10 things you need to know today: October 1, 2022

Hurricane Ian made landfall in South Carolina on Friday afternoon, carving a path of mayhem across the state just days after the storm devastated Florida and left at least 45 people dead. Although the storm had diminished to a Category 1 hurricane by the time it reached South Carolina, Ian still battered the state with heavy rains across the eastern seaboard, making landfall near the city of Georgetown. Following its path across South Carolina, the hurricane was downgraded to what is called an extratropical low-pressure system, meaning that it is no longer being affected by warm ocean waters. However, meteorologists said that the remnants of the storm will bring continuing rain, and more than 60,000 South Carolinians are reportedly without power. 

Russian soldiers on Saturday reportedly shelled a civilian convoy in northeast Ukraine, leaving at least 20 people dead. Gov. Oleh Syniehubov, a senior official in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, said that the Russians struck the convoy without warning, calling the attack "сruelty that can't be justified." The Russian government has not commented on the attack, or even confirmed that it happened. However, the shelling comes at a watershed moment for the Russian army as Ukrainian soldiers continue to push back against the invading forces. This counteroffensive has caused a large number of Russian forces around Kharkiv to retreat, though the area continues to face heavy shelling. 

Ukrainian forces continued to push back against the Russian offensive, and the country's officials said Saturday that its forces had surrounded the eastern city of Lyman, leaving the Russian soldiers within completely encircled. It is unclear exactly how many Russian troops remained within the city, but Ukraine estimated that it had trapped anywhere from 5,000 to 5,500 soldiers. The announcement from Ukraine comes just one day after Russian President Vladimir Putin ramped up his anti-Western rhetoric and proclaimed that his nation had begun illegally annexing Ukrainian territory. Ukrainian officials, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, decried Putin's statement, a sentiment that was backed up by numerous Western allies. The additional loss of Lyman represents a further blow to Russia's war efforts in the country. 

Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott and his Democratic opponent Beto O'Rourke went toe-to-toe Friday in their only scheduled gubernatorial debate ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. O'Rourke challenged Abbott on his policy regarding gun control, as the governor has been heavily criticized for inaction following the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, in May that left 19 children dead. Abbott, though, who still maintains a lead in the polls, denied any wrongdoing in the aftermath of the shooting. Additional topics discussed included immigration reform, which has been in the news following Abbott's sending of migrants to New York City, as well as Texas' controversial attempts to limit abortion. The debate was held without an audience, reportedly at the request of Abbott. 

The stock market plunged on Friday as the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 500 points. The drop-off meant that the stock index closed below 29,000 for the first time since 2020, falling 1.71 percent. The Dow was not the only index that had a bad day, as the S&P 500 was down 1.51 percent, falling to 3,585 and closing at its worst since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. As a whole, Friday — which marked the end of the financial quarter — brought to an end a September in which both indexes fell nearly 10 percent for the month. The S&P, in particular, had its first three-quarter losing streak since 2009. 

The Department of Justice on Friday evening filed a motion to try and expedite its appeal of a ruling that halted the federal investigation into documents seized from former President Donald Trump's home at Mar-a-Lago. The motion, filed in the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, sought to fast-track an appeal into the ruling from Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee. Cannon's controversial ruling said that the DOJ had to wait until November to comb through the documents, a decision that most in the legal community said went against precedent. Just one day ago, Cannon also ruled with Trump once again regarding the special master appointed by the former president's legal team. 

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson officially took her seat on the U.S. Supreme Court during an investiture ceremony on Friday. The historic moment marked the first time that an African-American woman will sit on the nation's highest court. The 52-year-old Jackson was confirmed to the court by the Senate in June after being nominated by President Joe Biden to replace retiring Justice Stephen Breyer. Biden, along with Vice President Kamala Harris — a similarly trailblazing woman — were both on hand for the ceremony, which was presided over by Chief Justice John Roberts. The court's new term begins on Monday, when Jackson will hear her first case as a Supreme Court justice.

Saturday marks five years since the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history took place in Las Vegas. The shooting, which occurred during a country music concert on the Las Vegas Strip, killed 60 people and left nearly 900 injured. The perpetrator reportedly fired over 1,000 bullets into the crowded concert from a hotel room window before taking his own life. As the fifth anniversary of the shooting approached, victims, survivors, and first responders reminisced about the traumatic experience, with many of them telling the Las Vegas Review-Journal that they were just happy to be alive. 

Former President Jimmy Carter turned 98 on Saturday. The former president, who served from 1977 to 1981, was planning to celebrate his birthday at his home in Plains, Georgia, alongside his wife Rosalynn Carter, a spokesperson from The Carter Center said. The day will likely also involve Carter watching his favorite baseball team, the Atlanta Braves. Upon the death of former president George H.W. Bush in 2018, Carter, then 94, became the oldest living former chief executive. Beyond being the oldest alive, he is also the longest-lived president in U.S. history. As the 39th president, Carter oversaw a number of issues relating to foreign policy, including the Camp David Accords and Panama Canal Treaties, and is also known for his humanitarian work after his presidency. 

Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa issued a statement on Friday thanking fans for their support after the 24-year-old suffered a pair of head injuries in less than one week. During a game against the Cincinnati Bengals on Thursday night, Tagovailoa was tackled to the ground and hit his head. The quarterback raised his arms in a "fencing reflex" — often a sign of brain trauma — and had to be stretchered off the field, though he was discharged from the hospital later that evening. The injury came just four days after Tagovaiola suffered a head injury in a game against the Buffalo Bills that many medical experts said may have been a concussion.