Typhoon Cempaka Hits China

Typhoon Cempaka has made landfall in the coastal area of south China's Guangdong Province. It’s the first typhoon to make landfall in China this year. It slammed into the city of Yangjiang on Tuesday night, packing winds of almost 120 km/h. The city has blocked traffic from roads.It has also called back 384 fishing vessels. Over 7,500 people have been evacuated. The storm has played havoc with flight schedules. 127 flights have been cancelled at Baiyun International Airport. The typhoon is forecast to bring torrential rain to the southern part of the Pearl River Delta and the western part of Guangdong Province. It is also going to affect weather in Cambodia, with wind storms and heavy rain over the next few days.

Record Rainfall Threatens China’s Henan Province

Elsewhere in China, record rainfall has prompted the worst floods in living memory. The central province of Henan usually sees very little rain during the summer. Some of its rivers, including tributaries of the Yellow River, have seen their water levels rise dramatically. They are expected to burst their banks in the coming days. According to China’s meteorological department, the provincial capital of Zhengzhou saw 253mm of rain in just 24 hours. A nearby town received over 400mm. Streets and subways have all been submerged, motorists are stranded and flights have all been cancelled. 10-thousand people have been evacuated.

Corrupt Traffic Cop Arrested in Russia

And it might look like a regular middle-class home from the outside, but inside, it’s like something out of imperial Russia, with gilded bathrooms and bedrooms. The owner of the mini-mansion is a traffic cop, who was arrested on Tuesday. He’d been running an extortion gang, extorting huge bribes from cargo transporters. Together with his 35 accomplices, he’d bribed his way to a bank balance of almost a quarter of a million dollars. He’s set to appear in court on Wednesday.