Good evening, I'm Omnenevaz.

And I'm Jeff Bennett on the NewsHour tonight.

We need everyone to take this storm seriously.

Floridians brace for Hurricane Idalia, rapidly advancing toward the state's Gulf Coast.

The Biden administration takes aim at drug prices, naming the first 10 prescriptions now

subject to Medicare negotiations.

And Donald Trump's former chief of staff on the stand, how Mark Meadows' testimony

in a Georgia courtroom could shape the case against the former president and his alleged

co-conspirators.

Welcome to the NewsHour.

Hurricane Idalia is gaining strength with winds of 100 miles per hour.

It's now a Category 2 system and is barreling toward Florida, where it's expected to make

landfall as a Category 3 storm tomorrow.

Rain from the hurricane's outer bands is already falling in Florida.

Idalia is expected to punish the western coast of the state, particularly the big bend

region near the Panhandle of the northwest.

Forecasters are warning of a catastrophic storm surge, along with destructive winds, flooding

rain, and possibly even tornadoes.

More than 20 counties were under evacuation orders late today, as the storm takes aim

at Florida.

Along the Gulf Coast to Florida, people in Tampa and elsewhere are focused on sandbags

instead of sandy beaches.

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