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12 hospitalized after torrential rains trigger severe floods in northern Turkey

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Torrential rains have triggered severe flooding in a district near Turkey’s Black Sea coast, inundating homes and businesses and sweeping away cars. At least 12 people were hospitalized with minor injuries, the state-run Anadolu Agency reported.

The heavy rainfall late on Tuesday caused rivers in the Havza district of Samsun province to overflow, sending waters rushing down streets, carrying vehicles and debris.

Anadolu said the basement and ground floors of several properties were submerged. Video footage showed a driver standing on top of a truck waiting to be rescued from the flood.

Anadolu said none of the injured were in serious condition. Some reached the hospital on their own while others were assisted by medical teams.

Firefighters, police, and disaster teams were deployed to rescue stranded residents and to clear debris.

Beijing bans 4 New Zealand lawmakers from entering China because they visited Taiwan

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Beijing banned four New Zealand lawmakers from traveling to China for a year and demanded they apologize because they visited Taiwan on a parliamentary trip, according to a message from the Chinese embassy conveyed via parliamentary officials and shown to The Associated Press on Thursday. China has hit lawmakers from other countries with sanctions related to contact with Taiwan before, but it's the first time for New Zealand parliamentarians, the government in Wellington said. Beijing has been increasing pressure in recent years on the democratically governed island that it claims as its own territory. Two lawmakers reached by the AP on Thursday rejected the demand for an apology, while the other two could not be immediately reached. New Zealand's government said it would express concern about the travel bans to Beijing. The elected officials visited Taipei in May, as New Zealand parliamentarians have done “for decades,” a spokesperson for Foreign Minister Winston Peters said in a statement.
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