TURKEY: Torrential rains have triggered severe flooding in a district near the Black Sea coast, inundating homes and businesses and sweeping away cars. At least 12 people were hospitalised with minor injuries, news agency Anadolu reported today.

The heavy rainfall late on Tuesday caused rivers in the Havza district of Samsun province to overflow.

PHILIPPINES: A burst of gunfire rang out in the Philippine Senate today, where authorities have been trying to arrest a senator who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for a charge of crimes against humanity, according to eyewitnesses.

It wasn’t immediately clear what set off the gunfire or if there were injuries in the Senate, where Senator Ronald dela Rosa has been offered protective custody by allied senators as Philippine authorities tried to arrest him and possibly turn him over later to the ICC.

LEBANON: Israeli drones struck three vehicles on the main motorway south of Beirut today, killing eight people, including a woman and her two children, the Lebanese Health Ministry said.

The Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas in southern Lebanon, hours after telling residents of six southern villages to evacuate. 

SOUTH AFRICA: At least 10 people are dead with many homes destroyed in flooding caused by torrential rains across six provinces which have hit informal settlements especially hard.

Authorities declared a natural disaster on Tuesday amid flooding, thunderstorms, high winds and even snowfall that has affected parts of the Western Cape, North West, Free State, Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces since May 4.