French fury, Texas GOP soul searching and the 2021 Emmy Awards

To ensure delivery to your inbox add email@mail.nbcnews.com to your contacts Today's Top Stories from NBC News FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2021 Good morning, NBC News readers.     A diplomatic dust-up reflects America's renewed focus on China, Trump ally Gov. Greg Abbott may not be conservative enough for some Texans and inside the 'Latino,' 'Latinx,' or 'Hispanic' debate.    Here's what we're watching this Friday morning.     France calls U.S. nuclear sub pact with Australia a 'stab in the back,' cancels Washington gala  America's new security alliance with Australia and Britain was always likely to be greeted with fury by China, the unspoken target of Washington's latest effort to reinforce its influence in the region.   And it was. China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Thursday that the pact "seriously undermined regional peace and stability, exacerbated the arms race and undermined international nuclear nonproliferation efforts."   But the pact also incensed France, a longtime ally that felt its Indo-Pacific interests had been torpedoed by the submarine-centered agreement.   The French canceled a gala in Washington D.C. that was planned for Friday to mark the 240th anniversary of the Battle of the Capes, a critical French naval victory that helped the colonists win the American Revolution, the French embassy confirmed.   But the diplomatic dust-up with America's longtime European ally reflects a broader shift as the U.S. ramps up its efforts to counter China's rising power, with Australia emerging as a key bulwark for the West. Read more about it here.  Friday's Top Stories Pandemic politics fuel long-shot Republican challenges to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott  Abbott has former President Donald Trump's support, $55 million banked for his re-election campaign and a 73 percent approval rating among Republicans. But that's not stopping GOP critics from jumping in to challenge him in next year's primary.  READ MORE Pro-impeachment GOP congressman from Ohio says he won't run again, cites party's 'toxic dynamics'   Rep. Anthony Gonzalez, a two-term congressman, faced a primary challenge from Trump-endorsed Max Miller. READ MORE Inside the debate over using 'Latino,' 'Latinx' or 'Hispanic' As Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off, Latinos grapple with the decadeslong debate on whether or not the pan-ethnic terms that exist to identify their communities truly represent their lived experiences. READ MORE OPINION Mike Pence is the worst kind of coward. A new book about Trump proves it. A new story being circulated offers a revealing look at Pence's character, advisor to the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Kurt Bardella writes.  READ MORE Also in the News Special counsel named by Trump DOJ charges Democratic lawyer Sussmann with false statement to FBI Black woman sues police union over misleading Facebook photo of toddler son Former Soviet chess master seeks $5 million over 'sexist' line in 'Queen's Gambit' World Bank officials pressured staff to boost China rankings, inquiry finds Police reports, social media provide timeline of Gabby Petito's disappearance after road trip with fiancé What to watch for at Sunday's Emmy Awards ceremony Editor's Pick How televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker became an unlikely ally in the AIDS crisis In the new Jessica Chastain-led film, "The Eyes of Tammy Faye," Bakker's groundbreaking 1985 interview with a gay Christian pastor living with AIDS takes center stage. READ MORE Shopping Here's how to find the right tennis racket for you and your style of play.  One Fun Thing Is space the new safari? Some wealthy travelers are ready to take the next step. Climbing Mount Everest, hanging with guerrillas on an exotic African safari, skiing in Antarctica, rocketing to space?    Is a suborbital jaunt to space really being added to extreme travel bucket lists for wealthy travelers?    Luxury travel agents say, yes.    "For many extreme adventure travelers, we are there now where space is as accessible as Mount Everest and other places," said Joshua Bush, CEO of luxury travel agency Avenue Two Travel and an accredited space agent for Virgin Galactic. "It will take a sizeable budget and a lot of planning — but the successful launches this past summer indicate all systems go."   Read more about the new trend here.  Thanks for reading the Morning Rundown.    If you have any comments — likes, dislikes — send me an email at: petra@nbcuni.com   If you're a fan, please forward it to your family and friends. They can sign-up here.    Thanks, Petra Cahill     FOLLOW US     Want to receive NBC Breaking News and Special Alerts in your inbox? SIGN UP HERE Check out all of NBC Newsletters here.     Get the NBC News Mobile App   30 Rockefeller Plaza New York, NY 10112 View in browser | Unsubscribe | Manage Subscription | Contact | Privacy