Tropical Storm Debby makes second landfall and alleged terror plot cancels Taylor Swift shows: Morning Rundown
The upcoming Democratic National Convention has become a hot-ticket event with Kamala Harris as the presidential nominee. An alleged terror plot forces the cancellation of Taylor Swift’s shows in Vienna. And a pair of NASA astronauts might be stuck in space until 2025.
Here’s what to know today.
Democratic convention transforms from a ‘wake’ to ‘Mardi Gras’ with Harris on the ticket
Interest in the Democratic National Convention has spiked with less than two weeks to go until the election year event in Chicago, according to consultants, event planners, activists and delegates.
Chris Korge, national finance chair for the DNC, said he has received streams of calls and texts requesting entry for the four-day convention starting Aug. 19. Illinois State Comptroller Susana Mendoza, who is also a delegate, said she has been bombarded with requests for help landing convention credentials. Greg Goldner, founder and managing partner of Resolute Public Affairs, said some of his corporate clients are sending more people for longer stays than anticipated, and new events are popping up.
"Before it was going to be a wake; now it's going to be Mardi Gras," said Jaimey Sexton, a Chicago-based consultant with the Sexton Group, who has booked or helped arrange multiple events around the convention.
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While interest in it tends to increase, to some degree, within a few weeks of the convention, the enthusiasm going into this year’s event picked up when Vice President Kamala Harris replaced President Joe Biden at the top of the Democratic ballot. That enthusiasm seems to be matching the packed campaign rallies and eye-popping fundraising since Harris announced her candidacy.
More 2024 election coverage:
Harris will hold a United Auto Workers event in Detroit, and the Trump campaign is scheduled to host a news conference aimed at her handling of the southern border. Follow our live blog for the latest from the campaign trail.
A handful of pro-Palestinian protesters interrupted Harris’ rally last night in Detroit. First, she acknowledged them with a familiar line. When they stopped her speech a second time, Harris’ tone grew more forceful.
Trump running mate JD Vance is leading the charge to tear down Democratic vice presidential candidate Tim Walz’s military record, starting with Walz’s decision to leave the National Guard in 2005.
Walz’s response — mainly, how long it took to call in the National Guard — to the riots in 2020 after George Floyd’s death in Minneapolis is under the microscope.
President Joe Biden said he is “not confident at all” that there will be a peaceful transfer of power if Donald Trump loses the election.
Paris 2024: U.S. athletes sprint, glide and splash their way to medals
Team USA made more gains in Paris, with a memorable come-from-behind win in men’s track, the first gold for women’s cycling pursuit and more. Here’s what happened.
Quincy Hall won gold in the men’s 400-meter final. His effort in the final 100-meter stretch paid off as he turned on the afterburners and overcame three runners. (See his impressive comeback.) Hall bested Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith by just .04 seconds for the win.
In cycling, Team USA’s women soared to gold in team pursuit. While the U.S. cycling program has medaled in every Olympics since 2012, this was the first time the team took the top spot. The team, consisting of Jennifer Valente, Chloe Dygert, Lily Williams and Kristen Faulkner, defeated New Zealand. (Watch the full race, or hit the 4:47 mark if you just want to see the final few seconds.)
Meanwhile, the U.S. won its first artistic swimming medal in 20 years. The silver-winning team got some attention earlier this week when part of their routine included moonwalking upside-down to Michael Jackson’s “Smooth Criminal.” (Did you miss that moment? See it here.) Here’s a recap of Day 12 of the Olympics.
Stream every moment and every medal of the 2024 Paris Olympics on Peacock.
Read more
🏅 Coming up today: Noah Lyles goes for double-gold glory in the men's 200-meter final. Follow our live blog.
🥈 Artistic swimmer Daniella Ramirez is a third-generation athlete whose silver medal win with Team USA has extra significance for her family.
🥊 The two boxers who have been at the center of a debate over gender eligibility at the Games — China’s Lin Yu-ting and Algeria’s Imane Khelif — will face off in the women’s featherweight gold medal bout.
Meet the athletes who finished far from first place and are just happy to have made it to Paris.
▶️ Watch top highlights
U.S.’s Kenneth Rooks leaps to a spot on the steeplechase podium
These dudes can skate: Crowd goes wild for the oldest Olympic skateboarders
U.S. figure skaters receive gold medals two years after doping scandal involving Russia
Suni Lee wins ‘Sad to Announce I Didn’t Make the Olympics’ trend
Tropical Storm Debby makes landfall again, this time in South Carolina
Tropical Storm Debby, which has already dumped more than a foot of rain on parts of the South and is forecast to bring more, made a second landfall in the U.S. early this morning when it crossed back into South Carolina.
The storm, which had 50 mph winds, made landfall near Bulls Bay, South Carolina, the National Hurricane Center said. It was a Category 1 hurricane when it first made landfall near Steinhatchee in Florida’s Big Bend region Monday.
“We expect this storm to continue its slow, gradual approach, bringing multiple days of heavy rainfall and the potential for widespread and severe flash flooding,” North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said. Parts of the state could get 15 inches of rain.
Taylor Swift concerts canceled in Vienna over alleged terror plot
Three of Taylor Swift’s “Eras Tour” shows in Vienna were canceled because of what Austrian police say was a planned terrorist attack targeting the concerts. Officials said two men were arrested yesterday in connection with allegations of planning to attack major events in Vienna. The suspects, who had been under surveillance for some time, had homed in on the Swift concerts, officials said. One of the men arrested is a 19-year-old who is alleged to have pledged his allegiance to ISIS, Vienna police said. Two U.S. officials familiar with the investigation said Austrian law enforcement is looking for an additional person or people who may have some knowledge of the plans. Here’s what else we know.
Three concerts were planned during Swift’s stop in Vienna, today, tomorrow and Saturday. But concert or no concert, Swifties are still set to descend on the city. Not only are they heartbroken, but they’re also concerned.
“I feel sad because, you know, I’m spending all this money to travel ... but at the end of the day, I know it’s my safety,” said Sebastian Gonzalez of Mexico City, who still intends to enjoy his visit to Vienna as much as he can but plans to stay away from large crowds as a precaution.
NBC News spoke to other fans, who were expecting to attend the “Eras Tour” up until yesterday, to find out their reactions.
NASA astronauts might have to stay in space into 2025
NASA is considering keeping two astronauts who flew Boeing’s capsule to space — and are still there two months later — in orbit until February. The agency said no final plan has been made yet for how to bring NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Sunita Williams back to Earth, though the agency acknowledged that they may decide to use a SpaceX capsule instead. But NASA will need to make a final decision in the next few weeks, a manager of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program said.
The initial plan was for Wilmore and Williams to stay in space for about a week. That was in June.
But problems with the Boeing Starliner capsule’s thrusters and helium leaking from its propulsion system left the pair stranded at the International Space Station.
A head-to-head study of artificial sweetener versus sugar
Low-calorie sugar substitutes are growing in popularity, but a new study shows they can have concerning effects on the heart. In a new study, Cleveland Clinic researchers tested the cardiovascular impact of erythritol— commonly found in “keto-friendly” foods, baked goods and candies — in participants’ blood. When tested against regular sugar, those who ingested the substitute experienced a rise in their blood platelet aggregation, which increased likelihood of blood clotting.
Though the study had several limitations, including a small pool of participants and short observation time, health experts say it’s the first head-to-head analysis of how erythritol affects cardiovascular risks compared to sugar and highlights the need for more research on sweeteners’ impact on the body.
Politics in Brief
Hunter Biden: Special counsel David Weiss' office said in a court filing that it plans to introduce evidence at Hunter Biden's tax trial that shows the president's son was compensated by a Romanian businessman who was trying to influence U.S. policy.
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Staff Pick: Indian wrestler made Olympic history, then was disqualified
Vinesh Phogat became the first woman from India to make an Olympic wrestling final but was ruled out for being over the weight limit by just “a few grams.” While many online have expressed disappointment at the turn of events, what her name represents back home extends beyond her victories on the mat. She’s known for leading a group of fellow wrestlers protesting against sexual harassment, including making major allegations against a key figure in her sport. — Muskaan Arshad, platforms intern
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