Happening Today: Brett Kavanaugh, Hurricane Michael, Tom Cruise, ‘RHOP'

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Brett Kavanaugh to Hear First Arguments as Supreme Court Justice

A Supreme Court with a new conservative majority takes the bench as Brett Kavanaugh, narrowly confirmed after a bitter Senate battle, joins his new colleagues to hear his first arguments as a justice. Kavanaugh will emerge from behind the courtroom's red velvet curtains and take his seat alongside his eight colleagues. It will be a moment that conservatives have dreamed of for decades, with five solidly conservative justices on the bench. Kavanaugh's predecessor, Justice Anthony Kennedy, who retired in June, was a more moderate conservative and sometimes sided with the court's four liberal justices. Kavanaugh, in contrast, is expected to be a more decidedly conservative vote, tilting the court right for decades and leaving Chief Justice John Roberts as the justice closest to the ideological middle. With justices seated by seniority, President Donald Trump's two appointees will flank the Supreme Court bench, Justice Neil Gorsuch at one end and Kavanaugh at the other. Court watchers will be looking to see whether the new justice asks questions at arguments and, if so, what he asks.

Michael Strengthens Over Gulf of Mexico, Pushes Toward Florida

Michael gained new strength over warm tropical waters amid fears it would swiftly intensify into a major hurricane before striking Florida's northeast Gulf Coast, where frantic coastal dwellers are boarding up homes and seeking evacuation routes away from the dangerous storm heading their way. A hurricane hunter plane that bounced into the swirling eye of Michael off the west tip of Cuba found wind speeds were rising even as forecasters warned the storm could reach major hurricane status with winds topping 111 mph. Anticipated landfall is expected Wednesday on the northeast Gulf Coast, where authorities warned of a potentially devastating strike. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 35 miles from the core and tropical-storm-force winds out 175 miles. Hurricane-force winds extended outward up to 40 miles from the core and tropical-storm-force winds out 195 miles.

Seoul Says Kim Jong Un Wants Pope to Visit North Korea

South Korea says North Korean leader Kim Jong Un wants Pope Francis to visit North Korea. South Korea's presidential office said in a statement Kim told President Moon Jae-in during their summit last month that the pope would be "enthusiastically" welcomed in North Korea. Kim has been intensely engaged in diplomacy in recent months in what's seen as an effort to leverage his nuclear weapons program for an easing of economic sanctions and military pressure. North Korea is officially atheist and strictly controls religious activities. A similar invitation for then-Pope John Paul II to visit after a 2000 inter-Korean summit never resulted in a meeting. The Vatican insisted that a papal visit would only be possible if Catholic priests were accepted in the country.

Tom Cruise Spotted in California on Set of 'Top Gun' Sequel

Hollywood brought one of its most iconic characters back home to Coronado as film crews took over the main gate to Naval Air Station North Island. Actor Tom Cruise is revising his role as Navy pilot Pete "Maverick" Mitchell from the mega-hit movie "Top Gun" in a film expected out next year. Security was extremely tight as film crews set up outside the main gate to the naval military installation at 4th and Alameda. After hours on standby, an NBC camera crew caught Cruise, flanked by security and production staff, as he jumped on a motorbike and let open the throttle. Cruise and his signature smile could only be seen for a few seconds before production staff put up a privacy tent that blocked the view of the set. The sequel first began filming in San Diego earlier this summer for just a few days.

‘RHOP' Star's Sexual Assault Charges Dropped

Prosecutors dropped charges that were brought against "Real Housewives of the Potomac" star Michael Darby after the alleged sexual assault of a cameraman, according to court documents. Two counts against Darby, second-degree assault and fourth-degree sexual contact, will not be pursued, prosecutors told Montgomery County courts. The charges carried potential fines of thousands of dollars and 11 years of jail time. Darby's lawyer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Darby, 59, is married to Ashley Darby, a cast member of the show that is filmed throughout the D.C. area. The pair own Oz, an Australian restaurant in Arlington, Virginia's Clarendon neighborhood. The cameraman said in charging documents they were filming for the show at a home on Pleasant Hill Drive in Potomac, Maryland, on Sept. 1. when Darby "grabbed and groped" his butt.