Hurricane Helene, now a ferocious Category 3 storm, could have far-reaching impacts. New York Mayor Eric Adams is facing federal corruption and bribery charges. And Hoda Kotb has announced she's leaving the "Today" show.
👋 Hey, Thursday! Laura Davis here. Ready for the news? Let’s go.
But first: A cool rock! 🪨 No, seriously. NASA's rover Perseverance came across an odd stone on Mars, the likes of which the agency said has never been seen. See the "zebra rock."
Landfall near nightfall expected
Hurricane Helene quickly strengthened into a Category 3 storm with sustained winds of 120 mph Thursday as it roared toward landfall and likely devastation along Florida's Gulf Coast. A forecast by the National Hurricane Center shows the hurricane approaching land Thursday night with sustained winds near 115 mph, but that could be upgraded.
Not just Florida: Forecasters said Helene is a dangerous hurricane, and its track takes it across Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee with as much as 15 inches of rain over the coming days. 👉 See our latest updates.
Strong winds and some partial flooding were visible in areas of Sanibel, Fla., on Thursday, September 26, 2024, as residents experienced some of the effects from Hurricane Helene. Ricardo Rolon, News-Press via USA TODAY Network
New York Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on federal bribery, fraud and campaign finance charges, the city's first mayor to be criminally charged while in office.
What to know: A 57-page indictment unsealed Thursday accuses Adams of corrupt acts going back a decade and says he was a willing agent for the Turkish government, trading influence for illegal campaign funds and free trips around the world. The mayor, a former police captain, was defiant and vowed not to resign. 👉 More from the indictment.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams speaks to the press outside his official residence, Gracie Mansion, after federal prosecutors charged him with wire fraud, bribery and soliciting campaign money from a foreign national in Manhattan, New York on September 26, 2024. Caitlin Ochs
It's the end of an era at "Today": Hoda Kotb is saying goodbye. Kotb wiped away tears as she shared the news live on the NBC show Thursday morning, describing the decision as the "hardest thing in the world." She said turning 60 last month was a "monumental" moment for her that made her think about the decade ahead. Kotb has worked with NBC News since 1998, originally as a "Dateline" correspondent, and has been co-anchor of "Today" with Savannah Guthrie since 2018. She plans to leave the show in early 2025. 📺 Everything we know.
The Biden administration on Thursday announced a massive infusion of military aid for Ukraine that will total nearly $8 billion and include bombs with the range to reach inside Russia. The announcement comes as Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy visits the White House to press for permission to fire long-range precision weapons into Russia, a longstanding plea that has gone unanswered. President Joe Biden, in a statement, announced he would send more than $5 billion in weapons from Pentagon stocks to Ukraine under authority granted by Congress before his term ends in January. 👉 What we know about the aid package.
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