Dorian cuts off North Carolina community following its US landfall

After flirting with touching the East Coast for nearly four days, Hurricane Dorian made landfall in the United States at Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, on Friday morning as a Category 1 hurricane.Landfall came around 8:35 a.m., EDT, Friday with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph and a minimum central pressure of 28.23 inches of Mercury (956 millibars). This is a far cry from when it made landfall in the Bahamas as a catastrophic Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph and a minimum pressure of 26.87 inches of Mercury (910 millibars).Despite being a shell of its former self, Dorian still brought damaging winds and inundating storm surge along the coast, particularly along the Outer Banks in North Carolina."There is significant concern about hundreds of people trapped on Okracoke Island," North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper announced in a press conference on Friday morning.Unconfirmed totals place the number of people trapped on Ocracoke Island at around 800, according to the Charlotte Observer.There was a rapid spike in the water level on Ocracoke Island as storm surge piled up off the Pamlico Sound. The water level on the sound jumped over six feet in less than two hours on Friday morning, prompting a flash flood emergency.This was the second highest water level on record at the Pamlico Sound, behind water levels during Hurricane Michael in 2016. This left Ocracoke only accessible only by boat or by air."This latest development shows that we cannot let our guard down," Cooper said. "For the Outer Banks and northeastern North Carolina, continue to shelter in a safe place, keep off the roads and stay alert."Power outages surged in coastal areas as Dorian pelted the coast of the Carolinas with wind-whipped rain.The number of power outages across the Carolinas on Thursday evening approached 300,000 but have since gone down. However, Ocracoke Island remains without power, according to Cooper.As of Saturday morning, 63,000 people were still without power, mostly in North Carolina. "The storm has left behind destruction. Storm surge inundated Ocracoke Island," Cooper said. "Currently, the island has no electricity and many homes and buildings are still underwater. Communications experts, law enforcement and a medical strike team have been transported there and a search and rescue team is on the way."> Ocracoke Island now. Rapidly rising water due to storm surge off the Pamlico Sound. Seek higher ground immediately, Ocracoke Island, Hatteras Village, etc. > Pic credit: Amy Howard. pic.twitter.com/fZNvN21SWk> > -- NWS Newport/Morehead (@NWSMoreheadCity) September 6, 2019Around 2 p.m., EDT, Friday, the first rescue crew from the mainland landed on the island, according to the Hyde County Sheriff's Office. Crews were transporting residents to a nearby storm shelter until conditions improve and they can return home.The North Carolina Department of Transportation announced on Friday that NC12 was closed due to the flooding and that travel on Ocracoke and Hatteras was "extremely dangerous at this point."The top U.S. wind gust reports came from the coasts of the Carolinas. At Cape Lookout, North Carolina, one of the possible areas meteorologists had thought Dorian could make landfall, wind gusts were measured at 94 mph. As of Friday afternoon, there have been five Dorian-related deaths on U.S. soil, three in Florida and two in North Carolina. All five died while preparing for the storm. In North Carolina, an 85-year-old man fell off a ladder while preparing his house for the storm, and the Pamlico County Sheriff Chris Davis said the second North Carolina victim had had a heart attack while pulling his boat out of the water, according to WITN.Areas impacted by the historic hurricane can expect dry, settled weather in the wake of Dorian, allowing flood waters to recede and cleanup efforts to begin.However, some areas could experience record-challenging heat. This may become an issue for those still left without power in the wake of the storm.Meanwhile, those in Atlantic Canada are bracing for a direct hit by Dorian as it races northward.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2HS41mR

Fitch downgrades Hong Kong citing protests and China fears

Hong Kong's reputation as a dependable financial hub took a hit on Friday after Fitch downgraded the city's sovereign rating, citing ongoing protests and uncertainty caused by closer integration with the Chinese mainland. Millions of pro-democracy supporters have taken to Hong Kong's streets for the past three months in the biggest challenge to China's rule since the city's handover from Britain in 1997. The sometimes violent protests have heaped pressure on Hong Kong's economy, which had already been under pressure from the US-China trade war.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2PUIxML

Disputed Iranian tanker Adrian Darya 1 photographed off Syrian port

The Iranian oil tanker Adrian Darya 1 at the centre of a dispute between Tehran and Western powers, which went dark off Syria earlier in the week, has been photographed by satellite off the Syrian port of Tartus, Maxar TechnologiesInc., a U.S. space technology company said on Saturday. Maxar's supplied image shows the tanker Adrian Darya 1 very close to Tartus on September 6. The ship appeared to have turned off its transponder in the Mediterranean west of Syria, Refinitiv ship-tracking data showed on Tuesday. The tanker, which is loaded with Iranian crude oil, sent its last signal giving its position between Cyprus and Syria sailing north at 15:53 GMT on Monday, the data showed. The vessel, formerly named Grace 1, was detained by British Royal Marine commandos off Gibraltar on July 4 as it was suspected to be en route to Syria in violation of European Union sanctions. Satellite images shows the tanker Adrian Darya 1 very close to Tartus on September 6 Credit: Maxar Technologies Two weeks later, Iran in retaliation seized a British-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz leading into the Gulf. Gibraltar released the Iranian vessel on Aug. 15 after receiving formal written assurances from Tehran that the ship would not discharge its 2.1 million barrels of oil in Syria. However, shipping sources say the tanker is likely to try to conduct a ship-to-ship transfer with another vessel for part of its cargo after Iran said a sale had been concluded. Washington has warned any state against assisting the ship, saying it would consider that support for a terrorist organisation, namely, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2LARTaO

Russia, Ukraine swap prisoners in landmark 'first step' to ease tensions

Russia and Ukraine made a long-awaited swap of 70 prisoners on Saturday, a deal hailed as a first step towards ending five years of tensions and conflict. Two planes carrying 35 prisoners from each side landed simultaneously in Moscow and Kiev, where the passengers emerged under sunny skies. "We have taken the first step," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said on the tarmac after greeting and hugging former detainees.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2LwAlgi

'I know what death smells like': fears Bahamas death toll will soar amid search for hundreds still missing

The smell of death hangs over parts of Great Abaco Island in the northern Bahamas, where relief workers on Friday sifted through the debris of shattered homes and buildings in a search expected to dramatically drive up the death toll from Hurricane Dorian. Dorian, the most powerful hurricane to ever hit the Bahamas, swept through the Abaco Islands and Grand Bahama Island earlier this week, flattening entire neighbourhoods and knocking out key infrastructure, including airport landing strips and a hospital. Hundreds, if not thousands, of people are still missing, and officials say the death toll, which currently stands at 30, is likely to rise significantly as more bodies are discovered in the ruins and floodwaters left behind by the storm. "You smell the decomposing bodies as you walk through Marsh Harbour," said Sandra Sweeting, 37, in an interview amid the wreckage on Great Abaco. "It's everywhere. There are a lot of people who aren't going to make it off this island." Some locals called the government's initial official death toll a tragic underestimate. Hurricane Dorian barrels towards US after battering Bahamas, in pictures "I work part-time in a funeral home, I know what death smells like," said Anthony Thompson, 27. "There must be hundreds. Hundreds." Asked if any of his friends or family had perished, Mr Thompson looked at the ground. "I don't want to ask, because there are people I still haven't heard from," he said. Chaotic conditions around the islands were interfering with flights and boats, hampering relief efforts. Aliana Alexis, of Haiti, stands on the concrete slab of what is left of her home after destruction from Hurricane Dorian in an area called "The Mud" at Marsh Harbour in Great Abaco Island Credit: Al Diaz/Miami Herald / AP "Obviously, we have to take care of the sick and the injured first, but we're also making preparations for the dead," Dr. Caroline Burnett-Garraway, medical chief of staff at Princess Margaret Hospital in Nassau, told CNN by phone. Many of those injured by the storm were being airlifted to the hospital with fractures and head injuries and suffering from trauma and dehydration, said Dr Burnett-Garraway, who expects a "second wave" of patients in the coming days. There are fears contaminated drink water will lead to outbreaks of diarrhoea and waterborne diseases, with aid organisations describing the situation for some people on Abaco as "desperate." The United Nations estimated 70,000 people were in immediate need of food, water and shelter on the islands, where looting of shops and supermarkets has been reported. Humanitarian and Disaster Relief teams, from RFA Mounts Bay, delivering aid to the Island of Great Abaco Credit: Paul Halliwell / Royal Navy The British government has allocated £1.5 million for an immediate response in the Bahamas, which includes the delivery of critical aid supplies such as water and shelter kits through a Royal Navy ship in the area. The Department for International Development has also deployed humanitarian staff and Foreign Office staff to the islands. It is estimated that several hundred British nationals live in the worst affected areas of the Bahamas. The Government said it is opening a reception centre in Nassau, the capital of the island nation, for British people who are facing difficulties in the wake of the hurricane.  Alok Sharma, the International Development Secretary,  said: "My heart goes out to all of those who have been affected by this tragedy and lost their loved ones. Anyone worried about a loved one in the Bahamas who may need UK consular help should call 0207 008 1500." A man carries bags with his clothes at his home after hurricane Dorian hit the Abaco Islands in Marsh Harbour Credit: Reuters The relief effort faces formidable logistical challenges because of the widespread destruction of Dorian, which hovered over the Bahamas for nearly two days with torrential rains and fierce winds that whipped up 12- to 18-foot storm surges. The storm made landfall on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on Friday with winds of 90 miles per hour. Roy Cooper, the state's governor, said hundreds of people are stranded following a storm surge on the Outer Banks' Ocracoke Island. Mr Cooper said some 800 people had chosen to stay behind, and urged them to get to high ground. "There is significant concern about hundreds of people trapped on Ocrocoke Island," he told reporters at a news conference on Friday morning. "There are rescue teams ready as soon as they can get in." A weakened Hurricane Dorian flooded homes on the Outer Banks with a ferocity that seemed to take storm-hardened residents by surprise Credit: Steve Earley/The Virginian-Pilot via AP At least four deaths in the US southeast have so far been blamed on the storm, which has caused substantial damage in the states of North and South Carolina.  Twisters spun off by Dorian peeled away roofs and flipped trailers, and more than 250,000 homes and businesses were left without power. On Friday morning, residents and crews fanned out around downtown Charleston, scooping up the branches and leaves that littered the centuries-old streets.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2zUqZpf

Pope Francis says it is ‘an honour that the Americans attack me'

In an offhand remark on the papal plane en route to Mozambique, Pope Francis acknowledged the sharp opposition he has faced from conservative Catholic detractors in the United States, calling it an “an honour that the Americans attack me”.His remark came at the start of a six-day trip to Africa, as the pope shook hands in the back of the plane with a French reporter who handed him a copy of his new book How America Wanted to Change the Pope.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2zZxTcA

UPDATE 3-India loses contact with spacecraft on mission to the moon

BENGALURU/MUMBAI, Sept 7 (Reuters) - India lost contact with a spacecraft it was trying to land on the moon on Saturday, its space agency said, in a setback for the nation's ambitious plans to become the first country to probe the unexplored lunar south pole. The lander of the Chandrayaan-2 moon mission was attempting a "soft," or controlled, landing near the south pole of the moon where scientists believe there could be water ice. "Data is being analysed," K Sivan, chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), told distraught scientists at the agency's tracking centre in Bengaluru.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2MZVn9Y

Bodies Crushed By Debris, Looting and Limited Sanitation: Survivors Describe Dorian’s Aftermath on Great Abaco Island

Many people do not have access to adequate food and water, or a means to evacuate

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2ZKoSTo

Beto O'Rourke takes on Meghan McCain over gun rights amid gun control debate after mass shootings

O'Rourke, a native Texan and 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful, and McCain, an outspoken conservative voice on "The View," have a difference of opinion when it comes to gun control and gun rights.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2NPETAW

Corrections: September 8, 2019

By Unknown Author from NYT Corrections https://ift.tt/2ZXwRZo

House panel poised to spell out Trump impeachment probe: source

The Democratic-led U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee, criticized for an unorthodox impeachment probe of President Donald Trump, is poised to vote next week on a resolution to formalize the investigation, a person familiar with the matter said on Saturday. The panel has rebranded what was originally an oversight probe of Trump's presidency as an "impeachment" investigation, with the aim of deciding by the end of the year on whether to recommend articles of impeachment to the full House.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/319Zbt2

Korean Peninsula awaits typhoon; dozens of flights canceled

Dozens of flights were canceled and parks were closed in South Korea on Friday as powerful Typhoon Lingling gained momentum on its path toward the Korean Peninsula. The Korea Meteorological Association said the typhoon is expected to pass off the west coast of South Korea on Saturday afternoon before making landfall in North Korea on Saturday evening. The agency warned of possible flooding, landslides and structure damage caused by strong rains combined with very strong winds expected nationwide until early Sunday.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2ZAXhVy

MIT Media Lab Rocked by New Jeffrey Epstein Revelations

Scandal has been swirling around the MIT Media Lab because of its ties to Jeffrey Epstein, with the prestigious university apologizing for taking $800,000 from the accused sex trafficker and several researchers quitting in protest.But the outcry is about to get much louder after a bombshell report by The New Yorker’s Ronan Farrow that reveals the financial relationship was more deeply entangled than previously known—so much so that Epstein’s donations were kept anonymous and the lab ignored pushback from its staffers to keep the money rolling in.The report, which cites leaked emails and other records, appears to contradict lab director Joichi Ito’s recent claim that his decision to accept Epstein’s donations was simply an “error in judgement.”Among the biggest disclosures: EPSTEIN ALLEGEDLY ‘DIRECTED’ DONATION FROM BILL GATESEpstein acted as an intermediary to woo other wealthy donors, including Bill Gates, who donated $2 million in 2014, and investor Leon Black, who gave $5.5 million in 2015, according to the report. Ito is said to have let Epstein—who had already spent a year in jail after a sex-trafficking investigation—handle the discussions with donors. “Gates would like a write up on our one science program for tues next week,” Epstein allegedly wrote to Ito at one point. The donation from Gates was later described as having been “directed” by Epstein, according to the report. Once the donations were made, the lab reportedly went to great lengths to keep Epstein’s involvement secret. Documentation filed with the university did not mention Epstein by name, stating instead: “Gates is making this gift at the recommendation of a friend of his who wishes to remain anonymous.” A spokesperson for Gates told The New Yorker: “Any claim that Epstein directed any programmatic or personal grantmaking for Bill Gates is completely false.” THE LAB WENT TO GREAT LENGTHS TO HIDE EPSTEIN’S INVOLVEMENTThe Media Lab’s efforts to keep Epstein’s involvement under wraps was so well-known among staffers that some employees in Ito’s office referred to the convicted sex offender as Voldemort, “he who must not be named” from the Harry Potter series, Farrow reported. In MIT’s official donor database, Epstein was listed as “disqualified”—and the lab took pains to make sure his dealings were kept secret.As recently as September 2014, Ito is said to have emailed Epstein seeking “another $100K” so the lab could extend a researcher’s contract. When forwarding the email to a staffer, Ito allegedly wrote, “Make sure this gets accounted for as anonymous.” The then-director of Development and Strategy, Peter Cohen, wrote, “Jeffrey money, needs to be anonymous. Thanks,” according to the report. Cohen is said to have echoed that language in a message about Gates’ donation, writing, “For gift recording purposes, we will not be mentioning Jeffrey’s name as the impetus for this gift.” He later reportedly said future records on donations involving Epstein should be made only “if there is a way to do it quietly.” EPSTEIN VISITED WITH ‘FEMALE ASSISTANTS’Epstein was reportedly invited to the Media Lab in 2015 to provide “input” on the projects his money was funding. Signe Swenson, a former development associate and alumni coordinator at the Media Lab, told The New Yorker she had pushed back against the visit in vain. Swenson said she ultimately resigned in 2016 partly because of the lab’s ties to Epstein. “I don’t think he should be on campus,” Swenson recalled saying at the time. “At that point it hit me: this pedophile is going to be in our office.” Swenson said Cohen conceded that Epstein was “unsavory” but told her “we’re planning to do it anyway—this was Joi’s project.” The visit was marked on Ito’s calendar without any mention of Epstein by name, Swenson said. “There was definitely an explicit conversation about keeping it off the books, because Joi's calendar is visible to everyone,” she was quoted as saying. Media Lab staffers were told to expect Epstein to bring his “two female ‘assistants,’” without whom he “never goes into any room.” Ito is said to have explicitly informed Cohen that Epstein would have two women in tow. When Epstein arrived, Swenson said she saw the two young women in question. “They were models. Eastern European, definitely.” All of the female staffers at the lab “made it a point to be super nice to them,” Swenson said. “We literally had a conversation about how, on the off chance that they’re not there by choice, we could maybe help them.” ‘Hundreds of People’ Could Be Named in Epstein-Related Documents: LawyerRead more at The Daily Beast.Get our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2PVrhH8

Elon Musk Is Sending a Tesla Model S to the Nurburgring

Sure looks like Tesla is taking on the Porsche Taycan in a hot-lap EV grudge match.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2ULxS5X

Heartwarming stories of people rescuing animals from Hurricane Dorian

Hurricane Dorian is destroying people's homes and lives. But don't forget animals are affected, too. Here are some of their stories.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2LyyGqf

Watch this hero on an 80 mph roller coaster catch a loose iPhone in mid-air

Most of us have our phones with us and generally on our person pretty much all day, except for when we're sleeping -- and even then, they're often close by. Within arm's reach, on a nightstand or the like. The same apparently goes for some hardy souls who're engaged in outdoor adventures, like the guy who recently decided to ride the Shambhala roller coaster last month at the PortAventura World theme park in Catalonia, Spain.At one point during the ride, he loses control of his iPhone X, which goes flying through the air. Until -- gotcha! A fellow passenger sitting behind him, with lightning-quick reflexes, interrupted his reverie and cheering at how fun the ride was by reaching over to grab the phone, in an exciting moment that was captured in the now-viral video you can watch above.The moment happens around the 20-second mark. The iPhone-grabber is Samuel Kempf, who lives in New Zealand and who can be seen spotting the falling iPhone and reaching over to grab it, after which he dramatically raises his arms in a series of victorious gestures. He then starts waving his arms so happily, obviously amped up with excitement to have caught the iPhone, but doing it in such a way I was momentarily scared he was actually going to lose the darn thing, which would have been even worse than not catching it at all.He hung on to it, though. And what you don't see in the video is, after it ended, Kempf returns the phone to its owner. "He couldn't believe it," Kempf told a local news outlet. "He gave me a big hug."

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2ZGPwgA

Hong Kong protesters reject leader's concession with new rallies

Thousands of Hong Kongers held rallies on Friday night, rejecting calls by the city's pro-Beijing leader to end their movement as the finance hub braces for another weekend of clashes, including a plan to disrupt the airport. Police fired brief volleys of tear gas and rubber bullets against a few hundred protesters who had gathered outside a police station in Mongkok district. The demonstrators later blocked roads, set barricades on fire and faced off with riot police before dispersing without any major new clashes.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2ZIPZiE

The Latest: Trump applauds Ukraine-Russia prisoner trade

U.S. President Donald Trump is praising the exchange of prisoners carried out by Russia and Ukraine. The trade could give new impetus to efforts to end a five-year conflict Russian-backed separatists are fighting in Ukraine's east, as well as improve longstanding poor relations between the two countries. Trump tweeted: "Russia and Ukraine just swapped large numbers of prisoners.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2ZIIK9j

Texas country singer dies in car crash in New Mexico

Kylie Rae Harris, a rising country singer from Texas, died in a car accident in New Mexico.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2ZKmOLb

Two Israelis wounded in West Bank stabbing

An Israeli man and his teenaged son were wounded in a stabbing attack in the occupied West Bank on Saturday, the army and medics said. "An assailant stabbed two Israeli civilians after they had entered Azzun in order to receive medical treatment," the army said, referring to a village east of Qalqilya in the north of the territory. According to Israeli media reports, the two had been visiting a dentist in Azzun and were leaving when a Palestinian youth approached and asked them if they were Jews, before stabbing them.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/319AgWw

Pakistan vows 'fullest possible response' to India over Kashmir

Pakistan will make the fullest possible response to India's actions in disputed Kashmir and the global community would be responsible for any "catastrophic" aftermath, Imran Khan, the prime minister of the Muslim-majority nation, said on Friday. The rhetoric on the annual Defence Day remembrance of Pakistan's fighters in a 1965 war with India underscores rising tension between the nuclear-armed foes after New Delhi last month revoked the autonomy of its part of disputed Kashmir. "I have informed the world that Pakistan does not want war, but at the same time, Pakistan cannot remain oblivious to the challenges posed to its security and integrity," Khan said in a statement on the website of state-run Radio Pakistan.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/30Ufv0J

Hong Kong thwarts airport protest, but battles continue

Hong Kong police thwarted another disruption at the airport by pro-democracy activists but had to battle protesters at subway stations on Saturday, as the months-long unrest showed no signs of abating even after the government offered a concession days earlier. Police mounted road checks and inspected passengers on trains and buses heading to the airport to weed out protesters. An Associated Press journalist at an area near the airport witnessed at least two bus passengers being handcuffed and taken away after police found face masks in their bags.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2HSxs8r

Trump 'orders Coast Guard admiral' to publicly defend his false Alabama hurricane claims

Donald Trump reportedly ordered a Coast Guard rear admiral to give a statement publicly defending the US president’s misleading claims about the chances of a hurricane striking Alabama.Mr Trump has repeatedly and falsely claimed he was right to say Alabama would “most likely” be struck by the record-breaking storm, which has already devastated much of the Bahamas.

from Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines https://ift.tt/2ZUnr0L