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Kenya relocates 50 elephants to a larger park as officials say it’s a sign poaching is under control MWEA, Kenya (AP) — As a helicopter hovers close to an elephant, trying to be as steady as possible, an experienced veterinarian cautiously takes aim. https://apnews.com/article/kenya-elephants-relocation-poaching-aa075113c279bb215ac4f67b68e80117?

Lilly Ledbetter, an icon of the fight for equal pay, has died at 86 https://apnews.com/article/lilly-ledbetter-equal-pay-women-rights-6044c3fa0c843ad1e294fbf49725da99?

Vial that contained nerve agent that killed UK woman contained enough poison to kill thousands LONDON (AP) — The lead counsel for a public inquiry into the 2018 death of a British woman poisoned by a Soviet-developed nerve agent said Monday that there was enough poison in the vial she unwittingly opened to kill thousands of people. https://apnews.com/article/britain-russia-poisoned-spy-nerve-agent-d7ae02a79d6be8ed3a1989cbfbf06a86?

HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas man this week could become the first person executed in the U.S. for a murder conviction tied to the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome. https://apnews.com/article/shaken-baby-syndrome-texas-execution-548ce35645c215c22261a3974f6e1c37?

FEMA workers change some hurricane-recovery efforts in North Carolina after receiving threats RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — Federal disaster workers paused and then changed some of their hurricane-recovery efforts in North Carolina, including abandoning door-to-door visits, after receiving threats that they could be targeted by a militia, officials said, as the government response to Helene is targeted by runaway disinformation. https://apnews.com/article/fema-threats-disaster-workers-rutherford-county-armed-militia-dbb6b5727eaa12e79f307bf38a4b6256? ps:And all because someone can't be bothered with the truth!!

6 people accuse Diddy of sexual assault in new lawsuits, including man who was 16 at the time NEW YORK (AP) — Sean “Diddy” Combs was hit Monday with a new wave of lawsuits accusing him of raping women, sexually assaulting men and molesting a 16-year-old boy. It is the first time he’s been sued by a person alleging they were abused as a minor. https://apnews.com/article/sean-combs-diddy-sexual-assault-lawsuits-sex-trafficking-6349f77fa3a5fb1cc4030d7abd65ccba?

Most AAPI adults think legal immigrants give the US a major economic boost: AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll WASHINGTON (AP) — Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adults are more likely than the overall U.S. population to view legal immigration as an asset to the country’s economy and workforce, according to a new poll. https://apnews.com/article/poll-aapi-kamala-harris-donald-trump-election-immigration-3ea9472f4742e15e3979c38c68c1e59c?

Canada expels India’s top diplomat and alleges wider diplomatic involvement in crimes TORONTO (AP) — Canada said it has identified India’s top diplomat in the country as a person of interest in the assassination of a Sikh activist there and expelled him and five other diplomats Monday, in an escalating dispute over the June 2023 killing and allegations of other crimes. https://apnews.com/article/india-canada-ambassador-recalled-sikh-assassination-f099e210d2f9df93fea18a9de04e06f8?

Trump’s protests aside, his agenda has plenty of overlap with Project 2025 ATLANTA (AP) — Donald Trump insists that Project 2025, a nearly 1,000-page blueprint for a hard-right turn in American government and society, does not reflect his priorities for a White House encore. https://apnews.com/article/trump-project-2025-heritage-foundation-e2b1be71422f4afcfd4a397828f7cab6?

VP Kamala Harris to sit down with chief political anchor Bret Baier for first formal Fox News interview Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris will sit down with Fox News Channel’s chief political anchor Bret Baier for an interview on Wednesday in Pennsylvania. https://www.foxnews.com/media/vp-kamala-harris-sit-down-chief-political-anchor-bret-baier-first-formal-fox-news-interview?

Hurricane center ups odds for Atlantic system to develop, tracks 2nd in Caribbean The National Hurricane Center is keeping track of a system in the Atlantic forecast to approach the Caribbean this week, and a second already in the Caribbean that could form into the season’s next tropical depression or storm. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/14/hurricane-center-ups-odds-for-atlantic-system-to-develop/?

War-gaming a Trump sweep Photo illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Photo: Chandan Khanna and Christian Monterrosa/AFP via Getty Images First in a series If former President Trump wins the election, and Republicans keep the House and flip the Senate, the U.S. would witness a dramatic consolidation of new right-wing populist power at scale, Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen write in a "Behind the Curtain" column. Why it matters: A Washington fully controlled by Trump and his allies would institutionalize the MAGA movement, with massive consequences for governance, civil rights and international relations. This period, lasting at least two years, until the next congressional races, would allow Republicans to move ambitiously — with few brakes beyond the Senate filibuster. The vast majority of congressional leaders are now Trump loyalists. The days of empowered never-Trumpers are basically over, at least in Congress. Trump would pursue a dramatic expansion of presidential power — gutting the federal bureaucracy and installing thousands of executive branch loyalists to rip off the guardrails that restrained his first term. 🖼️ The big picture: We got our hands on a fascinating private presentation by FGS Global, a worldwide communications and public affairs consultancy advising huge clients on how to prep for various election outcomes. The presentation is based on a CIA method of anticipating, understanding and navigating geopolitical outcomes. FGS uses it to help corporations brace for big, potentially sweeping, changes to policies or regulations in the new government. We realized it would also help Axios readers brace for what's next. This is the first of four columns exploring the most likely outcomes — and consequences — of the election. It combines our reporting with the FGS "Alternative Futures" analysis. 👀 What to watch in FGS' "MAGA momentum" scenario, with Republicans controlling both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue: 1. Immigration, border control Trump's immigration policies would echo nationally — and quickly. The wall along the Southwest border would likely be expanded. Efforts to curb both legal and illegal immigration would accelerate. New barriers would be placed on asylum-seekers. Deportation would intensify. And there could be pushes to cut refugee admissions significantly. Trump has promised to round up and expel millions of people here illegally, possibly using the U.S. military. His advisers privately predict a more tempered version of this draconian threat. Running mate JD Vance said in a New York Times interview: "I think it's certainly reasonable to deport around a million people per year." Expect legislation that codifies restrictive immigration measures, possibly including mandatory E-Verify for businesses and stronger penalties for sanctuary cities. This aggressive approach could drastically reduce the flow of immigrants into the U.S. — altering labor markets, especially in industries reliant on immigrant workers. It could also exacerbate tensions with Mexico and Central American countries. 2. Health care, social spending The Affordable Care Act (ACA) would likely be weakened through legislative and administrative actions. Republicans might focus on restructuring key elements of the ACA: Medicaid could see new work requirements and eligibility restrictions, particularly in GOP-controlled states. Reproductive rights would come under further attack at the state level, though Trump says he'd veto a national ban. Vulnerable populations — low-income families, women, the elderly and LGBTQ+ people — would face increasing barriers to access. 3. Trade, economic policy Trump's return would likely see the resurrection of his combative trade policies, with an even more aggressive approach to tariffs as a blunt instrument to reshape the global economy. Publicly, he's calling for 10% to 20% blanket tariffs on all U.S. imports and 60% tariffs on China — a historic pivot toward protectionism that would test free-market Republicans in Congress and on Wall Street. Imposing new tariffs would rattle global supply chains and could lead to trade wars with allies like the EU, disrupting everything from consumer prices to international relations. Trump's administration would roll back free trade agreements, and instead negotiate bilateral deals focused on U.S. agricultural and manufacturing interests. Deregulation across sectors would allow industries — especially fossil fuels — to operate with fewer environmental or safety restrictions. Trump could repeal President Biden's signature Inflation Reduction Act, clawing back massive investments in green technologies. Domestic manufacturing may see a temporary boost. But long-term effects on global markets could strain, or change, relationships with key allies. Column continues below. 💡 Part 2: What happens under "MAGA momentum" 4. Culture wars intensify Social and cultural issues would become legislative priorities, as Trump and the GOP lean heavily into the culture wars. Expect significant legislative attention on what the GOP calls "woke" policies in education and corporations. Efforts to defund diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives would gain traction. New restrictions on gender-affirming care, particularly for minors, would become central to the agenda. Republican lawmakers would push anti-LGBTQ+ policies, and may seek to impose restrictions on teaching race and gender in schools. A Justice Department stacked with Trump loyalists could prosecute political enemies, including in the corporate world. Republican-led investigations into tech companies, accusing them of anti-conservative bias, would likely intensify. Schools, workplaces and local governments would become battlegrounds on issues of race, gender and free speech. Washington Republicans would side with local Republicans. Corporate America, under pressure from both sides, would struggle to balance these demands, with risk to consumer relations. 5. Judicial appointments, courts With control over both chambers of Congress, Trump would have a clear path to nominate a new wave of conservative judges at every level of the federal judiciary. Expect multiple appointments to appellate courts and, potentially, another Supreme Court nomination. The federal bench would shift further right — making conservative rulings on abortion, voting rights and executive power more likely for decades to come. These judicial appointments would solidify conservative dominance in the courts, ensuring that many Republican-backed laws withstood legal challenges. Federal courts could reshape the landscape of civil rights, environmental regulation and immigration law for a generation. 6. Foreign policy, global relations An unrestrained Trump surrounded by "America First" loyalists — rather than the generals and establishment hawks who held key posts in the first term — would take U.S. foreign policy in unpredictable directions. He'd likely withdraw further from international institutions, opting for bilateral deals focused on U.S. advantage. U.S. relations with some key allies would become strained as Trump focused on a more transactional, quid pro quo foreign policy. A strong anti-China stance would dominate, with tariffs and sanctions becoming central. Tensions with Beijing could escalate as GOP hawks push a "decoupling" agenda, roiling global markets and trade. Trump would likely move to cut off U.S. funding for Ukraine, forcing Kyiv into a peace settlement that favors Russia. He'd pressure NATO countries to ramp up their military spending, while broadly disengaging from the alliance's strategic priorities. Trump would seek to reinstate his "maximum pressure" sanctions campaign against Iran and empower Israel to "finish the job" of eliminating Hamas in Gaza and crippling Hezbollah in Lebanon. An emerging axis of right-wing populists would give Trump new friends on the world stage, empowered to reshape the liberal international order, strengthen borders and challenge "globalist" priorities like fighting climate change. Post-election risks: This path could lead to significant instability. A close or contested election could mean protests or violence. Claims of voter fraud, particularly in key battleground states, could undermine confidence in the electoral system and inflame tensions. Protests — think the 2017 Women's March — are likely. Share this column ... Axios' Zachary Basu contributed reporting. Go deeper: Trump's "20 Core Promises" ...

As Wall Street fights legislative crackdowns, J.D. Vance and other top lawmakers have tens of millions invested in private equity — and most don’t have to disclose the details. https://www.levernews.com/lawmakers-are-hiding-their-private-equity-millions/?

Lilly Leadbetter may not be a familiar name to you. Yet, when society did her an injustice, she simply worked to effect a change that exists today. https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/lilly-leadbetter-was-denied-justice-by-the-supreme-court-but-found-it-on-her-own/ar-AA1sg9KB?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=DCTS&cvid=e824a9baf11d4b71ba1c5b4562a08805&ei=11

Sennacherib’s Administration in Jerusalem Excavators with the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) have uncovered two large administrative buildings in the Mordot Arnona neighborhood of Jerusalem. Constructed one on top of the other, the two buildings date to immediately before and after the conquest of Judah by Sennacherib in 701 BCE. According to the directors of the excavation, the buildings and the finds inside of them may shed important new light on the administrative impact of Sennacherib’s campaign in the area immediately surrounding Jerusalem. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/ancient-cultures/ancient-israel/sennacheribs-administration-in-jerusalem/? The Creation of Woman in the Bible The creation of woman in the Bible has been the topic of much debate in Biblical Archaeology Review. In “Was Eve Made from Adam’s Rib—or His Baculum?” from the September/October 2015 issue, Ziony Zevit makes a shocking claim about the Adam and Eve story in the Bible. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/bible-interpretation/the-creation-of-woman-in-the-bible/? Jonah and the Whale The Book of Jonah is read in the synagogue on the afternoon of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, the sacred Day of Atonement. Why, of all books in the Bible, this book this most holy day? The answer is clear. The major themes of the book are singularly appropriate to the occasion—sin and divine judgment, repentance and divine forgiveness. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/hebrew-bible/jonah-and-the-whale/?

October 14, 2024 By David Leonhardt Good morning. We’re covering a Times poll of Black and Hispanic Americans — as well as the Middle East, Russian disinformation in Africa and millennial spending habits. Donald Trump supporters in the South Bronx, New York. Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times A political misdiagnosis The Democratic Party has spent years hoping that demography would equal destiny. As the country became more racially diverse, Democrats imagined that they would become the majority party thanks to support from Asian, Black and Hispanic voters. The politics of America, according to this vision, would start to resemble the liberal politics of California. It’s not working out that way. Instead, Americans of color have moved to the right over the past decade. The latest New York Times/Siena College poll offers detailed evidence. The poll reached almost 1,500 Black and Hispanic Americans, far more than most surveys do. (Our poll didn’t focus on Asian voters, but they have shifted, too.) A key fact is that the rightward drift is concentrated among working-class voters, defined as those without a four-year college degree: By The New York Times | Sources: Catalist (2016 election) and New York Times/Siena College poll (Oct. 2024) I know that many Democrats find this pattern to be maddening. They wonder how voters of color could have moved right during the era of Donald Trump, a man with a long history of racism. But the chart above points to a partial explanation: For most Americans, race is a less significant political force than many progressives believe it is — and economic class is more significant. Most isn’t enough The past four years have highlighted the ways that Democrats exaggerate the political importance of racial identity. Joe Biden, after all, promised to nominate the first Black female Supreme Court justice (which he did) and chose Kamala Harris as the first Black vice president — who has now succeeded him as the Democratic nominee. Yet Harris has less support from Black voters than Hillary Clinton did in 2016. Biden also adopted the sort of welcoming immigration policies that Democrats have long believed Hispanic voters support. He loosened border rules early in his term, which helped millions of people enter the country. In spite of that change — or maybe partly because of it — Democrats have also lost Hispanic support. Harris is still winning most voters of color. But the Democratic Party typically needs landslide margins among these groups to win elections. Today, a significant share of them view the Democratic Party with deep skepticism — roughly one in five Black voters, two in five Hispanic voters and one in three Asian voters, polls suggest. Elite vibes Their skepticism is linked to class in two main ways. First, most working-class voters are frustrated with the economy, having experienced sluggish income growth for decades. (Black men have especially struggled, Charles Coleman Jr. wrote in a Times Opinion essay, and Black men have shifted right more than Black women.) The years just before the Covid pandemic — the end of Barack Obama’s presidency and the first three years of Trump’s — were a happy exception, when wages rose broadly. But the inflation during Biden’s presidency further angered many people. In our poll, only 21 percent of Hispanic working-class voters said that Biden’s policies helped them personally, compared with 38 percent who said Trump’s policies did. More generally, many voters have come to see the Democratic Party as the party of the establishment. That may sound vague and vibesy, but it’s real. Trump’s disdain for the establishment appeals to dissatisfied voters of all races. As my colleague Nate Cohn points out, a sizable minority of Black and Hispanic voters think “people who are offended by Donald Trump take his words too seriously.” In Washington, D.C. Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times The Democrats’ second big problem is that they have wrongly imagined voters of colors to be classic progressives. In reality, the most left-wing segment of the population is heavily white, the Pew Research Center has found. While white Democrats have become even more liberal in recent decades, many working-class voters of color remain moderate to conservative. These voters say crime is a major problem, for instance. They are uncomfortable with the speed of change on gender issues (which helps explain why Trump is running so many ads that mention high school trans athletes). On foreign policy, Black and Hispanic voters have isolationist instincts, with the Times poll showing that most believe the U.S. “should pay less attention to problems overseas and concentrate on problems here at home.” Immigration may be the clearest example. Many voters of color are unhappy about the high immigration of the last few years. They worry about the impact on their communities and worry that new arrivals are unfairly skipping the line. In our poll, more than 40 percent of Black and Hispanic voters support “deporting immigrants living in the United States illegally back to their home countries.” Support for a border wall was similar: By The New York Times | Source: New York Times/Siena College poll (Oct. 2024) Multiracial similarities The bad news for Democrats is that they adopted the wrong diagnosis of the American electorate. It is not divided neatly by race, in which people of color are overwhelmingly similar to one another and liberal. That misdiagnosis has been a gift to Republicans. The good news for Democrats is that some of their weaknesses — with white, Hispanic, Black and Asian voters alike — overlap. If the party can find a way to stem its losses with voters of color, it may also win back a slice of white working-class voters. Remember: Americans without a bachelor’s degree still make up about 65 percent of U.S. adults. The share is even higher in swing states like Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. Related: Democrats’ challenges with Black and Hispanic voters have left the party more reliant on college-educated white voters and suburbanites, write my colleagues Jennifer Medina, Katie Glueck and Ruth Igielnik. More on the campaign The main union for Border Patrol agents endorsed Trump during a rally in Arizona. At the event, Trump pledged to hire 10,000 new agents and to ask Congress to give them all a 10 percent raise. Trump has endorsed violence and proposed using the government to attack his enemies. Many of his supporters assume it’s an act, Shawn McCreesh writes. Abortion bans have led some longtime Republican women in Arizona to support Harris. See a video. The Harris campaign, in an attempt to cut into Trump’s polling lead on the economy, has courted business leaders. Their feedback has subtly shaped her economic agenda. Over the weekend, Tim Walz returned to Minnesota to hunt pheasants and watch a high-school football game. His recent appearances are aimed at men, The Washington Post reports. THE LATEST NEWS Middle East In Deir al-Balah, central Gaza. Ramadan Abed/Reuters Fire engulfed a tent encampment at a hospital compound in central Gaza after an Israeli airstrike there. At least four people were killed, according to a Palestinian news agency. Israel said it was targeting Hamas militants at the hospital. A Hezbollah drone attack hit a military base in northern Israel, killing four soldiers. The Israeli military is investigating how the drone reached the base without warning. The U.S. is sending an advanced missile defense system to Israel, along with around 100 troops to operate it. Israel’s army has regularly forced captured Palestinians to undertake life-threatening missions, including scouting Hamas tunnels, a Times investigation found. War in Ukraine Russia is counterattacking in its Kursk region, where Ukraine seized territory months ago, but soldiers and analysts say the Ukrainians are largely holding their ground. Most of Russia’s seaborne oil exports are evading Western restrictions, a report found. In Ukraine, a new generation of comedians are trying to make people laugh — and raise money for the war effort. More International News In Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso. Guerchom Ndebo for The New York Times A pro-Russian disinformation operation is targeting U.S.-funded anti-malaria programs in Africa, part of an effort to spread mistrust of the West. China began military drills around Taiwan after accusing the island’s president of promoting independence. Weather A mobile home park in Damascus, Va. Caitlin Ochs for The New York Times Hurricanes Helene and Milton have exposed the risks climate change poses to the millions of Americans who live in mobile homes. Meteorologists have reported facing increased harassment as disinformation spread about the hurricanes. During a visit to Florida, President Biden announced $612 million to improve the electric grid in areas affected by Helene and Milton. Other Big Stories The Nobel Memorial Prize in Economics was awarded to Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James Robinson for their research on global inequality. NASA’s first mission to Jupiter in over a decade is scheduled to launch today. It will study whether Europa, one of the planet’s moons, is habitable. Fisher-Price has recalled more than two million “Snuga Swings” after five babies died while sleeping in them. Opinions The U.S. needs a national shield law to protect journalists from having to expose their sources to the government, The Times Editorial Board writes. Jean Guerrero froze her eggs so that she could enjoy her youth before meeting a partner. The expensive procedure should be available to all, she writes. Gail Collins and Bret Stephens discuss Harris and the Senate. Here’s a column by David French on abortion in Florida. A subscription to match the variety of your interests. News. Games. Recipes. Product reviews. Sports reporting. A New York Times All Access subscription covers all of it and more. Subscribe today. MORNING READS An incarcerated filmmaker. Jim Wilson/The New York Times San Quentin: The California prison once housed violent criminals. It’s now known for creative pursuits, including a film festival. Long Island: Billy Joel will sell the house he first saw while dredging oysters as a teenager. Dining: See a list of the 25 best restaurants in Portland, Ore. Health: How do food, sleep and exercise affect blood sugar? Read what to know. Metropolitan Diary: Next time, piña coladas. Lives Lived: Abdul Salaam was an unassuming but important member of the Jets’ ferocious 1980s defensive line, known as the New York Sack Exchange. He died at 71. SPORTS M.L.B.: During their 9-0 blowout win against the Mets in Game 1 of the N.L.C.S., the Los Angeles Dodgers tied a major-league record: 33 consecutive innings without allowing a run. N.F.L.: The Cincinnati Bengals outlasted the New York Giants in a 17-7 win. The Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow called the game ugly. W.N.B.A.: Breanna Stewart’s 21 points led the Liberty to a 80-66 win in Game 2 of the finals, tying the series at 1-1. It was her defense, our columnist writes, that drove the win. ARTS AND IDEAS Goober, the hedgehog. Chloe Ellingson for The New York Times Millennials and Gen Z place a high value on happiness, which helps explain why they spend more money than older generations on hobbies and quirky purchases. Examples include paragliding lessons and a palm-sized hedgehog called Goober. More on culture Elizabeth Taylor in 1962. Keystone/Hulton Archive, via Getty Images Leopard print has an enduring popularity in women’s fashion. A reader asks The Times’s fashion critic: Will it ever go out of style? New York State is enticing Californian movie and TV productions with tax incentives. It saves money, but adds creative challenges. “Suffs,” a Hillary Clinton-backed musical about women’s suffrage, will close in January. It won two Tony Awards, but struggled to sell tickets. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS … Rachel Vanni for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Samantha Seneviratne. Bake tender and addictive sugar cookies. Go behind the scenes at “S.N.L.” with these memoirs. Stay dry and stylish with these rain boots. Drink from a good mug. Take our news quiz. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was folktale. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Sudoku, Connections and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times. See you tomorrow. —David P.S. Ian Prasad Philbrick, a writer for this newsletter, cataloged thousands of books for a story about Jimmy Carter, the president who has written the most Times best sellers and had the fewest written about him. Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Editor: David Leonhardt Deputy Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti Associate Editor: Lauren Jackson News Staff: Desiree Ibekwe, Sean Kawasaki-Culligan, Brent Lewis, German Lopez, Ian Prasad Philbrick, Ashley Wu News Assistant: Lyna Bentahar Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch

Boeing strike A month-long strike at Boeing has cost the company and its workers nearly $5 billion, a new analysis shows. That massive tab highlights the difficulties facing the aircraft maker, once synonymous with American quality. Instead, it has faced a string of bad news in recent years, from fatal crashes to increased regulatory scrutiny to the strike by 33,000 workers that started on September 13 that ground operations to a near halt. Not a single plane has been worked on at the company's production facility in Everett, Washington, since the union members walked off the job, triggering the first strike at the company in 16 years. Boeing also announced last week it will be laying off 10% of its workforce — about 17,000 employees — over the next several months.

Space missions A NASA mission aiming to investigate a potentially habitable ocean world is scheduled to launch today. The Europa Clipper spacecraft — designed to explore Jupiter's moon Europa — aims to determine whether the planet's moon could be suitable for life as we know it. Barring unforeseen delays, the Europa Clipper is expected to lift off aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket at 12:06 p.m. ET from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The event will stream live on NASA's website. Separately, SpaceX on Sunday successfully launched the latest test flight of Starship. It is the most powerful rocket system ever constructed, which could be used to carry humans to the moon as soon as 2026 as part of NASA's Artemis III mission. Eventually, SpaceX also hopes that Starship will put the first humans on Mars. 🚀 "Chopsticks" landing Photo: Kaylee Greenlee Beal/Reuters A SpaceX Starship rocket booster yesterday flew back to the launch pad where it had blasted off seven minutes earlier near Boca Chica, Texas. The launch tower's monstrous metal arms, dubbed chopsticks, caught the descending 232-foot stainless steel booster and gripped it tightly (photo above). "The tower has caught the rocket!!" Musk announced on X. "Science fiction without the fiction part," he added. "Big step towards making life multiplanetary was made today." SpaceX's booster returning to the launch pad. Photo: SpaceX via AP Why it matters: The audacious landing wasn't just for show. SpaceX is trying to master the capture and reuse of rocket parts to dramatically cut the costs and time for getting space missions off the ground, Axios' Avery Lotz writes. Watch the video. Rare SpaceX Falcon Heavy launch sends NASA probe to explore Jupiter’s ocean moon Europa KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — NASA’S Europa Clipper is headed to Jupiter’s ocean moon, looking to determine if life is possible in the place in our solar system some scientists consider most hospitable beyond Earth. https://www.orlandosentinel.com/2024/10/14/spacex-falcon-heavy-launch-today-to-send-nasa-probe-to-explore-jupiters-ocean-moon-europa/?

Middle East tensions The US is sending 100 troops and an anti-missile system to Israel "to help bolster Israel's air defenses following Iran's unprecedented attacks against Israel on April 13 and again on October 1," the Pentagon said Sunday. It is not the first time the US has deployed the anti-missile system to the Middle East, but it is rare for US troops to deploy inside Israel. The move deepens US involvement in the growing Middle East war and comes after four Israeli soldiers were killed Sunday in a Hezbollah drone attack on an army base in central-northern Israel. The incident is one of the bloodiest attacks on Israel since the beginning of the war last October.

Hurricane recovery President Joe Biden announced more than $600 million for electric grid resilience during a visit to Florida on Sunday to survey damage from Hurricane Milton. His visit came as leaders have urged Congress to pass additional funding for disaster relief and small-business programs as extreme weather events this year have rapidly drained the government's aid funds. Biden empathized with Florida residents who had lost everything, describing them as "heartbroken and exhausted, and their expenses are piling up." As of early today, more than 400,000 customers remained out of power across the state, according to PowerOutage.us — down from a peak of nearly 3 million. The power companies estimate most people will have electricity by midweek.

Presidential race The latest CNN Poll of Polls average of national polling finds no clear leader in the presidential race, with an average of 50% of likely voters supporting Kamala Harris and 47% backing Donald Trump. The deadlock extends to key battleground states — including Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — where both candidates will focus their energy in the remaining 22 days of the race. Over the weekend, Trump campaigned in Arizona and announced a plan to expand the Border Patrol. His pitch to crack down on illegal immigration was filled with dehumanizing rhetoric that leaned into stereotypes of foreigners from poorer countries. Harris, meanwhile, focused on North Carolina at a rally in Greenville, where she again slammed Trump for spreading misinformation regarding hurricane response efforts.

Claim about Taylor Swift, Kid Rock hurricane aid started as satire | Fact check The claim: Kid Rock donated millions of dollars of supplies to North Carolina; Taylor Swift gave nothing Our rating: False The claim originated on a satirical website. While Taylor Swift donated $5 million to help hurricane victims, there's no evidence Rock provided aid. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2024/10/11/kid-rock-taylor-swift-hurricane-relief-fact-check/75606704007/? The claim: Kamala Harris visited US southern border for ‘first time’ in September 2024 Our rating: False Harris’ trip to the U.S. southern border in September 2024 was her second as vice president. She last visited the border in 2021 when she traveled to Texas. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/factcheck/2024/10/11/harris-mexico-border-first-visit-fact-check/75573023007/? ps:I wonder who the liar is that started that rumor?????

THIS DAY IN HISTORY October 14 1947 Chuck Yeager breaks the sound barrier U.S. Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager becomes the first person to fly faster than the speed of sound. Yeager, born in Myra, West Virginia, in 1923, was a combat fighter during World War II and flew 64 missions over Europe. He shot down 13 German planes and was himself shot down over France... read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT Art, Literature and Film History 1892 “The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes” published 1957 “Wake Up Little Susie” becomes the Everly Brothers’ first #1 hit 1994 “Pulp Fiction” opens in theaters Black History 1964 Martin Luther King Jr. wins Nobel Peace Prize Cold War 1962 Soviet missiles photographed in Cuba 1964 Nikita Khrushchev ousted as premier of Soviet Union Crime 1975 Trial begins in Amityville murders European History 1066 The Battle of Hastings Gay Rights 1977 Anti-gay crusader Anita Bryant is hit in the face with a pie U.S. Presidents 1890 Dwight D. Eisenhower is born 1912 Theodore Roosevelt shot in Milwaukee Vietnam War 1968 Military announces it will send U.S. servicemen to Vietnam for second tours World War I 1918 Adolf Hitler wounded in British gas attack World War II 1944 German General Erwin Rommel—aka “The Desert Fox”—dies by suicide

A record-setting teen climber returns home to Nepal to a hero’s welcome KATHMANDU, Nepal (AP) — A Sherpa teenager who became the youngest person to scale all the world’s 14 highest peaks returned home to Nepal on Monday to a hero’s welcome. https://apnews.com/article/nepal-teen-climber-record-sherpa-4b196afcd9cf1db163101cc54642adee?