Daily Briefing: Follow Hurricane Milton's path

Hurricane Milton is expected to continue moving east and northeast through tomorrow. New data shows illegal border crossings are at four-year low. A draconian six-week abortion ban is back in effect in Georgia.

🙋🏼‍♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert, Daily Briefing author. These destinations have the best Halloween in America.

Hurricane Milton grows 'explosively'

Hurricane Milton became one of the top five "most intense Atlantic hurricanes" on record Monday night, according to the National Weather Service in Jacksonville, Florida.

Milton strengthened to a Category 5 powerhouse Monday, driving sustained winds of 165 mph as it rolled across the Gulf of Mexico bound for what could be a devastating crash Wednesday along Florida's already storm-battered western coast.

• Milton's wind speeds had "explosively" intensified over the last day, officials say. The storm rapidly strengthened from Category 2 to 5 in just a few hours, with wind speeds increasing by 95 mph in 24 hours.
• The approach of Hurricane Milton has plunged Gulf Coast residents – many of whom already were mourning homes and even loved ones from Helene's rage last month – into another state of emergency.
• Track Milton's path: Meteorologists said the storm is expected to move near or just north of the Yucatan Peninsula Tuesday before crossing the eastern Gulf of Mexico and nearing the west coast of Florida by Wednesday.

Here to help: Do you have a pet plan ready for a hurricane?

Illegal migration is at a low

Migrant apprehensions at the U.S.-Mexico border fell 75% in September from a year ago, marking the lowest level since the Trump administration, according to preliminary data obtained by Paste BN. The decline in unlawful migration began earlier this year and accelerated in June, when the Biden administration used an executive order to restrict asylum access at the U.S.-Mexico border. At the same time, Mexico began an enforcement effort that has prevented many migrants from reaching the U.S. border. Read more

More news to know now

• One year later: Anti-Jewish and anti-Muslim hate incidents spike since the Oct. 7 attacks.
• Here's what to do if you're headed to Florida amid Hurricane Milton.
• A canyoneer died after falling more than 150 feet at Zion National Park.
• Thinking about retirement? Boomers feel unprepared, Gen Xers worry they're behind schedule and millennials are feeling the squeeze.
• Hospitals urge emergency steps to address an IV fluid shortage after Hurricane Helene.

What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here.

Harris owns a Glock

Vice President Kamala Harris revealed what type of gun she owns during the an interview with CBS's "60 Minutes" Monday night. Harris told the nation that she was a gun owner during her debate against former President Donald Trump, who withdrew from an interview with "60 Minutes" last week. Harris criticized Trump for backing out during the sit-down interview and defended her policy reversals on issues such as fracking. Those shifts in policy came after hearing from Americans across the country during her travels as vice president, she said. Read more

Georgia abortion ban temporarily reinstated

The Georgia Supreme Court has temporarily reinstated a 6-week abortion ban across the state effective one week after a state court overturned the law. The 2019 ban went back into effect Monday evening, meaning abortion will once again be inaccessible for the vast majority of Georgia residents until the state Supreme Court issues a decision. A renewed legal battle over the ban comes a few weeks after reporting from ProPublica found that the law forced healthcare providers to delay medical care to pregnant patients, and linked the deaths of at least two women — Amber Nicole Thurman and Candi Miller — to the ban. Read more

Keep scrolling

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• For former showgirls, the Tropicana was home.
• Here are all the biggest reveals in Lisa Marie Presley’s memoir.
• Cissy Houston, gospel singer and mother of pop icon Whitney Houston, has died at 91.

It's time to shop!

Amazon's October Prime Big Deal Days sale kicked off on Tuesday and everyone is scouring the site for the craziest discounts. From Apple iPads and Amazon devices to golf rangefinders and viral hair brushes, Amazon's October sale is not leaving anyone out. If you're overwhelmed by the thousands of deals available, we've made your life a little easier by live-tracking all the best discounts. Check out our guide here.

Photo of the day:  She's the richest female musician

Pop star Taylor Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium to root for Travis Kelce and the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday night. But Swift had her own touchdown to celebrate: She is now the richest female musician, with an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at Paste BN, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@usatoday.com.