The Evening: A year of war

Also, Hurricane Milton heads toward Florida as a Category 5 storm.

View in browser|nytimes.com October 7, 2024 By Matthew Cullen Good evening. Here's the latest at the end of Monday. The anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks Evacuations ahead of Hurricane Milton Plus, Hedi Slimane's next move Relatives and friends of victims of the Oct. 7 attacks gathered at the site of the Nova music festival today. Avishag Shaar-Yashuv for The New York Times One year after Oct. 7, peace seems more elusive than ever On this day last year, Hamas militants stormed into Israel, killed more than 1,200 Israelis, committed atrocities and took more than 250 people back to Gaza as hostages. We are still living in the aftermath. Across Israel and around the world today, solemn memorials were held to commemorate the victims and survivors of the deadliest day in the country's history. At a ceremony in a kibbutz just outside Gaza, explosions from Israeli airstrikes could be heard — a reminder that the Oct. 7 attacks set off a war that continues to spread, with no end in sight. That war centers on Israel's insistence on destroying Hamas and freeing the Israeli hostages, but it has spread to Lebanon and Iran, and peace in the Middle East seems more elusive than ever. The Israeli military today mounted attacks on two fronts. The war has also become a battle over narratives. For Israel, Oct. 7 summoned in Jews every devouring specter of the Holocaust. But as Gaza has turned into a mass death trap — with more than 40,000 people killed, mostly civilians — Palestinians and some international leaders have criticized Israel's response and accused it of war crimes. In the U.S., many American Jews reconnected with Jewish communities. The war led to mass protests on college campuses and is now an important election topic: Muslim and Arab American voters have become discontent with Democrats, particularly in the swing state of Michigan. For more: Here are images that have defined the war. A house in St. Pete Beach, Fla., today. Octavio Jones/Reuters Hurricane Milton heads toward Florida as a Category 5 storm Hurricane Milton rapidly intensified today into a Category 5 storm with 180-mile-per-hour winds, making it the strongest storm in the Gulf of Mexico in nearly two decades. Forecasters expect it to deliver major damage to Florida's western coast when it makes landfall on Wednesday. We're tracking the storm live. Gov. Ron DeSantis said to expect widespread evacuations, including parts of the densely populated Tampa Bay region, where meteorologists said residents could be in for "the worst hurricane in their lifetime." At the same time, FEMA faces severe staffing shortages. In other storm news, conspiracy theories and false claims are disrupting the recovery from Hurricane Helene. Kamala Harris at a campaign event in Flint, Mich., on Friday. Emily Elconin for The New York Times Get ready to hear a lot from Harris With less than a month before the election and no more debates on the schedule, Vice President Kamala Harris set off this week on a media blitz. Many of her stops will be with friendly hosts, on daytime and late-night TV. But tonight, Harris will appear on "60 Minutes," for what is sure to be a closely watched interview. The special will not include an interview with Donald Trump, who backed out last week. This final stretch is likely to be crucial because Harris and Trump are nearly tied in polls in all seven battleground states. We took a look at both candidates' strategies. On the campaign trail The presidential election is 29 days away. Elon Musk's super PAC is offering $47 to those who help it find potential Trump voters. Harris could be the first female president. But it's Republicans who are playing the gender card. Trump often repeats himself and roams from thought to thought, reinforcing questions about his age. Christine Olsson/EPA, via Shutterstock A discovery in tiny worms led to a Nobel Prize Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine today for the discovery of microRNA, a tiny class of RNA molecules that play a crucial role in determining how organisms develop and function. They made the discovery while working with millimeter-size worms. More top news Georgia: The state's Supreme Court reinstated a state law that prohibits abortions beyond six weeks of pregnancy while it considers an appeal. Ukraine: A Russian hypersonic missile struck near a major Ukrainian military airfield, part of a campaign aimed at degrading its military infrastructure. Russia: A 72-year-old U.S. citizen was sentenced to nearly seven years in a penal colony on charges of serving as a mercenary in Ukraine. Tech: A federal judge ruled that Google must open Android to other app stores and billing options. Tunisia: President Kais Saied won the country's first presidential election since he began dismantling the country's young democracy. New York City: Philip Banks, a top aide to Mayor Eric Adams, resigned — the sixth senior administrator to leave City Hall in the past month. Space: A European spacecraft launched today with the mission of investigating an asteroid that NASA had deliberately struck with another spacecraft. India: Two climbers were rescued from a Himalayan mountain after being stranded for three nights at 20,000 feet. Lives Lived: Cissy Houston, a gospel singer and in-demand backup vocalist who guided the rise of her daughter, Whitney, died at 91. TIME TO UNWIND Hedi Slimane in 2003. Max Lautenschlaeger/Visum, Redux Hedi Slimane has changed fashion The designer Hedi Slimane first transformed men's clothing in the late '90s with the super skinny suit. He then went on to impose his style at Dior and, most recently, Celine. Now, the fashion world is speculating about him taking over Chanel — linking an already mythic designer with the brand that Coco built. But our fashion critic, Vanessa Friedman, has a different idea. Slimane's penchant for changing a brand's look to fit his vision, not the other way around, has created a recipe for monotony across the industry. Perhaps it's time for him to start a label of his own, Vanessa writes. For more: "Demure" fashion might not be a passing trend. Getty Images Have we reached peak life span? Around the world, life expectancy has been rising for decades thanks to medical and technological advancements. But a new study suggested that, barring a transformative medical breakthrough, those improvements will soon plateau. Using data collected between 1990 and 2019, researchers predicted that maximum life expectancy would end up around 87 years — approximately 84 for men and 90 for women — an average age that several countries are already close to achieving. Olivia Bell rehearsing "Signs" at New York City Ballet, where it will have its company premiere this week. Josefina Santos for The New York Times Dinner table topics "Signs": At 20, the radiant ballerina Olivia Bell is reprising a role she knocked out of the park as a teenager. A master storyteller: Lore Segal, who died today at 96, approached the end of her story with the same startling powers of perception she brought to her fiction. Dining without meat: Can a vegetarian dine well in New York? We put some top menus to the test. It was $325 a month: A couple have been living in the same rent-stabilized apartment for 42 years. Their piano fits just fine. WHAT TO DO TONIGHT Con Poulos for The New York Times Cook: This yogurt-marinated chicken is a reliable choice. Sip: The espresso martini has nothing on these two cold brew cocktails. Watch: Keri Russell and Ali Wong star in two of this month's most anticipated Netflix arrivals. Read: Here are two great reads about old flames. Style: Our critic explained why powerful people carry tiny handbags. Rest: These are Wirecutter's favorite sleep trackers. Compete: Take this week's Flashback history quiz. Play: Here are today's Spelling Bee, Wordle and Mini Crossword. Find all of our games here. ONE LAST THING Cayce Clifford for The New York Times We've become a nation of homebodies There's a good chance that you're reading this newsletter from home. Or, at least, there's a far better chance now than if this newsletter was sent out two decades ago. On average, Americans spent 1 hour 39 minutes a day more at home in 2022 compared with 2003, according to census data. It's a trend that rose sharply during the pandemic, especially with the rise of remote jobs. But it began many years before most of us had ever heard of Covid. The largest shift affected religious activities: 59 percent occurred at home in 2022, up from 24 percent in 2003. Have a comfortable evening. Thanks for reading. I'll be back tomorrow. — Matthew Sean Kawasaki-Culligan was our photo editor today. We welcome your feedback. Write to us at evening@nytimes.com. Writer: Matthew Cullen Editorial Director: Adam Pasick Editors: Carole Landry, Whet Moser, Justin Porter, Jonathan Wolfe Need help? Review our newsletter help page or contact us for assistance. You received this email because you signed up for The Evening from The New York Times. To stop receiving The Evening, unsubscribe. To opt out of other promotional emails from The Times, including those regarding The Athletic, manage your email settings. To opt out of updates and offers sent from The Athletic, submit a request. 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