al Jazeera)

Photo: A Red Cross truck burns after it was shelled in the village of Viroliubivka in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine. (AP)

ABU DHABI – Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived Wednesday in Dubai for an official visit to the United Arab Emirates UAE at the invitation of the UAE’s Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Upon his arrival, Li said that bilateral ties between China and the UAE have maintained strong growth momentum since the two countries established diplomatic relations 40 years ago, and their friendship has grown stronger and continues to flourish. Li noted that the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in May has drawn a new blueprint for China-UAE ties, charting the course and injecting strong momentum for advancing bilateral relations and cooperation.

Li pointed out that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China-UAE relations have developed comprehensively, rapidly and in depth with practical cooperation in various fields going deeper and cultural exchanges becoming increasingly active. The two countries have maintained close communication and coordination on multilateral platforms, continuously contributing to peace, stability, prosperity and development of the region and the world at large, he said.

Guided by the important consensus reached by the two heads of state and taking the opportunity of the 40th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between the two countries, Li said he looked forward to having in-depth exchanges with UAE leaders and people committed to China-UAE friendship in various sectors to deepen and solidify China-UAE comprehensive strategic partnership and achieve more fruitful results in exchanges and cooperation in various fields.

The UAE is the second and final leg of Li’s four-day tour to the Middle East, which began in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. He chaired the Fourth Meeting of the High-Level Chinese-Saudi Joint Committee in the Saudi capital of Riyadh and paid an official visit to the country.    (Xinhua)…[+]

GUYANA – At least two staff members of the Guyana Marketing Corporation GMC are under investigation after senior management uncovered a massive fraud at the entity which falls under the Ministry of Agriculture. The racket among other things involved the smuggling of chicken and eggs and General Manager of the GMC, Teshawna Lall in a statement said contrary to a press release issued by the Ministry of Agriculture under the guidance of the Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha the initiation of the audit and investigation was led by her.

The internal audit was commenced by Lall and her team, after repeated requests for documentation and reports yielded no results,” the General Manager said. Additionally, Lall said during the internal audit, she identified significant irregularities and discrepancies involving the accountant and the Special Projects Manager. Consequently, she requested an external audit through the Minister of Agriculture’s office. All relevant issues and concerns have been previously discussed with the Minister of Agriculture,” Lall detailed in her statement. She said: “The Guyana Marketing Corporation GMC has proactively addressed the concerns of financial irregularities by starting with an internal audit and investigation. Persistent unresolved issues, despite numerous requests for clarification, necessitated a thorough review. GMC is essential in stabilizing prices and supporting the national economy. Its commitment to maintaining stable pricing for vital commodities is aimed at mitigating the economic impact on consumers,” Lall said.

According to Lall the internal audit will meticulously review the reported irregularities and evaluate the corporation’s financial practices. “GMC remains dedicated to transparency and accountability and is committed to resolving these issues promptly. Additionally, the Guyana Marketing Corporation wishes to remind the general public that GMC is the only authorized body to import Chicken into Guyana. Furthermore, the updates on the investigation will be provided as they become available and GMC appreciates the public’s patience, trust and understanding during this process,” the statement concluded. Earlier in the day the Ministry of Agriculture sought to distance senior officials within the minister’s secretariat from the racket saying that reports online regarding the issue have unsubstantiated information. “We categorically state that the Ministry and its Head Office are not involved in the purchase or sale of chicken or eggs, as implied by the post,” the ministry said.  According to the ministry responsibility for these matters fall under the jurisdiction of the GMC, which is managed by Lall. (Kaieteur News)

Photo Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha. …[+]

PARAMARIBO – “The heat that we are currently experiencing will be worst in October and November. Those months will be the hottest of the year,”  a co-worker from the Weather Service told Times of Suriname. The co-worker predicted that temperatures will soar to 38 degrees maximum and 24 degrees minimum. “The same thing happened in October and November  last year. Those months were also the hottest of that year. Five years ago September and October were the hottest months but this has changed as a result of climate change.” According to the Weather Service, temperatures are currently at 36 degrees. People are being advised to drink a lot of water, to stay out of the sun and to protect themselves by wearing a cap or a hat. Senior  citizens, children and other vulnerable groups are being urged to follow the advice of the Weather Service. The Weather Service also predicted rainfall on some days but warned that the weather will mostly be dry and hot until the end of November. Last year the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture decided to let the pupils of the primary schools and the students of the secondary schools and high schools follow lessons until noon in October and November. It was the first time that the ministry decided to also close the schools earlier in November as a result of the hot weather. The ministry also urged the principals of the nation’s schools to organize water breaks for the students so that they could drink water and remain hydrated…[+]