News Wrap: Rapidly intensifying Melissa becomes a hurricane in the Caribbean

Nick Schifrin:

In tonight's other headlines, Melissa is now a hurricane in the northern Caribbean. The storm is rapidly intensifying and the National Hurricane center warns it will become a major hurricane by tomorrow bringing catastrophic and life threatening flash flooding to Jamaica and Haiti.

The storm is already blamed for at least four deaths. Landslides, heavy rain and damaging wind are also likely in the Dominican Republic and eastern Cuba. It is not expected to make landfall in the US.

As the government shutdown stretches into a 25th day, there are new details tonight about the anonymous donor who volunteered to pay U.S. troops. The new York Times reports Timothy Mellon is the person behind the $130 million donation. Mellon is a billionaire banking and railroad heir and major financial backer of President Trump. Despite the large gift, it amounts to about $100 for each of the country's 1.3 million service members.

Early voting is underway in two of this year's highest profile elections that are expected to measure voter sentiment ahead of next year's midterms. In the New York City mayoral race, voters are choosing between Democrat Zorhan Mamdani, Republican Curtis Sliwa and former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, who's running as an independent. The winner will take over from Eric Adams, who dropped out of the race last month and endorsed Cuomo this week.

And in the New Jersey governor's race, the cost of living and President Trump's policies have taken center stage. Polls show Republican state Assemblymen Jack Citarelli slightly trailing Democratic Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill.

And the demolition of the East Wing of the White House wrapped this week, but plans for the new ballroom that will replace it are far from complete. Late Friday, President Trump denied reports that he plans to name the addition after himself.

Donald Trump:

That was fake. You probably going to call it the Presidential Ballroom or something like that. We haven't really thought about a name yet.

Nick Schifrin:

The president also said if there were any funds left over after the more than $300 million ballroom is complete, they could help pay for an arch being built across from the Lincoln Memorial for the nation's 250th anniversary.