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Air disaster averted Data: Flightradar24. Map: Will Jarrett/AP A commercial flight from the UAE to Israel made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia today after one pilot stabbed another, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Around 170 people were aboard the FlyDubai Boeing 737, which experienced dramatic changes in altitude and ground speed before landing. (See flight data.) The attacking pilot was apparently trying to crash the flight before being subdued by passengers and crew, Netanyahu said — though investigators are still sorting out what happened. He added that Saudi officials have arrested the suspected attacker. Their identity has not been released. Passengers from the diverted FlyDubai flight arrive in Israel today. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images FlyDubai said in a statement: "An altercation occurred in the flight deck of flight FZ 1073, operating from Dubai International (DXB) to Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV), on 30 September." "The aircraft was successfully secured by on-duty flydubai crew traveling on the flight, who diverted and landed the aircraft safely at Tabuk Airport (TUU). All passengers and crew are safe and accounted for." It remains unclear what motivated the incident, which comes amid high tensions in the Middle East and recalls a largely bygone era of hijackings — especially involving Israeli flights and passengers. Get the latest.

Microsoft Says Copilot Is a New OS. So…What Happened to Windows? As Microsoft pushes Copilot beyond a traditional Windows feature, the company's AI strategy is getting bigger—and its vision for Windows is getting murkier. https://www.pcmag.com/news/microsoft-says-copilot-is-a-new-os-sowhat-happened-to-windows?

Tennessee governor halts executions after Christa Gail Pike survives lethal injection attempt NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee officials were unable to put Christa Gail Pike to death Wednesday for a 1995 murder after administering two doses of a lethal drug. A death penalty expert said it was an unprecedented failure, and Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee halted the one remaining execution for the rest of the year. https://apnews.com/article/christa-pike-execution-tennessee-f826a60582083b90ac7695ecb16afbdf?

👋 Good morning! Happy Hump Day. In today's edition: Braves, White Sox, Yankees and Padres win Game 1, Liberty eliminate Lynx, what's next for the PCSA, Heisman snapshot, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES ⚽️ EPL drops bombshell: The Premier League confirmed that an independent commission has found Manchester City guilty of all charges related to serious breaches of the league's financial rules. That includes the arrangement of "sham" contracts with commercial partners that artificially inflated the club's revenues and reduced costs by $1.2 billion over nine seasons. Prepare for some potentially serious sanctions. 🏀 Winning Vegas bid coming soon: The NBA is expected to announce the winning bid for a Las Vegas expansion team "in the very near future." The deal is expected to be worth at least $12 billion, and the three finalist groups are Nancy Walton Laurie and Bill Laurie, Steve Apostolopoulos and Marc Lasry, and Bill Foley and Jerry Colangelo. 💵 MJ jersey sets record: The jersey Michael Jordan wore during Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals sold at auction for $12.3 million, the most ever paid for an NBA jersey. The record it broke? $10.1 million… for a different jersey of his worn during the same Finals. 🏈 Prices slashed: The NFL slashed ticket prices down to just over $100 for this weekend's Commanders-Colts game in London in an effort to fill the 62,000-seat Tottenham Stadium, which still had about 2,000 seats available 10 days before the game. 🔥 One relay, 50 states: The Olympic Torch Relay in the lead-up to the 2028 Los Angeles Games will visit all 50 states for the first time ever. Its first stop? Atlanta, which hosted the 1996 Summer Olympics and is the last U.S. city to do so.   ⚾️ WILD CARD FOUR SEASONS ON THE BRINK Austin Riley celebrates his 3-run homer. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) The MLB postseason kicked off on Tuesday, and while these four series are far from over, history suggests the Braves, White Sox, Yankees and Padres are in very good shape. 15-1: Since the best-of-three Wild Card Round was introduced in 2022, Game 1 winners have gone on to win 15 of the 16 series. The lone exception? Last year's Yankees, who rallied to win Games 2 and 3 against the Red Sox. Can Boston return the favor this year? Scoreboard: Braves 5, Phillies 3: Atlanta trailed 3-2 with two on and two outs in the bottom of the eighth when Austin Riley — who's endured the worst season of his career (.654 OPS) — came to the plate. One pitch later he played the hero, hitting a game-winning, three-run homer to completely change the narrative of his disappointing campaign. White Sox 6, Astros 3: Chicago outlasted Houston in this two-sided bullpen game that featured 13 pitchers throwing a combined 305 pitches. It can't have hurt that the White Sox received a letter before the game from their most famous fan, as Pope Leo XIV invoked "the Almighty's abundant blessings" upon team owner Jerry Reinsdorf. Yankees 9, Red Sox 0: No Aaron Judge, no problem. After their ailing captain was left off the Wild Card roster, the Yanks got everything they needed and more from presumptive AL Cy Young Cam Schlittler (6.1 IP, 10 K, 2 H) and lefty slugger Ben Rice (4-5, 2 HR, 6 RBI), who capped off the rout with a grand slam that electrified Yankee Stadium. Padres 8, Cubs 0: San Diego ended the season as the hottest team in baseball and clearly lost no momentum as the playoffs began, dominating the Cubs behind a masterpiece from Michael King (7 IP, 8 K, 1 H) — who took a no-hitter into the seventh inning — and home runs from Fernando Tatis Jr, Manny Machado and Xander Bogaerts. What to watch: All four Game 2's are today, as the Phillies, Astros, Red Sox and Cubs will attempt to keep their seasons alive and force a decisive Game 3.   🎓 PCSA COLLEGE SPORTS ARE ONE STEP CLOSER TO PROTECTIVE CUSTODY Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) speaking earlier this month at a news conference about the PCSA, which he co-sponsored. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Politicians on both sides of the Senate aisle have declared their overwhelming belief that college sports require protection from Congress. But theirs is only one vote of support in a process that could become even more turbulent. ICYMI: The Protect College Sports Act passed the Senate on Monday night, with remarkably bipartisan support delivering a lopsided 77-22 vote in favor. What does it say: The bill aims to codify long-term solutions to the myriad hot-button issues that have sown chaos across the college sports landscape. Revenue-share cap: On top of the approximately $21 million in revenue sharing allowed under the House settlement, schools will have an additional $22.5 million retention fund for existing players and a $5 million pool for women's and non-revenue sports. Third parties: Multimedia rights companies and third parties (i.e. apparel sponsors) must certify that the school did not fund NIL compensation for athletes, nor negotiate or determine the amount paid to athletes. Eligibility: Codifies the NCAA's policy allowing athletes to compete for five calendar years beginning at the sooner of the date of enrollment or the start of the academic year following the athlete's 19th birthday. Transfers: Undergraduate athletes can transfer only once without sitting out a year (graduate students can transfer without delay). All players can transfer without restriction if, for example, there is a head coaching change or their school discontinues their sport. Antitrust exemption: The NCAA receives a limited antitrust exemption to enforce the compensation, transfer, and eligibility rules. Conference expansion: Power conferences can't expand beyond 20 schools, and schools must go independent for three years before switching conferences. The latter provision sunsets in six years (conveniently coinciding with the expiration of existing media deals). Media rights: Schools can pool their media rights, provided 75% of FBS schools agree to participate. This cannot happen until existing deals expire. Coaches: Coaches cannot change jobs mid-season, though they can accept a new job. An amendment to cap their compensation and further restrict their movement failed. Don't bet the House: The bill now moves to the House, where there is abundant uncertainty both about the timing of a vote and the prospects of passage. A vote is unlikely before the midterms, and results at the ballot box could impact the appetite for one. As one Democratic House staff member told Yahoo Sports' Ross Dellenger: "That bill is dead." This was written by Dylan Dittrich for today's edition of Yahoo Sports Biz, landing in inboxes in a few hours.   📸 SNAPSHOTS THROUGH THE LENS (Heather Khalifa/AP Photo) New York After dominating the regular season, the top-seeded Lynx are out of the playoffs without winning a game, losing 87-71 to the Liberty on Tuesday as New York became the first No. 8 seed to eliminate a No. 1 seed in WNBA history. Meanwhile, in Indianapolis: The Fever forced a Game 3 against the Aces with a 99-89 victory behind Caitlin Clark's monster performance (27-7-15) — the first 25-point, 15-assist game in WNBA history. (Cato Cataldo/NHLI via Getty Images) Raleigh The NHL season began with the defending champion Hurricanes raising their Stanley Cup banner, but the visiting Panthers spoiled the celebration after Gustav Forsling lit the lamp with just four seconds left in overtime for a 1-0 win. Elsewhere: The Canucks outlasted the Oilers, 6-5 (OT), in a slugfest; the Canadiens beat the Maple Leafs, 3-2; the Bruins shut out the Rangers, 3-0; the Golden Knights crushed the Blackhawks, 5-2. Albert is swarmed by his teammates after scoring his historic goal. (Robin Alam/ISI Photos/ISI Photos via Getty Images) St. Louis The USMNT came back to beat Chile, 4-2, in Tuesday's friendly behind a flurry of second-half goals including one in stoppage time from Mathis Albert, who at 17 years and four months became the youngest scorer in program history. Farewell, Tim: Before the game, World Cup captain Tim Ream announced his retirement from international soccer. The St. Louis native was then honored with a pregame ceremony in his hometown, celebrating the 86 appearances he made for the USMNT over the last 16 years.   🏈 EARLY FRONTRUNNERS HEISMAN SNAPSHOT (Hayden Hodge/Yahoo Sports) We're roughly one-quarter of the way through the college football season, and thus far three players stand above the rest as favorites for the Heisman Trophy. Jeremiah Smith (WR, Ohio State): The Buckeyes junior is the betting favorite (+275), leading the nation in receiving yards (617) and touchdowns (7), while ranking fourth in receptions (33). On Saturday he became the fifth player in Big Ten history with at least 3,000 career receiving yards and 30 receiving touchdowns, and he's on pace to break Jaxon Smith-Njigba's school record for receiving yards in a season (1,606 in 2021). If he keeps up this pace, he could become the fifth wide receiver* ever to win the Heisman, and just the second in the past 35 years. Darian Mensah (QB, Miami): The sensational signal-caller (+400) has been worth every penny Miami gave him to transfer from Duke, throwing for 1,211 yards and an FBS-best 14 touchdowns against zero interceptions for the fourth-ranked Hurricanes. How's this for a wild stat: He's thrown more touchdowns (14) than incompletions (12), becoming the first FBS player to do that through four games in the last 30 years. He'll slow down eventually (right?), but as it stands his 228.2 passing efficiency rating would shatter the single-season record (208.0, set by LSU's Jayden Daniels in 2023). Kamario Taylor (QB, Mississippi State): The first two players were expected to be near the top of this list, but Taylor (+700) has elbowed his way into the race with four otherworldly games after opening the season at 150-1. The 6-foot-4 gunslinger has thrown for 1,192 yards and 14 touchdowns (tied with Mensah atop the leaderboard) against just two interceptions, while adding 185 yards and a score on the ground, too. Last year as a true freshman he was the backup on a team that went 5-8; now he's the starter for the undefeated Bulldogs, who at No. 16 are ranked for the first time since 2022. *The others: Nebraska's Johnny Rodgers (1972), Notre Dame's Tim Brown (1987), Michigan's Desmond Howard (1991) and Alabama's Devonta Smith (2020). Colorado's Travis Hunter also won in 2024, but he played as both a receiver and cornerback.   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30 Yankee Stadium before Game 1. (Caleb Bowlin/Getty Images) ⚾️ MLB Wild Card All four best-of-three series continue today, meaning as many as four teams could punch their ticket to the next round: Phillies (down 1-0) at Braves (2pm ET, NBC); White Sox (up 1-0) at Astros (5pm, Peacock); Red Sox (down 1-0) at Yankees (8pm, NBC); Cubs (down 1-0) at Padres (10pm, Peacock). Right guy for the job: The Phillies will turn to Cristopher Sánchez tonight with their season on the line, and they've got to like their chances. The lefty tied for the most wins (18) and quality starts (22) in the majors this year, and led all pitchers with 8.1 WAR. 🏀 WNBA Playoffs Different sport, same stakes, as two teams could clinch a spot in the semifinals while the other two will try to force a decisive Game 3: Dream (up 1-0) at Mystics (7pm, ESPN); Valkyries (up 1-0) at Wings (9pm, ESPN). Queen of the glass: Atlanta's Angel Reese led the league with 12.12 rebounds per game this season. The only marks better than that in WNBA history? Reese last year (12.57) and Reese the year before as a rookie (13.12). Decent. More to watch: 🏒 NHL: Penguins at Flyers (7:30pm, TNT); Kings at Avalanche (10pm, TNT) … The Battle of Pennsylvania headlines the second day of the NHL season. ⚽️ Women's Champions League: Roma vs. Barcelona (12:45pm, CBSSN) … One of five games to open Matchday 2. Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events in your city.   ⚾ LET'S PLAY TRIVIA TIME (Bob Levey/Getty Images) Question: Can you name the only five active MLB franchises that have never won a World Series? Hint: Three are in this year's postseason. Answer at the bottom.   🏈 JOURNEYMEN LUCKY NO. 7 (Michael Reaves/Getty Images) With his victory for the Bears on "Monday Night Football," Case Keenum has now won a game as the starting QB for seven different teams, tying Ryan Fitzpatrick for the most in NFL history. The list: Keenum's wins have come with the Bears, Browns, Broncos, Commanders, Vikings, Rams and Texans. Fitzpatrick's came with the Bengals, Bills, Titans, Texans, Jets, Buccaneers and Dolphins.   Trivia answer: Rays, Brewers, Padres, Mariners, Rockies

GOP senator bungles accusation against former special counsel Jack Smith in heated hearing WASHINGTON — Former special counsel Jack Smith on Tuesday defended before a U.S. Senate panel his past investigations of President Donald Trump’s possession of classified documents and alleged role in attempts to overturn the 2020 presidential election. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/29/repub/gop-senator-bungles-accusation-against-former-special-counsel-jack-smith-in-heated-hearing/? ps:How much more pathetic can these people get?

Byron Donalds says solar power is a ‘fad’ but Florida utilities are expanding its use Despite the Trump administration’s hostility towards renewable energy, information released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows that utility solar capacity — large scale projects that provide electricity to power grids — has increased 33% since 2025. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/30/byron-donalds-says-solar-power-is-a-fad-but-florida-utilities-are-expanding-its-use/? ps:A "fad?" What a pathetic statement!!!!! If we had gotten solar into homes much earlier we wouldn't be having this problem with fossil fuel, and there high prices!!!!! $15 minimum wage is here, but it’s not a ‘livable’ wage, group says An estimated 1.29 million minimum-wage (nontip) Florida workers will start earning a $15 hourly wage Wednesday. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/29/15-minimum-wage-is-here-but-its-not-a-livable-wage-group-says/? New Florida Department Law Enforcement commissioner is a familiar face With just months before Florida gets a new chief executive, Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday installed a familiar face to lead the state’s main law enforcement agency. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/29/new-florida-department-law-enforcement-commissioner-is-a-familiar-face/? Governor, Cabinet approve designation of CAIR as a domestic terrorist group Gov. Ron DeSantis and the Florida Cabinet on Tuesday designated the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and two other organizations as domestic terrorist groups. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/29/governor-cabinet-approve-designation-of-cair-as-a-domestic-terrorist-group/?

Piety and Prestige in Late Second Temple Jerusalem For centuries, travelers and pilgrims entering Jerusalem from the north and east had gazed upon the monumental tombs cut into the cliffs of the Kidron Valley. Traditionally, local folklore and religious traditions assigned these towering structures to important figures of the Hebrew Bible, hence the Tomb of Absalom, the Tomb (or Cave) of Jehoshaphat, the Tomb of Benei Hezir, and the Tomb of Zechariah. Modern biblical archaeology offers a very different picture. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-sites-places/piety-and-prestige-in-late-second-temple-jerusalem/?

TSA officers must now stand while checking IDs TSA agents screen travelers at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia. (Valerie Plesch/Bloomberg/Getty Images) Airport security employees checking boarding passes and IDs will no longer be allowed to sit down while working, the TSA confirmed Tuesday. All chairs are being removed from the travel document checker podiums at the entrance to checkpoints nationwide, the union representing the screeners said. The American Federation of Government Employees TSA Council 100 called the decision a “disregard for workers’ rights and safety.” TSA defended the move, saying the document checkers are the first to interact with the traveling public and requiring them to stand will create a better experience for passengers. “This welcome change reinforces both our security posture and our commitment to hospitality by having these officers on their feet and alert,” the agency said. + Read more: TSA officers now not allowed to sit down while checking boarding passes and IDs

Global oceans report delivers ‘starkest warning yet’ The world’s oceans are warming at an alarming pace as humans burn fossil fuels, with far-reaching consequences, according to a report by more than 100 scientists. The tenth Copernicus Ocean State Report, published today, delivers its “starkest warning yet” after analyzing more than four decades of data. Ocean warming has doubled in pace over the past 20 years, fueling marine heat waves, stronger storms, damage to marine life and rising seas. Adding to the strain, a monster El Niño is on track to become the most intense on record. + Read more: Scientists deliver ‘starkest warning yet’ of profound changes sweeping the planet’s oceans + Plus: The dangers of a super-sized El Niño

Trump’s tariffs are back in court President Donald Trump’s sweeping global tariffs will face another legal test today. A three-judge panel will hear arguments over whether he can use a 1970s trade law to impose tariffs on nearly all US imports. Since July, goods from 80 countries, including China, India and Japan, have faced tariffs of 10% to 12.5% after the administration accused those countries of failing to address forced labor in goods shipped to the US. The tariffs are higher for countries deemed the “worst offenders.” This follows a Supreme Court ruling that Trump overstepped his authority by imposing a separate set of tariffs under a different law — triggering refunds worth $168 billion for importers. + Read more: President Trump’s global tariffs are back under the legal microscope + Also: Attention, protein-maxxers — Trump’s trade war is coming for your whey ps:Beyond pathetic!!!!!

Flight diverted after ‘violent incident’ between pilots Israeli authorities believe a “violent incident” between two pilots on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv could have been “a terror attack attempt.” One of the officials said that information gathered by authorities indicates that the co-pilot tried to stab the pilot, and an Israeli passenger helped restrain the co-pilot. Flight-tracking data shows the aircraft plunged 17,400 feet in just over two minutes around 1:20 a.m. ET before transmitting an emergency signal about 12 minutes later. Israeli fighter jets were scrambled, and the incident prompted Israel’s prime minister and defense minister to hold a security consultation. + Live updates: Israel-bound flight diverted to Saudi Arabia after ‘violent incident’ between pilots + Video: What we know so far about the incident Pilot stabs fellow pilot on flight to Israel before passengers intervene to stop attack TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A copilot stabbed a captain in an apparent attempt to crash a jetliner as it was flying 174 people to Israel on Wednesday. But passengers burst into the cockpit and wrestled with the attacker even as the plane descended sharply, witnesses and Israel’s government said. https://apnews.com/article/israel-saudi-arabia-dubai-emergency-landing-fd1835479898f2f944792913af7cbce6

The hidden hazards in everyday plastics Apples packaged in single-use plastic. (Getty Images) Many of the plastic items we use every day without a second thought contain hazardous chemicals, a new investigation found. Data shows nearly 93% of known plastic chemicals used in food packaging, clothing, toys and other everyday products pose a high risk to human health, with potential harms including cancer and reproductive harm. Just as troubling is how much remains unknown: Many of those hard-to-pronounce substances haven’t been studied enough to understand their effects on our bodies. But with plastic so deeply embedded in the way we live, avoiding it altogether is easier said than done. More than 80% of produce sold in US supermarkets comes wrapped in it, about 60% of clothing contains plastic-based fabrics, and an estimated 90% of children’s toys are made from plastics. The answer isn’t to overhaul your life, though — perhaps just to be a little more mindful about where you can use less. + Read more: Over 90% of common household items contain hazardous plastic chemicals + Video: I spent $150 testing my blood for microplastics. The results shocked me

Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer now questions whether there is proof she killed her 3 children PLYMOUTH, Mass. (AP) — Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer argued Tuesday that there wasn’t enough evidence to prove she killed her three children, a striking turn after a lengthy trial that focused more on her mental state than on whether she took their lives. https://apnews.com/article/lindsay-clancy-trial-postpartum-psychosis-3fc31ae3f8a29667cd1fd342f4ecaed8?

Anyone who has taken the time to read EGW in any depth would know that the current ministry model in Adventism is not at all what she envisioned for the clergy. What is radical is how the denomination either never adopted her philosophy of ministry or moved away from it.

We have arrived at the stage where the state looks upon an acknowledged, living human being, notes their weakness, and decides that death is an acceptable medical prescription. The post Netherlands Executes 2-Year-Old Child appeared first on ReligiousLiberty.TV. View the full article

DoorDash partners with Macy's, Anthropologie and others to expand clothing delivery DoorDash is moving further into clothing delivery and expanding its return service. Read More.

Senate reaches bipartisan deal on permitting bill to speed approvals of new energy projects Senators from both parties said Wednesday they have reached a deal on legislation aimed at speeding up permitting reviews for new energy and infrastructure projects that now face yearslong delays, as lawmakers seek to meet growing demand for electricity and other forms of energy. Read More.

The rise and fall of America's deadly love affair with the cigarette Cancer stick. Coffin nail. Cowboy killer. Those are nicknames, through the decades, for the cigarette — the once-glamorous desideratum of American society that has been tied to tens of millions of U.S. deaths.

🌍 Postcards from Eastern Europe Photo: Kate Marino Axios executive editor Kate Marino sends us these spectacular views from a recent sabbatical spent across Eastern Europe — from the dramatic peaks of Montenegro's Prokletije Mountains to the shores of North Macedonia's Lake Ohrid. Photo: Kate Marino

Take a pause Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios. Stock: Getty Images Schools are giving overwhelmed kids a place to reset, Axios' Natalie Daher writes. 🧠 Across the country, schools are adding calming rooms, "Zen Dens" and other supervised spaces where kids can step away for a few minutes, settle themselves and return to class. The idea is to ease stress before it leads to a meltdown, a trip to the principal's office or an absence from school. Why it matters: We spend a lot of time teaching children how to push through discomfort. Some schools are also teaching them when, and how, to pause. 🏫 Case in point: Nearly 20 Iowa schools had adopted "brain health retreat rooms" as of early this year, Axios Des Moines' Jason Clayworth reports. Up to five students can use a room for 10 minutes staffed with school social workers. At Ottumwa High, students made about 1,000 visits in the first half of last year. Officials say school attendance has improved since the rooms opened, while some students need them less as they build coping skills. Zoom out: Similar efforts are popping up elsewhere. The National Education Association reported in 2024 that schools were using staffed calming rooms to help students manage anger, anxiety and other difficult emotions before returning to class. At Hough High School, outside Charlotte, N.C., students who feel too stressed or anxious to focus can spend up to 15 minutes in a supervised "Zen Den," with a counselor available if needed. The school says the goal is to build resilience and coping habits. 🔬 What the research says: There's good evidence for teaching kids self-regulation, even if research specifically on dedicated calming rooms is still limited. A JAMA Pediatrics review of 49 randomized trials involving more than 23,000 children and adolescents found self-regulation interventions were effective overall. Many studies have found improvements in academic achievement, social skills, mental health and behavior. ✨ The bottom line: Feeling overwhelmed doesn't have to derail the day. These rooms give kids a place to pause — and practice getting themselves back on track.

‼️ Senate real talk on AI Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios. Stock: Getty Images Senate Majority Leader John Thune welcomed the new "constitution" that President Trump and tech and AI leaders signed yesterday but said he would work to "codify" some safety protections with legislation. 🤖 Why it matters: Thune and other GOP senators aren't directly challenging Trump's preference for industry-led safeguards. But they suggest yesterday's accord — which Trump called "morally binding" — might not be enough. "I think this is good," Thune told us today. "This is certainly a step in the right direction." "We are continuing to have those conversations up here on whether or not we can come up with some sort of a legislative framework that would codify some safety protections too." 🤔 The intrigue: There's an undercurrent of skepticism in the Senate GOP about AI and the frontier labs. "I'm not saying they don't care about humanity, but they also care — I'll give you three letters: I-P-O — and they care about profits," said Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.). "I pretty much trust them like a rest-stop bathroom," Kennedy said. 🪑Between the lines: Speaker Mike Johnson was at the White House meeting, sitting at a table with some of the world's wealthiest and most powerful tech executives. Thune was not, but he had a separate meeting Monday night in his Senate office with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, one of the industry's leading advocates for regulating frontier AI. Zoom in: Thune has been more assertive than Johnson about the need for Congress to regulate the AI industry. "I do think that the threats are real," Thune told us last week. "I think you have to have at least some sort of a plan and some guardrails around it." Johnson appears to favor a more hands-off approach: "The challenge has been that finding consensus on all of this in Congress is very difficult. The technology changes rapidly," Johnson said yesterday. "The White House and Congress will continue to guide the industry's development in a safe manner," Johnson said. "Congress is going to keep steady hands at the wheel on this." ⚖️ The bottom line: Some of Thune's GOP colleagues agree Congress needs to act, while others favor Trump's laissez-faire approach. "You have to have the strength of statute and law and regulation," said Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.). "Like for any other industry, this is not unique to super intelligence." "Ultimately, the companies have got to do the right thing themselves," said Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.). "Do I have confidence Congress would craft the right solution on AI? Not really," said Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.). "In the end, I think what we need to do is preserve competition." "Congress should do something too, rather than sit back and spectate," said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.). — Hans Nichols and Stef Kight

👎 GOP's lost week 😩Exhausted GOP senators are preparing to fly home mostly empty-handed after staying in D.C. longer than expected. 👎 Why it matters: The midterm outlook is getting bleaker by the day, and Republicans have a monster to-do list for the lame-duck session that could be a last chance to capitalize on their trifecta. Between the lines: Republicans decided against breaking for an early recess last week. The biggest thing to show for it: A historic — and bipartisan — college sports package that doesn't do much for those defending their seats in November. It faces long odds in the House. 😖 Otherwise it was a week of pain: Failed votes: A vote addressing Americans' concerns about data centers driving up energy costs failed today, as did another to curb congressional stock trades and enforce voter IDs. A line of attack that backfired: A major hearing with Jack Smith was overshadowed by a failed attempt by Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) to link the special counsel and Atlanta prosecutor Fani Willis. The Trump issue: Republicans have been tiptoeing around whether Trump's unpopularity will hurt the party in November, only for Texas nominee Ken Paxton to be caught blaming Trump's midterm convention for hurting his polling. NRSC Chair Tim Scott (R-S.C.) said Paxton's analysis was "just wrong" and called the convention "a boost in the right direction." 🤕 Zoom out: Some of the GOP senators are returning to fresh campaign headaches. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) lost a week of in-state campaigning and didn't even get a vote on one of her key priorities: a bipartisan bill to lower insulin costs. Sen. Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.) is the target of a new ad campaign hitting him over his pardon of a man who pleaded guilty to first-degree sexual assault. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) has been batting down accusations that he went after mothers of new babies over unpaid medical bills. His lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter to his opponent — Rev. Adam Hamilton — on Monday. The GOP has a cash advantage, but the campaign apparatus now has to spend heavily in states Trump handily won in 2024 — Ohio, Iowa, Alaska, Texas, Kansas, Nebraska and Florida. ‼️ The other side: Former Rep. Mary Peltola (D-Alaska) was also hit with a damaging report from the New York Times about her personal behavior and office culture (some of which she denied). She is challenging GOP Sen. Dan Sullivan. What to watch: The Senate will return in November staring down a list of must-pass items. Fund the government Pass the National Defense Authorization Act Reinstate FISA Section 702, the warrantless wiretap authority Pass the farm bill 💰 The bottom line: That's just what they must get done. There's also a growing list of maybe-to-dos, like: Take a whack at a bipartisan permitting reform bill that finally came together hours before the Senate took off for home. Pass some form of AI guardrails. Raise the debt ceiling, potentially through reconciliation. — Stef Kight

An Uneasy Coalition View in browser The Make America Healthy Again movement has always had a split personality. Many of the movement’s leaders are fervent anti-vaccine activists whose views are at odds with scientific evidence and out of step with most Americans. At the same time, MAHA’s tenets include eating more vegetables and getting enough sleep, which is perfectly reasonable advice; it’s just hard to take seriously from people who, like Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., wax nostalgic about catching measles. That duality has been especially stark this month, as the midterms approach and Republicans look to MAHA for an electoral boost. At a conference two weeks ago for Children’s Health Defense, the anti-vaccine organization Kennedy founded, he told the audience that they had a “steadfast friend at the White House.” At a MAHA data summit on Monday, Kennedy previewed his plan to use a database of Americans’ health records to compare rates of autism among vaccinated and unvaccinated people. And yet, the second annual MAHA Summit, which was held yesterday in a hotel ballroom in Washington, D.C., seemed perfectly calibrated to downplay controversy. Other high-ranking administration officials, including Vice President Vance and Medicaid chief Mehmet Oz, spoke at yesterday’s summit, lending the affair an extra layer of high-profile polish, but the event was mostly an opportunity for its roster of sponsors to tout their products and services. An executive from Walmart—one of the event’s many corporate sponsors—spoke about making food labels simpler and more transparent, though he didn’t say how his company, which sells more groceries than any other retailer, plans to do that. After being lobbed yet another softball question from the moderator, he gushed, “It means a lot for us to be here with MAHA.” Also among the sponsors was Grail, a cancer-screening company, which just last week announced that its controversial early-detection test had been recommended for approval by a Food and Drug Administration panel. Hims & Hers and Gameday Men’s Health—two wellness companies that stand to make serious money if the FDA allows gray-market peptides to be made and prescribed in the United States—also chipped in. Bloomberg reported that companies that forked over $300,000 were allowed to have “meaningful input” on the selection of panelists and topics. (In an email, an HHS spokesperson wrote that the FDA’s decisions “are made through established processes grounded in law, science, and evidence.”) The MAHA Summit was “very money-driven,” Mary Holland, who runs Children’s Health Defense and was not on the speaker list for yesterday’s conference, told me outside the ballroom. Kennedy has for years denounced corporate influence over the health agencies he now oversees, but onstage, there was no handwringing about conflicts of interest. Instead, Tony Lyons, the president of the nonprofit MAHA Center, which organized the summit, offered praise for “the investors scaling natural remedies, breakthrough technologies, next-generation devices, and cutting-edge therapies.” (Lyons is also Kennedy’s longtime publisher, and his company, Skyhorse, paid Kennedy $4 million in book advances over the past year.) Corporate convenience seemed to beat out Kennedy’s “eat real food” agenda: The conference swag bags contained two organic snack bars, a packet of electrolyte powder, potato chips fried in grass-fed-beef tallow, and a bag of dehydrated taco filling made from pinto beans and peas, all vaguely MAHA-coded but certainly nowhere to be found on the administration’s inverted food pyramid. Plenty of Kennedy’s vocally anti-vaccine compatriots were in attendance, if not on the agenda. I spotted Mark Gorton, the president of the MAHA Institute, who, at the Children’s Health Defense conference, declared himself “the boldest anti-vaxxer in the anti-vax conference.” Del Bigtree, Kennedy’s former communications director, who once told me he’d rather his kids catch diseases such as polio and measles than get the shots that prevent them, spent most of his time chatting with his many fans in attendance. He was pleased at how large companies appear to be on board with MAHA, even if the summit steered clear of the issue—vaccines—that brought him and Kennedy together. “It really probably should be called ‘MAHA Food Summit,’” he told me. (An HHS spokesperson wrote that Kennedy “oversees an extraordinarily broad health portfolio and addresses different priorities in different settings.”) But lest Bigtree and other anti-vaccine activists have any doubts, Kennedy has repeatedly reassured them that he is on their side. At the Children’s Health Defense conference, he went so far as to read from a manufacturer’s list of possible adverse events from a hepatitis B vaccine. In an appearance on CNN last month, Kennedy again floated a possible connection between autism and vaccines, even though researchers have found no such link. Since Kennedy’s failed run for president in the 2024 election, he has drawn together an unlikely and seemingly uneasy coalition. Some are hard-core activists, like the guy I spoke with who was wearing a shirt that took aim at fluoride, vaccines, hospital births, aspartame, and root canals. But other attendees at the packed, invite-only event said they were there because they hoped psychedelics might be used to treat depression; because they thought that AI might improve health care; or because they were looking for answers to medical problems their doctors hadn’t been able to solve. They weren’t anti-vaxxers, and they weren’t necessarily big Kennedy fans, as a couple of them confided to me between sessions. But Kennedy and his Republican allies seem to hope they can channel these different levels of frustration with mainstream medicine and keep all of those voters under the MAHA banner. The midterms will be, among so many other things, a test of how far that banner can be stretched. Related: America is about to go over a peptide cliff. “I genuinely am upset that your kids are vaccinated.”

US economy grew a solid 2.2% in the second quarter, government says, upgrading previous estimate WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. economy grew at a solid 2.2% pace from April through June as consumer spending and business investment came in strong. https://apnews.com/article/economic-growth-inflation-trump-trade-b759367e9e6149fe145652cc95887aa0?