Tuesday, September 24, 2024 |
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Tuesday, September 24, 2024 |
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Good Tuesday afternoon. Tropical Storm Helene could hit the Gulf Coast as a major hurricane, NFL legend Brett Favre revealed a private health battle at a congressional hearing on welfare fraud, and President Biden warned the world is at an “inflection point” in his final U.N. address. Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown. |
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Tropical Storm Helene could become major hurricane ahead of Florida landfall |
Tropical Storm Helene formed over the Caribbean Sea today and could rapidly intensify into a major hurricane before striking the coast of Florida, forecasters say. As Helene approaches, a hurricane watch has been issued for almost all of Florida’s western coastline, which could see up to 15 feet of storm surge. On the current track, Helene could hit Florida’s gulf coast late Thursday. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has expanded his state of emergency declaration to a total of 61 counties, nearly the whole state. Mandatory evacuations have already been ordered in parts of Charlotte County and Franklin County, including barrier islands, low-lying and flood prone areas. |
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Brett Favre says he’s been diagnosed with Parkinson’s at welfare fraud hearing |
Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre said he's been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease while testifying before Congress today about the alleged misuse of welfare funds in Mississippi. The 54-year-old former Green Bay Packers star, who was accused by Mississippi’s state auditor of improperly receiving $1.1 million in speaking fees funded by a state welfare program, made the surprise announcement during a House Ways and Means Committee hearing. “Sadly, I also lost an investment in a company that I believed was developing a breakthrough concussion drug I thought would help others, and I’m sure you’ll understand why it’s too late for me because I’ve recently been diagnosed with Parkinson’s,” Favre told lawmakers. Favre has not been criminally charged, but has been named in a lawsuit by the state of Mississippi over receipt of the welfare funds. He has paid back the $1.1 million in speaking fees, but still owes more than $730,000 in interest, according to the state auditor. Favre has denied any wrongdoing. |
Biden warns world facing “inflection point” in final speech to U.N. General Assembly |
President Joe Biden, in his fourth and final speech in office today to the United Nations General Assembly, touted his foreign policy legacy and called on nations to unite amid global turmoil. “I truly believe we’re at another inflection point in world history. The choices we make today will determine our future,” Biden said. Biden warned against a “full-scale war” in the Middle East, and urged Israel and Hamas to sign a cease-fire deal that will release the hostages taken during the Oct. 7 terror attack. “Ease the suffering in Gaza and end this war,” he said. He also made the case for continuing to support Ukraine in its war with Russia. “We cannot grow weary,” Biden said, “We cannot look away and we will not let up on our support for Ukraine, not until Ukraine wins a just and durable peace.” Biden concluded by reflecting on his decision to drop out of the 2024 race, telling fellow world leaders that “some things are more important than staying in power.” |
Israel and Hezbollah exchange new strikes as thousands flee southern Lebanon |
Israel and Hezbollah have exchanged new fire as thousands flee southern Lebanon, a day after the deadliest barrage of Israeli strikes to hit the country in nearly two decades. The Israeli military announced that it had killed a top Hezbollah commander today in a new strike on Beirut, as the death toll from Monday’s massive bombardment rose to more than 550 people, according to Lebanese health officials. Hezbollah has fired approximately 300 rockets at Israel today, forcing more than 1 million civilians into bomb shelters, according to an Israel Defense Forces spokesman. Israel and Hezbollah have frequently traded attacks over the Lebanon border since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack, but the escalation in recent days has fueled fears of a wider war in the Middle East. |
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Freed Israeli hostage speaks out about fears for American husband still in captivity |
| Nearly a year after Hamas and other militant groups kidnapped more than 250 people from Israel, one of the hostages who was later freed is speaking out to Lester Holt about the fears for her husband and other hostages still in captivity. Aviva Siegel was among more than 100 hostages released in a temporary cease-fire deal back in November, after 52 days in captivity. Her husband, Keith Siegel, is one of at least seven people with U.S. citizenship still being held by Hamas. She told Holt about the dire conditions the hostages are being kept in. “I was there in those same conditions, and I thought that I'm going to die all the time.” Aviva Siegel is part of a large group of hostage family members who spoke with Holt today. You can see the interview on our broadcast tonight. |
Trump campaigns in Georgia, Harris calls for ending filibuster to codify abortion rights |
With six weeks to go until Election Day, former President Donald Trump spent his afternoon campaigning in battleground Georgia, while Vice President Kamala Harris called for a major overhaul of Senate rules to restore abortion access nationwide. During an event in Savannah, Trump outlined his economic and tax policies. Harris is set to give her own economic speech on Wednesday in Pennsylvania, another critical battleground. In a radio interview that aired today, Harris called for eliminating the Senate filibuster to codify abortion protections after Roe v. Wade was overturned. Harris, who has faced criticism from conservatives over immigration, is considering a visit to the southern border when she travels to Arizona on Friday, two people familiar with her schedule told NBC News. |
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What else we're watching: |
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The maker of Ozempic and Wegovy faced a grilling on Capitol Hill today over the high cost of those popular weight loss drugs. |
The Justice Department has filed a lawsuit accusing Visa of illegally monopolizing the debit card market. The company has not yet commented on the suit. |
The son of Ryan Routh, the man accused in the second apparent assassination attempt on Donald Trump, has been arrested on child pornography charges, court records show. |
The state of Missouri is set to execute death row inmate Marcellus Williams this evening. Williams was convicted in the 1998 stabbing death of a newspaper reporter. He has maintained his innocence. |
Sean “Diddy” Combs has been moved to the same section of a New York City jail where convicted cryptocurrency fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried is being held, sources confirm to NBC News. |
A 21-year-old man died after falling during a climb at the Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming on Sunday, the National Park Service said. |
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Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app. |
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