5 things to know for Aug. 5: Hurricane Debby, Presidential race, UK riots, Drug bust, Ukraine
By Alexandra Banner, CNN
(CNN) — Olympic organizers are facing questions after Belgian and Swiss athletes fell ill after participating in triathlon races in the River Seine. Details on their illnesses are not yet clear, but they come amid widespread concerns that the poor water quality may be exposing athletes to serious health risks.
Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
1. Hurricane Debby
Hurricane Debby, a Category 1 storm, is nearing landfall with the eyewall moving onshore in the Florida Big Bend area, according to the National Hurricane Center. Forecasts show Debby will slowly traverse over the Southeast US and dump potentially catastrophic rainfall over widespread parts of Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. More than 100,000 homes and businesses are already without power across Florida as Debby’s hurricane-force winds begin to batter the state, according to PowerOutage.us. Hundreds of flights have been canceled and delayed in the region and several school systems have announced temporary closures. View CNN’s Storm Tracker to see Debby’s projected path.
2. Presidential race
Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to announce her running mate this week but intends to keep her selection under wraps until they make an appearance together on Tuesday. Sources say Harris has narrowed her selection to three final contenders — Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania and Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona. Her selection this week will be followed immediately by a joint tour of battleground states, starting with a stop in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, a fresh CBS News/YouGov poll released Sunday found no clear leader between Harris and former President Donald Trump among likely voters nationally — whereas President Joe Biden had been down 5 points in previous polling data.
3. UK riots
Rioters set fire to hotels used to shelter asylum seekers in northern England on Sunday as the country grapples with the worst social unrest it has seen in years. The violence was triggered by the stabbing of three young girls at a Taylor Swift-themed event at a dance school last week, sparking disbelief over why would anyone target children having fun during the summer holiday. The far right has seized on and spread a wave of disinformation, including false claims the attacker was an immigrant, to mobilize anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant protests. Police say the suspect was born in Britain. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned the weekend’s protests, warning that those involved in violence will face the full force of the law.
4. Drug bust
US Customs and Border Protection officers in Arizona said they recently seized the largest amount of fentanyl pills in the agency’s history. A 20-year-old was detained at the Lukeville port of entry after attempting to transport around 4 million fentanyl pills weighing more than 1,000 pounds, according to the agency. The CBP has seized more than 15,000 pounds of fentanyl so far in 2024, federal data shows. Fentanyl, a strong synthetic opioid that is about 50 times more potent than heroin, was involved in almost 70% of overdose deaths last year, according to data from CDC. The narcotic kills tens of thousands of people in the US annually.
5. Ukraine
Ukraine confirmed that F-16 fighter jets have arrived in the country for the first time since Russia’s invasion began. The delivery marks “a new chapter” for the country’s Air Force, President Volodymyr Zelensky said Sunday, as strained Ukrainian forces work to protect its skies against Russian missiles. Zelensky said he is grateful to partners, and especially to the first countries that accepted Kyiv’s request for the aircraft. “I thank Denmark, the Netherlands, and the United States. And to all our partners — we appreciate your support,” he said. Russia maintains air superiority over Ukraine but experts say the F-16s offer a significant improvement in Kyiv’s weaponry.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
An American is once again the world’s fastest man
Noah Lyles won Olympic gold in the 100-meter dash, ending a 20-year drought in the event for Team USA. To jog your memory, Justin Gatlin was the last American sprinter to win the race in 2004.
‘House of the Dragon’ finale recap (spoilers ahead)
The Season 2 finale of “House of the Dragon” tees up an epic battle. Showrunner Ryan Condal said fans should expect “total war” in Season 3.
Army officer wins Miss USA
Michigan’s Alma Cooper was crowned the new Miss USA on Sunday, capping a tumultuous year of pageant controversy.
Centuries-old art mystery solved
A British fine art researcher has identified a missing portrait of King Henry VIII from the 1590s after spotting it on social media. Watch the video here.
Why are Asia markets plunging?
Japan’s stock market suffered its biggest ever one-day loss today as other Asia markets also show signs of jitters. Here’s what we know.
TODAY’S NUMBER
250
That’s how many new missile launchers North Korea claims it is sending toward the South Korean border, in the latest escalation of Kim Jong Un’s weapons program. The border between the two Koreas is one of the most militarized in the world, and Pyongyang has long claimed that it has huge amounts of military hardware pointed south.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“Victory is in sight.”
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying Israeli forces are nearing their stated goal of eliminating Hamas and destroying its military capabilities. However, new data casts doubt on his claims, as several Hamas units have recently made a comeback in key areas cleared by the Israeli military after their intensive bombardment.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY …
Electric cars hit a speed bump
Electric vehicle sales are stalling in the US, with some drivers expressing frustration toward “charger hogs” that are ruining the EV experience. Watch this video to learn why more consumers are embracing hybrids instead.
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