Good morning. Welcome to the Up First newsletter. Sign up here to receive it in your inbox, and don’t forget to listen to the Up First podcast for your daily news briefing.
Today’s top stories
Israel intensified its offensive in Lebanon by launching attacks on central Beirut last night after Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel. This marks some of the most intense fighting between the two sides since the war in Iran began. In other news, U.S. Central Command confirmed that a refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq, resulting in the death of at least four crew members. Additionally, Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued his first message, pledging to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed.
People inspect the site of a destroyed branch of Al-Qard Al-Hassan, a financial institution run by Hezbollah, hit by an Israeli airstrike in central Beirut.
- 🎧 Israel issued its first-ever evacuation order in Beirut for a building in the Bachura neighborhood. The Israeli military claims to be targeting Hezbollah operatives, but the exact target of the recent strike remains unclear. Talks of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel to end the conflict have surfaced, with the Lebanese president seeking international support to disarm Hezbollah.
The FBI is investigating two separate attacks that occurred yesterday. One involved an armed man ramming a car into a synagogue in Michigan, while the other was a shooting incident at Old Dominion University in Virginia.
- 🎧 Security officers engaged in a shootout with the suspect in Michigan, who was later found dead. The attacker, identified as Ayman Mohamad Ghazali, was of Lebanese descent and had previous family members killed in an Israeli strike in Lebanon. In Virginia, the shooter, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, was subdued by ROTC class members and subsequently killed. The FBI is treating the incidents as acts of terrorism.
The Senate passed a significant housing bill yesterday with a focus on enhancing housing affordability and availability by implementing various measures, including restricting large corporations from purchasing single-family homes.
- 🎧 The bill, comprising over 40 provisions, aims to lower housing costs by promoting increased home construction. One key aspect is the restriction on institutional investors from buying single-family homes, a move intended to address rising home prices and competition in the market.
Living better
Living Better is a special series focusing on maintaining wellness in America.
Tech companies are introducing health consultation platforms tailored to individual needs, with AI playing a crucial role in shaping medical decisions. While AI tools like ChatGPT are widely used for health information, recent studies suggest that such technologies may not always provide urgent responses in critical medical scenarios.
- 🗨️ Research indicates that AI often fails to prioritize emergency cases correctly, leading to under-triage in over half of such instances.
- 🗨️ Consulting AI for health-related queries can prove beneficial in addressing affordability and accessibility challenges in healthcare.
- 🗨️ Utilizing AI before or after doctor visits can enhance understanding of medical conditions and optimize time with healthcare providers.
Weekend picks
Discover what NPR is recommending for your weekend entertainment:
🍿 Movies: Hoppers, a unique film about a woman using mind-hopping technology to save a glade from destruction by the town’s mayor.
📺 TV: Check out American Classic on MGM+ for a captivating story of a Shakespearean actor returning to his hometown to rescue a local theater.
📚 Books: Dive into Darkology: Blackface and the American Way of Entertainment by Rhae Lynn Barnes, exploring the history of minstrel shows and their impact on American entertainment.
🎵 Music: Listen to Kacey Musgraves’ new song “Dry Spell” from her upcoming album, Middle of Nowhere, set to release on May 1.
🌮 Food: Plan your Oscars viewing party with creative menu ideas inspired by this year’s best picture nominees.
❓ Quiz: Test your knowledge with NPR’s weekly quiz and aim for a perfect score!
3 things to know before you go
- NASA is gearing up for the Artemis II mission, targeting a launch date in early April to send astronauts on a lunar orbit journey.
- Architect Smiljan Radić Clarke receives the prestigious Pritzker Prize for his outstanding contributions to architecture.
- Fisher F003, a weasel with a GPS collar, embarks on an 80-mile journey, marking the longest known dispersal trip for the species.
This newsletter was curated by Suzanne Nuyen.
