Wuhan Institute of Virology’s access to United States federal funds was halted by the Biden administration for failing to provide documents about safety and security measures, according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg News.&nbsp;

As per the reports, on Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) informed the Wuhan Institute about the suspension and also notified the lab that it is seeking to cut it off permanently, as per the memo.

A review, that was started by HHS in the month of September last year, raised concerns that the facility based in Wuhan was breaching the biosafety protocols and was also not compliant with US regulations, added the report. Notably, Wuhan is where the virus first emerged.

“This action will ensure the [Wuhan Institute of Virology] does not receive another dollar of federal funding,” the report quoted a department spokesperson as saying in a statement.

The lab has not received any funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since July 2020.

The institute has become a major point of discussion regarding the origins of the&nbsp;coronavirus&nbsp;which claimed the lives of nearly 7 million people across&nbsp;the world. Some authorities, including FBI Director Christopher Wray, suspect that the virus could have likely originated in the facility.

The US spokesperson on Monday said that the Wuhan lab has not responded to federal officials yet since the United States decided to cut future funding that would include new contracts grants and other transactions.

In the year 2014, the NIH awarded a grant to EcoHealth Alliance, a US-based organisation that is focused on preventing infectious diseases, for "Understanding the risk of bat coronavirus emergence."

The Wuhan Institute of Virology received the grant and EcoHealth Alliance also channelled United States Agency for International Development funds to the lab.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thai-court-suspends-pita-as-lawmaker-as-parliament-votes-on-pm-617270">Thai court suspends PM frontrunner Pita as lawmaker as parliament votes on next leader</a>

<h2>China deletes COVID-19 mortality&nbsp;data</h2>

Fresh accusations have been levelled against China and its intention of handling coronavirus (COVID-19) data. As per the report by Financial Times, one of the most populous provinces in the nation has deleted mortality data that indicated the high death toll caused by Beijing's relaxation of Covid regulations at the end of last year.&nbsp;

As per the report published on Tuesday (July 18), &nbsp;FT referred to the statistics released by Zhejiang province on Thursday, which showed the number of cremations in the wealthy coastal region during the first quarter of the year jumped 73 per cent from a year earlier to 171,000.&nbsp;

The amount was much higher than the 99,000 and 91,000 deaths reported in the same time period in 2022 and 2021, respectively. Chinese social media was abuzz following the data report, after which Zhejiang took the numbers offline by Monday.&nbsp;

Since the&nbsp;pandemic started, experts have called out Beijing for its dubious statistics of the pandemic. Towards the end of the year 2019, the first known case was reported in China, and when it started to spread, it was declared a public health emergency of international concern in January 2020.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Wuhan Institute of Virology’s access to United States federal funds was halted by the Biden administration for failing to provide documents about safety and security measures, according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg News.

Wuhan Institute of Virology’s access to United States federal funds was halted by the Biden administration for failing to provide documents about safety and security measures, according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg News. As per the reports, on Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) informed the Wuhan Institute about the suspension and also notified the lab that it is seeking to cut it off permanently, as per the memo. A review, that was started by HHS in the month of September last year, raised concerns that the facility based in Wuhan was breaching the biosafety protocols and was also not compliant with US regulations, added the report. Notably, Wuhan is where the virus first emerged. “This action will ensure the [Wuhan Institute of Virology] does not receive another dollar of federal funding,” the report quoted a department spokesperson as saying in a statement. The lab has not received any funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) since July 2020. The institute has become a major point of discussion regarding the origins of the coronavirus which claimed the lives of nearly 7 million people across the world. Some authorities, including FBI Director Christopher Wray, suspect that the virus could have likely originated in the facility. The US spokesperson on Monday said that the Wuhan lab has not responded to federal officials yet since the United States decided to cut future funding that would include new contracts grants and other transactions. In the year 2014, the NIH awarded a grant to EcoHealth Alliance, a US-based organisation that is focused on preventing infectious diseases, for "Understanding the risk of bat coronavirus emergence." The Wuhan Institute of Virology received the grant and EcoHealth Alliance also channelled United States Agency for International Development funds to the lab. Also read: Thai court suspends PM frontrunner Pita as lawmaker as parliament votes on next leader China deletes COVID-19 mortality data Fresh accusations have been levelled against China and its intention of handling coronavirus (COVID-19) data. As per the report by Financial Times, one of the most populous provinces in the nation has deleted mortality data that indicated the high death toll caused by Beijing's relaxation of Covid regulations at the end of last year. As per the report published on Tuesday (July 18), FT referred to the statistics released by Zhejiang province on Thursday, which showed the number of cremations in the wealthy coastal region during the first quarter of the year jumped 73 per cent from a year earlier to 171,000. The amount was much higher than the 99,000 and 91,000 deaths reported in the same time period in 2022 and 2021, respectively. Chinese social media was abuzz following the data report, after which Zhejiang took the numbers offline by Monday. Since the pandemic started, experts have called out Beijing for its dubious statistics of the pandemic. Towards the end of the year 2019, the first known case was reported in China, and when it started to spread, it was declared a public health emergency of international concern in January 2020. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

United States cuts off funds to Wuhan Institute over Covid stonewalling: Report

The dinner meeting of Opposition parties in the south Indian state of Karnataka's capital Bengaluru on Monday (July 17) ended without any major announcement.

Among the attendees were top Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, DMK's MK Stalin, AAP's Arvind Kejriwal, Janata Dal (U)'s Nitish Kumar, RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav and TMC's Mamata Banerjee.

Congress leader Pawan Khera told reporters, "Today there was no meeting, just an informal conversation took place. Dinner was also there which is still going on. We will meet again tomorrow and then will brief everything."

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&nbsp;

Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah received Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and party leader, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav at the venue of the Opposition dinner meeting in Bengaluru.

Siddaramaiah also received Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and AAP MP Raghav Chadha at the venue of the Opposition meeting.

JD(U) leader and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar also arrived for the Opposition dinner meeting.

This is the second time the Opposition parties are meeting before the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, in order to draft a roadmap to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The meeting, which is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, is currently underway at Taj West End Hotel in Bengaluru.

On Tuesday, it will commence at about 11 am and will continue till 4 pm.

Congress has mustered support from 26 parties for the second opposition unity meeting to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The first opposition unity meeting was held in Patna last month.

<h2>Siddaramaiah slams BJP</h2>

Earlier in the day, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of the country, the economic condition of the country deteriorated.

While talking to reporters, he said, "BJP is the party which destroyed the economy of the country, not Opposition parties. After Narendra Modi became PM, the economic condition of the country was destroyed, prices were raised, farmers poor are in distressed condition and because of communal issues people are living in scary situations."

"BJP and PM Modi will not get a mandate this time, they will lose this time," he said.

He also claimed that the influence of PM Narendra Modi is weakening and that the decline of the BJP has begun in Karnataka.

"Didn't we defeat Modi in Karnataka, BJP's loss in all the places, where Modi campaigned? During the Karnataka assembly elections, PM Narendra Modi visited the state 28 times. The decline of the BJP has begun in Karnataka. We'll win the majority of seats in Lok Sabha 2024 polls, and BJP and NDA alliance parties will lose."

<h2>"Opposition has no face, no policy...no determination", says JP Nadda</h2>

BJP National President JP slammed the Opposition parties, saying that they were 'a congregation of corrupt parties which lacks determination'.

While addressing the media, JP Nadda said," This is just a photo op. This is the foundation of unity based on the politics of selfishness. This is a bunch of corruption and scams of the 10-year UPA government. Till now opposition have not shown any leader, no determination, no power to take decisions, no program, when it is done then we will talk."

"We never contest elections on other's weaknesses. Our ideology is based on the fact that if we find any trouble, we find our weakness and we try to win on our strength," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

 
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The dinner meeting of Opposition parties in the south Indian state of Karnataka's capital Bengaluru on Monday (July 17) ended without any major announcement. Among the attendees were top Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, DMK's MK Stalin, AAP's Arvind Kejriwal, Janata Dal (U)'s Nitish Kumar, RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav and TMC's Mamata Banerjee.

The dinner meeting of Opposition parties in the south Indian state of Karnataka's capital Bengaluru on Monday (July 17) ended without any major announcement. Among the attendees were top Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, DMK's MK Stalin, AAP's Arvind Kejriwal, Janata Dal (U)'s Nitish Kumar, RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav and TMC's Mamata Banerjee. Congress leader Pawan Khera told reporters, "Today there was no meeting, just an informal conversation took place. Dinner was also there which is still going on. We will meet again tomorrow and then will brief everything." #WATCH | Congress leader Pawan Khera speaks on opposition leaders' dinner meeting in Bengaluru, says, "Today there was no meeting, just an informal conversation took place. Dinner was also there which is still going on. We will meet again tomorrow and then will brief everything." pic.twitter.com/UVoHAStK7U — ANI (@ANI) July 17, 2023 × Earlier, Karnataka Chief Minister and Congress leader Siddaramaiah received Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad Yadav and party leader, Bihar Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav at the venue of the Opposition dinner meeting in Bengaluru. Siddaramaiah also received Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, AAP MP Sanjay Singh and AAP MP Raghav Chadha at the venue of the Opposition meeting. JD(U) leader and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar also arrived for the Opposition dinner meeting. This is the second time the Opposition parties are meeting before the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, in order to draft a roadmap to defeat the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The meeting, which is scheduled for Monday and Tuesday, is currently underway at Taj West End Hotel in Bengaluru. On Tuesday, it will commence at about 11 am and will continue till 4 pm. Congress has mustered support from 26 parties for the second opposition unity meeting to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. The first opposition unity meeting was held in Patna last month. Siddaramaiah slams BJP Earlier in the day, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), saying that after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister of the country, the economic condition of the country deteriorated. While talking to reporters, he said, "BJP is the party which destroyed the economy of the country, not Opposition parties. After Narendra Modi became PM, the economic condition of the country was destroyed, prices were raised, farmers poor are in distressed condition and because of communal issues people are living in scary situations." "BJP and PM Modi will not get a mandate this time, they will lose this time," he said. He also claimed that the influence of PM Narendra Modi is weakening and that the decline of the BJP has begun in Karnataka. "Didn't we defeat Modi in Karnataka, BJP's loss in all the places, where Modi campaigned? During the Karnataka assembly elections, PM Narendra Modi visited the state 28 times. The decline of the BJP has begun in Karnataka. We'll win the majority of seats in Lok Sabha 2024 polls, and BJP and NDA alliance parties will lose." "Opposition has no face, no policy...no determination", says JP Nadda BJP National President JP slammed the Opposition parties, saying that they were 'a congregation of corrupt parties which lacks determination'. While addressing the media, JP Nadda said," This is just a photo op. This is the foundation of unity based on the politics of selfishness. This is a bunch of corruption and scams of the 10-year UPA government. Till now opposition have not shown any leader, no determination, no power to take decisions, no program, when it is done then we will talk." "We never contest elections on other's weaknesses. Our ideology is based on the fact that if we find any trouble, we find our weakness and we try to win on our strength," he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India: Opposition parties' 'informal meet' in Bengaluru ends without any major announcement

Celebrities Who Attended Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour

Taylor Swift's “No Body, No Crime” collaborators, “Bejeweled” music video co-stars were one of the very first celebs to be spotted at her Eras tour.


Emma Stone was spotted in Glendale when she was seen grooving to the famous Swift song 'Love Story'.

Marcus Mumford joined his friend on stage to perform Evermore's 'Cowboy Like Me' in Las Vegas.



Moretz was also seen grooving to 'Love Story' in Las Vegas.

The Harry Potter star was spotted dancing her heart out with Este Haim in Vegas.

Diplo took to his Instagram stories and shared that he was 'a Swiftie now' while dancing along to 'Anti-Hero'.

Taylor Swift's longtime friend Selena Gomez showed up at Swift's concert on April 1 in Arlington, Texas. Selena was accompanied by her little sister Gracie, and the two of them came dressed as Taylor Swift era, Folklore and Speak Now, respectively.

Taylor Swift's massive The Eras Tour kickstarted on March 17 in Glendale, Arizona.

US Treasury Secretary Janey Yellen on Sunday laid emphasis on India's significant role in boosting supply chain resilience through friendshoring.

During a press conference in Gandhinagar, she expressed gratitude to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and further discussed the agenda for global economic growth.

She appreciated India as an indispensable partner in the strategy of "friendshoring" to bolster supply chain resilience.

Friendshoring is a strategy where a country sources raw materials, components and even manufactured goods from countries that share its values.

“Friendshoring is an important foundation of our approach to increasing resilience of our supply chains, and we see India as an indispensable partner in that and I hope to use this trip to deepen what is already a significant relationship with respect to friendshoring that the US and India have," said Yellen.

Yellen highlighted the significance of deepening the already influential relationship between the United States and India in the context of friendshoring. She then acknowledged India's key role, further recognising the country as a valuable partner in achieving resilient and robust supply chains.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-threatens-tit-for-tat-use-of-cluster-munitions-against-ukraine-616228">Putin threatens 'tit-for-tat' use of cluster munitions against Ukraine</a>

<h2>India seen as 'excellent place' to be producing and exporting to US, says Yellen</h2>

The private sector is an essential point of friendshoring, and private firms have continued to make announcements of investing in India as they see India as "an excellent place to be producing and exporting to the US," she said.

The United States Secretary of the Treasury then underlined the top agendas of this week which included, debt distress in emerging markets and developing countries, multilateral development bank evolution, support for Ukraine, and a global tax deal.

Further elucidating on the agendas, she said that the debt vulnerabilities for many countries ascended as a result of the COVID pandemic and Russia's "illegal" war against Ukraine, with the share of countries in debt distress doubling compared to 2015, she said.

“Restoring debt sustainability can help unlock the massive economic potential of developing nations. It can help them regain lost growth and development and enable them to make investments to address challenges that we are trying to tackle together,” she said.

When these countries develop and contribute to the global economy, "all of us benefit," Yellen said.

She then said that the United States Treasury is ready to serve as a partner for the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust - the PRGT.

"I expect the IMF to develop a set of options to do so. My team at Treasury is ready to serve as a partner for the IMF as it considers the options at its disposal-&nbsp;like using the internally generated resources of the fund to support the PRGT subsidy account," she said.

"The United States will continue to build momentum for a collective initiative to evolve the multilateral development banks (MDBs)," Yellen said.

“Our reforms to the World Bank's balance sheet will responsibly unlock as much as USD 50 billion in additional lending capacity over the next decade. As part of our evolution agenda, we estimate that the MDBs as a system could unlock USD 200 billion over the next decade just from the measures already being implemented or under deliberation,” she said.

“This is USD 200 billion more in funding that we can use to advance key global priorities: spurring economic growth and reducing poverty, fighting climate change, and promoting human development,” she said.

“As we take these actions, we recognise that public financing alone cannot fully deliver on the massive challenges that face us. That's why it is essential that development banks ramp up their private capital mobilisation rates,” she added.

<h2>Redouble support for Ukraine</h2>

She then said that her other priority this week would be to redouble support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russia's “illegal and unprovoked attack.”

“Let me be clear: our coalition's support for Ukraine is unequivocal. The United States will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. And I know the allies and partners in our coalition will do so as well,” she said.

“We will also continue to cut off Russia's access to the military equipment and technologies that it needs to wage war against Ukraine. One of our core goals this year is to combat Russia's efforts to evade our sanctions. Our coalition is building on the actions we've taken in recent months to crack down on these efforts," she further added.

(With inputs from agencies) 
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US Treasury Secretary Janey Yellen on Sunday laid emphasis on India's significant role in boosting supply chain resilience through friendshoring. During a press conference in Gandhinagar, she expressed gratitude to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and further discussed the agenda for global economic growth.

US Treasury Secretary Janey Yellen on Sunday laid emphasis on India's significant role in boosting supply chain resilience through friendshoring. During a press conference in Gandhinagar, she expressed gratitude to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and further discussed the agenda for global economic growth. She appreciated India as an indispensable partner in the strategy of "friendshoring" to bolster supply chain resilience. Friendshoring is a strategy where a country sources raw materials, components and even manufactured goods from countries that share its values. “Friendshoring is an important foundation of our approach to increasing resilience of our supply chains, and we see India as an indispensable partner in that and I hope to use this trip to deepen what is already a significant relationship with respect to friendshoring that the US and India have," said Yellen. Yellen highlighted the significance of deepening the already influential relationship between the United States and India in the context of friendshoring. She then acknowledged India's key role, further recognising the country as a valuable partner in achieving resilient and robust supply chains. Also read: Putin threatens 'tit-for-tat' use of cluster munitions against Ukraine India seen as 'excellent place' to be producing and exporting to US, says Yellen The private sector is an essential point of friendshoring, and private firms have continued to make announcements of investing in India as they see India as "an excellent place to be producing and exporting to the US," she said. The United States Secretary of the Treasury then underlined the top agendas of this week which included, debt distress in emerging markets and developing countries, multilateral development bank evolution, support for Ukraine, and a global tax deal. Further elucidating on the agendas, she said that the debt vulnerabilities for many countries ascended as a result of the COVID pandemic and Russia's "illegal" war against Ukraine, with the share of countries in debt distress doubling compared to 2015, she said. “Restoring debt sustainability can help unlock the massive economic potential of developing nations. It can help them regain lost growth and development and enable them to make investments to address challenges that we are trying to tackle together,” she said. When these countries develop and contribute to the global economy, "all of us benefit," Yellen said. She then said that the United States Treasury is ready to serve as a partner for the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust - the PRGT. "I expect the IMF to develop a set of options to do so. My team at Treasury is ready to serve as a partner for the IMF as it considers the options at its disposal- like using the internally generated resources of the fund to support the PRGT subsidy account," she said. "The United States will continue to build momentum for a collective initiative to evolve the multilateral development banks (MDBs)," Yellen said. “Our reforms to the World Bank's balance sheet will responsibly unlock as much as USD 50 billion in additional lending capacity over the next decade. As part of our evolution agenda, we estimate that the MDBs as a system could unlock USD 200 billion over the next decade just from the measures already being implemented or under deliberation,” she said. “This is USD 200 billion more in funding that we can use to advance key global priorities: spurring economic growth and reducing poverty, fighting climate change, and promoting human development,” she said. “As we take these actions, we recognise that public financing alone cannot fully deliver on the massive challenges that face us. That's why it is essential that development banks ramp up their private capital mobilisation rates,” she added. Redouble support for Ukraine She then said that her other priority this week would be to redouble support for Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against Russia's “illegal and unprovoked attack.” “Let me be clear: our coalition's support for Ukraine is unequivocal. The United States will stand with Ukraine for as long as it takes. And I know the allies and partners in our coalition will do so as well,” she said. “We will also continue to cut off Russia's access to the military equipment and technologies that it needs to wage war against Ukraine. One of our core goals this year is to combat Russia's efforts to evade our sanctions. Our coalition is building on the actions we've taken in recent months to crack down on these efforts," she further added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Yellen dubs India 'indispensable partner' for friendshoring, calls for redoubling support to Ukraine

Ten people who were stuck inside a lift in a South Extension club were on Sunday rescued by Delhi Fire Service personnel, said an official.

The Delhi Fire Service got a call at around 5:42 am on Sunday about the incident at Code Club near the South Extension Metro Station, said a DFS official.

After receiving the call, the Delhi Fire Service personnel reached the spot and rescued them safely.

On Sunday, around 2:00 am, a group of pubgoers were trapped inside an elevator for 10 hours after the lift malfunctioned and stopped working.

As the situation got intense, the rescue workers took the decision to break the lift's window and then further pulled the people to safety.

&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-floods-water-level-of-yamuna-recedes-to-20762-metres-further-rainfall-predicted-615837">Delhi floods: Water level of Yamuna recedes to 207.38 metres, more rain predicted</a>

The people trapped inside included five women, and five men, who were on their way to the parking lot after the party at the club ended.

They were all taken to a nearby hospital for treatment after being rescued. As per India Today reports, the people, especially the women were distressed and in a state of shock but did not suffer any major wounds.

"A fire call was received from South ex about 10 people stuck in lift, coming from club. Code Club, Khanna Jewellers, south extension metro station, new Delhi. Team returned from rescue call and reports that 10 persons rescued safely from a lift by DFS," Atul Garg, Director, Delhi Fire Services, said in a tweet.

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A fire call was received from South ex about 10 people stuck in lift, coming from club. Time 0542/43hrs. 
Code Club, Khanna Jewellers, south extension metro station, new Delhi. Team returned 
from rescue call and reports that 10 persons rescued safely from a lift by DFS. <a href="https://t.co/mH4ico9JN4">pic.twitter.com/mH4ico9JN4</a>
— Atul Garg (@AtulGargDFS) <a href="https://twitter.com/AtulGargDFS/status/1680445178543501312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

According to the reports, the inquiry showed that the club had permission to open till late at night. The people who were stuck in the elevator tried to open the lift using a key at first but were unsuccessful.

Though the incident did not cause any injuries or physical harm to the victims but it left them traumatised.

Some people expressed disappointment at the slow response time of the authorities. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

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Ten people who were stuck inside a lift in a South Extension club were on Sunday rescued by Delhi Fire Service personnel, said an official. The Delhi Fire Service got a call at around 5:42 am on Sunday about the incident at Code Club near the South Extension Metro Station, said a DFS official.

Ten people who were stuck inside a lift in a South Extension club were on Sunday rescued by Delhi Fire Service personnel, said an official. The Delhi Fire Service got a call at around 5:42 am on Sunday about the incident at Code Club near the South Extension Metro Station, said a DFS official. After receiving the call, the Delhi Fire Service personnel reached the spot and rescued them safely. On Sunday, around 2:00 am, a group of pubgoers were trapped inside an elevator for 10 hours after the lift malfunctioned and stopped working. As the situation got intense, the rescue workers took the decision to break the lift's window and then further pulled the people to safety. Also read: Delhi floods: Water level of Yamuna recedes to 207.38 metres, more rain predicted The people trapped inside included five women, and five men, who were on their way to the parking lot after the party at the club ended. They were all taken to a nearby hospital for treatment after being rescued. As per India Today reports, the people, especially the women were distressed and in a state of shock but did not suffer any major wounds. "A fire call was received from South ex about 10 people stuck in lift, coming from club. Code Club, Khanna Jewellers, south extension metro station, new Delhi. Team returned from rescue call and reports that 10 persons rescued safely from a lift by DFS," Atul Garg, Director, Delhi Fire Services, said in a tweet. A fire call was received from South ex about 10 people stuck in lift, coming from club. Time 0542/43hrs. Code Club, Khanna Jewellers, south extension metro station, new Delhi. Team returned from rescue call and reports that 10 persons rescued safely from a lift by DFS. pic.twitter.com/mH4ico9JN4 — Atul Garg (@AtulGargDFS) July 16, 2023 × According to the reports, the inquiry showed that the club had permission to open till late at night. The people who were stuck in the elevator tried to open the lift using a key at first but were unsuccessful. Though the incident did not cause any injuries or physical harm to the victims but it left them traumatised. Some people expressed disappointment at the slow response time of the authorities. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Delhi: Pubgoers get trapped inside elevator for 10 hours, rescuers break windows to evacuate them

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow has sufficient stockpiles of cluster munition to respond to Kyiv's use of internationally sanctioned lethal weapons. The Biden administration last week approved the export of cluster munitions that the White House itself once flagged for purported 'war crimes' during the initial days of war in Ukraine. In other news, United States envoy John Kerry arrived in China on Sunday (July 16), reported the Chinese state media, as the world’s two biggest greenhouse gas emitters look to revive stalled efforts to combat global warming.

Click on the headlines to read more:&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/putin-threatens-tit-for-tat-use-of-cluster-munitions-against-ukraine-616228">Putin threatens 'tit-for-tat' use of cluster munitions against Ukraine</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/06/18/360322-untitled-design-2023-06-18t115214140.png?imwidth=1920" />

"The use of cluster munitions was called a crime by the US itself," Putin&nbsp;said&nbsp;in an interview published on Sunday, in an indirect reference to an international treaty signed by Washington's allies against the use of cluster munitions.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/washington-envoy-kerry-arrives-in-beijing-as-us-china-aim-to-revive-climate-cooperation-616236">Washington envoy Kerry arrives in Beijing as US, China aim to revive climate cooperation</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/07/16/367299-wion-images-2023-07-16t172236840.png?imwidth=1920" />

The talks between US special envoy on climate change Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua will begin on Monday and go on till Wednesday. “China&nbsp;and the United States will have an in-depth exchange of views” on climate issues, reported the state broadcaster CCTV upon Kerry’s arrival in Beijing.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/three-israelis-shot-one-seriously-injured-after-suspected-palestinian-gunman-opens-fire-in-west-bank-616224">Three Israelis shot, one seriously injured after suspected Palestinian gunman opens fire in West Bank</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/07/16/367295-wion-images-2023-07-16t160751117.png?imwidth=1920" />

One Israeli man was said to be seriously injured and his two daughters were reported lightly hurt after a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank on Sunday (July 16) morning, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli emergency services. The latest incident is a&nbsp;rare occurrence in the Israel-occupied southern West Bank which is much calmer than the north.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-pitches-special-priority-for-india-in-oil-exports-with-focus-on-cooperation-over-chabahar-port-616263">Iran pitches 'special priority' for India in Oil exports with focus on cooperation over Chabahar Port</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/07/16/367315-untitled-design-2023-07-16t210027265.png?imwidth=1920" />

Iran is ready to give 'special priority' to India in its oil exports if New Delhi shows willingness, country's deputy foreign minister for political affairs said on Sunday, July 16.&nbsp;"We as one of the biggest suppliers of oil in the world. We are ready to give special priority to India but India should show willingness," Ali Bagheri, Iranian deputy foreign minister for political affairs told news agency ANI.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-rain-fury-rescuers-recover-eight-bodies-from-flooded-tunnel-president-yoon-suk-yeol-still-abroad-616238">South Korea rain fury: Rescuers recover eight bodies from flooded tunnel; President Yoon Suk Yeol still abroad</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/07/16/367300-untitled-design-2023-07-16t175648133.png?imwidth=1920" />

South Korean authorities have recovered the bodies of eight individuals who were trapped in a tunnel flooded by heavy rain. The death toll from the continuous torrential downpours that have battered the country stands at 37 at the time of filing this report.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/not-during-2023-asia-cup-seamer-jasprit-bumrah-could-return-sooner-than-expected-reports-616213">Not during 2023 Asia Cup, seamer Jasprit Bumrah could return sooner than expected - Reports</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/07/16/367282-untitled-design-2023-07-16t160138587.jpg?imwidth=1920" />

Ace India seamer Jasprit Bumrah is said to have almost regained complete fitness and is bowling at full throttle at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. The latest reports suggest Bumrah is gradually increasing his workload and is in line to return to the side during next month's white-ball series against Ireland. Shreyas Iyer has also resumed batting.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-jane-birkin-actress-singer-and-fashion-icon-dies-aged-76-616242">Jane Birkin, actress, singer and fashion icon, dies aged 76</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/07/16/367302-00033p76qf.jpg?imwidth=1920" />

British-born actress and singer Jane Birkin, a 1960s wild child who became a beloved figure in France, has died in Paris aged 76, the French Culture Ministry said on Sunday.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/more-than-100-tourists-get-trapped-in-mystery-writer-agatha-christies-former-house-616195">More than 100 tourists get trapped in mystery writer Agatha Christie’s former house</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/07/16/367263-untitled-design-2023-07-16t135945447.png?imwidth=1920" />

More than 100 people were locked inside the former house of famed British mystery writer Agatha Christie for several hours in the English countryside on Friday. In a series of mysterious occurrences, which seemed to have been lifted straight from the pages of one of the mystery novels of Christie, the group of tourists was trapped inside the house after a tree was knocked down by stormy weather which led to blockage of the road leading down to the property located in the county of Devon, southwest England.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-bjp-leaders-son-arrested-for-alleged-sexual-assault-of-sisters-in-madhya-pradesh-616261">India: BJP leader’s son arrested for alleged sexual assault of sisters in Madhya Pradesh</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/07/16/367314-wion-images-2023-07-16t203246204.png?imwidth=1920" />

According to media reports, the son of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh’s Datia district is among those arrested for allegedly gang-raping and sexually assaulting two sisters.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-police-register-case-in-connection-to-call-that-threatened-hijack-of-flight-to-tel-aviv-616255">Delhi police register case over call warning of possible hijack of flight to Tel Aviv</a>

<img src="https://cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/styles/story_page/public/2023/07/16/367310-succession-2023-07-16t192428275.jpg?imwidth=1920" />

Delhi police registered a case on Sunday over a call to an Air India call centre in Pune on Thursday (July 13) that warned of a hijack threat&nbsp;on a flight scheduled to depart from Delhi to Tel Aviv.

&nbsp;

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow has sufficient stockpiles of cluster munition to respond to Kyiv's use of internationally sanctioned lethal weapons.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said that Moscow has sufficient stockpiles of cluster munition to respond to Kyiv's use of internationally sanctioned lethal weapons. The Biden administration last week approved the export of cluster munitions that the White House itself once flagged for purported 'war crimes' during the initial days of war in Ukraine. In other news, United States envoy John Kerry arrived in China on Sunday (July 16), reported the Chinese state media, as the world’s two biggest greenhouse gas emitters look to revive stalled efforts to combat global warming. Click on the headlines to read more: Putin threatens 'tit-for-tat' use of cluster munitions against Ukraine "The use of cluster munitions was called a crime by the US itself," Putin said in an interview published on Sunday, in an indirect reference to an international treaty signed by Washington's allies against the use of cluster munitions. Washington envoy Kerry arrives in Beijing as US, China aim to revive climate cooperation The talks between US special envoy on climate change Kerry and his Chinese counterpart Xie Zhenhua will begin on Monday and go on till Wednesday. “China and the United States will have an in-depth exchange of views” on climate issues, reported the state broadcaster CCTV upon Kerry’s arrival in Beijing. Three Israelis shot, one seriously injured after suspected Palestinian gunman opens fire in West Bank One Israeli man was said to be seriously injured and his two daughters were reported lightly hurt after a shooting attack in the occupied West Bank on Sunday (July 16) morning, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Israeli emergency services. The latest incident is a rare occurrence in the Israel-occupied southern West Bank which is much calmer than the north. Iran pitches 'special priority' for India in Oil exports with focus on cooperation over Chabahar Port Iran is ready to give 'special priority' to India in its oil exports if New Delhi shows willingness, country's deputy foreign minister for political affairs said on Sunday, July 16. "We as one of the biggest suppliers of oil in the world. We are ready to give special priority to India but India should show willingness," Ali Bagheri, Iranian deputy foreign minister for political affairs told news agency ANI. South Korea rain fury: Rescuers recover eight bodies from flooded tunnel; President Yoon Suk Yeol still abroad South Korean authorities have recovered the bodies of eight individuals who were trapped in a tunnel flooded by heavy rain. The death toll from the continuous torrential downpours that have battered the country stands at 37 at the time of filing this report. Not during 2023 Asia Cup, seamer Jasprit Bumrah could return sooner than expected - Reports Ace India seamer Jasprit Bumrah is said to have almost regained complete fitness and is bowling at full throttle at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bengaluru. The latest reports suggest Bumrah is gradually increasing his workload and is in line to return to the side during next month's white-ball series against Ireland. Shreyas Iyer has also resumed batting. Jane Birkin, actress, singer and fashion icon, dies aged 76 British-born actress and singer Jane Birkin, a 1960s wild child who became a beloved figure in France, has died in Paris aged 76, the French Culture Ministry said on Sunday. More than 100 tourists get trapped in mystery writer Agatha Christie’s former house More than 100 people were locked inside the former house of famed British mystery writer Agatha Christie for several hours in the English countryside on Friday. In a series of mysterious occurrences, which seemed to have been lifted straight from the pages of one of the mystery novels of Christie, the group of tourists was trapped inside the house after a tree was knocked down by stormy weather which led to blockage of the road leading down to the property located in the county of Devon, southwest England. India: BJP leader’s son arrested for alleged sexual assault of sisters in Madhya Pradesh According to media reports, the son of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader in the Indian state of Madhya Pradesh’s Datia district is among those arrested for allegedly gang-raping and sexually assaulting two sisters. Delhi police register case over call warning of possible hijack of flight to Tel Aviv Delhi police registered a case on Sunday over a call to an Air India call centre in Pune on Thursday (July 13) that warned of a hijack threat on a flight scheduled to depart from Delhi to Tel Aviv.

Top 10 world news: Putin threatens use of cluster munitions, US envoy Kerry arrives in Beijing, and more

In a shocking development, the death toll in the Kenyan cult linked to a Kenyan pastor, who advised followers to starve themselves in order to "meet Jesus Christ", has surpassed 400 after 12 more bodies were discovered on Monday, a senior official said.&nbsp;

Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha told news agency AFP in a message, "Total death Toll - 403," after disinterments were performed in the Shakahola forest, where cult leader Paul Nthenge Mackenzie allegedly asked his followers to starve to death.

Onyancha further added, "Exhumation continues tomorrow," as the investigators are on the lookout for more graves in the forest, where the victims were found for the very first time on April 13.

As per reports by the government over autopsies performed on the victims, starvation has been considered as the probable cause of death. However, some victims, including children, were either choked, beaten or suffocated.

Mackenzie, a former taxi driver-turned-preacher, has been in police custody since mid-April.

According to reports, state prosecutors said that he is facing terrorism or genocide-related charges, however, he hasn't yet been required to enter any plea.

In the month of May, Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki had expressed concern that some of Mackenzie's rescued followers were refusing food.&nbsp;

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-says-he-will-establish-peace-in-ukraine-within-24-hours-of-coming-to-power-616620">Trump says he will establish peace in Ukraine within 24 hours of coming to power</a>

<h2>Suspect in cult starvation deaths dies in custody after hunger strike</h2>

Last month, a Kenyan accused of involvement in the deaths related to the starvation cult, died after a 10-day hunger strike in police custody, said a prosecutor.

Joseph Buyuka was among 30 people, including pastor Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church, in custody over the deaths of followers of the church.

"The police believe that these individuals... played significant roles in the offences leading to the deaths and illegal disposal of bodies in Shakahola (forest)," court papers said of Buyuka and four others arrested with him.

"He died ...(due to) ... complications from hunger strike and starvation, but we will await postmortem report," Jami Yamina, senior prosecution counsel told a court in Mombasa.

"Two other suspects ... have also taken ill. Police believe it is related to their hunger strike."

<h2>Kenya doomsday cult deaths’ site to be turned into national memorial</h2>

In the month of June, the Kenyan authorities said that the coastal forest where bodies of people linked to the doomsday cult were buried will be converted into a national memorial.

Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said the forest "where grave crimes have been committed will not remain as it was".&nbsp;

"The government will convert it into a national memorial, a place of remembrance so that Kenyans and the world do not forget what happened here," he said in a statement.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

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In a shocking development, the death toll in the Kenyan cult linked to a Kenyan pastor, who advised followers to starve themselves in order to "meet Jesus Christ", has surpassed 400 after 12 more bodies were discovered on Monday, a senior official said.

In a shocking development, the death toll in the Kenyan cult linked to a Kenyan pastor, who advised followers to starve themselves in order to "meet Jesus Christ", has surpassed 400 after 12 more bodies were discovered on Monday, a senior official said. Coast Regional Commissioner Rhoda Onyancha told news agency AFP in a message, "Total death Toll - 403," after disinterments were performed in the Shakahola forest, where cult leader Paul Nthenge Mackenzie allegedly asked his followers to starve to death. Onyancha further added, "Exhumation continues tomorrow," as the investigators are on the lookout for more graves in the forest, where the victims were found for the very first time on April 13. As per reports by the government over autopsies performed on the victims, starvation has been considered as the probable cause of death. However, some victims, including children, were either choked, beaten or suffocated. Mackenzie, a former taxi driver-turned-preacher, has been in police custody since mid-April. According to reports, state prosecutors said that he is facing terrorism or genocide-related charges, however, he hasn't yet been required to enter any plea. In the month of May, Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki had expressed concern that some of Mackenzie's rescued followers were refusing food. Also read: Trump says he will establish peace in Ukraine within 24 hours of coming to power Suspect in cult starvation deaths dies in custody after hunger strike Last month, a Kenyan accused of involvement in the deaths related to the starvation cult, died after a 10-day hunger strike in police custody, said a prosecutor. Joseph Buyuka was among 30 people, including pastor Paul Mackenzie of Good News International Church, in custody over the deaths of followers of the church. "The police believe that these individuals... played significant roles in the offences leading to the deaths and illegal disposal of bodies in Shakahola (forest)," court papers said of Buyuka and four others arrested with him. "He died ...(due to) ... complications from hunger strike and starvation, but we will await postmortem report," Jami Yamina, senior prosecution counsel told a court in Mombasa. "Two other suspects ... have also taken ill. Police believe it is related to their hunger strike." Kenya doomsday cult deaths’ site to be turned into national memorial In the month of June, the Kenyan authorities said that the coastal forest where bodies of people linked to the doomsday cult were buried will be converted into a national memorial. Interior Minister Kithure Kindiki said the forest "where grave crimes have been committed will not remain as it was". "The government will convert it into a national memorial, a place of remembrance so that Kenyans and the world do not forget what happened here," he said in a statement. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kenyan starvation cult death toll surpasses 400 after authorities find 12 more bodies

India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met his Myanmar counterpart Than Swe on Sunday and discussed initiatives that can be taken in order to enhance the connectivity between the two countries. Their discussions centred around the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway, further underlining the importance of ensuring peace and stability in the border areas.

Jaishankar, who had arrived in Bangkok from Indonesia on Saturday, also met Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai.

He said that the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway had been a "very difficult project" because of the situation in Myanmar and that it was the government's priority to find ways to resume it.

Taking to Twitter, he said, "Met H.E. U Than Swe on the sidelines of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting in Bangkok today. Our discussions focused on connectivity initiatives that have a larger regional significance. These will also be discussed at the MGC meeting this afternoon. Stressed the importance of expediting projects that have faced challenges in the recent past, especially the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway. Underlined the importance of ensuring peace and stability in our border areas. These have been seriously disturbed recently and any actions that aggravate the situation should be avoided."&nbsp;

He met the Myanmar Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism meeting.

MGC is one of the oldest mechanisms of the lower Mekong region and is guided by India's Act East Policy.

He further said that the issues related to human and drug trafficking were also raised in the meeting.

"Flagged concerns about human and drug trafficking. Urged stronger cooperation among relevant parties for the early return of trafficked victims. As an immediate neighbor, India is concerned about the humanitarian situation in Myanmar. Proposed people-centric initiatives aimed to address the pressing challenges. India supports the democratic transition process in Myanmar and highlights the need for return of peace and stability. We will closely coordinate our policy with ASEAN in this regard," he further added.

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Met H.E. U Than Swe on the sidelines of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting in Bangkok today. 
 
Our discussions focused on connectivity initiatives that have a larger regional significance. These will also be discussed at the MGC meeting this afternoon. Stressed the… <a href="https://t.co/vaOoa0RAFL">pic.twitter.com/vaOoa0RAFL</a>
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrSJaishankar/status/1680434567633838080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

Approximately 1,300 km long highways are currently in the works and once constructed will enhance trade ties between Myanmar and Thailand.

After the meeting, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Myanmar also released a statement saying that during the meeting with the Indian External Affairs Minister, the Union Minister discussed&nbsp;the Myanmar Government’s efforts to ensure peace, prosperity and democracy in line with the Five-Point Roadmap and latest developments of Myanmar.&nbsp;

"They also cordially exchanged views on matters pertaining to the promotion of longstanding friendly bilateral relations between the two countries and the expansion of mutually beneficially cooperation in the areas, among others, border area development and security, connectivity as well as closer collaboration in the regional and international fora including the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation and the BIMSTEC," the statement read.

After meeting Than Swe, Jaishankar met Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Thailand, Don Pramudwinai.

"Continuing our conversations from Jakarta. Pleased to meet Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai of Thailand today. Look forward to the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting this afternoon," Jaishankar tweeted.

(With inputs from agencies)

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India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met his Myanmar counterpart Than Swe on Sunday and discussed initiatives that can be taken in order to enhance the connectivity between the two countries.

India's External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar met his Myanmar counterpart Than Swe on Sunday and discussed initiatives that can be taken in order to enhance the connectivity between the two countries. Their discussions centred around the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway, further underlining the importance of ensuring peace and stability in the border areas. Jaishankar, who had arrived in Bangkok from Indonesia on Saturday, also met Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai. He said that the India-Myanmar-Thailand Trilateral Highway had been a "very difficult project" because of the situation in Myanmar and that it was the government's priority to find ways to resume it. Taking to Twitter, he said, "Met H.E. U Than Swe on the sidelines of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting in Bangkok today. Our discussions focused on connectivity initiatives that have a larger regional significance. These will also be discussed at the MGC meeting this afternoon. Stressed the importance of expediting projects that have faced challenges in the recent past, especially the India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway. Underlined the importance of ensuring peace and stability in our border areas. These have been seriously disturbed recently and any actions that aggravate the situation should be avoided." He met the Myanmar Foreign Minister on the sidelines of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) Mechanism meeting. MGC is one of the oldest mechanisms of the lower Mekong region and is guided by India's Act East Policy. He further said that the issues related to human and drug trafficking were also raised in the meeting. "Flagged concerns about human and drug trafficking. Urged stronger cooperation among relevant parties for the early return of trafficked victims. As an immediate neighbor, India is concerned about the humanitarian situation in Myanmar. Proposed people-centric initiatives aimed to address the pressing challenges. India supports the democratic transition process in Myanmar and highlights the need for return of peace and stability. We will closely coordinate our policy with ASEAN in this regard," he further added. Met H.E. U Than Swe on the sidelines of the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting in Bangkok today. Our discussions focused on connectivity initiatives that have a larger regional significance. These will also be discussed at the MGC meeting this afternoon. Stressed the… pic.twitter.com/vaOoa0RAFL — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) July 16, 2023 × Approximately 1,300 km long highways are currently in the works and once constructed will enhance trade ties between Myanmar and Thailand. After the meeting, Ministry of Foreign Affairs Myanmar also released a statement saying that during the meeting with the Indian External Affairs Minister, the Union Minister discussed the Myanmar Government’s efforts to ensure peace, prosperity and democracy in line with the Five-Point Roadmap and latest developments of Myanmar. "They also cordially exchanged views on matters pertaining to the promotion of longstanding friendly bilateral relations between the two countries and the expansion of mutually beneficially cooperation in the areas, among others, border area development and security, connectivity as well as closer collaboration in the regional and international fora including the Mekong-Ganga Cooperation and the BIMSTEC," the statement read. After meeting Than Swe, Jaishankar met Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Thailand, Don Pramudwinai. "Continuing our conversations from Jakarta. Pleased to meet Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai of Thailand today. Look forward to the Mekong Ganga Cooperation (MGC) meeting this afternoon," Jaishankar tweeted. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Jaishankar meets Myanmar counterpart, discusses India-Myanmar-Thailand trilateral highway

On Monday, at least one person was killed in a cloud burst that occurred near the Kayas village in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district at around 4 am, said the administration. The incident also wounded three others.

"An incident of cloud burst has occurred near village Kayas, (Raysan) Tehsil and District Kullu. In this incident, one person died on the spot and three persons got injuries," District Emergency Operation Centre (DEOC), Kullu, said in a statement, adding the victims were washed away in a vehicle.

"Police Team on the way to the incident site (road is blocked at one point, JCB has been deployed for that). Further information will be shared soon," the DEOC said.

The person who died in the incident was identified as Badal Sharma from village Chansari in Kullu district, and the three injured were identified as Khem Chand from village Badogi, Suresh Sharma from village Chansari and Kapil from village Chansari in Kullu district, as per news agency ANI reports.

Earlier, IMD tweeted that Himachal Pradesh is likely to receive heavy to very heavy showers on Monday.

"#OrangeAlert: #HimachalPradesh &amp; #Uttarakhand likely to get heavy to very heavy rainfall (115.6 to 204.4 mm) during 16th to 17th July", it said.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OrangeAlert?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OrangeAlert</a>: <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HimachalPradesh?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HimachalPradesh</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Uttarakhand?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Uttarakhand</a> likely to get heavy to very heavy rainfall (115.6 to 204.4 mm) during 16th to 17th July. 
 
Stay safe! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WeatherAlert?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WeatherAlert</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HeavyRainfallAlert?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HeavyRainfallAlert</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Monsoon2023?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Monsoon2023</a><a href="https://twitter.com/moesgoi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@moesgoi</a><a href="https://twitter.com/DDNewslive?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DDNewslive</a><a href="https://twitter.com/airnewsalerts?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@airnewsalerts</a><a href="https://twitter.com/ndmaindia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ndmaindia</a> <a href="https://t.co/0XiqeAbcOh">pic.twitter.com/0XiqeAbcOh</a>
— India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) <a href="https://twitter.com/Indiametdept/status/1680469538725572609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2023</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

IMD also issued a 'moderate to high risk' alert predicting flash floods occurrence in five districts of Himachal Pradesh till July 17.&nbsp;

"Moderate to high risk&nbsp;of flash food over a few watersheds and neighbourhoods of Chamba, Kangra, Sirmaour, Shimla and Kullu districts till July 17," a bulletin issued by the IMD said.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/supreme-court-asks-delhi-cm-kejriwal-and-l-g-saxena-to-rise-above-political-bickering-and-govern-616591">Supreme Court asks Delhi CM Kejriwal and L-G Saxena to 'rise above political bickering and govern'</a>

<h2>Monsoon fury in North India&nbsp;</h2>

So far, rain-related incidents and road accidents in the state have claimed the lives of at least 122 people since the onset of the monsoon on June 24, according to the state emergency response centre. 12 people are still missing.

As per the officials, 720 roads are still blocked for vehicular traffic in the state, further adding that the work to restore the connectivity is underway.

As per local media reports, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu conducted an aerial inspection of the state and interacted with those affected.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced ten thousand rupees per family as financial help for those affected by floods in the national capital.

Taking to Twitter, he announced a series of measures to help flood-affected families in the city.

“Many very poor families living on the banks of river Yamuna have suffered a lot. In some families, the entire household goods were washed away,” he said, announcing Rs 10,000 for each flood-affected family.

"The children whose clothes and books were washed away will be given these on behalf of the schools," he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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On Monday, at least one person was killed in a cloud burst that occurred near the Kayas village in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district at around 4 am, said the administration.

On Monday, at least one person was killed in a cloud burst that occurred near the Kayas village in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu district at around 4 am, said the administration. The incident also wounded three others. "An incident of cloud burst has occurred near village Kayas, (Raysan) Tehsil and District Kullu. In this incident, one person died on the spot and three persons got injuries," District Emergency Operation Centre (DEOC), Kullu, said in a statement, adding the victims were washed away in a vehicle. "Police Team on the way to the incident site (road is blocked at one point, JCB has been deployed for that). Further information will be shared soon," the DEOC said. The person who died in the incident was identified as Badal Sharma from village Chansari in Kullu district, and the three injured were identified as Khem Chand from village Badogi, Suresh Sharma from village Chansari and Kapil from village Chansari in Kullu district, as per news agency ANI reports. Earlier, IMD tweeted that Himachal Pradesh is likely to receive heavy to very heavy showers on Monday. "#OrangeAlert: #HimachalPradesh & #Uttarakhand likely to get heavy to very heavy rainfall (115.6 to 204.4 mm) during 16th to 17th July", it said. #OrangeAlert: #HimachalPradesh & #Uttarakhand likely to get heavy to very heavy rainfall (115.6 to 204.4 mm) during 16th to 17th July. Stay safe! #WeatherAlert #HeavyRainfallAlert #Monsoon2023@moesgoi@DDNewslive@airnewsalerts@ndmaindia pic.twitter.com/0XiqeAbcOh — India Meteorological Department (@Indiametdept) July 16, 2023 × IMD also issued a 'moderate to high risk' alert predicting flash floods occurrence in five districts of Himachal Pradesh till July 17. "Moderate to high risk of flash food over a few watersheds and neighbourhoods of Chamba, Kangra, Sirmaour, Shimla and Kullu districts till July 17," a bulletin issued by the IMD said. Also read: Supreme Court asks Delhi CM Kejriwal and L-G Saxena to 'rise above political bickering and govern' Monsoon fury in North India So far, rain-related incidents and road accidents in the state have claimed the lives of at least 122 people since the onset of the monsoon on June 24, according to the state emergency response centre. 12 people are still missing. As per the officials, 720 roads are still blocked for vehicular traffic in the state, further adding that the work to restore the connectivity is underway. As per local media reports, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu conducted an aerial inspection of the state and interacted with those affected. Meanwhile, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday announced ten thousand rupees per family as financial help for those affected by floods in the national capital. Taking to Twitter, he announced a series of measures to help flood-affected families in the city. “Many very poor families living on the banks of river Yamuna have suffered a lot. In some families, the entire household goods were washed away,” he said, announcing Rs 10,000 for each flood-affected family. "The children whose clothes and books were washed away will be given these on behalf of the schools," he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Cloudburst in Himachal Pradesh's Kullu claims life of at least 1, wounds 3 others

Parts of the northeastern United States were severely affected by heavy rains that triggered flooding across several states, a day after storms and flash floods washed out the highways and claimed the life of at least one person in New York state.

Flood warnings were issued for parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Vermont as the states in the region recorded rapid rainfall and "life-threatening" flash floods, as per the National Weather Service (NWS).

On Sunday, heavy rainfall in New York state swamped the streets, washed out bridges and caused obstruction which led Governor Kathy Hochul to declare states of emergency in two counties.

<h2>Historic floods cause significant damage</h2>

The Orange County Emergency Management office on Monday released a statement confirming that a 35-year-old woman had lost her life in Highland Falls, in New York's Hudson Valley, where "historic floods" caused significant damage.

Also read:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-rain-fury-rescuers-recover-eight-bodies-from-flooded-tunnel-president-yoon-suk-yeol-still-abroad-616238"> South Korea rain fury: Rescuers recover eight bodies from flooded tunnel; President Yoon Suk Yeol still abroad</a>

Hochul said the woman was swept to her death in a flash flood in the valley as she tried to evacuate her damaged house with her dog.

"Her fiance literally saw her swept away," the governor told reporters on Monday.

On Sunday, Hochul said that up to eight inches (200 mm) of rain had created "life-threatening conditions due to flash flooding."

According to poweroutage.us, on Sunday evening, more than 12,000 customers had lost electricity in the state, but by midday Monday that figure had dropped to 3,800.

Amtrak rail service was suspended between New York City and the state capital Albany "due to severe weather conditions," as of 5:30 am, the company said in a statement.

"The expected rainfall rate is 0.25 to 0.5 inches in 1 hour," NWS said in a state alert. "Flash flooding is already occurring" and "catastrophic flooding" was expected Monday in parts of Vermont.

Governor Phil Scott declared a state of emergency. "Swiftwater rescue teams have been staged in strategic locations throughout the state, should they be necessary to help with evacuations and rescues from floodwaters," Scott's office said in a statement Sunday.

NWS released a statement saying that it had received "multiple reports" of significant flooding and of persons trapped in vehicles in Orange County.

"Several additional inches of rainfall is expected through Tuesday morning as this system slowly moves eastward" and more flash flooding is possible, it said Monday.

(With inputs from agencies)

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Parts of the northeastern United States were severely affected by heavy rains that triggered flooding across several states, a day after storms and flash floods washed out the highways and claimed the life of at least one person in New York state.

Parts of the northeastern United States were severely affected by heavy rains that triggered flooding across several states, a day after storms and flash floods washed out the highways and claimed the life of at least one person in New York state. Flood warnings were issued for parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and Vermont as the states in the region recorded rapid rainfall and "life-threatening" flash floods, as per the National Weather Service (NWS). On Sunday, heavy rainfall in New York state swamped the streets, washed out bridges and caused obstruction which led Governor Kathy Hochul to declare states of emergency in two counties. Historic floods cause significant damage The Orange County Emergency Management office on Monday released a statement confirming that a 35-year-old woman had lost her life in Highland Falls, in New York's Hudson Valley, where "historic floods" caused significant damage. Also read: South Korea rain fury: Rescuers recover eight bodies from flooded tunnel; President Yoon Suk Yeol still abroad Hochul said the woman was swept to her death in a flash flood in the valley as she tried to evacuate her damaged house with her dog. "Her fiance literally saw her swept away," the governor told reporters on Monday. On Sunday, Hochul said that up to eight inches (200 mm) of rain had created "life-threatening conditions due to flash flooding." According to poweroutage.us, on Sunday evening, more than 12,000 customers had lost electricity in the state, but by midday Monday that figure had dropped to 3,800. Amtrak rail service was suspended between New York City and the state capital Albany "due to severe weather conditions," as of 5:30 am, the company said in a statement. "The expected rainfall rate is 0.25 to 0.5 inches in 1 hour," NWS said in a state alert. "Flash flooding is already occurring" and "catastrophic flooding" was expected Monday in parts of Vermont. Governor Phil Scott declared a state of emergency. "Swiftwater rescue teams have been staged in strategic locations throughout the state, should they be necessary to help with evacuations and rescues from floodwaters," Scott's office said in a statement Sunday. NWS released a statement saying that it had received "multiple reports" of significant flooding and of persons trapped in vehicles in Orange County. "Several additional inches of rainfall is expected through Tuesday morning as this system slowly moves eastward" and more flash flooding is possible, it said Monday. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Heavy rains and flooding hit US northeast, claim life of one

India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, on Monday, said that the country contributed USD 1,000,000 as a part of an initiative to promote the usage of the Hindi language in the global organisation. The move was also taken to encourage inclusive dialogue and understanding of the language.

Kamboj handed over the cheque of USD 1 million to Under Secretary General of the United Nations Department of Global Communications Melissa Fleming.

"Investing in linguistic inclusivity! PR @ruchirakamboj handed a cheque of $1,000,000 to USG @MelissaFleming towards expanding the usage of #Hindi in @UN. With the Hindi@UN project, we are breaking barriers &amp; enhancing public outreach," the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations said in a tweet.

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Investing in linguistic inclusivity! 
 
PR <a href="https://twitter.com/ruchirakamboj?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ruchirakamboj</a> handed a cheque of $1,000,000 to USG <a href="https://twitter.com/MelissaFleming?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MelissaFleming</a> towards expanding the usage of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Hindi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Hindi</a> in <a href="https://twitter.com/UN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UN</a>. With the Hindi@UN project, we are breaking barriers &amp; enhancing public outreach. 
 
📖: <a href="https://t.co/vEiwhnPg5V">https://t.co/vEiwhnPg5V</a><a href="https://twitter.com/UNinHindi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@UNinHindi</a> <a href="https://t.co/yk22GS4BAn">pic.twitter.com/yk22GS4BAn</a>
— India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) <a href="https://twitter.com/IndiaUNNewYork/status/1680869868642480128?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2023</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
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&nbsp;

“The Indian Government is delighted to make a substantial voluntary contribution to the @UN, with a focus on promoting the usage of Hindi. A step towards fostering inclusive dialogue and understanding,” Kamboj tweeted.

“Efforts of the United Nations to mainstream and consolidate news and multimedia content in the Hindi language have been appreciated in India and in countries where a Hindi-speaking population resides,” she said in a statement.

She further added that the Indian government will continue to promote the use of the Hindi language in the United Nations.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-man-dies-after-following-youtube-videos-suggestions-to-cure-toothache-616665">India: Man dies after following a quick fix for toothache he saw on YouTube</a>

"Government of India will continue to promote the use of the Hindi language in the United Nations and for this purpose, we are pleased to partner with the United Nations,” she said.

As per a press release issued by the Permanent Mission of India, the amount was given to the UN “towards the expansion of usage of the Hindi language in the United Nations”.

Hindi@UN project, in collaboration with the UN Department of Public Information of the UN, was launched in 2018, with the objective to enhance the public outreach of the United Nations in the Hindi language, and to spread greater awareness about global issues among millions of Hindi-speaking people around the world.

With 50,000 current followers on Twitter, 29,000 on Instagram and 15,000 on Facebook, UN Hindi social media accounts publish nearly 1,000 posts every year. The Hindi UN News website with 1.3 million annual impressions remains in the top ten in internet search engines, according to the press release.

(With inputs from agencies) 
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India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, on Monday, said that the country contributed USD 1,000,000 as a part of an initiative to promote the usage of the Hindi language in the global organisation.

India's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj, on Monday, said that the country contributed USD 1,000,000 as a part of an initiative to promote the usage of the Hindi language in the global organisation. The move was also taken to encourage inclusive dialogue and understanding of the language. Kamboj handed over the cheque of USD 1 million to Under Secretary General of the United Nations Department of Global Communications Melissa Fleming. "Investing in linguistic inclusivity! PR @ruchirakamboj handed a cheque of $1,000,000 to USG @MelissaFleming towards expanding the usage of #Hindi in @UN. With the Hindi@UN project, we are breaking barriers & enhancing public outreach," the Permanent Mission of India to the United Nations said in a tweet. Investing in linguistic inclusivity! PR @ruchirakamboj handed a cheque of $1,000,000 to USG @MelissaFleming towards expanding the usage of #Hindi in @UN. With the Hindi@UN project, we are breaking barriers & enhancing public outreach. 📖: https://t.co/vEiwhnPg5V@UNinHindi pic.twitter.com/yk22GS4BAn — India at UN, NY (@IndiaUNNewYork) July 17, 2023 × “The Indian Government is delighted to make a substantial voluntary contribution to the @UN, with a focus on promoting the usage of Hindi. A step towards fostering inclusive dialogue and understanding,” Kamboj tweeted. “Efforts of the United Nations to mainstream and consolidate news and multimedia content in the Hindi language have been appreciated in India and in countries where a Hindi-speaking population resides,” she said in a statement. She further added that the Indian government will continue to promote the use of the Hindi language in the United Nations. Also read: India: Man dies after following a quick fix for toothache he saw on YouTube "Government of India will continue to promote the use of the Hindi language in the United Nations and for this purpose, we are pleased to partner with the United Nations,” she said. As per a press release issued by the Permanent Mission of India, the amount was given to the UN “towards the expansion of usage of the Hindi language in the United Nations”. Hindi@UN project, in collaboration with the UN Department of Public Information of the UN, was launched in 2018, with the objective to enhance the public outreach of the United Nations in the Hindi language, and to spread greater awareness about global issues among millions of Hindi-speaking people around the world. With 50,000 current followers on Twitter, 29,000 on Instagram and 15,000 on Facebook, UN Hindi social media accounts publish nearly 1,000 posts every year. The Hindi UN News website with 1.3 million annual impressions remains in the top ten in internet search engines, according to the press release. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India makes voluntary contribution of $1 million to United Nations for promoting use of Hindi language

South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday vowed to "completely overhaul" the country's approach to harsh weather from climate change. His statement came after at least 40 people lost their lives in flooding and landslides during monsoon rains.

In a search for more victims, the rescue workers emptied a flooded underpass in central Cheongju after the vehicles were trapped in the tunnel by flash floods, said the interior ministry. Nine people are still missing in the country.

South Korea is severely affected by the torrential rains that have caused widespread flooding and landslides in the country, with rivers bursting their banks and reservoirs and dams overflowing. More rains are expected in the coming days.

"This kind of extreme weather event will become commonplace, we must accept climate change is happening, and deal with it," President Yoon Suk Yeol said during an emergency response meeting Monday.

The idea that extreme weather linked to climate change "is an anomaly and can't be helped needs to be completely overhauled", he said, calling for "extraordinary determination" to improve the country's preparedness and response.

He said that the country will "mobilise all available resources", that includes military and police, to help accelerate the rescue efforts.

"The rainy season is not over yet, and the forecast is now that there will be torrential rain again tomorrow," he added.

Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/south-korea-rain-fury-rescuers-recover-eight-bodies-from-flooded-tunnel-president-yoon-suk-yeol-still-abroad-616238">South Korea rain fury: Rescuers recover 13 bodies from flooded tunnel</a>

<h2>Yoon returns from overseas trip&nbsp;</h2>

Yoon, who was away on an overseas trip, came back early on Monday. After the emergency response meeting, he travelled to Yecheon in North Gyeongsang province, which is one of the most severely affected villages in the country.

"I've never seen something like this in my life, hundreds of tonnes of rocks rolling down from the mountain," Yoon told the villagers.

"I'll do everything I can to restore the village," he added.&nbsp;

Earlier, Yoon, in a video-linked emergency meeting, had expressed disappointment that some regions failed to take pre-emptive measures against the severe weather.

He had instructed Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to utilise all available resources to minimise casualties and urged the weather agency to promptly issue forecasts, as more heavy rain is anticipated in the coming days, according to his office.

<h2>Fatal flooding of underpass</h2>

On Monday, the South Korean government and police launched a separate enquiry into the disastrous flooding of the underpass in Cheongju.

Early on Saturday, a nearby river overflowed and broke a barricade that caused flooding in the area,&nbsp;and left nearly 10 vehicles trapped inside.

At least 13 people lost their lives in the incident and rescue workers released a statement warning that the toll could further rise.

The Prime Minister's Secretariat said there had been reports of calls to police requesting an emergency evacuation order for nearby residents as well as emergency closure of the tunnel an hour before the disaster struck.

"This investigation is to find out the cause of the failure to protect the precious life of the people," it said in a statement.

On Monday, Yoon said that the mismanagement of danger zones was the major cause behind the incident.&nbsp;

Preemptive evacuations and road closures were the "basic principles of preventing the loss of lives in disaster response", he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

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South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday vowed to "completely overhaul" the country's approach to harsh weather from climate change. His statement came after at least 40 people lost their lives in flooding and landslides during monsoon rains.

South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol on Monday vowed to "completely overhaul" the country's approach to harsh weather from climate change. His statement came after at least 40 people lost their lives in flooding and landslides during monsoon rains. In a search for more victims, the rescue workers emptied a flooded underpass in central Cheongju after the vehicles were trapped in the tunnel by flash floods, said the interior ministry. Nine people are still missing in the country. South Korea is severely affected by the torrential rains that have caused widespread flooding and landslides in the country, with rivers bursting their banks and reservoirs and dams overflowing. More rains are expected in the coming days. "This kind of extreme weather event will become commonplace, we must accept climate change is happening, and deal with it," President Yoon Suk Yeol said during an emergency response meeting Monday. The idea that extreme weather linked to climate change "is an anomaly and can't be helped needs to be completely overhauled", he said, calling for "extraordinary determination" to improve the country's preparedness and response. He said that the country will "mobilise all available resources", that includes military and police, to help accelerate the rescue efforts. "The rainy season is not over yet, and the forecast is now that there will be torrential rain again tomorrow," he added. Also read: South Korea rain fury: Rescuers recover 13 bodies from flooded tunnel Yoon returns from overseas trip Yoon, who was away on an overseas trip, came back early on Monday. After the emergency response meeting, he travelled to Yecheon in North Gyeongsang province, which is one of the most severely affected villages in the country. "I've never seen something like this in my life, hundreds of tonnes of rocks rolling down from the mountain," Yoon told the villagers. "I'll do everything I can to restore the village," he added. Earlier, Yoon, in a video-linked emergency meeting, had expressed disappointment that some regions failed to take pre-emptive measures against the severe weather. He had instructed Prime Minister Han Duck-soo to utilise all available resources to minimise casualties and urged the weather agency to promptly issue forecasts, as more heavy rain is anticipated in the coming days, according to his office. Fatal flooding of underpass On Monday, the South Korean government and police launched a separate enquiry into the disastrous flooding of the underpass in Cheongju. Early on Saturday, a nearby river overflowed and broke a barricade that caused flooding in the area, and left nearly 10 vehicles trapped inside. At least 13 people lost their lives in the incident and rescue workers released a statement warning that the toll could further rise. The Prime Minister's Secretariat said there had been reports of calls to police requesting an emergency evacuation order for nearby residents as well as emergency closure of the tunnel an hour before the disaster struck. "This investigation is to find out the cause of the failure to protect the precious life of the people," it said in a statement. On Monday, Yoon said that the mismanagement of danger zones was the major cause behind the incident. Preemptive evacuations and road closures were the "basic principles of preventing the loss of lives in disaster response", he added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

South Korea President Yoon Suk Yeol vows to overhaul country's approach to harsh weather

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