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Spain Battles Looting After Deadly Flood, with 39 Arrested Amid ‘Apocalyptic’ Chaos and Agonizing Recovery of Hundreds of Bodies

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Spain Battles Looting After Deadly Flood, with 39 Arrested Amid ‘Apocalyptic’ Chaos and Agonizing Recovery of Hundreds of Bodies

Drenched Spain is now fighting looters after apocalyptic floods soaked the country, with officials fearing hundreds of bodies could be found as the agonizing recovery process begins.

Cops have arrested 39 people who were allegedly trying to take advantage of the horrendous conditions and steal, with officers sent to patrol shopping centers where looters were targeting electronics like cellphones and computers.

The devastating rainstorms that started on Tuesday and continued into Wednesday have caused widespread flooding, stretching from Malaga to Valencia. So far, officials have confirmed 105 dead, with hundreds more bodies expected to be found as search and rescue teams go door-to-door through the thick mud that has covered homes and streets.

Four victims were found Thursday morning in a garage, while others were discovered inside cars when they were unable to flee the rising waters. Rescue efforts are ongoing, with over 1,000 soldiers deployed to the worst-affected areas.

The cleanup could be stymied, however, as a number of weather warnings threaten to bring more heavy rain to the region in the coming days. The Castellon coast and parts of the interior have an extreme risk red warning in place, with forecasts of up to 180mm of rain over a five-hour period.

Spain’s Defense Minister, Margarita Robles, said she is “not optimistic” about how high the death toll could climb, and the number of missing people is still unknown. The Foreign Office has warned holidaymakers to brace for chaos, with journeys potentially affected by the flooding.

One of the dead was a 71-year-old British man who suffered a heart attack after being rescued from his home in the outskirts of Malaga. The region of Valencia has been hit the hardest, with 92 of the 95 deaths recorded so far.

As the nation grapples with the catastrophic aftermath of the floods, authorities are also working to crack down on looters trying to take advantage of the chaos. The cleanup and recovery efforts face ongoing challenges, with the threat of further rainfall looming over the already devastated communities.

Escalating Conflict: 5 Killed in Israel, 8 Killed in Lebanon as Tensions Soar

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Escalating Conflict: 5 Killed in Israel, 8 Killed in Lebanon as Tensions Soar

Five people were killed in northern Israel on Thursday by projectiles fired from Lebanon, including four foreign workers, authorities said. Meanwhile, the Israeli military warned people to evacuate from more areas of southern Lebanon as airstrikes across the country killed at least eight people.

The developments come as mediators are ramping up efforts to halt the wars in Lebanon and the Gaza Strip, circulating new proposals to wind down the regional conflict. However, Hezbollah’s newly named leader, Naim Kassem, said the militant group will keep fighting in its war with Israel until it is offered ceasefire terms it deems acceptable.

Palestinian officials also reported that an Israeli raid in the occupied West Bank killed three people. The Israeli military said its forces were targeting militants in the area of the Nur Shams refugee camp.

The death toll from more than a year of the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza has passed 43,000, Palestinian officials reported, without distinguishing between civilians and combatants. The war began after Hamas-led militants stormed into Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and abducting 250 others.

Israel’s military also said it struck Hezbollah weapons depots and bases in Syria, claiming the group has been attempting to smuggle arms into Lebanon along the border. The airstrikes have intensified an already severe humanitarian crisis by blocking key routes for supplies and impeding access for those fleeing to safety.

Elon Musk Ordered to Court Over Potentially Illegal $1 Million Giveaway in Pennsylvania

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Elon Musk Ordered to Court Over Potentially Illegal $1 Million Giveaway in Pennsylvania

Elon Musk has been ordered to appear in a Philadelphia courtroom after the city’s top prosecutor accused the world’s wealthiest person of illegally awarding $1 million to registered voters in the state.

The lawsuit, filed by Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, claims Musk’s political action committee is running an “illegal lottery scheme” to influence voters ahead of the 2024 election. The sweepstakes, which offers a daily $1 million prize to registered voters in seven swing states, has drawn warnings from election law experts that it could be seen as an illegal vote-buying operation.

Krasner’s office alleged that Musk’s posts about the contest on his social media platform X (formerly Twitter) “immediately triggered an avalanche of posts from Musk’s followers,” including “antisemitic attacks” against the district attorney and threats of violence. The complaint states that one account responded to posts about the lawsuit at least 19 times by “inviting political violence” and posting Krasner’s home address.

In response, Philadelphia County Court of Common Pleas Judge Angelo Foglietta moved the planned hearing on the lawsuit from Friday to Thursday, and ordered that all parties, including Musk and representatives of his America PAC, must be present.

Musk has defended the contest, claiming the petition supporting the First and Second Amendments is not designed to register people to vote. However, Krasner’s office argued the “random” drawing “appears to be false,” alleging that multiple winners have been individuals who have attended Trump rallies in Pennsylvania.

The lawsuit marks the first legal action against Musk’s stunt, which has also drawn a warning from the Department of Justice. Pennsylvania is at the center of growing litigation surrounding the 2024 election, with Musk’s case adding to the state’s high-profile election issues.

The court’s decision to expedite the hearing and require Musk’s attendance underscores the seriousness with which authorities are treating the potential for the billionaire’s social media activity to incite threats and undermine the electoral process. The outcome of this case could have significant implications for campaign finance and election integrity going forward.

independent.co.uk

Texas Woman Dies After Doctors Delay Treating Miscarriage Due to Abortion Ban

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Texas Woman Dies After Doctors Delay Treating Miscarriage Due to Abortion Ban

Josseli Barnica was suffering from a deadly infection from a miscarriage while at a hospital in Houston, Texas, but doctors had to wait to treat her due to the state’s abortion ban that limited how much care they could provide as her baby maintained a heartbeat.

Josseli Barnica

“They had to wait until there was no heartbeat,” her husband told ProPublica in Spanish. “It would be a crime to give her an abortion.”

Barnica, a 28-year-old Honduras immigrant, was 17 weeks pregnant when the miscarriage was “in progress.” After 40 hours in pain from the infection, she delivered the fetus after there was no longer a detectable heartbeat. She was then treated and told to go home, but three days later, she was dead.

More than a dozen medical experts told ProPublica that Barnica’s death was “preventable,” explaining that waiting that long to receive care opened her up to a fatal infection. Her cause of death was ruled to be “sepsis due to acute bacterial endometritis and cervicitis following spontaneous abortion of a 17-week stillbirth fetus with retained products of conception.”

However, the hospital stated that it was their “responsibility” to comply with state and federal laws and regulations, even though the Texas Heartbeat Act in place at the time threatened civil penalties for anyone who “aids or abets” the performance of an abortion.

Dr. Steven Porter, an OB-GYN in Cleveland, said: “We know that the sooner you intervene in these situations, the better outcomes are.” A Tennessee-based fetal-medicine specialist, Dr. Leilah Zahedi-Spung, acknowledged the physicians treating Barnica “absolutely didn’t do the right thing,” but noted they were in an untenable position due to the state laws.

Barnica’s tragic death highlights the devastating consequences of confusing laws surrounding reproductive care in the wake of the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Her case is not an isolated incident, as other patients have shared similar horror stories about being denied vital medical care due to the changing legal landscape.

The hospital’s statement underscores the difficult position healthcare providers now find themselves in, torn between adhering to the law and providing the best possible care for their patients. As the debate around abortion rights continues, the human toll of these policies is becoming increasingly clear.

Australian Man Cleared of Murdering British Woman During Home Invasion

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Australian Man Cleared of Murdering British Woman During Home Invasion

An Australian man has been cleared of murdering a British woman during a break-in at her home in Australia.

Emma Lovell, 41, was stabbed after confronting two intruders in a suburb north of Brisbane on Boxing Day 2022. The judge-only trial heard it had been accepted the second defendant, who was 17 at the time, did not stab anyone himself. The matter in contention was whether he knew his co-accused, also then aged 17, was carrying a knife.

The judge ultimately ruled there was no proof beyond reasonable doubt that the cleared man had knowledge of the knife. He was convicted of burglary and assault, but cleared of more serious charges including the alternative charge of manslaughter.

Mother-of-two Mrs Lovell emigrated from Ipswich in Suffolk in 2011 with her daughters and her husband Lee, who was also injured in the attack. Speaking outside court, an emotional Lee Lovell described the verdict as “a bit of a joke”, saying “I don’t feel justice for Emma one bit.”

The case was heard by a judge alone because the issue of youth crime was a key debate during last weekend’s state government elections, and it was feared this could prejudice a jury. The Liberal National Party swept to power in Queensland, with a campaign that promised tougher sentences for juveniles.

The other man admitted murder earlier this year and was jailed for 14 years. The judge remanded the cleared man in custody, awaiting a pre-sentence report by early December, with his defense indicating he may be eligible for release soon given the time already served.

The verdict has left the Lovell family feeling that justice has not been served, as they grapple with the tragic loss of Emma Lovell during the home invasion. The case has reignited debates around youth crime and sentencing in Australia.

2 Mexican Journalists Killed in Less Than 24 Hours in Western States

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2 Mexican Journalists Killed in Less Than 24 Hours in Western States

Two Mexican journalists were shot dead in less than 24 hours in western states, according to authorities, as the country faces a flare-up of violence in the region.

Patricia Ramirez, also known by her nickname Paty Bunbury, was shot dead in the western state of Colima on Wednesday afternoon, according to the state prosecutor’s office. Ramirez worked as an entertainment reporter.

This came a day after Mauricio Cruz, the head of an online news outlet in Mexico, was killed late on Tuesday in the city of Uruapan in the violence-plagued western state of Michoacán. Another person was also wounded in the shooting.

The killings marked the first of journalists under the administration of President Claudia Sheinbaum, who took office at the beginning of this month and has pledged to combat violence and crime. However, Sheinbaum has said her government would not wage a new war on Mexico’s drug cartels.

Mexico is ranked as one of the deadliest countries in the world for journalists by press freedom groups. Uruapan, where Cruz was killed, is known for brazen crimes such as beheadings stemming from fighting between drug cartels or clashes with law enforcement.

Patricia Ramirez shot dead by gangs

The back-to-back killings of the two journalists underscore the persistent threat and risks faced by members of the media in certain regions of Mexico, where violence linked to organized crime remains a major challenge. The new administration will be closely watched for its response and efforts to improve the safety of journalists.

VOA

US Airstrikes Target Islamic State in Syria, Killing Up to 35 Militants

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US Airstrikes Target Islamic State in Syria, Killing Up to 35 Militants

The U.S. military has struck a number of Islamic State group camps in Syria this week, killing as many as 35 militants, U.S. Central Command said Wednesday.

The airstrikes in the desert of central Syria were conducted on Monday evening and targeted multiple locations as well as senior leaders of the group. The attacks came on the heels of a number of joint operations with Iraqi forces that targeted IS militants in Iraq.

Pentagon officials have said that the Islamic State group remains a threat in the region, but it is no longer as powerful as it was 10 years ago when the militants swept across Iraq and Syria, taking control of large swaths of the two countries.

U.S. Central Command said the latest strikes in Syria will disrupt the group’s ability to plan, organize and conduct attacks against civilians and U.S. and allied forces in the region. It stated there were no indications of civilian casualties in the strikes.

The targeted airstrikes in Syria are part of the ongoing efforts by the U.S. military and its partners to combat the enduring threat posed by the Islamic State group. While the militants have lost much of the territory they once controlled, they continue to operate cells and carry out attacks in the region.

The U.S. and its allies remain vigilant against the resurgence of the Islamic State, conducting periodic strikes and joint operations to degrade the group’s capabilities and limit its ability to plan and execute terrorist activities. The latest strikes in Syria demonstrate the continued focus on eliminating the remnants of the militant organization.

Botswana Counts Votes as Ruling Party Seeks to Extend Decades-Long Rule

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Botswana Counts Votes as Ruling Party Seeks to Extend Decades-Long Rule

The arid and sparsely populated African nation of Botswana counted votes Thursday from elections expected to return President Mokgweetsi Masisi to office after a first term marked by growing unemployment and concerns over the diamond-dependent economy.

Voting on Wednesday was orderly in a country proud of its democratic system installed on independence from Britain in 1966, making it the oldest democracy in the region although it has always been governed by the same party. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is confident the results, which are expected late Thursday, will extend its 58 years in power.

However, commentators said weakened support may see the country’s first hung parliament, as the opposition has been divided. Most of Botswana’s financial assets are held by a wealthy 10% of its people, and the gap between rich and poor is one of the largest in the world, according to the World Bank.

Unemployment rose to 27% as the economy suffered from a slump in the market for diamonds, Botswana’s main source of income. Political analyst Olopeng Rabasimane said the next government’s priorities should be stabilizing the economy, creating jobs, and diversifying the economy away from diamonds.

Masisi, one of four presidential candidates, acknowledged concerns about a decline in Botswana’s foreign reserves and weakened international diamond sales, saying the government would increase local investments. But the opposition has claimed several irregularities around voting day, with the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) warning of “another rigged election.”

With 61 parliamentary seats up for grabs, the first party to 31 seats will be declared the winner and install its candidate as president. While the BDP is expected to prevail, the weakened state of the opposition has raised concerns about the future of Botswana’s long-standing democracy.

VOA

Los Angeles Dodgers Defeat New York Yankees in Five Games to Win 2024 World Series

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Los Angeles Dodgers Defeat New York Yankees in Five Games to Win 2024 World Series

The Los Angeles Dodgers roared back from a 5-0 deficit late Wednesday to beat the New York Yankees 7-6 and win baseball’s 2024 World Series in five games.

The championship is the eighth in the Dodgers’ 140-year history and was clinched in front of nearly 50,000 fans at Yankee Stadium in New York, most of whom had hoped the Yankees could pull out a victory and take the series back to Los Angeles.

The Yankees jumped out to an early lead on the strength of home runs from sluggers Aaron Judge, Jazz Chisholm and Giancarlo Stanton. But the Dodgers tied the game with five runs in the fifth inning, aided by an error in center field by Judge.

After the Yankees scored in the next inning, Los Angeles went ahead for good with two runs in the top of the eighth, with the go-ahead run coming via a sacrifice fly from star outfielder Mookie Betts. Dodgers pitcher Walker Buehler then shut down the Yankees in the bottom of the ninth to clinch the title.

This was the Dodgers’ first championship since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. For the Yankees, it marked the end of a 15-year title drought, as they made their first World Series appearance since winning the championship in 2009.

Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman was named the World Series’ Most Valuable Player after hitting four home runs and driving in 12 runs during the five-game series. The series also drew high TV ratings in the U.S. and Japan due to the presence of Dodgers star Shohei Otani, who is expected to be named the National League MVP.

The Dodgers’ comeback victory capped an exciting World Series that saw the National League powerhouse defeat the storied Yankees franchise to claim their eighth championship in franchise history.

North Korea Fires Long-Range Ballistic Missile, South Korea Reports

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North Korea Fires Long-Range Ballistic Missile, South Korea Reports

North Korea fired a suspected long-range ballistic missile towards the sea off its east coast on Thursday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said, a day after Seoul reported the North was making preparations to test-launch an intercontinental ballistic missile.

The launch, at a sharply raised angle, was from an area near the North’s capital, Pyongyang, at 7:10 a.m. (2210 GMT), the Joint Chiefs said in a statement. It did not confirm whether the missile had dropped.

“It is believed the North Korea ballistic missile is a long-range ballistic missile fired at a high angle,” the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Japan’s Coast Guard also reported that North Korea had fired what could be a ballistic missile.

The latest missile launch comes as North Korea has come under international condemnation for reportedly dispatching 11,000 troops to Russia for deployment in the war in Ukraine, with 3,000 of them already moved close to the frontlines.

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and his South Korean counterpart Kim Yong-hyun condemned the deployment at a meeting in Washington on Wednesday, warning that it has the potential to lengthen the already 2-1/2 year Ukraine conflict and draw in others.

North Korea has conducted a series of ICBM test launches at a sharply steep trajectory in recent years, partly for safety and to avoid the political fallout of sending a missile far into the Pacific. Thursday’s launch is believed to be another such high-angle test.

The latest provocation by North Korea has drawn swift condemnation from the international community. The United States, South Korea, and their allies continue to monitor the situation and coordinate their response to Pyongyang’s destabilizing actions.

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