5 things to know for Sept. 17: Secret Service, Immigration, North Carolina floods, Titan tragedy, Boeing strike

By Alexandra Banner, CNN

(CNN) — Amazon is demanding that its corporate employees return to the office five days a week, joining several other companies that have changed their pandemic-era hybrid policies. Research has shown that workers’ productivity remains consistent at home but many executives say more onsite face time is needed to maintain culture, spur collaboration and better mentor young employees.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

1. Secret Service

A second apparent assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump is raising new alarms about whether the Secret Service can adequately protect the Republican presidential candidate or if more needs to be done to bolster his security. While Secret Service agents on Sunday prevented the potential shooter from firing at Trump while golfing at his West Palm Beach course — unlike the would-be assassin in Pennsylvania — questions remain about how another gunman was able to get within several hundred yards of the former president. Acting US Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe met with Trump and local law enforcement on Monday and defended his agency’s response to the gunman, emphasizing that the Sunday golf outing was an “off-the-record movement” that was not on Trump’s calendar.

2. Immigration

US officials on Monday touted another month of low border crossings, citing recent executive action curbing asylum access at the US southern border — even as former President Donald Trump levels campaign attacks over the Biden administration’s handling of border security. “July and August saw the lowest encounter levels since September 2020,” a White House spokesperson said. In August, the Border Patrol recorded about 58,000 encounters between ports of entry along the southern border, up slightly from July but far below the record numbers in recent months. Still, Trump and his running mate JD Vance continue to reiterate false claims about immigrants to fire up Trump’s base. Their debunked claims about Haitian immigrants eating the pets of residents in Springfield, Ohio, have forced the closures of schools and hospitals in the city after officials received dozens of bomb threats this week.

3. North Carolina floods

Historic rainfall in North Carolina has flooded homes, stranded vehicles and forced water rescues. “It’s probably the worst flooding that any of us have seen in Carolina Beach,” Town Manager Bruce Oakley told CNN of the tourist town not far from Wilmington. Carolina Beach was placed under a state of emergency Monday after a “historic” 18 inches of rain fell there in 12 hours at one station, a once-in-1,000-year rainfall event, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington. Flood watches remain for over 10 million people across North Carolina and eastern Virginia, which will begin to expire throughout today, including in Charlotte, Raleigh and Richmond.

4. Titan tragedy

The US Coast Guard on Monday began a multi-day hearing to examine the loss of the Titan — the ill-fated submersible authorities said imploded in the North Atlantic Ocean in June 2023, killing all five people aboard during a dive to the wreckage of the Titanic. The first image of the damaged submersible sitting at the bottom of the ocean was shared at the hearing. The presentation also revealed the vessel’s final message — just six seconds before it lost contact with the surface. “Dropped two wts,” the Titan’s text to its mother ship read, referring to weights the submersible could shed in hopes of returning to the surface. Seconds later, the Titan was “pinged” for the last time, and the mother ship lost track of the vessel. More details will likely come from the hearing, which is expected to continue until September 27.

5. Boeing strike

Boeing is making some temporary cutbacks amid a massive strike that virtually halted work on its aircraft. Boeing’s CFO Brian West on Monday announced the company is instituting a freeze on hiring and non-essential travel, and it will consider furloughs for employees, managers and executives. The plane maker is also planning to reduce spending with some of its 10,000 suppliers, West said in his memo. “(We) will stop issuing the majority of supplier purchase orders on the 737, 767 and 777 programs,” he wrote. Boeing is on weak financial footing and has lost $33 billion since 2019. Negotiations between the union and the company are scheduled to resume this week with a federal mediator.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

47-year-old Voyager 1 just fired up thrusters it hasn’t used in decades
A clogged thruster could have ended the spacecraft’s interstellar mission as it floats billions of miles away from Earth. Luckily, NASA engineers just saved it with a series of moon-ouvers.

This airport landing is so challenging only 50 pilots are qualified to do it
Ringed by mountains, this small airport is widely considered one of the most technically difficult plane landings in the world.

Beauty pageant bans on mothers
A New York woman is challenging the longstanding rules of Miss America and Miss World that disqualify mothers from entering their beauty pageants.

Jane’s Addiction cancels all remaining tour dates
Following a recent on-stage altercation, the rock band announced the cancellation of their remaining tour dates and issued an apology to their fans.

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs arrested in New York
Embattled musician and producer Sean “Diddy” Combs, who has faced a parade of sexual assault lawsuits and a federal human trafficking probe in the last year, was arrested Monday. Read the statement from his attorney.

TODAY’S NUMBER

180,000
That’s how many troops Russian President Vladimir Putin recently ordered to join his country’s military. The staffing demand — which goes into effect in December — marks the third time Putin has expanded its ranks since launching his invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“Every part of the Olympics, including the arbitration process, should stand for fair play.”

— Attorneys for Jordan Chiles, announcing Monday that they have filed an appeal of the decision that led to the US gymnast being stripped of an Olympic bronze medal.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY …

Man plays trombone during brain surgery
A musician shares his experience playing the trombone while undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery to treat an intention tremor. See the video here.

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