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Friday, 16 July 2021 4:58 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 16 July 2021 4:58 PM ]

Europe deadly floods

At least 126 people have been killed in days of torrential rains and flooding in Western Europe. Germany is the worst affected country that has reported 103 fatalities so far. More than 1300 people also remain unaccounted for. Officials in two German states of North Rhine-Westphalia and Rhineland-Palatinate have warned that the number could go up as the situation remains difficult to assess. Belgium has also confirmed at least 23 deaths. Luxembourg and the Netherlands have evacuated thousands of people. Meanwhile European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, has reacted to the unprecedented situation, saying the floods are a clear indication of climate change.

US Cuba destruction plan failed

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel says the United States' efforts to destroy his country have failed despite spending billions of dollars to do so. Diaz-Canel said a failed state is the one that multiplies the damage to 11,000,000 human beings, ignoring the will of the majority of Cubans, Americans and the international community. He said such a policy is to please itself by blackmailing a reactionary minority. He cited the US trade embargo in place against his country since 1962 which was reinforced under former president Donald Trump. The reaction came after US President Joe Biden on Thursday described Cuba as a failed state and accused it of repressing its citizens. The Caribbean Island nation has been witnessing anti-government protests since Sunday over the worst economic crisis in decades. Cuba has blamed the United States for the unrest.

Coronavirus surging in Russia

Russia has reported nearly 800 Coronavirus-related new deaths, the highest in a single day since the pandemic broke out there. Friday marks the 4th straight day the country has logged record daily fatalities from the virus. Russia’s coronavirus taskforce also confirmed nearly 26,000 new infections for the past day. The country’s total caseload is now inching closer to 6,000,000 while its death toll is hovering around 147,000. Russia has been grappling with the third wave of the pandemic since April. Authorities blame the Delta variant and people’s reluctance to get vaccinated as the reason for the spike. The capital Moscow and second-largest city, Saint Petersburg remain the epicenters of the recent outbreak. Russia is the worst-hit country in Europe by the pandemic in terms of both infections and deaths.

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