As Hurricane Milton approaches Florida's central west coast, residents are preparing for the worst. The storm exploded into a Category 5 hurricane earlier this week, and now threatens to be one of the strongest storms to ever hit the state.

Like Hurricane Helene, which slammed into Florida and the Southeastern United States nearly two weeks ago, Milton is predicted to bring with it massive storm surges, destructive winds, heavy rain and the risk of death for those in its path.

The damage Hurricane Milton could cause is chilling, but maybe not surprising.

NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with climate reporter Rachel Waldholz about the ways in which climate change is supercharging hurricanes, including Helene and Milton.

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In the span of one day, a Category 1 hurricane headed for western Florida escalated to the highest intensity there is: Category 5.

Since then, the predicted wind intensity for Hurricane Milton has ebbed and flowed ahead of the hurricane's expected landfall in Florida on Wednesday.

But for now, experts are calling it an "extremely life-threatening situation."

NPR spoke to a meteorologist who broke down the triple threat Hurricane Milton poses.

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In a twist that many addiction experts thought impossible, the decades long upward trend of opioid deaths in the United States has finally started to decline. And while there are plenty of theories, there are still very few answers as to why and how.

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The October 7th Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza have changed the course of geopolitics. The events have upended the lives of countless individuals, and they will have far reaching consequences for the world.

Today, we're presenting a special episode of State of the World, NPR's daily global news podcast. Our team of reporters in the region bring us stories of lives changed in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank.

State of the World brings you vital international stories from NPR reporters around the globe every week day. You can find them on Apple, Spotify or your podcast platform of choice.

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In a state where every vote matters, campaigns are not only trying to win in counties where they're strongest. They're also trying to lose by less in places where votes for their candidate are harder to find. We take a look at volunteers in Wisconsin who are working to make less more.

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Consider This host Ari Shapiro and WUWM's Maayan Silver speak with voters along a 15-mile road that cuts through the Milwaukee area's segregated neighborhoods as election season continues in this crucial swing state.

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The effort to recover from Hurricane Helene is only beginning. But neighbors and volunteers from humanitarian organizations are pitching in to help.

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The war in the Middle East appears to be widening, almost one year after Hamas launched its attack on Israel.

For more on what might unfold from here, Consider This host Ailsa Chang speaks with General Frank McKenzie, the retired Commander of United States Central Command.

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In a race where so much of the polling is within the margin of error — it seems as though any one thing could affect the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.

But have vice presidential debates made a difference in past races?

NPR's senior White House Correspondent Tamara Keith dug into that existential, and political question.

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Historian Robert Caro's book "The Power Broker" details how urban planner Robert Moses reshaped New York through the roads and bridges he built, and the lives of the communities he destroyed.

It's a definitive account of how power is acquired, how it works and how it's wielded in this country.

That book, along with his four books on President Lyndon Johnson, have made Caro one of the most significant American authors of the last half century.

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When Sean "Diddy" Combs sang about being a bad boy in his 2001 hit, the lyrics were a mission statement and a boast. But today, the lyrics might sound more like a warning, as dozens of allegations of sexual abuse, sex trafficking, racketeering and rape are piling up against the music mogul.

The #MeToo movement quickly gained prominence in the film and media worlds in 2017. Why has it taken the music industry so long to follow suit?

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