The situation in the Caribbean may be even more dire. The storm killed 38 people there, leveled homes and buildings and left the survivors with no power and little food or water. Irma literally turned the lush, green islands brown when it barreled through, knocking down trees. And reports of looting have people fearing for their safety.
Meanwhile Hurricane Jose – a Category 1 storm right now – is doing a loop-de-loop in the Atlantic. Some fear it will come near the US and the Bahamas this weekend, but most forecasting models predict it will stay out in the sea.
2. United Nations
The Supreme Court gave the Trump administration another win on the President’s controversial travel ban. It granted a request to continue to bar most refugees under the ban. The court blocked a lower court’s ruling that would have exempted from the ban refugees who have contractual commitments from resettlement agencies – about 24,000 people. The court, however, didn’t rule on the legality of the ban itself. It’s expected to take that up on October 10.
Aung San Suu Kyi has canceled a trip to the UN this month so she can deal with the growing crisis in her country. A spokesman for Suu Kyi, Myanmar’s de facto leader, said she’d stay home to deal with “terrorist attacks” and the humanitarian crisis in the country’s Rakhine state, where at least 370,000 people – members of the persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority – have fled to escape violence. Suu Kyi’s been repeatedly criticized over her response to the crisis, especially since she won a Nobel Peace Prize for her previous work on human rights. The UN Security Council plans to talk about the crisis today.
The Justice Department won’t prosecute six Baltimore cops in Freddie Gray’s death. The DOJ said it found “insufficient evidence” to support federal charges. Gray died in 2015 after suffering a neck injury while in police custody. His death spurred protests and riots in Baltimore. Baltimore prosecutors last year dropped charges against three officers; the other three had already been acquitted.
Photos: Faces of Baltimore
Haimy Assefa/CNN
Ma'lae Jones lives in Sandtown-Winchester, the same neighborhood in which Freddie Gray was raised. She is a kindergarten student at New Song Academy. "I want to be a ballet teacher" when I grow up, she said. The trial for the first of the six police officers charged in the death of Freddie Gray is due to begin Monday in Baltimore. The death of Gray while in police custody sparked some of the most violent protests the city has ever seen. It's been seven months since Gray's death. We returned to Baltimore to photograph residents as the city works to make sense of the year's events.
Photos: Faces of Baltimore
Haimy Assefa/CNN
Born and raised in Baltimore, Kondwani Fidel had a tough upbringing and knows what it means to lose loved ones to violence. Fidel is a substitute teacher and spoken word artist. His poems tell stories of a rough upbringing in Baltimore while attempting to inspire change. When using poetry to connect with students, "I used my story as a blueprint for them," said Fidel.
Photos: Faces of Baltimore
Haimy Assefa/CNN
As the new police commissioner of Baltimore, Kevin Davis came into his role in the immediate aftermath of the unrest. This is a pivotal point for the city, said Davis. "People who find themselves in the midst of a historic moment don't always realize that they are in the midst of a historic moment," he said, "I realize that's where we are." Davis is starting by establishing relationships with various groups in the community to prevent the type of unrest the city experienced in April and May.
Photos: Faces of Baltimore
Haimy Assefa/CNN
A 44-year veteran of Baltimore schools, Nancy Neilson, principal of New Song Academy, says there is something special about her current school. All of the students come from the immediate neighborhood in west Baltimore. Her students perform better than many of their counterparts, but unfortunately, it is not rare for them to be touched by the prevalent violence in the community. During the unrest earlier this year, "they were frightened because they didn't know what was going to happen," Neilson said.
Photos: Faces of Baltimore
Haimy Assefa/CNN
Niamke Nnamdi graduated from high school last year, and he is ready for the next step. "I am joining the Army," he said. After taking entry exams, Niamke qualifies for almost any position in the Army.
Photos: Faces of Baltimore
Haimy Assefa/CNN
"There was a sense of collective outrage about what happened to Freddie Gray that tapped into a deep well of despair," said William Murphy, the attorney for the family of Freddie Gray. He says the biggest lesson that Baltimore can take away from the year's events is "that you can only ignore a group of people for so long."
Photos: Faces of Baltimore
Haimy Assefa/CNN
Former mayor of Baltimore, Sheila Dixon has emerged back into the spotlight after her 2010 resignation as part of a plea agreement in a criminal case. "I am beyond that," Dixon said, "That doesn't define who I am." Dixon says she is focused on rallying behind communities, addressing the dramatic rise in homicides and providing strong leadership. Neither Freddie Gray case nor the unrest that followed prompted the campaign, Dixon said.
Photos: Faces of Baltimore
Haimy Assefa/CNN
A bartender at restaurant in the Canton neighborhood of Baltimore, Lincoln Kosman remembers the days after the riots. During the citywide curfew, Kosman said residents looked out for each other, and people checked on their neighbors. "It's affected the city in a good way," he said. "People have come together." While the spotlight remained on Baltimore, Kosman said, "I really hope that we show we're a good city. I hope we do ourselves proud now that everyone is watching."
Photos: Faces of Baltimore
Haimy Assefa/CNN
Kaleb Tshamba belongs to the historic Arch Social Club. More than 100 years old, the club has been traditionally African American and for males only. "We are one of the only historic black places left in Baltimore," Tshamba said. The club sits across the street from the CVS store that was burned during the April riot. Tshamba and other members of the club participate in the 300 Men March, which calls for a stop to violence. A sign on the front of the club's building reads, "We must stop killing each other."
Photos: Faces of Baltimore
Haimy Assefa/CNN
Tyler Fullwood, 13, make A's and B's in school and wants to be a lawyer when he grows up. As the oldest of three siblings, Fullwood said he sometimes fears for the safety of his family and friends. "There was a shooting behind the school and a student almost got hurt," he said. Some parts of Baltimore are dangerous, but it's not all bad, he added.
Photos: Faces of Baltimore
Haimy Assefa/CNN
Brittony McKenney had traveled around the world with the Navy by her mid-20s. Though she loved traveling, after six years, she said, "That was enough for me." Now McKenney is a year away from earning her bachelor's degree in broadcast journalism. "I thought coming back to Baltimore would taint my growth and the frame of mind I had," she said, "But it did the opposite. It enhanced me even more." Baltimore is rich with culture, compassion and love, McKenney said. "No matter where I go, I'll always be Baltimore."
5. Seattle mayor
Seattle’s mayor is quitting. Mayor Ed Murray announced his resignation hours after new sex abuse allegations against him surfaced. A cousin of Murray told a Seattle newspaper that Murray abused him when the cousin was a teen in the 1970s. Murray denied the allegations, just as he has denied five other claims against him. Murray, the city’s first openly gay mayor, says he’s stepping down for the good of the city. He’d previously said the allegations were efforts to stop his agenda and halt support for LGBTQ and immigrant rights.
The iPhone X is here, with its fancy Face ID, lack of a home button and hefty $999 price tag. Samsung tried to steal some of Apple’s shine by hinting at a folding phone for next year.
J.J. Abrams will be back to direct “Star Wars: Episode IX,” which makes sense because he started this latest round of sci-fi hysteria with “The Force Awakens.”
Souped-up ride
It puts out 1,000 horsepower and tops out at more than 200 mph. It also costs $3 million, so hopefully you’ll get really good financing on Mercedes’ supercar.
