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Our top stories.

Hurricane Milton dipped to a category 3 storm as it approached Florida's West Coast

around 28 Florida counties as it approached Florida's west coast.

Around 28 Florida counties are under a hurricane warning.

Meteorologists expect that the storm will trigger severe thunderstorms and tornadoes.

Ron DeSantis, the state's governor,

has urged residents in its path to, quote, get out now.

5.5 million people were issued with evacuation orders.

President Joe Biden postponed visits to Angola and Germany.

Some 5,000 members of the National Guard have been deployed, with another 3,000 standing by.

Mr. Biden and Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's Prime Minister, spoke by telephone, their first meeting since August.

Joav Galant, Israel's Defence Minister, delayed a visit to the Pentagon in anticipation of Mr. Netanyahu's call.

On Wednesday he said that Israeli retaliation

against Iran's recent missile attack

would be, quote, lethal, precise precise and especially surprising.

Meanwhile Israel and Lebanon continued to trade missiles.

...