MOSUL, Iraq (AP) — As they watched the bride and groom start their slow dance, Faten Youssef imagined the future wedding of her son, seated next to her at a reception table. Within moments, however, disaster struck when an inferno erupted that would leave nearly 100 dead in the northern Iraqi wedding hall.

As the dance began, a ring of pyrotechnics machines on the floor released fountains of sparks into the air. As the music played, ceiling panels above the machines burst into flames.

MOSCOW, September 27. /TASS/: The accusations against Russia presented in the report of the UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine are groundless and do not withstand any criticism, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia on Wednesday accused Ukraine’s Western allies of helping plan and conduct last week’s missile strike on the Black Sea Fleet’s headquarters on the annexed Crimean Peninsula.

“There is no doubt that the attack had been planned in advance using Western intelligence means, NATO satellite assets and reconnaissance planes and was implemented upon the advice of American and British security agencies and in close coordination with them,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said at a briefing.

ASUNCION, Sept 27 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Paraguayan President Santiago Peña insisted that if the trade deal between Mercosur and the European Union is not operational by Dec 6 there would be no agreement at all after he takes over the South American Common Market (Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay) bloc’s pro-tempore presidency.

“I have said and I have transmitted this to President [Luiz Inácio] Lula [da Silva] to close the negotiation because if he does not close, I am not going to continue in the next semester,” Peña told the Financial Times at his residence in Asunción.

ZURICH, Sept 27 (Reuters) - Germany has welcomed a decision by neutral Switzerland to open the way to sell back some of its German-made Leopard II tanks to help rebuild stocks depleted by aid to Ukraine.

Germany had asked Switzerland in February to sell back some of the 96 Leopard II tanks it has in storage to manufacturer Rheinmetall AG (RHMG.DE).

To comply with Swiss neutrality laws, Berlin has assured Bern the weapons would not go to Kyiv, but remain in Germany or with a NATO or European Union ally.

BEIJING, Sept 27, (APP): “The 2nd SCO Pharmaceutical Cooperation Development Conference has demonstrated the commitment of member states to foster international cooperation in the pharmaceutical industry. Through this platform, SCO member states aim to promote mutual benefits, strengthen regulatory frameworks, encourage research and development collaboration, and expand market access,” highlighted Asim Rauf, CEO of Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP).

ISTANBUL, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police detained at least 12 suspected members of the Islamic Stated (IS) and Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) in Istanbul, local media reported on Wednesday.

The state-run Anadolu news agency said the suspects have allegedly carried out activities in Istanbul on behalf of the IS and HTS.

Following technical and physical surveillance, Turkish anti-terror teams detected the suspects' identities and launched simultaneous raids on 14 addresses across the city Wednesday, it added.

YANGON, Sept 27 (NNN-MNA) – Myanmar authorities seized 12.55 million stimulant tablets worth over 18.8 billion kyats (over 8.95 million U.S. dollars), in the central region of Mandalay, according to the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control (CCDAC), late yesterday.

Acting on a tip-off, anti-narcotic police searched a vehicle in Patheingyi township of Mandalay region, last Thursday and confiscated the drugs.

Three suspects were arrested for the case, the committee said.

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Azerbaijan said it arrested the former head of Nagorno-Karabakh’s separatist government as he tried to cross into Armenia on Wednesday along with tens of thousands of others who have fled following Azerbaijan’s 24-hour blitz last week to reclaim control of the enclave.

The arrest of Ruben Vardanyan was announced by Azerbaijan’s border guard service. It appears to reflect Azerbaijan’s intention to quickly and forcefully enforce its grip on the region after the military offensive that has prompted a rapid exodus of ethnic Armenians.

KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 27 (NNN-Bernama) — Malaysia’s economy is expected to continue to moderate in the near term based on data in July and August, according to the Department of Statistics Malaysia (DOSM).

DOSM noted that Malaysia’s economy exhibited moderate growth during the first half of 2023, expanding by 4.2 per cent.

Chief statistician Mohd Uzir Mahidin said the half-year performance came after a 5.6 per cent growth in the first quarter and 2.9 per cent in the second quarter.

JUBA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Tuesday night appointed Angelina Teny as minister of interior.

Kiir, who announced the appointment in a presidential decree broadcast on the state-owned television, the South Sudan Broadcasting Corporation, also replaced Deputy Minister of Interior Peter Puok Koang with Marial Gumke.

Teny, who is the wife of First Vice President Riek Machar, was sacked by Kiir in March as minister of defense and veteran affairs.

TOKYO, Sept 27 (NNN-NHK) – The construction of the Torch Tower, Japan’s new tallest skyscraper in central Tokyo, kicked off today, according to the property developer.

Located across the street from Tokyo Station, the structure, which will soar to approximately 390 metres upon expected completion in the fiscal year 2027, is set to be Japan’s tallest by surpassing its urban neighbour, the 330-metre Azabudai Hills Mori JP Tower.