Catch Up and Carry On with Your Day
Get 5 Pieces of Info in Your Inbox
5 Crucial Facts for Oct. 8: Tropical Storm Milton, Migration Issues, Israel Updates, Digital Assault, Marburg Virus Infections
Your day is hectic. 5 Pieces is your one-stop shop for the latest news, along with other popular stories and videos that folks are viewing. Sign up here for the 5 Pieces newsletter.
1. Hurricane Milton
Hurricane Milton, the year's most powerful storm, is forecast to bring severe effects as it roars towards Florida. Although the storm strengthened to a Category 5 on Monday, forecasts predict it will fluctuate in strength before ultimately making landfall on Wednesday as a Category 3. Milton's dangerous eye and eyewall might come ashore anywhere from Cedar Key in the north to Naples in the south, possibly in the Tampa or Fort Myers areas. Over 12 million people are under hurricane watches and warnings, and over 8 million are under tropical storm watches. Many flights in the region have been canceled, and a mass exodus is happening along roads as thousands adhere to mandatory evacuation orders ahead of Milton's arrival.
2. Immigration
Former President Donald Trump suggested on Monday that undocumented immigrants who commit murder have "bad genes." Trump's dehumanizing language is another instance of the former president trying to spread fear about those in the country without permission. In a radio interview on “The Hugh Hewitt Show,” Trump distorted immigration statistics to attack Vice President Kamala Harris, falsely claiming she was "allowing people to enter through an open border, 13,000 of which were murderers." Separately, Harris discussed immigration in a comprehensive “60 Minutes” interview that aired Monday. She said migration is a "long-standing problem" when asked about the Biden administration's approach to immigration policies but refused to answer whether officials should've cracked down sooner.
3. Israel
Israel will "continue to fight," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks. A year into the war in Gaza, Israel's goals — including toppling Hamas, returning hostages in Gaza to Israel, and returning Israelis displaced by fighting with Hezbollah to their homes — seem a distant reality. On Monday, Israel intercepted dozens of strikes from multiple directions, including projectiles launched from Gaza and Lebanon. Meanwhile, the Israeli military issued fresh evacuation orders to residents in Gaza as it intensifies its military operation in parts of the battered enclave. However, Palestinian residents who spoke with CNN said they fear there is no safe place to take shelter.
4. Cyberattack
American Water, the largest regulated water and wastewater utility company in the US, announced Monday it was the victim of a cyberattack, prompting the firm to suspend billing to customers. The New Jersey-based company — which provides services to over 14 million people in 14 states and on 18 military installations — said it became aware of the unauthorized activity on Thursday and immediately took protective measures, including shutting down certain systems. American Water said staffers were working "round the clock" to investigate the nature and scope of the attack. The company also said customers will not face late charges while its systems are unavailable.
5. Marburg virus
The CDC announced Monday that health officials will soon begin screening travelers from Rwanda to the US for Marburg virus. There are no confirmed cases of Marburg virus disease — a rare but deadly hemorrhagic disease similar to Ebola — outside of Rwanda, and officials have said that the current risk to the US is low. However, the Department of Health and Human Services said the CDC will begin public health entry screening next week in an effort to minimize the risk of the importation and spread of cases. As of Monday, there have been 56 confirmed cases of Marburg in Rwanda, with 36 people in isolation and treatment, and 12 deaths, according to the Ministry of Health. Many of the cases are in health care workers, the CDC says.
MORNING MUST-READS
Airline apologizes after NC-17 film plays on every screen during Sydney-Tokyo flightFasten your seatbelts ... and cover your eyes? Qantas Airways issued an apology after a crew mistakenly played an explicit NC-17 film on all the aircraft’s screens.
Thousands of parrots are invading this Argentine townCNN visited an Argentine town under siege by screeching parrots. Their unwelcome arrival is ruffling feathers among residents.
How to check your blood pressure the correct wayCertain arm positions commonly used for blood pressure checks may lead to inaccurate results. Here’s the right way to do it.
Google’s search dominance is waningGoogle maintains a considerable share of American search advertising revenue but some analysts say Amazon could shake up its dominance of the market.
Chiefs remain unbeaten after Week 4 NFL victoryThe Kansas City Chiefs are celebrating a perfect 4-0 start to the season after defeating the New Orleans Saints on "Monday Night Football."
REMEMBERING THE DEPARTED
Cissy Houston, the two-time Grammy-winning singer and mother of Whitney Houston, passed away on Monday while in hospice care for Alzheimer’s disease. She was 91. An award-winning recording artist, Houston led a successful career over decades, recording 10 solo albums, four compilation albums, and five collaborative recordings.
DAILY INSIGHTS
Though computers don't possess the capability to think, modern devices now replicate functionalities like memory and learning. This year's physics Nobel laureates, John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton, have significantly contributed to this by their groundbreaking discoveries in the realm of artificial intelligence.
— The Nobel Committee, announcing the award of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics to John Hopfield and Geoffrey Hinton for their "pioneering accomplishments" in artificial intelligence. This prestigious accolade, symbolizing the peak of scientific excellence, comes with a monetary reward of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1 million).
TODAY'S WEATHER FORECAST
View your current weather details here>>>
AND NOW ...
Possible Exposure of Bitcoin Creator's Hidden Identity in HBO DocumentaryDid you realize that one of the world's wealthiest individuals remains unidentified? Fascinated by the enigma, filmmaker Cullen Hoback embarked on an adventure to uncover the individual behind Bitcoin, the leading and most prized cryptocurrency. Get more info on the doc here. (Similar to CNN, HBO is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery)
- We should sign up for the 5 Pieces newsletter to stay informed about the latest news and trends, as it will help us stay updated even with our busy schedules as a team.
- In light of the mandatory evacuation orders due to Hurricane Milton, it's important for us to check on our colleagues who live in affected areas and offer any assistance we can.
