|
This is VOA news. I'm David Byrd in Washington.
Typhoon Mangkhut roared ashore in the Philippines early Saturday, smashing into the northern coast with winds of 205 kilometers per hour. The storm has recorded wind gusts of up to 255 kilometers per hour and made landfall at Baggao in the province of Cagayan. Officials have warned of extreme damage and a storm surge of up to six meters. Mangkhut is expected to cause widespread damage to infrastructure, agriculture and livelihoods within its 900-kilometer diameter. Philippine Red Cross specialists have been sent to areas likely to be hit by the storm, ready to assess damage and deliver immediate assistance once it is safe. The deadliest storm recorded in the Philippines was super typhoon Haiyan, which killed more than 7,000 people and affected millions more in 2013. At least people died and hundreds of others were without power after Hurricane Florence crashed ashore near Wilmington, North Carolina, Friday morning. The storm knocked down trees, flooded streets and caused property damage. One woman and her baby were killed when a tree fell on their home. Another woman died after she suffered a heart attack and storm debris prevented emergency responders from reaching her. One other person was killed trying to plug in a generator while a man died when he was knocked to the ground outside. National Hurricane Center deputy director Ed Rappaport says heavy rains will continue to be a threat. "We still have a storm surge risk along the coast although the winds come down, particularly up the rivers there still threat of storm surge of as much as eight to twelve feet, some are less value, so north and south are still dangerous situation for storm surge increasing flooding risk from rainfall inland areas." Florence has been downgraded to a tropical storm but it is expected to continue to weaken as it moves inland. This is VOA news. President Donald Trump's former campaign chairman Paul Manafort has agreed to plead guilty and cooperate with prosecutors. VOA's Jim Malone has details. Manafort pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges in Washington related to his past work on behalf of Ukraine. His attorney, Kevin Downing, spoke to reporters. "... a tough day for Mr. Manafort, but he's accepted responsibility, and he wanted to make sure that his family was able to remain safe and live a good life." The Manafort developments are the latest chapter in the Russia probe and investigation that now hangs over President Trump and Republican hopes of keeping their congressional majorities in midterm elections in November. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders issued a statement noting that Manafort's legal problems had nothing to do with President Trump. Jim Malone, VOA new, Washington. President Trump's Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh is denying charges of sexual assault when he was in high school. As AP's Sagar Meghani reports, the accusations came as the Senate Judiciary Committee is set to vote on whether to confirm Kavanaugh. The incident allegedly happened while Kavanaugh was in high school. The Senate Judiciary Committee's top Democrat said she received information about Kavanaugh and has given it to federal investigators. Kavanaugh says in a statement released by the White House he unequivocally denies the allegation, saying, "I did not do this back in high school or at any time." AP's Sagar Meghani. The World Food Program says humanitarian workers, warehouses and food stocks in Yemen's port city of Hodeidah have come under attack in recent days, jeopardizing vital assistance programs. Lisa Schlein reports from Geneva. The WFP reports several serious security incidents have occurred since Wednesday. It says the Red Sea Mill Silos, which mill a quarter of the WFP's monthly wheat requirements, came under attack. It says a mortar shell launched by an unidentified armed group also hit a WFP warehouse holding enough food for 19,200 people. It says a guard was injured. WFP reports more than 8 million people in Yemen are facing starvation. It warns any disruption to the food supply could push many over the brink. Lisa Schlein, for VOA news, Geneva. Media reports say President Donald Trump has instructed aides to proceed with tariffs on $200 billion worth of more Chinese products. Bloomberg and Reuters said the president wants to move forward with the additional duties even though Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin is trying to restart talks with Beijing. The Trump administration has argued tariffs on Chinese goods would force China into a more favorable trade position. I'm David Byrd, VOA news. |