5 things to know for Sept. 10: SpaceX launch, Tropical Storm Francine, Wildfires, Gaza, Princess Kate

Published September 10, 2024 4:38 AM

By Andrew Torgan and Tricia Escobedo, CNN

(CNN) — If you bought apple juice recently, now would be a good time to check the fridge or pantry: Bottles of juice sold across the country under various brands at Walgreens, Walmart, BJ’s, Weis and Aldi have been recalled over concerns about arsenic levels.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. SpaceX launch

SpaceX’s latest mission — a bold and risky trek into Earth’s Van Allen radiation belts by a four-person civilian crew who aim to conduct the first commercial spacewalk — has taken flight. The mission, dubbed Polaris Dawn, lifted off at 5:23 a.m. ET. The launch comes after several weather delays in late August and earlier this morning. Further complicating launch prospects was the fact that SpaceX needed to ensure there are calm waters and winds for the crew’s return. Timing is critical: The Polaris Dawn mission will have only enough life support for five or six days in space because carrying out a spacewalk will create a drain on oxygen supplies.

2. Tropical Storm Francine

Tropical Storm Francine is nearing hurricane status as it charges toward the Gulf Coast, where some Louisiana communities have already begun to evacuate and close their floodgates in anticipation of the storm’s likely landfall there on Wednesday. Francine could become a hurricane today and strengthen into a Category 2 storm by landfall. A hurricane of that strength is capable of inflicting extensive damage to homes and widespread power outages, prompting Louisiana’s governor to issue a statewide emergency declaration ahead of its arrival. Flooding, powerful winds and potentially life-threatening storm surge could pummel parts of the upper Texas and Louisiana coastlines as Francine passes through.

3. Wildfires

More than 60 active large wildfires have burned more than 2 million acres across the western United States, officials say, resulting in emergency declarations across the region and driving thousands from their homes. Those who do not have to evacuate are dealing with power outages, closed schools and canceled plans due to fires and excessive heat. Blazes in California, Idaho and Nevada have proven especially alarming as flames and record heat have led to evacuations and the destruction of several homes and businesses.

4. Gaza

At least 40 people have been killed in an overnight Israeli strike on a humanitarian zone created to shelter displaced people in southern Gaza, according to local rescue officials, in what Israel said was an operation targeting Hamas fighters in the area. More than 60 people were also wounded in the strike, according to the Gaza Civil Defense, as rescuers raced to recover victims buried under sand and debris. The strike hit Al-Mawasi, a coastal region in Khan Younis where tens of thousands of displaced Palestinians have fled, many living in tents in an area with sparse infrastructure and little access to shelter or humanitarian aid.

5. Princess Kate

Catherine, Princess of Wales, says she has completed her chemotherapy and is “doing what I can to stay cancer free,” as she plans to gradually return to public life in the coming months. Catherine, who revealed in March she had been diagnosed with cancer, said in a highly personal video released Monday that she is entering a “new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life.” The princess, known as Kate, has made just two public appearances since her diagnosis, which came after she underwent major abdominal surgery shortly after Christmas.

HAPPENING LATER

6 things to watch for when Kamala Harris debates Donald Trump
Former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris will face off tonight in Philadelphia in their first presidential debate as new polls show the race for the White House remains tight with no clear leader.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

The ‘world-changing’ impact of dropped Cheetos
There’s a reason park rangers don’t allow visitors to Carlsbad Caverns National Park to bring in snacks or drinks, other than plain water. A tourist who broke that rule and dropped a bag of Cheetos in the New Mexico park created a dangerous threat to the cave’s fragile microbial ecosystem. Here’s how.

More tourists behaving badly
Hawaii’s most controversial nature spot has once again become a center of concern, with 14 people recently arrested for accessing the Haiku Stairs on the island of Oahu. The area leading to the 4,000 metal steps is clearly marked as off-limits, not just because of the dangers to visitors but also to protect natural resources. “Someone is going to get hurt or killed,” one conservation official said.

The hidden danger of energy drinks
Many people may think of energy drinks as sports drinks or consider them appropriate for hydration, including for children. Others may believe they are natural energy boosters rather than caffeine-infused beverages. Before you grab your next energy drink, you might want to read this.

Bidder gambles on purported Rembrandt masterpiece
The painting was discovered in the attic by an auctioneer during a routine house call to a private estate in Maine. The artwork, a 17th-century painting of a young woman wearing a cap and ruffled collar, was listed as a Rembrandt copy worth as little as $10,000. But several auction bidders appeared to believe it may be a genuine masterpiece.

‘Beetlejuice’ actors missing from sequel
Director Tim Burton’s new film “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” brings back several characters from the original 1988 film, including Michael Keaton as the titular character. Now, Burton sheds light on why Geena Davis and Alec Baldwin were not in the sequel.

IN MEMORIAM

Legendary actor James Earl Jones, the voice of Darth Vader in “Star Wars” and Mufasa in “The Lion King,” died Monday, according to his agent. He was 93. Jones had a distinguished career that spanned some 60 years and took him from a small-town theater in northern Michigan to the highest reaches of Hollywood, where he appeared in dozens of movies and TV series.

TODAY’S NUMBER

$800 million
That’s the Mega Millions jackpot for tonight’s drawing. There’s still time to get a ticket, but don’t start planning your millionaire lifestyle just yet. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, according to lottery officials. So we’re telling you there’s still a chance.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“If If I wasn’t Tyreek Hill, worst-case scenario, we would’ve had a different article.”

Tyreek Hill, wide receiver for the Miami Dolphins, on being pulled over and detained Sunday as he drove to Hard Rock Stadium for the NFL team’s first game of the season. Miami-Dade police released bodycam footage of the incident that showed police pulling Hill from his car and forcing him to the ground on multiple occasions after stopping him for a moving violation.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

‘That was the governor?’
A man at a New Hampshire lobster roll eating competition jumped into action when he saw competitor Christian Moreno choking. After the man used the Heimlich maneuver on him, Moreno continued with the contest. He later learned that the stranger who saved him was Gov. Chris Sununu. Watch the video here.

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