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China Warns of Risk of ‘Extreme Floods’ in Desert Regions

Men sit at the foot of a dune in Taklamakan Desert outside the village of Jiya near Hotan, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China, March 21, 2017. (Reuters)
Men sit at the foot of a dune in Taklamakan Desert outside the village of Jiya near Hotan, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China, March 21, 2017. (Reuters)
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China Warns of Risk of ‘Extreme Floods’ in Desert Regions

Men sit at the foot of a dune in Taklamakan Desert outside the village of Jiya near Hotan, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China, March 21, 2017. (Reuters)
Men sit at the foot of a dune in Taklamakan Desert outside the village of Jiya near Hotan, Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, China, March 21, 2017. (Reuters)

China warned communities in its northwestern Xinjiang and nearby regions on Friday to prepare for "extreme floods" this summer, driven by abnormally high temperatures, heavy rainfall, and rapid glacier melt.

Xinjiang's Taklamakan Desert, China's largest, experienced its first flood of the year in early June, state broadcaster CCTV reported on Friday, showing footage of ‌water filling ‌the typically arid dunes.

While the Taklamakan has experienced ‌similar ⁠floods since 2021, they ⁠typically occur in August, when temperatures peak. However, temperatures have surged much earlier this year. On June 12, Xinjiang was 7.3 degrees hotter than average for this time of year, reaching 38 degrees Celsius (100 degrees Fahrenheit), according to Reuters Climate Monitor.

Western and southern Xinjiang have also seen more frequent rainfall recently. ⁠Precipitation in some areas has been double or ‌even triple the historical ‌average for early June, CCTV reported.

GLACIERS AND SNOW MELTING

The combination of intense ‌heat and rainfall has triggered the desert floods. Large ‌swathes of glaciers and snowpack in the Tianshan and Kunlun mountains have melted, sending runoff rushing into the Tarim River, China's longest inland waterway.

The influx caused the river to burst its banks, spilling water ‌into low-lying areas of the desert, the broadcaster said.

While the seasonal floods can temporarily ⁠create short-lived oases, ⁠experts say they are unlikely to last because the Taklamakan Desert is situated far inland and surrounded by high mountains, so low moisture levels and extreme evaporation will quickly dry out the terrain.

Though the water provides vital irrigation for local forests, officials warned of severe infrastructure risks.

"Extreme floods can destroy roads, railways, and oil and gas facilities, posing a significant disaster risk," Sun Qianqian, an analyst at the China Meteorological Administration, told CCTV.

"During the flood season, residents and travelers in these regions should monitor official warnings closely, adjust their travel plans, and prioritize safety," Sun added.

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World

Nigeria Says 'Neutralized' 13,000 'Terrorists' in Past Year

Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (C) displays his certificate of return as the flag bearer of his party after emerging victorious during the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential primary election at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Center on May 24, 2026. (Photo by Light Oriye Tamunotonye / AFP)
Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (C) displays his certificate of return as the flag bearer of his party after emerging victorious during the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential primary election at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Center on May 24, 2026. (Photo by Light Oriye Tamunotonye / AFP)
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Nigeria Says 'Neutralized' 13,000 'Terrorists' in Past Year

Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (C) displays his certificate of return as the flag bearer of his party after emerging victorious during the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential primary election at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Center on May 24, 2026. (Photo by Light Oriye Tamunotonye / AFP)
Nigeria's President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (C) displays his certificate of return as the flag bearer of his party after emerging victorious during the All Progressive Congress (APC) presidential primary election at the Bola Ahmed Tinubu International Conference Center on May 24, 2026. (Photo by Light Oriye Tamunotonye / AFP)

Nigeria has killed more than 13,000 "terrorists" in the past year, President Bola Tinubu said Friday, adding that the death toll from the country's militant insurgency is down 81 percent since he took power in 2023.

"Over 13,000 terrorists have been neutralized in the past year," Tinubu said, without specifying if he meant in 2025 or in the previous 12 months. He also said that over "124,000 fighters and dependents have laid down their arms since 2023 through Operation Safe Corridor.”

Militants and "bandit" gangs specializing in kidnapping for ransom and cattle rustling terrorize communities in northern and central Nigeria, where they launch deadly raids and impose levies on farmers wishing to access their own fields.

Some farmers, after paying ransoms, have no money left to pay the "taxes" to access their land. Others flee, leaving behind uncultivated fields in a country where millions go hungry each day.

On Sunday, 39 elders of Magamin Didde, in Zamfara state, the epicenter of the country's banditry crisis, were kidnapped when they visited the camp of a gang kingpin to arrange a peace deal to allow the community to cultivate their farms, Sanusi Dosara, the political administrator of Maradun district, told AFP.

The bandits are demanding $92,000 to release the captives and allow the community to farm.

The violence has caught the attention of the International Monetary Fund, which warned Tuesday that "a deterioration in domestic security" could "aggravate poverty and food insecurity.”

In its annual report on Nigeria's economy, it recommended that the government "strengthen security to stop oil theft and protect farmers and herders.”

World

China Says Holding American Citizen Suspected of Spying

People enjoy the view of the city's skyline and traditional Hutong alleyway houses from the Drum Tower in Beijing on June 5, 2026. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP)
People enjoy the view of the city's skyline and traditional Hutong alleyway houses from the Drum Tower in Beijing on June 5, 2026. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP)
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China Says Holding American Citizen Suspected of Spying

People enjoy the view of the city's skyline and traditional Hutong alleyway houses from the Drum Tower in Beijing on June 5, 2026. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP)
People enjoy the view of the city's skyline and traditional Hutong alleyway houses from the Drum Tower in Beijing on June 5, 2026. (Photo by Jade GAO / AFP)

China said on Friday it was holding an American citizen, who is also an analyst at a policy think tank focusing on Myanmar, on suspicion of spying.

Min Zin, who founded the Institute for Strategy and Policy Myanmar, "has been subjected to criminal compulsory measures... on suspicion of engaging in espionage activities that endanger China's national security,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lin Jian told a news briefing.

The ISP-M researches the political, resource and conflict dynamics of Myanmar, which was plunged into civil war by a 2021 coup.

It is not clear whether Min Zin was conducting research at the time of his arrest.

A person with professional ties to ISP-M, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the case, told AFP that Min Zin was arrested on June 3 at Kunming airport in Yunnan province, bordering Myanmar.

"He went there to attend a meeting," said another person with a close relationship to the detained academic, who also spoke on condition of anonymity.
 

World

NYT Reports: US Plans Major Cut to Fighter Jets, Warships for NATO Operations in Europe

(FILES) This photograph taken on April 27, 2026, shows Rafale fighter aircraft parked on the flight deck of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle during the NATO military exercise Neptune Strike 26-2, off the coast of the Greek island of Crete. (Photo by Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP)
(FILES) This photograph taken on April 27, 2026, shows Rafale fighter aircraft parked on the flight deck of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle during the NATO military exercise Neptune Strike 26-2, off the coast of the Greek island of Crete. (Photo by Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP)
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NYT Reports: US Plans Major Cut to Fighter Jets, Warships for NATO Operations in Europe

(FILES) This photograph taken on April 27, 2026, shows Rafale fighter aircraft parked on the flight deck of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle during the NATO military exercise Neptune Strike 26-2, off the coast of the Greek island of Crete. (Photo by Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP)
(FILES) This photograph taken on April 27, 2026, shows Rafale fighter aircraft parked on the flight deck of the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle during the NATO military exercise Neptune Strike 26-2, off the coast of the Greek island of Crete. (Photo by Angelos TZORTZINIS / AFP)

The United States plans to significantly reduce the aircraft and warships that it makes available for NATO operations in Europe, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing two senior European officials.

The decision would limit NATO's ability to launch long-range strikes and conduct surveillance, the report said.

The US plan includes cutting the number of F-16 and F-15E fighter jets ‌from roughly ‌150 to 100, as well ‌as ⁠reducing maritime reconnaissance aircraft ⁠from 26 to 15 and removing all eight aerial refueling tanker jets it previously made available to Europe, the report said.

It also aims to redeploy a missile-launching submarine and an aircraft carrier, along with several warships and ⁠scores of jets that join the ‌carrier’s missions, the New ‌York Times said, adding that one of two ‌groups of bombers previously assigned for Europe’s defense ‌may also be reallocated.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. NATO and the US Department of Defense did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The ‌US Eastern Command said in a statement last week that it would "rightsize" its ⁠contributions ⁠to the NATO Force Model, without providing further details.

Reuters reported in May that the US planned to scale back the military capabilities it would make available to its alliance allies during a major crisis.

US President Donald Trump's administration has repeatedly accused European governments of underinvesting in their militaries and relying too heavily on US protection, while urging both Europe and Asian allies to boost defense spending to 3.5% of GDP.