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US military says it destroyed 5 more Iranian oil tankers after missile attacks on Navy warship WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military said it destroyed five Iranian oil tankers on Tuesday in response to the latest attacks on its warships and Tehran hit back at American targets in Jordan, the latest burst of back-and-forth strikes that have lurched the sides back toward open hostilities in a more than 6-month-old war. https://apnews.com/article/iran-tanker-navy-warship-dfc9a1d9c9a5b8bc7b47fcc004025e65?
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🖖🏻 1 for the road: Still boldly going The original "Star Trek" cast. Photo: Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images Sixty years ago today, "Star Trek" debuted in the U.S., launching a beloved and persistently relevant sci-fi franchise, superfan Alex Fitzpatrick writes. Trek's optimistic view of the future — with co-ed, multiracial, multi-species crews working together to explore strange, new worlds — still resonates today as we grapple with racism, inclusivity, equity and more. 📺 A recent explosion of "New Trek" TV shows brought a fresh generation of fans into the Starfleet fold, despite mixed reviews from some corners. Yet the franchise is stuck in unknown space amid owner Paramount's proposed merger with Warner Bros. Discovery. No shows are currently in development or production for the first time in over a decade — though a movie is in the works. Go deeper.
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Big Tech Companies
phkrause replied to phkrause's topic in Politics (Mainly US) and other American interest items
🤖 Controversy clouds OpenAI breakthrough Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios OpenAI says it has solved the Navier–Stokes Millennium Prize problem, Axios' Madison Mills reports. It's a potentially historic mathematical breakthrough — yet shadowed by questions over unpublished research by outside mathematicians. 🧊 OpenAI said today that an internal AI model produced a proof that the three-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations can develop a singularity in finite time. (Learn more.) Execs said they devoted enormous computing power to the effort, putting the costs in the "millions of dollars." Friction point: NYU mathematician Tristan Buckmaster — who has been working with Anthropic researcher Levent Alpöge on closely related fluid-dynamics research — has questioned whether OpenAI raced down a research direction it learned about from their work. He raised concerns about whether private Codex material could have played a role. OpenAI says that neither its researchers nor its agents saw any of the pair's work before they released it publicly. Go deeper. -
Big Tech Companies
phkrause replied to phkrause's topic in Politics (Mainly US) and other American interest items
K-12 approval plummets Data: Gallup; Chart: Alex Fitzpatrick/Axios Americans' satisfaction with K-12 education has fallen to its lowest point in Gallup's 27-year trend, new polling finds. Only 32% of Americans are "completely" or "somewhat" satisfied with K-12 education. That's down 11 percentage points over the last two years alone. 🫏 Between the lines: Democrats are driving much of the recent plunge, with their satisfaction falling 19 percentage points since 2024. Yet a greater share (35%) still report being at least somewhat satisfied compared to Republicans (25%). Gallup says: "Republicans and independents are most likely to cite what they perceive as a lack of teaching basic skills." "Roughly equal shares of dissatisfied Democrats mention a lack of teaching basic skills, lack of funding or resources, and poor quality of education or inferiority compared with other countries." 👩🏫 The intrigue: Parents of K-12 students are about twice as likely to say that they're satisfied with their own child's education (66%) as they are with K-12 education nationally (32%). How it works: The results are based on an Aug. 3–24 Walton Family Foundation/Gallup telephone poll of 1,200 adults, plus an Aug. 3–17 online survey of 2,143 adults. Explore the findings. -
Polls and Survey's
phkrause replied to phkrause's topic in Politics (Mainly US) and other American interest items
K-12 approval plummets Data: Gallup; Chart: Alex Fitzpatrick/Axios Americans' satisfaction with K-12 education has fallen to its lowest point in Gallup's 27-year trend, new polling finds. Only 32% of Americans are "completely" or "somewhat" satisfied with K-12 education. That's down 11 percentage points over the last two years alone. 🫏 Between the lines: Democrats are driving much of the recent plunge, with their satisfaction falling 19 percentage points since 2024. Yet a greater share (35%) still report being at least somewhat satisfied compared to Republicans (25%). Gallup says: "Republicans and independents are most likely to cite what they perceive as a lack of teaching basic skills." "Roughly equal shares of dissatisfied Democrats mention a lack of teaching basic skills, lack of funding or resources, and poor quality of education or inferiority compared with other countries." 👩🏫 The intrigue: Parents of K-12 students are about twice as likely to say that they're satisfied with their own child's education (66%) as they are with K-12 education nationally (32%). How it works: The results are based on an Aug. 3–24 Walton Family Foundation/Gallup telephone poll of 1,200 adults, plus an Aug. 3–17 online survey of 2,143 adults. Explore the findings. -
Donald Trump has sweeping plans for a second administration. Here’s what he’s proposed
phkrause replied to phkrause's topic in Politics (Mainly US) and other American interest items
Lonnie Bunch to retire from Smithsonian leadership following clash with Trump administration WASHINGTON (AP) — Lonnie Bunch is stepping down from the leadership of the Smithsonian Institution following a tumultuous year in which President Donald Trump tried to remake the portrayal of U.S. history by the Smithsonian museums and other cultural entities. https://apnews.com/article/lonnie-bunch-smithsonian-retire-donald-trump-3a08583654837125c643d25b6623fbda? ps:Not sure who's more pathetic, Mr Bunch or the criminal-in-chief? -
Donald Trump has sweeping plans for a second administration. Here’s what he’s proposed
phkrause replied to phkrause's topic in Politics (Mainly US) and other American interest items
Trump Rewrites History With Shock Change on Confederate Statue According to the administration, the pro-slavery monument represented a “renewed sense of national unity.” President Donald Trump’s administration has installed a new informational plaque that sanitizes a former memorial to the Confederacy as Pete Hegseth’s Defense Department prepares to return the “racist” sculpture to Arlington National Cemetery. The Confederate Memorial was removed from the cemetery in 2023 after Congress passed a law requiring the U.S. military to change property names and remove symbols honoring the Confederacy. It was replaced with a marker explaining that the monument had portrayed a “nostalgic, mythologized vision of the Confederacy, including highly sanitized depictions of slavery” in the form of a “Mammy” figure and a “faithful slave” following his owner to war. Despite the congressional mandate, Hegseth announced last year that the “beautiful and historic sculpture” will “rightfully be returned” to Arlington National Cemetery. The administration is now preparing for its reinstatement next year with a new sign providing “historical background” on the monument that conveniently omits any mention of its controversial past, The Washington Post reported. “Driven by a renewed sense of national unity following the Spanish-American War, in 1900 Congress authorized the reburial of Confederate remains in ‘some suitable spot’ at Arlington National Cemetery,” the plaque says. Erected in 1914, the project was led by the Daughters of the Confederacy and designed by “sculptor and Confederate veteran Moses Ezekiel,” it adds. The new description leaves out some key details, like the fact that Ezekiel—who relocated to Rome after the Civil War—spent much of his artistic career promoting the myth that the Civil War was just and heroic, and not a treasonous war fought to uphold slavery. His 32-foot bronze memorial includes an inscription in Latin that frames the Civil War as a “Lost Cause” that was nevertheless admirable for its noble principles and resistance to tyranny, according to an archived version of the Arlington Cemetery website. The sculpture also sanitizes the violent reality of slavery, with an enslaved woman depicted as a “Mammy” figure holding a white officer’s child and an enslaved man following his owner to war, according to the website. Ezekiel purposefully included the “faithful Black servants” to combat what he believed were “lies” about slavery in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s 1852 novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin, according to Hilary A. Herbert, an Alabama lawmaker who pushed for the creation of the Confederates’ section at Arlington Cemetery. The artist believed his statue “correctly” showed Black slaves’ support for the Confederate cause, according to Herbert, meaning the Trump administration is reinstating the myth that Black people supported their own enslavement. The memorial has also been called “The Reconciliation Monument” because it was created during a period when the federal government abandoned its policy of Reconstruction, which aimed to reunify the nation after the Civil War and transform the South’s slave-based society into something more equitable. During Reconciliation, the government “downplayed the Confederacy’s treason,” “papered over the issue of slavery,” and “ignored the underrepresented black officers of the U.S. Army,” according to West Point Military Academy’s Modern War Institute. Troops were withdrawn from the South, allowing the former Confederate states to impose racial segregation, deny Black people the right to vote, and terrorize Black communities. Reconciliation was the “renewed sense of national unity” that Arlington National Cemetery’s new informational plaque euphemistically describes as leading to the creation of the section for Confederate soldiers. The plaque also says, “The Army expects to display the [Confederate Memorial] sculpture at this site in 2027 after it has undergone comprehensive conservation and refurbishment.” It’s not clear how the Defense Department can legally reinstall the statue after the congressionally created, bipartisan Naming Commission decided to remove it. Ty Seidule, a retired U.S. Army brigadier general who served as the commission’s vice chair, told the Post that he and his colleagues considered the monument “the most egregious example of racism that they had seen on any public land in America.” “It is a pro-slavery, anti-United States monument,” he said. The Daily Beast has reached out to the Defense Department for comment. The move to restore the monument comes despite the cemetery itself being founded in 1864 on land seized from Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee’s plantation estate, according to the National Park Service. The decision to bury Union soldiers on the property was widely viewed as a way to restore honor to the property, which had been disgraced by Lee’s decision to lead the Confederate forces, according to the NPS. Since Trump’s return to office, his administration has made a point of reintroducing Confederate symbols to public spaces, restoring a portrait of Lee in his Confederate uniform to West Point, removing references to slavery from national museums and parks, and honoring soldiers who massacred Native Americans. https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-rewrites-history-with-shock-change-on-confederate-memorial-statue-at-arlington/? -
Donald Trump has sweeping plans for a second administration. Here’s what he’s proposed
phkrause replied to phkrause's topic in Politics (Mainly US) and other American interest items
Putin Humiliates Trump’s Goons Hours After Talks A three-day ceasefire collapsed almost as soon as the president’s negotiators packed up and left. Donald Trump’s negotiating duo have been embarrassed by Vladimir Putin just after they gave a bootlicking masterclass in Russia. The president, 80, sent Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff to try to negotiate the beginning of the end of the Kremlin dictator’s war in Ukraine. But just 48 hours after they bent the knee in Moscow, and less than a day after they landed in Kyiv, Russian airstrikes killed at least two people and wounded seven in Ukraine’s capital. The strikes hit Kyiv on Tuesday morning, city authorities said, after both Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had ordered a pause in fighting so Trump’s son-in-law, Kushner, and his special envoy, Witkoff, could hold separate talks with each leader. After they packed their bags and departed, a wave of strong explosions rocked the capital, damaging a five-story apartment block and setting vehicles on fire in two different districts. Kyiv Mayor and former pro boxer Vitali Klitschko said people were trapped inside a residential building. Russia’s barrage included Oniks anti-ship missiles, Iskander-M and S-400 systems, North Korean-made KN-23 ballistic missiles, 32 Kh-101 cruise missiles and 166 Shahed attack drones, more than half of them jet-powered. Ukraine’s air defenses said they destroyed or suppressed 175 of the incoming targets by 8:30 a.m. Witkoff and Kushner had earlier called the trip a breakthrough weekend. After Sunday’s talks in Kyiv, the pair said they’d held “meaningful discussions” and were “very encouraged,” though Witkoff acknowledged both sides would need to make “compromises” to end the war, now more than four-and-a-half years old. A senior Ukrainian official, speaking anonymously because he wasn’t authorized to talk publicly, told The Associated Press much of the discussion centered on “how to get through the winter and what can be done before then.” Ukrainians had earlier been angered by a comment the pair made. Kushner, in Kyiv for the first time, told reporters he pined for the earlier days of trilateral talks, when “everyone was speaking in Russian to each other.” “We were discussing these issues in a very extra-friendly manner, all in Russian,” he said. He also seemed happy to speak about Putin’s thinking, telling reporters, “From President Putin’s perspective, I think he has certain objectives he expresses that he wants to achieve.” Witkoff, meanwhile, was caught on camera gushing to the Russian leader that their talks would rank among the “incredible memories” of his career, telling Putin it “will be right at the top of it all.” A Ukrainian reporter pressed Witkoff on his warmth toward the Kremlin war machine, asking if he was “ashamed to sit at the same table with an international war criminal.” Witkoff brushed it off with a lecture on the value of “relationships,” insisting, “We’ve always been treated respectfully by President Putin and his team.” Trump had sent his envoys off with high hopes, telling reporters before their trip that the U.S. had “an idea for peace” and that “there may be a good chance that we’ll do it.” https://www.thedailybeast.com/putin-humiliates-trumps-goons-hours-after-talks/? ps:The most pathetic waste of time! These two, first they have no idea what they're doing, and second they're not interested in helping Ukraine at all!!!!! - Today
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Travel chaos at UK airports as over 1,000 flights canceled due to air traffic control issue LONDON (AP) — An air traffic control problem disrupted travel across Britain on Tuesday, canceling more than 1,000 flights and leaving passengers stranded for hours on airport runways and in terminals, according to flight-tracking website Flightradar24. https://apnews.com/article/uk-airports-traffic-control-disruptions-408a8997d9fb39508e922e09d2523884?
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The Intercept Investgations
phkrause replied to phkrause's topic in Politics (Mainly US) and other American interest items
The Pentagon Asked OpenAI for Artificial Intelligence Designed to Rarely Say No The Department of Defense asked OpenAI to provide the U.S. military with a special version of its artificial intelligence technology designed to turn down the military commands as infrequently as possible, according to documents obtained by The Intercept. https://theintercept.com/2026/09/08/pentagon-openai-military-contract/? AI Giants Work Hand-in-Hand With the Pentagon, Contracts Reveal The acrimonious breakup between Anthropic and the Department of Defense played out largely in public. But despite the high-profile salvos between the artificial intelligence giant and the Pentagon, ostensibly over the ethics of 21st-century warfare and corporate power, their actual falling out hinged on a government contract that has remained hidden away. Through a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit conducted with the help of Legal Advocates for Safe Science and Technology, The Intercept obtained more than 400 pages of documents related to the U.S. military’s contracts with Anthropic and its chief competitors. They illuminate the surprisingly intimate relationship between Big Tech and the armed forces, and reveal new insights about the deals that led to the Anthropic crisis earlier this year. https://theintercept.com/2026/09/08/military-ai-weapons-contracts-openai-anthropic-google/? ICE Gave New Hires Access to Restricted Info on Palantir App Before They Passed Background Checks During the height of President Donald Trump’s winter immigration enforcement surge in Minneapolis, a new AI-driven “alien” targeting app appeared on the phones of U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement deportation officers. https://theintercept.com/2026/09/03/ice-palantir-privacy-personal-info-access/? A True-Crime Star’s Lurid Claims Sent a Man to Die. Her Key Witness Just Recanted. Twenty-four years after he provided crucial testimony that helped send a man to Texas’s death row, DNA expert William Watson has recanted his opinion and called out Harris County prosecutors — including an assistant district attorney turned true-crime TV star — for distorting his conclusions to win a conviction. https://theintercept.com/2026/09/06/kelly-siegler-prible-dna-death-penalty/? Flock Donations to Local Politicians’ Groups Skyrocket as Protests Against AI Cameras Mount As fed-up activists target Flock, the AI-powered surveillance camera company is battling back with a massive increase in donations to associations for mayors and other local officials. https://theintercept.com/2026/09/04/flock-camera-surveillance-protest-donations/? “Board of Peace” Billionaire Backs AIPAC Fund Targeting Pro-Palestine Candidates Marc Rowan has a vision for Gaza. “The potential here is tremendous,” he said at a February gathering of President Donald Trump’s so-called Board of Peace, where Rowan described land devastated by Israeli bombing with a developer’s zeal. “This is not a problem of money or collateral. This is a problem with peace.” https://theintercept.com/2026/09/03/aipac-marc-rowan-donor-gaza-board-peace/? They Tried to Make Charlie Kirk a Saint. They Made Him a Meme. In the year since he was gunned down at an event at Utah Valley University, the Turning Point USA founder has gone from a man cut down in his prime to a recurring internet meme, complete with an AI-generated song, “We Are Charlie Kirk,” which hit No. 1 on Spotify’s Viral 50 U.S. ranking. Audio of his killing became a TikTok sound for girlie outfit transformation videos; he’s been inserted into movies like “Avatar” and “The Odyssey”; he’s been AI’d into Studio Ghibli-style art, the final scene of “The Sopranos,” and the video game “Grand Theft Auto.” Even the moment of his death has gotten the meme treatment, with parodies depicting him with Jeffrey Epstein and Benjamin Netanyahu. https://theintercept.com/2026/09/07/charlie-kirk-internet-meme/? Claudia Sheinbaum Wants to Ban Dual Citizens From Office to Shield Mexico From Trump Left-wing Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has a proposal to shield her country from Donald Trump’s growing influence over Latin American politics: changing the constitution to bar dual nationals from running for president or governor of any Mexican state. https://theintercept.com/2026/09/05/mexico-president-dual-citizenship/? 25 Years After 9/11, Muslims Are Still Politicians’ Favorite Scapegoat A quarter century after the September 11 attacks emboldened then-President George W. Bush to launch the “war on terror,” many Americans might like to think they’re wiser than the politicians and pundits who unleashed a flood of anti-Muslim hatred and eroded civil liberties through warrantless wiretaps and racist deportation campaigns. https://theintercept.com/2026/09/04/911-muslim-islamophobia-terrorist/? -
👋 Good morning! Happy NFL Eve. Test your knowledge: Tuesdays are for GeoSports. Tap in to play today's round. In today's edition: Week 1 recap, how to conquer jet lag, PCA adds another highlight, Antonelli wins at Monza, MLB's shortest game, World Nomad Games, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports... 🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES ⚾️ Yankees activate Judge: Aaron Judge will rejoin the Yankees' lineup tonight against the Rockies after missing the last three months with a stress fracture in his rib. The three-time AL MVP had 17 HR in 59 games before landing on the injured list on June 5. 🏈 Goodell extended: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has finalized a four-year extension through March 2031, the same month the league's current CBA expires. Goodell is entering his 21st season; only Pete Rozelle (30 seasons) has held the position longer. ⚽️ Gunners win London Derby: Arsenal beat Chelsea, 2-1, on Sunday to continue their perfect start to their title defense, joining Manchester City as the only clubs to start the season 3-0-0. They also extended their unbeaten streak against Chelsea to 10 straight Premier League matches. 🏀 Engelbert to step down: WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert, who has presided over an era of explosive growth in women's basketball while facing criticism for her leadership style, will retire at the end of the year, the league announced Friday. ⚾️ Minor league perfecto: Brewers Triple-A pitcher Thomas Pannone threw a perfect game on Monday for the Nashville Sounds, marking the first nine-inning perfecto by a single pitcher in the minor leagues since 2017. 🏈 COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEK 1 GETS WEIRD Michigan's JJ Buchanan catches the game-winning Hail Mary. (Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) Week 1 of the college football season featured lots of great football and some entertaining games, but will mostly be remembered for two bizarre situations. The do-over: No. 16 Michigan nearly suffered a massive upset at home against Western Michigan, trailing 12-7 when they loaded up a Hail Mary with nine seconds left. The ball sailed through the back of the end zone as time expired, but upon further review, one second was added back to the clock, and Michigan's second attempt was caught for a walk-off 13-12 victory. "A multibillion-dollar business should not be relying on the Big Ten replay booth to make a decision that swings a game to benefit a Big Ten team over a non-Big Ten team," writes Yahoo Sports' Dan Wolken. "Western Michigan has every right to feel cheated, and every person who watched that should have serious questions about why the call on the field got overturned under less-than-obvious circumstances." Lights out: Florida State's home game against SMU was delayed for nearly two hours on Monday night after a power outage knocked out the lights at Doak Campbell Stadium. When the game finally kicked off, there was no PA system, no instant replay review, no coach-to-player helmet communications, and the official clock was kept by officials on the field. "Everybody was on the same page and embraced the oddness of it. Let's go old school," said SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee, whose team won 27-24. "10 years ago, there was no talking to players. They did have clocks, though." LSU QB Sam Leavitt celebrates after scoring a touchdown. (Tyler Kaufman/Getty Images) Week 1 notes: SEC runs the table: SEC teams went 16-0, marking the conference's first undefeated opening weekend since 1997. Two of those wins were thrillers, with No. 9 Ole Miss beating No. 24 Louisville, 41-38, on a walk-off field goal and Auburn holding off Baylor, 17-16, when the Tigers stopped the Bears' last-second 2-point attempt. Blowouts galore: 18 of 25 ranked teams won their Week 1 game by at least 20 points, though even that undersells their dominance. 16 won by at least 36 points, 12 won by at least 40 points and six won by at least 50 points. Dynamic duos: Miami's Darian Mensah (27/30, 401 yards, 5 TD) and Malachi Toney (12 catches, school-record 234 yards, 3 TD) filled up the stat sheet, as did Ohio State's Julian Sayin (21/25, 320 yards, 4 total TD) and Jeremiah Smith (8 catches, 151 yards, 2 TD). Plus: No. 11 LSU destroyed Clemson, 51-10, in Lane Kiffin's debut without the help of pros … No. 2 Oregon held on for an ugly 34-27 win over Boise State … Oklahoma State's Eric Morris-Drew Mestemaker era opened with a 24-10 upset loss against Tulsa … Army and Navy, as they are wont to do, combined for 1,075 rushing yards and 14 rushing TDs on 130 (!!) attempts in their wins. Go deeper: Week 1 winners and losers 🏈 DOWN UNDER RAMS, 49ERS TEST COMPETING JET LAG THEORIES (Dillon Minshall/Yahoo Sports) The Rams and 49ers are approaching their season-opening matchup in Melbourne, Australia, with radically different plans for conquering jet lag, writes Yahoo Sports' Jeff Eisenberg. Late arrival: The Rams plan to fly into Melbourne the day before the game and fly out immediately after. They conducted a similarly audacious experiment last year, arriving in London a day before pummeling the Jaguars, 35-7, then heading home. Early birds: The 49ers departed from San Francisco last Wednesday, a full week before kickoff, to give themselves as long as possible to recharge after the longest road trip in NFL history and adjust to the 17-hour time difference. What they're saying: "The Rams will win the game," predicted sleep specialist W. Christopher Winter, who believes the timing of the game (Friday morning in Melbourne, Thursday night back home) favors the team whose body clocks are still on Pacific Time. "Athletes generally reach their physical peak in the late afternoon and early evening. So what the Rams are essentially doing is saying to their players, 'Look, just keep being athletically awesome at 6pm. You're going to open your eyes one day and the sun's going to be in a weird part of the sky, but we're banking on it taking your brain a couple days to figure out what the hell's going on. By then you'll have already beaten the 49ers and you'll be heading home.'" The other side: While the kickoff time may be favorable to Los Angeles, sleep specialist Dr. Meeta Singh argues that the downsides to a last-minute arrival in Melbourne far outweigh the potential benefits. The way she sees it, the Rams risk playing the game at a major sleep deficit by journeying to Australia so close to kickoff time. "If you're exhausted or sleep-deprived, your performance slips. That's the worst-case scenario," said Singh, who has served as a sleep optimization consultant for NFL franchises. Several times during a phone conversation with Yahoo Sports, Singh said she was curious "what the Rams were thinking to come to the conclusion that this travel plan is their best option." 💯 STAT SHEET BIG NUMBERS (Heather Barry/Getty Images) ⚾️ 1 hour, 51 minutes The Phillies beat the Braves, 1-0, on Monday in just 1 hour, 51 minutes, making it the shortest game of the MLB season. That was thanks in large part to lefty hurler Jesús Luzardo, who allowed just two hits and struck out 12 en route to his first career complete game shutout. For context: The average nine-inning MLB game this season lasts 2 hours, 42 minutes. That's up slightly from last season (2:38) and two seasons ago (2:36), but still way down from the 2022 season average (3:03), the last year before the pitch clock was instituted. (David Cannon/Getty Images) ⛳️ 13.5-12.5 Great Britain and Ireland stunned the United States, 13.5-12.5, in Ireland to win the 51st Walker Cup in one of the most dramatic finishes in the match's 104-year history. The heavily favored Americans, loaded with seven of the world's top 10 ranked amateurs, needed just 3.5 points in Sunday's 10 singles matches to retain the cup but couldn't finish the job. What's next: The amateurs turn things over to the pros later this month at the Presidents Cup, which tees off on Sept. 24 at Medinah Country Club (Illinois). Team USA is headlined by Scottie Scheffler, Cameron Young and Xander Schauffele; Team International is headlined by Si Woo Kim, Hideki Matsuyama and Min Woo Lee. (Al Bello/Getty Images) 🎾 0-5 Qualifier Qinwen Zheng took down No. 22 Madison Keys on Saturday at the US Open despite trailing 0-5 in the third set. Two days later, she advanced to the quarterfinals with a straight sets victory over No. 8 Iga Świątek despite once again trailing 0-5, this time in the first set. Back where she belongs: Zheng, 23, is a former top-5 player and the 2024 Olympic champion who tumbled down the rankings last year only because of injuries. Now, after playing her way through qualifiers, she's reached her third US Open quarterfinal in the past four years. (Wheaton College) 🏈 85 straight wins Division III powerhouse Mount Union (Ohio) lost its first regular-season game in 10 years on Saturday, falling 24-23 to Wheaton College (Illinois) on a blocked extra point to snap their 85-game winning streak in non-playoff games. Slaying Goliath: Just how dominant is Mount Union? The Purple Raiders have lost a grand total of four regular-season games in the last 33 seasons. Before Saturday, the last time they lost one was on Nov. 12, 2016, when John Carroll (Ohio) snapped their 112-game winning streak. 🌍 SNAPSHOTS THE WORLD IN PHOTOS (Kelly Gavin/MLB Photos via Getty Images) 🇺🇸 Miami, Florida Pete Crow-Armstrong added another highlight to his ever-growing reel on Friday with a leaping catch at the wall as the Cubs center fielder puts the finishing touches on his runaway campaign for NL MVP. The résumé: PCA isn't just the best defender in baseball; he also now has 41 home runs (second only to Kyle Schwarber's 43), an NL-leading .953 OPS and 35 stolen bases (second in the NL). And as for his once-close race with Shohei Ohtani? Well, since August 18, PCA has four more home runs (10) than the slumping Ohtani has hits (6). This race is over. (Dom Gibbons/Formula 1 via Getty Images) 🇮🇹 Monza, Italy Speaking of comebacks, Kimi Antonelli stormed all the way back from 19th on the grid to win Sunday's Italian Grand Prix and become the first Italian driver in 60 years to win at Monza's "Temple of Speed." Formula 1 standings: With the victory, Antonelli (267 points) extended his lead over Mercedes teammate George Russell (201), Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton (191) and McLaren's Lando Norris (171) with 10 races left in the season. (Charles McQuillan/Getty Images) 🇮🇪 Dublin, Ireland Katie Taylor bid farewell to boxing on Saturday the only way she knows how, by defeating Flora Pili and leaving the sport as a three-time undisputed champion. That the Irish superstar did so in front of a sellout crowd of 83,000 at historic Croke Park — which hadn't hosted a boxing match since Muhammad Ali fought there in 1972 — made it a true storybook ending. What she's saying: "I don't know any other country that would sell 80,000 tickets for a female athlete, I'm convinced that Ireland is the only country," said Taylor, a trailblazer responsible for women's boxing becoming an Olympic sport. "This is beyond my wildest dreams. The people of Ireland gave me a dream ending to a dream career." (Vyacheslav Oseledko/AFP via Getty Images) 🇰🇬 Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan The 6th World Nomad Games, which concluded on Sunday, featured 3,000 athletes from 104 countries competing in 43 traditional sports played in Central Asia. Kazakhstan won the most gold medals (32), while Kyrgyzstan won the most total (84). Pictured above: Kok-Boru is a polo-esque game in which riders battle for possession of a goat carcass (or stuffed sheepskin). Other events in this year's competition included archery, falconry, wrestling and even mancala-style board games. 📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: TUESDAY, SEPT. 8 (Francesco Scaccianoce/UEFA via Getty Images) ⚽️ Champions League The 36-team league phase kicks off today with six games headlined by Real Madrid vs. Inter Milan and Porto vs. Manchester City (3pm ET, Paramount+). How it works: Each team plays eight matches between today and late January, with the top eight advancing to the knockout round and the bottom 12 eliminated. The 9th-place through 24th-place finishers advance to a playoff to determine the rest of the Round of 16. 🎾 US Open, Quarterfinals Defending champion Carlos Alcaraz and hard-hitting Ben Shelton (8:10pm, ESPN) headline today's quarterfinal slate, which also includes a pair of all-American matchups in No. 11 Frances Tiafoe vs. Alex Michelsen (1pm) and No. 3 Jessica Pegula vs. No. 26 Emma Navarro (7pm). Battle of the billionaires: Pegula and Navarro are both daughters of sports billionaires. Terry Pegula, a natural gas and oil tycoon, owns the Bills and Sabres. Ben Navarro, who made his money in finance, owns both the Charleston and Cincinnati tennis tournaments. More to watch: ⚾️ MLB: Astros at Phillies (6:40pm, TBS) … Houston (73-71) sits atop the AL West; Philadelphia (81-63) holds the first NL wild card. 🏀 FIBA Women's World Cup: Hungary vs. Japan (11:45am, HBO Max); Germany vs. South Korea (2:45pm, HBO Max) … Winners advance to the quarterfinals. 🚴 Vuelta a España: Stage 16 (8:45am, Peacock) … Spain's Enric Mas remains the leader as the final week begins. 🌍 LET'S PLAY GEOSPORTS GeoSports is back in Yahoo Sports AM, and I'll be writing the questions every Tuesday. How to play: You'll be asked five trivia questions that combine sports with geography. Tap where it happened! The closer you are, the more points you get. Play today's round. 🏈 YAHOO FANTASY HAPPY NFL EVE! Fantasy Football kickoff is tomorrow. Are you ready? Prepare to dominate your friends with our fantasy blueprint, or draft a team instantly in a public league and compete against other fans.
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Spiritual Formation, what is its end game?
Hanseng replied to Reddogs's topic in Real Issues in Adventism today
Hobie, We are dealing with churches that are spiritually bankrupt. SDA pastors are trained academically. Many know how to footnote a scholarly article. Many could not bring a person to Jesus, even if their job depended on it, which it doesn't. They might be able to indoctrinate someone; unfortunately, the 28 fundamentals, the state of the dead, the Sabbath, Jacob's trouble, don't necessarily lead to salvation, to faith in Christ I'm not familiar with the congregations you describe. The denomination is full of nonsense of one kind or another. If people were being fulfilled in typical services, other things would not be brought in. In many respects, 7th day Adventism is a hindrance to spiritual development. What you are apparently doing, finding a congregation in which you are comfortable, sounds like a good plan. I always liked this verse, "I have more understanding than all my teachers, for thy testimonies are my meditation." -
Spiritual Formation, what is its end game?
Gustave replied to Reddogs's topic in Real Issues in Adventism today
I just looked up Max Lucado and he's a credo-Baptist who has been writing for a long time - he appears to be a well thought of protestant in the lineage of the Reformation. Reformation theology is wildly different from "Restorationist theology" and I'm wondering if some of the concern you have is due to conflict between Restorationist theology Vs. Reformation theology. I'm not sure where the suspicion over coffee and donuts comes from aside from Restorationist theology. The Mormons would not serve coffee and donuts due to their "Prophet" condemning the ingesting of such things. If Ellen condemned coffee and donuts I can understand why seeing coffee and donuts suddenly appearing in a Restorationist Church would be very shocking. I think the intention of having social time after Church is simply to foster fellowship. At my Church they serve coffee and donuts and people sit in a large room with tables and visit - the idea is to visit - which I would think is a good thing. In any event I do appreciate you for filling this thing in for me. -
Spiritual Formation, what is its end game?
hobie replied to Reddogs's topic in Real Issues in Adventism today
They told us we had to follow a leader they set for our group that someone had set (as I remember the whole church was separated into 'groups' with a spiritual leader). Then they had us come and learn what we had to follow at the 'leaders' house over a meal after church. Well, I had seen this same process in the church I had left that we had started with the youth group and others who had gone to 'Willow Creek', and had slowly been changed so that other Adventist churches began to warn its members. I was not concerned in that church till I heard these 'new' ideas being presented which later learned was from Spiritual Formation. Then they took out the SS lessons and replaced it with Max Lucado, and slowly took out anything references to Ellen White from all parts of the worship service, then they began to have Coffee and Donuts for what they called neighbor greeting time and then the a music 'director' was hired for the 'celebration' they brought in.... -
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Conscience, Christ, and the Courts: Engaging Dr. Timothy Rumsey’s Critique of International Religious Liberty Advocacy
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Could someone please explain this to me? And this: And, According to what I'm reading Michael the archangel was essentially a newly created "husk" or Avatar which creature-christ operated? I did a search for "became an angel" and was able to pull up quite a bit of documentation on this concept. I was unaware that Seventh-day Adventism believed that Michael was not existent when the angels sinned but instead was created when Christ sloughed off his divinity and became an angel and while existing as an angel operated the Avatar called Michael. It's going to take me a long time to sort this out - but it is interesting. f
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UK government bans goods from Israeli settlements and accuses settlers of ‘ethnic cleansing’ LONDON (AP) — The United Kingdom on Tuesday banned trade with Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, where it says “settler terrorists” are carrying out “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians, in a significant toughening of Britain’s stance toward a longtime ally. https://apnews.com/article/uk-west-bank-israel-settlement-sanctions-b4d7354221bfe0c48e4bfce7a3b7624b?
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Federal Aviation Administration/Airlines&Airplanes
phkrause replied to phkrause's topic in Politics (Mainly US) and other American interest items
Federal investigators probe Amazon cargo jet’s fiery runway crash that killed 5 in Miami MIAMI (AP) — The five people killed when an Amazon cargo jet ran off a runway at Miami International Airport were all inside a van carrying seven people from a cleaning company, and an SUV hit outside of airport property, National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy said Monday. https://apnews.com/article/cargo-plane-crash-miami-airport-amazon-prime-d5118998e880f380a3fd8786e35fd9bb? -
German vote shows rise of far right in Europe, but it hasn’t been a steady march The first victory of the Alternative for Germany in a state election has renewed fears of an ascendant far right in Europe, as voters repeatedly vent discontent and mainstream leaders grapple with myriad crises, from affordability to Russian aggression. Read more. Why this matters: But while anti-immigrant, pro-Russian parties have made inroads across the continent in recent years, there have also been notable reversals, and some have softened their views to build coalitions with moderates. Still, far-right leaders from Portugal to Austria celebrated the AfD’s win as they prepare for elections across Europe in the coming months. These will show whether the German vote was a watershed moment in the demise of an anti-fascist consensus dating back to World War II, or the latest in a series of elections worldwide in which frustrated voters simply cast out incumbents. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ German leader under pressure after far-right state election triumph Germany fights Gaza genocide claims at the top UN court Russia shuts German consulate in St. Petersburg in tit-for-tat move after Leipzig drone incident Hungary orders 10 Russian diplomats to leave the country over activities deemed unacceptable EU seeks to reassure a Trump-rattled Greenland with promise of a new partnership and investment UK government condemns anti-migrant protests at ports over Channel boat crossings
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Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia ignite fires at oil facilities and wound 73 people, officials say The attacks early Tuesday hit “civilian and economic facilities,” Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki, a spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen, said. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the strikes, saying they were in response to recent Saudi attacks on the rebels across Yemen. Read more. Why this matters: The flare-up delivered a new jolt to a region already mired in conflict, bringing more uncertainty for the global economy. The fighting between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis threatens to squeeze shipping through the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a critical route off the Arabian Peninsula for oil and global trade. It also comes at a time when the Iran war has nearly halted shipments through the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway that moved about one-fifth of the world’s oil before the war. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Houthis accuse Saudi Arabia of a strike on a prison in northern Yemen, killing 7, including a child Houthi strikes hit Saudi Arabia, plus other key Mideast news WATCH: Israeli strike hits close to a reporter live on air An Iranian port city feels the pain of Washington’s tightening economic measures Iran increases gasoline price for its heaviest consumers as economy struggles The Iranian school struck in the war’s earliest attacks is now a memorial for children
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Donald Trump has sweeping plans for a second administration. Here’s what he’s proposed
phkrause replied to phkrause's topic in Politics (Mainly US) and other American interest items
Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on $20 billion worth of US goods take effect Canada struck back at President Donald Trump on Tuesday with tariffs in an escalating trade war with the U.S. The tariffs hit hundreds of American products, including steel, aluminum, cheese, appliances, clothing, cosmetics and farm equipment, at rates of 15%, 25% or 50%. Read more. What to know: The current trade war began after Trump returned to office and imposed a series of tariffs on Canadian goods despite having negotiated and repeatedly praised the North American trade agreement during his first term. Many of those tariffs violate the pact. The outcome could resonate far beyond Canada, showing other governments whether a smaller U.S. ally can withstand Trump’s economic pressure. RBC Economics, the research arm of the Royal Bank of Canada, said the measures were unlikely to dent U.S. growth overall but could hit some businesses hard. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ US tourism groups want to win Canadian visitors back. A testy trade war isn’t helping The US tariff on Canadian imports could send already soaring hockey gear prices even higher Trump wants voters to pretend he’s on the ballot. The Republican Party is going along for the ride The GOP was confident about keeping its Senate majority. Now the fight for control is wide open What to watch as Republicans gather in Dallas for Trump’s unusual midterm convention New Hampshire voters pick nominees as Sen. Shaheen’s exit sparks a scramble for key seats -
The New York Times
phkrause replied to phkrause's topic in Politics (Mainly US) and other American interest items
September 8, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning from London, where the flowers in the Festival Gardens outside St. Paul’s Cathedral are thriving despite the summer’s heat. I want to start, though, elsewhere in the Commonwealth. Prime Minister Mark Carney Chris Tanouye/Reuters A Canadian club The trade war between the United States and Canada escalated this morning, as Canada imposed retaliatory tariffs of up to 50 percent on American goods. Talks between the two countries fell apart last month. The tariffs went into effect shortly after midnight. They cover about $20 billion per year of imports from the United States, including goods like clothing, steel and cheese. That amount mimics the tariffs President Trump imposed on Canadian goods. For now, only a small portion of the annual trade between the countries is affected. “The more pressing concern is a potential cycle of retaliation,” my colleague Tony Romm reports. Trump has already threatened additional tariffs on Canadian-made cars and trucks. He suggested last week that he might halt bilateral trade outright. Then, last night, he took to social media to single out Bombardier, a Canadian plane manufacturer, claiming there would be “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!” The dispute is fracturing one of America’s closest alliances, and it is not expected to end soon. When Canada left the talks last month, Carney said his country was “at war.” Canadians stood with him: 75 percent of those polled said they supported his decision to exit. But if Canadians are on a war footing, American officials say they are not. “I don’t think you can be in a tit-for-tat with someone who’s 13 times larger than you are,” Scott Bessent, the treasury secretary, said in an interview on CNBC. The strategy, it seems: Might makes right. What’s happening Carney took power in Canada early last year on a promise to be tough on Trump. “Elbows up” was one of his campaign slogans, a hockey reference that applied to American tariffs, too. His antagonism only grew in office. At the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, this year, he delivered a speech deriding the hegemony of the United States. “Every day we’re reminded that we live in an era of great-power rivalry,” Carney said. “That the rules-based order is fading. That the strong can do what they can, and the weak must suffer what they must.” And he delivered a stark warning: “The middle powers must act together because if we’re not at the table, we’re on the menu.” Canada has very much been on the menu. We’re a long way from 2016, when former President Barack Obama and former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau brought their bromancy message of hope and change to a televised press conference in the Rose Garden. Trump has since made claims on Canada as the 51st state and is threatening to tear up longstanding agreements between the two countries. And, of course, he has levied these tariffs that are debilitating some of Canada’s key industries, such as cars, steel and lumber. The Ambassador Bridge, which connects Michigan and Ontario. Carlos Osorio/Reuters The political is personal Just as a reminder: A tariff is a tax your government charges people and companies in your country for buying goods from a foreign nation. That tax is often passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. To avoid it, sometimes companies simply stop importing goods from the tariffed nations and look for them elsewhere. That’s happening on both sides of the border. In the U.S.: Imagine, for instance, that your kid plays goalie on a youth hockey team in Minnesota. Thanks in part to tariffs, a goaltender’s helmet that ran $400 in 2022 now costs $1,000. “If a kid on the ice breaks a stick, every other parent is looking at that mom or dad going, ‘Ahhh oh, no!’” one parent told The Independent. “You feel for them. How many $400 sticks can you afford in one season?” In Canada: Or pretend you’re a honey producer in southern Alberta and need wood from the U.S. to build your hive frames. For one farmer, an order of $32,500 in Montana pine now costs roughly $8,100 more. “We are the sacrificial pawn,” he told The Times. The examples get smaller and more absurd. Ian Austen, a Canadian who has covered the country for The Times for decades, offered some funny illustrations of that. “Canada is targeting makers of those tiny ID bands that clamp to the legs of migratory birds,” he told me. The United States is targeting false beards and eyebrows made in Canada. Why? “This has little to do with either country’s economy,” Ian said. “This is politics.” The response Canada is fighting back. Ian said yesterday that the conflict had brought Canadians together in a way that has little precedent. The tariffs may hurt Canada more, certainly in the short term. But there is national pride at stake. “High on the list of popular priorities is punching back by all available means. That includes individual acts,” he said. “Any Canadian planning a visit to the U.S. now should probably keep it to themselves unless they enjoy awkward, or even confrontational, dinner-table conversations.” Amid the tariff war, some Canadians may still want to visit the Detroit Institute of Arts and the George Eastman Museum in Rochester, Ian allowed. “But I know that many people here see that as almost treasonous.” Read more about the trade war here. THE LATEST NEWS Politics Trump posted a map on social media that appeared to suggest renaming the state of New Mexico as “New America.” Times exclusive: Roger Marshall, an ob-gyn, routinely sued his patients for debts; 81 were arrested. Now he’s a senator. The Midterms Representative Jeff Hurd of Colorado at the state fair last month. Jimena Peck for The New York Times Trump’s trade policies are raising costs for voters in agricultural states, increasing Democrats’ hopes of winning some key congressional seats. Watch these five key midterm races for clues about how voters view Trump, the economy and the war with Iran. Middle East Israel has stepped up attacks in southern Lebanon. Its recent strikes have killed 27 people. The Houthi militia in Yemen struck southern Saudi Arabia, targeting civilian sites along the Red Sea coast. Art An 18th-century painting stolen by a high-ranking Nazi during World War II and spotted last year in a real-estate listing must be returned to the owner’s descendants, a judge in Argentina ruled. Thieves stole three artworks from a Renoir museum at the artist’s last home in the south of France. David Rubenstein, the chairman of the Kennedy Center ousted by Trump, has bought the abstract sculpture called “Blue” that was removed from its grounds last week. “Blue.” Salwan Georges for The New York Times Other Big Stories Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration in New York City is releasing more than 170,000 pages of documents about environmental toxins after 9/11. They suggest officials misled the public about air quality, including asbestos levels. All five people killed in the Amazon cargo jet crash in Miami were in a van the plane crashed into. Preliminary data indicates that a drug created using A.I. to treat a rare lung condition could slow aging. Reading and math scores for American students on a global exam are near a 25-year low in results released today. THE MORNING QUIZ This question comes from a recent edition of the newsletter. Click an answer to see if you’re right. (The link will be free.) Ancient bugs had an abundance of what, a study found? Antennae Eyes Pincers Legs Tails OPINIONS Gen Z is acutely aware of brain rot. But these young people just can’t imagine a life without scrolling, a researcher found. There is something better than happiness, a professor writes — having an occupied intellect. Introducing bonus puzzles. Try these twists on our games, including Wordle in 1, Connections 3x3, Colorful Strands and more. New puzzles drop every Wednesday. MORNING READS Juan Arredondo for The New York Times We’ve made these links free for you. You just need to log in. Pool cleaner: Since 2012, Jim Maroon has taken care of some of the most symbolically weighted water in America — in the reflecting pools at the 9/11 Memorial in New York. Watch him work. Your pick: The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was to images of bears taking over L.A. backyards. “I don’t want to die”: Two friends rented jet skis for an hourlong excursion. They were stranded at sea for 15 hours. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter carrying out a rescue. via U.S. Coast Guard TODAY’S NUMBER 83.2 — That is how many miles to the gallon one Wisconsin “hypermiler” gets out of his 2017 Toyota Prius. The car generally gets around 52 miles a gallon, the E.P.A. reckons. Hypermilers use aggressive techniques to maximize fuel efficiency — methods that are ingenious, if sometimes eccentric. Read about them. SPORTS U.S. Open: Zheng Qinwen defeated Iga Swiatek, and Coco Gauff beat Iva Jovic. N.F.L.: Christian Gonzalez agreed to a four-year extension with the New England Patriots, sources said, making him the highest-paid cornerback in league history. RECIPE OF THE DAY David Malosh for The New York Times There’s little more satisfying at the top end of a workweek at the bottom end of the summer than a refreshing dinnertime egg salad sandwich. This one is anointed with pickle brine, Dijon mustard and mayonnaise, cut with red onion and dill, and topped with a healthy shower of furikake, the salty-sweet dried Japanese sea-creature and seaweed shake. Serve with potato chips and eat outside, if you can. FILLING A VOID George Etheredge for The New York Times Michael Kimmelman, our architecture critic, explores how, 25 years after the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York City, the site is still frozen in a moment of trauma. To revive it, he suggests building a new Manhattan neighborhood. “One can imagine a lively mixture of new residents and commuters,” he writes, “and open plazas buzzing with commerce and cafe tables, buskers and benches. The activity would be yet another enduring rebuke to the terrorist attacks.” Read the argument. More on culture Elizabeth Holmes A24 Elizabeth Holmes, the disgraced founder of the health technology company Theranos, invited a film crew to capture her last moments before prison. The result is shocking audiences — and “may upend the documentary genre,” our reporter writes. See the viral trailer. Noël Godin, a Belgian entertainer and anarchist, hurled cream pies at politicians and executives, including Bill Gates. Godin died last month at 80. Noël Godin in Brussels in 1998. Yves Herman for The New York Times THE MORNING RECOMMENDS Stop burning your fingers retrieving hot waffles, reheated scallion pancakes, sizzling buttered bagels or slices of nearly singed sourdough from the toaster. Instead, use these elegant wooden tongs discovered by the safety-minded entremétiers at Wirecutter. Consider: What if Germany won World War II? That’s the plot of “SS-GB,” Len Deighton’s speculative 1978 novel, in which Churchill gets executed and the king imprisoned in the Tower of London. (Hey, I’m in town.) “It is a scenario that gives immense opportunities for the sensational approach,” Julian Symons wrote in his review for The Times. “Instead, everything is played down, so that it becomes at once plausible and frightening.” GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was pitched. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Crossplay and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times and me. See you tomorrow. — Sam Sign up here to get this newsletter in your inbox. Reach our team at themorning@nytimes.com. Host: Sam Sifton Editor: Adam B. Kushner News Editor: Tom Wright-Piersanti News Staff: Evan Gorelick, Brent Lewis, Lara McCoy, Karl Russell Saturday Writer: Melissa Kirsch Editorial Director, Newsletters: Jodi Rudoren Deputy Editorial Director: Lauren Jackson -
U.S. Military
phkrause replied to phkrause's topic in Politics (Mainly US) and other American interest items
Should the US shrink its footprint in the Middle East? Officials in the US military and intelligence community are quietly discussing whether to scale back personnel and facilities in the Middle East if the Trump administration succeeds in ending the Iran conflict. This comes as the fighting has exposed vulnerabilities at American sites across the region, repeatedly targeted by Iran during a war that has killed 18 US service members. For now, roughly 50,000 troops and a large number of military assets remain deployed there. A drawdown would mark a major shift from the network of permanent US military and intelligence sites built in the region after the September 11, 2001, attacks. + Read more: Military and intelligence officials discuss smaller presence in the Middle East as US looks for another post-9/11 strategy + Analysis: Trump’s blockade pushes Iran toward military escalation + Meanwhile: Scores wounded as Iran-backed Houthis attack Saudi Arabia in regional escalation -
Hawaii hunkers down Hawaii is bracing for the worst of Hurricane Lowell, with the storm expected to make its closest approach to the islands early today. Lowell is forecast to remain offshore and weaken, but its expanding wind field could bring tropical storm-force winds to the western islands, while more than a foot of rain in some areas raises the risk of dangerous flash flooding and mudslides. Lowell is the third storm in just over three weeks to target Hawaii as El Niño supercharges the Pacific hurricane season. A hurricane warning is in effect for the islands of Kauai and Niihau. + Read more: Hurricane Lowell lashing Hawaii with flooding rain and massive waves + Video: Meteorologist explains Hurricane Lowell’s path Hurricane Lowell expected to pass near one Hawaiian island and cause major rains statewide Hawaii Gov. Josh Green closed schools and government offices on the westernmost islands of Kauai and Niihau and on Oahu for Tuesday as Hurricane Lowell was expected to pass nearby, bringing damaging winds, mudslides, possible tornadoes, dangerous rip currents and as much as 24 inches (about 60 centimeters) of rain to some areas on Kauai. https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-lowell-hawaii-schools-516235ba1cedaa7256de8d893c36a752?