WRAPUP 3-Officials urge patience as Florida towns re-open after Irma

Florida allowed some residents to return on Tuesday to areas hammered by Hurricane Irma's high winds and storm surge, while the death toll rose in the second major hurricane to hit the United States this year. Irma, which had rampaged through the Caribbean as one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record, was downgraded to a tropical depression on Monday.

Irma’s wrath brings floods, wind damage

Chris Sweat stood in the middle of Beach Drive early Monday afternoon on high ground, looking down at the Atlantic Ocean surging over the section of College Drive he calls home. But Sweat had already managed to move his prized Jeep Wrangler, with its Dukes of Hazzard paint job, to higher ground.

Taiwan activist pleads guilty in Chinese subversion trial

The newly crowned Miss America isn't worried that she may start her reign in a Twitter war with President Donald Trump, who she says shouldn't have pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord. While the U.S. contends with the destruction caused by two ferocious hurricanes in three weeks, Americans also are marking the 16th anniversary of one of the nation's most scarring days.

Canadian gold company suspends investments in Greek mines

The newly crowned Miss America isn't worried that she may start her reign in a Twitter war with President Donald Trump, who she says shouldn't have pulled the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord. While the U.S. contends with the destruction caused by two ferocious hurricanes in three weeks, Americans also are marking the 16th anniversary of one of the nation's most scarring days.

Three dead as Hurricane Irma tears its way through Florida

Hurricane Irma roared through the Florida Keys yesterday with punishing 130mph winds and began pushing its way north, knocking out power to more than 1.69 million people across the state and leaving at least three people dead in the state, including a sheriff's deputy. The nearly 400-mile-wide storm was expected to make a slow, ruinous march up Florida's west coast, straight toward the heavily populated Tampa-St Petersburg area by this morning.

People of Florida pray for deliverance from the wrath of Irma

Hurricane Irma roared through the Florida Keys on Sunday with punishing 130mph winds and began pushing its way north, knocking out power to more than 1.5 million people across the state and collapsing a construction crane over the Miami skyline. The nearly 400-mile-wide storm is expected to make a slow, ruinous march up Florida's west coast, straight toward the heavily populated Tampa-St Petersburg area by Monday morning.

What Are The Air Force’s ‘Hurricane Hunter’ Planes?

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Levi Denham, a WC-130J Hercules aircraft weather reconnaissance loadmaster assigned to the 53rd Reconnaissance Squadron, performs pre-engine start-up inspections in St. Croix, Virgin Islands, on Sept.

Trump sets emergency aid in motion in deal that upsets GOPAssociated Press

President Donald Trump ignored seething Republicans and made good on his deal with Democrats, signing legislation that links $15.3 billion in disaster aid to an increase in the U.S. borrowing limit. The law is a first installment in replenishing depleted federal emergency coffers.

Irmaa s eye nears Lower Keys in coming hours

A recharged Category 4 Hurricane Irma, possibly the worst storm to hit the Lower Keys in more than a half century, is expected to make landfall in the coming hours after daybreak. At the National Weather Service in Key West, winds early Sunday had already begun to pick up, with some hurricane gusts and sustained winds between 45 and 60 mph, night shift meteorologist Adam Futterman said.

President Trump on Hurricane Irma: “We’re as prepared as you can be”

After several days of prep, federal emergency officials on this Sunday must now wait to see just how much damage Hurricane Irma does to Florida, as for the second time in the last few weeks, a strong tropical system could set the stage for billions of dollars in federal disaster relief needs. "My administration is monitoring Hurricane Irma around the clock," the President said in a Saturday tweet.