Pak rain death toll rises to 706
ISLAMABAD, Aug 19: Pakistan has reported a rise in death toll from rain-related incidents and floods to 706, with at least 24 more deaths in the last 24 hours. The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) reported that the death toll has risen to 706 people since June 26, with the number of injured to 965. Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa has been the worst hit, with 427 deaths so far. The army has intensified relief operations, rescuing 6,903 people and providing medical support through nine camps in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Eight army units are engaged in relief work, while two battalions are operating in Buner. Army Aviation is also assisting in rescue and supply missions. Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Attaullah Tarar said relief activities have been expedited in affected regions, with 25,000 people relocated to safe areas so far. The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) has forecast thunderstorms and heavy rain in most parts of the country in the next 24 hours. (PTI)
Soldier admits espionage in NZ’s first spy conviction
WELLINGTON, Aug 19: A New Zealand soldier has admitted to attempted espionage in a military court, marking the first such conviction in the country’s history. The soldier believed he was engaged with a foreign agent in 2019 when he attempted to communicate military information, including base telephone directories, maps, assessments of security weaknesses, and his own identity card. The charges were deemed likely to prejudice the security or defense of New Zealand. The soldier was part of an operation following a March 2019 terrorist attack in Christchurch. He was based at Linton Military Camp near Palmerston North. The soldier also pleaded guilty to accessing a military computer system for dishonest purposes. The soldier’s sentence is expected to be delivered by a military panel within days. His case is the first in a New Zealand military court for espionage or attempted spying. (AP)
NYC bar shooting: Three dead, two shooters on the run
NEW YORK, Aug 19: Two of the three men killed in a Brooklyn bar shooting were among four shooters who opened fire inside the Taste of the City Lounge early Sunday. Jamel Childs, 35, and Marvin St. Louis, 19, were caught on surveillance arguing before the shooting erupted. St. Louis fired first, and Childs, St. Louis, and two others returned fire. Both Childs and St. Louis died at the hospital; 27-year-old Amadou Diallo, an innocent bystander, was pronounced dead at the scene. Two other shooters remain at large. Authorities suspect a gang-related motive, with Childs linked to the violent Folk Nation gang. Fourteen people were shot overall, but survivors’ injuries are non-life-threatening. Mayor Eric Adams and Attorney General Letitia James called for unity against gun violence during a vigil. This incident follows another recent NYC mass shooting that left five dead, including an NYPD officer whose wife gave birth hours after the tragedy. (AP)