This year’s ‘October surprise’ may be no surprise at all It is not uncommon for political commentators to call a late-breaking story during a presidential election an “October surprise” — even when there is little evidence that it mattered all that much. Read more on NPR

Gael García Bernal believes that nothing ends — it just transforms Gael García Bernal was basically fated to be an actor. He talks to NPR’s Wild Card about being the best version of himself, how he thinks about death and what has surprised him about getting older. Read more on NPR

‘There is no home:’ Floridians find helping hands after floods Many residents impacted by inland flooding near Tampa can’t return home as floodwaters slowly recede. One church in Valrico is providing food and other resources to residents in the neighborhood. Read more on NPR

The stark divide between Harris and Trump on voting rights Harris wants to make it easier for eligible voters to cast ballots and rebuild Voting Rights Act protections against racial discrimination, while Trump pushes for more restrictions to voting access. Read more on NPR

With no running water, Asheville finds other ways to flush thousands of toilets Since the remnants of Hurricane Helene hit Asheville, most of the city has been without running water. The people of Asheville have devised elaborate systems to stay clean and flush their toilets. Read more on NPR

A cheese shop owner in Florida describes recovery efforts after her shop lost power NPR’s Scott Simon speaks to Louise Kennedy Converse, whose cheese shop in Sarasota, Fla., lost power during Hurricane Milton. Read more on NPR

7-Eleven to close over 400 stores in North America The ubiquitous convenience store owed its recent revenue drops to inflation, declining cigarette sales and a shift in palates toward fresh food and specialty drinks. Read more on NPR

What the Harris campaign is doing to try to win over more Black men Former President Barack Obama bluntly told Black men this week that they need to get over it if they “just aren’t feeling the idea of having a woman as president.” Read more on NPR

Harris releases medical report, drawing another contrast with Trump The two-page letter says that Vice President Harris is in excellent health and has “the physical and mental resiliency required to successfully execute the duties of the presidency.” Read more on NPR

Opinion: Remembering Ethel Kennedy NPR’s Scott Simon remarks on the legacy of Ethel Kennedy, widow of Robert F. Kennedy. She died Oct. 10 at the age of 96. Read more on NPR