The Short List

Mon Oct 14 2024

Julius Lasin | Audience Editor

A highly-anticipated NASA mission to a Jupiter moon finally begins. FEMA's aid efforts ran into a roadblock in North Carolina. And the first frost of fall is coming this week.

👋 Howdy! Julius here with Monday's news.

But first: A once-in-a-lifetime comet. ☄ See Comet C/2023A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which is visible once every 80,000 years, that was spotted in the U.S. over the weekend.

Next stop: Jupiter's Europa moon

A NASA mission to explore one of Jupiter's moons, believed to be one of our galaxy's most promising locations to search for life-supporting conditions, got underway Monday. The Europa Clipper launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, which is designed to help propel the spacecraft on a six-year journey to reach its namesake moon, Europa. "Today, we embark on a new journey across the solar system in search of the ingredients for life within Jupiter's icy moon," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said. The launch in Florida had been scheduled for Thursday until the arrival of Hurricane Milton delayed the takeoff. 🚀 Learn more about the out-of-this-world mission.

•	Watch: NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft launches for six-year journey.

A SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket lifts off from Kennedy Space Center, FL Monday, October 14, 2024 carrying the Europa Clipper spacecraft for NASA.

Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY/ USA TODAY NETWORK

FEMA aid efforts hindered by threats to workers

The Federal Emergency Management Agency temporarily halted some aid operations over the weekend in parts of North Carolina impacted by Hurricane Helene because of threats targeting government workers, officials said. The disruptions come as FEMA works to combat swirling conspiracies and misinformation about its response to recent disasters, including Helene. A senior FEMA official confirmed that workers have been pulled back from going door to door, as is their usual method of helping in disaster areas, and are instead working out of Disaster Recovery Centers "as we work through this challenge." 👉 Here's the latest on the situation.

•	The U.S. already has millions of climate refugees. Helene and Milton could make it worse.
•	Storm tracker: National Hurricane Center monitoring 'area of active weather' in Atlantic

A volunteer uses a cartwheel to clear out debris from the Riverview Station building on Saturday, in Asheville, N.C., after floods from the remnants of Hurricane Helene destroyed the building.

Omar Ornelas/USA TODAY

Real quick

•	China launches war games around Taiwan to warn against independence.
•	Antarctica, the world's iciest continent, is 'greening' at a dramatic rate.
•	Today's election updates: Harris and Trump court Pennsylvania voters.
•	Why young people continue to flee big cities even as pandemic has faded.
•	'Pulp Fiction' turns 30: A visual guide to Quentin Tarantino's acting collaborators.

Indigenous Peoples' Day shines light on Native American history

In recent years, Indigenous Peoples' Day has become more widely recognized as calls to move away from Columbus Day have also grown. Indigenous Peoples' Day, a commemoration of Native American history and culture, has been federally recognized through proclamation for the past three years. While the second Monday in October is still also federally recognized as Columbus Day, advocates say it's important to denounce Columbus' violent history and recognize Native American communities today. 👉 Read more about Indigenous Peoples' Day.

Native royalty sit during Indigenous Peoples' Day at the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City on Monday.

NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK

Grab your coats: A cold front is coming

A cold front is forecast to stretch across much of the central and eastern U.S. this week, likely bringing the first frost of the fall season to some areas. Freeze and winter storm watches were active across the Plains and Midwest on Monday as forecasters anticipate subfreezing temperatures in multiple states, including the Dakotas, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan. In the Northeast, the high-pressure system will spur rain and snow showers across the Adirondacks, central Appalachians, and northern New England ranges, according to the National Weather Service. ❄ See more of the forecast across the US.

The Weather Prediction Center's forecast shows a cold front dropping temperatures across much of the central and eastern U.S. this coming Wednesday.

Weather Prediction Center

A break from the news

•	🎄 Sam's Club just dropped festive essentials for Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.
•	🚝 Eat, drink your way around iconic Disney World resorts with this monorail crawl.
•	⚕ Is tonsillitis contagious? What you need to know about this common condition.

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4 Israeli soldiers killed after Hezbollah fires 'swarm of drones'

Israeli soldiers walk near the scene where a drone from Lebanon attacked Israel, amid cross-border hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel, in Binyamina Israel, October 13, 2024. Lebanon's Hezbollah claimed responsibility for the attack. REUTERS/Itay Cohen TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

The drone attack was one of the deadliest attacks by the Iran-backed militant group since Israel launched its ground invasion of Lebanon nearly two weeks ago.

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