GEOFF BENNETT: In the day's other headlines: Hurricane Rafael has left a trail of destruction in Cuba, where the storm knocked out the country's power grid, leaving millions of residents in the dark.
Rafael slammed into Cuba as a Category 3 storm yesterday, lashing the island with winds and rain.
Today, the damage to Cuba's already vulnerable power grid became clear with downed trees and mangled power lines.
The island had already suffered repeated blackouts in recent weeks, amid an ongoing power crisis.
Officials and residents alike fear Rafael will only set them back further.
MIRIAM, Havana Resident (through translator): It seems like this is going to last for days now, because we are in a difficult situation due to the power plants.
Now it's even worse with the hurricane.
GEOFF BENNETT: Rafael is expected to keep weakening as it works its way West towards Mexico, though forecasters say there is uncertainty over the storm's future direction.
In California, the Mountain Fire northwest of Los Angeles has exploded 15 times in size since yesterday, burning more than 30 square miles and threatening entire communities.
More than 10,000 people are under evacuation orders, and more than 3,500 structures are at risk.
Hundreds of firefighters are battling the fast-moving blaze, but wind gusts above 50 miles an hour have made containment difficult, carrying embers and fanning the flames.
Forecasters say those high winds should die down significantly by tonight.
Climate scientists say this year is virtually certain to be the hottest year on record for the second year in a row.
Europe's Copernicus Climate Change service also said today that this will be the first year the planet is more than 1.5 degrees Celsius hotter than it was before the Industrial Revolution.
That's about 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit.
The head of the agency says climate change is to blame.
And today's report comes ahead of next week's United Nations COP 29 climate summit in Azerbaijan, where countries will work to increase funding to address climate change.
Dozens of European leaders gathered in Hungary today, where they pushed for a regional defense strategy that is less dependent on U.S. support.
Leaders at the European Political Community Summit stressed the need to rethink their transatlantic relationships following Donald Trump's election victory on Wednesday morning.
During the campaign, Trump threatened a withdrawal from NATO commitments, in a shift in support for Ukraine's war against Russia.
Meantime, Russian President Vladimir Putin today addressed Mr. Trump's election victory.
VLADIMIR PUTIN, Russian President (through translator): I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election as president of the United States.
I have already said that we will work with any head of state that the American people have given them the mandate.
This will indeed be the case in practice.
GEOFF BENNETT: For his part, Mr. Trump told NBC News in a phone interview today that he has spoken with a number of world leaders since Wednesday morning, including Israel's prime minister and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and that he expects to speak with Putin.
Separately, Mr. Trump announced today that his campaign manager, Susie Wiles, will be his White House chief of staff once he takes office.
She will be the first woman to ever hold the position.
Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut's southern suburbs overnight, including a site next to the country's only international airport.
Video of the aftermath showed a large crater and entire buildings in ruins.
The Israeli military had ordered residents to evacuate beforehand.
There were no immediate reports of casualties.
Israel also stepped up bombardments in Gaza, including on a school turned shelter in Gaza City.
Rescue workers say at least 14 people were killed.
Meantime, the Israeli military says it's expanded its operation in Northern Gaza to an area where it says Hamas militants have regrouped.
In Australia, the government has proposed legislation that would block anyone under the age of 16 from using social media.
The goal is to protect children from the harms of platforms like X, TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook.
The bill will be introduced in Parliament later this year, and if it passes would hold companies responsible for compliance, not kids or their parents.
Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, says it would respect any such age limitation.
The company has already rolled out new account restrictions for Instagram users under the age of 18.
On Wall Street today, stocks ended mostly higher after that Fed rate cut.
The Dow Jones industrial average was the outlier, ending the day flat, but the Nasdaq jumped more than 280 points to close at a new record high.
The S&P 500 added more than 40 points, notching a new record of its own.
Still to come on the "News Hour": we examine how Donald Trump's reelection will affect the multiple legal cases against him; public health officials express alarm about Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s potentially holding a public health position in the incoming administration; and hope for those living with Parkinson's using art and music.
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