Good morning, and happy Wednesday. Here are some of the stories we’re following today:
1. CDC: First case of Ebola identified in U.S.
A man traveling from Liberia arrived in the United States on Sept. 20 infected with Ebola, officials announced Tuesday. He was admitted into a Dallas hospital over the weekend and is currently being treated. Now, health officials are reviewing whether he may have infected anyone else, although they don’t believe many others could be at risk. In addition, they said, no one who was on the flight with the man would have gotten sick because he wasn’t exhibiting symptoms at the time. Read more in HEALTH.
2. Secret Service under fire for another screw-up
A House committee grilled Secret Service Director Julia Pierson on Tuesday for the latest White House security breach — but a new revelation is creating another scandal. An ex-con carrying a gun was allowed to ride in an elevator with President Obama during a visit this month to the CDC in Atlanta. The man was a “security contractor with a gun and three prior convictions for assault and battery,” The Washington Post and Washington Examiner first reported. Another law enforcement official told NBC News that the armed man’s job was to escort VIPs, but that it is against the protocol of the Secret Service to allow a regular citizen to have a weapon that close to the president. The man was fired. Read more in NEWS.
3. Hong Kong ‘Umbrella Revolution’ ramping up
Protesters heckled Hong Kong’s top leader on Wednesday as he swilled Champagne to mark China’s National Day — a day of pride for the country. These pro-democracy demonstrators who have flooded the street for five days have vowed not to back down until their demands for more government autonomy are heard. Crowds dispersed briefly early Wednesday as protesters went to gather supplies and regroup ahead for what some fear could be a flashpoint later in the day. Read more in NEWS.
4. Price tag to fight ISIS terror nears $1 billion
Fighting ISIS is a costly endeavor, with the U.S. air operation costing an estimated $7.5 million to $10 million per day since surveillance began June 16. The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments, a nonprofit research institute, estimated earlier this week that the cost through Sept. 24, almost a week ago, was $780 million to $930 million. The cost, however, is being shared by other countries, including Britain, which launched its first airstrikes against ISIS in Iraq on Tuesday. Read more in NEWS.
5. Will DUI arrest tarnish Michael Phelps’ image?
Olympic golden boy Michael Phelps was arrested for a DUI offense early Tuesday — another hit to his image following the release of pictures of him smoking pot. But how much will the indiscretion affect his relationship with sponsors? “As J. Edgar Hoover once said: ‘Sex and drugs bring down famous people.’ I hope Michael has saved a lot of money because ... (he’s) about to have his income curtailed and future sponsorships blocked,” one brand consultant told NBC News. Read more in BUSINESS.
6. No second suspect in real estate agent slaying
The death of Arkansas real estate agent Beverly Carter took a bizarre turn Tuesday after suspect Arron Lewis claimed he had an accomplice in her disappearance: a man named Trevor. But Pulaski County authorities confirmed that Lewis is the only suspect in her murder. Lewis also said publicly that he was sorry for what happened to her and even tried to plead guilty in court before his defense team made him change his mind. Carter disappeared last Thursday after showing a home, and Lewis said she was targeted because she was a woman and a “rich broker.” Read more in NEWS.
… What’s trending today?
The Ken-Ducky Derby Race was held over the weekend to raise money for the Harbor House of Louisville adult care center in Kentucky. Some 23,000 rubber duckies were dumped in the Ohio River for the fundraising event.