Monday morning news: August 28, 2023

Tropical Storm Idalia » A massive storm is now spinning over the Gulf of Mexico, taking aim at Florida. Tropical Storm Idalia could be Hurricane Idalia when it crashes into the Gulf Coast likely on Wednesday morning.

But Jamie Rhome with the National Hurricane Center warns Floridians:

RHOME: In terms of tropical storm force winds brushing up against the western portion of the Florida Peninsula and around the Tampa area as early as Tuesday.

That means residents in that region need to finish preparing for the storm today.

At the moment, forecasters expect Idalia to roar ashore as a Category-1 storm, packing winds of 90 miles per hour.

Military aircraft crash » Three U.S. Marines were killed and roughly twenty others seriously wounded when a U.S. military Osprey aircraft crashed in Australia over the weekend

The Osprey is a cross between a plane and a helicopter with twin propellers.

Australia’s Northern Territory Chief Minister Natasha Fyles told reporters after the crash:

FYLES: So, what I can say is that there was 23 people on board that aircraft and we are working to get them across to Royal Darwin Hospital to give them the care that they need.

The Osprey crashed on a northern Australian island during a training exercise.

All those aboard the aircraft were American.

GOP candidates » Republican presidential candidates made the rounds on the Sunday talk shows, as each of their campaigns claimed victory in last week’s debate.

Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley:

HALEY: The first debate’s always the start of the election season. So while everybody wants to assume this race is over, it’s actually just getting started.

And former Vice President Mike Pence told CBS’ Face the Nation:

PENCE: I believe in all humility that I’m the most qualified and the most tested candidate in this race, not only with Vivek, who I’ve known for several years, but for everybody else on the stage.

A Reuters/IPSOS poll of Republicans conducted after Wednesday’s debate places Pence in third place with a one-point edge over businessman Vivek Ramaswammy.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis remained a distant second behind former President Trump, with 13% support.

Jacksonville shooting » DeSantis, meanwhile, remarked Sunday on a racially motivated mass shooting in Jacksonville, Florida.

DESANTIS: We condemn what happened in the strongest possible terms. We’ve offered support to Sheriff Waters and the city of Jacksonville, and we send our condolences to the victims and their families.

A 21-year-old white man gunned down three black people at a Dollar General store. The shooter reportedly made racist remarks before carrying out the murder-suicide.

Jacksonville Sheriff T.K. Waters told reporters:

WATERS: I urge us all not to look for sense in a senseless act of violence. There’s no reason or explanation that will ever account for the shooter’s decisions and actions.

The shooter had been involuntarily committed for a mental health examination in 2017.

Prigozhin » An explosion rang out in the streets of Kupiansk in northeastern Ukraine after Russian shells struck a cafe over the weekend, killing at least two people.

British intelligence officials say the Kremlin’s forces may be planning an assault to recapture the town.

INVESTIGATOR: [Speaking Russian]

A Russian government spokeswoman says genetic testing confirms that mercenary leader Yevgeny Prigozhin did in fact die in a plane crash last week.

U.S. intelligence has concluded that an intentional explosion likely downed the plane. And leaders in Washington believe it’s no coincidence that Prigozhin died not long after challenging Vladimir Putin’s authority.

SOUND: [launch]

SpaceX » A four-person crew has successfully docked at the International Space Station.

SOUND: [Launch]

Sound there of the SpaceX Dragon liftoff from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.

Among the crew, three astronauts: one American, one Japanese, and one European, as well as a Russian cosmonaut.

Crew members are on a six-month mission, carrying out dozens of science and other experiments.

Bob Barker obit » Bob Barker has died. The longtime gameshow host and face of The Price is Right was 99 years old.

BARKER: I want to thank you very, very much for inviting me into your homes for the last 50 years.

Barker heard there during his final episode of The Price is Right in 2007.

Before hosting the CBS game show, he worked as a radio announcer and later as the host of a game show called “Truth or Consequences.”

He was also the longtime host of the Miss USA Pageant.

I'm Kristen Flavin.

Straight ahead: Changing who prosecutes serious crimes in the military. That’s on Legal Docket. Plus, the history of airbags!

This is The World and Everything in It.

WORLD Radio transcripts are created on a rush deadline. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Accuracy and availability may vary. The authoritative record of WORLD Radio programming is the audio record.