News Wrap: Tropical Storm Debby expected to make 2nd landfall in Carolinas

In our news wrap Wednesday, the effects of Tropical Storm Debby are being felt as far north as the Great Lakes, the number of women getting abortions in the U.S. went up in the first three months of the year compared to before Roe v. Wade was overturned and three Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna have been canceled due to security concerns.

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Amna Nawaz: We start the day’s other headlines with severe weather.

The effects of Tropical Storm Debby are being felt as far north as the Great Lakes. The massive cyclone has collided with other weather systems, dumping heavy rain on highways and streets and stranding motorists in New York. It’s also toppled trees into homes like here in Ohio, where more than 300,000 people had lost power as of this afternoon.

Debby is out over the Atlantic right now, but will move inland by tomorrow before marching north towards New York and into Canada. Before that, though, there is more rain in store for Southern states like the Carolinas. Today, North Carolina’s governor warned residents to stay ahead of the storm.

Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC): So preparation now means saving lives later. We expect this storm to continue its slow, gradual approach, bringing multiple days of heavy rainfall and the potential for widespread and even severe flash flooding.

Amna Nawaz: At least six people have died due to Debby, most of them in traffic accidents or from fallen trees.

New data show that the number of women getting abortions in the U.S. went up in the first three months of the year compared to before Roe v. Wade was overturned. That’s according to a new report from the Society of Family Planning, which supports abortion access. There were around 99,000 abortions each month from January to March nationwide.

That’s compared to a monthly average of 84,000 in the period before the 2022 Supreme Court ruling. The increase is due in part to the rise in telemedicine, allowing doctors to see patients from areas that have banned the procedure.

The United Kingdom is on high alert tonight amid concerns about a new wave of anti-immigrant violence. Shops in Northeast London were boarded up following recent protests targeting mosques and minority communities. More than 100 police officers have been injured in the clashes. The riots have been fueled by misinformation over a stabbing in late July in which three girls were killed in the town of Southport.

Social media rumors falsely identified the attacker as a Muslim asylum seeker. London’s police commissioner says officials won’t tolerate further violence.

Mark Rowley, Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis: It is completely unacceptable, regardless of your political views, to intimidate any sector of lawful activity, and we will not let the immigration asylum system be intimidated. They’re operating lawfully. The thugs and criminals who are targeting them are not.

Amna Nawaz: Police have made more than 400 arrests so far. Three men have been convicted already for violent disorder, among other charges.

In the Middle East, despite soaring regional tensions in recent days, cease-fire negotiations for the Israel-Hamas war are as close as ever. That’s according to White House official John Kirby, who also said that the new leader of Hamas, Yahya Sinwar, is the — quote — “chief decision-maker” on any progress towards a cease-fire.

That all comes as Israel unleashes near constant airstrikes in Gaza and put forward video claiming to show attacks on Hezbollah targets in Southern Lebanon. Israel’s defense minister had a tough warning for the Iran-backed militant group’s leader, Hassan Nasrallah.

Yoav Gallant, Israeli Defense Minister (through interpreter): From the look of things, Nasrallah made drag Lebanon to pay heavy prices. They don’t imagine what could happen. I guess if they take a photo of Gaza, they will understand. But reason doesn’t always prevail.

Amna Nawaz: Meanwhile, Turkey has formally asked to join South Africa in its genocide lawsuit against Israel at the International Court of Justice. Hamas welcomed the move, saying it affirms Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s support for the Palestinian cause.

The family of the French explorer who died in the tightened submersible implosion last year have filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the sub’s operator. They say that the crew experienced — quote — “terror and mental anguish” before the disaster, and they’re seeking more than $50 million in damages.

Paul-Henri Nargeolet was one of five people on board the Titan when it imploded on its way to visiting the Titanic wreck site in June of 2023. Lawyers for his family say that OceanGate, which owned the sub, failed to disclose important facts about the vessel and its safety.

The two astronauts who went to the International Space Station in June for a weeklong mission have been there for two months now and may not return until next year. That’s because the spacecraft that took them, Boeing’s Starliner, is not safe to return home. It’s plagued by thruster issues and leaks.

NASA said, if Starliner isn’t fixed, astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore could hitch a ride with the next SpaceX crewed mission when it returns home next February. Officials said they have until roughly mid-August to make a final decision.

Three Taylor Swift concerts in Vienna have been canceled due to security concerns. The music megastar was due to perform in the city’s Ernst Happel Stadium on Thursday, Friday and Saturday, but organizers called off the shows after officials arrested two suspected extremists. One of them is said to have been planning an attack on events such as those upcoming concerts. Organizers say that all tickets will be refunded.

And on Wall Street today, an earlier rally lost steam, dragging stocks lower by the close. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped more than 200 points. The Nasdaq gave back 171 points, or about 1 percent. The S&P 500 also ended lower on the day.

And in Paris, it was a hot, eventful day at the Summer Olympics, but it began with some Winter Olympians getting their long overdue taste of gold. With the Eiffel Tower behind them, nine U.S. figure skaters were honored for their first-place team finish in Beijing two-and-a-half years ago. The International Olympic Committee delayed the ceremony until a major doping scandal, which cost Russia its title, had been resolved.

As for this year’s games, spoiler alert, we have some results to share here. There was gold today for Team USA in women’s track cycling and for Quincy Hall, who surged a victory in the men’s 400 meters. Additional medals in weight lifting, skateboarding and artistic swimming add to the U.S. medal count, which currently stands at 94 overall.