Good Friday afternoon. Kamala Harris laid out her economic agenda in her campaign’s first policy speech, Hurricane Ernesto is closing in on Bermuda as a Category 2 storm, and a woman has been arrested in an alleged scheme to steal Graceland from Elvis Presley’s family. Here is what’s in our Nightly Rundown. |
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Harris unveils economic agenda in first policy speech of her campaign |
Vice President Kamala Harris pitched her vision for the U.S. economy this afternoon, including tax cuts for the middle class, expanding affordable housing, and relief from rising food prices, during the first policy speech of her nearly four-week old campaign in battleground North Carolina. Harris’ plan calls for expanding the child tax credit up to $3,600, and up to $6,000 for parents with a newborn. She is also is proposing $25,000 in down payment support for first-time homebuyers and new tax incentives for the construction of starter homes. Another proposal would impose a federal ban on grocery price gouging. Her Republican rival, former President Donald Trump, sought to tie Harris to the Biden administration’s record on the economy, during a news conference on Thursday. “For four years, she’s cackled while the economy burned," Trump said. Trump is also facing backlash for his comments at a later campaign event, when he said the Medal of Freedom award for civilians is “better” than the Medal of Honor, the nation’s top military award, because recipients of the latter are often deceased or injured. |
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Hurricane Ernesto strengthens to Category 2 on path to Bermuda |
Hurricane Ernesto continues to gain strength in the Atlantic as it barrels toward Bermuda, and brings dangerous rip currents to the East Coast this weekend. Ernesto is now a large Category 2 hurricane about 180 miles south-southwest of the island as of this afternoon, with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph, and was moving north-northeast at 14 mph. On the current track, Ernesto will bring strong winds, dangerous storm surge, and life-threatening flooding to Bermuda beginning today, before passing near or over the island on Saturday morning. While Ernesto is expected to remain well offshore from the United States, the storm will bring dangerous rip currents and large waves to beaches up and down the East Coast this weekend. |
Missouri woman charged in alleged scheme to steal Graceland |
A Missouri woman is under arrest for allegedly attempting to steal Graceland from Elvis Presley’s family through a fraudulent foreclosure scheme, the Justice Department announced today. Lisa Jeanine Findley, 53, is charged with federal counts of mail fraud and aggravated identity theft, according to the criminal complaint. Findley is accused of falsely claiming that Presley’s late daughter Lisa Marie Presley took out $3.8 million in loans from a fake lender using Graceland as collateral, forged her signature on documents, then filed a false creditor’s claim and a fake deed of trust. In May, a Tennessee judge blocked the foreclosure and sale of the Presley estate, which has long been a popular tourist attraction. In a June interview in front of her home, Findley denied any involvement or knowledge of a scam involving Graceland. She is expected to make her initial appearance today in federal court. |
Matthew Perry had out-of-control ketamine addiction, prosecutors say |
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Matthew Perry was in the grips of an out-of-control ketamine addiction, injecting the drug six to eight times a day before his death, according to prosecutors. Five people have been charged in connection with the accidental overdose death of the “Friends” star, after a sprawling monthslong investigation. Perry, 54, was found unresponsive in the pool at his Los Angeles-area home on Oct. 28. The medical examiner’s office ruled his death was caused by the acute effects of ketamine, an anesthetic with psychedelic properties. Two of the defendants, Jasveen Sangha, an alleged drug dealer known as “The Ketamine Queen,” and Dr. Salvador Plasencia, both entered not guilty pleas during appearances in federal court Thursday. Three other defendants, including Perry’s assistant and another doctor, have already pleaded guilty for their roles in what prosecutors have described as a vast conspiracy to distribute the drugs that led to Perry’s death. |
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What else we're watching: |
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President Joe Biden said “we are closer than we’ve ever been” to a cease-fire in Gaza, during comments today in the Oval Office. |
Romanian gymnast Ana Barbosu received her Olympic bronze medal during a ceremony today, after it was stripped away from Team USA’s Jordan Chiles on a technicality, a decision Chiles said “feels unjust.” |
A convicted murderer in North Carolina who escaped while being transported to a hospital Tuesday was captured overnight after a massive manhunt. |
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy announced he’s appointing his former chief of staff to temporarily replace Sen. Bob Menendez, who is resigning next week after his conviction on corruption charges. |
Some doctors say they’re embracing these cheaper versions of popular weight loss drugs. |
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Watch us this evening at 6:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. CT on NBC, or check your local NBC station listing. After the broadcast, access Nightly News video on NBCNightlyNews.com or the NBC News app. |
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