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Immediately’s prime tales
The ceasefire in Gaza was examined this weekend when Israel launched an assault on the territory in response to an assault on its troops. The Israeli army mentioned Sunday that “terrorists” attacked Israeli troops working within the Rafah space leading to two troopers being killed. Hamas denied involvement in any assaults. Gaza officers say dozens had been killed within the Israeli strikes. Either side are accusing the opposite of violating the ceasefire deal brokered by the US.
Smoke billows following an Israeli strike that focused a constructing within the Bureij camp for Palestinian refugees within the central Gaza Strip on Oct. 19. Gaza’s civil defence company mentioned a collection of Israeli air strikes on October 19 killed at the very least 11 individuals throughout the territory, as Israel and Hamas traded blame for violating a ceasefire.
Eyad Baba/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
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Eyad Baba/AFP by way of Getty Pictures
- 🎧 Yesterday’s occasions mark essentially the most important risk to the ceasefire deal since either side signed the settlement, NPR’s Rob Schmitz tells Up First. Regardless of what occurred, Hamas and Israel say they’re nonetheless dedicated to the spirit of the ceasefire. U.S. Particular Envoy Steve Witkoff and President Trump’s adviser and son-in-law, Jared Kushner, arrive in Israel right this moment and Vice President JD Vance is predicted to reach tomorrow to get the ceasefire deal again on monitor. The group will attempt to facilitate the return of the remaining Israeli hostage our bodies, which is a crucial a part of the primary part of the settlement.
The federal government shutdown is coming into day 20 with no critical negotiations underway to carry it to an finish. The longest shutdown was 35 days and occurred throughout Trump’s first time period within the White Home. Nonetheless, this time it’s totally different as there may be much less stress to get a deal as a result of a few of the impacts usually are not being broadly felt, NPR’s Deirdre Walsh says.
- 🎧 As a substitute of feeling stress to fold attributable to their initiatives being focused, Democrats are digging in and saying that that is extra of the identical ways the Trump administration used earlier than the shutdown occurred. The Senate has unsuccessfully voted 10 occasions on a Home-approved stopgap invoice to fund the federal government. The subsequent vote is predicted tonight. Senate Democrats are anticipated to hold blocking that invoice, not budging on their place that well being care subsidies that expire on the finish of the yr should be prolonged.
The U.S. plans to cease all subsidies to Colombia and implement new tariffs after the nation’s chief, Gustavo Petro, mentioned Trump’s assaults on boats coming from Venezuela quantity to homicide. U.S. forces have destroyed boats within the open waters in what the federal government describes as a counternarcotics operation.
- 🎧 The U.S. authorities says it has struck at the very least seven vessels and claims they had been loaded with medicine headed to the U.S. NPR’s Eyder Peralta says the large image is that it has been a long time for the reason that U.S. army has taken a place like this within the Americas. This has created stress within the area. Renute Roberts, a fisherman in Trinidad, says he can hear drones circling at night time. Whereas Roberts says he believes medicine are an issue, he says Trump can deal with it with out bombing boats.
Price of dwelling

As medical insurance costs are surging, some firms are protecting their staff’ medical plans.
Getty Pictures/Emily Bogle/NPR
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Getty Pictures/Emily Bogle/NPR
NPR’s collection Price of Residing: The Worth We Pay is analyzing what’s driving worth will increase and the way persons are coping after years of cussed inflation.
U.S. well being care is the most costly within the developed world and the value level is simply rising. Final yr, the typical annual premium for an employer-based medical insurance plan for a household of 4 was over $25,500. Of that common complete, employers contributed about $19,200 and employees contributed the remainder. Whole premiums have risen over 24% since 2019 and are broadly anticipated to surge subsequent yr. Here is how the growing prices are impacting individuals and corporations:
- ⚕️ Drugmakers, hospitals, insurance coverage firms and different for-profit firms have pushed up the prices of accessing medical care within the U.S. For instance, drugmakers are creating more practical drugs, however they’re charging so much for them.
- ⚕️ For most of the tens of millions of people that get medical insurance via their employer, their paycheck deductions might surge subsequent yr by 6% to 7% on common.
- ⚕️ Some firms are protecting all insurance coverage premiums. Providing zero-premium medical insurance can assist to recruit new staff, cut back turnover charges and assist employees keep targeted on their job, as an alternative of bills.
Take heed to extra about what firms are doing to assist with medical insurance premiums, or learn a dialog about it. This week, the collection will cowl the rising value of leisure, like the value of tickets to sporting occasions. Keep up-to-date on the newest tales right here.
How are larger costs altering the way in which you reside? Fill out this kind to share your story with NPR.
Image present
Celebration of San Juanes in Cotacachi, province of Imbabura, Ecuador. The Cumbia Andina is a mix of indigenous rythms from the north of the nation, comparable to San Juanitos performed and danced to in the course of the celebrations, and Colombian cumbia.
Karla Gachet
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Karla Gachet
Cumbia Throughout Latin America is a visible report protecting the individuals, locations and cultures that hold this music style alive in six nations.
The primary cumbia track recorded in Ecuador within the Sixties had only one verse and it was referred to as “Cumbia Triste.” Written by Polibio Mayorga, the track mixed the rhythms of the San Juanito — conventional Andean music — with rural Colombian cumbia, which arrived to the nation by the use of the file business. The consequence marked a brand new identification for a lot of migrants who got here to dwell in Ecuador’s city facilities. Mayorga laid the groundwork for the Ecuadorian cumbia sound and musicians like Medardo Luzuriaga, who reworked the style right into a nationwide sensation. Luzuriaga recorded over 100 albums, and his emblematic cumbias nonetheless dwell within the collective conscience of all the nation. Be taught extra about Ecuador’s affect on the style of music and see photos of the tradition surrounding it. You may as well learn the article in Spanish.
3 issues to know earlier than you go

Sam Rivers of Limp Bizkit performs onstage at KROQ Weenie Roast & Luau at Doheny State Seaside in Dana Level, Calif. on June 08, 2019.
Kevin Winter/Getty Pictures for KROQ
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Kevin Winter/Getty Pictures for KROQ
- Sam Rivers, bassist for rock band Limp Bizkit, has died at age 48. The band mentioned in a social media publish on Saturday, “today we lost our brother.”
- The Louvre Museum in Paris was robbed yesterday morning. Investigators are trying to find 4 males who made off with “priceless” jewels, officers say.
- OpenAI customers have been blocked from making movies of Martin Luther King Jr. on its Sora app after his property complained concerning the unfold of “disrespectful depictions.” For the reason that app’s launch three weeks in the past, customers have made hyper-realistic deepfake movies of King saying offensive and racist issues.
This text was edited by Obed Manuel.