Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida on Wednesday as a Category 3 “extremely dangerous” storm, bringing life-threatening storm surges, extreme winds, and flash floods, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC).
“Data indicates that the eye of Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key in Sarasota County along Florida’s west coast,” the NHC said in a bulletin at 8:30 PM (00:30 GMT Thursday).
“The storm is here. It’s time for everyone to take shelter,” stated Governor Ron DeSantis during a press conference just before Milton’s arrival.
Milton made its way into Florida after weakening from a Category 5 to a Category 3 storm, according to U.S. meteorological services, though this downgrade did not significantly reduce the ferocity of the winds or the storm surge expected to impact the densely populated central-west region of Florida.
The cities of Tampa and Sarasota are directly in the storm’s path, an area hit just two weeks ago by Hurricane Helene, which resulted in 235 deaths in the southeastern U.S.
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In Mexico, Helene caused minor damage along the coasts but left dozens of fishermen stranded at sea.
On Wednesday, Mexican authorities announced that four fishermen had been rescued and brought to safety in the state of Yucatán after surviving 12 days adrift, though at least 12 others remain missing.
Milton is also expected to move toward the Atlantic Ocean, with the tourist hub of Orlando — home to Walt Disney World — in its sights.
The former president of the United States Bill Clinton was hospitalized in Washington after “develoting a fever”
Former US President Bill Clinton (1993-2001) was hospitalized from Washington to undergo medical tests after “developing fever,” his office reported in a message on social networks.
Clinton, 78, was admitted to the Georgetown University Medical Center in the US capital, Angel Ureña, who served as Clinton’s deputy chief of staff, explained on his X account.
“The former president is still in good spirits and is deeply grateful for the excellent attention he is receiving,” the message deepened.
In 2004, the former president underwent quadruple bahaspas heart surgery and in 2010 he underwent another surgery related to his cardiovascular problems.
The former Democratic leader was hospitalized in 2021 in California for an infection that spread to his bloodstream.
Clinton is one of the four former presidents of the United States who are still alive, along with Donald Trump (2017-2021), Barack Obama (2009-2017), George W. Bush (2001-2009) and Jimmy Carter (1977-1981).
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The latter is, at 100 years old, the longest-serving president in the history of the United States.
Lula calls for reconciliation and dialogue in his Christmas message
The President of Brazil, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, made this Monday a call for reconciliation, hope and joint work to build a more just and supportive country, in his annual Christmas message.
“This is the time to renew our hope. Hope in a fairer country. A Brazil without hunger, where every woman and every man has a decent job and time to see their children grow up,” Lula said.
In a brief message broadcast live on television, radio and social networks, Lula said that the basis of everything his Government does is in the dialogue and joint work it carries out with civil society and regional governments, “in the harmony” between the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary and in the “uncompromising” defense of democracy.
“We still have huge challenges ahead of us. But today Brazil has a strong economy, which continues to grow. An efficient government, which invests where it matters most: in the quality of life of the Brazilian population,” emphasized the Brazilian president in reference to the forecast that the country will end the year with a growth of 3.5%, above the 3.2% recorded in 2023.
The Brazilian president, however, stressed that although the fruits of what was sown in his first two years of management is already beginning to be harvested, “there is still much to do” and “we must continue to sow.”
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In 2025 “we will redouble our efforts for sowing. And may the harvest be increasingly generous,” he said.
In a country still politically polarized, Lula took the opportunity to defend reconciliation between the brothers and that families can celebrate Christmas together.
With the Panama hat that he has been using to hide the wounds of his recent surgery, the progressive leader also thanked the messages of affection and solidarity he received from the Brazilian population.
“Thanks to this chain of solidarity I am even more firm and strong to continue making Brazil work,” he said.
The driver involved in the accident with 41 dead is handed over to the Brazilian police
The driver of the truck loaded with rocks that allegedly caused the multiple accident in which 41 people died in the Brazilian state of Minas Gerais turned himself in to the regional police on Monday, the federal government news agency reported.
The man, who had been a fugitive since the accident that occurred in the early hours of Saturday, presented himself with a lawyer at the police station of the municipality of Teófilo Otoni, the rural area where the tragedy unfloded, in order to testify.
The regional police said on Sunday at a press conference that the suspect’s driver’s license was requisitioned in 2022 after not wanting to undergo a breathalyzer test.
In addition, he said that, based on a preliminary investigation, the truck had an “excess load”, so the driver could face criminal charges.
The main line of investigation on the accident is that one of the granite blocks transported by the truck came off and collided with the bus, which was traveling in the opposite direction with 45 people on board.
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The impact caused a large fire that took hours to extinguish, which is why the corpses are charred and difficult to identify.
After that first collision, another vehicle behind collided with the truck and its three occupants recorded serious injuries, according to the Fire Department.
The accident, which occurred in a curved section on the BR 116 federal highway, is one of the worst road tragedies in Brazil.
