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Consumer prices in September were 3.7% higher than a year ago, according to a report from the Ministry of Labor. Soaring energy prices linked to the US-Iran war have driven up the cost of living. Excluding energy and food prices, core inflation reached 2.6% in September, up from August. The Social Security Administration announced a 3.6% increase in benefits for next year after the release of the inflation report. This annual cost of living adjustment is based on prices for July, August and September. Some beneficiaries believe that this increase is not sufficient.
Rising petrol and diesel prices pushed up inflation in September. The cost of living index increased by 3.7%, according to a report released Wednesday by the Ministry of Labor.
Isabelle Souriment/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images
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Isabelle Souriment/Hans Lucas/AFP via Getty Images
- 🎧 Social Security may be running out of money provide full payments to retirees starting in 2032. NPR’s Planet Money examines possible solutions.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky announced that he would resume attacks on Russian oil refineries, despite President Trump’s request to refrain from doing so. Zelensky told the Financial Times that he had ordered commanders to stand down earlier this week, but would not do so again. But Ukraine’s ability to carry out these long-range attacks may be limited, as it has faced sudden and crippling restrictions on Starshield, the U.S.-supplied satellite communications system.
- 🎧 The United States is apparently trying to limit Ukraine’s ability to fight Russia.although it wasn’t announced outright, said NPR’s Greg Myre First. Ukraine’s Defense Ministry said today that operations had returned to normal. The country relies on the Starshield system for its offensive and defensive drones to protect against Russian strikes. Elon Musk, who developed the system for the US government and military, says the US government sets its speed and usage limits.
Man shot and injured by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents in New York last week, he said he didn’t know the men who shot him were ICE agents until he woke up in the hospital. A new motion filed in Brooklyn federal court says the officers — many of whom were masked — did not identify themselves before approaching Oscar Belgal’s vehicle with their firearms drawn. The filing contradicts the Trump administration’s version of events.
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California-based Twitch streamer Hasan Piker has become a key target of the Republican Party as the midterm elections approach. The president recently called him a “terrible handicap” and a “communist.” In Michigan, political ads attempting to tie him to Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayef repeatedly repeat Piker’s most controversial statements, including the infamous “America deserved 9/11.” Piker remains confident he won’t embarrass Democrats in November. In a conversation with Morning editionIn Leila Fadel, he returns to his past remarks, the loneliness felt by young men and his criticism of Tucker Carlson.
Watch or listen to the interview or read the article about their discussion.
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Australian DJ Lenny Pearce performs in Baltimore.
KT Kanazawich for NPR
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KT Kanazawich for NPR
Australian DJ Lenny Pearce is taking over venues with his toddler rave world tour. Yes, that’s exactly what it sounds like: techno dance parties for families. Most of the dance floor is filled with little ones under the age of five. Around 5 p.m., the loudspeakers play nursery rhymes like “Bingo” and “The Wheels of the Bus,” while the bar offers a refreshing house specialty: apple juice. Pearce kicked off the North American leg of his tour in Baltimore, but has performed sold-out shows in cities like New York and Los Angeles and has already captivated audiences in Bahrain, Singapore and India. Take a look at these photos of the young ravers at his events.
3 things to know before you leave
On Palmyra Atoll in the Pacific Ocean, wildlife refuge manager Paige Mino observes red-footed boobies. Scientists have discovered a surprising link between seabirds and the health of the surrounding ocean.
Claire Harbage/NPR
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Claire Harbage/NPR
- Coral reefs around the world face increasing threats. On a remote Pacific island, scientists discovered that seabirds could help.
- The New York City Council and Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced plans to ban carriage horses in Central Park. (via Gothamiste)
- NPR’s Eyder Peralta takes readers to a Mexico City park in the latest installment of Far-Flung Postcards. There, people still practice bullfighting, even though it is prohibited.
This newsletter was published by Suzanne Nuyen.
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