Lenny Kravitz, Donna Farizan

Hurricane Francine battered southern Louisiana with powerful winds up to 100 miles per hour, ripping off roofs and knocking out power for tens of thousands. After making landfall, the storm was downgraded to a tropical storm. NBC's Tom Llamas reports and TODAY's Al Roker tracks where the system is headed next. A state of emergency has been declared in Los Angeles County as wildfires have erupted and exploded in size, destroying homes and threatening lives. Officials say the Line Fire appears to be a case of arson and a suspect has been arrested. NBC's Dana Griffin reports for TODAY. After their contentious debate, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump were seen shaking hands at Ground Zero as they honored the lives lost on 9/11. The candidates are now back on the campaign trail traveling around critical battleground states. NBC's Peter Alexander reports for TODAY. House Speaker Mike Johnson pulled a government funding bill off the floor just hours before an expected vote. The move came after a growing number of Republicans vowed to tank the measure. The government is set to partially shut down on Oct. 1 if a funding deal is not passed. The latest numbers show the rate of inflation continues to cool, hitting a three-year low. NBC's Christine Roman joins TODAY to discuss the latest data, the possibility of the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates next week and how summer fast-food deal trends are carrying into the fall.