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Passengers Trapped Inside Train Amid Severe Floods In China, 12 Killed

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<div class="ins_instory_dv_cont"><img alt="Passengers Trapped Inside Train Amid Severe Floods In China, 12 Killed" src="https://c.ndtvimg.com/2021-07/3ecj26c_china-floods_625x300_21_July_21.jpg" title="Passengers Trapped Inside Train Amid Severe Floods In China, 12 Killed" /></div>
Streets flooded following heavy rains in Zhengzhou in China's central Henan province.
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Beijing:
Twelve people died after torrential rains flooded the subway in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou, authorities said Wednesday, as shocking images of passengers struggling against neck-high water inside a train carriage emerged on social media.
The city of more than 10 million people in Henan province "has experienced a series of rare and heavy rainstorms, causing water to accumulate in Zhengzhou metro", city officials said in a Weibo post, adding 12 people died and five were injured.
Authorities have issued the highest warning level for Henan province as record floods hammer the province.
Seasonal floods are common in China, but scientists say climate change is bringing increasingly extreme weather patterns.
Images poured across Chinese social media showing dramatic rescues of pedestrians in Zhengzhou from torrents gushing through the streets.
The Chinese army warned that a stricken dam in the centre of the country "could collapse at any time" after being severely damaged in torrential storms that killed at least three people and brought the region to a standstill.
On Tuesday evening, the regional unit of the People's Liberation Army warned that the relentless downpour had caused a 20-metre breach in the Yihetan dam in Luoyang -- a city of around seven million people -- with the risk that it "may collapse at any time".
The PLA's Central Theater Command said it had sent soldiers to carry out an emergency response including blasting and flood diversion.
"On July 20, a 20-metre breach occurred at the Yihetan dam.... the riverbank was severely damaged and the dam may collapse at any time," it said in the statement.
Annual floods during China's rainy season cause chaos and wash away roads, crops and houses.
But the threat has worsened over the decades, due in part to widespread construction of dams and levees that have cut connections between the river and adjacent lakes and disrupted floodplains that had helped absorb the summer surge.
According to the authorities, the rainfall was the heaviest since record-keeping began 60 years ago, with the city seeing the equivalent of a year's average rainfall in just three days.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/passengers-trapped-inside-train-amid-severe-floods-in-chinas-zhengzhou-12-killed-2491136">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/passengers-trapped-inside-train-amid-severe-floods-in-chinas-zhengzhou-12-killed-2491136</a>

news world Passengers Trapped Inside Train Amid Severe Floods In China, 12 Killed

Streets flooded following heavy rains in Zhengzhou in China's central Henan province. Beijing: Twelve people died after torrential ...

Moroccan King On List Of Potential Pegasus Spyware Targets: Report

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Morocco on Monday denied the allegations (File)
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Paris:
Moroccan King Mohammed VI's phone is on a list of numbers of people identified as potential Pegasus spyware targets by Morocco's intelligence services, French radio reported on Tuesday.
Radio France made the claim two days after it and several other news outlets, including The Washington Post and The Guardian, reported that the Israeli software had been used by governments to spy on activists, journalists, lawyers and politicians around the world.
The bombshell claims were based on a leaked document containing 50,000 numbers of people identified as potential targets for Pegasus between 2016 and June 2021.
The list was dominated by numbers from 10 countries -- Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Hungary, India, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Morocco, Rwanda, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Morocco on Monday denied the allegations, saying it had "never acquired computer software to infiltrate communication devices".
On Tuesday, Radio France claimed the country's monarch was on the list as well as "a large number" of Moroccan royals.
It said they included the king's wife Lalla Salma Bennani, his cousin Prince Moulay Hicham Alaoui, nicknamed the "red prince" for his progressive views, a former son-in-law of the late King Hassan II, entrepreneur Fouad Filali, and Hassan II's former bodyguard, Mohamed Mediouri, who is the current king's stepfather.
"But what is most surprising, when you look closely at this list, is that the sovereign himself is among those whose numbers were selected as potential Pegasus targets," the report said.
Radio France said it and its partners in the Forbidden Stories media consortium had established "that one of the telephone numbers that figures on the listing of the Moroccan intelligence services is indeed that of Mohammed VI."
It added that "his entire entourage suffered the same fate", including the king's chamberlain, Sidi Mohammed Alaoui, his personal secretary and three members of the latter's family.
It said that the list also included the number of the head of Morocco's royal gendarmerie as well as the king's former top bodyguard, Hassan Charrat.
It was not possible to immediately verify the claims.
Pegasus is a highly invasive tool that can switch on a target's phone camera and microphone, as well as access data on the device, effectively turning a phone into a pocket spy. In some cases, it can be installed without the need to trick a user into initiating a download.
NSO has denied selling the software to authoritarian governments for the purposes of spying on dissenters, labelling the allegations "false."
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/moroccan-king-mohammed-vi-on-list-of-potential-pegasus-spyware-targets-report-2491035">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/moroccan-king-mohammed-vi-on-list-of-potential-pegasus-spyware-targets-report-2491035</a>

news world Moroccan King On List Of Potential Pegasus Spyware Targets: Report

Morocco on Monday denied the allegations (File) Paris: Moroccan King Mohammed VI's phone is on a list of numbers of people identifi...

Iraqi President On List For Potential Pegasus Surveillance: Report

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Phone of Iraq's President was on a list of 50,000 numbers selected for possible Pegasus surveillance
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Cairo:
The phone of Iraq's President Barham Salih was on a list of 50,000 numbers selected for possible surveillance in the Pegasus spyware case, the Washington Post reported on Tuesday.
The Post said that it had not been possible to determine if Israeli company NSO Group's signature spyware, Pegasus, had infected Salih's phone or whether there had been any attempt to do so.
Salih was among three presidents, 10 prime ministers and a king whose phone numbers were on the list of potential surveillance targets.
The findings are part of an international investigation involving the Post and 16 other media organisations. An NSO spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the Washington Post report.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/iraqi-president-barham-salih-on-list-for-potential-pegasus-surveillance-report-2491017">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/iraqi-president-barham-salih-on-list-for-potential-pegasus-surveillance-report-2491017</a>

news world Iraqi President On List For Potential Pegasus Surveillance: Report

Phone of Iraq's President was on a list of 50,000 numbers selected for possible Pegasus surveillance Cairo: The phone of Iraq's...

Death Count Rises To 200 In Europe Floods

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devastating floods have left 200 dead in western Europe. (File)
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Verviers:
Belgium fell silent for a minute of remembrance Tuesday as it held a day of mourning for the victims of the devastating floods that left 200 dead in western Europe.
Heavy rains last week sent floodwaters sweeping through towns and villages, mostly in Belgium and Germany, where Chancellor Angela Merkel visited victims in one of the hardest-hit areas.
At least 31 people were killed in Belgium, with dozens still missing or unaccountable, while Germany on Tuesday increased its death toll to 169 as rescuers scoured the rubble for victims.
The number of missing in Belgium has fallen over the past two days as telephone contact is re-established and more people are traced.
The clean-up is still under way to help the regions hit hardest recover from the destruction that saw dozens of homes collapsed and cars piled on top of each other.
Waters have subsided since Friday but workers and volunteers face a mammoth task to clear away the detritus and help local residents rebuild their shattered lives.
Belgium's King Philippe and Queen Mathilde paid their respects at the fire station in Verviers, one of the hardest-hit towns.
The moment of silence took place after sirens sounded in fire stations across the country, with buses, trams and metro trains halted in Brussels.
The Belgian tricolour was flown at half-mast on official buildings, as was the star-spangled flag of the European Union around the bloc's headquarters in the capital.
The commemorations were held on the eve of Belgium's national holiday. The city of Brussels has cancelled its "National Ball" and the city of Namur, capital of Wallonia, has cancelled its fireworks display.
This is the first time since 2016 that Belgium has observed a national mourning when three days were declared following the March 22 attacks claimed by the Islamic State group, which killed 32 people and injured more than 340 in Brussels.
'Speechless'
In neighbouring Germany, Chancellor Angela Merkel met victims of the deluge still struggling to come to terms with the losses in the ravaged medieval town of Bad Munstereifel.
The damage is "appalling... Many houses are no longer habitable," she said, describing "people who have lost everything".
The city has been "so badly hit that it really leaves you speechless".
She was accompanied by Armin Laschet, the regional head and pick from Merkel's CDU party to replace her as chancellor at elections in September.
The number of people missing in the country remains unclear, mainly because of disrupted communication networks.
As the scale of the flood disaster became clearer, questions mounted in Germany about whether enough was done to warn residents ahead of time.
The German government on Monday pledged to improve the country's under-fire warning systems as a spokeswoman admitted that the tragedy had shown authorities "need to do more and better".
Although meteorological services had forecast torrential rain and flash floods, many residents said they were caught off-guard by rapidly rising waters.
The disaster has catapulted climate change to the top of the agenda in Germany, ahead of the September polls that will mark the end of Merkel's 16 years in power.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/death-count-rises-to-200-in-europe-floods-2491008">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/death-count-rises-to-200-in-europe-floods-2491008</a>

news world Death Count Rises To 200 In Europe Floods

devastating floods have left 200 dead in western Europe. (File) Verviers: Belgium fell silent for a minute of remembrance Tuesday as it...

French President Macron Among Potential Pegasus Spyware Targets: Report

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<div class="ins_instory_dv_cont"><img alt="French President Macron Among Potential Pegasus Spyware Targets: Report" src="https://c.ndtvimg.com/2020-10/3q4fi0a4_emmanuel-macron-afp-650_625x300_30_October_20.jpg" title="French President Macron Among Potential Pegasus Spyware Targets: Report" /></div>
Phone numbers used by Emmanuel Macron are among potential targets for Pegasus spyware
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Paris:
Phone numbers used by French President Emmanuel Macron and top members of his government are among the potential targets for the Pegasus spyware supplied to several governments worldwide, the NGO that leaked the list of numbers said Tuesday.
"We found these numbers but we obviously couldn't do a technical analysis of Emmanuel Macron's phone" to determine if it had been infected with the malware, the head of Forbidden Stories, Laurent Richard, told LCI television.
"But it shows in any case there was an interest in doing it," he said.
"If this fact is established, it's obviously very serious," a spokesman for Macron's office said.
Forbidden Stories, a Paris-based media nonprofit, and Amnesty International initially had access to the leaked numbers, which they then shared with media organisations including The Washington Post, The Guardian and Le Monde.
Macron's phone number was among some 50,000 believed to have been identified as people of interest since 2016 by clients of the Israeli firm NSO, developer of the Pegasus cyber-surveillance technology, the reports said.
Activists, journalists and politicians around the world were targeted, prompting fears of widespread privacy and rights abuses.
The news outlets with access to the leak said more details about those who were compromised would be released in coming days.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
 
 
source <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/french-president-emmanuel-macron-among-potential-pegasus-spyware-targets-report-2491003">https://www.ndtv.com/world-news/french-president-emmanuel-macron-among-potential-pegasus-spyware-targets-report-2491003</a>

news world French President Macron Among Potential Pegasus Spyware Targets: Report

Phone numbers used by Emmanuel Macron are among potential targets for Pegasus spyware Paris: Phone numbers used by French President Emm...

Top Health Officer Orders Australians: ‘Don’t Have a Conversation’ With Each Other

A local family restaurant has been forced to close its doors after 20 years due to the COVID lockdown, highlighting again how while the pandemic helped make the rich far richer, ordinary people continue to suffer.
Julios, a Mexican/Italian restaurant in the village of Oughtibridge, Sheffield, announced the closure on its Facebook page.
“Julio’s Restaurant and the Cosy Café wish you a very Happy Easter!!! We would also like to thank you for your support during almost twenty years! Thank you!!! Sadly and due to unexpected circumstances(covid19) we have been forced to close our doors for good. Nevertheless I will have happy memories of all of you. Ignacio and staff,” said the Facebook post.
Given that Julios was the only restaurant in the area (aside from pubs, which are also struggling), its loss is sure to be keenly felt by the local community given that it had been a much loved gathering place for almost 20 years.
The demise of Julios is just a microcosm of how the lockdown has wiped out pubs, restaurants and other small businesses across the UK.
<a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-57087070">Figures</a> from back in May showed that almost 10 per cent of restaurants had been closed down, while mid-market “casual dining” venues have fallen by 19.4%. These figures are offset by including new restaurants that opened during the pandemic, so the true figure is even higher.
Another <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/covid-19-how-many-pubs-restaurants-and-clubs-closed-their-doors-permanently-in-2020-12194754">report</a> found that almost 10,000 licensed premises – including pubs, clubs and restaurants, had closed down during 2020.
And while small businesses and family-run operations were eviscerated by the lockdown, larger companies took advantage.
Worldwide, the combined wealth of the world’s 10 richest men rose by $540bn, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos who saw his personal wealth grow by $86 billion as Amazon shares soared.
According to an <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-55793575">Oxfam report</a>, billionaires exploited the the impact of lockdown to create a “rigged economy,” causing expanding wealth inequality during the “worst economic downturn in a century”.
A record number of billionaires were also <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/may/21/number-of-billionaires-in-uk-reached-new-record-during-covid-pandemic">created</a> in the UK during the pandemic even as millions of ordinary people lost their jobs and saw their businesses go under.
Lockdowns have also seen 150 million people globally <a href="https://www.worldbank.org/en/news/press-release/2020/10/07/covid-19-to-add-as-many-as-150-million-extreme-poor-by-2021">pushed</a> into extreme poverty.
Given that wealth inequality has made the rich richer and the poor poorer, in addition to the introduction of vaccine passports that will create a two tier society that discriminates against the poor and ethnic minorities, you’d think the left would be more vocal in opposing lockdown policies.
In reality, they have vehemently supported them at every turn and even called for much harsher restrictions.
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source <a href="https://summit.news/2021/07/20/top-health-officer-orders-australians-dont-have-a-conversation-with-each-other/">https://summit.news/2021/07/20/top-health-officer-orders-australians-dont-have-a-conversation-with-each-other/</a>

revolution summit Top Health Officer Orders Australians: ‘Don’t Have a Conversation’ With Each Other

A local family restaurant has been forced to close its doors after 20 years due to the COVID lockdown, highlighting again how while the pand...