From the debate stage to the swing states

Voters across the nation take stock of the presidential race following last night's high-stakes debate. Hurricane Francine made landfall in Louisiana. And the stars are out for the MTV Video Music Awards.

👋 Hey, there! Laura Davis here. Wednesday’s news is ready for you.

But first: We will always remember. It's been 23 years since terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes in an attack that killed 2,977 people on Sept. 11, 2001. All these years later, false claims still swirl about that day. Here are the facts.

Did the debate move the needle?

With an election on a razor's edge, millions of Americans tuned into the fiery Tuesday night throwdown between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump in search of information, persuasion, or confirmation.

✍️ Our analysis: Harris the prosecutor takes on classic Trump.

Voters sound off: Harris and Trump are virtually neck and neck in most national polls, so we sent reporters to swing states to talk with voters about the debate – and to find out whether the faceoff changed anyone's mind. 🗣️ Here's what swing state voters had to say.

👉 Started with a handshake, ended with gloves off. Our takeaways from the debate.

• Taylor Swift's response to the debate? A quick endorsement for Harris. Here's what Trump had to say about it.
• Fact check: What Harris, Trump got wrong (and right).
• So, who won the debate? Here's our breakdown.
• Meme supply: Of course, the internet had a field day.

Hurricane Francine makes landfall in Louisiana

With maximum sustained winds estimated to be near 100 mph, Hurricane Francine made landfall as a Category 2 hurricane Wednesday afternoon in southern Louisiana in the Parish of Terrebonne, the National Hurricane Center said.

Dangerous storm : Officials warned residents to stay away from windows as the life-threatening storm roaring across the Gulf Coast could drop up to a foot of rain while driving damaging winds and a 10-foot storm surge in some areas. Power outage reports were starting to stack up along the Louisiana coast Wednesday evening, with more than 9,000 outages reported. 👉 See the latest developments.

🎬 Watch: Busy grocery stores, sandbag sites ahead of Francine.

Real quick

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An inflation cooldown

Inflation slowed to a more than three-year low in August as falling gasoline and used car prices offset further gains in the cost of services such as rent, car insurance and airline fares, according to the Labor Department’s consumer price index report. The report supports the Federal Reserve’s plans to start lowering interest rates next week.

By the numbers: Prices broadly rose 2.5% from a year ago, down from 2.9% in July, the smallest increase since January 2021 and the fifth straight pullback, the report said. The cost of services − including rent, dining out and health care − have marched higher but are starting to do so at a slower pace. 📊 What it means for your wallet.

It's officially ‘Moon Person’ time

Bust out the popcorn and get ready to boogie in the living room. Your favorite musical artists, celebrities and influencers are gathering in New York for the MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday night. Resident "Hot Girl" Megan Thee Stallion is set to host and perform at the star-studded musical event, with Eminem joining her on stage to kick off the show with an epic performance. MTV will also make donations to 9/11 Day and Tuesday’s Children in observance of the 23rd anniversary of the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. ✨ How to watch.

A break from the news

• 💰 Stack that cash: Ways to up your retirement savings game.
• 🎄 Early holiday shopping? See Amazon's massive list of gift ideas.
• ⚓️ Sail the high seas on one of the biggest cruise ships on the planet.

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Say hi: laura@usatoday.com. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: From the debate stage to the swing states