Tropical Storm Francine dumps rain on Louisiana, and wildfires blaze through parts of Southern California. Some Donald Trump allies expressed concern over his debate performance. And Taylor Swift and Chappell Roan win big at the MTV VMAs.
Here’s what to know today.
Francine drenches Gulf Coast, causing 400,000 to lose power
Louisiana experienced flash floods and power outages for hundreds of thousands of customers as Francine made landfall yesterday and continued its path north.
The storm made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane yesterday afternoon, dumping rain in New Orleans and surrounding areas. Flash floods were reported in the city, and officials urged residents to stay at home. As of last night, more than 340,000 customers were without power in the state, according to the website poweroutage.us.
After making landfall, Francine weakened into a Category 1 hurricane and then a tropical storm. A tropical storm warning was in effect from Louisiana to the Alabama and Florida border. Follow live updates here.
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Three wildfires spread in Southern California
Meanwhile in California, multiple wildfires are burning parts of Southern California. The Bridge Fire is the largest active wildfire in the state, spanning nearly 50,300 acres with 0% containment, officials said in an update last night. An estimated 33 homes have been destroyed in the fire, which ignited on Sunday in the Angeles National Forest and ballooned in size amid a triple-digit heat wave.
The Line Fire, also in San Bernardino County, spans more than 36,400 acres and is 18% contained. Yesterday, the sheriff’s office announced the arrest of a 34-year-old man accused of starting the fire. And in Orange County, the Airport Fire has burned about 23,140 acres and is 5% contained. The fire was accidentally sparked by heavy equipment being operated near an airfield, officials said. Tens of thousands of people have been told to evacuate or are under evacuation warnings. Here’s what else we know.
SpaceX conducts first civilian spacewalk
Four private citizens orbiting Earth in a SpaceX capsule are attempting to make history by completing the world’s first all-civilian spacewalk. Billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Scott “Kidd” Poteet, and SpaceX engineers Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon are the crew of the Polaris Dawn mission.
During the outing, Isaacman and Gillis are expected to exit the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on a tether. Although they are the only ones planning to venture outside the spacecraft, all four crew members will wear and test newly designed spacesuits during the event. That’s because the Crew Dragon does not have a pressurized airlock, so the entire capsule will be depressurized and exposed to vacuum conditions.
The Polaris Dawn mission is designed to test procedures and technologies that could be used in future long-duration space missions. Already in their journey, the crew members flew to the highest orbital altitude that humans have reached since the final Apollo moon mission in 1972: 870 miles above Earth’s surface.
You can watch the spacewalk and read more here.
Trump’s conspiracy-laced debate performance prompts concerns
Former President Donald Trump declared Tuesday’s debate against Vice President Kamala Harris a win, but not all his allies see it that way. Instead, some supporters see a missed opportunity to turn the page on Harris’ “honeymoon period” as Trump strayed from his usual hyper-aggressive style, spent much of his time on the defense and repeated debunked conspiracy theories. It gave viewers a sense of how much Trump has been consumed by internet personalities outside the mainstream. (Just yesterday, he attended a Sept. 11 event with a far-right activist who has falsely claimed the terrorist attack was “an inside job.”) Tech reporter David Ingram reviewed some of the false claims Trump made.
“I know everyone in the world has said this, but the inability or unwillingness to realize when he’s being baited and not fall for it is constantly baffling,” a longtime Republican operative said. Others inside Trump’s debate camp, who were granted anonymity to speak freely, said that they agree his performance was lackluster. Senior national politics reporter Matt Dixon shared more of Trump allies’ post-debate reactions.
More 2024 election coverage:
- Harris is ramping up her campaign with two rallies today in North Carolina.
- Trump tried to push Harris into debating him more than once. Now he’s casting doubt on whether he’ll do another.
- On the debate stage, Trump reopened an Obamacare fight Republicans had tried to close. And he still doesn’t have a comprehensive plan to replace it.
- Conservative Taylor Swift fans say her Harris endorsement won’t affect their votes.
Taylor Swift wins big at VMAs; Chappell Roan is best new artist
The 2024 MTV Video Music Awards ushered in a new era of iconic moments while paying homage to the biggest moments in its 40-year history. Megan Thee Stallion kicked off the night with a live snake wrapped around her body à la Britney Spears in 2001’s “I’m a Slave 4 U” performance. Things only got more exciting from there. Senior reporter Doha Madani highlights the biggest moments from last night’s show.
🌟 Taylor Swift tied Beyoncé for most VMA wins. Swift won a total of seven awards, including her third consecutive award for Video of the Year. She also took the stage twice with Post Malone to gather accolades for their song “Fortnight,” shouting out all her collaborators — and her boyfriend Travis Kelce. Awww!
🌈 Chappell Roan wowed the audience with her Joan of Arc inspired rendition of “Good Luck, Babe!” Her hot streak didn’t stop there. Roan won Best New Artist — the first major award of her career. In her speech, she thanked the LGBTQ community for their contributions to pop music.
🎤 The award for most iconic VMA performance went to… 2013’s “Roar” by Katy Perry?! This year’s Video Vanguard winner beat out the 2003 mashup between Britney Spears, Madonna, and Christina Aguilera. Who can forget the kiss at the end?
💽 LL Cool J and Public Enemy also celebrated Def Jam Records’ 40th birthday. They took the stage in a time machine back to the ‘90s, hitting the crowd with staples such as “Bring the Noise” and “Mama Said Knock You Out.”
See more highlights from the 2024 VMAs, and view our gallery of the best red carpet looks.
Politics in Brief
Shutdown threat looms: Speaker Mike Johnson yanked a government funding bill off the House floor hours before an expected vote and after a growing number of disgruntled Republicans vowed to tank the measure.
Swing state no more: Florida has historically been held up as a massively important state for any White House aspirant, but this election cycle, it’s a comparative afterthought. Here’s the proof.
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Read All About It
- Nashville police praised rock star Jon Bon Jovi for talking a woman off the ledge of a bridge.
- Taking a high dose of ADHD drugs is linked to a more than five times greater risk of developing psychosis, a new study found.
- Justin Timberlake will appear in person for a court hearing in New York after reaching a plea agreement in his DWI case.
- Before she allegedly became a Russian asset, Lauren Chen was the darling of conservative YouTube.
Staff Pick: Eiffel family wants Olympic rings off the tower
It wasn’t just the trite observations of visitors. While covering the Summer Olympics, every Parisian told me the same thing: The Olympics and Paralympics fundamentally changed the mood of the city. This air of bonhomie, it seems, was fleeting. That is to say, the French are arguing again. Now, a feud has emerged between Paris’ mayor and the family of Gustave Eiffel, the man behind the eponymous tower, about a plan to keep the Olympic rings affixed to the iconic landmark. — Alex Smith, senior reporter
NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified
Starting tomorrow, the new Apple iPhone 16 and 16 Pro will be available for pre-order. Here’s what else to know about the upcoming releases, as well as pre-order dates for the AirPods 4 and Apple Watch Series 10 and Ultra 2. Speaking of tech, check out this editor-approved wireless charger for under $30.
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