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Today's top stories
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted on federal criminal charges, according to numerous media reports. The news broke last night after months of speculation about whether a series of federal investigations surrounding his administration would directly implicate him. While the indictment is still sealed the New York Times reported last year that the FBI was investigating whether Adams was conspiring with the Turkish government to funnel illegal foreign donations to his campaign committee in exchange for favors for his administration.
- 🎧 In the past year, Adams has insisted he did nothing wrong, Brigid Bergin of NPR network station WNYC says. The mayor released a video last night saying the charges will be entirely false and based on lies. The only person who could remove him from office right now is New York Gov. Kathy Hochul. Her spokesperson issued a statement saying she is aware of the news and monitoring the situation, adding that it’s premature to comment until the matter is confirmed by law enforcement. The indictment can be unsealed as early as this morning.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet with President Biden in Washington, D.C., today to seek support for a strategy to end the war with Russia on Ukraine’s terms. He says protecting the country will also keep Europe and the West safe. He has also warned the U.N. General Assembly that Russia was preparing to strike Ukraine’s nuclear plants.
- 🎧 NPR’s Joanna Kakissis tells Up First that Zelenskyy wants quicker action from Biden on specific issues, including the lifting of restrictions on the use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles and the support for Ukraine's invitation to join NATO as soon as possible. Recent polls show more Ukrainians are in favor of considering a deal like swapping territory occupied by Russia in exchange for some form of cease-fire. They are also closely watching the U.S. elections. Some are worried former President Donald Trump is ill-informed about the geopolitics and the trajectory of the war. Trump refused to meet with Zelenskyy this week.
Hurricane Helene, one of the largest hurricanes on record, is expected to make landfall today along Florida’s Big Bend region. It’s forecasted to grow to a Category 4 storm. The entire west coast of Florida is under a storm surge warning and 61 of the state’s 67 counties are under a state of emergency. Click here for the latest local updates on Helene.
- 🎧 Meteorologists say the storm surge where Helene will make landfall could be as high as 20 feet and “unsurvivable,” NPR’s Frank Morris says. When it hits shore, it’ll come with sustained winds of 130 miles per hour with higher gusts. The storm is expected to knock out power across a vast section of the country as it sweeps into Georgia and the Carolinas before it stalls out over Tennessee and Kentucky. Inland flooding hundreds of miles away from where the storm comes ashore is another big concern.
- ➡️ Local officials are urging residents in Helene's path to evacuate. But evacuation is not as easy as it seems, and some residents have no choice but to stay put.
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 Nevada to listen to voters about what matters to them and how that will affect their vote.
Nevada is experiencing an affordable housing crisis. One contributing factor is the influx of Californian residents, with around 40% of new residents coming from the state. This migration has led to a significant increase in housing prices over the past 15 years. But that’s not the only issue. The average wage of Nevadans doesn’t support the average housing prices in the state. According to a 2024 report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition, around 70% of low-income Nevadans are struggling with the high cost of housing. Morning Edition talked to Nevadans about this issue and how presidential candidates hope to solve the affordability problem. Here’s what they had to say.
Today's listen
You've probably never heard of the song "Monkeys Spinning Monkeys," but if you're active on social media, chances are you've heard it more than once. It was released a decade ago and has since taken off on social media. It's been used in millions of videos played billions of times.
- 🎧 Listen and see if you recognize the song, and learn why composer Kevin McLeod's catchy catalog went viral, according to music theory.
3 things to know before you go
- Alex Jones’ Infowars show will likely shut down within a few months after a federal bankruptcy judge ruled that plans to sell off the assets of his media company, Free Speech Systems, can proceed. The profits will go to Sandy Hook families.
- Watch Duty, a free app for tracking wildfires, has gained popularity in the Western U.S. as the region faces the overwhelming task of staying informed during destructive wildfires.
- New technology is making it easier to find the origins of trafficked wildlife so they can be released back to their natural habitat.
This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.
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