5 things to know for Oct. 10: Ukraine, Hurricane Ian, Venezuela, Griner & Whelan, NFL

CNN

By Alexandra Meeks, CNN

Today is Columbus Day, one of the most inconsistently celebrated holidays in the US. For some, the day marks Christopher Columbus’ first voyage to America. But in more than 100 US cities, the day is recognized as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Either way, it’s a federal holiday, so many will have the day off from work, and places like post offices and banks will be closed.

Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day.

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1. Ukraine

Russia hit several Ukrainian cities today in what appears to be the heaviest wave of missile and rocket attacks since the opening week of the war, officials said. Multiple explosions shook the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv following weeks of relative calm, prompting widespread condemnation from global leaders. “They are trying to annihilate us and wipe us off the face of the earth,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said today. The mayor of Kyiv has urged residents to remain in shelters after a children’s playground was among the sites hit by the apparent Russian strikes. Several blasts also rocked the Ukrainian cities of Kharkiv, Lviv, Mykolaiv and Dnipropetrovsk. This comes just two days after Russian President Vladimir Putin was humiliated following a massive explosion on a key strategic bridge linking Crimea and Russia.

2. Hurricane Ian

In the wake of Hurricane Ian, the lack of flood insurance in Central Florida has left many families struggling to rebuild amid the devastation. Homeowners’ insurance policies typically don’t cover flood damage and most people living in Ian’s path across Florida didn’t have a separate flood insurance policy. Inland areas that experienced historic rainfall and catastrophic floodwaters were especially unprepared, according to a CNN analysis of FEMA flood insurance data. While people without flood insurance will still be eligible for assistance payments from FEMA and potentially other aid approved by Congress, experts say many homeowners will likely only receive a tiny fraction of the cost of the damage they suffered.

3. Venezuela

A landslide in Venezuela on Sunday killed at least 25 people and left more than 50 missing in the north central state of Aragua, officials said. The landslide came down in the Santos Michelena municipality after days of heavy rainfall caused the five streams of the Las Tejerías river to overflow, officials said. On Sunday, Venezuela’s President Nicolás Maduro tweeted that he ordered the “maximum deployment” of the interior ministry and security agencies to respond to the emergency. Maduro also declared three days of national mourning “in solidarity with the families affected.”

4. Griner & Whelan

Former Gov. Bill Richardson said Sunday he is “cautiously optimistic” that Americans Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan will be released and suggested they could be freed from Russia by the end of the year. Richardson recently traveled to Russia to discuss the possible release of the detained WNBA star and former US Marine with Kremlin officials. Richardson also said that he’s working with the families of both Americans and coordinating with the White House for their release. “All I can say is that the Biden administration is working hard on it,” Richardson told CNN, adding his meetings have been with “senior Russian officials, individuals close to President (Vladimir) Putin.”

5. NFL

The National Football League and the NFL Players Association agreed to update the league’s concussion protocol over the weekend. The decision follows a review of the response to Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s injury on September 25 after he suffered an apparent head injury and was later allowed to reenter the game. He was later hospitalized for a concussion. Under the new protocols, players will be unable to compete if they are experiencing ataxia, which describes a lack of coordination caused by poor muscle control. The NFL’s chief medical officer said the NFL would take a “conservative” approach to ruling players out. On Sunday, the new concussion protocol went into effect and several players were sidelined under the new rules.

BREAKFAST BROWSE

Video shows volcano eruption in Italy

Watch the moment a volcano erupted on the Italian island of Stromboli. Thankfully, no injuries were reported.

Kanye West’s Twitter account was locked

Twitter locked the rapper’s account for violating the company’s policies over an offensive antisemitic tweet.

Dumpy, the giant frog that went viral on TikTok, is actually fake

Take a look at the supersized frog that toad-ally confused the internet.

Study shows Chick-fil-A has the slowest drive-thru

But they have a good reason for the extended wait… Here are the best and worst drive-thrus, according to a new study.

Activists glue themselves to a Picasso painting

Two people were arrested Sunday after gluing themselves to a Picasso painting in Melbourne. Check out a photo from the incident here.

TODAY’S NUMBER

9%

That’s how much plastic in the US is actually recycled — and that includes the items you threw into the recycle bin, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. The plastic industry is responsible for the same annual emissions as around 50 million cars, the EPA says. And more plastic-making facilities continue to come online.

To learn what you can do to take better care of our planet, sign up for CNN’s Life, But Greener newsletter. You’ll receive a seven-part guide to help you minimize your personal role in the climate crisis.

TODAY’S QUOTE

“The School of Law deeply regrets this unintended mistake and is taking steps to ensure that it will not happen in the future.”

— Northeastern University’s law school, issuing an apology after it sent out 4,000 acceptance letters by mistake last week. The law school “quickly sent a clarifying email explaining the error,” according to a statement. A total of 3,930 applicants from last year also received the “erroneous email.” Admissions decisions are not expected to be finalized until later in the academic year, the statement said.

TODAY’S WEATHER

Check your local forecast here>>>

AND FINALLY

The forest of forgotten cars

Take a glimpse through the world’s largest classic car junkyard in the middle of a forest. (Click here to view)

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