Harris now ties Trump in swing states. And, a Babe Ruth jersey shatters record-ZoomTech News

Good morning. You are studying the Up First publication. Subscribe right here to get it delivered to your inbox, and hear to the Up First podcast for all of the information you have to begin your day.

Right now’s prime tales

Yesterday, Hezbollah and Israel exchanged a few of the fiercest fireplace because the starting of the struggle in Gaza — heightening fears of a wider regional battle within the Center East. Israel says its main assault in southern Lebanon was preemptive after it obtained intelligence that Hezbollah was going to strike first. Hezbollah responded with rockets and drones and stated by late morning that it was executed with operations for the day. Israel additionally de-escalated.

• 🎧 Hezbollah and Iran have been preserving the area on edge this month, NPR’s Hadeel Al-Shalchi tells Up First. They each promised to avenge the Israeli killings of a prime Hezbollah chief in Beirut and Hamas’ chief in Tehran. This comes as Egypt hosted a brand new spherical of talks aimed toward getting Israel and Hamas near a cease-fire deal in Gaza. No deal was reached and it is unknown how a lot progress was made. A 29-year-old Palestinian who has been pressured to evacuate once more tells NPR Gaza producer Anas Baba that he would not have an oz of hope and thinks the struggle will drag on for no less than one other yr.

The presidential race has modified considerably since President Biden dropped out and Vice President Harris took his spot, in keeping with NPR’s newest map of swing states. Harris has taken slim leads in three important states — Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania — that may put her at simply sufficient electoral votes to win the White Home, in keeping with polling averages. NPR’s evaluation now has all seven of probably the most carefully watched swing states as toss-ups, transferring the entire Solar Belt states from Lean Republican beforehand.

• 🎧 “The race is extraordinarily shut, which we have been anticipating all alongside,” NPR’s Domenico Montanaro says. Harris has closed the gap completely in the Sun Belt states of Arizona, Nevada and North Carolina, whereas Trump holds on to a slight lead in Georgia. Harris and her operating mate Tim Walz can be in Georgia later this week. Regardless of Harris’ momentum, Montanaro says Democrats are warning activists and voters to not get complacent. Although the polls have improved for her, he says the underside line is it’s unknown who will present as much as vote and these polls are estimates.

Eric Garcetti, former Mayor of Los Angeles and present U.S. Ambassador to India, has been accused of mendacity underneath oath to cowl up harassment allegations in opposition to considered one of his associates and prime advisers, Rick Jacobs. Individuals who labored with Jacobs at Los Angeles Metropolis Corridor testified that he touched them, together with forcible kisses on the lips, massages, and hugs with out their consent. He is additionally accused of constructing crude sexual and typically racist feedback and general making a “hostile work setting.” Jacobs has denied all wrongdoing and declined to reply NPR’s questions. Garcetti additionally declined an interview request however stated in an e-mail that he absolutely stands by his testimony.

• 🎧 NPR’s Tom Dreisbach talked with six staff of the Braveness Marketing campaign, a liberal group that Jacobs led earlier than working at LA Metropolis Corridor. They echoed the identical points going again to the mid-2000s. Garcetti denied ever seeing any inappropriate behaviors by Jacobs at any time. The allegations against Jacobs came to light in 2020, when an LAPD officer sued town, alleging Jacobs harassed him for years and Garcetti witnessed the habits and did nothing. The lawsuit included a photograph of Jacobs posing along with his hand on a lobbyist’s crotch subsequent to Garcetti and a few lobbyists on the U.S. Convention of Mayors. Town paid the officer $1.8 million with out admitting wrongdoing.

Life recommendation

Grocery costs have elevated by 1.1% over the previous yr, on prime of a 3.6% improve the earlier yr and 13.1% the yr earlier than that. Meals costs are nonetheless excessive, however your grocery invoice would not should be. Beth Moncel, founding father of the cooking weblog Finances Bytes, shares good recommendations on how to save cash on the grocery store.

• 💸 Obtain Flipp, a free utility that aggregates gross sales flyers from shops in your space.
• 💸 Examine costs of various manufacturers on-line earlier than procuring.
• 💸 Don’t assume bulk offers are higher. Typically totally different packaging has drastically totally different costs. Take note of unit costs.
• 💸 Reduce on pricier gadgets comparable to meats and cheeses. Bear in mind, decreasing doesn’t imply going with out.
• 💸 Load up on cheap and filling produce together with potatoes, onions, carrots and broccoli.

Click on right here for extra of Moncel’s suggestions that might assist along with your subsequent grocery run.

Image present

Tens of millions of U.S. voters turned aware of voting by mail 4 years in the past. The Smithsonian’s Nationwide Postal Museum’s new exhibition reminds us that the follow dates again greater than 160 years earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic. Mail-in ballots, election mailers, images and different artifacts are on show within the museum’s stamp salon. The exhibit lays out a timeline that begins with the Civil Warfare election of 1864, which is taken into account the beginning of mail-in voting’s large-scale use within the U.S.

3 issues to know earlier than you go

1. A New York Yankees jersey worn by Babe Ruth has offered for $24.12 million, shattering the report for the costliest sports activities collectible offered at public sale. Ruth wore the jersey when he “referred to as his shot” in Recreation 3 of the 1932 World Sequence in opposition to the Chicago Cubs.
2. On the finish of September, Individuals can order as much as 4 free at-home COVID-19 exams delivered to their mailbox. The exams can detect newer variants of the virus.
3. The 2 astronauts who had been stranded after taking a Boeing Starliner check flight into orbit will return in a capsule constructed by competing firm SpaceX in February, NASA introduced.

This text was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.