Death Toll Reaches 155 in Spain’s Devastating Valencia Floods, Eight Bodies Found in Garage

/in /tarafından

Rescue teams have recovered eight bodies from a flooded garage in Valencia, bringing the death toll from catastrophic floods in Spain’s eastern region to at least 155. Valencia’s Mayor Maria Jose Catala confirmed that one of the victims was a local police officer, and additional casualties include a 45-year-old woman who was found in her nearby home in La Torre. Defense Minister Margarita Robles warned that the national death toll could increase as the search for missing persons continues.

Meteorologists report that Valencia was inundated with a year’s worth of rain in just eight hours on Tuesday, triggering severe flash floods that damaged the region’s infrastructure and cut off roads. Bridges, railway tracks, and large sections of farmland were submerged. In La Torre, supermarket manager Laura Villaescusa expressed frustration, suggesting that timely warnings could have saved lives.

As thousands of residents attempt to secure essential supplies, Transport Minister Oscar Puente reported extensive road damage in the region, with about 50 miles of impassable roads and abandoned vehicles – some with deceased victims still inside. The high-speed rail link between Valencia and Madrid could take weeks to repair, he added. Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez urged residents to remain indoors, stressing the priority to save lives as further storm activity is expected.

In the nearby town of Godelleta, resident Antonio Molina recounted surviving the flood by clinging to a pillar with water reaching up to his neck, while his wife and son sought refuge on the upper floor. Molina’s home, which had been flooded twice in recent years, has made him wary, and he expressed frustration over continued residential construction in flood-prone areas.

Utiel, a rural town roughly 85 km inland, also experienced tragedy as the Magro river overflowed, sending floodwaters as high as three meters into homes. Utiel’s mayor, Ricardo Gabaldon, confirmed at least six fatalities among the elderly and disabled residents who were unable to escape.

Residents, assisted by tractors equipped with water pumps, began cleanup efforts on Thursday, with streets covered in mud and debris. Pope Francis shared his condolences, stating his solidarity with the affected families. Hydrologist Hannah Cloke emphasized the need for heightened awareness of extreme weather risks, linking the floods to climate change and noting the potential for increased occurrences of such events.

 

Rights Group: Over 100 North Korean Defectors Disappear After Arrest by Secret Police

/in /tarafından

A report by the Seoul-based Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG) reveals that over 100 North Korean defectors have vanished following arrests by North Korea’s secret police, with some individuals taken after attempting to contact family members in South Korea. The report, based on interviews with 62 North Korean escapees now in South Korea, outlines a disturbing pattern of enforced disappearances. According to TJWG, a database of 66 disappearance cases, developed in collaboration with international organizations, includes mapped routes showing detainee transfers.

Of the 113 individuals noted in the report, 80% were arrested within North Korea and the remainder in China or Russia, with roughly 30% of these arrests occurring since Kim Jong Un came to power in 2011. Nearly 40% were detained for attempted defections, and others disappeared after facing accusations like maintaining contact with people abroad. The report highlights that over 81% of these individuals vanished after being detained by North Korea’s Ministry of State Security (MSS), or “bowibu.” In one account, a recent defector reported that a friend was arrested for attempting to retrieve a Chinese cell phone and was later rumored to have died in custody.

TJWG’s project director, Kang Jeong-hyun, emphasized that these disappearances point to enforced disappearances and crimes extending beyond North Korea, involving China and Russia as well. This report comes just ahead of the U.N. Human Rights Council’s Universal Periodic Review on North Korea. A previous U.N. report estimates up to 200,000 people are held in the North’s detention camps, with prisoners enduring forced labor, torture, starvation, and other human rights abuses.

North Korea’s leadership has long branded defectors as “human scum” and has increased border restrictions in recent years. Meanwhile, China’s government denies the presence of defectors, labeling them as illegal economic migrants. North Korea’s Association for Human Rights Studies recently dismissed a U.N. report detailing human rights violations as fabricated Western propaganda.

Market Drop as Meta, Microsoft Warnings Weigh Heavy on Nasdaq; Dollar Softens Post U.S. Data

/in /tarafından

Global stock markets took a downturn on Thursday, led by a 2% drop in the Nasdaq index following cost warnings from Meta Platforms and Microsoft over artificial intelligence investments. Meta and Microsoft shares slid 3.2% and 5.6%, respectively, raising investor concerns over the time it will take to see returns on AI expenses. Both companies’ declines contributed to negative momentum on the Nasdaq and S&P 500. Attention now shifts to Amazon and Apple, which are set to release their results later.

U.S. consumer spending data showed a slight uptick in September, pushing the economy onto a stronger growth path for Q4. However, the increase is largely attributed to essential spending areas such as healthcare and housing. The dollar saw minor weakening, with notable losses against the yen after the Bank of Japan’s unexpectedly less dovish stance, and the euro gained ground due to unexpectedly high inflation figures in the Eurozone for October.

The dollar index remained steady at 104.13, while the euro inched up to $1.0866, and the dollar slipped 0.53% to 152.59 yen. As the November Fed meeting approaches, market sentiment sees a 25-basis-point rate reduction as likely, but a double cut in November and December stands at a 70% probability per the CME FedWatch Tool. Key upcoming data include the U.S. October jobs report and next week’s presidential election, where polling shows tight competition between Republican Donald Trump and Democratic VP Kamala Harris.

On Wall Street, the Dow dropped 362.70 points (0.86%) to 41,778.84, the S&P 500 shed 84.93 points (1.46%) to 5,728.74, and the Nasdaq Composite slid 425.71 points (2.29%) to 18,182.22. MSCI’s global index (.MIWD00000PUS) dropped 1.27%, while Europe’s STOXX 600 fell 1.5%, reaching a seven-week low amid a busy earnings period.

In U.S. Treasuries, yields edged higher with the 10-year benchmark up 4.4 basis points at 4.309%, following reports of declining wage inflation coupled with robust consumer spending.

Cryptocurrencies followed the downward trend, with Bitcoin declining 3.02% to $70,640.00 and Ethereum dropping 4.98% to $2,545.70. Gold prices retreated from record highs but stayed on track for a fourth consecutive monthly increase, down 0.7% to $2,766.59 per ounce after peaking at $2,790.15 earlier. Oil prices saw gains, with U.S. crude rising 1.33% to $69.52 per barrel and Brent climbing 0.94% to $73.23 per barrel.