Irma brings death and destruction to the Caribbean +++ Israeli air strikes in Syria

8. Oktober 2017, 02:00

Irma brings death and destruction to the Caribbean

Hurricane Irma has killed eight people on the Caribbean island of Saint Martin, where the storm caused widespread destruction. Irma also hit Barbuda, damaging or destroying most of the island’s buildings and leaving many residents homeless. Gaston Browne is the prime minister of Barbuda and Antigua: “95 percent of the properties in Barbuda were damaged. The infrastructure was damaged. All of the institutions, the lone hospital, the schools. It is absolutely heart-wrenching.” The hurricane has also knocked out power to Puerto Rico and parts of the Dominican Republic and is on track to hit the US state of Florida this weekend. Governor Rick Scott has ordered an evacuation of people from southern Florida, while others are reinforcing their homes ahead of the storm. Britt Moses lives in Boca Raton Florida: “All you see is people putting sandbags in front of businesses, boards in front of windows, hurricane shutters.”

Israeli air strikes in Syria

Israeli warplanes have attacked targets inside Syria. At least two people were killed. The Syrian army says the Israelis bombed a military site in Hama province early this morning. The site is thought to have been used to make chemical weapons. Yesterday, the United Nations said the Syrian government was behind a sarin gas attack this past April. There was also an Israeli air strike on a nearby base used by fighters from Iran and Lebanon’s Hezbollah militia. Staying in Syria, an aid convoy has reached the eastern city of Deir al-Zor. This comes after the Syrian army broke a three-year siege of the city by Islamic State fighters.

Catalonia announces independence vote

In Spain, Catalonia’s regional government has announced a referendum on independence will be held on October 1st. The central government in Madrid is expected to contest the referendum before the country’s high court later today.

EU’s Mogherini calls for more sanctions on North Korea

The European Union’s foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini says the EU should impose more economic sanctions on North Korea following its latest test of a nuclear weapon. Mogherini made the statement today at an EU foreign ministers meeting in Estonia´s capital Tallinn. In a related story, China today said it agreed the United Nations should take more action against Pyongyang after its latest test. China is North Korea’s main trading partner and the United States has urged Beijing to exert more influence over the government in North Korea. Meanwhile in South Korea, dozens of people have been injured during clashes between police and people protesting against additional launchers to a US anti-missile defence system.

Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Greece for a two-day visit

French President Emmanuel Macron has arrived in Greece for a two-day visit. His talks with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras will focus on the future of the European Union and the Greek debt crisis.

A list of "bad journalists" published in Hungary

Hungary’s government is being criticized by journalists after it released a list of media organizations which it considers to be enemies of the state. The list includes the Reuters news agency and the German broadcaster ZDF.

The Weather

The afternoon will see a mix of cloudy and sunny skies. There will also be scattered rain showers, especially in the southeast. Highs today are ranging from 14 to 23 degrees.

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