A man sits on a life guard tower as the wind blows at the beach in advance of Hurricane Irma's expected arrival in Hollywood, Florida, U.S., September 9, 2017. REUTERS/Carlo Allegr

 

Hurricane Irma

 

Hurricane Irma pounded heavily populated areas of central Florida bringing high winds, storm surges and torrential rains that left millions without power, ripped roofs off homes and flooded city streets. Irma, once ranked as one of the most powerful hurricanes recorded in the Atlantic, came ashore in Florida on Sunday and battered towns as it worked its way up the state.

 

Only a fraction of mobile homes in Florida were strapped down with the kind of hardened braces meant to withstand fierce storms before Hurricane Irma hit the state, experts said, leaving more than a half-million homes vulnerable to serious damage. 

 

Irma knocks out power to nearly four million in Florida: utilities

 

Slideshow: Irma batters Florida

 

Caribbean faces hard road to recovery after Irma's ravages

 

Oil weakens on fears Irma could dent U.S. demand 

 

Hyundai Motor, Kia to temporarily shut down U.S. plants due to Irma

 

Reuters TV: Havana flooded

 

Business

 

Apple will launch an expected “iPhone 8” on Tuesday, hoping the number’s auspicious connotations in China will help turn around fortunes in the world’s biggest smartphone market after six quarters of falling sales. Chinese shoppers, however, are already counting the cost, with the latest model tipped to have a price tag upward of $1,000 - roughly double the average Chinese monthly salary. 

 

David v Goliath: Deezer seeks musical edge on Spotify

 

China's bitcoin exchanges await clarification, markets subdued for now

 

Mercedes-Benz to offer electric option for every car by 2022

 

Breakingviews - Beijing prepares to stand yuan policy on head

 

 

A football fan cheers on his team as he attends the Houston Texans NFL football game following the aftermath of tropical storm Harvey in Houston, Texas, U.S., September 10, 2017. REUTERS/Mike Blake

 

North Korea

 

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hosted a massive celebration to congratulate his nuclear scientists and technicians who steered the country’s sixth and largest nuclear test a week ago, its official news agency said on Sunday. The United States and its allies had been bracing for another long-range missile launch in time for the 69th anniversary of North Korea’s founding on Saturday, but no fresh provocations were spotted while the North held numerous events to mark the holiday. 

 

U.N. Security Council to vote on weakened North Korea sanctions: diplomats

 

South Korean foreign minister says North Korea on 'reckless path'

 

China says diplomacy needed to rid Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons

 

World

 

Communal tensions appeared to be rising across Myanmar after two weeks of violence in Rakhine state that have triggered an exodus of about 300,000 Rohingya Muslims, prompting the government to tighten security at Buddhist pagodas. A mob of about 70 people armed with sticks and swords threatened to attack a mosque in the central town of Taung Dwin Gyi on Sunday evening, shouting “this is our country, this is our land”, according to the mosque’s imam, Mufti Sunlaiman. 

 

U.N. rights boss sees possible 'crimes against humanity' in Venezuela

 

London stays world's top finance center despite Brexit

 

Norwegians vote in final day of knife-edge election

 

Philippines says some rebels ready to surrender as troops advance in Marawi

 

Commentary

 

Chancellor Angela Merkel has changed Germany "in a fundamental sense," writes columnist John Lloyd. Merkel, who is expected to win re-election when voters go to the polls on September 24, has demonstrated a moral authority and a proactive style that has cemented her role as the leader of Europe. "Germany’s European partners now accept that Berlin is able to set and enforce the basic direction for the European Union – even if they don’t like the policies," says Lloyd.