Good morning. It's Wednesday, Sept. 30, and we're covering the first presidential debate, fires in wine country, and a change at the top in Kuwait. Have feedback? Let us know at [email protected].

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NEED TO KNOW

Debate Goes Off the Rails

President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden squared off in the first of three presidential debates last night, a chaotic 90-minute back-and-forth moderated by Fox News' Chris Wallace. Intended to cover six discrete topics, the event quickly descended into interruptions and insults, with the president adopting an aggressive approach toward needling Biden. Absent a live audience—who typically voice displeasure if debates devolve too far into fighting—the hostility began within the first 10 minutes, with little in the way of concrete policy discussion. See some of the more contentious exchanges here.  

Wallace was widely criticized for failing to rein in the candidates, pivoting too quickly, and inconsistent follow up. It remains to be seen whether the performance affects the polls. 

Referred to as a "hot mess," the event appeared to reflect the rancor that has gripped the country for much of the past year. Feel free to rewatch the full debate here, and see a fact check here.

Vice President Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) face off next Wednesday, followed by two final presidential debates Oct. 15 and 22. There are 34 days until the Nov. 3 election—see poll averages from battleground states. 

Wine Country Burns

At least 70,000 people have been evacuated (w/photos) and more than 100 structures destroyed as an explosive wildfire continues its spread through California's Napa and Sonoma counties. The Glass Fire broke out early Sunday morning east of Calistoga, California, tripling in size as three fires merged together to create the blaze. So far at least 46,000 acres have been consumed with the fire at near 0% containment. Burning through the heart of California's wine country, Napa’s famed Castello di Amorosa has suffered significant damage and dozens more wineries are in the evacuation zones.

Farther north, at least three people have died as the Zogg Fire—also at 0% containment as of this morning—has consumed more than 50,000 acres. Cooler, less windy weather conditions aided firefighters yesterday, though the blaze continued to burn through dry vegetation. The wildfire season is already the worst in California history, with almost 4 million acres burned—at least 30 fires across the state are currently active (see map). 

Kuwait Leader Dies

The Emir of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, passed away yesterday at the age of 91. Sheikh Sabah, who suffered a severe stroke last year, had led the country since 2006. His 83-year-old half brother, Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, is expected to take over. 

A key US ally in the Middle East, the oil-rich—but relatively tiny—Kuwait is squeezed between Iraq and Saudi Arabia, and sits directly across the Persian Gulf from Iran (see map). Often referred to as a "giant of diplomacy," the sheikh served as foreign minister during the Gulf War in 1990, sparked when Saddam Hussein invaded and annexed Kuwait, prompting a US-led military intervention.

Sheikh Sabah was born in 1929—before oil had been discovered—and was the latest in a ruling family dynasty stretching back three centuries. See a timeline of the country here.

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IN THE KNOW

Sports, Entertainment, & Culture

> Game 1 of the NBA Finals tips off tonight (9pm ET, ABC) from Disney World; see preview of the Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat matchup (More) | Las Vegas Aces defeat Connecticut Sun to advance and face Seattle Storm in WNBA Finals beginning Friday (7pm ET, ESPN2) (More)

> Disney taps “Moonlight” director Barry Jenkins for sequel of 2019’s “The Lion King” (More) | Disney to lay off 28,000 employees across its theme parks due to extended closures amid the pandemic (More)

> Tennessee Titans and Minnesota Vikings close facilities until Saturday after COVID-19 outbreak affects Titans players and personnel (More) | Titans and Pittsburgh Steelers Week 4 game Sunday to go on as planned (More)

Science & Technology

Brought to you by Onekind

> Monday outage at major US hospital chain caused by cyberattack possibly linked to Russia, officials say; attack forced doctors and nurses to revert to pen and paper (More)

> Archaeologists unravel the step-by-step migration that led to the settlement of the Caribbean Islands (More) | Ancient tools found in a Portuguese cave show modern humans arrived in Western Europe 5,000 years earlier than previously thought (More) 

> Engineered enzyme shown to break down plastics up to six times faster than previous versions, may be ready for use in recycling applications within two years (More)

Ready to get glowing? This dynamic duo of retinol serum and soothing rosehip night moisturizer from Onekind is designed to undo the damage of the day and leave your skin feeling hydrated and glowing come sun-up. It's luxury-level results, minus the price tag. Do your face a favor and take $20 off the set with code 1440. #Ad

Business & Markets

> Two tech unicorns—data analytics firm Palantir and project management software firm Asana—to go public today via direct listing IPO (More) | Direct listing IPO 101 (More)

> US retail sees record high bankruptcies and store closings in first half of 2020 amid pandemic; 18 major retailers filed for Chapter 11 (More)

> JPMorgan to pay $920M fine to the Commodity Futures Trading Commission after being found guilty of manipulative trading practices (More)

Politics & World Affairs

> Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron says he never asked grand jury to consider homicide charges against officers involved in the shooting death of Breonna Taylor; will release tapes of proceedings (More)

> New York City positivity rate for COVID-19 tests rises above 3% for the first time in months; timing comes as schoolchildren in nation's largest school district return to in-person teaching (More) | See rolling average for US cases (More) | ... and deaths (More)

> The 2020 Census count to end Oct. 5, despite court order extending the open tally period through the month (More) | Background on controversies around the count (More)

ETCETERA

Global communities still deeply trust scientists.

Watch a pilot demo a paramedic jet suit. (w/video)

Amazon now lets you pay with your palm.

Coca-Cola gets in the alcohol game.

A 2,400-year-old Dionysus mask unearthed in Turkey. 

Art for when you're stuck inside, but need to mentally escape. (via Instagram)

Texas city purges water system after brain-eating ameoba death.

Therapy golden retriever comforts California firefighters. 

Clickbait: Potty-mouthed parrots teach each other to swear.

Historybook: American novelist and screenwriter Truman Capote born (1924); Babe Ruth is first player to hit 60 home runs in a season (1927);  Actor James Dean dies in a car crash (1955); President Kennedy authorizes federal troops to integrate University of Mississippi (1962); RIP Oscar-winning actress Simone Signoret (1985).

"Failure is the condiment that gives success its flavor."

- Truman Capote

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