Enough time to evacuate?

Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY
·5 min read
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Hurricane Ian left dozens dead in one Florida county. Did they have enough time to evacuate? Multiple Ukrainian cities were rocked by Russian missile strikes. And how three women are making their mark on the lithium mining boom.

👋 Hey! Laura Davis here. It's Monday. Ready for the news?

But first: Hello, moon! Last night was the first full moon of fall – known as the hunter's moon – and we've got the pictures to prove it. Take a look at the gallery here.

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'How were thousands of people blindsided?'

A week after Category 4 Hurricane Ian made landfall in Lee County with its torrents of destructive saltwater, 50 people in the coastal county are dead – more than half of all Ian-related deaths in Florida. The tragic outcome has questions swirling: Why did the forecast change so much? Were people given enough time to evacuate? The USA TODAY Network-Florida dug into the situation to better understand what happened and found three major factors that played a part in the disaster's severity. Added together, the results were grievous.

Times Square, an iconic feature of Fort Myers Beach, is devastated after Hurricane Ian on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.
Times Square, an iconic feature of Fort Myers Beach, is devastated after Hurricane Ian on Friday, Sept. 30, 2022.

Ukrainian cities rocked by multiple Russian missile attacks

For the first time in months, Kyiv and several other Ukrainian cities took severe blows from missile attacks Monday in what Russian President Vladimir Putin called retaliation for a weekend bombing of a Russian-built bridge. At least 14 civilians were killed and nearly 100 wounded in the Kyiv strikes, which Putin said were targeted at Ukrainian energy, military and communications facilities. But civilian areas like a playground and a university also were hit, and homes, businesses, roads and vehicles were left in ruins. In a statement, President Joe Biden condemned the strikes and said they demonstrated the "utter brutality of Mr. Putin’s illegal war."

Russian shelling targeted the Ukraine capital, Kyiv, early Monday after months of relative calm.
Russian shelling targeted the Ukraine capital, Kyiv, early Monday after months of relative calm.

What everyone's talking about

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Lithium demand is skyrocketing. These women are mining pioneers.

It's like a modern, high-tech version of the Old West – except the three most prominent gunslingers are women. With the price of gas soaring and the electric automobile market rocketing, prices of lithium exploded over 400% in 2021 and are continuing to rise astronomically. That has spawned a mining industry rampage to find, extract and process lithium reserves, and the epicenter of it is Clayton Valley, Nevada – where Mary Little, Emily Hersh and LeeAnn Munk are pioneering new pieces of the puzzle. They're also tangling with bureaucrats for mining permits and battling with a land baron over another substance that, in the desert, is as precious as gold: water. Keep reading.

  • The 'white gold' rush: What does the lithium gold rush mean for you?

Emily Hersh checks the muddy road conditions on the Columbus Marsh, a central Nevada salt flat where her exploration company (Luna Lithium) has mining claims to extract lithium from subsurface brine on July 27, 2022.
Emily Hersh checks the muddy road conditions on the Columbus Marsh, a central Nevada salt flat where her exploration company (Luna Lithium) has mining claims to extract lithium from subsurface brine on July 27, 2022.

Ye locked out of Twitter, Instagram over antisemitic posts

Actions have consequences. Hollywood and social media platforms are proving just that after Ye – you might also know him as Kanye West – shared antisemitic statements in posts on Saturday. The rapper was promptly locked out of his Twitter and Instagram accounts, and Twitter and Instagram reps said that Ye posted messages that violated their policies. Numerous Hollywood figures and other celebrities, including Jamie Lee Curtis, John Legend and Meghan McCain, took to social media to speak out against the messages shared by Ye. Grammy-winning songwriter Diane Warren called for Ye to be "banned for life everywhere."

The rapper Ye, also known as Kanye West, was locked out of his Twitter and Instagram accounts. Spokespeople for Twitter and Instagram said Oct. 9, 2022, that Ye posted messages violating their policies.
The rapper Ye, also known as Kanye West, was locked out of his Twitter and Instagram accounts. Spokespeople for Twitter and Instagram said Oct. 9, 2022, that Ye posted messages violating their policies.

Real quick

🌤 What's the weather up to in your neck of the woods? Check your local forecast here.

Celebrating Indigenous Peoples Day

It's the second Monday of October, which means it's Indigenous Peoples Day. This day has been a national holiday for close to a century, but Monday is only the second year that has held that designation. Last October, President Joe Biden signed the first presidential proclamation of Indigenous Peoples Day, a commemoration-turned-holiday that began in 1977 to honor Native American history and culture. That presidential stamp of approval was the most significant boost to date of efforts refocusing a federal holiday that for decades celebrated Christopher Columbus' discovery of America. Although few Americans are arguing with the notion of being off work, Columbus Day and Indigenous People's Day have prompted political debate around the country.

👉 Is it offensive to celebrate Columbus Day? Where is Indigenous Peoples Day celebrated? Here's everything you need to know.

A woman prays while holding a container of water brought from Puerto Rico during an Indigenous Peoples' Day sunrise ceremony on Randall's Island in New York City on October 10, 2022. - The federal holiday to mark Columbus Day is also officially recognized as Indigenous Peoples' Day, following a proclamation by US President Joe Biden.
A woman prays while holding a container of water brought from Puerto Rico during an Indigenous Peoples' Day sunrise ceremony on Randall's Island in New York City on October 10, 2022. - The federal holiday to mark Columbus Day is also officially recognized as Indigenous Peoples' Day, following a proclamation by US President Joe Biden.

A break from the news

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Send her an email at laura@usatoday.com or follow along with her adventures – and misadventures – on Twitter. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Russia missile strikes in Ukraine, lithium miners, Ye locked on Twitter, Instagram. Monday's news.