5 things to know for Aug. 13: Presidential race, Tropical Storm Ernesto, Earthquakes, Ukraine incursion, Middle East
Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.
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1. Presidential race
Former President Donald Trump spoke with Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk in a live conversation on the platform for over two hours on Monday night. Technical difficulties derailed the start of the interview by more than 40 minutes, creating a public stumble for the Trump campaign as it looks to regain momentum in the race. The former president eventually fielded friendly questions from Musk while slamming Vice President Kamala Harris’ stances on the economy and immigration. A CNN fact check found that Trump made at least 20 false claims during the conversation. Meanwhile, Democrats are gearing up for their national convention in Chicago next week, where Harris will formally accept her party’s nomination for president on Thursday night.
2. Tropical Storm Ernesto
Tropical Storm Ernesto has formed in the Atlantic and is racing toward the Caribbean and Puerto Rico with heavy rainfall, gusty winds and dangerous seas as a predicted hyperactive hurricane season ramps up. The fast-moving system will bring tropical storm conditions — including potentially damaging winds and heavy rainfall — to the Leeward Islands today. Those conditions are expected to spread across the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico by the end of the day. Officials warn that the combination of rain and wind could cause issues for Puerto Rico’s vulnerable electrical infrastructure. Ernesto will not follow Debby’s continental US-bound path but will intensify into a hurricane over very warm ocean water, potentially placing Bermuda in harm’s way.
3. Earthquakes
A magnitude 4.4 earthquake occurred in Los Angeles at 12:20 p.m. PT on Monday, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake startled residents, rattled schools and interrupted several live and recorded shows. Monday’s shaking prompted the Los Angeles Fire Department to go into earthquake mode, with crews at 106 fire stations doing surveys of their districts. There were no reports of injuries or structural damage, the department said. Separately, much of western Japan is on high alert after a 7.1-magnitude quake hit the region last week. The government has lifted most advisories but many residents and officials are preparing for a potential emergency during what is normally peak travel season during summer holidays.
4. Ukraine incursion
Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to “kick the enemy out” of his country’s territory after it emerged that Ukrainian troops were in control of dozens of Russian villages a week into Kyiv’s surprise cross-border incursion. On Monday, Ukrainian military chief Oleksandr Syrskyi said that some 386 square miles of Russian territory were now under Ukrainian control. Putin went on to tell his security chiefs to expel the Ukrainian forces and “knock out the enemy from our territories.” Ukraine’s advances have sparked a large wave of evacuations from the border regions. Around 180,000 people had been told to evacuate and an estimated 121,000 have left already, according to Aleksey Smirnov, the acting head of the Kursk region.
5. Middle East
Israel and the US are preparing for a potential Iranian attack on Israel as efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza intensify ahead of the expected resumption of formal negotiations this week. A major attack against Israel could risk disrupting the negotiations that US officials have said were at an advanced stage prior to the assassination of Hamas’ political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, which Iran blamed on Israel. Israel hasn’t confirmed or denied responsibility. The White House said on Monday that it shares Israel’s concerns and expectations about an attack from Iran in the coming days, pointing to increased American force posture in the region as preparation for an Iranian reprisal.
BREAKFAST BROWSE
Team USA Gymnastics’ appeal is deniedUS gymnast Jordan Chiles was stripped of her first individual Olympic medal after the Romanian gymnastics team challenged her final score. Team USA’s appeal of that ruling was denied on Monday but the battle for bronze is far from over.
Tour de France Femmes is underwayThis year’s edition features the world’s top riders, many of whom just competed in the women’s road race at the Paris Olympics. Gosh, they must be tire-d.
Data shows evidence of a water reservoir on MarsData collected from a retired NASA mission suggests there may be enough water beneath the surface of Mars to cover the red planet.
Miley Cyrus becomes youngest Disney Legend: ‘Proud to have been Hannah Montana’The Grammy-winning musician was among 14 artists recently honored as Disney Legends.
Is pumpkin spice a summer flavor?Despite sweltering August temperatures, the rollout of pumpkin spice-flavored foods could spell out an early start to fall in the US. These retailers are already spicing up their menus with pumpkin items.
TODAY’S NUMBER
11That’s how many aqueducts were constructed deep under Rome thousands of years ago to provide water to the city. Watch this video to see how an ancient Roman aqueduct under the Trevi Fountain still powers the iconic landmark.
TODAY’S QUOTE
“It was a nightmare that should have never happened.”
— A former worker at AppHarvest, alleging he endured “nightmare” conditions at the indoor-agriculture company that JD Vance helped fund. Employees said they were forced to work in grueling conditions inside the company’s Kentucky greenhouse, where temperatures often soared into the triple digits. Their stories paint a picture of a grim job experience for many of the working-class Kentuckians that Donald Trump’s running mate has vowed to help.
TODAY’S WEATHER
Check your local forecast here>>>
AND FINALLY ...
Stunning new images caught by the International Space StationNASA astronaut Matthew Dominick posted a new video of the aurora borealis from the International Space Station. See the spectacular footage here.
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- During the live conversation with Elon Musk, former President Trump made several false claims regarding Vice President Kamala Harris' stances, which were later fact-checked by CNN.
