September 25, 2004

2004 Atlantic hurricane season: Hurricane Jeanne strengthens slightly as it passes over the northern Bahamas and makes landfall at 11:50 p.m. local time at Hutchison Island, just east of Stuart, Florida, as a Category Three storm with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h). About 3 million people are ordered to evacuate vulnerable areas in Florida. (Reuters)
Israeli army bulldozers tear down buildings in the Gaza refugee camp of Khan Yunis, one day after mortars fired from the camp killed an Israeli settler. UNRWA officials say over 200 Palestinians lost their homes or shelters. (BBC)
Conflict in Iraq:
- U.S. air strikes on the Iraqi city of Fallujah destroy several buildings. The U.S. military says no civilians were reported in the area, but a hospital official says at least eight civilians were killed, and television broadcasts show civilian survivors, including an infant, being pulled out of a destroyed building. (BBC)
- U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage insists that January elections in Iraq will be held in all areas of the country, apparently contradicting earlier statements by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld that elections might be limited to secure areas. (BBC)