Charges filed against NYC Mayor Eric Adams; Hurricane Helene: NPR

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Today's top stories

New York Mayor Eric Adams has been charged with federal crimesaccording to numerous media reports. The news came to light last night after months of speculation about whether a series of federal investigations related to his administration would directly implicate him. While the charges are still under seal, New York Times Last year, it was reported that the FBI was investigating whether Adams had conspired with the Turkish government to funnel illegal foreign donations to his campaign committee in exchange for favors for his government.

New York Mayor Eric Adams speaks to members of the press at a press conference in New York on Monday, September 16, 2024.

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Seth Little/AP

• 🎧 Last year, Adams insisted he had done nothing wrongsays Brigid Bergin of NPR station WNYC. The mayor released a video last night declaring the charges are completely false and based on lies. The only person who could remove him from office at this time is New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Her spokeswoman issued a statement saying she was aware of the news and was monitoring the situation. She added it was premature to comment until the matter was confirmed by law enforcement. The indictment may be released as early as this morning.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet with President Biden in Washington, DC today to demand support for a strategy to end the war with Russia on Ukraine's terms. He says protecting the country will also provide security for Europe and the West. He has also warned the UN General Assembly that Russia is preparing an attack on Ukraine's nuclear facilities.

• 🎧 NPR’s Joanna Kakissis tells First that Selenskyj is demanding faster action from Biden on certain issues, including lifting restrictions on the deployment of U.S. long-range missiles and supporting an invitation for Ukraine to join NATO as soon as possible. Recent polls show that more Ukrainians favor a deal such as swapping Russian-occupied territories in exchange for some kind of ceasefire. They are also closely watching the U.S. election. Some are concerned that former President Donald Trump is poorly informed about geopolitics and the course of the war. Trump declined to meet with Zelensky this week.

Hurricane Helene, one of the strongest hurricanes ever, is expected makes landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida today. The storm is forecast to become a Category 4 storm. A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for the entire west coast of Florida and a state of emergency is in effect in 61 of the state's 67 counties. Click here for the latest local updates on Helene.

• 🎧 Meteorologists say the storm surge where Helene will make landfall could be as high as 20 feet and would be “unsurvivable.” NPR's Frank Morris says: When the storm hits the coast, it will bring sustained winds of 130 mph and even stronger gusts. The storm is expected to knock out power across much of the country as it sweeps across Georgia and the Carolinas before coming to a halt over Tennessee and Kentucky. Another major concern is flooding inland, hundreds of miles from where the storm hits the coast.
• ➡️ Local authorities are urging residents in Helene's catchment area to evacuate. But evacuation is not as easy as it seems, and some residents have no choice but to stay at home.

We, the voters

NPR is visiting six important swing states that will likely decide this year's historic election. This week, Morning Edition is in Nevada to listen to voters about what matters to them and how that affects their vote.

Lauren Tuvell and James Watts with their dogs Xena and Desi (left to right) at their home in Downtown Las Vegas on September 24, 2024.

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Krystal Ramirez for NPR

Nevada is experiencing an affordable housing crisis. One contributing factor is the influx of California residents. About 40% of new residents come from within the state. This migration has led to a significant increase in housing prices over the past 15 years. But that's not the only problem. The average salary of Nevada residents does not cover the average housing prices in the state. According to a 2024 report by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, about 70% of low-income Nevada residents struggle with high housing costs. Morning edition spoke to Nevada residents about this issue and how presidential candidates plan to solve the affordability problem. Here's what they had to say.

Listen today

MIDI inputs in Logic for the song Monkeys Spinning Monkeys from Kevin MacLeod's YouTube channel. Unlike other artists who want to protect the rights to their creative work, McLeod encourages anyone to use his music for free. “I just want my stuff to be heard,” he says.

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Kevin MacLeod/YouTube/Screenshot for NPR

You've probably never heard of the song “Monkeys Spinning Monkeys”, but if you're active on social media, you've probably heard it more than once. It was released a decade ago and has since had a huge hit on social media, being used in millions of videos and played billions of times.

3 things you should know before your trip

nfoWars founder Alex Jones speaks to the media during his trial at Waterbury Superior Court in Waterbury, Connecticut, on September 21, 2022.

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1. Alex Jones' Infowars show likely to be canceled within months after a federal bankruptcy judge ruled that plans to sell the assets of his media company, Free Speech Systems, can proceed with the proceeds to benefit the families of Sandy Hook.
2. Watch Duty, a free wildfire tracking app, has gained popularity in the Western United States as the region faces the overwhelming task of staying informed during devastating wildfires.
3. New technologies make it easier to find the origins of traded wild animals so that they can be released back into their natural habitat.

This newsletter was published by Susanne Nuyen.