Israel says it has launched a "limited" ground operation into Southern Lebanon, launching a major escalation in its conflict with Hezbollah. Plus, what to listen for during tonight's vice presidential debate.

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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Vincent Ni, Megan Pratz, Ally Schweitzer and Alice Woelfe. It was produced by Iman Maani, Paige Waterhouse, Nia Dumas and Ana Perez. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott, and our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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Lebanon prepares to bury Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. In North Carolina, damage from flooding is "widespread and catastrophic," according to Gov. Roy Cooper. The two candidates for vice president are both veterans. How do their campaigns approach vets' issues? And for NPR's new series on stress reduction, we consider the benefits of "positive reappraisal."

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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Russell Lewis, Vincent Ni, Andrew Sussman, Ally Schweitzer and Alice Woelfe. It was produced by Iman Maani, Paige Waterhouse, Nia Dumas and Ana Perez. We get engineering support from Carleigh Strange, and our technical director is Andie Huether.

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Israel's assassination of Hassan Nasrallah — who led Hezbollah for more than 30 years — has been met with mixed reactions in the region. In Israel, there have been celebrations, even as people prepare for the possibility of retaliation. In Ramallah, in the West Bank, streets filled with Palestinians chanting promises to continue resistance against Israel. Nasrallah's death raises questions about who will fill a power void at the top of what the US considers a terrorist organization.

For more coverage, and for differing views and analysis of the conflict, go to npr.org/mideastupdates.

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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Denise Couture, Shannan Rhoades, Julia Redpath, Vincent Ni, and James Hider. It was produced by Brent Baughman, Martin Patience, Michael Radcliffe, and Samantha Balaban. Our senior supervising editor is Evie Stone. Engineering support from Neisha Heinis, Arthur Laurent, and Andie Huether. Our technical director is Hannah Gluvna.

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Today on The Sunday Story we feature an episode from the NPR podcast Planet Money about the inner workings of the residential solar industry and how the business practices of some companies have soured customers on the promise of this renewable energy. And the team looks into where the residential solar industry is headed in the future.

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Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was killed on Friday, when a series of blasts targeting Hezbollah rip through Beirut. His killing and the attack on the capital signal a major escalation in the fighting between Israel and Lebanon. Plus, Hurricane Helene might've been downgraded to a tropic storm, but it still managed to drench North Carolina - we'll have the latest on the storm's impact.

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Hurricane Helene has been downgraded to a tropical storm, but when it made landfall late last night as a Category 4 hurricane, it packed a dangerous one-two punch of high winds and a storm surge. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will address the UN General Assembly in New York on Friday, and the Sudanese army has launched a major offensive to take back the capital.

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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Russell Lewis, Tara Neill, Donald Clyde, HJ Mai and Ally Schweitzer. It was produced by Iman Maani, Nia Dumas and Mansee Khurana. We get engineering support from Carleigh Strange, and our technical director is Andie Huether.

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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says he has a plan to defeat Russia. He's in Washington on Thursday to discuss this plan with President Biden. New York Mayor Eric Adams has been indicted, according to media reports, and Florida braces for the impact of Hurricane Helene.

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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Rebecca Rosman, Andrea de Leon, Russell Lewis, HJ Mai and Ally Schweitzer. It was produced by Iman Maani, Nia Dumas, Brianna Joseph and Mansee Khurana. We get engineering support from Stacey Abbott, and our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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As the conflict between Israel and the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah intensifies, concern grows about the potential involvement of Iran. Last year, there were a number of issues with the form to get federal student aid. A new investigation is detailing what went wrong with FAFSA, and Missouri executed a man even though the office that worked to convict him says they made a mistake.

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Today's episode of Up First was edited by James Hider, Nicole Cohen, Cheryl Corley, HJ Mai and Ally Schweitzer. It was produced by Iman Maani, Nia Dumas and Mansee Khurana. We get engineering support from Robert Rodriguez, and our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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Tens of thousands of people in Lebanon are fleeing from Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah. Vice President Harris wants to make it easier to restore abortion rights. She spoke with Wisconsin Public Radio about her policy priorities, and California is suing ExxonMobil alleging the oil giant knowingly misled the public about the effectiveness of plastic recycling.

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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Vincent Ni, Padma Rama, Robert Little, HJ Mai and Mohamad ElBardicy. It was produced by Iman Maani, Nia Dumas and Mansee Khurana. We get engineering support from Robert Rodriguez, and our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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Israel's military has warned people in southern Lebanon to evacuate homes used to store weapons for Hezbollah. This comes after last week's explosion of Hezbollah communication devices and multiple strikes. World leaders gather in New York this week to discuss the biggest geopolitical issues and crisis, and the mayor of Birmingham, Alabama, is calling for action after a mass shooting.

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Today's episode of Up First was edited by Vincent Ni, Tara Neill, Russell Lewis, HJ Mai and Mohamad ElBardicy. It was produced by Iman Maani, Nia Dumas and Julie Depenbrock. We get engineering support from Carleigh Strange, and our technical director is Zac Coleman.

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