From Washington, this is VOA news. I'm David DeForest reporting.

The U.N. Security Council [heard] held urgent talks on Sunday on the surge of violence in the Syrian city of Aleppo. Syrian and Russian jet fighters have bombarded the rebel-controlled eastern sector of the city.

The United States, France and Britain called the emergency session of the U.N. to pressure Russia to end the attacks. The assault - missile strikes, barrel bombs attacks and artillery fire - flattened buildings, leaving streets filled with debris.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power accused Russia of barbarism.

"Instead of pursuing peace, Russia and Assad make war. Instead of helping get life-saving aid to civilians, Russia and Assad are bombing the humanitarian convoys, hospitals and first responders who are trying desperately to keep people alive."

Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon did not leave any doubt as to his opinion. "International law is clear: The systematic use of indiscriminate weapons in densely populated areas is a war crime." :Ban Ki-moon.

The leader of the Islamic jihadist group Boko Haram appeared in a video posted on social media Sunday, saying he is in good health.

A man purported to be Abubakar Shekau spoke in a 40-minute video, denying statements by the Nigerian army that he had been seriously wounded.

The video was released on YouTube and dated September 25.

Iraqi officials say a suicide bomber has blown himself up in Baghdad, killing seven people and wounding 19.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the blast Sunday in the Iskan neighborhood, a mostly Shiite district.

This is VOA news.

Suspected U.S. airstrikes in southeastern Afghanistan are believed to have killed a top commander of the Pakistan Taliban and several of his partners. The attack took place in Paktika province adjacent to the Pakistani border.

Rais Khan, also known as Azam Tariq, and his son were among those reported killed in an overnight attack.

Videos released by police in Charlotte, North Carolina, show a confrontation between police and a black man who was shot to death Tuesday.

The two videos from body cameras and dashboard cameras were released Saturday.

A fifth day of protests against the incident was largely peaceful. Protesters chanted a number of things, including "Black lives matter!" outside a football game in Charlotte.

A 20-year-old suspect arrested in connection with a shooting spree at a mall in the northwestern U.S. state of Washington is being held without bond Sunday.

Arcan Cetin, a Turkish immigrant, was apprehended Saturday following a manhunt

Investigators are trying to find out what motivated the shooting.

Cetin allegedly shot four women and one man in a Macy's store inside the Cascade Mall in the town of Burlington. He faces five counts of first degree murder.

One of professional baseball's rising stars, Miami Marlins pitcher José Fernández, was killed along with two companions in a boating accident near Miami. He was 24.

Officials say the boat was traveling at full speed Sunday when it crashed into a rock jetty off Miami Beach, killing all three occupants.

Here is Captain Leonel Reyes of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue squad: "It does appear that speed was involved due to the impact and severity of it. It does appear to be that they were coming at full speed when they encountered the jetty, and the accident happened."

Fernández was born in Santa Clara, Cuba, and defected to the United States with his mother and sister when he was 15 years old.

Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton and Republican candidate Donald Trump face off in the first of three nationally-televised debates Monday in Hempstead, New York.

The Clinton-Trump showdown is likely to be one of the most-watched events of the U.S. presidential campaign. The debate could have an impact on the outcome of what has become a very close race for the White House.

Meanwhile, the two candidates plan meetings Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Time is running out for the U.S. Congress to keep the government open and fully functioning. Federal spending authority expires at midnight Friday and, so far, Democrats and Republicans have been unable to agree on a temporary funding extension. They've also been unable to formulate a yearlong appropriations bill for the new fiscal year that begins October 1.

In Washington, I'm David DeForest.

That's the latest world news from VOA.