A monster on the Gulf?
A tropical system in the western Caribbean may not look like much yet, but don’t be fooled. President Joe Biden will address the United Nations on Tuesday as tensions in the Middle East escalate. Marcellus Williams is set to die by lethal injection on Tuesday, but denies involvement in the killing of a former newspaper reporter.
🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. Looking to road trip for the best fall weather?
Hurricane Helene could develop this week
A brewing system is likely to become Hurricane Helene by Wednesday, then see an increase in winds that will make it a Category Three hurricane of 115 mph or more as it approaches Florida’s Big Bend on Thursday, according to the National Hurricane Center Forecast.
How we know this: History has shown the Gulf of Mexico can be a pressure cooker, turning systems like this one from wimpy windstorms to devastating monsters almost overnight under the right conditions.
- The hot stove is already on. Warmer-than-normal water across the Gulf is expected to boost the storm’s winds as much as 75 mph by Thursday morning.
- Most of the worst hurricanes in history have gone through through this rapid intensification process, a period during which wind speeds in a storm rapidly accelerate.
- "Go into hurricane mode now." Getting pummeled again and again by hurricanes has left many in Florida's Taylor County tired, alarmed and apprehensive.
Yesterday was the deadliest day in Lebanon since 1990
Explosions boomed across Lebanon on Monday as the Israeli army carried out its most widespread attacks on Lebanon in almost a year, killing nearly 500 people and wounding more than 1,600, according to Lebanon's health ministry. The bombings fueled fears of an all-out war between Israel and Hezbollah, which has fired increasingly on Israel over the ongoing war in Gaza. Read more
More news to know now
- A search for a gunmen who killed four intensifies in Alabama.
- Texas is set to execute Travis James Mullis for the murder of his infant son.
- Why don't political candidates talk about dental coverage for seniors?
- A Colorado grocery store mass shooter was found guilty of murdering 10 people in 2021.
- Should we be alarmed about the law enforcement use of AI?
What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.
Georgia's election board passes hand-count rule
A controversial rule passed by the Georgia State Election Board will require all of the state's voting precincts to hand-count ballots and ensure the tallies match machine counts before their deadline to certify election results. The rule has sparked bipartisan criticism from opponents who say it will delay results and create space for election meddlers to spread disinformation and block certifying the actual victor. Read more
Biden's task at his final UN speech: A legacy
President Joe Biden will seek to fortify his legacy on the global stage and safeguard his vision for robust U.S. involvement in the world when he addresses the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday for the last time before he leaves office. With wars in Ukraine and Gaza unresolved and his predecessor, former President Donald Trump, running neck-and-neck with his hand-picked successor, Vice President Kamala Harris, the address will be Biden’s last chance to articulate a compelling case for his worldview before the November election. Read more
Keep scrolling
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- A'ja Wilson unanimously won WNBA MVP.
- To read a Sally Rooney novel is to hold humanity in your hands.
- Princess Kate made her first public appearance since finishing chemo.
- Here's how to prevent oversharing information about your kids online.
Missouri set to execute 'loving father' who maintains innocence
A Missouri death row inmate who is expected to be executed Tuesday argues he's never been forensically linked to the 1998 fatal stabbing of a former reporter. Marcellus Williams, 55, was convicted of murdering Lisha Gayle, a former reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch during a burglary in the home she shared with her husband. The St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office supports Williams' claims of innocence and recently filed a motion to vacate his conviction − a move approved by a county trial judge, but quickly contested by Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey. Williams is one of five men being executed over the course of a few days this week.
Photo of the day: Is Pesto the internet's favorite big baby?
An extra large and in charge penguin chick has taken the internet by storm, securing a level of social media stardom many of us could only dream of − and his name is Pesto.
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at Paste BN, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.