Fact-checking lies about FEMA funding. And, turn climate anxiety into action

Good morning. You're reading the Up First newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox, and listen to the Up First podcast for all the news you need to start your day.

Today's top stories

As Hurricane Milton intensifies and heads toward Florida’s Gulf Coast, residents are not only preparing for weather impacts but also dealing with misinformation about FEMA. The disaster relief agency has provided hundreds of millions of dollars in aid so far to help those affected by Hurricane Helene. Former President Donald Trump claims FEMA is running out of money after spending it on undocumented migrants. However, FEMA’s administrator says those false claims are discouraging people from applying for the federal funds they desperately need.

The Washington Post via Getty

• 🎧 Trump says the government is providing people with only $750 for recovery, but that's actually an initial direct relief payment called the Serious Needs Assistance, NPR’s Stephen Fowler tells Up First. Trump and his allies also cite a FEMA grant from Customs and Border Protection for municipalities that experienced an influx of migrants, but that's not the disaster recovery fund. The disaster fund was running low earlier this year but was replenished with its full $20 billion allotment last week when a new fiscal year started. President Biden and lawmakers are advocating for Congress’ return to Washington to provide more relief, especially with Hurricane Milton poised to cause massive damage.

Israelis yesterday observed a day of grief and reflection to mark one year since the Hamas-led attacks on communities near the country's border. Multiple memorials took place, partly due to disagreements over Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's insistence on continuing the war in Gaza. Families of hostages and their supporters boycotted the official government memorial service. They’re seeking an immediate cease-fire deal to end the war and secure the release of the remaining 101 hostages.

• 🎧 “Late last night, huge booms in Tel Aviv that actually shook my windows here as the Israeli military says they shot down projectiles from Lebanon,” NPR’s Kat Lonsdorf says. Israeli airstrikes started early yesterday and continued throughout the day in Gaza. Israel said it was taking out Hamas rocket launchers. At least 39 Palestinians were killed, according to Gaza health officials.
• 🎧 Five of Abby Onn's relatives were kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7. Two of them were killed, two were released last month and one remains a hostage in Gaza. "What we need is leaders who will take action," she tells NPR's A Martinez.
• 📷 NPR photojournalists have been on the ground for the past year witnessing and capturing the suffering the war has inflicted in Israel, Gaza and Lebanon. See a collection of their photos from the past 365 days here.

In a wide-ranging interview with 60 Minutes yesterday, Vice President Harris was pressed for specifics on how she would pay for her economic plans and work to end the war in Ukraine. Her appearance on the show is part of a long tradition of presidential candidates sitting for interviews with 60 Minutes, dating back to 1968. Trump has criticized Harris for being unwilling to sit for difficult interviews with the press. The show says Trump was scheduled to appear for an interview as well, but his campaign canceled last week. Here’s a deeper dive into Harris’ responses during the interview.

We, the voters

NPR is visiting six key swing states that will likely decide this year’s historic election. This week, Morning Edition is in Michigan to listen to voters about what matters to them and how that will affect their vote.

In 2017, Trump introduced "Opportunity Zones," a tax incentive program aimed at encouraging investment in low-income and distressed communities like Detroit. Some were concerned at the time that investors would benefit more from the program than residents. Detroit Public Radio’s Russ McNamara says it’s a “firm maybe” that the program has reached its goal. Listen to hear more about what the program has achieved so far and how development in Opportunity Zones can be measured.

Stress less

Stress Less

is a new series from NPR that will help you find your calm. Subscribe to the

Stress Less newsletter

series for more powerful tools and strategies to help reduce anxiety and improve feelings of well-being

Data shows that over half of young adults have experienced feelings of anxiety, anger, or powerlessness regarding human-driven climate change. A new course called Climate Resilience, offered for the first time at several University of California campuses last spring, aims to turn students’ distress about the climate into collective action. The course features inspiring lectures from scientists and leaders in the climate movement to provide a more hopeful perspective. It also teaches resilience and coping skills, offering universal techniques and exercises that can help manage stress. Here are some strategies from the course:

• 🌎 Slow down with moments of calm to help you pause, be present and let go of worries.
• 🌎 Stare into the eyes of a stranger and picture them happy. This highlights how much we have in common with every human, even strangers or people who see the world differently.
• 🌎 Listening is a gift. Take turns voicing your concerns with someone else.
• 🌎 Take a short walk outside or sit quietly in a favorite outdoor spot. Once you are relaxed, write down your thoughts or compose a love letter to the Earth.

Click here for the full list of helpful advice.

3 things to know before you go

Getty Images

1. As Halloween nears, it's time to think about costumes for the upcoming festivities. NPR is interested in hearing about your favorite unique holiday traditions. Your response could be featured in the Up First newsletter.
2. Cissy Houston, a renowned gospel artist and mother of R&B star Whitney Houston, has died at 91. Her career spanned generations, with her providing backing vocals for Elvis Presley and Aretha Franklin.
3. The European Space Agency's Hera spacecraft launched on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket yesterday to study an asteroid whose course NASA intentionally diverted over two years ago.

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.