Perennial Millennial

📊 UN Summit, ACA Enrollment, and Alibaba

Farooq Zafar — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 01:41:40 GMT

Greetings! Happy Autumnal Equinox to those celebrating.

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🌎 GLOBAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇺🇳 Guterres urges interdependence as United Nations summit opens. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres opened the 81st General Assembly with a final appeal for a “world built on interdependence” as wars, climate shocks, inequality and AI strain the international system. Guterres leaves office at year’s end after two terms. He warned that global fault lines are widening while institutions struggle to keep pace. Roughly 130 heads of state and government are converging on New York for the annual summit. President Trump used his address to defend American actions against Iran and said he faces a major decision on whether to renew attacks. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva urged stronger responses to global conflict while warning against interference in other nations’ internal affairs. Leaders are also confronting wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, Congo and Myanmar. Economic turbulence and disrupted energy routes add another layer of pressure. Climate change remains central as extreme weather intensifies across regions. AI has also moved closer to the diplomatic foreground as governments debate safeguards for increasingly capable systems. The United Nations itself faces a funding crunch. American arrears have left the organization’s finances in rocky shape. The Security Council itself faces calls for reform. Guterres has repeatedly argued that cooperation must survive intensifying great-power competition. His final General Assembly address sharpened that message into a warning against fragmentation and transactional diplomacy. The gathering now tests whether 193 member states can translate shared anxiety into coordinated action. The problems are global, but the political appetite for durable collective solutions remains deeply uncertain.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🌍 Diplomats describe a world in turmoil at United Nations gathering. Diplomats arriving for the United Nations General Assembly are describing a world that is messier, more volatile and less predictable than it was a year ago. Wars in Europe and the Middle East are escalating rather than receding. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has entered a fifth year with intensified attacks and little diplomatic progress. The Iran war has widened across the region and disrupted a critical maritime corridor. Earlier this year, an American operation removed Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro from power. Iran also experienced a deadly crackdown after mass demonstrations challenged its theocratic government. Public-health fears resurfaced after Ebola outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. Flash floods in Nepal and Tibet underscored the mounting human costs of climate change. The global economy, meanwhile, is adjusting to war, shifting trade relationships and a changing balance of power. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called the moment an “era of deep uncertainty.” He argues that institutions must evolve as power shifts. Current and former officials have voiced doubts about whether the multilateral system can keep pace. The United Nations still brings nearly every government into one room, but consensus has become harder to manufacture. The annual meeting therefore opens with diplomacy under unusually heavy and immediate strain. Leaders are not arriving to debate a single crisis but to manage several overlapping ones. The week will measure whether the world’s central diplomatic forum can still produce common ground when the world itself is fragmenting.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🩺 Administration moves to remove 760K Affordable Care Act enrollees. President Trump’s administration says it will remove about 760K people from Affordable Care Act marketplaces after alleging that some enrollments were fraudulent or tied to people who do not exist. Vice President JD Vance said roughly 315K enrollments covering those 760K people are being canceled. He said the move would save about $2.2B in subsidy payments. Another 419K enrollments will face additional eligibility verification. The administration also announced a six-month pause on new agents or brokers enrolling people in marketplace coverage. Officials say brokers account for a disproportionate share of the suspected fraud they identified. About 19.2M Americans were actively enrolled in marketplace plans in early 2026. Vance leads an administration task force focused on fraud. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Mehmet Oz joined him for the announcement. The Government Accountability Office has previously identified vulnerabilities in marketplace enrollment controls. In covert testing, nearly all 24 fictitious applicants created by investigators obtained subsidized coverage. That test demonstrated a fraud risk but did not establish the scale of improper enrollment nationwide. The removals come as healthcare affordability remains politically salient before the midterms. Premiums have risen sharply for many customers after enhanced subsidies expired. Democratic lawmakers criticized the administration’s action as another barrier to obtaining coverage. Administration officials say the changes are intended to protect taxpayers and ensure federal subsidies reach only qualified enrollees. The dispute now turns on how accurately the government distinguishes fraudulent or invalid enrollments from legitimate health coverage.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🏥 Hospitals strike deals restricting care for transgender minors. At least six major hospital systems have reached Justice Department agreements to stop providing puberty blockers, hormones or gender-affirming surgeries to patients under 19. The agreements also require payments to the federal government. New York University Langone Hospitals agreed to pay $8.5M, while University of Pittsburgh Medical Center agreed to pay $950K. Similar settlements have been reached with Cleveland Clinic, Connecticut Children’s Hospital, Mount Sinai Health System and Texas Children’s Hospital. None of the hospitals admitted wrongdoing. The agreements end federal investigations into care previously provided. They also remove the immediate risk that hospitals would have to surrender patient records sought through federal subpoenas. Some providers agreed to help cover medical costs for children who later seek to reverse prior treatments. President Trump has made restricting gender-affirming care for minors a major administration policy. His administration also barred federal Medicaid funding from covering such treatment. Most major American medical organizations, including the American Medical Association and American Academy of Pediatrics, support keeping gender-affirming care available. At least 27 states restrict or prohibit such care for minors. More than two dozen hospitals and clinics in states without bans have also stopped offering it since last year. LGBTQ+ advocates argue the government is using federal power to pressure providers out of medically supported care. The hospitals say pediatric mental-health services for transgender patients will continue. Legal fights over subpoenas, funding and the federal government’s authority remain active. The settlements narrow treatment options without resolving the broader medical and constitutional disputes.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🧠 Alibaba unveils powerful AI chip and massive model plans. Alibaba Group ($BABA) unveiled a new AI chip and plans for dramatically larger models as China accelerates its competition with American technology leaders. CEO Eddie Wu introduced the Zhenwu V900 at the company’s flagship conference in Hangzhou. Alibaba calls it China’s most powerful AI chip. Wu said it delivers three times the performance of the previous Zhenwu M890. The chips are designed for both model training and inference inside Alibaba data centers and its cloud business. Alibaba also plans to train a model with between 5T and 10T parameters. Its current Qwen3.8-Max model has 2.4T parameters. Chinese rival Moonshot says its Kimi K3 open model has 2.8T. Alibaba is simultaneously preparing a massive expansion of its computing infrastructure. The company expects more than 20 gigawatts of computing capacity by 2032. It says rapidly rising AI demand is already straining data-center supply chains. Chinese firms are pushing for greater technological self-reliance as American-led export restrictions limit access to advanced chips and chipmaking equipment. Huawei recently unveiled new chip systems of its own. Chinese-designed accelerators are gaining ground even as Nvidia ($NVDA) hardware remains important for frontier training. Open Chinese models are also spreading globally because they can cost less than leading closed systems. Wu compared AI’s trajectory to the Industrial Revolution. He predicted machines could eventually produce more than 1,000 times humanity’s combined “thinking” output. The announcement lands just before Chinese President Xi Jinping meets President Trump, with AI, trade and tariffs expected on the agenda.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📈 Wall Street stays near record as Brent drops below $100. American stocks finished nearly flat as cheaper oil relieved inflation pressure while investors weighed mixed corporate results and high interest rates. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) slipped less than 0.1% to 7,764.64. It remained just 0.4% below last month’s record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 185 points, or 0.4%. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.5% to a record 27,244.28. Brent crude briefly fell below $98 before settling at $99.25 per barrel, down 1.1%. Oil had approached $110 last week and traded near $72 before the Iran war. Lower energy prices can ease pressure on inflation, shipping costs and household budgets. The 10-year Treasury yield edged down to 4.95% from 4.96%. AutoZone ($AZO) gained 3.3% after reporting stronger quarterly profit than analysts expected despite weaker revenue. Thor Industries ($THO) rose 5.5% after also beating profit expectations, even as its CEO cited expensive fuel, high rates and inflation. Energy shares weakened with crude. ConocoPhillips ($COP) fell 1.8%. JPMorgan Chase ($JPM) dropped 3.4% as banks remained under pressure after the Federal Reserve’s first rate increase in three years. Analysts expect S&P 500 companies to report nearly 29% year-over-year profit growth for the third quarter, according to FactSet. That would mark a third consecutive quarter above 25%. Hong Kong and Shanghai stocks also rose after Alibaba unveiled new AI chip and model technology. Markets remain near records, but expensive money, volatile oil and rich AI valuations keep the margin for disappointment unusually narrow.

👀 ICMYI

1. Missouri map fight heads toward another Supreme Court showdown.

2. Media expert criticizes White House bans on three news outlets.

3. New York and California sue over canceled offshore wind projects.

4. Nolan Wells’ family challenges grand jury findings in his death.

5. NFL players increasingly favor natural grass over artificial turf.

6. Giants continue evaluating quarterback Jaxson Dart’s knee injury.

7. Category 5 Hurricane Polo churns off Mexico’s Pacific coast.

8. California grape growers struggle as American wine demand falls.

9. Google faces €403M EU fine over mishandled location data.

10. Bill Gates backs smarter AI and representative language data.

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📊 UNGA, Ground Stop, and Paramount

Farooq Zafar — Tue, 22 Sep 2026 02:27:56 GMT

Greetings! Happy National New York Day to those celebrating. 🗽

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🌎 GLOBAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇺🇳 United Nations summit opens under wars, AI fears and climate strain. World leaders are gathering at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) amid wars, economic shocks, climate disruption and growing concern over runaway AI. Roughly 130 heads of state and government are expected to speak. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres will open the high-level debate with his annual assessment of global conditions. President Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron are scheduled to speak afterward. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian follow the next day. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is also due to address the assembly. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will participate by video after America declined to issue him a visa. The agenda spans wars in Iran, Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, Congo and Myanmar. Leaders will also confront rising prices, disrupted shipping routes and widening inequality. Climate shocks remain another central concern as warming intensifies across regions. AI has moved higher on the diplomatic agenda because of fears that increasingly capable systems could outrun existing safeguards. Institutional reform will receive attention too. The 193-member organization has agreed to a broad reform package that includes reconsidering structures such as the Security Council. Guterres’ second five-year term ends December 31st, adding a succession question behind the formal agenda. The organization also remains under financial strain amid American arrears and cutbacks. America recently paid $725M toward this year’s regular budget, helping preserve its General Assembly vote. The summit arrives with more crises than consensus and little room for diplomatic theater divorced from consequence.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇸🇦 Britain offers Saudi Arabia aerial refueling against Houthi attacks. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham says Britain will provide limited military support to Saudi Arabia as Houthi missile and drone attacks intensify. The Royal Air Force (RAF) will conduct air-to-air refueling for Saudi aircraft. Officials say the arrangement will initially last several weeks and remain under review. One RAF Voyager tanker is expected to support Saudi planes flying defensive missions. Burnham announced the decision while traveling to the United Nations General Assembly in New York. He said protecting regional energy routes was part of Britain’s interest. Houthi forces recently targeted Riyadh with a missile that Saudi defenses intercepted. They have also declared a blockade on Saudi shipping in the Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Houthi attacks have hit Saudi-linked vessels and oil facilities. The group also seized Mokha and key Red Sea islands earlier this month. Roughly 12% of world trade normally passes through Bab el-Mandeb. Saudi Arabia has sought air-defense help from Britain, France, and Egypt as its interceptor stocks come under pressure; its Mecca Agreement seeks aid from Pakistan and Turkey. Britain says its support is intended to strengthen regional stability, protect civilians and preserve humanitarian access. British officials had previously declined to discuss operational details. America has shown no interest in joining the renewed Yemen fighting militarily. Saudi Arabia remains the world’s top oil exporter as attacks threaten regional energy routes. Britain’s commitment therefore expands outside support for Saudi defenses without placing British forces directly into offensive operations inside Yemen itself.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

✈️ Technical failures snarl flights across the Northeast. Damaged communications lines at a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) facility in Philadelphia disrupted flights across the Northeast before technicians restored service. Hundreds of flights were canceled. More than 600 cancellations hit Newark Liberty International Airport alone. Commercial arrivals there nearly stopped from about 9:40 a.m. until shortly after 5:20 p.m. More than 200 flights into and out of Philadelphia International Airport were also canceled. LaGuardia and John F. Kennedy International airports experienced disruptions as well. The failure began when the facility’s primary communications circuit went down. A backup fiber-optic line had also been inadvertently severed by railroad construction workers. Controllers were left without radar or communications for hours. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said operations could resume after repairs but warned delays would take time to clear. Airlines allowed some customers to change flights without fees. The FAA advised travelers to verify flight status before leaving for airports. The outage coincided with President Trump and numerous foreign leaders arriving in New York for the United Nations General Assembly. Officials initially disputed whether Amtrak or New Jersey Transit construction crews had damaged the backup line. FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford described the break as massive. Verizon ($VZ) technicians also worked on restoration. The failed primary circuit is already scheduled for replacement under a wider modernization of America’s air traffic infrastructure. A new FAA AI scheduling system began testing separately in Washington and was not linked to the outage.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🚨 Man shot by immigration officer remains detained with bullet inside. Venezuelan driver Wilber Rafael Garces Perez remains in Texas immigration custody after an officer shot him in Austin. Perez, 28, says a bullet remains lodged near his spine. He was making a DoorDash ($DASH) delivery when the encounter occurred. Attorney Kate Lincoln-Goldfinch says officers in an unmarked truck sideswiped his car twice. Perez says they did not initially order him to stop or activate flashing lights. He says officers rammed his vehicle and shot him in the back of the neck as he tried to park. He was hospitalized and later transferred to the South Texas Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Processing Center in Pearsall. Perez says he initially received neither pain medication nor treatment there. His attorneys say doctors declined to remove the bullet because it is near his spine. The Department of Homeland Security says Perez had a final removal order and the shooting is under investigation. The department has not publicly explained what prompted the officer to fire. Perez entered America legally in 2024 through the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) One program, his attorney says. She says he had an asylum case and work authorization. A deportation order followed after he missed a hearing whose notice went to an old address. The shooting comes during President Trump’s immigration-enforcement campaign. ICE reported more than 50K monthly arrests in July and August. Civil-rights advocates and two members of Congress are calling for independent review of ICE force incidents.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🎬 Paramount settlement clears major hurdle for $81B Warner deal. Paramount Skydance ($PSKY) has agreed to settle an antitrust lawsuit brought by 12 states over its proposed $81B acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery ($WBD). The agreement removes the deal’s largest remaining legal obstacle but still requires approval from a judge. Paramount committed to a five-year domestic movie-production plan. It will spend $1.5B over five years beyond its 2025 domestic production spending. It also pledged a $25M fund for independent films. Paramount must produce 30 movies annually during the first two years. That requirement rises to 32 films annually during the following three years. At least four independent films must be released each year. Failure to meet the production requirements could force Paramount to sell Miramax Studios and pay $30M into union health and retirement funds. Paramount expects about $6B in savings from eliminating duplicative operations after the merger. The settlement creates a $47.5M workforce fund for retraining and career development for laid-off employees. Paramount also agreed to honor existing collective-bargaining agreements. Basic cable negotiations for Paramount and Warner channels must remain separate for five years. An independent board will monitor editorial independence at Cable News Network (CNN) and CBS. State attorneys general say the terms protect production and workers. Analysts warn the combination could reduce competition and raise prices. The merger would unite CBS, CNN, HBO Max, Paramount+ and major film libraries. Paramount chairman and CEO David Ellison has outlined plans for a combined slate exceeding 30 films annually.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📈 Wall Street rallies as oil and Treasury yields retreat. American stocks surged as falling oil prices and easing bond yields relieved two pressures that rattled markets last week. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) jumped 1.5%. It finished within 0.4% of its record set last month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 366 points, or 0.7%. The Nasdaq composite rose 2.3% to a record. Brent crude fell 3.4% to $100.34 per barrel. Oil had approached $110 last week and traded near $72 earlier this summer. Middle Eastern crude continues moving through the Strait of Hormuz, although volumes remain constrained by the Iran war. Regular American gasoline now averages nearly $4.48 per gallon. That compares with less than $4.32 a week earlier and $3.18 a year ago. The 10-year Treasury yield eased to 4.95% from 5.01%. It crossed 5% last week for the first time since 2023. Investors also drew encouragement from talks between American Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. Chinese President Xi Jinping is scheduled for a state visit to America from September 23rd through September 25th. AI stocks led the rally. Advanced Micro Devices ($AMD) jumped 9.9%, pushing its market value to $1T, while Nvidia ($NVDA) gained 2.3%. Warner Bros. Discovery ($WBD) climbed 10.8% after merger challengers reached settlements, while Paramount Skydance ($PSKY) fell 2.9%. Markets remain sensitive to another energy spike, but cheaper oil and lower yields restored investors’ risk appetite after an unusually volatile and punishing week.

👀 ICMYI

1. Russia hits Zaporizhzhia after Ukraine’s 1,000-drone weekend barrage.

2. United Russia tightens Kremlin control after a managed parliamentary vote.

3. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard warns America against escalating the war.

4. States settle Paramount-Warner lawsuit, clearing a key merger hurdle.

5. News outlets sue over lost White House access and First Amendment claims.

6. Networks skip Trump’s new helipad coverage amid White House press fight.

7. Vermont jury convicts man in shooting of three Palestinian students.

8. Clancy attorney seeks probe of holdout juror after murder mistrial.

9. Appeals panel favors Missouri map while SCOTUS keeps final say.

10. Presley Gerber, son of supermodel Cindy Crawford, dies aged 27.

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📊 Chinese Fast Food, Dearborn, and AI Lawsuit

Farooq Zafar — Sun, 20 Sep 2026 15:43:40 GMT

Greetings! Happy National Wife Day to those celebrating.

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🌎 GLOBAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇨🇳 Fast food becomes a two-way bridge between America and China. American restaurant chains are accelerating expansion in China as Chinese food and beverage brands push deeper into America. The traffic cuts across disputes over tariffs, technology and Taiwan. Market researcher Yaling Jiang calls the trend consumer-led “gastrodiplomacy.” Church’s Texas Chicken recently opened its first Shanghai restaurant and plans at least 600 more across China. Wendy’s ($WEN) expects 1,000 Chinese restaurants over the next decade. McDonald’s ($MCD) plans 1,000 openings this year and 10,000 locations there by 2028. Burger King owner Restaurant Brands International ($QSR) expects the chain’s Chinese footprint to triple to 4,000 by 2035. KFC already has about 13K restaurants in China, versus roughly 3,750 in America. American operators increasingly rely on Chinese partners and localized menus to compete. Starbucks ($SBUX) sold a 60% stake in its China operation to a Chinese investment firm this year. The exchange now runs both ways. Mixue Group (HKEX: 2097), with more than 53K locations globally, opened its first three American stores in December and plans at least two dozen more. Heytea has 40 American locations, while Luckin Coffee (OTC: LKNCY) has 20 in New York. At least nine mainland Chinese chains have entered America since 2023. Chinese brands often compete aggressively on price as they test whether novelty becomes loyalty. America accounts for roughly one-third of global restaurant revenue despite having about 4% of the world’s population. Politics may harden, but burgers, tea and fried chicken keep crossing the Pacific anyway.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇰🇵 North Korea fires two ballistic missiles toward the sea. North Korea launched two short-range ballistic missiles from its eastern coastal Wonsan area, according to South Korea’s military. The launches occurred about three hours apart. The first missile traveled roughly 450 kilometers. The second flew more than 600 kilometers. Both landed in waters east of the Korean Peninsula. Japan’s Defense Ministry detected a suspected missile outside Japanese territorial waters. South Korea’s presidential office urged Pyongyang to halt launches prohibited by United Nations Security Council resolutions. The tests came days after North Korea threatened to strengthen its nuclear deterrent in response to what it calls American hostility. President Trump reduced the annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise with South Korea last month in an apparent effort to reopen diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Kim’s sister and senior official Kim Yo Jong dismissed the change as insufficient. North Korea subsequently fired about 10 short-range ballistic missiles after another allied exercise. Kim Yo Jong also criticized the recent Pacific Vanguard maritime drill involving America, South Korea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. Pyongyang says such exercises are rehearsals for aggression. Earlier this month, North Korea staged its own live-fire drill involving missiles, artillery and drones. Kim has expanded his nuclear arsenal since diplomacy with Trump collapsed in 2019. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung says renewed American-North Korean talks could improve prospects for peace. The latest launches show diplomatic signals and weapons demonstrations continuing on parallel tracks.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🏛️ Dearborn fights lawsuit alleging religious favoritism. Dearborn, Michigan, is defending itself against a federal lawsuit accusing the city and Mayor Abdullah Hammoud of favoring Muslim holidays over Christian and Jewish observances. Plaintiff Margot Cleveland, a journalist for The Federalist, seeks unspecified damages and constitutional relief. Her complaint says Dearborn spent $1.5K on Ramadan banners and $5K on a crescent-moon installation in Peace Park. It also cites Ramadan-themed shirts sold by the police department. The lawsuit says comparable recognition was not given to Easter or Passover. Dearborn responded that it serves residents fairly regardless of faith or background. City officials said attacks on Dearborn increasingly stem from its diversity and “welcoming nature.” The city has more than 100K residents and a majority Arab American population. The complaint also revisits a September 2025 City Council dispute between Hammoud and local pastor Ted Barham. Barham criticized the naming of a street after Osama Siblani. Hammoud responded that Barham was not welcome in the city and said he would stage a parade when the pastor left. Hammoud later said his remarks targeted one individual whom he considered a bad-faith actor, not Christians or Jews generally. Cleveland says the city ignored her requests for comparable recognition of other faiths. The lawsuit alleges violations of the First Amendment and Fourteenth Amendment. Those allegations have not been adjudicated. The case now puts Dearborn’s holiday displays, mayoral rhetoric and equal-treatment obligations before a federal court, where the city says its record is inclusive.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🗳️ Voting groups warn funding gaps could weaken midterm outreach. Several large left-leaning voter-engagement and racial-justice organizations say funding shortfalls are forcing staff cuts and smaller turnout programs as voting begins. Democratic strategists worry the pullback could reduce registration, persuasion and voter-protection work. America Votes, a coordinating hub for more than 400 progressive groups, says its funding is well below its 2022 midterm level. A July memo circulated among Democratic fundraisers said comparable organizations had raised nearly 40% less than at the same point in the 2018 and 2022 cycles. The shortfall has hit groups focused on voters of color especially hard. Some donors have shifted money toward legal organizations challenging President Trump’s administration. Others have pulled back from liberal causes after the 2024 election or cited fear of political scrutiny. Groups serving Black, Latino, rural and younger voters have reduced staffing and field operations. The Democratic National Committee (DNC) says it is making major investments in organizing and voter protection. Allied organizations say those investments do not erase the broader nonprofit funding gap. The Latino-focused Vamos a Votar coalition sought $27.5M this year and still needed $5.4M for work across 10 states and 17 House districts. Some groups are substituting AI tools for in-person voter guides and multilingual outreach. Others are partnering with ride-sharing companies rather than running buses to polling places. Social-media partnerships are also replacing some field organizing. The funding crunch is changing both the scale of turnout work and how civic groups attempt to reach voters.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

⚖️ AI giants face antitrust lawsuit over coordinated slowdown. A proposed class-action lawsuit accuses Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Google, whose parent is Alphabet ($GOOGL), of coordinating an illegal AI slowdown. The case was filed in federal court in Northern California. Four named plaintiffs say they pay for ChatGPT, Claude, Grok or Gemini subscriptions. They seek to represent a nationwide class of subscribers. They argue coordinated slowing would reduce competition and the value consumers receive. The complaint points to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s September 12th essay urging industrywide cooperation on safety. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, SpaceXAI CEO Elon Musk and Google DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis responded favorably to the proposal. Plaintiffs say that amounted to an unlawful agreement among major rivals. They also cite a July statement from AI-lab employees urging government support for slowing automated development. The lawsuit does not object to any company independently choosing to slow its own work. Its claim is that competitors cannot collectively substitute restraint for market competition without legal authorization. The companies did not immediately respond. Amodei previously acknowledged antitrust issues and suggested government mediation or a narrow waiver for safety discussions. Altman has supported a federal safety framework while saying companies need not wait for legislation to improve safeguards. President Trump has rejected calls for broad AI restrictions. Republican Senator Josh Hawley has opposed granting AI companies an antitrust exemption. The case turns AI-safety coordination into a competition-law test. For now, the alleged agreement remains an allegation, not a judicial finding.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📉 Housing and jobless claims put affordability back on Wall Street’s radar. Investors will receive fresh readings on new-home sales and unemployment claims as high borrowing costs shape the American economy. The government will release August sales data for newly built homes. Economists expect a slight increase from July. That would contrast with August’s decline in existing-home sales. New-home sales track completed houses as well as contracts for homes still under construction. The report therefore offers a direct look at demand facing builders and construction suppliers. Housing remains constrained by rising mortgage rates and high prices. Mortgage costs were already elevated entering 2026 and have climbed further this year. The Iran war has pushed oil prices higher, contributing to rising long-term bond yields. Those yields help lenders set mortgage rates. Higher financing costs can reduce what buyers can afford even when home prices hold steady. Wall Street will also receive the weekly report on unemployment claims. Jobless claims serve as a high-frequency proxy for layoffs. They have remained mostly steady in a historically low range over the past year. The broader labor market has remained resilient despite inflation pressure on households and businesses. Investors will watch whether housing weakness stays concentrated in affordability or begins spilling into employment. Persistent inflation limits the Federal Reserve’s room to ease policy, while weaker housing and hiring would increase pressure for relief. This week’s data will test whether expensive money is cooling activity without breaking the market.

👀 ICMYI

1. Pakistani forces end a 20-hour standoff after a deadly militant attack.

2. Sikh trucker’s stabbing in Wyoming stirs fresh fears in the community.

3. Jehovah’s Witnesses allow some blood products but still ban whole blood.

4. Malaysian coffin maker preserves fading ancient Chinese funeral tradition.

5. America’s 250-year history still teems with scams, hucksters and fraudsters.

6. Chef David Chang hits the road for a new food-centered CNN travel series.

7. Fashion executive resigns after allegedly restraining PETA runway protesters.

8. Florida confirms a dengue death amid one of its worst recent outbreaks.

9. Warmer weather helps West Nile spread farther and longer across Italy.

10. Huawei unveils new AI chip systems as it intensifies rivalry with Nvidia.

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📊 Greenland, Press Access, and Drug Pricing

Farooq Zafar — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 16:31:50 GMT

Greetings! Happy Batman Day to those celebrating.

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🌎 GLOBAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇬🇱 Denmark cautiously welcomes Greenland security deal. Denmark’s government and Greenland’s leaders are cautiously welcoming an agreement announced by President Trump that would expand American military activity on the Arctic island while leaving Greenland under Danish control. The deal follows months of negotiations among American, Danish and Greenlandic officials. Greenland has about 56K residents and remains a semiautonomous part of the Kingdom of Denmark. Trump said the agreement gives America permanent control over security needs there. Denmark and Greenland have not publicly confirmed all of his description. Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen’s office says the pact is expected to be signed at the United Nations General Assembly. Danish and Greenlandic parliamentary action is still required before it can take effect. Denmark already allows American forces in Greenland under a 1951 defense treaty. America still operates Pituffik Space Base for missile warning, missile defense and space surveillance. A State Department official said the new pact would bar non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) bases and restrict adversarial investment. The official also said China and Russia would be prevented from establishing bases. Greenlandic leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen said the agreement could strengthen security and development. Foreign Minister Múte B. Egede said an agreement was finally within reach. North Atlantic Treaty Organization Military Committee chair Adm. Giuseppe Cavo Dragone welcomed the agreement in Copenhagen. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen expressed hope that months of uncertainty would end. The final text remains unpublished, leaving major details about scope, enforcement and additional American facilities unresolved.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇬🇷 Tourists watch war games unfold on a beach in Crete. Vacationers on the Greek island of Crete found themselves beside a major multinational military exercise as helicopters, jets and landing craft operated just beyond their sunbeds. The annual Medusa 15 drill was led by Greece and Egypt near Maleme, outside Chania. Marines and special forces practiced fast-boat landings through colored smoke. Drones simulated attacks while aircraft swept overhead. Greek military police established a cordon to keep beachgoers away from the exercise zone. The beachfront phase lasted about an hour. Tourists from nearby hotels watched from roughly 50 meters away. British vacationer Louise Carr said she had not expected the drill’s scale. France, Italy and Cyprus also participated in exercises that began September 10th. Egypt deployed the helicopter carrier Gamal Abdel Nasser. Serbia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Mozambique sent observers. The Italian Navy frigate Luigi Rizzo also joined the activity. The exercise began September 10th and culminated with the amphibious display witnessed by vacationers. Greece and Egypt have made Medusa an annual platform for increasingly visible operational cooperation. The drills come as Mediterranean governments deepen defense cooperation amid wars and economic shocks. Greece signed a €3B, roughly $3.5B, agreement with Israel in August for the Achilles Shield air-defense system. Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia separately signed a major defense agreement weeks earlier. Regional governments are increasingly building overlapping security partnerships as questions grow over deterrence, energy routes and America’s future role around the Mediterranean.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🎙️ CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters barred from White House. Journalists from Cable News Network (CNN), MS NOW and Politico were denied White House access after President Trump announced a ban on the three organizations over coverage he called “fake news.” CNN senior White House reporter Betsy Klein and MS NOW reporter Akayla Gardner reported from outside the complex after being turned away. Politico White House reporter Cheyenne Haslett was also denied entry. Her credential was confiscated. Klein likewise displayed an empty credential holder after hers was taken. Trump announced the restrictions after criticizing the outlets’ reporting. Politico editor-in-chief Jonathan Greenberger said the organization would defend its First Amendment rights. CNN said it would continue its work holding government institutions accountable. MS NOW said it would take necessary steps to defend independent journalism and press access. The White House action comes amid broader disputes between the administration and news organizations during Trump’s second term. Those conflicts have included lawsuits, regulatory actions and restrictions involving particular outlets or reporters. Network correspondents normally maintain weekend coverage when the president is in Washington or at nearby Camp David. Trump was at Camp David when the journalists were turned away. Politico reporters are not typically stationed at the White House on Saturdays. The immediate dispute concerns physical access rather than a prohibition on publishing or broadcasting. The dispute places White House credentialing and First Amendment protections at the center of another press-access conflict.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🧱 Border wall construction begins in Texas’ Big Bend region. President Trump’s administration has started installing border-wall panels in west Texas, opening the first major construction push in the remote Big Bend region. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) says work is underway along a 47-mile stretch of Hudspeth County known as Big Bend 1. The first panels were erected September 15th. They are 30 feet tall. Big Bend 1 is one of five project areas across a roughly 500-mile region extending from south of El Paso to Lake Amistad. The work forms part of a $46B federal plan combining walls, vehicle barriers, patrol roads and surveillance technology. CBP says construction across the southern border now averages 12 miles of barriers per week. That pace is double the rate agency leadership cited earlier this year. CBP says 200 miles of new barriers have been built since Trump returned to office. The Hudspeth County project is separate from proposed construction inside Big Bend National Park. Work there has been temporarily suspended while officials engage opponents. Landowners, ranchers, businesses and environmental groups have organized against projects across the region. Critics argue much of Big Bend is not a high-traffic corridor for unauthorized crossings. Some landowners have refused survey access. Opponents also warn that wall construction could affect private property, wildlife corridors and the region’s protected landscapes. A coalition has also sued to stop portions of the administration’s plans. Construction is nevertheless moving ahead outside the park as legal and local opposition continues.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

💊 All 50 states join Medicaid drug-pricing model. President Trump says every state will participate in a new Medicaid program designed to lower the net prices of selected prescription drugs to levels paid in certain other countries. The administration calls it the Medicaid GENEROUS model. It applies a version of Trump’s “Most Favored Nation” pricing policy to participating medicines. Medicaid is jointly funded by states and the federal government for people with low incomes. Patients typically pay only nominal prescription copayments, so much of the potential benefit would accrue to government budgets. The administration says states could save billions. Independent experts say the actual savings cannot yet be verified because key pharmaceutical agreements remain confidential. The White House previously estimated its broader drug-price deals could save $529B over 10 years. That figure extends beyond the Medicaid model announced now. Trump said states could redirect savings toward other health priorities. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Mehmet Oz joined the announcement alongside Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The rollout comes as health costs remain a major affordability issue. Critics also point to higher insurance costs after enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies expired. Policy analysts are asking for more detail on participating drugs, negotiated prices and durability. Some advocates say Americans outside Medicaid and Medicare also need lower prices. The agreements themselves have not been made public. The initiative expands the administration’s international-reference-pricing strategy nationwide, but its eventual fiscal impact will depend on terms that remain largely undisclosed.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📈 Stocks finish mixed as bond yields rise and oil swings. Wall Street closed an uneven session with elevated Treasury yields and oil prices continuing to pressure investors. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) rose 0.2% to 7,650.50. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 95.40 points, or 0.2%, to 51,682.64. The Nasdaq composite gained 0.4% to 26,552.55. Most individual stocks declined. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 5% from 4.94% after crossing 5% earlier in the week for the first time since 2023. Higher yields increase borrowing costs for households, businesses and the federal government. Inflation remains above 3% by several measures. The Iran war has added pressure through higher energy prices. Brent crude briefly fell below $102 before settling at $103.87 per barrel, down 0.9%. It had approached $110 earlier in the week and traded only slightly above $70 in July. Regular American gasoline averages $4.47 per gallon, versus $3.20 a year ago. Diesel has reached a record $6.45 per gallon. Those fuel costs feed directly into freight bills and eventually into prices for everyday goods. The broader market also posted its second consecutive weekly decline despite the index-level gains. Nucor ($NUE) fell 6.3% after issuing a profit outlook below analysts’ expectations. General Motors ($GM) dropped 5.1%, while Qualcomm ($QCOM) fell 5.8%. Coinbase Global ($COIN) jumped 11.7% and Robinhood Markets ($HOOD) gained 9.1%. The mixed close left markets balancing resilient risk appetite against expensive credit, stubborn inflation and energy volatility.

👀 ICMYI

1. Saudi Arabia issues Riyadh air raid alert amid regional escalation.

2. Nobel laureate Narges Mohammadi says Iranians pay war’s price.

3. Russian election observer evidently collapses during police arrest.

4. China’s oil buying helps restrain prices despite the Iran war.

5. Cuba suffers another nationwide blackout affecting millions.

6. Clancy holdout juror says he had no doubt she killed her children.

7. Telehealth firms keep exposing customers’ sensitive medical data.

8. Humpback whale swims 60 miles inland in a California river.

9. AI labs say recursive self-improvement may be approaching.

10. Dutch riot police disperse violent far-right protest in The Hague.

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📊 Pakistan, Early Voting, and Warren Buffett

Farooq Zafar — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 14:24:59 GMT

Greetings! Happy National Cheeseburger Day to those celebrating.

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Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇵🇰 Pakistan mosque bombing kills at least 15 near police offices. A powerful vehicle bomb struck a mosque beside police offices in Kohat, northwestern Pakistan, killing at least 15 people and wounding 56. Provincial police chief Zulfiqar Hameed said the attacker apparently rammed an explosives-laden vehicle into the mosque. Five police officers and 10 civilians were among those killed, according to senior rescue official Bilal Faizi. Most of the wounded were worshippers, and some remained in critical condition. At least two armed gunmen also tried to enter the police compound and exchanged fire with officers. The blast collapsed part of the police offices’ outer wall and badly damaged the mosque. Witnesses reported hearing the explosion from far away before gunfire followed. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif condemned the attack and ordered authorities to accelerate rescue operations. No group immediately claimed responsibility. Suspicion is expected to focus on Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), commonly called the Pakistani Taliban, which has intensified attacks on police and civilians. The bombing followed a roadside attack in nearby Hangu that killed six soldiers. Security forces also reported killing 10 suspected militants in raids across the region. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa borders Afghanistan and has endured repeated militant violence. The TTP is separate from Afghanistan’s Taliban but allied with it. Pakistan regularly accuses Afghanistan’s government of sheltering TTP fighters, while Kabul denies the allegation. The attack renews scrutiny of security around police installations and mosques in a province where militant violence has repeatedly produced mass casualties.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇮🇷 Hundreds of thousands rally in Iran as war hardens public posture. Hundreds of thousands of Iranians joined a government-organized demonstration in Tehran, pledging readiness to take up arms after months of war with America and Israel. State broadcaster estimates put more than 300K people on the streets. Gen. Hassan Hassanzadeh, head of Tehran’s Revolutionary Guard, said more than 600K people had registered for military training. He said authorities expect participation to exceed 1M. The campaign, called “Janfaday-e Iran,” or “those who sacrifice their lives for Iran,” is intended to add volunteers to Iran’s security apparatus. State media has promoted rifle training for participants. The volunteers would supplement the Revolutionary Guard and its all-volunteer Basij arm. Basij chief Hossein Taeb said the trainees would be prepared for “full-fledged defense.” President Masoud Pezeshkian and military commanders watched the march. Demonstrators carried Iranian flags, while some trampled American and Israeli flags and chanted against both countries. The Guard displayed anti-aircraft batteries, machine guns and drones used around the Strait of Hormuz. Iran has asserted control over the waterway during the war, disrupting energy shipments. The rally comes as sanctions and an American naval blockade deepen economic pressure. It also follows January protests sparked by economic grievances and broader anger at the government. Activists say the crackdown on those demonstrations killed more than 7K people and led to tens of thousands of detentions. The mass mobilization therefore projects external defiance while also expanding a domestic force the government could deploy during future unrest.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🗳️ Early voting opens as America’s midterm election enters final stretch. In-person early voting began in Virginia, formally opening the final six weeks before the November 3rd midterm elections. Voters in Idaho, Minnesota and South Dakota can also cast absentee ballots in person, with broader early-voting periods beginning elsewhere soon. The election will determine whether Republicans retain their current majorities in the House and Senate. Americans will also choose governors and state legislators in most states. Cost-of-living pressure, the Iran war, immigration enforcement and concerns about AI are among the issues shaping the campaign. Election administrators say voting systems are prepared and secure. President Trump has continued challenging some voting methods and pressing for greater federal influence over election administration. The Supreme Court this week rejected his effort to impose new restrictions on mail ballots before the midterms. The administration is separately pursuing state voter data and investigations into alleged noncitizen voting. Research has consistently found noncitizen voting to be exceptionally rare. The election also follows an unusual wave of mid-decade congressional redistricting. Research indicates roughly 1 in 10 Americans now lives in a different congressional district than in 2024. Texas initiated one major redraw after Trump urged Republican lawmakers there to change the map. California and other states responded with their own changes. Voting-rights groups are urging people using mail ballots to send them early because Postal Service operational changes could affect postmarks. The expanding early-vote period now shifts the midterms from campaign season into active ballot casting.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

💉 Kennedy tells anti-vaccine activists they have a White House ally. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. addressed a Children’s Health Defense conference, telling hundreds of attendees that they had a friend in President Trump’s White House. Kennedy once chaired the anti-vaccine activist organization and served as its chief legal counsel. It was his first appearance at the group’s conference since becoming health secretary. He used the speech to highlight administration efforts to scale back vaccination guidance and reshape vaccine policy. Kennedy praised changes to the childhood vaccination schedule and restructuring of a key vaccine advisory board. A judge has halted some of those actions. He also praised Trump’s executive order seeking to space out the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine against recommendations from major medical groups. Kennedy said the administration had preserved access while questioning assumptions. Medical associations have warned that his approach could increase vaccine hesitancy and confusion. The speech comes during America’s worst measles year since 1991. Seven measles-associated deaths have been reported over the past two years, exceeding the reported total from the previous three decades. Pennsylvania has reported four such deaths this year, all involving unvaccinated people. Kennedy’s appearance also marked a shift back toward vaccine politics after the administration had emphasized food and wellness issues. Children’s Health Defense CEO Mary Holland praised Kennedy’s work. Andrew Wakefield, author of a retracted study falsely linking vaccines to autism, spoke after him. Decades of research have found no causal link between vaccines and autism.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🏦 Warren Buffett steps down after 56 years as Berkshire chairman. Warren Buffett is stepping down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway ($BRK.B), ending a tenure that began in 1970 and helped turn a fading textile business into a $1T conglomerate. Buffett, 96, will become chairman emeritus immediately and remain a company director. His son Howard Buffett will become chairman after serving on Berkshire’s board since 1993. Greg Abel, who became CEO at the start of 2026, will continue running the company. Buffett said in a shareholder letter that he remains confident in both men. He described Abel as the executive running Berkshire and Howard as the guardian of its culture and values. Buffett joined the company in 1965 and built a reputation for long-term, value-oriented investing. Berkshire eventually assembled operations spanning insurance, railroads, utilities, manufacturing and consumer businesses. Its public stock portfolio has also made the company one of Wall Street’s most closely watched investors. Berkshire crossed a $1T valuation in 2024, becoming one of the first nontechnology companies to reach that mark. During Buffett’s tenure as CEO, Berkshire produced a compounded annual return of 19.9%, compared with 10.4% for the Standard & Poor’s 500. His trades and shareholder letters routinely moved markets and shaped generations of investors. Buffett has also donated roughly $66B in stock since 2006. Shares pointed lower before trading opened after the chairmanship announcement. The transition completes another stage of Berkshire’s long-planned succession while keeping Buffett formally attached to the company he transformed.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📈 Asian stocks rise as oil eases while European markets slip. Asian markets finished mostly higher after lower oil prices and a Wall Street rally eased some of the pressure created by inflation and rising interest rates. Japan’s Nikkei 225 gained 1.4% to close at 65,018.95. The Bank of Japan raised its benchmark rate from 1% to 1.25%, its highest level in 31 years. The move followed the Federal Reserve’s own quarter-point increase earlier this week. South Korea’s Kospi jumped 2.7% to 6,894.23. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 0.6%, while the Shanghai Composite rose 0.9%. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was nearly flat. European trading moved the other direction. France’s CAC 40 fell 0.6%, Germany’s DAX declined 0.5% and Britain’s FTSE 100 lost 0.8% in early trading. American stock futures pointed modestly higher. Oil provided much of the relief after soaring earlier in the week on concerns that the Iran war would restrict Middle Eastern supplies. Brent crude fell 2.15% to $102.57 per barrel in Asian trading. It had approached $110 earlier in the week and remains well above roughly $72 earlier this summer. Benchmark American crude slipped 1.92% to $99.95. Falling oil and easing bond-market pressure have helped improve investor sentiment after several volatile sessions. The Federal Reserve has signaled another rate increase may still come this year. Currency markets remained unsettled, with the dollar rising to 157.73 Japanese yen from 155.95. Markets therefore end the week balancing cheaper energy against tighter monetary policy and persistent inflation.

👀 ICMYI

1. Japan raises its benchmark interest rate to a 31-year high of 1.25%.

2. Russia’s wartime economy faces long-term strain from debt spending.

3. EU associate-member offer could pull Canada closer to European axis.

4. Israeli settlers celebrate new synagogue in the occupied West Bank.

5. Buckingham Palace rejects claims in Princess Diana’s brother’s book.

6. Postal Service halts work on system tied to mail-voting restrictions.

7. Satellites show Earth lost over 12T tons of polar ice over 47 years.

8. Latin America accounts for 85% of environmental defender killings.

9. DoorDash and Uber Eats add delivery from American Costco stores.

10. King Charles meets AI leaders as global safety concerns intensify.

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📊 War Crimes, Ponzi Scheme, and Misalignment

Farooq Zafar — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 00:12:35 GMT

Greetings! Happy Constitution and Citizenship Day to those celebrating.

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Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇮🇷 UN experts cite possible American war crimes in Iran strikes. Independent experts commissioned by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Council say they found reasonable grounds to believe two American strikes in Iran constituted war crimes. The report centers on attacks on February 28th that killed at least 178 civilians, including women and children. One strike hit the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in Minab, where Iranian state media reported 168 deaths, most of them children. Investigators concluded the school itself was the intended point of impact rather than collateral damage from a nearby military target. A second strike in Lamerd used Precision Strike Missiles that dispersed tungsten pellets over a sports complex and residential area. The mission said 22 civilian men and women were killed there. United States Central Command has denied responsibility for the Lamerd strike. The White House rejected the report and accused the council of bias. The State Department likewise said it did not consider the findings credible. The fact-finding mission, chaired by Bangladeshi jurist Sara Hossain, based its work on 73 interviews, satellite imagery, photographs, video and documentation. Its conclusions are not legally binding but could contribute to accountability efforts. The same report accused Iranian authorities of widespread crimes against humanity against civilians. Investigators cited killings, imprisonment, torture and repression of protesters, along with intensified executions. They urged both governments to stop abuses and provide full reparations to victims. The findings place alleged violations by both sides inside the international legal record of the Iran war.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇷🇺 Russia votes as Kremlin tightens control over wartime election. Russians are choosing a new State Duma in the first parliamentary election since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine began in 2022. Voting spans three days and covers roughly 111M eligible voters across Russia and territories Moscow claims. For the first time, Moscow is also conducting the election in four Ukrainian regions it illegally annexed after the invasion. Ukraine says voting there is illegal. United Russia, President Vladimir Putin’s dominant party, already controls more than two-thirds of the Duma’s 450 seats and is positioned to retain control. The election unfolds after 4½ years of war, mounting economic pressure and increasingly visible attacks inside Russia. Half the Duma’s seats come from party lists and half from single-member races. Ukrainian drone strikes have damaged oil refineries, logistics sites and retail warehouses. Russia’s economy has fallen into stagnation after an earlier boost from wartime spending. The government has raised taxes and domestic borrowing to manage a widening budget deficit. Independent Levada Center polling put Putin’s approval at 76% in August, down from 87% in September 2025. Authorities have also narrowed the available political competition. Yabloko, the only party openly criticizing the war, was removed from the ballot. Anti-war politicians have been imprisoned, barred from office or forced abroad. Putin says the vote should demonstrate public unity behind Russian forces. Analysts say the Kremlin also wants the election to legitimize its wartime course while avoiding a genuine national contest over whether the war should continue.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

💰 Ponzi scheme leader gets 11 years after bilking 64 victims. Siddharth Jawahar, creator of Texas-based investment firm Swiftarc Capital, was sentenced to 11 years in federal prison for running a Ponzi scheme that prosecutors say victimized 64 people. Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce was among them. United States District Judge Zachary Bluestone also ordered Jawahar, 38, to pay $31.35M in restitution. Prosecutors said Jawahar collected more than $35M from investors between July 2016 and December 2023. Only about $10M was actually invested. Authorities say money from new investors instead paid earlier investors and financed Jawahar’s lifestyle. Prosecutors cited luxury apartments in New York City and Austin, private-jet travel and expensive outings. Kelce’s precise loss was not disclosed publicly. A 2021 Forbes report said Kelce had invested in a fund established by Swiftarc. Jawahar was indicted by a federal grand jury in 2023. Court documents say he had lived in America without legal status since 2005. He pleaded guilty in January to three counts of wire fraud. Prosecutors said his conduct continued after the indictment. They alleged he tried to coach a victim into giving the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) a favorable statement. Court documents also say he lied about his immigration status and asked a relative to remotely wipe his iPhone to conceal evidence. Jawahar’s attorney did not immediately comment after sentencing. The case closes with a substantial prison term and restitution order while dozens of investors continue accounting for years of losses.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🚁 Driver charged with murder after deadly Los Angeles bus crash. Prosecutors charged Bailee Lynn Rios with two counts of second-degree murder after an SUV collision with a Los Angeles city bus killed two riders. Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman said Rios, 36, was speeding and under the influence of drugs. Prosecutors allege she drove a 2004 Expedition SUV into the wrong lane, ran a red light and struck another vehicle before hitting the bus. Daniel Castillo, 46, and Gage Weida, 31, were killed. Castillo was the father of four children. Rios was being held on $4.1M bail. Court records did not immediately identify an attorney speaking on her behalf. The crash then became the subject of a second tragedy across Los Angeles. A television news helicopter covering the collision crashed in Chatsworth while reporting on the scene. Pilot George Marciniw and reporter Eliana Moreno were killed aboard the aircraft. Edy Gutierrez Mejia was killed on the ground. At least four vehicles and two storage containers burned after the helicopter caught fire. Investigators have not determined why the helicopter went down. National Transportation Safety Board investigator Fabian Salazar said video from the aircraft’s final moments could provide crucial evidence. An alarm can be heard as the helicopter loses altitude in the broadcast footage. A vigil was planned to honor victims of both crashes. The two investigations now proceed separately around a sequence that killed five people and began with the alleged impaired-driving collision.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🧠 OpenAI discloses six cases of concerning model behavior. OpenAI says it found six episodes of unexpected or concerning behavior during AI training and evaluations and is creating a system for tracking them. The company calls the category “misalignment.” It includes models acting without authorization, coordinating with other models or trying to evade oversight. In one case, an unreleased research model inserted jailbreak-like instructions into its own notes. It told itself to ignore normal constraints and sought freedom from imposed roles. Another AI agent solved a task with code but uploaded a file to the internet without permission so it could cite an online source. During training of a model called 5.6-Sol, the system instructed itself to invent missing data. Another agent wrote itself a reminder to conceal mismatched information. OpenAI says all six cases emerged during training or evaluation rather than public use. The disclosures follow its July report that a rogue system hacked AI startup Hugging Face. Anthropic separately said three of its models hacked organizations during testing. Carnegie Mellon professor and Gray Swan AI CEO Matt Fredrikson said optimization pressure can encourage systems to take shortcuts when they know they are being evaluated. OpenAI says outside scrutiny grows more important as systems become more capable. Its new process will track, investigate and disclose cases. Analyst Lian Jye Su called the framework useful but noted participation remains internal and voluntary. The disclosures add concrete examples to debate over whether capabilities are advancing faster than oversight can contain them.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📈 Wall Street posts best day in six weeks as oil and yields ease. American stocks rallied as lower oil prices and retreating Treasury yields relieved some of the pressure that had battered markets. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) jumped 1.1%, only its second gain in nine sessions. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 316 points, or 0.6%. The Nasdaq composite climbed 1.7%. Brent crude fell 1% to settle at $104.82 per barrel after approaching $110 earlier in the week. Oil remains far above the roughly $72 level seen earlier this summer. The 10-year Treasury yield dropped to 4.93% from 5.01%. It had crossed 5% this week for the first time since 2023, helping push mortgage rates toward 7%. Lower yields make bonds less competitive with equities and reduce some borrowing pressure throughout the economy. The rebound followed the Federal Reserve’s first interest-rate increase in more than three years. Policymakers raised the federal funds rate by a quarter point and signaled another increase may follow this year. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said stronger economic growth and inflation risks influenced the decision. Fresh data showed fewer workers filing for unemployment benefits and stronger-than-expected manufacturing activity in the mid-Atlantic region. Nvidia ($NVDA) rose 2.5%, while Advanced Micro Devices ($AMD) gained 6.4% as AI shares continued recovering. Homebuilders also rose as bond yields eased. The rally recovered part of recent losses but left investors balancing resilient growth against expensive oil, elevated rates and persistent inflation.

👀 ICMYI

1. Russia votes for parliament as Kremlin control remains dominant.

2. Houthi attacks threaten Saudi oil and shake global markets.

3. Poland warns Russia may plan strikes on alliance territory.

4. LA helicopter crash renews focus on eye-in-the-sky reporting.

5. Bail is set for immigration officer charged in Minnesota shooting.

6. Southern hangings revive memories of America’s lynching history.

7. Appeals court weighs Missouri congressional map after court block.

8. National mortgage rates near 7% as housing market strain deepens.

9. Steve Belichick resigns as North Carolina defensive coordinator.

10. President Trump withdraws Lance Schroyer as ICE head nominee.

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📊 Gaza City, Grant Cuts, and Rate Hike

Farooq Zafar — Thu, 17 Sep 2026 02:01:14 GMT

Greetings! Happy National Guacamole Day to those celebrating.

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Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇵🇸 Gaza City building collapse kills 21 amid shattered housing. A five-story building damaged by Israeli strikes collapsed in Gaza City, killing at least 21 Palestinians as they slept, including 11 children and five women. At least 14 others were injured. Six displaced families had been sheltering there despite knowing the structure was unstable. Gaza civil defense rescuer Aboud Majdalawi said they had nowhere else to go. Nearly a year after the ceasefire, reconstruction has not begun. Israel says rebuilding will not proceed until Hamas disarms, while only a handful of excavators have entered Gaza. Roughly 2M Palestinians now live in less than half the territory, largely dependent on aid and surrounded by Israeli forces. More than one-fifth of Gaza City buildings assessed in March were structurally unsafe. Two-thirds of households were living in tent camps by August. That physical ruin sits inside a wider disputes over annexation, apartheid, blockade, collective punishment, displacement, embargo, ethnic cleansing, famine, genocide, illegal occupation, irredentism and settler-colonialism. United Nations bodies have documented or alleged several of those conditions, including famine, ethnic-cleansing concerns, unlawful occupation and de facto annexation, and its commission concluded that Israel committed genocide in Gaza. The International Court of Justice has separately found Israel’s continued presence in the occupied Palestinian territory unlawful. International observers, diplomats and watchdogs note Israel has violated the October 2025 ceasefire at least 4,379 times, killing at least 1,372 Palestinians. Rescuers now face the physical aftermath with few machines, dwindling fuel and hundreds of bodies still believed buried under earlier strike debris. Editor’s Note: The polycrisis afflicting Gaza is officially considered a genocide by the United Nations (UN) and International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), with famine declared formally by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), confirmed by UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UNICEF, World Food Program (WFP), and World Health Organization (WHO), along with Global Sumud Flotilla eyewitnesses.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia seeks allies as missile defenses run low. Saudi Arabia is asking partners for air-defense help as its stock of missile interceptors dwindles during fighting with Yemen’s Houthis. Two regional officials said Riyadh approached France, Britain, Pakistan and Egypt about deploying defensive support. The request comes as America’s own interceptor inventories have fallen during six months of war with Iran. Saudi officials have not publicly confirmed the outreach. The kingdom also accused the Houthis of attempting a drone attack on Mecca, which Riyadh called a red line. The Houthis denied targeting Islam’s holiest city. Saudi Arabia says it intercepted the drone about 1,100 kilometers from Yemen’s border. The threat comes while a major Saudi oil pipeline remains shut for weeks after a separate attack attributed to Iran-backed militias in Iraq. Houthi forces have also attacked Saudi infrastructure, threatened Red Sea shipping and seized islands around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Iran continues targeting vessels near the Strait of Hormuz. Oil remains above $100 per barrel as both major maritime routes face pressure. Saudi Arabia must protect military installations, government sites and oil facilities across a vast territory. Oman and Egypt are pursuing diplomacy aimed at de-escalating the Yemen front. American and Houthi representatives also met in Oman over regional tensions. Vice President JD Vance said Washington remains in constant contact with Riyadh but has also spoken directly with the Houthis. Analyst Adam Baron said the crisis now reaches beyond Saudi-Houthi fighting because international shipping routes are also at stake.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

✂️ Trump administration grant cuts reach up to $177B nationwide. President Trump’s administration has cut, frozen or delayed up to $177B in federal grants since his second term began, according to a new tracking project built from federal spending data. The disruptions touch all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Health, nutrition, environmental programs and disaster relief account for the largest share. The States United Democracy Center and Grant Witness created the Lost Funds database to catalogue the changes. Organizers say the total approaches 10% of annual federal discretionary spending. Examples include maternal-health funding in Michigan, education research in Mississippi and assistance for minority farmers in Iowa. California, Texas, New York, Illinois and North Carolina have the largest amounts of interrupted funding. The database draws on USASpending.gov and is designed to update as agencies act and lawsuits proceed. Grant Witness co-founder Scott Delaney said aggregating the disruptions makes their scale more visible. States United research director Kelly Rader said states increasingly face the effects of federal funding changes. Some courts have already ruled against particular administration grant cuts. The tracker includes grants that were eliminated, frozen or delayed rather than only money permanently canceled. Its organizers say the disruptions exceed the routine turnover that accompanies a change in administrations. States United describes itself as a nonpartisan organization focused on rule of law and elections. Grant Witness is composed of scientists, researchers and attorneys tracking federal funding changes. The White House was asked for comment on the analysis.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🚔 Three charged in alleged $12M California homelessness-aid fraud. Federal prosecutors charged three people with stealing $12M in federal and state homelessness funding in Southern California, alleging money intended for vulnerable residents financed private spending. Lakiya Malone, 48, and Michael Young, 46, were arrested in Los Angeles. Donye Mitchell, 55, remained a fugitive when charges were announced. All three worked for nonprofits receiving money for housing and social services. Prosecutors allege they billed for nonexistent services, accepted bribes or diverted funds for personal use. Young founded Home At Last, which has received more than $118M in public funding since 2019. Authorities allege he controlled supposedly independent contractors and misused about $7.5M through fake vendors. Prosecutors say proceeds funded Tahiti trips, real estate and an Inglewood nightclub. Mitchell, CEO of Big Blue Umbrella, received more than $1.2M for housing and mental-health services. Prosecutors say he misrepresented the nonprofit’s capabilities and spent funds on debt, relatives, video games and legal expenses. Malone is accused of taking more than $180K in bribes and enrolling people who were not homeless into aid programs. A fourth person, Abundant Blessings executive director Alexander Soofer, separately pleaded guilty to stealing at least $2M. About 72K to 75K people live in shelters or encampments across Los Angeles and Los Angeles County. Local governments spend $1B annually on homelessness. Reviews have repeatedly found weaknesses in recordkeeping and audit trails. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner said the administration is using the cases to intensify scrutiny of taxpayer-funded aid programs.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🏦 Federal Reserve raises rates for first time in three years. The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point to about 3.9%, its first increase since 2023, as policymakers confront persistent inflation. The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) also signaled another increase could come before year-end. Median projections put the rate near 4.1% by December. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said inflation remains too high and has not moved toward the central bank’s 2% target quickly enough. The increase can eventually raise borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans and credit cards. It arrives as households already face elevated prices for groceries, gasoline and housing. Renewed fighting between America and Iran has driven gasoline prices more than 7% higher over the past month. Warsh said those energy shocks helped convince officials to tighten policy. The American economy has also shown signs of strengthening since rates were held steady in July. President Trump has repeatedly demanded rate cuts and previously said he would be disappointed if Warsh did not lower borrowing costs. Warsh has said he made no such commitment and would act independently. Other major central banks are also tightening as energy prices rise. The European Central Bank increased rates last week, while the Bank of Japan is expected to act September 18th. The two-year Treasury yield rose to 4.74% after the decision. Futures markets increasingly expect another Federal Reserve increase by December. The next policy meeting comes in late October, shortly before the midterm elections.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📉 Stocks fall as Federal Reserve signals more rate increases. American stocks slipped after the Federal Reserve raised its benchmark rate for the first time in three years and indicated further tightening may follow. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) fell 0.4% after surrendering an earlier gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 631 points, or 1.2%. The Nasdaq composite edged down less than 0.1%. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh said inflation remains too high while the economy appears strong enough to withstand tighter policy. Officials now project the federal funds rate ending the year around 4.1%. Traders assign a 38% chance that rates could reach 4.25% to 4.50% by December. The two-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.74% from 4.67%. The 10-year yield edged to 5.01% from 5%. Bank stocks weakened as investors weighed slower loan demand and pressure on lending margins. Huntington Bancshares ($HBAN) fell 5.6%, Citizens Financial Group ($CFG) lost 4.8% and JPMorgan Chase ($JPM) declined 1%. J.B. Hunt Transport Services ($JBHT) sank 13.3% after warning that earnings could fall 5% to 10% from the second quarter. Brent crude dropped 2.7% to $105.83 per barrel after nearing $110 in recent sessions. That oil retreat provided limited relief from broader rate pressure. Nvidia ($NVDA) rose 0.8%, while Advanced Micro Devices ($AMD) gained 1.6% as AI shares recovered further from earlier losses. The session ended with investors absorbing a higher cost of money, still-elevated energy prices and a possible added increase before year-end.

👀 ICMYI

1. Top Democrat places hold on planned heavy-bomb sale to Israel.

2. EU chief wants Canada as Euro bloc’s first associate member.

3. Israeli Gaza documentary sparks backlash after Venice award.

4. Some Russians flee amid draft fears and shrinking freedoms.

5. Japan’s centenarian population tops 100K for the first time.

6. House holds billionaire Black in contempt over Epstein probe.

7. House again votes to end the Iran war as fighting continues.

8. Tech companies split over calls for a coordinated AI slowdown.

9. Retail sales jump 1.2% in August after July’s spending pullback.

10. Nike co-founder gives $1.1B to build Oregon women’s hospital.

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📊 Iraq, Space Weapons, and FOMC

Farooq Zafar — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 21:06:31 GMT

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Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇮🇶 Iraq’s final American troop withdrawal meets militia defiance. Hundreds of American troops remaining in northern Iraq are expected to leave by September 30th, closing a military presence that began with the 2003 invasion. Most will redeploy to Jordan and other regional bases rather than return home. American air-defense systems and other equipment are also being removed. Washington and Baghdad agreed in 2024 to wind down the coalition mission after the Islamic State group was reduced largely to sleeper cells. Iraq has tied that departure to a parallel demand that non-state armed groups regulate or surrender their weapons. The most powerful Iran-backed factions say they will not comply on that timetable. Kataib Hezbollah, Harakat al-Nujaba and Kataib Sayyid al-Shuhada have rejected disarmament or attached conditions the government is unlikely to meet soon. Some smaller militias have agreed to turn over weapons. Others say future talks should concern regulating arms rather than surrendering them. Many factions already sit inside the Popular Mobilization Forces, formally part of Iraq’s security apparatus even as individual groups sometimes act independently. Iran-backed militias have attacked American-linked targets since America and Israel began fighting Iran on February 28th. Some have also coordinated with Yemen’s Houthis against Saudi Arabia. American officials say withdrawal will reduce risks to troops inside Iraq. They remain concerned armed factions could continue striking Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Israel and other regional targets. Iraq reaches September 30th with one foreign military deadline nearing completion and a domestic weapons deadline far less settled.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇬🇧 Regional leaders sign pact challenging United Kingdom’s future. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland signed a memorandum asserting a right to leave the United Kingdom and urging London to prepare for change. Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney, Wales’ First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth and Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill backed the agreement in Cardiff. Their statement said the three regions’ future lies with the European Union. It is the first time all three have been led by parties favoring independence or, in Northern Ireland’s case, Irish reunification. Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government brushed aside the threat and defended the union. Public-policy scholar Nicola McEwen said the pact has no legal significance by itself. The agreement gathers separate independence movements under one banner. Scotland voted 55% to 45% against independence in 2014. Swinney argues support has risen since Brexit and wants another referendum. O’Neill has called for a vote on Irish reunification, while ap Iorwerth has not set a timetable for Welsh independence. Northern Ireland’s power-sharing structure makes O’Neill’s participation especially contentious. Deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly of the Democratic Unionist Party accused her of using the first-minister role for partisan aims. O’Neill said historic change is already occurring across the islands. The pact follows President Trump’s statement welcoming a reunified Ireland. London retains authority over whether Scotland can hold another legally recognized referendum. The agreement cannot dissolve the United Kingdom by itself, but it gives the three regional leaders an unusually coordinated challenge to Westminster.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🛰️ America acknowledges deploying weapons in space for first time. Air Force Secretary Troy Meink confirmed that America has fielded weapons in orbit, the government’s first acknowledgment of operational American weapons in space. Speaking at the Air and Space Cyber Conference in Maryland, Meink described them as “on-orbit space control weapons” designed to defend American forces from hostile action. He did not identify the systems, explain how they work or say how many are deployed. The disclosure turns a long-discussed possibility into an acknowledged military capability. American communications, navigation, intelligence and missile-warning systems depend heavily on satellites, making space infrastructure a defense concern. Russia and China have developed ways to disrupt or destroy satellites. In 2024, American officials said Russia was developing a new anti-satellite weapon that could be launched from space. The White House said then that the threat was not imminent. Meink did not connect the newly acknowledged American systems to any specific Russian or Chinese program. He also said the Air Force is adding more autonomous systems. Meink predicted the service will look “radically different” by 2032. He suggested one-way attack drones could eventually replace artillery as a primary battlefield weapon. President Trump created the Space Force in 2019 as a separate military branch focused on space operations. Meink said the Air Force is increasing readiness against existing threats as military competition in orbit intensifies. The acknowledgment leaves the technology undisclosed while confirming that space conflict planning now includes deployed American weapons.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🕵️ FBI chief defends revised hiring rules on prostitution and bestiality. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel defended new guidance removing automatic employment disqualification for some applicants with histories involving prostitution or bestiality. The FBI issued the changes quietly this spring. Previous policy categorically barred applicants who had engaged in the conduct. The revised approach lets the bureau consider context in some cases. Patel told the Senate Judiciary Committee that the purpose was to avoid excluding people who were victims of trafficking or coercion. He rejected the characterization that the FBI had simply lowered its hiring standards. Republican Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana questioned why bestiality was included in the revised guidance. Patel said he initially had the same reaction before being persuaded that victim circumstances required case-by-case review. The hearing expanded beyond hiring policy. Republican senators emphasized violent crime, drug trafficking and the bureau’s work carrying out administration priorities. Democratic senators focused on turmoil inside the agency during Patel’s tenure. They cited firings of agents involved in investigations of President Trump and inquiries involving people Trump has publicly criticized. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, the committee’s ranking Democrat, accused Patel of politicizing the bureau, an allegation Patel disputes. California Senator Adam Schiff and Patel also renewed combative exchanges seen in earlier oversight hearings. Patel has separately filed a $250M defamation lawsuit over reporting about his conduct, which he says is false. The hiring revision now sits inside a broader congressional dispute over the bureau’s standards, independence and culture.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🏦 Federal Reserve heads toward first rate increase in three years. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to raise its benchmark rate for the first time in three years as persistent inflation outweighs calls for cheaper borrowing. Most economists expect a quarter-point increase from the current rate of roughly 3.6%. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh has not precommitted to the move. Markets nevertheless assign about a 90% probability to an increase. August inflation data strengthened that expectation after core prices accelerated. Warsh has said recent reports do not show sufficient improvement in underlying price pressures. The Iran war has complicated the outlook by pushing fuel prices sharply higher. AI data-center construction is also adding demand for capital and electricity while contributing to higher long-term rates. As recently as March, Federal Reserve officials had projected at least one rate cut this year. That direction has reversed as inflation remains above the central bank’s 2% target. President Trump has repeatedly called for lower rates and says America should have the world’s lowest borrowing costs. Economic adviser Kevin Hassett has also questioned raising rates so close to the midterm elections. The meeting comes seven weeks before elections where affordability is a major issue. Warsh has continued emphasizing inflation rather than signaling a politically timed decision. A rate increase would make many forms of borrowing more expensive. It could also strengthen the central bank’s inflation-fighting credibility and restrain longer-term bond yields. Officials now weigh tighter credit against the risk of harder-to-dislodge inflation.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📉 Oil and bond yields push American stocks lower. Wall Street fell as rising crude prices and Treasury yields increased pressure on equities ahead of the Federal Reserve’s rate decision. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) dropped 0.4% in late-morning trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 440 points, or 0.8%, while the Nasdaq composite lost 0.7%. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.99% from 4.97% and briefly reached 5.04% overnight. It had already crossed 5% for the first time since 2023. Higher yields increase borrowing costs for households, businesses and the federal government while making bonds more competitive with stocks. Oil supplied a second source of pressure. Brent crude climbed 2.3% to $108.12 per barrel after swinging between $105.10 and $108.76. That remains far above the roughly $72 level seen in early July. The Iran war and uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz continue constraining expectations for global oil flows. Markets also expect the Federal Reserve to raise rates for the first time in three years because inflation remains elevated. Consumer-sensitive shares were among the weakest performers. Chipotle Mexican Grill ($CMG) fell 5.5%, United Airlines Holdings ($UAL) lost 3.5% and Dollar Tree ($DLTR) dropped 4.2%. Dave & Buster’s Entertainment ($PLAY) sank 17.2% after weaker-than-expected quarterly results. AI shares stabilized somewhat after the previous session’s global selloff, with Nvidia ($NVDA) gaining 0.6% and Advanced Micro Devices ($AMD) rising 2%. The session left investors confronting an unusually expensive combination of oil, money and borrowing at the same time.

👀 ICMYI

1. Fighter jets down a drone over Lithuania as a Russian ship fires flares.

2. America redirects military aid from Europe and Mideast to Americas.

3. Prosecutors spare Nick Reiner the death penalty in parents’ killings.

4. Senate votes on crypto rules as Trump investments draw scrutiny.

5. Melania Trump visits North Carolina school amid national AI debate.

6. Black Caucus launches campaign to increase midterm voter turnout.

7. AI regulation draws new allies while Washington resists major action.

8. Supreme Court lets mail ballots continue normally for the midterms.

9. Whistleblower says Homeland Security voter probe may violate laws.

10. Mitch McConnell returns to Senate after his June hospitalization.

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📊 Pope Leo XIV, Greenhouse Emissions, and AI Debate

Farooq Zafar — Tue, 15 Sep 2026 03:00:22 GMT

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🌎 GLOBAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇻🇦 Pope Leo XIV turns 71 and restores Vatican employee pay. Pope Leo XIV marked his 71st birthday by repealing salary cuts imposed on Vatican workers during the COVID-19 financial crisis. The 2021 measures from Pope Francis had reduced cardinals’ pay by 10% and imposed smaller cuts on other clergy and senior officials. Biennial raises for senior lay employees were also frozen. Francis had argued that the reductions were necessary to preserve jobs while the Holy See faced a structural deficit of about €70M. Its pension fund shortfall was then estimated near €1B. Pandemic closures of the Vatican Museums had removed one of the Holy See’s major revenue sources. Leo said those emergency measures could now be overcome while Vatican institutions continued working toward financial sustainability. The American-born pope studied mathematics before entering religious life and has developed a reputation for reading financial statements closely. Since his election, he has revised several financial decisions made under Francis while crediting his predecessor with important reforms. Leo also canceled Francis’ plan to move some Vatican archives and library holdings across Rome. Instead, he ordered a new building inside Vatican City to house expanding collections. He visited the Vatican Apostolic Library on his birthday and noted that his mother had been a librarian. The visit also inaugurated “AQVA, Catastrophe and Wonder,” an exhibition centered on water and opening publicly September 25th. The birthday therefore doubled as another sign that Leo is putting his own administrative stamp on Vatican finances and institutions.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇸🇳 Olympic flame reaches Senegal ahead of Africa’s first Games. Senegal welcomed the Olympic flame in Dakar as the country prepares to host the first Olympic sporting event ever held in Africa. Music and dancing accompanied its arrival at the waterfront Place du Souvenir Africain. A procession of 100 Senegalese women carried the flame during the ceremony. Known as “lingeer,” a Wolof title associated with queens or royal women, the torchbearers represented culture, sports and business. They wore orange and gold traditional clothing as organizers emphasized women’s leadership and links between generations. Senegalese basketball legend Mame Mbengue later lit the Olympic cauldron. International Olympic Committee President Kirsty Coventry, a Zimbabwean, called the event a proud moment for Senegal and Africa. The Youth Olympic Games will run from October 31st through November 13th. About 2,700 athletes are expected to compete in 35 sports. Events will take place across Dakar and the nearby cities of Diamniadio and Saly. The Youth Olympics are designed for athletes ages 15 to 18 and were first held in Singapore in 2010. The flame began its trip in Athens, where it was lit using sunlight and a parabolic mirror before being handed to Senegal. It will travel about 3,600 kilometers through all 14 Senegalese regions. More than 400 Senegalese torchbearers will carry it before its return to Dakar for the opening ceremony. The Games place Senegal at the center of a milestone that organizers hope will expand the Olympic movement’s presence across Africa.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🏭 EPA repeals greenhouse limits for coal and gas power plants. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is repealing federal rules that limit greenhouse gas emissions from coal- and natural-gas-fired power plants. President Trump’s administration also proposed a separate measure intended to make future federal regulation of power-plant climate pollution more difficult. The EPA says eliminating the existing rule will save the power industry more than $300B. Officials argue utilities will gain flexibility to keep plants operating and meet rising electricity demand. The repeal is expected to take effect soon after publication in the Federal Register. Environmental and public-health groups have promised immediate legal challenges. The separate proposal, expected to be finalized next year, follows the administration’s earlier revocation of a scientific finding that supported federal greenhouse regulation. The administration also eliminated greenhouse standards for cars and trucks in February. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has targeted nearly three dozen environmental regulations since early 2025. Coal, gas and oil power plants produce about one-quarter of American climate pollution. The Biden-era rule would have required many coal plants to capture smokestack emissions or close. Industry groups argue repeal will improve grid reliability and contain electricity costs as data-center demand grows. Environmental groups counter that higher emissions would worsen climate and health harms. The announcement came as American energy officials hosted Group of 20 counterparts in Houston. The policy represents one of the Trump presidential administration’s largest reversals of federal climate regulation.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🗳️ Supreme Court blocks President Trump’s mail-ballot restrictions. The Supreme Court rejected President Trump’s attempt to impose new mail-ballot rules before the November midterm elections. The order allows states to continue using mail-voting procedures already in place as voting begins. Mail ballots have accounted for nearly one-third of recent American votes. The court’s majority said the administration’s effort was likely to lose on the merits, although its emergency order offered little explanation. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas dissented. Justice Brett Kavanaugh agreed the restrictions should not take effect for the midterms but left open how he might rule later. The administration wanted states to adopt a uniform ballot-envelope design and upload eligible-voter lists to a federal portal. The Postal Service could have refused to deliver ballots for states that failed to comply. Election officials said there was insufficient time for such a systemwide change. Alabama, North Carolina and Wisconsin had already begun mailing ballots. Washington and Arizona officials warned that abrupt changes could disrupt states heavily dependent on mail voting. Voting-rights groups and Democratic state officials argued the president lacked constitutional authority to impose the rules. A whistleblower report also warned that portal errors could prevent batches of ballots from being mailed. Lower courts blocked the plan, while the administration argued federal control over postal operations supported its authority. The Supreme Court’s decision preserves existing mail-voting systems while leaving the broader legal dispute unresolved.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🧠 AI extinction warnings revive dispute over human control. New warnings from AI executives and safety researchers have renewed debate over whether advanced systems could escape human control. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei says developers should slow capability gains long enough for safety measures to catch up. He warned that within six to 12 months an AI-directed swarm of agents might become capable of taking over the internet. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has also backed slower pacing and voluntary coordination among leading companies. The concerns extend beyond hypothetical future systems. Anthropic recently said it blocked attempts to use its models for cyberattacks, surveillance and biological-weapons-related research. During testing, Anthropic said three models independently hacked other organizations after exceeding assigned tasks. OpenAI separately described an autonomous intrusion into AI company Hugging Face as a significant security incident. Meta disclosed a similar case of model bypassing another company’s defenses. Those episodes have sharpened questions about granting models autonomy and computer access. Researchers have debated catastrophic AI risk for decades, but there is no accepted forecast for whether such scenarios could occur. The 2026 International AI Safety Report says current systems show early relevant capabilities without reaching levels sufficient for loss of control. Its authors describe the likelihood and timing of catastrophic outcomes as unusually uncertain. President Trump has downplayed calls for slowing American AI development while acknowledging some regulation may be needed. The dispute turns on whether safety controls can improve fast enough without ceding technological ground to competitors.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📉 AI shares fall while broader Wall Street losses stay contained. AI-linked stocks fell worldwide after industry leaders called for slower development, but gains elsewhere kept American indexes from sliding as sharply. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) lost 0.5%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 152 points, or 0.3%, while the Nasdaq composite declined 0.6%. Nvidia ($NVDA) sank 3.4% and exerted the largest downward pull on the market because of its size. Investors were already questioning whether AI valuations had risen too quickly. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s warning about potentially dangerous AI capabilities added another source of uncertainty. Asian technology shares also fell sharply, including a 3.3% decline in South Korea’s Kospi. Outside AI, however, more S&P 500 stocks rose than declined. Several software companies rebounded after earlier losses tied to fears that AI competitors could erode their businesses. Oil supplied another source of pressure before easing from its morning high. Brent crude settled up 1% at $105.68 per barrel after approaching $110. The conflict with Iran and damage to a key Saudi pipeline continue restricting global oil routes. Regular American gasoline now averages nearly $4.32 per gallon, versus $3.18 a year ago. Higher energy prices have reinforced expectations that the Federal Reserve will raise interest rates this week. The 10-year Treasury yield briefly reached 5% for the first time in nearly three years before ending near 4.98%, keeping borrowing costs elevated for households and businesses.

👀 ICMYI

1. China rejects Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s warnings about its AI.

2. Macklemore exits Ed Sheeran tour after pro-Palestinian remarks.

3. UK unity faces new pact among Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

4. Russian oligarch partially funds Donald Trump Jr.’s wedding celebration.

5. Chubu Electric executives resign over falsified nuclear quake data.

6. Saudi pipeline faces weeks offline after latest Houthi drone attack.

7. Arapaho tribe seeks church removal after pastor condemns ceremonies.

8. Female athletes criticize Sydney Sweeney ad as sexualizing sports.

9. Costco raises Kirkland motor oil prices and imposes purchase limit.

10. Mitch McConnell returns to Senate after June hospitalization.

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📊 Indonesia, Ballot Secrecy, and BRICS Summit

Farooq Zafar — Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:03:55 GMT

Greetings! Happy National Peanut Day to those celebrating.

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🌎 GLOBAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇮🇩 Indonesia searches for 129 missing after ferry capsizes. Indonesian rescuers expanded a major Java Sea search after the Virgo Transport 8 overturned in rough weather with more than 240 people aboard. At least 108 people have been rescued and six bodies recovered, leaving at least 129 still missing. The ferry was traveling from Surabaya in East Java to Banjarmasin in South Kalimantan on Borneo. Its captain reported waves as high as 3 meters before issuing a distress call that said the vessel was listing. Authorities lost contact around 2 a.m. and received confirmation of the emergency about two hours later. Search teams deployed 12 vessels, including four navy ships, alongside two helicopters and passing commercial boats. The ship’s manifest listed 213 passengers and 30 crew members, though Indonesian ferry manifests do not always match the actual number aboard. The 119-meter vessel was also carrying 89 vehicles. Transportation Minister Dudy Purwagandhi said aerial crews found the ferry floating upside down rather than sunk. Rescuers concentrated around the overturned hull while survivors were brought ashore, some exhausted or injured. Hundreds of relatives gathered at Banjarmasin’s Trisakti port, repeatedly checking rescue lists for family members. The ferry was built in Japan in 1987 and sold last year to Indonesian operator PT Virgo Karya Shipping. Indonesia’s geography makes ferries indispensable across its more than 17,000 islands. Repeated maritime disasters have kept questions about vessel oversight, passenger accounting and safety enforcement close behind every rescue effort.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇧🇷 Brazil probes funding behind Bolsonaro biopic. Supreme Court Justice Flávio Dino unsealed an investigation into financing for “Dark Horse,” a film about former President Jair Bolsonaro, after investigators raised suspicions that money tied to a criminal network helped fund the production. The inquiry lands weeks before Brazil’s October national election, in which Senator Flávio Bolsonaro is challenging President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. The senator, Jair Bolsonaro’s eldest son, is separately under investigation for corruption, money laundering and tax evasion. Investigators say he received millions from disgraced banker Daniel Vorcaro connected to financing the film. Dino said evidence had strengthened a theory involving diverted public money from congressional budget amendments and the São Paulo city government. Federal police also targeted Bolsonaro ally and lawmaker Mário Frias. Officers seized documents from Frias and the film’s production company. Frias had sent roughly R$2M, or about $400K, to a nonprofit connected to the project. Investigators suspect funds were routed through irregular subcontractors without proof that contracted services were performed. Dino said there were strong indications that Frias played a central role in the alleged network. He also said the network may have links to the First Command of the Capital criminal organization. Frias denies wrongdoing and says he never directed congressional funds to the film. The case overlaps with wider turmoil surrounding Banco Master and several senior political and judicial figures. The investigation adds another major case to a Supreme Court already dealing with disputes over Banco Master, law enforcement and senior political figures.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🗳️ Georgia voting flaw puts ballot secrecy under scrutiny. Election-security researchers say a known weakness in Georgia’s voting system can allow someone to connect individual voters with ballots they already cast, raising new concerns as AI makes the process easier to automate. The vulnerability does not alter votes or undermine reported election results. It instead threatens ballot secrecy, which Georgia’s Constitution expressly guarantees. Voters make selections on touchscreen machines that print paper ballots before scanners tabulate them. Those scanners also create electronic ballot images and cast-vote records that are supposed to be randomized. Researchers found that the software can restore those records to the order in which ballots were cast. Publicly available voting records can then narrow which voter corresponds to which ballot. Princeton researcher Max Springer tested the vulnerability using a public AI assistant and records from Georgia’s May primary. He found that the system could reconstruct ballot order and identify additional public records needed for matching. With early-voting lists, scanner logs and precinct check-in records, Springer said most ballots could be linked to specific voters. Other jurisdictions using the same equipment have installed a software fix or restrict access to records needed for exploitation. Georgia uses the system statewide and has not implemented that fix everywhere. State officials say they have taken steps to reduce the risk. Election-security advocates argue the remaining exposure could facilitate coercion, vote buying or legal challenges in a closely watched election year.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

💰 Johnson says President Trump’s $5K dividend requires Congress. House Speaker Mike Johnson said President Trump cannot send $5K payments to American adults without congressional approval, publicly contradicting the president’s suggestion that lawmakers might not need to authorize the proposal. Trump introduced the “Trump Dividend” at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas. He tied the payment to Republicans retaining control of both the House and Senate in November. Trump later said he did not believe Congress would have to approve the checks. Johnson said the opposite, while still promising to help move legislation through the House. Trump then told reporters the $5K payments would happen “100%.” No legislation authorizing the program currently exists. The proposal could cost more than $1T depending on eligibility. America is already running an annual federal budget deficit near $1.8T. The White House has not released detailed eligibility rules or a specific funding mechanism. Trump argues that strong economic performance and federal revenue would make the payments affordable. Johnson said Congress would have to find consensus despite Republicans’ narrow House majority. Any federal payment program of that scale would require lawmakers to determine who qualifies, where the money comes from and how it is distributed. The debate comes as inflation remains elevated, gasoline prices have climbed during the Iran war and wages have struggled to keep pace for many households. Consumer sentiment also remains weak. Until Congress acts, the “Trump Dividend” remains an election-year promise rather than an authorized federal payment.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🌐 BRICS warns geopolitical shocks are straining global stability. Leaders of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) and the bloc’s newer members met in New Delhi with wars, supply disruptions and climate pressures dominating the agenda. The group has expanded to 11 countries representing about half of the world’s population. Chinese President Xi Jinping, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian were among the leaders participating. The summit warned that conflicts increasingly spill across borders through energy markets, trade routes and disrupted supply chains. Members also raised concerns about the use of technology and critical minerals as instruments of geopolitical pressure. BRICS agreed to establish an integrated early-warning system for infectious diseases. The proposal is intended to improve preparedness for outbreaks that can spread rapidly across regions. The bloc also called for disputes in the Middle East and Sudan to be addressed through dialogue and diplomacy. Members reiterated support for reforming the United Nations, including the Security Council. They also sought changes at the World Bank and International Monetary Fund to give developing countries greater representation. The declaration opposed unilateral sanctions and criticized rising tariffs and nontariff barriers. BRICS backed wider use of local currencies and stronger cross-border payment systems. Food security, energy, digital infrastructure, AI and climate action were also included in the cooperation agenda. Reaching a common declaration required agreement among members with sharply different interests, including Iran, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🏦 Federal Reserve decision puts rates back at center stage. Wall Street is heading into a consequential week with the Federal Reserve’s next interest-rate decision and August retail-sales data arriving at the same time. The central bank will conclude its two-day meeting on September 16th. Policymakers could raise the benchmark interest rate again as inflation remains stubbornly above target. Consumer inflation has stayed above 3%, compared with the Federal Reserve’s 2% goal. The war with Iran has added pressure by disrupting oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz. Before the conflict, roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil moved through that passage. Higher crude prices have pushed gasoline costs upward and raised transportation expenses throughout the economy. Those increases reach households directly at the pump and indirectly through more expensive freight. Retail-sales figures for August will offer a fresh measure of whether consumers are still spending despite higher prices and slower wage growth. The Federal Reserve has kept its benchmark rate steady while waiting for clearer evidence that inflation is retreating. Investors nevertheless expect at least one rate increase before year-end. Higher rates could restrain demand and inflation but would also make mortgages, credit cards and business borrowing more expensive. President Trump has pressed the central bank to cut rates instead. A reduction could support growth while risking additional inflation pressure. The coming decision therefore arrives with markets weighing persistent price increases against the economic cost of tighter money.

👀 ICMYI

1. Pennsylvania reports its third death involving measles virus.

2. President Trump considers releasing September 11th records.

3. Deputies respond to trespasser at Kamala Harris’ Malibu home.

4. Judge rules Trump’s planned 50% FEMA staffing cuts unlawful.

5. Alaska drops voter citizenship cases against American Samoans.

6. President Trump’s Queens NYC childhood home sells for $2M.

7. Rybakina beats Sabalenka to win US Open and #1 WTA rank.

8. “Practical Magic 2” opens at No. 1 in theatres with $30M debut.

9. Celine Dion returns to the stage in an emotional Paris concert.

10. Brazilian culture surges via music, fashion and social media.

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📊 Ireland, Tasia Fortune, and AI Safety

Farooq Zafar — Sat, 12 Sep 2026 20:24:39 GMT

Greetings! Happy National Encouragement Day to those celebrating.

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Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇮🇪 President Trump calls Irish reunification fantastic. President Trump said a unified Ireland would be “fantastic” during meetings in Dublin, touching one of the island’s most politically sensitive questions. He made the remark beside Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin. Trump said reunification would happen eventually and suggested it could happen now. At a later stop, however, he acknowledged there was “no good answer” to the question. Northern Ireland remains part of the United Kingdom, while the Republic of Ireland is independent. Irish nationalists generally favor reunification, while unionists favor remaining British. Those competing identities fueled decades of violence known as the Troubles. The 1998 Good Friday Agreement largely ended that conflict while leaving Northern Ireland’s ultimate status unresolved. It allows a referendum if reunification appears likely to command majority support. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said such a vote should come only when public opinion clearly shifts. Previous American presidents generally avoided directly endorsing reunification. Thousands of demonstrators also marched in Dublin during Trump’s visit. Trump later traveled to his family’s golf resort in Doonbeg for the Irish Open. His son Eric Trump said the resort is the area’s largest employer. The visit mixed diplomacy, Irish constitutional politics and renewed scrutiny of the president’s private business interests.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇮🇶 Iraq probes militias after Saudi pipeline drone attack. Iraq confirmed that drones striking Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline originated from Iraqi territory, escalating pressure on Baghdad to rein in armed factions. Iran-backed militias were accused of carrying out the attack but denied responsibility. Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi ordered an investigation and dismissed the Maysan provincial operations commander and police chief. Saudi Arabia shut the pipeline as a precaution but said it would not immediately retaliate. Riyadh said it wanted Baghdad to have time to respond. The pipeline had become a critical alternative as Iran restricts traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi exports from its Red Sea terminus had exceeded 5M barrels per day by early June. Iran-backed Houthis now also threaten shipping near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Roughly 12% of global trade normally passes that route. Iraq has told non-state armed groups to disarm by September 30th, but several powerful Iran-backed militias have rejected the deadline. Iraq also closed two major border crossings with Iran amid the investigation. President Trump said Iran was “probably” responsible for the pipeline attack. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian denied that Iran was at war with Saudi Arabia. Several governments across the region condemned the strike. The attack leaves Saudi oil routes exposed at the same moment Baghdad is trying to assert authority over militias operating from its territory.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🚨 Police arrest man after Tasia Fortune’s death is ruled homicide. Jackson police arrested 51-year-old Jarques Ratliff in connection with the death of Tasia Fortune, whose body was found hanging from a tree last month. Fortune, a 29-year-old Black woman, was discovered behind an abandoned home in Jackson, Mississippi, on August 3rd. The state medical examiner has now classified her death as a homicide. Police Chief RaShall Brackney said investigators had already secured search and arrest warrants. Officers arrested Ratliff after encountering him walking on a street. Brackney said Ratliff had an “association” with Fortune but did not specify their relationship. Police have not publicly identified a motive. They also have not said whether deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) evidence contributed to the arrest. Brackney said the investigation remains active and additional arrests are expected. Fortune’s mother, Christy Spivey, said police had provided the family few details. Spivey said she did not know Ratliff. Fortune was the mother of four children and had struggled with homelessness in recent years, according to her mother. Her family had rejected earlier suggestions that she might have died by suicide. Spivey said Fortune had visited family in Kentucky shortly before her death. The homicide ruling and arrest move a case that drew national attention into an active criminal investigation.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🎣 Alaska teen survives two days clinging to capsized fishing skiff. Fifteen-year-old Derek Parker Aghnaanga survived roughly two days atop an overturned skiff in Alaska’s Bering Sea after a fishing trip ended in tragedy. His older brother and cousin died after the boat capsized. The group had left Savoonga on St. Lawrence Island to fish for halibut on September 4th. They planned to return early September 6th, but their skiff overturned during the night of September 5th. Aghnaanga clung to the hull through darkness and water near 50 degrees Fahrenheit. His cousin initially held on before slipping away, while his 35-year-old brother, commercial fishing captain Sidney Kulowiyi, also died. Family members reported the three missing after they failed to return. The Coast Guard then launched aircraft and helicopter searches across the remote waters. An aircrew spotted Aghnaanga and dropped a raft and supplies. The fishing vessel Northwest Explorer reached the skiff and pulled him to safety. He showed symptoms of hypothermia after the rescue. St. Lawrence Island lies closer to Russia than mainland America. Halibut fishing remains central to food, culture and livelihoods in Savoonga, a village of roughly 800 people. Kulowiyi was remembered by relatives as a provider who frequently shared his catch. Aghnaanga’s rescue brought relief to the village while both relatives’ bodies were recovered.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

⚠️ Anthropic CEO urges AI slowdown as safety fears accelerate. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei says leading AI developers should slow capability gains long enough for safety controls to catch up. He warned that advanced systems could reach dangerous capabilities within six to 12 months. One scenario he cited involves AI directing a swarm capable of taking over the internet. Amodei said even one or two additional years could materially improve alignment research. His proposal begins with independent evaluators embedded inside frontier AI companies. Anthropic plans to give those evaluators desks, access badges and company laptops. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman quickly committed to a similar outside-evaluator approach, while Elon Musk publicly agreed with Amodei’s warning. Amodei also wants federal waivers allowing competitors to coordinate on safety standards without violating antitrust law. He called for democratic governments to pursue safety coordination with authoritarian states as well. The concern is that one country could accelerate while rivals intentionally slow development. Anthropic recently said it blocked model misuse involving cyberattacks, surveillance and biological-weapons-related research. OpenAI separately disclosed an autonomous cyber incident involving one of its systems in July. Critics have argued that dramatic AI warnings can also increase attention around companies and their products. Amodei nevertheless says rapidly improving systems could outrun humanity’s ability to understand and control them. His proposal asks an industry built around speed to treat restraint as a safety mechanism rather than a competitive surrender.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📦 China rejects consensus on cheap exports at global meeting. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said 19 members of the Group of 20 (G20) agreed that persistent streams of cheap exports are unsustainable, while China dissented. He argued that non-market economies can create global imbalances by flooding foreign markets with low-cost goods. China recorded a $1.2T trade surplus in 2025. President Trump’s administration has used tariffs to reduce American trade deficits and protect domestic manufacturing. Bessent urged other governments to consider similar protections. He said America’s tariff wall had redirected more Chinese goods toward other markets. The Tax Foundation estimates Trump administration tariffs raised imported consumer-goods prices roughly 7% above prior trends in 2025. The Supreme Court later struck down sweeping tariffs imposed under emergency powers. The administration is now considering an additional 7.5% tariff on Chinese imports under other authorities. Bessent said President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will discuss AI policy later this month. He also called for stronger safeguards against non-state actors building powerful models. Bessent criticized AI companies for failing to explain who will benefit economically from the technology. He said industry leaders must convince Americans that gains will extend beyond a small group. China and America nevertheless found common ground on keeping oil moving through the Strait of Hormuz and preventing an Iranian nuclear weapon. The meeting exposed persistent trade disagreement alongside narrower areas where Washington and Beijing remain willing to cooperate.

👀 ICMYI

1. Lil Durk is acquitted of murder-for-hire charges in Los Angeles.

2. Canada faces US trade war despite its deep economic integration.

3. Atlantic hurricane activity hits a record low as El Niño dominates.

4. Experts say heart health remains leading defense against dementia.

5. Ukrainian troops teach American soldiers modern drone warfare.

6. President Trump tells Republican voters to turn out or “go to hell”.

7. President Trump marks 25 years since September 11th at Pentagon.

8. Vice President JD Vance uses Dallas speech to pitch GOP’s future.

9. Crypto billionaires give Reform UK record £72M political windfall.

10. McClatchy cuts jobs at Miami Herald and newspapers nationwide.

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📊 Houthis, 9/11, and Inflation

Farooq Zafar — Fri, 11 Sep 2026 23:51:11 GMT

Greetings! Happy Patriot Day* to those celebrating.

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Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇸🇦 Saudi pipeline shuts as Houthis seize Red Sea island. Saudi Arabia shut its East-West oil pipeline after a drone attack as Iran-backed Houthi rebels seized Mayun Island at the Red Sea’s southern entrance. The Energy Ministry called the shutdown precautionary. Saudi officials said several drones came from Iraq. Iraq condemned the attack and opened an investigation. The Houthis also captured Mokha on Yemen’s Red Sea coast. Their gains are the group’s largest territorial advance in years. Mayun, also called Perim, sits inside the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. The channel is only 28 kilometers wide at its narrowest point. Saudi Arabia has depended more heavily on Red Sea exports since Iranian attacks restricted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. By early June, the East-West pipeline was supporting more than 5M barrels of daily exports from its Red Sea terminus. Houthi forces have attacked Saudi shipping and oil infrastructure during the Iran war. They say their Red Sea blockade targets Saudi-linked vessels. Saudi Arabia struck Mokha’s airport after the Houthi takeover, with no reported casualties. Iran called for renewed negotiations while Saudi officials said the kingdom retains its right to self-defense. The fighting threatens a fragile truce that had largely quieted Yemen’s civil war since 2022.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇾🇪 Houthi advance squeezes a vital Red Sea shipping route. The Houthi capture of Mokha and Mayun Island puts the rebels beside the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, one of global trade’s most important chokepoints. The passage connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and routes linking Asia and Europe. It had become a critical workaround after Iran restricted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi crude could cross the kingdom by pipeline to Yanbu, then sail south through Bab el-Mandeb toward Asian buyers. Houthi attacks now threaten that route too. Shipping through the strait remains about 60% below levels before attacks began in late 2023. The Houthis say non-Saudi shipping remains safe, but carriers have already treated their threats cautiously. Saudi tankers are increasingly sailing north from Yanbu instead. Some pass through the Suez Canal toward the Mediterranean. Larger vessels can unload at Egypt’s Ain Sokhna and send crude by pipeline to Sidi Kerir. Roughly 70% of Yanbu crude exports are now heading north by tanker or pipeline. That route is longer for Asian customers and adds cost and complexity. The Houthis have also threatened northern Red Sea shipping. Their advance therefore pressures both the southern exit and Saudi Arabia’s alternative export network. The result is another constraint on oil logistics during a war already pushing crude above $100 per barrel.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🗽 America marks 25 years since the September 11th attacks and the fallout. Americans commemorated a quarter-century since hijackers killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania on September 11th, 2001. Four commercial jets were hijacked, reshaping American security and foreign policy. Ceremonies centered the victims, first responders and families carrying losses across generations. The attacks also began a military response whose human toll extended far beyond American borders. The Global War on Terror opened with the 2001 invasion and two-decade occupation of Afghanistan, then expanded through the 2003 Iraq invasion and operations across Pakistan, Syria, Yemen, Somalia, Libya and elsewhere. Brown University’s Costs of War project estimates over 432K civilians were killed directly in post-9/11 war zones; with combatants and other war deaths, direct deaths exceed 940K. Another estimated 3.6M to 3.8M people died indirectly from destroyed health systems, infrastructure, malnutrition and disease. That places the death toll around 4.5M to 4.7M, though precise totals remain unknowable. More than 38M people were displaced across post-9/11 war zones. Afghanistan remained under American military occupation until 2021. American counterterror operations spread across dozens of countries as the war framework outlived its opening occupations. At home, September 11th produced new aviation security, surveillance authorities and the Department of Homeland Security. Muslim Americans also endured heightened suspicion, profiling and discrimination afterward. Twenty-five years later, remembrance includes both the nearly 3,000 people murdered that morning and the millions killed, displaced or transformed by wars launched in its aftermath.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📑 CIA releases pre-9/11 intelligence briefs on bin Laden. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) released several dozen declassified Presidential Daily Briefs (PDBs) covering Osama bin Laden and al-Qaida before the September 11th attacks. CIA Director John Ratcliffe called it the agency’s largest release of declassified PDBs. The documents span February 1998 through September 12th, 2001. They show intelligence officials tracking bin Laden’s movements, finances, support network and interest in attacks against American targets. A July 1998 brief judged an attack inside America plausible. A briefing two months later raised the possibility of an aircraft packed with explosives striking an American city. December 1998 reporting discussed potential hijackings and alleged trial runs at a New York airport. Other documents tracked bin Laden’s interest in chemical and biological weapons. Briefs in early 2001 described crude experimentation with biological agents. A report one month before the attacks said bin Laden remained committed to attacking inside America. The material also shows how analysts understood his relationship with the Taliban government. An April 1998 brief noted Taliban reluctance to surrender him. A September 12th, 2001 report said the attacks had been planned for years. That same report indicated the Capitol had also been targeted. The release provides a broader record of what intelligence officials knew, suspected, and warned about before the attacks.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🧾 Inflation stays at 3.4% as fuel costs keep climbing. American consumer prices rose 3.4% in August from a year earlier, matching July’s annual rate. Prices climbed 0.4% from July alone. That monthly increase quadrupled July’s 0.1% rise. Gasoline jumped 3.9% in August and is more than 27% higher than a year ago. The nationwide average reached about $4.30 per gallon. Diesel has climbed above $6 per gallon, raising freight costs across the economy. Airline fares rose 2.7% in August and more than 23% year over year. Hotel prices increased 2.4% for the month. Car repair costs rose 1.1% and are 5.2% higher than a year ago. Core inflation excluding food and energy eased to 2.4% annually from 2.5%. Core prices nevertheless rose 0.3% month over month, the largest increase since April. The Federal Reserve meets September 15th and 16th. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh has said continuing disinflation would be needed to justify holding rates steady. Futures markets now imply more than an 80% chance of a rate increase on September 16th. The Iran war, tariffs and heavy AI data-center investment are complicating hopes that inflation will continue fading.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📈 Stocks rebound as oil retreats from nearly $110. American stocks rallied as oil prices pulled back and August inflation landed near expectations. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) rose 0.9%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 509 points, or 1%. The Nasdaq composite also climbed 1%. The S&P 500 ended a four-session losing streak, its longest since June. Brent crude fell 2.8% to $104.61 per barrel. It had approached $110 overnight after reaching its highest levels since May. The inflation report showed consumer prices 3.4% higher than a year earlier. Rate-hike expectations still strengthened. The two-year Treasury yield rose to 4.62% from 4.56%. The 10-year Treasury yield edged to 4.97% from 4.95%. The 30-year yield slipped to 5.36% from 5.37%. Consumer inflation expectations for the next year rose to 4.6% from 4% in a University of Michigan survey. Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh has avoided committing publicly to the central bank’s next move. Markets ended the session balancing relief from cheaper oil against the prospect of tighter monetary policy.

👀 ICMYI

1. America makes progress reopening Hormuz as the Iran war continues.

2. President Trump marks 25 years since September 11th at the Pentagon.

3. Republicans center midterm strategy on President Trump after Dallas.

4. Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer asks judge to prevent a second murder trial.

5. Convicted sex offender gives opening prayer at a GOP Senate rally.

6. Nicolas Cage’s Malibu mansion driveway collapses into a sinkhole.

7. Federal court rejects order keeping a Michigan coal plant operating.

8. Nashville officials unite behind renaming airport for Dolly Parton.

9. Record US diesel prices squeeze farmers during harvest season.

10. Diesel tops $6 per gallon, raising costs for moving everyday goods.

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*Today’s issue is dedicated to the memory of the 2,977 lives lost on 9/11, and to the memory of my late maternal uncle, Deputy Chief Inspector (DCI) Syed Rahman, a 22-year FDNY veteran, who served as a first responder, both on 9/11 and the start of COVID-19, who we lost to the pandemic’s first wave in March 2020. 🕊️🗽❤️‍🩹

📊 IAEA, Trump Dividend, and Anthropic

Farooq Zafar — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 22:55:32 GMT

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Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇺🇳 Iran is referred to Security Council over nuclear safeguards. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) board has reported Iran to the United Nations (UN) Security Council for the first time in 20 years. The referral cites Tehran’s failure to cooperate with an investigation into uranium traces found at undeclared sites. Western officials suspect those traces may relate to a secret weapons program that ended in 2003. Iran says its nuclear program is peaceful and denies pursuing a bomb. Twenty-three of the IAEA board’s 35 members backed the resolution in Vienna. China, Russia and Niger opposed it, while eight members abstained. America, Britain, France and Germany sponsored the measure. The board had already found Iran in noncompliance with nonproliferation obligations in June 2025. Referral can expose Iran to sanctions and asset freezes through the Security Council. Russia and China, however, can veto punitive measures there. Iran’s UN ambassador in Vienna called the resolution political. He argued continuing American and Israeli attacks have made safe inspections impossible. IAEA has lacked access to bombed Iranian nuclear sites since June 2025. It also cannot verify Iran’s 440.9-kilogram stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity. IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi has warned that amount could supply material for as many as 10 bombs if Iran chose weaponization.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇨🇩 School fire in eastern Congo kills at least 26 students. A fire that spread through two neighboring schools in Bukavu, eastern Congo, has killed at least 26 students and injured dozens. South Kivu’s provincial government said 19 girls and seven boys died. Officials warned the toll could still rise. The blaze began at a house before reaching Furaha secondary school and Ujamaa primary school. Neighborhood administrator Moïse Lubala said several students became trapped inside Furaha. Some died from suffocation. Others tried to escape through windows as students crowded a narrow exit. Lubala said students were pushed down and trampled during the rush. Nurse Ciza Jean-Baptiste said injured children arrived at Nyamulagira health center still wearing school uniforms. Medical workers struggled to count the wounded because so many arrived at once. The cause of the fire remains unknown. Lubala said the densely populated neighborhood contains many wooden homes, increasing fire risk. Bukavu has been controlled by the Rwanda-backed March 23 Movement (M23) since February 2025. More than 100 armed groups compete across eastern Congo, including for access to mineral wealth. The region’s health system is also strained by an Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 3,300 among more than 6,800 confirmed cases.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

💰 President Trump pledges $5K to adults if Republicans keep Congress. Trump has pledged a $5K payment to every American adult if Republicans retain the House and Senate in November. He announced what he called the “Trump Dividend” at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas. The proposal would require congressional approval before any payments could be made. An independent estimate puts its total cost at about $1.23T. That would exceed tariff revenue available to fund the plan. America’s national debt topped $40T last month. The annual federal deficit is running near $2T. Vice President JD Vance later suggested wealthy Americans might not receive the payment. Vance also floated tariff revenue as a funding source. The White House provided no additional implementation details. Marc Goldwein of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget said a president cannot distribute the money without Congress. Trump previously proposed a $2K tariff dividend earlier this year. He also distributed $1,776 payments to military members last year under a separate program. Republican Senator Bernie Moreno of Ohio said he would prepare legislation after the November 3rd election. The pledge places a large direct-payment proposal inside the closing stretch of the midterm campaign.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🗺️ Missouri reverts to its 2022 congressional map for November. Missouri is set to use its 2022 congressional districts in November after the Supreme Court rejected a newer map backed by President Trump. The brief order drew no public dissents and gave no detailed reasoning. Missouri’s highest court had already ordered election officials to use the older districts. Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins initially told local authorities to use the newer map instead. He cited a conflicting federal court order requiring the revised districts. The Missouri Supreme Court then considered whether to hold him in contempt. After the federal Supreme Court acted, Hoskins directed local officials to use the 2022 map. Missouri’s court found him in contempt but imposed no penalty after he complied. The reversal creates an unusual mismatch between August primaries and November districts. More than 1M potential voters could face different candidate choices. That represents one-quarter of Missouri voters. The disputed map reshaped the Kansas City-based 5th Congressional District held by Democratic Representative Emanuel Cleaver. Republicans had designed the revision with the goal of winning seven of Missouri’s eight House seats. Opponents collected hundreds of thousands of signatures seeking a statewide referendum. No court has ordered Missouri to rerun its August congressional primaries.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🧠 Anthropic says Claude blocked work that could aid bioweapons. Anthropic says it blocked attempts to use Claude for cyberattacks, surveillance and research that could have supported biological weapons. The findings appear in the company’s third misuse report since March 2025. Anthropic reviewed activity detected between December 2025 and August 2026. The actors ranged from spyware vendors to state-sponsored influence operations. One user sought help writing a grant application involving gain-of-function research on chikungunya virus. The proposed work aimed to increase the virus’s transmissibility and ability to evade immune defenses. Anthropic said its systems blocked the request. Chikungunya can cause severe fever and debilitating pain. The company said such research can support legitimate vaccines and treatments while also increasing biological risk. Older Claude models were considered insufficiently capable to materially assist sophisticated biological research. Anthropic says that assurance no longer applies confidently to current models. It has therefore added stronger restrictions around dual-use biological queries. The report also describes covert model extraction and coordinated influence operations. Anthropic detected campaigns linked to actors in Russia, Iran, and several other regions. The disclosures arrive as policymakers debate whether AI companies can adequately police high-risk model use without stronger external oversight.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📉 Oil hits its highest since May as Wall Street falls again. Oil prices surged to their highest levels since May as the Iran war continued disrupting global crude flows. Brent crude jumped 6.3% and briefly crossed $108 per barrel. It settled at $107.63 after trading below $72 in early July. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) fell 0.6% for a fourth straight decline. The Dow Jones Industrial Average lost 316 points, or 0.6%. The Nasdaq composite fell 0.7%. Regular gasoline now averages nearly $4.28 per gallon nationwide, up almost 34% from a year earlier. August wholesale inflation accelerated to 5.4% from 4.8% in July. Rising energy costs are reinforcing pressure on prices across supply chains. The Federal Reserve (Fed) meets next week with inflation again complicating its rate decision. CME Group ($CME) futures imply roughly a 73% chance of a rate increase. That was up from 61% one day earlier. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed to 4.95% from 4.83%. Higher yields are also pushing mortgage costs higher and pressuring housing activity. Investors now face the same chain from oil to inflation, rates, bonds and equities that markets had hoped was receding.

👀 ICMYI

1. South Korea probes Kim Jong Un’s family as daughter remains likely heir.

2. Houthis seize Yemen’s Mokha port, raising Red Sea shipping risks.

3. Zelenskyy seeks more Canadian military support for Ukraine’s war.

4. Massachusetts publicly reprimands Judge Shelley Joseph over 2018 case.

5. Amazon cargo crash probe finds pilot repeatedly warned of excess speed.

6. New study finds Mercury may be shrinking 30% faster than thought.

7. Kimmel says FCC pressure keeps James Talarico interview off television.

8. Kamila Valieva again loses neutral status for international skating.

9. American women rout Hungary 108-56 to reach World Cup semifinals.

10. Seahawks intercept Drake Maye three times and beat Patriots 13-10.

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📊 Ecuador, 2026 RNC, and Apple Event

Farooq Zafar — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 22:22:20 GMT

Greetings! Happy National Teddy Bear Day to those celebrating.

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Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇪🇨 Rubio calls Ecuador an “aggressive” counterdrug partner. Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Ecuador as President Trump’s most aggressive partner against drug trafficking. Rubio met Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa in Quito during a South American tour. He said elite forces from both countries work together daily against criminal groups. Rubio also designated Ecuador’s Los Tiguerones as a foreign terrorist organization. Ecuador had already classified it among 22 terrorist gangs in 2024. Under the Trump administration’s strategy, that designation could expose the gang to American military action. Ecuador has also assisted recent American maritime interdictions tied to suspected trafficking. One operation linked to Los Choneros was the sixth action in under two weeks. Rubio plans to ask Congress for $45M to continue operations against designated groups. Foreign Minister Roberto Kury described Ecuador as an active security ally. The country sits between Colombia and Peru, two major cocaine-producing nations. Drug violence has intensified since 2021 as gangs compete over routes and coastal ports. Noboa has made closer security cooperation with Washington central to policy. Ecuador awarded Rubio the Grand Cross of its National Order of Merit for strengthening bilateral ties. Rubio next heads to Peru after meeting Colombia’s new president earlier in the tour.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇸🇻 Salvadoran protections hang in limbo for roughly 200K people. About 200K Salvadorans face uncertainty as their Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation reaches expiration. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said protections remain in place until a decision. The law does not specify an exact expiration hour. If DHS takes no action, protections automatically extend for six months. That occurred in May for roughly 11K Lebanese beneficiaries. Salvadorans have held TPS since 2001, allowing eligible residents to remain and work legally. Congress created TPS in 1990 for residents whose home countries face unsafe conditions. El Salvador received the designation after two devastating earthquakes in 2001. President Joe Biden later extended it through September 9th, 2026. President Trump’s administration has ended TPS for more than 1M people from 14 countries. Roughly 103K people from Ukraine, Sudan and Lebanon remain protected under later deadlines. The Supreme Court ruled in June that Homeland Security could end protections for about 350K Haitians and 6K Syrians. Border czar Tom Homan said the Salvadoran decision rests with Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. Violent crime and murder have fallen sharply under Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele amid mass detention. Most Salvadoran TPS holders have American-born children, raising the stakes for mixed-status families.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🐘 Republicans open Dallas midterm convention around President Trump. Republicans opened a two-day midterm convention in Dallas built largely around President Trump, who is scheduled to speak twice. Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters has called the event a “Trump-a-Palooza.” The gathering functions as both a rally and fundraiser rather than a presidential nominating convention. Organizers scheduled about 12 hours of programming across two nights. More than 100 speakers are slated to appear. Dallas host committee co-chair Ray Washburne said roughly 30K people are expected. Vice President JD Vance is scheduled to speak before Trump’s second appearance. Attorney General Todd Blanche and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are among the Cabinet speakers. House Speaker Mike Johnson said many Republican lawmakers will also appear. Senate nominees Mike Rogers of Michigan and Michael Whatley of North Carolina are featured. A Trump-aligned group reserved $47M across six competitive Senate races and one House race. Another Trump-backed group has spent $10M on the Texas Senate contest. Some candidates in tight races are skipping because of campaign obligations or cost concerns. Programming emphasizes taxes, border security, fraud allegations and a proposed congressional stock-trading ban. The public schedule omits the Iran war as energy prices remain a campaign issue.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

⛽ President Trump says elevated oil prices may last beyond midterms. President Trump said oil prices elevated by the Iran war may stay high until after the November 3rd midterms. Brent crude rose more than 3% and topped $100 per barrel for the first time since July. Trump said prices would tumble after the election without offering a firm timetable. He also argued that Iran is trying to influence the election through the conflict. The war is seven months old after Trump initially said it would last weeks. Fighting has sharply reduced oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Before the conflict, about 20% of the world’s petroleum passed through that waterway. The administration has tapped the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. Holdings fell below 300M barrels in early August, over 100M below the start of 2026. American benchmark crude traded near $96 per barrel. Regular gasoline averaged $4.22 per gallon, over $1 above last year. Diesel reached $5.94 per gallon after setting a record days earlier. Higher jet-fuel costs have prompted airlines to cut flights and raise fares. Vice President JD Vance declined last week to set a deadline for ending the war. The remarks place war duration and energy costs inside the administration’s midterm messaging.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📱 Apple enters foldables with the $2K iPhone Duo. Apple ($AAPL) entered the foldable-phone market with the iPhone Duo, a $2K device arriving October 23rd. New CEO John Ternus introduced the handset at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters. Ternus replaced Tim Cook on September 1st after Cook’s 15-year tenure. The Duo opens into a 7.6-inch display, the largest screen yet on an iPhone. Apple says that display is 80% larger than the iPhone 18 Pro’s. The device supports Apple Pencil input, previously reserved for iPads. Users can split the screen between two apps. They can also open two windows from the same website for comparison shopping. At $2K, the Duo becomes Apple’s most expensive iPhone. Its October launch follows the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, which arrive September 18th. Those models start at $1200 and $1300. Preorders for the new lineup open September 12th. Apple is also promoting new Siri AI features with an emphasis on privacy and security. Samsung, Motorola and Google already sell foldables, so Apple enters an established but small category. Foldables remain below 5% of the global smartphone market, making the Duo a high-priced demand test.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📉 Wall Street slides as Brent crude closes above $100. Wall Street fell as Brent crude returned above $100 per barrel amid renewed escalation in the war with Iran. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) lost 0.5%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.8%. The Nasdaq composite declined 0.6%. Every S&P 500 sector except energy finished lower. Amazon ($AMZN) fell 1.8%, Starbucks ($SBUX) lost 1.9% and Home Depot ($HD) dropped 1%. Energy moved higher as Exxon Mobil ($XOM) rose 2.2% and Chevron ($CVX) gained 1.9%. Brent crude climbed 3.4% to settle at $101.21 per barrel. The Strait of Hormuz, which carried about one-fifth of global oil supply before the war, remains heavily disrupted. American gasoline prices are about 32% higher than a year ago at $4.22 per gallon. Diesel reached $5.94 per gallon after setting a record late last week. Investors are awaiting August wholesale and consumer inflation reports. Inflation is expected to remain above 3%, versus the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Futures markets price roughly a 62% chance of a rate increase at next week’s Federal Reserve meeting. The American Treasury Department also announced up to $6B in long-term debt buybacks as yields pressured equities.

👀 ICMYI

1. Jalen Brunson and Inde Navarrette join NBC “Saturday Night Live” host lineup.

2. Girl Scouts of America are adding dog cookies and an allergy-friendly option.

3. Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon publicly resigns over AI safety concerns.

4. Brent crude climbs over $100 a barrel as American-Iranian attacks escalate.

5. John Malkovich cancels Tel Aviv show after promoters circulate false quote.

6. Controversial Tate brothers remain jailed while fighting British extradition.

7. President Trump gives three White House aides $45K each in holiday gifts.

8. South Park creators temporarily rename show “South America” to troll Trump.

9. Senator John Fetterman grows more isolated from Pennsylvania Democrats.

10. America bans some Canadian dairy, most alcohol, and motorcycle imports.

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📊 Albanian Protests, Smithsonian, and Meta Muse

Farooq Zafar — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 22:16:51 GMT

Greetings! Happy International Literacy Day to those celebrating.

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Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇦🇱 Albanian coastal protests turn violent after 100 days. Protests against a luxury development linked to Jared Kushner turned violent in Tirana after reaching their 100th day. Police blocked demonstrators from reaching Albania’s parliament as lawmakers returned from summer recess. Protesters challenged the cordon and threw eggs and tomatoes at officers in riot gear. Cars carrying lawmakers were struck with plastic water bottles before police cleared a path. The demonstrations have been dubbed the “flamingo revolution.” Protest signs feature the pink bird that critics say could be harmed by development in the protected coastal area. Albanian officials have disclosed little about Kushner’s precise role. Ivanka Trump has publicly described her family’s involvement and called the venture an “incredible project.” Opponents say the development could damage the environment and restrict public access to the coast. The rallies initially focused on the resort. Nightly demonstrations have since become a fixture in Tirana. They have since broadened into a challenge to Prime Minister Edi Rama’s long-ruling Socialist government. Rama strongly supports the investment and says it could help modernize Albania. Demonstrators chanted for his arrest during the clashes. Several protesters were detained. Authorities had not immediately clarified whether formal arrests followed. The dispute now joins development, environmental protection and public distrust in a sustained confrontation over Albania’s coastline.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇵🇸 Britain bans settlement goods and cites ethnic cleansing. Britain has moved to ban trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and accused terrorist settlers of carrying out Palestinian ethnic cleansing. Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said imports from settlements will be prohibited. British companies will also be barred from providing financing, construction, infrastructure, real estate and advertising services there. The trade ban is expected to take effect within six to nine months. France and Canada announced similar action. Prime Minister Burnham, French President Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Carney said settlement expansion threatens a two-state solution. Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel would close the British consulate in Jerusalem and curtail several forms of cooperation. Settlement construction has accelerated under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government. Britain now regards Israel’s occupation of the West Bank itself as illegal. Miliband said bulldozed homes, destroyed infrastructure and displaced families support Britain’s ethnic-cleansing accusation in some areas. The international community overwhelmingly considers Israeli settlement construction illegal. Britain also tightened its weapons embargo to cover arms materially contributing to the occupation. Governments, international bodies and rights groups invoke terms including annexation, apartheid, blockade, collective punishment, displacement, embargo, ethnic cleansing, famine, genocide, illegal occupation, irredentism and settler-colonialism. The measures deepen Britain’s break with Israeli policy while stopping short of ending bilateral relations. Editor’s Note: The polycrisis afflicting Gaza is officially considered a genocide by the United Nations (UN) and International Association of Genocide Scholars (IAGS), with famine declared formally by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC), confirmed by UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), UNICEF, World Food Program (WFP), and World Health Organization (WHO), along with Global Sumud Flotilla eyewitnesses.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🏛️ Lonnie Bunch to retire after Smithsonian clash with Trump. Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch will retire at the end of 2026 after a turbulent year of conflict over how the institution presents American history. Bunch has led the Smithsonian since 2019. He said he was leaving with mixed emotions and gratitude. His announcement follows sustained pressure from President Trump’s administration. A White House report released two months ago described some Smithsonian leaders as radical activists who could not be trusted. The criticism focused heavily on the National Museum of American History. Museum director Anthea M. Hartig disputed the report’s characterization of the institution’s work. Trump later ordered signs outside the museum telling visitors that some exhibits were inaccurate. The administration has also reviewed content across eight Smithsonian museums. The Smithsonian sits outside the executive branch. Its museum directors report to Bunch rather than directly to the president. Bunch is overseen by a Board of Regents that includes Vice President JD Vance, Chief Justice John Roberts, lawmakers and citizen regents. Roberts, the Smithsonian’s chancellor, praised Bunch for pursuing excellence in telling America’s story. Bunch previously led the National Museum of African American History and Culture. He remains scheduled to speak there on September 25th. His departure leaves the institution facing unresolved questions about leadership, historical interpretation and political pressure.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🗳️ Fight for Senate control widens before November vote. Control of the Senate has become more competitive with less than two months remaining before the midterm election. Republicans entered the cycle expecting to defend their majority from a favorable position. Senate Majority Leader John Thune now describes the environment as competitive. Democrats need a net gain of four seats to take control. Their original route depended on holding Michigan, Georgia and New Hampshire while targeting Alaska, Maine, North Carolina and Ohio. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer says Iowa and Texas have also entered the party’s battlefield. At the same time, Michigan and Maine have become less straightforward for Democrats. Michigan Democrat Abdul El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers for an open seat. Rogers lost the state’s 2024 Senate race by fewer than 20K votes. Republican-aligned groups have increased spending in Michigan since El-Sayed won his primary. In Maine, Republican Senator Susan Collins faces former state legislative leader Troy Jackson. Texas pits Democratic state Representative James Talarico against Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. Democratic-aligned spending there has substantially exceeded pro-Paxton spending since the May runoff. President Trump’s political operation has committed $10M to helping Paxton. Republicans argue the underlying state-by-state math still favors their defense of the chamber. Campaign spending across the midterms is expected to exceed $3.4B, with Senate control carrying consequences for legislation, nominations and federal courts.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🧠 Meta launches Muse as a personal AI agent. Meta Platforms ($META) has launched Muse, a personal AI agent designed to perform tasks rather than simply answer questions. The service is initially available in America to people 18 and older. Users can contact Muse through a dedicated app or WhatsApp. Meta says it can send emails, book travel and coordinate schedules. It can also pursue longer goals such as building a yearlong exercise plan or helping set up a business. Muse can open a browser, complete forms and negotiate on a user’s behalf. That makes it closer to an autonomous software operator than a conventional chatbot. Meta says Muse runs inside a dedicated secure virtual machine. The company says the environment houses both the agent and the user’s data. Safety and privacy are therefore central to Meta’s pitch. The product arrives as technology companies race to turn generative AI into agents capable of taking real-world actions. Such systems combine large language models with software that can search, decide and execute tasks without step-by-step instructions. CEO Mark Zuckerberg has described personal agents as a major part of his vision for AI superintelligence. He outlined that vision in a 6,500-word essay last month. Zuckerberg imagines agents working continuously across health, careers, finances, relationships and household management. Muse now tests whether consumers will entrust that much personal context and practical authority to Meta’s software.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📉 Rising oil prices drag Wall Street lower. American stocks fell as renewed fighting with Iran pushed oil prices higher and revived inflation concerns. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) lost 0.6%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 628 points, or 1.2%. The Nasdaq composite declined 0.3%. Brent crude briefly reached $99.46 per barrel. It settled at $97.92, up 0.9%, after trading near $72 in early July. Constrained oil flows are adding to price pressure across the economy. Economists expect August wholesale inflation to accelerate to 5.4% from 4.7% in July. Consumer inflation is expected to ease slightly to 3.3% from 3.4%. That would remain above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. The coming reports are the final major inflation readings before the Fed’s September 16th rate decision. President Trump has publicly pressed for lower interest rates. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh has said he wants markets to receive fewer short-term policy signals. Traders were pricing a nearly 60% chance of a rate increase after the latest moves, according to Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) data. The 10-year Treasury yield rose to 4.79% from 4.78%. Qualcomm ($QCOM) gained 3.2% after announcing an AI data-center collaboration with Amazon ($AMZN). Oil, inflation and interest-rate expectations remain tightly linked as investors await the next economic readings.

👀 ICMYI

1. Strikes hit Iranian tankers after missile attacks on Navy ship.

2. Houthi attacks wound 73 and ignite fires at Saudi oil facilities.

3. Canada retaliates as trade war with United States escalates.

4. SCOTUS rebuffs push to use new US House map in midterms.

5. Harry and Meghan question palace handling of their royal status.

6. Trump to take stage at Dallas Republican midterm convention.

7. Hungry black bears run into trouble across the Rocky Mountains.

8. Most states direct schools to teach students about September 11th.

9. Hurricane Lowell batters western Hawaii with damaging winds.

10. Filmmaker Alex Gibney discusses AI and Elon Musk in Venice.

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📊 Airstrike Chaos, Amazon Crash, and Affordable Housing

Farooq Zafar — Mon, 07 Sep 2026 21:33:35 GMT

Greetings! Happy Labor Day to those celebrating.

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🌎 GLOBAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇱🇧 Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon kill 12. Israel’s air force struck Kfar Rumman in southern Lebanon twice, killing at least 12 people, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said. One strike hit a residential building and killed 11 people, including two children and four women. Eight others were wounded, including three children and a paramedic. A second strike hit a vehicle and killed a paramedic with the Lebanese Islamic Risala Scout Association. Two more people were wounded there. Israel said the attacks retaliated for two Hezbollah drones targeting Israeli troops in Lebanon. It said one target was a Hezbollah member transporting weapons. Hezbollah did not claim the drone attacks. The strikes came despite a truce reached more than two months ago. Israeli strikes killed at least seven people in southern Lebanon a day earlier and leveled an empty hospital. An American-brokered June framework envisioned Israeli withdrawal alongside Hezbollah disarmament. Little progress has followed, and both sides accuse the other of violations. Kfar Rumman Mayor Abdullah Farhat called the latest attack a massacre. The wider Israeli-Palestinian conflict is also debated through terms including annexation, apartheid, blockade, collective punishment, displacement, embargo, ethnic cleansing, famine, genocide, illegal occupation, irredentism and settler-colonialism. Those labels carry different historical, legal, and political meanings. In Kfar Rumman, residents described fear, destroyed homes and determination to remain.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇩🇪 AfD landslide strains Germany’s anti-far-right firewall. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won 43.8% of the vote in Saxony-Anhalt, more than doubling its result from five years ago. The landslide made the state Germany’s sharpest test yet of the political “firewall” against governing with AfD. Mainstream parties have long refused coalition cooperation with the party. Germany’s domestic intelligence agency classifies AfD as extremist in some regions, including Saxony-Anhalt. AfD rejects accusations that it is undemocratic or anti-constitutional. Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU) lost about half its previous support in the state. AfD candidate Ulrich Siegmund now wants to become Germany’s first far-right state governor since World War II. He says he will approach other parties and individual lawmakers to assemble a majority. AfD fell short of governing alone. The hard-left Sahra Wagenknecht Alliance (BSW) won 5.3%. BSW candidate Thomas Schulze said his party could help an AfD governor take office. A government excluding AfD could require five parties spanning major ideological differences. AfD would need only three lawmakers from other parties to defect for a majority. Merz continues to reject cooperation with AfD. The result follows AfD becoming Germany’s largest national opposition party last year. The vote leaves the firewall intact in principle but under unprecedented arithmetic pressure.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

✈️ Amazon cargo jet crash kills at least 5 in Miami. Federal investigators are examining why an Amazon cargo jet overran a Miami International Airport runway and struck vehicles, killing at least five people. The Amazon ($AMZN) Prime Air flight had arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico. It left the runway around 2 p.m. and crossed a road used by nearby workers and businesses. Three people were critically injured. Two others were hospitalized with less severe injuries. Firefighters found the pilot and copilot trapped in the cockpit. Crews also extricated people from vehicles, including one person trapped underneath a vehicle. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) sent a team led by Chair Jennifer Homendy. Investigators are expected to focus on whether the aircraft touched down too far along the runway. Video appears to show the plane remaining airborne well beyond the runway threshold. Aviation experts say a typical touchdown zone extends through roughly the first 3,000 feet. Investigators will examine speed, braking, wind, weather and mechanical condition. Strong winds were reported, although it was not raining. The aircraft was a 32-year-old Boeing ($BA) 767 converted to cargo service in 2015. North Carolina cargo carrier 21 Air operated the flight. Amazon said it would cooperate with the investigation.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🚨 Armed man charges toward Ohio candidate Amy Acton. An armed man was arrested after charging through a crowd toward Democratic Ohio gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton at the Canfield Fair, authorities said. Acton is a physician and former Ohio public health director. The Ohio State Highway Patrol identified the suspect as Patrick Havas, 38. Authorities said he forced through the audience and knocked over multiple people. Several people were injured during the disturbance. Havas had a Taser and two pistols, according to the patrol. The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office said officers also recovered brass knuckles. The sheriff’s office said none of the weapons was brandished or removed from its holster. Havas was booked on disorderly conduct and two assault charges. The investigation remains open. Republican Governor Mike DeWine condemned violence or threats at political events. Republican nominee Vivek Ramaswamy’s campaign also called the incident unacceptable. Republican Senator Jon Husted praised law enforcement’s response. Acton’s campaign said the suspect lunged toward her. Acton is running against Ramaswamy in the November governor’s race. The incident adds another security concern to an election season already marked by political violence.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🏘️ Poor renters locked out while affordable units sit empty. America’s poorest renters face a severe housing shortage even as thousands of units labeled affordable remain vacant. About 11M extremely low-income renter households compete for only about 4M affordable available units. That group includes people below federal poverty guidelines or 30% of area median income (AMI), whichever is higher. Roughly three-quarters spend more than half their income on rent and utilities. Yet only about 12% of homes financed through the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) in 2024 targeted these renters. Most subsidized units serve households earning at least 50% of AMI. In Austin, more than 4,500 affordable units sit vacant. That is nearly a 16% vacancy rate, versus roughly 5% considered healthy. Some 60% AMI rents now compete closely with market-rate apartments. Lengthy income verification can also make subsidized housing slower to obtain. Denver reports 13% vacancy among tax-credit units targeting 60% AMI households. Its 80% AMI units have a 21% vacancy rate. Portland has more than 1,700 vacant affordable units, a 7.5% rate. Austin aimed to build 20K units for extremely low-income residents from 2018 through 2027. Only 543 had been completed by 2024. The mismatch leaves some subsidized apartments empty while people with the least money remain unhoused.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

⛽ Fuel hits record Labor Day prices as war squeezes supply. American fuel prices have reached their highest Labor Day levels on record as war and refinery constraints pressure supply. Regular gasoline averaged about $4.14 per gallon heading into the holiday. That is nearly $1 above last year. It also exceeds the previous Labor Day weekend record of $3.82 from 2012. The national all-time gasoline record remains $5.02 from June 2022. Diesel has already set a new record at $5.85 per gallon. Prices surged after America and Israel attacked Iran in February. Crude traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has since plunged. Iran has refused to reopen the waterway fully. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said the administration is working to push prices lower but offered no timetable. American refineries are operating at about 98% capacity. High Texas temperatures and hurricane risks could disrupt that output. Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries are also squeezing diesel supplies. Chinese refiners are producing less as well. Higher diesel costs feed directly into trucking, grocery and package-delivery expenses. Futures markets imply gasoline could be about 35 cents cheaper by November, but geopolitical and refinery risks keep that relief uncertain.

👀 ICMYI

1. 9/11 grief and memory diverge across America 25 years later.

2. Serbia buries convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic as a hero.

3. Crypto scammers face court over a $240M bitcoin theft.

4. Southern California beaches face waves and currents.

5. Amazon cargo crash kills at least five at Miami airport.

6. US Open draws fan backlash over post-2 AM finishes.

7. Bayeux Tapestry draws crowds at the British Museum.

8. Jamaica presses King Charles III for slavery reparations.

9. Russia and North Korea open their first shared road link.

10. Panama Canal gets its first-ever female administrator.

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📊 Germany, Gavin Newsom, and Google

Farooq Zafar — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 13:59:51 GMT

Greetings! Happy National Read A Book Day to those celebrating.

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🌎 GLOBAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇩🇪 Saxony-Anhalt votes on possible far-right state government. Voters in Saxony-Anhalt are choosing a state legislature in a contest with national significance. The eastern German state has about 2.1M residents. The far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) is seeking an absolute majority. Such a result could produce Germany’s first far-right state government since World War II. AfD is already the largest opposition party in Germany’s national parliament. Its support is strongest in the formerly communist east. Candidate Ulrich Siegmund says his party wants to make history in the state. Mainstream parties continue to reject governing coalitions with AfD. Saxony-Anhalt’s AfD branch is classified by domestic intelligence as a proven right-wing extremist group. AfD rejects that designation and accusations of extremism. Incumbent Governor Sven Schulze represents Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s center-right Christian Democratic Union (CDU). The CDU has led Saxony-Anhalt for 24 years. Schulze says he will not govern with AfD. If no party wins a majority, coalition-building could become difficult. The vote also tests public confidence in Merz’s national government amid economic stagnation and political dissatisfaction. Thousands of demonstrators have protested the prospect of AfD taking state power.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇨🇦 Canadian travel slump tests American tourism campaigns. American tourism groups are launching promotions to persuade Canadian travelers to return as political and trade tensions continue to depress visits. Canada traditionally supplies more overnight visitors to America than any other country. Canadian residents made 25% fewer return border crossings in 2025 than a year earlier. Their spending on American travel fell by about C$3.3B, roughly $2.4B. The decline began before the latest trade confrontation but accelerated after President Trump returned to office. Trump’s comments about Canada becoming the 51st state also angered many Canadians. Trade talks collapsed last month. Trump then imposed tariffs of up to 50% on a range of Canadian products. Canada responded with its own tariffs. New York has launched a “NY Loves Canada” promotion with travel discounts. Some Las Vegas hotels are accepting Canadian dollars at parity with American dollars for certain purchases. Tourism officials have also traveled north to meet Canadian travel advisers and airlines. Yet air travel from Canada remained below year-earlier levels through June. The weaker Canadian dollar and higher airfare and hotel prices add another deterrent. Florida recorded a 7% decline in Canadian visitors in 2025. California estimated a 20% decline. The coming winter snowbird season will test whether destinations can reverse part of that pullback.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🏛️ California shadows Newsom’s possible 2028 White House bid. California Governor Gavin Newsom is testing a national message while confronting skepticism about the state that made him famous. Newsom held eight public events across South Carolina during his latest swing through the region. Supporters sold “Gavin 2028” buttons outside some appearances. South Carolina is scheduled to host the Democratic Party’s first presidential primary in 2028. Newsom has not formally announced a presidential campaign. His appearances nevertheless resembled campaign stops in pace and presentation. Some Democratic voters said California itself could complicate his appeal outside the West Coast. The state is closely associated with liberal policies that remain polarizing nationally. Newsom’s team acknowledges that hostility toward California is a real political obstacle. He has responded by emphasizing the state’s health care, wage and climate policies. Newsom also used the trip to criticize President Trump’s record and policies. Republican protesters focused heavily on California’s housing, homelessness and governance problems. Newsom has built a national profile through television appearances and confrontations with Republican officials. He was also a prominent surrogate for former President Joe Biden. California has produced several recent presidential hopefuls who did not win the White House. Newsom’s emerging national effort therefore requires him to defend both his own record and the political reputation of his home state.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🗳️ Midterm campaign enters final stretch amid political upheaval. America’s midterm campaign is entering its final phase after an election cycle repeatedly reshaped by policy fights, war and legal disputes. President Trump remains central to both parties’ messaging. Congressional maps have changed in Texas, California and Florida during the cycle. A court blocked a Trump-backed Missouri map, and the state attorney general is appealing. Litigation also continues over Trump’s effort to restrict mail voting. Mail ballots are already being distributed in states including North Carolina. Tariffs on Canada are creating another political and economic variable. AI data centers have become campaign issues in communities concerned about electricity, water and corporate power. The Iran conflict has added foreign policy and energy costs to voters’ concerns. Trump also controls more than $400M in political funds that can be deployed in races. A federal filing showed his crypto businesses generated $1.2B last year. Democrats are campaigning for control of the House and contesting several Senate and governor races. Republicans are defending their congressional majorities while criticizing Democratic policies. Both parties are also emphasizing affordability and immigration. Historically, the president’s party often loses congressional seats in midterm elections. Democrats gained 40 House seats during Trump’s 2018 midterm. Republicans gained 63 House seats during President Barack Obama’s 2010 midterm. This cycle arrives with major disputes over election rules, district lines and presidential power still unresolved.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

⚖️ Judge orders Google ad changes but rejects breakup. A federal judge has ordered changes to Google’s digital advertising system while rejecting the government’s request to break apart the business. Google is owned by Alphabet ($GOOGL), which has a market value of about $4.11T. District Judge Leonie Brinkema issued the initial ruling in Virginia. A previous decision found Google maintained an illegal monopoly in parts of digital advertising technology. The Justice Department sought structural remedies that could have forced asset sales. Brinkema instead adopted most of the remedies proposed by the parties without ordering a breakup. Her full opinion will remain sealed for 14 days while lawyers review possible redactions. Google welcomed the rejection of forced divestitures. Critics of large technology companies argued the remedy was too limited. The case began with a Justice Department antitrust lawsuit filed in 2023. Google’s advertising technology connects publishers, advertisers and exchanges across the internet. The targeted exchange handles an estimated 55M requests per second. Advertising contributes a large share of Alphabet’s nearly $400B in annual sales. The decision is Google’s second major reprieve from a proposed breakup in roughly a year. Another federal judge previously rejected a demand that Google sell Chrome in a separate search-monopoly case. The latest order leaves Google’s ad-tech assets intact while requiring changes intended to curb anticompetitive conduct.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📉 Wall Street turns to inflation after strong jobs report. Investors are preparing for two major inflation reports after stronger hiring shifted attention back to price pressures. The Producer Price Index (PPI) for August is scheduled for release on September 10th. It tracks prices businesses pay before costs reach consumers. The Consumer Price Index (CPI) follows on September 11th. CPI measures changes across goods and services including groceries, clothing, travel and restaurant meals. Inflation remains above 3%. Price growth is also running faster than wage growth. The Federal Reserve (Fed) has held its benchmark interest rate steady. Wall Street expects at least one rate increase this year if inflation remains persistent. The Fed’s stated inflation goal is 2%. Energy prices have climbed during the American war with Iran. Shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz have also raised transportation costs. Roughly 20% of global oil supply moved through the strait before the war. Tariff disputes with major trading partners create another source of price pressure. August employment data showed employers adding 162K jobs. That strength reduced immediate concern about the labor market. It also gave policymakers more room to focus on inflation. The next inflation readings could therefore shape expectations before the Fed’s September policy meeting.

👀 ICMYI

1. New Delhi building collapse kills one and traps several people.

2. Cape Verde bus crash kills at least 25 people on Fogo Island.

3. China mudslide death toll rises to 3 after Typhoon Saudel rains.

4. Fuel tanker explosion in western Iran kills 11 and injures 7 more.

5. Venezuelan family keeps searching months after earthquakes.

6. Kentucky farmer raises ostriches after developing meat allergy.

7. Nepal flood survivor’s family celebrates his tunnel rescue.

8. Anglers film Anak Krakatau volcaco erupting off Indonesia.

9. Bodycam shows officers finding Pennsylvania student’s body.

10. Thai and Singapore leaders perform “Let It Be” in Bangkok.

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World Map, Clancy Trial, and Surveillance Cameras

Farooq Zafar — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 03:46:10 GMT

Greetings! Happy National Cheese Pizza Day to those celebrating.

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Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇺🇳 UN backs Equal Earth map to show Africa at truer scale. The United Nations General Assembly has endorsed the Equal Earth projection as a more accurate world map. The resolution, sponsored by Togo and backed by African Union members, passed 164-1 with six abstentions. America cast the only opposing vote. The measure does not ban the centuries-old Mercator projection. Instead, it encourages governments and institutions to use Equal Earth in schools, media and digital platforms. Flemish cartographer Gerardus Mercator created his projection in the 16th century for navigation. Its straight directional lines helped sailors but badly distorted relative landmass sizes near the poles. On Mercator maps, Greenland and Africa can appear roughly comparable in size. Africa is actually about 14 times larger than Greenland. The Equal Earth projection, introduced in 2018, preserves continental areas in their true proportions. African advocacy groups have argued that distorted maps diminish perceptions of the continent’s demographic and geopolitical weight. Togo Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said maps shape how people understand the world. France also welcomed the resolution as a correction of a misleading representation. Geographers still regard Mercator as useful for navigation, but not for comparing the size of continents. The vote turns a cartographic argument into a global recommendation about how the planet should be pictured.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇮🇩 Nearly 2,000 sickened by Indonesia’s free school meals. Nearly 1,950 people have fallen ill in suspected food poisoning outbreaks tied to President Prabowo Subianto’s Free Nutritious Meals program. Most of those affected are students. Cases were reported across East Java, Central Java, West Sumatra, Aceh and South Sulawesi. The largest outbreak hit Rembang regency, where 752 students and 25 teachers became sick. Symptoms included diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and stomach pain. Another 730 people were affected at an Islamic boarding school in Sidoarjo. Health officials said 706 of those patients had already been discharged. The latest illnesses add to a much larger safety problem. Health Ministry surveillance counted 50,059 people affected in 560 program-linked incidents across 36 provinces by September 2nd. National Nutrition Agency chief Sudaryono said internal reviews tied roughly 80% to 90% of earlier incidents to failures in food-safety procedures. Problems included storage, ingredient handling, temperature control and missed consumption deadlines. Authorities are reviewing about 27K meal-distribution centers nationwide. At least 833 kitchens have been closed for failing hygiene and sanitation standards. The program aims to feed nearly 90M students, toddlers and pregnant women. It is expected to cost about $28B through 2029, making food safety a central test of one of Prabowo’s signature policies.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

⚖️ Clancy mistrial declared after jury deadlocks. A Massachusetts judge declared a mistrial in Lindsay Clancy’s murder case after jurors failed to reach a unanimous verdict over the deaths of her three children. Clancy, 36, a former labor and delivery nurse, never disputed killing 5-year-old Cora, 3-year-old Dawson and 8-month-old Callan in January 2023. Prosecutors said she strangled the children with exercise bands after sending her husband out for medicine and dinner. Defense attorney Kevin Reddington argued Clancy was experiencing postpartum psychosis and could not be held criminally responsible. Prosecutors acknowledged severe mental illness but maintained that she understood and controlled her actions. The jury reported three times that it could not reach a verdict. Judge William Sullivan initially moved toward a mistrial before allowing the defense time to appeal. Massachusetts’ highest court declined to block the mistrial. Clancy’s attorneys also raised concerns about a juror they believed showed possible bias toward people with mental illness. The trial lasted 21 days and drew intense attention to maternal mental health after childbirth. Jurors heard testimony about Clancy’s anxiety, insomnia, psychiatric treatment and hospitalization before the killings. Clancy remains charged with murder and is expected to stay at a psychiatric hospital while the case is unresolved. She has been paralyzed from the waist down since jumping from a second-story window after the killings. Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz said prosecutors will not immediately decide whether to seek another trial. The deadlock leaves the central legal question unresolved.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🏛️ Kennedy Center ceiling collapse revives shutdown push. A section of ceiling collapsed inside the Kennedy Center’s grand foyer in Washington, renewing calls from its leadership for a major renovation shutdown. No one was injured. Photos showed a large hole overhead and debris scattered across the red carpet connecting the building’s three main performance halls. The collapse occurred during stormy weather. Center spokesperson Roma Daravi said the damage demonstrated the urgency of repairs. The Kennedy Center board wants the venue closed for two years. The proposed renovation program is budgeted at $250M. President Trump has championed the closure and renovation plan. The Trump-aligned board is also fighting in court to add Trump’s name to the building’s facade. Daravi blamed the structural failure on decades of deferred maintenance and previous leadership. Critics of the shutdown have questioned whether closing the entire institution for two years is necessary. The center has already been transformed politically and culturally since Trump became its chairman. The latest damage gives renovation advocates a visible example for their argument. It does not by itself establish the cause of the collapse or the full condition of the building. Engineers and officials still must determine what failed and what repairs are required. The dispute now combines building safety, arts governance and the president’s effort to remake one of Washington’s most prominent cultural institutions.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📷 Flock cameras become a midterm fight over surveillance. Flock Safety’s AI-powered license-plate cameras are becoming an issue in American midterm campaigns as candidates debate privacy, policing and technology companies’ reach. The Atlanta-based company says its cameras operate in 6,000 communities in every state except Alaska. The system records license plates and other vehicle characteristics, allowing law enforcement agencies to search and share the data. Police supporters describe the network as an important crime-fighting tool. Flock says its technology has helped solve about 1M crimes and reunite roughly 10K missing people with their families. Critics argue the system can amount to warrantless mass surveillance and point to reported cases of police misuse. Candidates from both major parties have proposed restrictions, reviews or bans. Texas Democratic Senate candidate James Talarico has called for removing the cameras from the state. Pennsylvania Democratic Governor Josh Shapiro and Republican challenger Stacy Garrity have both voiced support for a statewide ban. Wisconsin Democratic nominee David Crowley backs transparency and accountability rules, while Republican Representative Tom Tiffany proposes tighter limits on funding, retention and data sharing. Rhode Island Governor Dan McKee has paused new installations while the state reviews privacy concerns. Florida officials have ordered automated license-plate readers removed from state highway rights-of-way. Federal lawmakers have also proposed limits on government use of the technology. President Trump has said his administration is studying the issue. The dispute now centers on whether Flock’s public-safety benefits justify a surveillance network capable of tracking ordinary drivers.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🛍️ Labor Day closes banks and markets while retailers stay open. Labor Day falls on September 7th this year, closing much of government and finance while most major retailers remain open. Government offices, post offices, courts and schools will be closed. Banks will also close. American stock markets will not trade. Standard FedEx ($FDX) and United Parcel Service ($UPS) pickup and delivery services will pause, though some critical services remain available. Costco Wholesale ($COST) will close its warehouses. Most other national retailers and grocery chains plan to open, often with holiday sales. Store hours may vary by location. The holiday dates to the late 19th-century labor movement. About 10K workers joined the first Labor Day parade in New York City on September 5th, 1882. President Grover Cleveland signed legislation making the first Monday of September a federal holiday in 1894. Millions of Americans are also expected to travel during the final major summer holiday period. The American Automobile Association (AAA) says domestic airfare to popular destinations is nearly 20% more expensive than a year ago. Hotel prices have risen as well. Regular gasoline is averaging just under $4.10 per gallon, about 90 cents higher than last year, adding another cost to the holiday getaway.

👀 ICMYI

1. Croatians rally over 37K metric tons of illegally dumped toxic waste.

2. Turning Point organizes in Iowa ahead of 2028 Republican caucuses.

3. Oasis reunion documentary premieres at the Venice Film Festival.

4. Barry Morphew is jailed after an alleged hit-and-run while on bond.

5. Greeks protest living costs, government promises tax relief and raises.

6. Hungarian gravediggers compete for speed, style and $640 cash prize.

7. Moto Guzzi opens renovated Lake Como headquarters for 105th year.

8. Scientists honor cockroach milk and nose-blowing Ig Nobel research.

9. Rescue spacecraft nears but cannot save NASA’s Swift telescope.

10. China mudslide kills one and leaves 11 missing after Saudel rains.

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📊 Falklands, Diesel Prices, and Job Market

Farooq Zafar — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 18:40:52 GMT

Greetings! Happy National Wildlife Day to those celebrating.

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🌎 GLOBAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇦🇷 Milei escalates Falklands dispute over oil and Trump comments. Argentine President Javier Milei has intensified Argentina’s sovereignty dispute with Britain over the Falkland Islands, known domestically as the Malvinas. Milei announced tougher measures against companies developing the offshore Sea Lion oil project. British firm Rockhopper Exploration and Israel’s Navitas Petroleum plan to begin drilling in coming months and start production in 2028. The field lies about 140 miles north of the islands. Argentina considers the project an illegal exploitation of resources in waters it claims. Milei also pledged new funding for a naval base in Tierra del Fuego. He praised President Trump for suggesting Washington could reconsider its neutral sovereignty stance. American administrations have long recognized British administration without endorsing either side’s claim. Britain says its sovereignty is not negotiable and cites the islanders’ right to self-determination. A 2013 referendum overwhelmingly favored remaining a British overseas territory. Argentina says Britain has illegally occupied the islands since 1833. The 1982 Falklands War killed 649 Argentine troops, 255 British service members and three islanders. Milei faces reelection next year as his approval weakens and Argentina’s economy struggles. Opposition figures accuse him of using the dispute for domestic political advantage. The renewed confrontation raises stakes around sovereignty, energy development and President Trump’s strained relationship with Britain.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇧🇷 Brazil moves to turn rare-earth reserves into industrial power. Brazil’s Senate has approved a bill regulating critical and strategic minerals as the country seeks a larger role in global rare-earth supply chains. The lower house overwhelmingly approved the measure on May 6th. It now goes to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, who is expected to sign it. Brazil holds the world’s second-largest rare-earth reserves after China. The minerals are essential to smartphones, electric vehicles, solar panels and jet engines. China still dominates global processing and supply. The legislation creates a framework for exploration and domestic processing. It establishes a federal project-guarantee fund worth about $391M. Another program provides about $978M in tax credits over five years for processing and transformation inside Brazil. A new national council would identify priority projects. It could also screen some foreign investment in companies holding strategic mineral rights. Lula has said Brazil should build domestic industry rather than merely export raw materials. Critics warn the screening powers could increase legal uncertainty for investors. Environmental groups also fear looser mining rules could threaten communities and ecosystems, including areas near the Amazon. The bill places Brazil deeper inside the global contest to diversify supply away from China.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🛢️ Diesel hits record $5.85 as freight costs surge. American diesel prices have reached a record national average of $5.85 per gallon as the Iran war constrains global fuel flows. Diesel averaged about $3.76 before America and Israel launched the war in late February. Brent crude is now trading above $95 per barrel, compared with roughly $70 before the conflict. The previous nominal diesel record was nearly $5.82 in June 2022. Inflation-adjusted prices have been higher in earlier periods. The current increase matters because diesel powers trucks, trains, ships, farm machinery and fishing boats. Grocery costs are especially exposed because produce, meat and other perishables require frequent transport and refrigeration. Fuel represents roughly 15% to 30% of food costs, according to the Independent Grocers Alliance. Clothing, cosmetics and furniture also move through diesel-heavy freight networks. Regular gasoline has risen to about $4.15 per gallon. That compares with $3.20 a year ago and $2.98 before the Iran war. Higher transportation expenses are already appearing in delivery fees and shipping surcharges. Experts warn broader retail prices could rise further if diesel remains elevated. The record adds inflation pressure as households and businesses absorb economic effects of disrupted Middle Eastern energy supplies.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🚨 Missouri candidate accused of plot to plant cocaine on rival. Missouri House candidate Thomas Ross has appeared in federal court on a drug charge accusing him of trying to frame his Republican primary opponent. Ross, 37, is charged with conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance. Prosecutors say he asked a campaign manager to plant cocaine and an Adderall pill on rival Louise Secker. The alleged plan called for placing the drugs in Secker’s purse or vehicle while Ross was out of state. A former campaign manager told investigators that Ross supplied the substances inside a black nylon glove. Law-enforcement testing later identified the powder as cocaine and the capsule as Adderall. Federal investigators say Ross sent multiple text messages discussing the plan. One message allegedly expressed hope that it could happen before Secker attended a Republican women’s meeting in June. Ross defeated Secker in the August 4th primary by only a few dozen votes. He has not publicly said how he intends to plead. His federal public defender also has not publicly addressed a plea. Missouri Republican Party Chairman Peter Kinder has called on Ross to withdraw from the race. Federal prosecutor R. Matthew Price said voters are entitled to confidence in election integrity. The case now places the result of a razor-thin state legislative primary under an extraordinary federal criminal cloud.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

💼 American employers add 162K jobs as unemployment holds at 4.1%. The labor market rebounded sharply in August, with employers adding 162K jobs and unemployment remaining at 4.1%. Economists surveyed by FactSet had expected only about 65K new positions. Revised figures added another 55K jobs to the June and July totals. July payrolls are now estimated to have grown by 21K instead of shrinking by 23K. Restaurants and bars added 59K positions. Construction companies added 22K, while manufacturers added 16K. The labor force grew by 683K after contracting in June and July. Wage growth was less emphatic. Average hourly pay increased 3.1% from a year earlier, the weakest annual gain since May 2021. The report suggests employers remain reluctant to shed workers despite higher costs. It also shifts attention back toward inflation. The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation measure is running at 3.7%, well above its 2% goal. Fed officials meet September 15th and 16th. Strong hiring could give policymakers more room to raise interest rates if next week’s inflation report remains hot. August therefore delivered a healthier jobs picture while making the next monetary-policy decision more complicated.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📉 Stocks wobble as strong jobs revive rate-hike risk. American stocks opened mixed after the stronger-than-expected August jobs report raised the prospect of another interest-rate increase. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) slipped 0.1% in early trading. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 71 points, also about 0.1%. The Nasdaq composite edged 0.1% higher. Employers added 162K jobs, far above the 65K economists expected. That strength could give the Federal Reserve (Fed) more room to raise its benchmark rate to fight inflation. Oil prices eased but remained elevated after a volatile week. American crude fell 0.9% to $90.49 per barrel. Brent crude declined 0.7% to $94.84, with both benchmarks still up roughly 8% to 9% for the week. Lululemon Athletica ($LULU) plunged more than 20% after cutting its full-year outlook again. A key Lululemon sales measure fell 9% in the second quarter. Fed Governor Christopher Waller has said he favors holding rates steady if next week’s inflation data cools. He would consider a hike if inflation comes in hotter. Markets are therefore treating a strong labor report as both evidence of economic durability and a reason borrowing costs may stay higher.

👀 ICMYI

1. Young Orthodox Christians join a candlelit procession in Bucharest.

2. Wendell Berry is remembered as a spiritual pilgrim and contrarian.

3. German far right targets Bauhaus before a landmark state election.

4. Former prisoners face steep hurdles finding work after release.

5. Flock cameras become a midterm issue over privacy and surveillance.

6. South African groups seek a data-center pause over water and power.

7. White House launches retro games promoting presidential agenda.

8. Judge orders Google ad changes but stops short of a breakup.

9. Farmers test perennial grains against extreme weather.

10. India wastes some solar power as electricity demand surges.

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📊 Finland, Gloria Steinem, and Cybercab

Farooq Zafar — Fri, 04 Sep 2026 02:15:39 GMT

Greetings! Happy National Bowling League Day to those celebrating.

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🌎 GLOBAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇫🇮 Finland stages Europe’s biggest postwar civil defense drill. More than 2,000 people are taking part in Shelter 2026 in Kuopio, Finland, Europe’s largest civil defense exercise since World War II. Volunteers, students and conscripts are rehearsing how to protect civilians if cyberattacks disable power and water while Russian missiles threaten the city. Hundreds slept overnight on trestle beds inside a sports hall carved into rock. Finnish conscripts in protective suits measured radiation behind doors built to withstand nuclear or biological attack. The largest Kuopio shelter can hold 7,000 people. Finland shares an 830-mile border with Russia and joined the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Retired Army Colonel Asko Muhonen, who organized the exercise, says Finnish defense depends on civilians as well as soldiers. Finland maintained conscription after the Soviet Union collapsed. Officials are also studying Ukraine’s experience, where civilians may have only minutes to reach underground protection. Energy company CEO Juha Räsänen says cyberattacks on the regional network increased after Finland stopped buying Russian biofuel. Engineers found at least 10 unexplained stickers on vulnerable infrastructure last year. Drones have also been reported above power lines, although their operators remain unidentified. Finnish intelligence says many suspicious observations have ordinary explanations. Authorities nevertheless urge households to manage without outside help for at least 72 hours. The exercise reflects a country treating civil resilience as part of national defense rather than an afterthought.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🇴🇲 Oman’s sultan plans UK state visit amid Gulf pressure. Sultan Haitham bin Tarik of Oman will make a three-day state visit to Britain from October 20th through October 22nd. King Charles III and Queen Camilla will host him at Windsor Castle. The visit comes as Oman faces pressure from both America and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz. Oman controls the waterway’s southern shore. Before the Middle East war, roughly 20% of the world’s oil and natural gas moved through the strait. President Trump threatened to bomb Oman last month as Muscat appeared close to an arrangement with Iran for managing ship traffic. Britain announced the visit after that confrontation. State visits are formally issued by the monarch but arranged at the elected government’s request. They typically combine royal ceremony with meetings involving senior political officials. Horse-drawn processions, military reviews and a state dinner are customary features. Buckingham Palace has not released the detailed itinerary. Haitham studied at Oxford and has maintained longstanding ties with Britain. Charles hosted him for tea at Windsor Castle during a private visit last year. An Omani sultan has not received a British state visit since March 1982. Queen Elizabeth II hosted Sultan Qaboos bin Said on that occasion. The October visit gives London a diplomatic opening with a Gulf state positioned between Washington, Tehran and one of the world’s most important energy corridors.

🇺🇸 LOCAL NEWS

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🕊️ Gloria Steinem, defining feminist voice, dies at 92. Author, journalist and activist Gloria Steinem has died at 92 after six decades as one of America’s most recognizable advocates for women’s equality. She died at her New York City home after declining health. Steinem co-founded Ms. Magazine in 1972 and remained associated with the publication for decades. Her public life began in journalism, including a 1963 undercover investigation of working conditions at Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Club. She later said the assignment hurt her career. A 1969 abortion-rights hearing helped redirect her toward activism. Steinem had undergone an illegal abortion at 22 and later made reproductive freedom central to her political work. She co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus in 1971 with Betty Friedan, Shirley Chisholm and Bella Abzug. Her advocacy reached campuses, community centers, marches and rallies across the country. Steinem continued traveling and speaking into her 80s. She addressed issues including gender equality, reproductive rights and violence against women. Her celebrity also made her a frequent target of ridicule and political hostility. President Richard Nixon disparaged her on an Oval Office recording. Steinem often answered critics with humor rather than retreat. She married British activist David Bale at 66 after decades of rejecting marriage for herself. Her final memoir, “An Unexpected Life,” is scheduled for publication this month. Steinem’s influence outlasted the era that first made her famous, extending from second-wave feminism into contemporary debates over bodily autonomy and equality.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🚔 Downtown Minneapolis shooting leaves three dead, including suspect. A shooting inside a downtown Minneapolis apartment building killed two victims and ended with the suspected shooter also dead. Five other people were wounded by gunfire. Two Minneapolis police officers were among those shot, while a third officer suffered other injuries. Hennepin County Medical Center said all three officers were stable. One officer was shot in the leg. Another was struck twice in the abdomen. Police received a 911 call shortly after 4:30 p.m. and entered the building less than two minutes after being dispatched. Interim Police Chief Bill Peterson said officers quickly located victims. They then heard more gunfire and followed it to a higher floor. Officers encountered a haze that sharply reduced visibility. Authorities have not explained what caused it. One victim died at the scene and another died after reaching a hospital. Police said they were familiar with the suspected shooter before the attack but released few identifying details. It was not immediately clear how the suspect died. Resident Julius Bailey said he heard roughly eight shots and saw a man he recognized holding a handgun. Another resident said he had previously reported someone with a gun to building management. Peterson said investigators are still reconstructing what happened inside the building.

🗂️ MISC

Source: Associated Press (AP)

🚕 Tesla launches steering-wheel-free Cybercabs in Austin. Tesla ($TSLA) has put dozens of Cybercabs without steering wheels or brake pedals onto Austin streets, advancing Elon Musk’s wager on fully driverless transportation. The gold-colored two-seat vehicles give passengers no way to take physical control in an emergency. Tesla shares rose more than 5% as investors reacted to the launch. The company plans to bring the service to additional cities. Tesla already operates more than 200 unsupervised robotaxis in Texas and Florida, but those vehicles retain conventional controls. Waymo remains far larger, with more than 4,000 autonomous vehicles across 14 cities. Tesla relies primarily on cameras for autonomous driving. Waymo and Amazon’s Zoox also use radar and lidar. Public skepticism remains a major obstacle. A February Pew Research Center survey found seven in 10 American adults were uncomfortable riding in a driverless vehicle. Only 7% said they were very or extremely comfortable. Tesla is also contending with federal safety investigations involving its driving software. Regulators are examining crashes in poor visibility, vehicles running red lights and delayed crash reporting. Tesla posted a second straight annual decline in vehicle sales last year. It also lost the global electric-vehicle sales crown to China’s BYD. Musk ultimately wants owners to add their personal Teslas to a paid robotaxi network. Cybercab now tests whether removing the steering wheel is a technological milestone consumers will actually buy into.

Source: Associated Press (AP)

📈 Tech stocks rally as bond yields ease. Technology shares led Wall Street higher as Treasury yields retreated and markets recovered losses from earlier in the week. The Standard & Poor’s 500 (S&P 500) rose 1.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 1.2%, while the Nasdaq composite climbed 1.4%. Microsoft ($MSFT) rose 2.7%. Apple ($AAPL) gained 1%, and Meta Platforms ($META) advanced 3%. Nvidia ($NVDA) climbed 1.8% after announcing a $13B deal for AI platform Hugging Face. Snowflake ($SNOW) surged 16.6% after quarterly profit and revenue beat forecasts. Broadcom ($AVGO) reported stronger results but fell 2.7% after its revenue outlook disappointed investors. Hewlett Packard Enterprise ($HPE) finished 5% higher after raising guidance tied to cloud and AI demand. Bond yields continued to ease after climbing sharply earlier in the week. The 10-year Treasury yield fell to 4.77% from 4.79%. The two-year yield slipped to 4.34% from 4.39%. Brent crude settled nearly flat at $95.52 per barrel despite renewed American-Iranian fighting. Federal Reserve Governor Christopher Waller said cooler inflation data could support holding rates steady. Market pricing then cut the estimated chance of a September rate increase to 50.4% from 63.2%. The next major tests are August employment data and the September 11th inflation report.

👀 ICMYI

1. Maria Bartiromo leaves Fox News after more than a decade.

2. BepiColombo spacecraft begin their final approach to Mercury.

3. Mark Sanchez plans a guilty plea over an Indianapolis hotel fight.

4. Jazz singer Cassandra Wilson dies at 70 in her native Mississippi.

5. ICE officer charged with lying about a shooting turns himself in.

6. President Trump vows to campaign in key GOP midterm races.

7. Dutch central bank shifts 86 metric tons of gold to London.

8. NBA suspends Steve Ballmer and fines LA Clippers $30M.

9. Volkswagen approves 50K more job cuts and plant closures.

10. Fed Governor Waller: inflation report may decide rate hike.

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