1 US Embassy in Afghanistan Nearly Hit With Rocket Just After Midnight On 9/11
Many Americans hold their breath every September 11th – and not just because of the tragic anniversary – they’re also hoping that there won’t be another attack. And while there wasn’t anything on a large scale, the U.S. Embassy in Afghanistan was shaken by a rocket attack just minutes after midnight. The great news? The compound declared an “all-clear” about an hour later and no injuries were reported. While not an optimal commemoration of the date 18 years ago, back here in the States, Americans everywhere – offered their solemn remembrances. That includes President Trump and many others.
2 Trump Looks To Ban All Flavored E-Cigs
President Trump is very concerned about deaths from vaping. Talking with reporters at the White House, Trump says the government is investigating the situation – and word is, that “investigation” will result in banning all but tobacco-flavored vaping liquids. As we told you before, six people have died from lung disease linked to vaping. And while the CDC is looking into more than 450 cases of vaping-related illnesses across more than 30 states, the American Lung Association has put out a statement saying e-cigarettes are definitely not safe. But for many, the question has been: what’s new – why are these illnesses and death happening now? Some have suggested a problem in the supply chain. That certainly may be the case in Wisconsin, where officials say 20-year-old Tyler Huffhines was running a counterfeit vaping operation that manufactured thousands of counterfeit cartridges with THC oil. And he wasn’t alone. Police say he ran a high-tech operation manned with at least ten people to fill thousands of cartridges every day. Authorities have seized 59-thousand dollars in cash, eight firearms, marijuana, cocaine and other drug paraphernalia. Meanwhile, Huffhines is being held on a 500-thousand-dollar bond and is scheduled to appear in court tomorrow.
3 Sioux Falls Officials Investigate Why Tornado Sirens Were Silent
A “human error” is being blamed for the warning sirens being silent during a tornado in Sioux Falls Tuesday night. As we told you yesterday, twisters struck the South Dakota city around 11:30pm local time – when many residents were sleeping. In fact, officials say three tornados touched down in just four minutes. So why didn’t the system work? Mayor Paul TenHaken said the warning system works fine, but a misunderstanding led to only some of the sirens being set off. He said the city is looking at ways to ensure it happens again. In all, nearly 40 buildings were damaged and left thousands of customers without power. It also damaged a hospital. And at that hospital? Officials are crediting their staffs for avoiding possible loss of life. How on the ball were these folks? The staff had just ten minutes to wake up 102 patients and get them moved to the center of the building. They succeeded – and there were no serious injuries, though a couple of patients received minor scrapes when debris from the roof fell. City officials said there were no reported deaths or serious injuries.