The Short List

Thu Sep 12 2024

Laura L. Davis | Audience Editor

@lauradavis

The SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission pulled off the first-ever all-civilian spacewalk. Thousands of people are without power after Hurricane Francine pushed ashore in Louisiana. And a wildfire in California exploded in size.

👋Hey, Thursday! It's your old pal Laura Davis here, with a bundle of news to get you caught up on the day.

But first: Friday the 13th is looming. 😬 Why is this day so creepy and unlucky? Take a look at some spooky superstitions.

History made 435 miles above Earth

For the first time, a crew of private spacefarers have pulled off a daring orbital maneuver that – until now – had been left up to only government astronauts.

Walking in space: In the predawn hours Thursday, the Polaris Dawn crew suited up in specially designed SpaceX gear to prepare for the vacuum of space 435 miles above Earth. When billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman and SpaceX employee Sarah Gillis exited their capsule, they became the first commercial astronauts to do so.

What to know: The pioneering private spacewalk came on the third day of the five-day Polaris Dawn mission, which Isaacman is commanding and funding along with SpaceX in a venture intended to test technology that could one day make SpaceX founder Elon Musk's vision of crewed trips to Mars a reality. 🚀 How the mission unfolded.

•	Here's why Starliner spacesuits won't work in SpaceX capsules.

Jared Isaacman emerges Thursday from the SpaceX Dragon during a historic commercial spacewalk 435 miles above Earth.

SpaceX

🎥See the spacewalk: Watch astronauts complete the historic feat.

Francine slams Louisiana

Powerful Hurricane Francine muscled its way inland Thursday; its winds ratcheted down to tropical depression status, but still a dangerous storm pounding heavy rain across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida panhandle.

Landfall in Louisiana: Over 400,000 homes and businesses were without power earlier Thursday, hours after the center of the storm crashed onto shore in Terrebonne Parish, Louisiana, as a Category 2 storm driving 100-mph winds. 👉 Read our coverage of the storm.

A drone view of a flooded trailer park in the aftermath of Hurricane Francine, in Patterson, Louisiana, on Sept. 12, 2024.

Marco Bello, Reuters

📸 See photos: Francine slams into Louisiana.

Real quick

•	Police arrest kids for shooting threats. Are handcuffs the answer?
•	What Don Lemon's life post-CNN says about cancel culture.
•	Immigrants-eat-pets trope is a century-old stereotype and 'very old racism.'
•	Harvey Weinstein indicted on more criminal charges in New York.
•	As the US fetal mortality rate drops, losses for Black moms remain high.
•	How much will holiday shopping cost you this year?

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California wildfire explodes in size

A raging wildfire in Los Angeles and San Bernardino counties has exploded in size, forcing residents to flee in a hurry and destroying dozens of homes.

What's going on: The Bridge Fire grew over 13,000 acres, setting nearly 50,000 acres ablaze, and is 0% contained, officials said Thursday. Its rapid growth made it the largest active fire in the state, surpassing the Line Fire, which is also burning in San Bernardino and has scorched another 37,000 acres with 18% containment. 👉 See the latest updates.

The Bridge Fire burns the mountain communities to the northeast of Los Angeles, in Wrightwood, California, U.S. September 11, 2024.

Ringo Chiu, REUTERS

Aliens, flaming crossbows and pythons?

For the MTV Video Music Awards, this is 40. Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Lenny Kravitz and more stars rocked the UBS Arena on Long Island during Wednesday's 40th VMAs, a lively concert where awards were occasionally handed out. Megan Thee Stallion nailed her double duties as host and performer for the ceremony, which used a sprawling stage and had a 62-foot-tall Moon Person towering over the audience, its helmet doubling as a screen. ✨ The night's biggest moments.

•	Katy Perry's acceptance speech gives cheeky thanks to Orlando Bloom.
•	After making VMAs history, Taylor Swift thanks Travis Kelce for 'fun and magic.'

Taylor Swift received the Video of the Year Award for "Fortnight" at the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards on Wednesday in New York.

Noam Galai, Getty Images for MTV

A break from the news

•	🧦 Lost socks? How you can use the one left around the house.
•	📲 Settings check! This 5-minute privacy audit can keep your phone safe.
•	🧳 Who travels with that? See the weirdest stuff left behind by hotel guests.

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Say hi: laura@usatoday.com. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.