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Immediately’s prime tales
The Israeli army is asking up 60,000 reservists forward of its expanded army operation in Gaza Metropolis, bringing the entire variety of mobilized reservists to 120,000. A two-month ceasefire provide has been on the desk since Monday. Hamas accepted the phrases of the deal with none modifications, leaving the ball in Israel’s court docket. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has put out statements suggesting he would not just like the provide, NPR’s Daniel Estrin tells Up First.
Israeli troopers use binoculars to have a look at broken buildings within the Gaza Strip from southern Israel on Wednesday, Aug. 13.
Ariel Schalit/AP
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Ariel Schalit/AP
- 🎧 It is a main crossroads within the conflict, and Israel hasn’t selected what strategic course it can take, Estrin says. Israel sees Gaza Metropolis as a serious stronghold of Hamas. Israeli troopers have already been despatched to the outskirts of town, the place they’ve carried out strikes in latest days. Army officers say these strikes are the preliminary steps of the brand new operation. The key offensive would end in Israel ordering the displacement of many Palestinians to southern Gaza, which assist teams warn would exacerbate the humanitarian disaster there.
Pentagon officers have been assembly with their European counterparts this week to work out safety ensures for Ukraine. This effort to assist finish the conflict with Russia and stop a future one comes as Russia unleashed one in every of its largest airstrikes in a single day, firing greater than 600 drones and missiles. Amongst them was a Russian cruise missile that hit an American electronics plant, in response to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Greater than a dozen folks had been wounded on the location, which is in an remoted a part of far western Ukraine.
- 🎧 Ukrainians imagine that Russian chief Vladimir Putin desires to maintain combating, says NPR’s Greg Myre. Ukraine has had restricted safety guarantees previously, and so they have not stopped Russia from invading. Shifting ahead, it desires iron-clad safety ensures. Russia has at all times rejected the thought of a NATO presence in Ukraine to verify Western troops do not transfer near Russian borders. Myre says that it is presently arduous to see any center floor for compromise.
North Carolina’s Outer Banks are already feeling the impacts of Hurricane Erin, which stays effectively offshore as a Class 2 storm. Gov. Josh Stein has cautioned folks to remain out of the ocean. Forecasters warn that the storm, which is huge in measurement and energy, may convey potential coastal flooding, excessive winds and life-threatening rip currents from the Carolinas to New Jersey.
- 🎧 Will Michaels with NPR community station WUNC experiences there is just one fundamental street on the Outer Banks, and it’s presently closed. Final night time, the storm surge breached the protecting sand dunes and submerged the street. Michaels says local weather change has accelerated seaside erosion and washed away dunes in lots of areas. Because of this, beforehand protected low-lying areas at the moment are extra prone to flooding throughout exceptionally excessive tides. Many individuals, together with vacationers, evacuated the Outer Banks earlier than the storm hit. Lodges and trip leases may see important income loss within the two weeks main as much as Labor Day.
Immediately’s hear

Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate, a member of the Chickasaw Nation, composed a set of animal character research for the Dover Quartet, Woodland Songs.
Shevaun Williams
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Shevaun Williams
The Grammy-nominated Dover Quartet has a brand new album impressed by Native American traditions. To compose Woodland Songs, the string quartet teamed up with Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate. When looking for the sound, Tate turned to the woodland creatures revered by his personal Chickasaw Nation: squirrels, woodpeckers, deer, fish and raccoons. Hearken to snippets of Woodland Songs which might be swish like a deer, staccato like a woodpecker and frenetic like a squirrel. And, learn extra about Tate’s composing course of.
Deep dive

An aerial view of the Columbia River is proven on Friday, July 18, 2025, close to Crescent Bar, Washington. KUOW Photograph/Megan Farmer
Megan Farmer/KUOW
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Megan Farmer/KUOW
Knowledge facilities are important for companies like ChatGPT and on-line medical data. The rising demand for extra internet-connected gadgets is driving a surge in knowledge middle building throughout the U.S. This growth presents a horny alternative for small cities, doubtlessly offering them with new industrial anchors that may create jobs, generate tax income, and produce prosperity to areas which were ignored by the digital revolution. However these facilities additionally include important energy and water calls for, which may put pressure on native sources. In Quincy, Wash., identified for its stretches of knowledge facilities, critics say the pressure is not well worth the financial achieve.
- ➡️ Knowledge middle building creates 1000’s of jobs, however these are largely short-term. Based on the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the typical giant knowledge middle employs 150 folks long-term.
- ➡️ Because the first knowledge facilities went up in Quincy, the share of residents dwelling beneath the poverty stage decreased from 29.4% in 2012 to 13.1% in 2023, in response to census knowledge.
- ➡️ Critics argue that whereas the financial advantages are interesting, they’re involved that residents might face blackouts or water limitations earlier than knowledge facilities do, as a result of these facilities deal with delicate info.
- ➡️ With the financial increase in Quincy, new companies emerged to serve the rising inhabitants and touring building staff. Nonetheless, enterprise homeowners there are involved about the way forward for these institutions as soon as the information facilities not require so many building staff.
3 issues to know earlier than you go

Folks have a look at wood Kiruna Church at its remaining location after a two-day transfer from the previous city to the brand new metropolis middle, in Kiruna, northern Sweden, on August 20.
Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP through Getty Photographs
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Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP through Getty Photographs
- This week, two vehicles gently rolled the 600-ton,113-year-old Kiruna Church in Sweden to a brand new dwelling to stop town’s native iron mine from swallowing it up. The three-mile journey throughout town took two days.
- Surinder Gupta got here down with a excessive fever one winter night time in 1974. After speeding to a 24-hour pharmacy to get drugs, he left to seek out that his automobile had been towed. He searched the telephone e book and located a stranger with a well-recognized Indian title. Sukhdev Walia listened to Gupta’s story and did not hesitate to assist. The unsung hero gave Gupta and his household a journey, and so they all developed an inseparable bond.
- The U.S. well being care system may be complicated. In case you need assistance understanding and overcoming the challenges to accessing excellent care, ship your tough questions to the Well being Care Helpline from NPR and KFF Well being Information. They could be capable to join with a coverage professional and supply the solutions you want.
This text was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.