Shownotes Transcript
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Lakshmi Singh. Hurricane Milton's growing in size as it moves closer to the west coast of Florida. The National Weather Service says it is time to shelter in place. Hurricane Specialist Dan Brown spoke to NPR a short time ago. We hope residents have heeded the warnings and have gotten out because the time to evacuate has just about ended.
Forecasters say the wind strength drops some to 130 miles per hour, but it is still extremely dangerous. The major hurricane, which in a matter of hours will be the second to strike Florida in as many weeks, brings life-threatening storm surge and flood-generating rainfall to the coast and through the center of the peninsula.
The winds are quickly picking up and Piercerio Martinez Beltran is in Fort Myers. Florida residents in the cities of Tampa, Sarasota and Fort Myers have been receiving alerts about mandatory and voluntary evacuations for the last few days. But this morning, Lee County residents received an alert in their cell phones. Finish storm preparations now. Expect impacts soon.
Hurricane Milton is expected to remain a major hurricane when it makes landfall in Florida. Officials have warned of life-threatening storm surge and damaging winds. Governor Ron DeSantis says Milton will be destructive. There is high confidence that this hurricane is going to pack a major, major punch and do an awful lot of damage. Storm surge could reach up to 12 to 15 feet. Sergio Martinez Beltran, NPR News, Fort Myers, Florida.
The expanding war in the Middle East continues to cost more lives in Israel, Lebanon and Gaza. This comes as Israel considers how to retaliate against Iran for its recent missile attack.
Here's NPR's Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv. In northern Israel, first responders say rocket fire from Lebanon has killed at least two Israelis today. Hezbollah has fired hundreds of rockets at Israel recently. And Israel has stepped up its strikes in Lebanon against Hezbollah. In Lebanon, officials say an Israeli strike killed at least four people sheltering in a hotel.
And in Gaza, health officials say dozens were killed as Israel launched a ground defensive against Hamas in Jabalia in northern Gaza. NPR spoke with a resident there, Fatima Dahama. I'm using the Havanino.
She said drones in her neighborhood have been opening fire, Israeli tanks are nearby, and shrapnel has hit her building. Daniel Estrin, NPR News, Tel Aviv. Rampant hunger and poverty in Haiti have driven hundreds if not thousands of children to join gangs, according to the findings of a new report by Human Rights Watch.
The U.S.-based nonprofit says the recruitment of minors picked up in response to the presence of a Kenya-led multinational police force working alongside Haitian national police. This is NPR News.
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