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Man Held in Denmark for ISIS Links

Danish police in Copenhagen. (Reuters)
Danish police in Copenhagen. (Reuters)
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Man Held in Denmark for ISIS Links

Danish police in Copenhagen. (Reuters)
Danish police in Copenhagen. (Reuters)

Denmark jailed on Saturday a man for 25 days for his links to the ISIS terrorist group.

He was held under Denmark's anti-terror laws for allegedly shipping drones, components for unmanned aerial vehicles and infrared cameras that were bound for the terror group in Syria and Iraq.

Police say the 28-year-old man was held on "strong suspicion" of taking part in terrorist activities abroad by purchasing and shipping the equipment via Turkey.

A 29-year-old woman who was arrested with him on Thursday has been released. It is unclear if she remains a suspect.

Police said a 31-year-old man who is believed to be in Turkey was being sought on an international arrest warrant Friday on suspicion he received the shipped items.

The 28-year-old man denies wrongdoing.

A court order bars the suspects' names and nationalities from being made public.

On Thursday, the United Nations Security Council approved the creation of a UN investigative team to collect, preserve and store evidence in Iraq of acts by ISIS that may be war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide.

The 15-member council unanimously adopted a British-drafted resolution, after a year of negotiations with Iraq, that asks Secretary General Antonio Guterres to establish a team “to support domestic efforts” to hold the militants accountable.

British Minister of State for the Middle East Alistair Burt said Britain would provide some $1.3 million to help establish the team.

“There can never be adequate recompense for those who were forced to endure the wanton brutality of (ISIS) and the dead will not be brought back, but this resolution means that the international community is united in our belief that there should, at least, be accountability,” Burt told the council.

Use of the evidence collected by the team in other venues, such as international courts, would “be determined in agreement with the Government of Iraq on a case-by-case basis.” Evidence is for primary use by Iraqi authorities, followed by “competent national-level courts,” according to the resolution.

Thousands of foreigners have fought with ISIS and some are already being prosecuted when they return home.

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Hurricane Helene Threatens 'Unsurvivable' Storm Surge and Vast Inland Damage

A view of the Tropical Storm Helene from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) airplane, September 25,2024 is seen in this screen grab obtained from social media video. Nick Underwood, NOAA/via REUTERS
A view of the Tropical Storm Helene from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) airplane, September 25,2024 is seen in this screen grab obtained from social media video. Nick Underwood, NOAA/via REUTERS
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Hurricane Helene Threatens 'Unsurvivable' Storm Surge and Vast Inland Damage

A view of the Tropical Storm Helene from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) airplane, September 25,2024 is seen in this screen grab obtained from social media video. Nick Underwood, NOAA/via REUTERS
A view of the Tropical Storm Helene from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) airplane, September 25,2024 is seen in this screen grab obtained from social media video. Nick Underwood, NOAA/via REUTERS

Fast-moving Hurricane Helene was advancing Thursday across the Gulf of Mexico toward Florida, threatening an “unsurvivable” storm surge in northwestern parts of the state as well as damaging winds, rains and flash floods hundreds of miles inland across much of the southeastern US, the National Weather Service in Tallahassee said.
Helene is expected to be a major hurricane — meaning a Category 3 or higher — when it makes landfall on Florida's northwestern coast Thursday evening. As of early Thursday, hurricane warnings and flash flood warnings extended far beyond the coast up into south-central Georgia. The governors of Florida, Georgia, and the Carolinas have all declared emergencies in their states, The Associated Press reported.
The weather service forecast storm surges of up to 20 feet (6 meters) and warned they could be particularly “catastrophic and life-threatening” in Florida's Apalachee Bay. It added that high winds and heavy rains also posed risks.
“This forecast, if realized, is a nightmare surge scenario for Apalachee Bay,” the office said. “Please, please, please take any evacuation orders seriously!”
In Crawfordville, farther inland and about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Apalachee Bay, Christine Nazworth stocked up on bottled water, baked goods and premade meals at a Walmart. She said her family would be sheltering in place, despite Wakulla County issuing a mandatory evacuation order.
“I’m prayed up,” she said. “Lord have mercy on us. And everybody else that might be in its path.”
Wakulla County was one of several to issue evacuation orders. Along Florida's Gulf Coast, school districts and multiple universities have cancelled classes.
Early Thursday, Helene was about 350 miles (560 kilometers) southwest of Tampa and moving north northeast at 12 mph (19 kph) with top sustained winds of 90 mph (150 kph). Forecasters said it should become a major Category 3 or higher hurricane, meaning winds would top 110 mph (177 kph).
While Helene will likely weaken as it moves inland, its “fast forward speed will allow strong, damaging winds, especially in gusts, to penetrate well inland across the southeastern United States,” including in the southern Appalachian Mountains, the National Hurricane Center said. The center posted lesser tropical storm warnings as far north as North Carolina, and warned that much of the region could experience prolonged power outages, toppled trees and dangerous flooding.
Helene had swamped parts of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on Wednesday, flooding streets and toppling trees as it passed offshore and brushed the resort city of Cancun.
The storm formed Tuesday in the Caribbean Sea. In Cuba, the government preventively shut off power in some communities as waves as high as 16 feet (5 meters) slammed Cortes Bay. And in the Cayman Islands, schools closed and residents pumped water from flooded homes.
Rain was already falling steadily in Atlanta on Wednesday evening as shoppers emptied shelves of water at a Kroger supermarket east of downtown. The National Weather Service in Atlanta issued flash flood warnings for much of the state.
Charles McComb said he still found it hard to believe Helene would seriously impact the city, which is more than 250 miles (400 kilometers) north of the Gulf of Mexico. “It would be really unique for it to hit so far inland,” Charles said as he bought water, bread and lunch meat.
He was, however, worried about losing electricity.
“I do live in an area where it doesn’t take so much for the power to go out,” he said.
Helene is forecast to be one of the largest storms in breadth in years to hit the region, said Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach. He said since 1988, only three Gulf hurricanes were bigger than Helene’s predicted size: 2017’s Irma, 2005’s Wilma and 1995’s Opal.
Areas 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of the Georgia-Florida line can expect hurricane conditions. More than half of Georgia’s public school districts and several universities canceled classes.
For Atlanta, Helene could be the worst strike on a major Southern inland city in 35 years, said University of Georgia meteorology professor Marshall Shepherd.
Landslides were possible in southern Appalachia, and rainfall was expected as far away as Tennessee, Kentucky and Indiana.
Federal authorities have positioned generators, food and water, along with search-and-rescue and power restoration teams.
Helene is the eighth named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season, which began June 1. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an above-average Atlantic hurricane season this year because of record-warm ocean temperatures.
In further storm activity, Tropical Storm Isaac formed Wednesday in the Atlantic and was expected to strengthen as it moves eastward across the open ocean, possibly becoming a hurricane by the end of the week, forecasters said. Isaac was about 690 miles (1,115 kilometers) northeast of Bermuda with top sustained winds of 50 mph (85 kph), according to the US National Hurricane Center in Miami, which said its swells and winds could affect parts of Bermuda and eventually the Azores by the weekend.
In the Pacific, former Hurricane John reformed Wednesday as a tropical storm and was strengthening as it threatened areas of Mexico’s western coast. Officials posted hurricane warnings for southwestern Mexico.
John hit the country’s southern Pacific coast late Monday, killing at least two people, triggering mudslides, and damaging homes and trees. It grew into a Category 3 hurricane in a matter of hours and made landfall east of Acapulco. It reemerged over the ocean after weakening inland.