it's the race to evacuate in florida. hurricane idalia quickly gaining strength, now expected to make landfall as a category 4 in just hours, with winds of up to 130 miles per hour and a potentially historic storm surge we are tracking the timing of the hurricane and the early response from the federal government from blood thinners to diabetes medication. medicare is targeting ten of the most popular medication for

price cuts back to school means back to paying student loans for millions this year what happens if borrowers refuse to pay up again? the best tech for kids heading to the classroom we have jennifer jolly in studio giving us the sneak peek and the cartwheels on the bus go round and round we are rolling into wednesday. "early today" starts right now good morning, it's good to be with you. i'm jessica layton we begin this morning in florida where hurricane idalia is barrelling toward that state's western coast. it is expected to make landfall as an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane south of the mallsmall town of perry. a cat 4 means sustained winds of 130 miles per hour or greater with the potential for catastrophic damage, uprooting trees and yewutility poles.

entire areas could be uninhabitable for weeks or months because of that wind. the entire coastline is under a tornado watch. forecasters are warning of a record-br record-breaking storm surge from 10 to 15 feet high states of emergency are effect for florida, georgia and south carolina michelle grossmann will have the very latest on idalia's track. in the meantime, the biden white house has spent this week preparing for idalia's impact, coordinating with the local governments and getting emergency services ready across the south. for more on this we go to brie jackson in washington. what is the federal government doing for florida at the moment? >> reporter: good morning, jessica, the white house is working closely with florida officials on storm preparations. president biden said on

wednesday that he has spoken with governor ron desantis, who is currently running for the opportunity to replace biden in the 2024 election. the president said he's pledged the federal government's full support to florida, and approved a federal emergency declaration ahead of the storm's arrival meanwhile, there was a press brief briefing elaborating on plans and warning floridians of impending danger >> it's not just the path of the hurricane we have to be concerned about. we have to be communicating what the entire risk is and the significant risk and highest risk for loss of life is storm surge. and that storm surge right now shows impacts all along the western coast. and so i encourage people, and i re really appreciate your help in getting that message out that it's not just the path of the storm, and it will continue to

change >> reporter: and she said that the emergency declaration has allowed fema to preposition resources across florida, georgia, and the carolinas she added that the agency has warehouses of food and other supplies that they'll be able to rapidly move into impacted areas. she also noted the increase in major disasters throughout the summer and stressed the importance of preparing people across the u.s. for more extreme weather events >> all right, brie, thank you. medicare has named the first ten prescription drugs that are aimed for reduction in cost. here's nbc's alice barr. >> reporter: hope for lower prices on ten widely-used prescription drugs, now up for

price negotiations between pharmaceutical companies and medicare for the first time, under the inflation reduction act. it's a center piece of the biden administration's efforts to drive down medication costs for seniors. >> i promise you, i'm going to have your back, and i'll never stop fighting for you on this oish >> re . >> reporter: these prescriptions can cost hundreds of dollars, thousands of dollars over the course of a year tan's and it'so much for so many people. >> at times i've had to ration my drugs because they're too expensive. no american should have to live this way >> reporter: they're used to treat everything from blood clots to blood cancer, diabetes. the prices are set to take effect in 2026 and this is the first round.

>> it will become 20 drug and different drugs year after year. >> reporter: merck and johnson & johnson have sued to derail the effort, calling it unconstitutional many republican lawmakers opposed move arguing that a price control will discourage investment in life-saving cures. >> people who can't afford drugs don't have access to innovation. >> reporter: president biden touting an effort to save seniors money as he eyes a second term in the white house in washington, alice barr, nbc news new video has emerged of paul whelan, showing the detained american inside a russian penal colony he is serving a 16 year sentence for spying, a charge he strongly denies in the video, he tells a russian interviewer he is not allowed to answer questions we should note that the video was released bay russian state-run media outlet

we have not been able to identify the date it was taken or whether he was filmed under duress the clock is ticking on borrowed time as borrowers will soon have to hit play on loan payments as many say they won't be able to repay them as interest starts to accrue on friday >> reporter: josie is a single mom living paycheck to paycheck. it's hard enough dealing with rising prices at the store >> my student payments are sitting right now at about $400 is what they're expecting each month. that's my food budget right there. >> reporter: the freeze on payments allowed her to open up her salon. but $4,000 in outstanding debt she says she won't be able to make the monthly paints once they resume in object. >>october. >> reporter: the biden

administration's plan would have wiped josie's slate clean. instead, a challenge from six republican-led states. >> i was disappointed and confused it's too inconsistent. i don't know what's going to happen in the future and that's kind of scary. >> reporter: if the administration was able to cancel all the debt, what would that have done for you. >> given me financial freedom. >> reporter: for those over 40 million borrowers, they're facing interest accrual beginning in september with the first payments in over three years due in october >> it is officially time for a student loan repayment boycott >> reporter: some taking to social jomedia calling on borrowers not to pay >> it's going to ruin my credit score? >> reporter: it's a risk people shouldn't take >> the loans are still there and the repayment is still needed. >> reporter: failing to pay comes with serious consequences.

those in default face wage garnishing and big credit score hits but for now, the government says borrowers won't face those penalties if they miss payments. >> we know many of our borrowers are going to struggle to make payments we're going to hold them har har harmless for a year. >> reporter: see if there are assistance programs and monthly bills based on borrowers' income josie's weighing her options but says it's going to be tough either way >> at this moment, it's either come up with money to pay for these now student loans that i'm having to pay or make it to where my business doesn't function as it needs to. >> reporter: one of millions bracing for the debt cliff this fall brian chung, nbc news, portland, oregon the department of justice says it dismantled a malware platform called qakbot which

infected hundreds of computers it likely accounted for hundreds of millions of dollars in damages. the fbi and agencies from at least half a dozen european countries launched operation duck hunt. authorities in louisiana are warning of more wildfire flare-ups in the coming days after rain over the weekend did very little to change the dry conditions on the ground there the tiger island fire is now the largest wildfire in that state's history. it's burning through more than 31,000 acreses, an unprecedented combination of heat waves, flash drought and a high-pressure heat dome are blamed for the fires in louisiana, which is usually one. wettest states in the country. all right, we are going to get a check now on the forecast and see what's

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back to school can make us feel more plugged in than ever jennifer jolly is here with a look at so best tools of any tech-obsessed child. but you know what? forget kids, i kind of want this

for myself >> tech-obsessed child, tech-obsessed mom. >> yeah. >> this is an auto tracking smartphone it's trained to my face. it's going to walk with me, talk with me. how far doi, th i, there it goe. i can record all types of content from here. i can use the app on my phone to do things like mini me where it will clone myself. i can broadcast live from this this is for those older high school students, those older college kids who are creating content. >> young moms. >> young influencers outer that. yeah, yeah yeah. 360-degree pairing this comes in at around $110 >> okay. >> and it is fun, fun, fun one of my favorite things. >> next up, the i walk charger which is so tiny

it is the size of a lipstick >> it is the size of a lipstick. it will fit in a purse, backpack or pocket. it doesn't charge your phone a hundred times a day, but adds that little last-minute emergency power. i like that it has this l.e.d. display. these come in, they're all tiny, but it comes in all kinds of different colors >> colors. >> i of course have to get something very colorful. but it comes with a different l.e.d. display it will charge your phone from 20% to 60% in 30 minutes >> enough to get you through your event or the day. and i hof tlove that it's still following us and then the lock box. >> this is the ultimate save you from yourself. let's say you're in college and you have to cram on that paper and you cannot resist the

magnetic pull of your smartphone you can still reach it in case of emergency it has a lirlighter film here. but it's lock in there i call it the iphone jail. it's a great way to say okay, kids, time for dinner. >> mom and dad's dad's influence >> $25 on amazon they come in all shapes and sizes. if you really wanted to break this, you probably could but everyone should have a phone jail including the moms and dads. >> thank you so much for joining us this morning. we appreciate you and all these great ideas for kids and their parents. we'll be right backtracking idalia right after this. ktracki idalia right after this. idalia right after this. tracki idalia right after this. racking idalia right after this.

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a major hurricane. we're looking at winds 125 miles per hour we see that number keep going up we do expect it to make landfall as a category 4 storm. we have already received reports of sea walls being breached. expect landfall around 8:00. the location 90 moiles south-southwest of cedar key, florida. the reds, oranges and yellows is showing us where the heavy rain is falling 18 million people impacted by tropical alerpts where you see the red is the hurricane warning. it's not just florida but jarge a georgia /* georgia and north carolina and south carolina. na . now a major storm with winds at

125 miles per hour ex-p expecting landfall around 8:00 we're looking at catastrophic, life-threateni life-threatening storm surge up to 16 feet in some spots it will quickly decrease in strength but still bringing flooding rains and the chance for storm surge. it's later out of here on thursday we still do have 24 hours to get through here hurricane impacts, we're looking at storm surge, the number one take away when it comes to tropical systems, that's the number one killer. we're looking at historic storm surge along the big bend of florida, accompanied by large and dangerous winds. you don't want to be out and about in this. when you think of storm surge, think of it as a wall of water going over land. six to nine is dangerous, four to six is dangerous as well.

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welcome back all right, so maybe they're not quite ready for the 2024 paris olympics yet, but these young athletes are going for the gold in a whole new way from our kansas city affiliate, we take you inside the gym on wheels >> reporter: it's hard to miss the gym bus when it's driving through kansas city. it's bringing physical exercise to your kids as they're in preschool or day care and coming at a crucial time when most of kansas city's eyes are on

gymnastics >> are you guys ready for the gym bus? >> reporter: these little gymnasts are on the move, and so is their gym >> gymnastics on the renovated gym bus. >> reporter: michelle is the owner and teacher. >> i was a competitive gymnast under my father, jeff connor, and he was a gymnastics coach at map mizzou >> reporter: it was her dad's dream to teach out of a bus. now they're rolling out more than just a fancy bus. >> strong arms, oliver nice >> reporter: they're shaping little futures >> these little tiny gymnasts aspire and look up to those beautiful role models that are standing on the podiums. >> reporter: they're learning from the present >> yes, we are huge fans, and i watched all day yesterday. amazing. >> reporter: and who knows

she could be carrying the next simone biles or leanne wong. >> back flips! >> reporter: but giving them a love of gymnastics >> it gives you the discipline, the responsibility in life, the grit that it takes, you know, that some, some may not have and maybe they can find that in here >> the future of team usa right there. i thanks for that report coming up on the "today" show live team coverage of course on hurricane idalia as it bears down on florida. our crews will be fanned out across the state with al roker tracking the path of the storm and we have a preview of what else to expect >> this morning on the third hour of "today", we are helping you get organized for back to school and the makeup lesson to go from summer to fall and dinner is taken care of with homemade baby back ribs. that's all this morning on the third hour of "today".

once again, keep it here on nbc for the latest on hurricane idalia we are certainly thinking of everybody in the storm's path right now. expected to make landfall around 8:00 a.m. eastern this morning winds moving at 17 miles per hour thanks for watching "early today. i'm jessica layton have a great day and

hurricane idalia barrels toward florida, the powerful storm is expected to make landfall, bringing deadly storm surges and tornado watches to the sunshine state we're on the ground as florida prepares, while our weather team here tracks the path russia reports a massive drone attack but no injuries we break down the key targets hit and what triggered a full stop for flights in moscow tech heads mark your calendars.