Top 10 world news: Nuclear tensions rise between Russia, Ukraine; incessant rains kill 7 in Pakistan, and more

Russia and Ukraine on Wednesday accused each other of planning to attack the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant in southern Ukraine as concerns were raised over the plant being the target of fresh artillery and rocket attacks. In South Asia, at least seven people died as incessant rains battered Pakistan’s Lahore city on Wednesday, breaking a 30-year record.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday claimed that he has credible intelligence reports to suggest that Russian troops placed “objects resembling explosives” on top of several power units to “simulate” an attack as part of a false flag operation.

Lahore received 291mm of rain, and over a dozen areas recorded more than 200mm of rain, Commissioner Lahore Mohammad Ali Randhawa said, Geo News reported.Randhawa said that this is the first time that a large amount of rainfall is being witnessed in such a short amount of time, something that has not been seen for the past 30 years.He attributed the sudden downpours to climate change and strong monsoons.

The ongoing Russia-Ukraine war sparked massive concerns over the nuclear attack. As the world continues to fear that the next nuclear disaster could be in EasternEurope, a report by the Financial Times mentioned that Chinese President Xi Jinping warned his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin against the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine.

Africa has become the second-largest recipient of credit from India as the country is making efforts to catch up with China in growing its impact in the resource-rich continent, as per a new report.

The chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday (July 5) sought to reassure local residents and representatives that the planned release of treated wastewater from Fukushima nuclear plant is safe. The IAEA has approved the planned, decades-long water discharge from the devastated nuclear plant. The UN nuclear energy watchdog has said that the discharge meets the global standard.

Argentina's football superstar Lionel Messi shocked everyone when he left his long-time football club Barcelona in 2021. He again gave a shock to fans this year when he decided to leave Ligue 1 club Paris Saint Germain (PSG) to join Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami. Messi's America move came amid news of La Liga giants Barcelona trying to get him back.

In China, a man has been detained by the police for stealing university data to create a website that compared and rated students on their physical appearance and attractiveness. The idea is pretty similar to FaceMash, the website created by Mark Zuckerberg, which in a similar manner allowed users to compare students from his alma mater Harvard.

Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said on Tuesday (July 4) that eight Hong Kong activists who have gone overseas would be "pursued for life". There are arrest warrants against these activists for alleged national security offences. Hong Kong Police issued arrest warrants against these activists on Monday. The national security offences against them include foreign collusion and incitement to secession. The police have offered rewards for any information that'll lead to their arrest.

Canada, Sweden, Ukraine and Britain on Wednesday, took Iran to the International Court of Justice in order to seek damages for families of passengers on a plane that was shot down by Tehran in the year 2020, said the tribunal. The incident had claimed the lives of all 176 people aboard the Ukrainian jetliner downed by Iran.

Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Wednesday lashed out at the government, saying that the “sabotage theory” floated after the Balasore train accident was to “escape accountability”. He said that it was pretty clear that the sabotage theory floated by the Prime Minister and Railway Minister is “to escape accountability and manage headlines”.