Biden to visit Mideast to back Israel, press for Gaza aid; how screen time is changing our eyesight

Plus, a Hamas spokesman speaks with NPR's Steve Inskeep from an undisclosed location in Gaza.

View this email online by Suzanne Nuyen October 17, 2023 Good morning. Chicago area Muslims and others are mourning the death of Wadea Al-Fayoume, a six-year-old Palestinian-American boy fatally stabbed in his home last week. The incident is being investigated as a hate crime. Now, here's what we're following today:  President Biden plans to travel to the Middle East today to reaffirm U.S. solidarity with Israel and press for humanitarian aid to Gaza civilians. He's expected to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Tel Aviv and Arab leaders in Amman, Jordan's capital. A ground invasion is expected as Israeli forces gather at the Gaza border. NPR's Tamara Keith will travel with the president.  Evan Vucci/AP 🎧 Keith says on Up First that Biden's meeting with the Egyptian president is significant because the country has been reluctant to open its border with Gaza. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said the U.S. and Israel had agreed on aid to Gaza after hours of talks yesterday.  🎧 In Jerusalem, NPR's Peter Kenyon says trucks loaded with supplies headed to the Rafah crossing, but there are reports this morning it has been bombed again. 🎧 Morning Edition host Leila Fadel visited survivors of the Hamas attack in Be’eri, an Israeli kibbutz community near Gaza. Peace activist Hayim Katsman was one of 30 Americans killed. His brother Noy says most Israelis and Palestinians lose in the conflict. "What does it mean — winning — now after my brother and a thousand people are dead?" he asks. 🎧 Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad speaks with Morning Edition host Steve Inskeep. Hamad says the militant group has no plans to release hostages. Check out npr.org/mideastupdates for more coverage, differing views and analysis of this conflict.  The House of Representatives is set to vote on a new speaker later today. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, is the nominee after Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., dropped out. It's unclear whether he has enough votes to get the job.  🎧 Among the holdouts are lawmakers worried about Jordan's history of opposing spending bills and aid to Ukraine, says NPR's Susan Davis. The House has a lot to vote on once a speaker is chosen: a spending bill to avoid a government shutdown on Nov. 17 and aid to both Israel and Ukraine.    The Food and Drug Administration is "actively reviewing" a petition to ban the use of synthetic food coloring Red 3 filed by consumer advocacy groups a year ago, according to an FDA spokesperson. The agency faces renewed pressure to weigh in on the dye's use after California banned it and three other food additives last week.  Newsletter continues after sponsor message Body electric Daniel Hertzberg Body Electric is a six-part investigation and interactive project with TED Radio Hour host Manoush Zomorodi exploring the relationship between our technology and our bodies… and how we can improve it. Myopia (nearsightedness) rates in the U.S. have soared in the last 50 years. Many diagnosed are kids. While bad eyesight used to be chalked up to genetics, experts now think increased time spent indoors — often looking at screens — could also be a culprit.  🎧 In Part 3 of Body Electric, Zomorodi speaks with University of California, Berkeley School of Optometry professor Maria Liu about the dangers of early onset myopia and why time outdoors can help prevent it. Monika Rittershaus/Bavarian State Opera Polish countertenor Jakub Józef Orliński, 32, thinks he may be the only breakdancing opera singer in the world. As a teenage extreme sports enthusiast, he found "purity and spirituality" in opera and “music and personal expression” in breakdancing. 🎧 Listen to Orliński sing in his high voice close to a female mezzo-soprano or contralto, and read his interview here.  Support Independent Journalism. Because we are in your backyard, your donation funds stories with a real sense of on-the-ground, local expertise. That's possible thanks to our robust network of stations embedded in communities nationwide. Back the NPR Network to stand with trustworthy journalism that keeps you and millions informed. Your donation makes a real difference in what's possible next.    Please join us with a donation today. Donate Now Tauseef Mustafa/AFP via Getty Images Jeff Balch's mom died in 1992 at 60. He still remembers the day three trash collectors comforted him when he was doing yard work at her house after her passing. He says these unsung heroes remind him to perceive the humanity in everyone.  The International Olympic Committee added five new sports to the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles: cricket, flag football, squash, lacrosse and baseball-softball. LinkedIn, the Microsoft-owned social media platform, says it will lay off nearly 700 employees across its engineering, product, talent and finance departments.  Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to hear live radio from WUFT 89.1 (edit station). This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi and Olivia Hampton. Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! They can sign up here. Looking for more great content? Check out all of our newsletter offerings — including Music, Politics, Health and more! You received this message because you're subscribed to Up First emails. This email was sent by National Public Radio, Inc., 1111 North Capitol Street NE, Washington, DC 20002 Unsubscribe  |  Privacy Policy