Headline

At Least 20 Killed, 19 Missing In China Rainstorms

Published

3 years ago

August 1, 2023

At least 20 people were killed and 19 were missing after heavy rains lashed Beijing and surrounding provinces, state media said Tuesday, in downpours that have submerged roads and deluged neighbourhoods with mud.

Storm Doksuri, a former super typhoon, swept northwards over China after hitting southern Fujian province on Friday, following its battering of the Philippines.

Heavy rains began pummelling the capital and surrounding areas on Saturday, with nearly the average rainfall for the entire month of July dumped on Beijing in just 40 hours.

Swaths of suburban Beijing remain badly hit by the rains — some of the city’s heaviest in years.

On the banks of the Mentougou River, one of the worst affected areas, AFP reporters saw muddy debris strewn across the road.

One man told AFP he had not seen flooding this bad since July 2012, when 79 people were killed and tens of thousands evacuated.

“This time it’s much bigger than that,” he said, declining to give his name.

“It’s a natural disaster, there’s nothing you can do,” a 20-year-old man surnamed Qi, who was waiting for a taxi with his grandmother outside a hospital, told AFP.

“(We) still have to work hard and rebuild.”

On Tuesday, state broadcaster CCTV said that the rains had killed at least 11 people in Beijing, two of whom were workers “killed on duty during rescue and relief”.

Thirteen people were still missing, but another 14 had been found safe, the broadcaster said.

In neighbouring Hebei province, nine people were killed and six were missing, it said.

Another two casualties were reported in northeastern Liaoning province over the weekend.

President Xi Jinping on Tuesday called for “every effort” to rescue those “lost or trapped” by the rains.

More than 100,000 people deemed at risk across Beijing have been evacuated, according to the state-owned Global Times newspaper.

Authorities have allocated 110 million yuan ($15.4 million) for disaster relief work in the capital and surrounding provinces, CCTV said.

‘Endure what we can’

Florist Wang Yongkun, 62, had piled sandbags around the door of his shop, but the floor inside was still coated in mud.

He said in 15 years working there he had never experienced anything like the last few days.

“We started cleaning up in the afternoon yesterday… and woke up again at seven today to continue,” he said.

“You just have to deal with it… We will endure what we can.”

Further south in Fangshan district, the Dashi River had overflowed, with trees along the riverbank partially submerged, and some sections of the road cordoned off.

Roads were caked in mud, foliage and various debris, including an upturned armchair.

AFP reporters saw collapsed bridges at two locations, with locals saying the damage had happened during the rains.

Earlier social media videos tagged in Fangshan had shown multiple cars being swept along roads turned into fast-flowing streams.

Live images from broadcaster CCTV on Tuesday morning showed a row of buses half submerged in floodwater.

In the parking lot of a high-rise apartment complex, cars were piled on top of each other, alarms still sounding, while people lined up with buckets and other containers to collect fresh water.

Chaotic scenes

Local media on Monday published footage of chaotic scenes aboard high-speed rail trains stranded on tracks for as long as 30 hours, with passengers complaining that they had run out of food and water.

Authorities “must properly relocate affected people, work quickly to repair damaged transportation, communication, and electricity infrastructure, and restore the order of normal production and life as soon as possible”, Xi said on Tuesday.

The capital activated a flood control reservoir on Monday for the first time since it was built in 1998, the Beijing Daily said.

Parts of Hebei remain under red alert for rainstorms, with authorities warning of potential flash floods and landslides.

In Handan, Hebei province, rescuers lifted by crane reached a man trapped on top of his car in floodwaters, lifting him to safety before the car was flipped and washed away by the current.

China has been experiencing extreme weather and posting record temperatures this summer, events that scientists say are being exacerbated by climate change.

The country is already preparing for the arrival of typhoon Khanun, the sixth such storm of the year, as it nears China’s east coast.

AFP

Headline

Six-year-old Nigerian Girl Dies After Fall From Apartment In Canada

Published

15 hours ago

May 8, 2026

Editor

A six-year-old Nigerian girl has died after falling from a high-rise residential building in Toronto, Canada, in a tragic incident that has left the community in shock.

Reports indicate that her mother was in Nigeria at the time of the incident.

The incident occurred at an apartment complex on Chalkfarm Drive in North York, close to Jane Street, at about 8:15 p.m.

Toronto Police Service said officers responded to a report described as “unknown trouble” and later found the child unresponsive on the ground outside the building.

Residents of the building described the girl as cheerful and familiar within the community, saying her death had deeply unsettled neighbours.

One resident told CP24 that the child was regularly seen playing around the premises.

“She used to come here all the time and play… she was a lively kid. It’s very, very sad,” the neighbour said.

Another resident said the news had been devastating for people living in the building, adding that the girl was a familiar face during daily routines such as school runs.

“It’s crazy that I will never see this child again. I see her every morning. It’s heartbreaking,” the resident said.

According to neighbours, the girl had been staying with a family friend who lives on the top floor of the building while her mother was away in Nigeria.

Some residents also questioned how the incident occurred, noting that the building is fitted with window safety features designed to prevent full opening.

“To be fair, they do have precautions on these windows to make sure these things don’t happen,” one resident said.

Another added that the windows are secured and cannot be fully opened, further adding to uncertainty surrounding the circumstances.

The property management company, Greenwin, which manages the building at 200 Chalkfarm Drive, described the incident as “deeply saddening,” adding that its thoughts are with the child’s family.

The company confirmed that emergency responders attended the scene promptly and said it is fully cooperating with investigators.

It declined to comment on the condition or inspection history of the windows, citing an ongoing investigation.

Police in Toronto said the case is not being treated as suspicious at this stage, though investigations are continuing pending autopsy results.

Headline

US Govt Finally Releases Files On UFOs, Alien Life

Published

15 hours ago

May 8, 2026

Editor

President Donald Trump’s administration has released a batch of previously unseen files, videos and photographs on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena, UAP.

The government described the development as part of a push for greater transparency on government-held information about extraterrestrial-related sightings.

According to Fox News, the White House said the materials, drawn from across multiple government agencies, have been made publicly accessible without security clearance requirements.

Officials said the release is intended to allow the public to review the information and draw their own conclusions.

“The latest UAP videos, photos, and original source documents from across the entire United States government are all in one place,” the White House said, adding that past administrations had sought to limit public disclosure.

The release is part of a programme identified as the Presidential Unsealing and Reporting System for UAP Encounters, PURSUE, which officials say will continue with further disclosures.

Among the initial materials are images reportedly linked to Apollo 12 and Apollo 17 space missions, including a photograph from the lunar surface showing three small dots in the sky.

The release also includes transcripts of communications from Apollo 17, in which crew members described observing bright, fast-moving particles or fragments outside their spacecraft.

In one exchange, astronauts described seeing “very bright particles” and “jagged, angular fragments” while in orbit, comparing the appearance to fireworks.

Trump previously said he would support declassifying government files related to UFOs and UAPs, following renewed public interest in the subject.

He had earlier directed federal agencies to begin identifying and releasing relevant documents.

Headline

Strait Of Hormuz: Pakistan Thanks Trump For Pausing ‘Project Freedom’

Published

3 days ago

May 6, 2026

Editor

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday expressed gratitude to United States President Donald Trump for temporarily pausing ‘Project Freedom’, an initiative to secure shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement posted on X, Sharif thanked Trump for pausing the “Project Freedom” mission, praising him for his courageous leadership and timely announcement.

According to him, Trump’s decision was made in response to requests from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and other brotherly countries.

He added that the pause would go a long way towards advancing regional peace, stability and reconciliation during the sensitive period.

“Pakistan remains firmly committed to supporting all efforts that promote restraint and a peaceful resolution of conflicts through dialogue and diplomacy.

“We are very hopeful that the current momentum will lead to a lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and beyond,” Sharif said.