good morning You are reading the Up First newsletter. Subscription here to get it sent to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.
top story of the day
Hurricane Milton plowed into Florida today after making landfall overnight near Siesta Key in Sarasota County as a Category 3 storm with winds of 120 mph. Milton, which weakened to still a powerful Category 1 hurricane overnight, is now moving through central Florida with strong winds, heavy rain, flooding and even tornadoes. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis warned residents that the west coast of Florida should be prepared for a historic storm surge.
A vehicle is stranded on a flooded road after Hurricane Milton made landfall in Brandon, Florida on October 9, 2024.
MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images
hide caption
change the caption
MIGUEL J. RODRIGUEZ CARRILLO/AFP via Getty Images
For almost two weeks, residents of Marjayoun, a town on the Lebanese border with Israel, have been facing the sounds of war. Israel says ground attacks on the border are “limited”. Since the war began a year ago, Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 2,100 in Lebanon.
- 🎧 “Every day, all night, all we hear is the sound of explosions,” NPR’s Eyder Peralta said. Older townspeople told me they were afraid if they left, they would never be able to come back. Nabih Lahoud, 71, said he had never had a good day in his life.
- ➡️ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently warned if Lebanese people are not separated from Hezbollah, Lebanon can become like Gaza. These maps and images show what remains of Gaza, one year after the war began.
Crocs – comfortable and water-resistant shoes – are popular among children and teenagers. But some podiatrists are concerned can cause leg problems. Priya Parthasarathy, a podiatrist in Silver Spring, Md., says she sees problems in young people who wear Crocs every day. These include heel pain, arch pain, and sometimes more hammertoes, which is a change in the big toe joint that makes them go up. He has warned that clog-like shoes are not the best for all-day footwear, partly because they are unstable. Here are some tips to know if your child is wearing Crocs or knockoffs.
We, the voters
NPR visited six country swing buttons which will likely decide this year’s historic election. This week, Morning Edition is in Michigan to hear from voters about what’s important to them and how it affects them.
Jerry Montgomery, 65, greets customers while getting a haircut at Dexter Barber Shop on October 5 in Detroit, Mich. Montgomery plans to vote for Kamala Harris in the upcoming election.
Sylvia Jarrus for NPR
hide caption
change the caption
Sylvia Jarrus for NPR
In the US, the majority of black voters consistently vote for Democrats. ButThe Democratic Party is having difficulty retaining Black Voters in Michigan. According to a new NAACP poll, one in four black men under the age of 50 support former President Donald Trump over Vice President Harris. In Detroit, NPR’s Leila Fadel spoke with several black people of various ages who have different perspectives to understand why they lean toward Trump or Harris. Hear what he had to say about his main concerns in this year’s election.
Listen today
Photo by Gwen King on Unsplash
Gwen King / Unsplash
hide caption
change the caption
Gwen King / Unsplash
Photo by Gwen King on Unsplash
Gwen King / Unsplash
The number of young people who like and appreciate musical theater is increasingthanks in part for sharing like that Hamilton and Hadestown. Students interested in performing in the show can seek help from a vocal coach. Amy Menas, voice coach for child stars and children with dreams of stardom, founded her studio in Wichita in 2012 and has worked with hundreds of students since then. They track students by marking their performance locations on a map.
3 things to know before you go
Winner, The Bigger Picture, Wetlands: Swarm of Life by Shane Gross, Canada. Western toads (Anaxyrus boreas) tadpoles among lily pads in a lake on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.
Shane Gross/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
hide caption
change the caption
Shane Gross/Wildlife Photographer of the Year
- Winners of 18 categories in the 2024 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition at London’s Natural History Museum was announced at a ceremony this week. See the winning photos here.
- Brown University rejects pro-Palestinian student demand for divestment companies doing business with Israel, stating that doing so would violate the principles of academic freedom and free inquiry.
- Two breakthrough artists of 2024 have made it to the top Billboard this week’s chart. Shaboozey’s “A Bar Song (Tipsy)” held at No. 1 on the Hot 100 and Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet back to the top Billboard 200 album charts.
This newsletter is edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
