International
Alabama’s destructive tornadoes leave six people dead
At least six people have been killed by tornadoes in Alabama, according to local officials, who say they are “still searching for bodies”.
Over 35 tornadoes were reported by the National Weather Services (NWS) across the southern US on Thursday, putting more than 30 million people at risk.
A “large and extremely dangerous tornado” caused widespread damage to Selma, Alabama, the NWS said.
The storms have caused blackouts for thousands of people in four states.
More than 147,000 residents in Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and the Carolinas were without power by Thursday evening, according to Poweroutages.us.
Foul weather is forecast to continue overnight.
All of the reported tornado deaths in Alabama occurred in Autauga County, located between the cities of Montgomery and Selma in the centre of the state.
“We have multiple deaths and are still searching for bodies,” Autauga County Coroner Buster Barber told CNN.
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At 12:53CST (18:53GMT), the NWS office in Birmingham warned that a “tornado emergency” had been issued for Autauga County.
The agency posted on Twitter: “THIS IS A LIFE THREATENING SITUATION. TAKE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY!!”
Radar tracking the storm spotted debris that was picked up and blown 20,000ft (6,100m) into the air, according to the NWS.
The governors of Alabama and Georgia have each signed state of emergency declarations.
High winds have also caused major structural damage to buildings in Georgia and Mississippi, video posted online shows.
In Selma, famous for its role in the US Civil Rights Movement, a curfew would is in affect until dawn.
There were no deaths from the storm reported in Selma, but there were several injuries.
The temperatures in Alabama are forecast to drop to below freezing in the coming days, with a chance of snow possible on Friday afternoon.
Meanwhile on the opposite side of the country, California has been pummelled by a series of severe storms that have caused flooding, mudslides and power outages. At least 18 people have died there due to the severe weather.
After a brief respite on Thursday, officials in California say that more storms are forecast to pick up on Friday night and over the weekend.
BBC News
International
American man arrested for beating tourist to death at Ireland hotel
American man arrested for beating tourist to death at Ireland hotel
A 30 year old American man whose name was not given by security officials, has been arrested for beating up a 60 year old tourist to death at the Ballyfin Demesne hotel in Laois, Ireland.
The Irish police force commonly known as ‘Garda Síochána’ announced that the incident occurred in the late hours of Tuesday, November 12.
Ballyfin Demesne hotel, is a popular luxury five-star hotel located in Laois, Ireland and special guests such as Kanye West, Kim Kardashian, George Clooney e.t.c had made use of the hotel in times past.
The victim was discovered unconscious in the late hours of Tuesday, November 12 and was then rushed to the hospital were he died due to severe beating inflicted on him by the culprit.
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Independent local councilor James Kelly stated that nearby communities were ‘stunned’ upon learning about the incident at the renowned hotel.
He said, “There would be a lot of staff from the area and they’re totally shocked by what has happened here.
“It’s something we didn’t think we’d be waking up to this morning.”
The police also noted that a senior officer has been assigned to lead the investigation and an incident room has been set up at Portlaoise Garda Station, Ireland.
Furthermore, a family liaison officer will be designated to assist the family of the deceased.
International
FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win
FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win
The Federal Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday carried out a raid at the home of Shayne Coplan, CEO of cryptocurrency prediction outlet Polymarket.
Authorities seized Mr Coplan’s phone during the raid, according to New York Post which first reported the incident.
Mr Coplan, 26, has been running the famous platform for bets throughout the 2024 presidential election in the United States.
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It wasn’t immediately clear why the search was conducted, but Polymarket promptly said it might be due to its activities during the election. Users on the platform had correctly predicted Donald Trump was going to defeat Kamala Harris. The company paid out a substantial amount to winners following the election.
“This is obvious political retribution by the outgoing administration against Polymarket for providing a market that correctly called the 2024 presidential election,” a spokesperson for Polymarket said in a statement from its headquarters in New York. “Polymarket is a fully transparent prediction market that helps everyday people better understand the events that matter most to them, including elections.”
It was unclear whether or not the FBI would be filing charges after the raid.
FBI raids home of crypto platform Polymarket CEO, after accurate prediction of Trump win
International
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
Two employees of Givaudan sense colour, a factory known for making colourings for beverages, located in Louisville, Kentucky, United States (US) were killed in an explosion that took place at the company’s facility.
The factory reported that the incident which took place on Tuesday, November 12 in the afternoon have also destroyed buildings around the company.
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Louisville Mayor, Craig Greenberg stated that firefighters managed to rescue and evacuate numerous individuals from the site, including some who sustained life-threatening injuries.
He also confirmed that all employees present at the plant during the explosion have been accounted for.
Earlier reports indicated that at least 11 workers were hospitalized.
The cause of the explosion is still under investigation.
Two dead, buildings destroyed in American factory explosion
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