UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 21 (Xinhua) -- World leaders on Thursday, the third day of the General Debate of the UN General Assembly, stressed the central role of the United Nations and the need to reform the organization to make it fit for purpose.

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said the principles of the UN Charter have a bearing on the survival of human civilization.

(AP) --- The United Auto Workers expanded its strike against major automakers Friday, walking out of 38 General Motors and Stellantis parts distribution centers in 20 states.

Another 5,600 additional workers joined the strike on top of the 13,000 of the 146,000 members that began the strike one week ago.

Ford was spared additional strikes because the company has met some of the union’s demands during negotiations over the past week, said UAW President Shawn Fain.

20 September 2023; MEMO: Israel Police reported this morning that a tank had been stolen from an army training base located in the Elikim interchange and was later found in a scrap yard in northern Israel.

According to the Jerusalem Post, the incident, initially reported to authorities by the Defence Ministry, is under joint investigation by both law enforcement agencies and the Israeli Ministry of Defence.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Biden administration pledged $100 million on Friday to support a proposed Kenyan-led multinational force to restore security to conflict-ravaged Haiti and urged other nations to make similar contributions.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that the U.S. would provide logistics, including intelligence, airlift, communications and medical support to the mission, which still needs to be approved by the U.N. Security Council. Other than Kenya, which would head the operation, personnel from several Caribbean nations would also be deployed to the country.

LONDON (AP) — British competition regulators gave preliminary approval Friday to Microsoft’s restructured $69 billion deal to buy video game maker Activision Blizzard, easing a final global hurdle that paves the way for one of the largest tech transactions in history to go through.

The Competition and Markets Authority said the revamped proposal “substantially addresses previous concerns” about stifling competition in the fast-growing cloud gaming market, which frees players from buying expensive consoles and gaming computers by streaming to tablets, phones and other devices.

BRUSSELS, September 22. /TASS/: The European Union provided Ukraine with a new tranche of 1.5 bln euro as part of the macro-financial assistance program for the current year, according to President of the European Commission (EC) Ursula von der Leyen.

"Today we have given Ukraine another 1.5 bln euro," she said

Thus, according to von der Leyen, the EU has given 13.5 bln euro this year alone to help Ukraine keep hospitals, schools, and other services running

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s education chief said he’s open to using “whatever levers” are available — including federal money — to discourage colleges from giving admissions preference to the children of alumni and donors.

In an interview with The Associated Press, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said legacy admissions must be revisited for the sake of diversity on campuses following the recent Supreme Court ruling against affirmative action. In a step beyond his previous comments, Cardona said he would consider taking stronger action to deter the practice.

RENO, Nev. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump’s push to bend state Republican parties to his will — and gain an advantage in his effort to return to the White House — is coming to a head in Nevada.

The state GOP, which is led by Trump allies, is insisting on moving forward with a presidential caucus on Feb. 8 despite a new state law that set a primary election two days earlier. Caucuses, which typically reward grassroots support and organizing, are expected to benefit Trump given his solid grip on the GOP’s most loyal voters.

TORONTO (AP) — The allegation of India’s involvement in the killing of a Sikh Canadian is based on surveillance of Indian diplomats in Canada, including intelligence provided by a major ally, a Canadian official told The Associated Press on Thursday.

The official said the communications involved Indian officials and Indian diplomats in Canada and that some of the intelligence was provided by a member of the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing alliance, which includes the U.S., Britain, Australia and New Zealand, in addition to Canada.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A military judge at Guantanamo Bay has ruled a 9/11 defendant incompetent to stand trial after a military medical panel found that the man’s abuse in CIA custody years earlier had rendered him psychotic.

Judge Col. Matthew McCall rendered the decision, Guantanamo military commission spokesman Ron Flesvig said Friday.

21 September 2023; MEMO: Egypt is in talks with an Abu Dhabi-based bank for a loan facility that would finance wheat purchases from Kazakhstan, three traders told Reuters.

The move could give Egypt a cheap alternative to grain from Russia, which has supplied an increasing share of Egypt’s wheat since last year but recently blocked a deal for a purchase below an unofficial price floor for wheat purchases, traders say.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man who attacked an Associated Press photographer and threw a flagpole and smoke grenade at police officers guarding the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, was sentenced on Friday to five years in prison.

Rodney Milstreed, 56, of Finksburg, Maryland, “prepared himself for battle” on Jan. 6 by injecting steroids and arming himself with a four-foot wooden club disguised as a flagpole, prosecutors said.