NewsHurricane Milton strikes Florida: Chaos and political storms brew. This is what happened overnight
Hurricane Milton strikes Florida: Chaos and political storms brew. This is what happened overnight
It happened while you were sleeping. Here's what global agencies reported overnight from Wednesday to Thursday.
- Around 8:30 PM Eastern Time, Hurricane Milton reached the western shores of Florida. It was classified as a Category 3 hurricane, bringing strong winds with speeds over 165 km/h (103 mph), dangerous tornadoes, and a flood threat across most of the state. The water level in the Gulf of Mexico near Sarasota rose by over 2.4 metres (8 feet).
- American reporters are showing great determination in covering the events in Florida. CNN journalist Anderson Cooper is reporting live from Bradenton, right in the midst of the hurricane. During one of his live broadcasts, the journalist was struck by an object carried by the strong wind.
- Representatives of 13 Southeast European countries adopted the Dubrovnik Declaration on Wednesday, summarizing the Summit of Southeast European Countries and Ukraine, with the participation of President Volodymyr Zelensky. The declaration condemns Russian aggression, supports Ukraine's territorial integrity, including the Crimean Peninsula, expresses support for President Zelensky's peace plan, and emphasizes that the withdrawal of Russian troops is a condition for peace. The leaders supported Kyiv's European integration and NATO membership if accession conditions were met. The meeting was attended by representatives of the region's countries: Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Slovenia, Greece, Bulgaria, and Romania, as well as Moldova and Turkey.
- On Wednesday, U.S. President Joe Biden urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call to "minimize harm" to civilians in Lebanon while emphasizing that "Israel has the right to protect its citizens," according to the White House. The White House described the 30-minute call, in which Vice President Kamala Harris participated, as "direct and productive." No further details were provided. According to White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre, both leaders discussed a "long list of issues," including Israel's response to Iran's missile attack. They announced they will remain in close contact, directly or through their advisors, over the coming days.
- Republicans are fighting misinformation to ensure the safety of their constituents amid the impact of Hurricane Milton in Florida. They are criticizing party allies promoting conspiracy theories that could endanger people. On Wednesday, U.S. Representative Carlos Gimenez from Florida called on his colleague from Georgia, Marjorie Taylor Greene, to "check her head" for suggesting that someone "controls the weather." "There's no place for misinformation, especially when it's on purpose at times like this," he commented on CNN's "This Morning."
- According to the official Syrian news agency SANA, Israel attacked several industrial facilities early Thursday morning in the city of Hassia in the Homs province of central Syria. Among those attacked reportedly was a car assembly plant. SANA reported that the attack caused a fire and "inflicted material damage." Earlier on Wednesday, SANA reported Israeli shelling of the Syrian Golan Heights; a policeman was said to have been killed. Israel occupies part of the Golan Heights. The Israeli side has not commented on these reports. However, it is known that since the outbreak of the civil war in Syria in 2011, Israel has been systematically conducting bombing raids on Syrian army positions and groups supported by Iran, especially Hezbollah.
- Donald Trump, former U.S. president and candidate in the upcoming presidential elections, announced on Wednesday that he does not intend to debate again with Kamala Harris, his Democratic rival. He justified his decision by stating that "she is no different from Joe Biden."
- Hurricane Milton has already made landfall in Florida. "It's time to take shelter," the state governor warned. Meanwhile, very risky behaviours among residents persist. One supporter of Donald Trump hung a flag with his name on it on a pier in Naples right in the middle of the storm.
