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New US indictment charges Maduro with overseeing machine of repression, torture of Americans NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. prosecutors unveiled sweeping new criminal charges against former Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Thursday, accusing him and his wife of heading a state-sponsored system of repression responsible for beating, asphyxiating, and delivering electric shocks to scores of victims, including several Americans. https://apnews.com/article/maduro-venezuela-criminal-case-da82df35aab0f02e344d1c3de0ed31d7?

👋 Good morning! It's a great day to have a great day. In today's edition: Three MLB teams advance, Rahm leaves LIV, Golden State and Atlanta go up 2-0, NFL power rankings, Jock Stocks, Saban doc premieres, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES ⛳️ Rahm leaves LIV: Jon Rahm, one of the biggest names remaining in LIV Golf, is exiting the league as it prepares to transition into its next phase. The Spaniard reportedly "reviewed the proposed terms of LIV 2.0 ... and has determined that those terms are unacceptable to him." 🏈 Eagles trade Jurgens: The Eagles traded two-time Pro Bowl center Cam Jurgens to the Ravens for two draft picks, meaning they've now lost three starting offensive linemen since opening day after Landon Dickerson got injured and Lane Johnson retired. Despite what appears like a puzzling move, GM Howie Roseman says they're still "trying to win this year." 🏀 Happy trails, Dana: Longtime Oregon head coach Dana Altman is retiring less than a month before the season begins. Altman, 68, led the Ducks to nine NCAA Tournament appearances in 16 seasons, and will be replaced on an interim basis by assistant Tony Stubblefield. 🎾 Coco withdraws: Following her fourth-round defeat at the China Open, Coco Gauff announced she's withdrawing from next week's 1000-level Wuhan Open, which she won last year. Her decision comes amid a "draining" week in which she received an "insane" amount of racist comments after defeating a Chinese teen in the third round. ⚾️ Trump to honor Clemens: President Trump announced at a rally in San Antonio on Wednesday that he's giving Roger Clemens the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and that he called commissioner Rob Manfred earlier this year to push for the seven-time Cy Young winner (and alleged steroid user) to get into the Hall of Fame.   ⚾️ DIVISION SERIES DODGERS, RAYS, BREWERS CLINCH (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) Four teams had a chance to clinch a spot in the League Championship Series on Wednesday; only three got the job done. Sorry, Southsiders. Dodgers 4, Braves 1 — The quest for a three-peat marches on, as Los Angeles quieted the crowd in Atlanta to reach its eighth NLCS in the past 11 seasons. Andy Pages got the big hit, a two-run go-ahead single in the seventh, and Dave Roberts moved into second all-time with 72 playoff wins as a manager (Joe Torre, 84). Can't win if you don't hit: The Braves' offense was anemic all series, batting just .145 including an unsightly 1-for-23 with runners in scoring position (.043). "[The fans] are well within their rights to boo," said Ronald Acuña Jr., who struggled as much as anyone. "I didn't do anything." (Sarah Stier/Getty Images) Rays 4, Yankees 3 — Tampa Bay brought out the brooms in the Bronx, hanging on for a narrow victory to clinch its first trip to the ALCS since 2020. The Yankees, meanwhile, extend their World Series drought to 17 years, tied for the longest in franchise history since winning their inaugural championship in 1923. Jeffrey Maier 2.0: The most consequential play of the night came in the sixth inning, when Yankees 2B Anthony Volpe hit a game-tying two-run homer that was downgraded to an RBI double due to fan interference. It was reminiscent of the infamous Jeffrey Maier catch in the 1996 ALCS — 30 years ago tomorrow — albeit with the opposite outcome. Everybody be cool, this is a robbery! (Gregory Bull/AP Photo) Brewers 3, Padres 1 — Manny Machado and the 47,712 fans at Petco Park thought San Diego had this game tied up in the eighth inning, but Brewers centerfielder Garrett Mitchell had other plans, robbing the would-be game-tying homer to help Milwaukee advance to its second straight NLCS. Up next? A rematch with the Dodgers. Going out with a whimper: The Padres went 0-for-21 at the plate to end the season, marking the longest hitless drought by an NL team to end a postseason all-time. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images) Guardians 9, White Sox 3 — The Southsiders entered the day hoping to celebrate their first playoff-series-clinching win at home in 120 years; instead, Cleveland's offense finally came alive for a season-saving victory. 10 of 11 Guardians who came to the plate reached base safely, combining for 11 hits and 10 walks while striking out just six times. Speaking of strikeouts: Cleveland’s pitching staff made history by striking out 19 batters, the most ever by a team in a 9-inning postseason game.   🏀 WNBA SEMIFINALS VALKYRIES, DREAM TAKE CONTROL Tiffany Hayes' 21-point effort off the bench sparked the Valkyries win. (Jed Jacobsohn/NBAE via Getty Images) On Oct. 5, 2023, the WNBA awarded the Bay Area an expansion team. Three years later, the Golden State Valkyries have already become: The most valuable franchise in women's sports ($1 billion per CNBC, $850 million per Sportico). The first WNBA team to eclipse 18,000 fans per game for a whole season. The first women's sports team to eclipse $100 million in annual revenue. The first WNBA expansion team to reach the playoffs in its inaugural season. And now this: They followed up that final achievement in year two by posting the WNBA's second-best record, and are now one game from the Finals after beating the defending champion Aces, 83-81, on Wednesday to take a 2-0 series lead. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images) Meanwhile, in Atlanta: Angel Reese and the Dream held on for a 101-98 overtime win over the Liberty to take their own 2-0 series lead — a deficit no WNBA team has ever come back from in a best-of-five series.   🏈 WEEK 5 NFL POWER RANKINGS (Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports) The undefeated 49ers have surged to the top of our latest power rankings, setting the stage for a season-long battle for supremacy in what once again looks like the NFL's best division. Division breakdown: The mighty NFC West, which made history last season when three teams won 12+ games, currently has by far the best average ranking of any division, with those same three teams landing in our top eight. The woeful NFC South brings up the rear, without a single team in the top 15. NFC West (9.5): 49ers (1), Seahawks (2), Rams (8), Cardinals (27) AFC West (14): Chiefs (3), Raiders (10), Broncos (14), Chargers (29) NFC North (14.5): Bears (6), Vikings (9), Lions (19), Packers (24) AFC North (14.75): Ravens (7), Bengals (11), Browns (20), Steelers (21) NFC East (17.25): Cowboys (12), Eagles (15), Giants (17), Commanders (25) AFC East (19.5): Bills (5), Patriots (13), Jets (28), Dolphins (32) AFC South (20.75): Jaguars (4), Colts (22), Texans (26), Titans (31) NFC South (21.75): Falcons (16), Panthers (18), Saints (23), Buccaneers (30) Notice anything? A regional hierarchy appears to have emerged this season: The two West divisions lead the way, followed by the North, East and South divisions. Kind of strange, isn't it?   📉 JOCK STOCKS BLOOD IN THE STREETS IN Q3 The S&P 500 gained 2.3% in Q3 despite turbulence throughout. While sports franchises were resilient, the market offered little hospitality to many companies operating in sports and sports-adjacent industries. 🎰 Sports gambling: The giants in sports betting struggled again, with FanDuel owner Flutter dropping 27% and DraftKings down 25%. Other businesses in and around the space also stumbled as the industry remains plagued by prediction market competition, organic growth concerns, and legislative changes. 👟 Apparel and footwear: The biggest sign that conditions were challenging? Nike (-13%) was one of the best performers in Q3. Under Armour (-30%), Hoka owner Deckers (-21%), Adidas (-20%), and On (-16%) all struggled amid soft demand and heavy discounting. ⛳️ Golf: Wavering consumer appetites extended to the golf course, as softer forward-looking guidance from both Titleist owner Acushnet (-30%) and Callaway (-25%) weighed on share prices after strong first-half performance. Higher material and import costs have also contributed to struggles. 🎟️ Ticket marketplaces: StubHub (-57%) and Vivid Seats (-41%) struggled as much as anyone in Q3, as a World Cup hangover and regulatory headwinds (i.e., all-in fee transparency) stifled growth trajectories. Structural developments are also threatening the business, as primary market sellers become more aggressive with dynamic pricing. Bottom line: You can hardly go a day without positive news for sports franchise valuations. The story in other pockets of the sports ecosystem is not nearly as positive. This story was written by Dylan Dittrich, author of our new sports business newsletter.   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: THURSDAY, OCT. 8 Chicago's Rate Field before Game 3 on Wednesday. (Jessie Alcheh/MLB Photos via Getty Images) ⚾️ ALDS, Game 4 The White Sox (up 2-1) will try to finish the job tonight at home (8pm ET, TBS), while the Guardians hope to send the series back to Cleveland for a decisive Game 5. Jekyll and Hyde: Cleveland's offense in Games 1 and 2 scored just three runs on seven hits before erupting for nine runs and 11 hits in Wednesday's victory. Which team will show up tonight? 🏈 Buccaneers at Cowboys Week 5 kicks off at Jerry World (8:15pm, Prime), where the 2-2 Cowboys host the winless Buccaneers, who are off to their first 0-4 start since 2013. Don't bet on it: Tampa Bay (currently +8.5) has failed to cover the spread in an NFL-record 13 consecutive games. Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events in your city.   🏈 LET'S PLAY TRIVIA TIME (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) "Saban," a six-part docuseries chronicling the life and career of legendary college football coach Nick Saban, premieres tonight on ESPN (6pm ET). Question: While Saban is best known for coaching Alabama, he was also the head coach at three other colleges and one NFL team. Can you name those four teams? Answer at the bottom.   🏎️ START YOUR ENGINES YAHOO SPORTS x APPLE TV (Apple) This weekend's Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix 2026 continues our season-long partnership with Apple TV for F1 coverage. Tune in: Tomorrow's practice and sprint qualifying (4:30am ET; 8:30am), plus Saturday's qualifying (9am), will air for free on Yahoo Sports. Saturday's sprint (5am) and Sunday's race (8am) will stream on Apple TV, the new U.S. home of Formula 1.   Trivia Time answer: Toledo (1990), Michigan State (1995-99), LSU (2000-04), Miami Dolphins (2005-06)

Documents show DHS probed nonprofits, obtained millions of records in hunt for noncitizen voters The Department of Homeland Security obtained tens of millions of unspecified records as part of a sweeping nationwide effort to find voter fraud, according to internal DHS reports, and weighed using undercover agents to investigate voter registration efforts by nonprofit groups. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/07/repub/documents-show-dhs-probed-nonprofits-obtained-millions-of-records-in-hunt-for-noncitizen-voters/?

Ingoglia seeks ‘transparency’ on property insurance payments to affiliates TAMPA — Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia is calling for more transparency when it comes to payments made between property insurers and their affiliated companies. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/07/ingoglia-seeks-transparency-on-property-insurance-payments-to-affiliates/? Florida government gearing up for Hurricane Isaias This story has been updated to reflect that Tropical Storm Isaias has been updated to a hurricane and its trajectory. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/07/florida-government-gearing-up-for-tropical-storm-isaias/? As state consider changes, new online tool eyes impacts of declining vaccination rates What would result if Florida reduces the number of vaccines Florida children are required to receive to attend school and daycare? https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/07/as-state-considers-vaccine-changes-new-online-tool-examines-sickness-death-cost-impacts/? Florida county wants motocross course on land bought for conservation One of the great things about hiking around Florida’s precious conservation lands is how quiet they can be. You can get away from all the noise and — I SAID, YOU CAN GET AWAY! FROM ALL THE NOISE! https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/08/florida-county-wants-motocross-course-on-land-bought-for-conservation/?

FBI says it stopped a Mall of America terror attack by a teen after agents sold him an assault rifle MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — FBI agents thwarted a terror attack by a teenager on the Mall of America after monitoring him for nearly two years and ultimately supplying him with the AK-47 he planned to use, authorities said Wednesday. https://apnews.com/article/fbi-terror-arrest-mall-america-somali-teen-366922e521871e5da57c0e86cd7e2b16?

Residents board up windows and National Guard troops deploy as Hurricane Isaias nears US Gulf Coast MIAMI (AP) — Residents boarded up windows and stacked sandbags Thursday while thousands of National Guard soldiers were deploying in anticipation of Hurricane Isaias, which packed swift winds and threatened to bring a storm surge with devastating floods to the U.S. Gulf Coast. https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-isaias-gulf-atlantic-alabama-florida-mississippi-8244ca45b8d4c292350f00adfabb0967?

Canadian author Anne Carson wins literature Nobel for ‘bold and inventive’ works that blend genres STOCKHOLM (AP) — Canadian poet, essayist and translator Anne Carson won the Nobel Prize in literature Thursday for “bold and inventive” works that fuse the classical and the modern and blur the boundaries of poetry and prose. https://apnews.com/article/nobel-prize-literature-sweden-swedish-academy-05a268ffc76827d273f9d986c5a5a65e?

Gruesome injuries throw spotlight on France’s policing of high school protests Adolescents have suffered life-changing injuries blamed on police weaponry during nationwide protests by high school students demanding more funding for run-down schools. A police tear gas grenade shattered a 14-year-old’s jaw, and a 15-year-old lost a hand in an incident involving a police stun grenade. Read more. What to know: According to the Interior Ministry, police have made more than 6,600 arrests — mostly of people under 18 — since protests began snowballing last week, including 488 people detained during nationwide demonstrations Tuesday. The movement started in a Paris-region high school in mid-September. Amid a growing outcry, Interior Minister Laurent Nunez announced Wednesday that the model of stun grenade suspected of mutilating the 15-year-old will no longer be used against high schoolers. Still, he has also defended police actions as proportionate in “almost all cases.” He says police have been obliged to intervene when protests led to rioting, vandalism and other violence, and have done so mindful that they’re largely dealing with children.

RFK Jr.’s embrace of AI confounds some MAHA allies and medical experts Last week at a MAHA summit featuring AI and Silicon Valley executives, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declared that artificial intelligence would free Americans from “medical tyranny” by allowing them to “fact check their own medical advice.” Read more. What to know: Kennedy wants to give Americans more control of their own health data by using AI “to help them understand it, interrogate it, compare it with the evidence, and make better decisions with their doctors,” Health and Human Services spokesperson Emily Hilliard said. But some prominent MAHA voices criticized Kennedy’s embrace of AI, saying the movement’s leaders are increasingly cozying up to the corporate interests they once scrutinized. At the same time, medical experts say Kennedy’s vision of AI as a check against the medical establishment is fundamentally flawed. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Most Americans think artificial intelligence is developing too fast, a new AP-NORC poll finds Trump’s $90 Medicare rebate rolls out, but millions aren’t eligible. Critics see a political stunt FCC considers allowing more political robocalls, including those created with AI Trump proposes Camp David-style presidential retreat at his private Florida golf club Trump administration proposes a $70,000 fee for international students to work in the US Two lawsuits challenge Trump’s taxpayer-funded ads, alleging they violate propaganda law

Trying to execute Christa Pike again would push into uncharted legal territory, experts say Christa Pike’s prognosis remains uncertain after executioners last week tried to give her two lethal doses of pentobarbital, her legal team said Wednesday. She was sentenced to death for the 1995 beating and stabbing death of classmate Colleen Slemmer. Read more. What to know: Although other states have moved forward with attempting to execute inmates a second time, in those cases, the first try had been halted before any drug actually began flowing. Outgoing Republican Gov. Bill Lee’s office did not immediately respond to emails seeking comment on whether the state would try again to execute her. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Texas carries out nation’s first execution since Christa Pike’s failed lethal injection Christa Pike survived 2 doses of an execution drug. How is that possible?

For 5,000 sailors, home is finally in sight The USS Abraham Lincoln. (U.S. Naval Base Guam) After a record-setting deployment, the USS Abraham Lincoln is almost home. The aircraft carrier — and its roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard — is expected to return to San Diego today after nearly 11 months at sea, including more than eight months without a single port call. Since departing California in November 2025, the ship has supported combat and blockade operations in the Middle East during the war with Iran. The long-awaited homecoming follows months of concern about the crew’s morale and mental health. + Video: USS Abraham Lincoln set to port in US + Plus: Hear from a sailor ahead of the homecoming

Trump campaigns in reliably red Texas President Donald Trump is pulling out all the stops to make sure Republicans keep control of the Senate in the midterm elections. But when he’s campaigning in Texas, you know the stakes are high. On Wednesday, he visited the Lone Star State to rally support for Ken Paxton, who’s locked in a tight race against Democrat James Talarico. No Democrat has won a statewide race in Texas since 1994, but the GOP isn’t leaving anything to chance this November, not even in its longtime Republican strongholds. + On the trail: Trump campaigns for Republican in Texas senate race + Meanwhile: New CNN polls give Democrats hope in a pair of red states

ICE agents told to ramp up daily arrests ICE agents nationwide have been directed to ramp up immigration arrests to 3,000 people a day, up from a recent average of 2,000 daily arrests, according to sources familiar with the directive. The increased quota marks another escalation in the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown, even as some Republicans raise concerns about who is being targeted. + Exclusive: ICE agents told to ramp up daily immigration arrests despite GOP unease as midterms near + Meanwhile: ICE agents could soon be equipped with these electric shock gloves

Gulf Coast braces for Hurricane Isaias Satellite imagery shows Isaias swirling in the Gulf on Wednesday evening. (CIRA/CSU/NOAA) Isaias has rapidly intensified into the Atlantic season’s first hurricane, putting the Gulf Coast on alert for dangerous storm surge, damaging winds and flooding rain ahead of an expected landfall by the weekend. Florida and Alabama have declared states of emergency across dozens of counties, with mandatory evacuations ordered in parts of the Florida Panhandle. Forecasts show Isaias could strengthen into a Category 2 over the Gulf later today, then peak overnight at near Category 3, or major hurricane, intensity. There’s also an economic threat looming. Isaias is heading toward a region home to some of the nation’s most important oil refineries, just as global fuel supplies are stretched thin and prices are soaring. Any disruption to production could drive gas prices even higher for American drivers. + Live updates: See where the storm is headed + Video: Shelves empty as shoppers prepare for Hurricane Isaias + Read more: A major hurricane could cripple US refining when the world can least afford it

October 8, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning. Isaias is now the first Atlantic hurricane of the season. It’s headed for the Gulf Coast. There’s more news below, including a story about which college degrees are the most lucrative. (English isn’t one of them.) First, though, let’s talk about the war with Iran. Getty Images/Getty Images In retreat The war against Iran was meant to be a projection of American power, another example of the U.S. military’s reach. American forces had already destroyed three Iranian nuclear sites last year and snatched President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela out of his compound in Caracas. President Trump called the conflict a brief “excursion” into the Middle East to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon. A little more than a week into it, he said the war’s objectives were “pretty well complete.” Seven months or so later, there are not many people saying that. As my colleagues David Sanger and Eric Schmitt report, the war has repeatedly constrained U.S. power rather than enhanced it. Take this past weekend’s hasty withdrawal of a dozen B-1 bombers from an air base in Britain. Not a big deal, the administration said at first: If you hear of a threat, it’s good to be cautious. We move these planes around all the time. Not difficult! (Except, as Eric reported, it’s pretty difficult.) On Monday, British and American officials described that threat: specific and credible information that operatives backed by Iran were planning to launch drone strikes against the planes and U.S. troops from right outside the air base’s fence. To anyone watching the war closely — and that’s David and Eric — the operation that brought the planes back to their bases in the United States “was another glaring example of how, time after time, Mr. Trump and his defense secretary, Pete Hegseth, have been forced into retreat, pulling back military forces that had been deployed to the Middle East and Britain as a deterrent.” That matters, they say, because such retreats tell the Iranians that they can make a superpower turn tail. A battlefield transformed Smoke rises in Qatar following an Iranian strike in February. Mahmud Hams/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Iran’s drones have already altered how the Pentagon thinks about its vulnerabilities. It’s not enough to keep forces out of missile range now. Drones and cyberweapons can be deployed almost anywhere, reshaping the concept of the battlefield. Yes, the United States obliterated Tehran’s navy at the start of the war. Its air force, too. And a U.S. naval blockade has battered Iran’s economy. But, as David and Eric write: That has not stopped the Iranians from forcing American aircraft and personnel to flee their once-secure bases — farther and farther from Iran. American personnel were evacuated from bases in Bahrain, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, all of which were within Iranian missile and drone range. Some of those bases were so badly damaged that inside the Pentagon there is little interest in rebuilding them; they will be moved farther away, if Congress grants the funding. All of which makes it hard for the United States to look like the foremost power in the world. American forces can still send bombers to their targets abroad, but they will now need to fly from home soil, which takes time and a lot of fuel. (Also, they’re running low on missiles.) Carrier groups can still patrol the region, but the sailors can’t secure supplies from a base in Bahrain, because Iran destroyed it. The naval supply chain now runs to Diego Garcia, an island in the Indian Ocean more than 2,000 miles away. To get there requires weeks of sea time and, once more, a lot of fuel. The costs mount. An independent press The administration sees things very differently, of course. Out on the campaign trail for the midterm elections, Trump has said Iran is on the brink of collapse. Last week, he said the war would fold up “right after the election.” David and Eric were particularly bracing about the distance between their reporting and Trump’s position. They write of the president: “Any description of Iranian progress, he insists, is ‘fake news,’ promulgated by news organizations that are writing about munitions shortages and other setbacks because they are disloyal to the country.” Fact check: False. IN ONE CHART Source: The HEA Group. The New York Times Which college majors pay off, and which ones don’t? Explore your school and your concentration here. THE LATEST NEWS Zohran Mamdani. Hilary Swift for The New York Times Politics Pro-Palestinian demonstrators disrupted a vigil in Manhattan for victims of the Oct. 7 attacks and criticized Zohran Mamdani, the New York mayor. A Democratic congressional candidate in Arizona said she was abducted and raped this summer while repairing a damaged campaign sign. Ask The Morning: The midterms are about a month away. Do you have questions about voter ID measures? Political ads? Polls? Send them here and we’ll have reporters answer. Israel Israel and Britain reached a last-minute deal to avoid the closure of the British Consulate in East Jerusalem. Times exclusive: A top aide at the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has repeatedly suppressed and altered reports critical of Israel. Russia Source: Institute for the Study of War and AEI’s Critical Threats Project (as of Oct. 4). Josh Holder/The New York Times A monthslong Ukrainian counteroffensive has pushed back Russian forces in the Donbas region. Russia said that a researcher at an anti-plague institute who died from a mysterious pneumonia had been vaccinated and that no “emergency situations” had occurred. Three African military governments started a television channel with support from Russia after cracking down on independent media. Reputations Ariana Drehsler for The New York Times Women in Hollywood have accused public relations firms of carrying out online smear campaigns intended to destroy their reputations during legal proceedings. When old photos of Chris Gallant, a Democratic congressional candidate on Long Island, surfaced showing him posing in bondage for a fetish brand, he made the most of the reveal. “All my friends know I’m kinky,” he told The Times. Other Big Stories Six days after her botched execution, Christa Pike awoke in a Nashville hospital, shackled to a bed. She was angry and confused, her lawyer said. One of the men accused in the alleged sexual assault at Cornell was part of a university program to promote safer partying. Scientists in Vienna and Beijing independently built the first nuclear clocks. They keep time by counting the squishing and unsquishing of radioactive atoms. HEALTH CHECK Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Shelby Tauber for The New York Times Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a skeptic in the hunt for an H.I.V. vaccine. So when the Trump administration delayed funds for research networks that study H.I.V., tuberculosis and emerging diseases, scientists feared the worst. Some of them were told not to start any long-term studies. They told The Times what might happen to patients in clinical (and future) trials. On Monday, Kennedy made his first visit as health secretary to the National Institutes of Health. The trip was not announced, and employees had been encouraged to work from home. While he was there, Kennedy discussed an initiative to address vaccine injuries, which will include a new research clinic at N.I.H. FREE TO READ William DeShazer for The New York Times Reel it in: Need help paying for college? Try bass fishing. Mayhem on the tarmac: An airline passenger in California stole an airport tug, crashed it, then tried to escape in a waste truck. What? Your pick: The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was about a California couple accused of abusing 15 of their children. Space pioneer: Margaret Hamilton led a 100-person team that wrote the onboard software for the Apollo program. She died at 90. OPINIONS Bina Thorsen We don’t know what exactly killed a woman who worked at an anti-plague research lab, and we may never learn. That’s why we need to be prepared for any future surprise pathogen, an immunologist argues. The debate about the alleged Cornell assault has confused “legal” and “decent” behavior. It shows how we need to think beyond consent as the “ultimate arbiter of acceptability” in sex, Christine Emba writes. The Anniversary Sale ends soon: Morning readers, enjoy our best offer. Don’t miss this opportunity to expand your interests with expert coverage of news, culture, business and more. Save now: $1/week for your first year. TODAY’S NUMBER 194 — That is the approximate age of Jonathan the giant tortoise. Scientists recently sequenced his genome, hoping it can offer clues about longevity. Take a look at the old fellow. He’s spry! SPORTS M.L.B.: The Yankees’ season is over after the Tampa Bay Rays swept their American League division series. In the National League, the Atlanta Braves are also out following a 4-1 loss at home to the Dodgers. W.N.B.A.: The Golden State Valkyries are one win away from their first trip to the championships with an 83-81 victory over the Las Vegas Aces. Golf: Jon Rahm and Sergio Garcia are both leaving LIV, effective immediately. Rahm’s departure is a serious blow for the bankrupt league. RECIPE OF THE DAY Linda Xiao for The New York Times Sometimes all you want for dinner is some cheese from the fridge alongside crackers from the shelf next to the fridge. There is no reason that meal can’t be incredibly elegant. Follow Gabrielle Hamilton’s recipe for fried saltines with Cheddar and onion and serve with a ramekin of spicy mustard. Yes, fried saltines. The bath in hot oil leaves the crackers nutty, extra crisp, warm and rich. You’ll see. THE FASHIONS Lou Benoist/AFP — Getty Images; Masato Onoda Vanessa Friedman, our fashion critic, sums up the new season with an examination of two very different shows in Paris this week: Telfar, the independent New York brand, and Louis Vuitton: On the one hand, a self-made upstart from outside the fashion system, playing to a committed shopping fan base that hasn’t felt recognized by established institutions. On the other, an increasingly majestic mega-brand, flooding the zone with content (if not necessarily clothes) for a voracious world. Sound familiar? Well, fashion’s job is to reflect the world around it. Read her review. And watch her discuss the prevalence of the bra top, below. Shades of “Seinfeld”! The New York Times More on culture Precious few of us are going to be able to see Jonathan Groff in the new all-male staging of Shakespeare’s “As You Like It” in Stratford-upon-Avon, England. But what a joy to read Helen Shaw’s review of the play for The Times. She calls the production “gorgeous and liberatory” and provides sentences to match. Read on! Late night hosts panned Trump’s plans for a new presidential retreat. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS Stavros Halkias Ryan Lowry for The New York Times Watch “Uncle Stav,” the comedian Stavros Halkias’s new special on Netflix. But first, check out his interview with our “Popcast” team. Identify these iconic figures The Times has covered in its 175-year history. Take our quiz. Assemble a jigsaw puzzle and reap the benefits of quiet, contemplative concentration. The forensic dissectologists at Wirecutter made a list of the ones they love most. 🧩 GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was floorboard. And here are today’s Mini Crossword, Wordle, Connections, Crossplay and Strands. Thanks for spending part of your morning with The Times and me. If you haven’t already, would you consider becoming a subscriber today? Subscriptions make this whole fandango possible. See you tomorrow. — Sam Correction: A photo caption in yesterday’s newsletter misstated the location of a protest in Paris. It took place at the Place de la Nation, not the Place de la République. 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

THIS DAY IN HISTORY October 8 1871 Great Chicago Fire begins The Great Chicago Fire of 1871 erupts. The two-day blaze killed between 200 and 300 people, destroyed 17,450 buildings, left 100,000 homeless and caused an estimated $200 million in damages. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 1950s 1956 The first fully enclosed, climate-controlled shopping mall in the United States opens 21st Century 2001 The Office of Homeland Security is founded Arts & Entertainment 1957 Jerry Lee Lewis records “Great Balls Of Fire” in Memphis, Tennessee 1970 Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn wins the Nobel Prize in Literature Asian American, Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander History 1840 Hawaii adopts its first constitution Crime 2009 Self-help guru’s sweat lodge ceremony turns deadly Inventions & Science 1945 First patent filed for the microwave 2014 First person in U.S. diagnosed with Ebola dies Latin American & Caribbean History 1967 Che Guevara captured by Bolivian army Natural Disasters & Environment 1871 Massive Peshtigo fire burns in Wisconsin Sports 1956 New York Yankees’ Don Larsen pitches only World Series perfect game Vietnam War 1970 Communists reject Nixon’s peace proposal Women’s History 2004 Kenyan environmentalist and human rights campaigner Wangari Maathai wins Nobel Peace Prize World War I 1918 U.S. soldier Alvin York displays heroics at Argonne

September 11. 2026 John Paul (Name changed to protect his privacy) is a shirttail relative who went to Viet Nam to flight in t hat war. In Viet Nam he sustained a bukliet wound to his spinal column which resulted in the loss of the use of his ;legs. Johnl lllPaul was a Seventh-day aAdventist, who came fk rom a welll-knownl lSDA Family. During hils first lyear back lin the lUnllited States, the VA lprobably spent one million dollars keepling hoim alive, due to several medical crices events. After that, hlis clinical issues stabelized alnd lhel lived with hlis lcondition for more than 50-years. This is not the normlp patern but it illustrates the quality of clinical care that he recieved. His end of life finally came this week-enld. Close familyl members survive his death. Sppome of whilch recieve governmentsupport of avarious tpes. Mylkpoint: When we send our yourtl into a war, the long=term costs that people payl for that war, my continue far longer than one might expect. On the lSDA Flrkont, we may need to take a continued look at how we relate to those within our family who have paid a price for serving their country.

🐢 1 fun thing: Tortoise aging secrets Jonathan, an Aldabra giant tortoise who lives 1,200 miles off Africa's west coast on the remote island of St. Helena. Photo: Teeny Lucy via The New York Times The world's oldest known land animal — Jonathan, a roughly 194-year-old giant tortoise — is giving scientists a new window into aging, the N.Y. Times writes. Researchers sequenced his genome for the first time and compared it with those of tortoises 100 years younger, finding differences in genes involved in DNA repair and protecting chromosomes. The 400-pound tortoise, who lives on the remote South Atlantic island of St. Helena, is mostly blind but still has excellent hearing and enjoys greeting visitors and having his neck petted. But getting his DNA wasn't easy: The first attempt to swab his cheek yielded nothing but half-chewed carrot. Go deeper (gift link).

📺 Election night "nerd show" CBS News is launching a new election night streaming show that lets political junkies watch its decision desk analyze races and make calls in real time, Axios Media Trends author Sara Fischer writes. Why it matters: "The Nerd Show" represents the network's first election-focused show built for a digital audience. How it works: The special streaming show will begin at 5 p.m. ET, a few hours before CBS News' official election broadcast. It'll be hosted by CBS News executive director of elections and surveys Anthony Salvanto alongside congressional correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns. The big touchscreen map will be branded "The Hub."

🇺🇦 Mapped: Ukraine's counterpunch Data: ISW. Map: Erin Davis/Axios Visuals A Ukrainian counteroffensive over the past few weeks has forced Russian forces back in several pockets along the front line and undercut Moscow's narrative that it will control all of the eastern Donbas region, Axios' Dave Lawler writes. Why it matters: The gains are more symbolically significant than territorial. After years of grinding warfare in which relatively little land has changed hands, even modest shifts in momentum carry outsized weight. Mapped: Ukraine claws back land, thwarting a Russian push (NYT).

Pike Speaks Tennessee death row inmate Christa Pike is able to speak but cannot swallow or move her arms, her lawyers said yesterday. Her first words upon waking were reportedly, "Where am I, and who are you?" The comments come after two doses of pentobarbital injections failed to kill her last week (see write-up). Pike, 50, is the first person known to have survived receiving a lethal injection. It is not yet clear how, though her lawyers had previously warned that she had a platelet disorder and small veins. The needle may have been improperly placed, or her vein may have blown, causing the drug to enter her arm as opposed to her bloodstream. Pike's lawyers say she contracted pneumonia and now has a blood clot and swollen arms. She was considered brain-dead Monday, but began speaking the next day, they say, hours before life support was due to be removed. A court is requiring Tennessee to preserve all evidence related to execution day. Read one journalist’s account of how it unfolded.

Math Meets AI Prominent mathematics groups are calling for greater transparency and collaboration after OpenAI released 377 mathematical results this week, generated by its proprietary AI models. The AI behemoth released the new findings a month after it shocked the mathematical community by allegedly cracking the Navier-Stokes equation—one of seven Millennium Prize Problems carrying a $1M prize. Concerns over whether the models were thinking creatively or borrowing heavily from human mathematicians' work prompted OpenAI to form an independent advisory board. At the board’s request, OpenAI provided summaries of the models’ reasoning alongside some of this week’s proofs. But leading mathematicians continue to call for OpenAI to stop testing problems on unreleased models, arguing that doing so threatens the traditional peer-review process and could alienate humans from the discipline. OpenAI said its model took about three hours on average to arrive at each solution. Three findings include advances related to three remaining Millennium Prize Problems. See how AI's math abilities have improved over time here. OpenAI's math leap Illustration: Lindsey Bailey/Axios AI chewed through the field of computer programming in months. Now it's making child's play of the world's most advanced mathematics, Axios' Bradley Olson writes. Why it matters: Two years ago, the best model was on par with a bright high school student. The speed of that progress hints at breakthroughs that could soon emerge in fields like biology and physics. Even if these math breakthroughs don't have real-world applications, they prove that centuries-old problems in the world's toughest fields may be more solvable than we think. 🔬 Zoom in: OpenAI on Tuesday released 722 manuscripts organized into 372 groups of findings ("families") on longstanding mathematical problems, inviting academics and researchers to examine and build on the material. The reception has mixed scientific excitement with genuine unease. One Rutgers University mathematician said on X that a result connected to the Riemann hypothesis would warrant an automatic Fields Medal if a human had done the work. Some mathematicians have questioned these results, as well as another solution OpenAI released last month, asking whether they represent original breakthroughs or draw heavily from previous human input. Keep reading.

Canada Halts MAID Expansion Canada will not allow people whose sole condition is mental illness to pursue medically assisted death, the government announced yesterday. However, the federal government said it would work to extend the option to patients with progressing, incurable illnesses before they lose the capacity to decide. The decision comes after a parliamentary panel concluded Canada’s legal and healthcare systems are not equipped to respond to the mental health expansion. Canada legalized medical assistance in dying in 2016 for terminally ill patients, later widening the criteria to include people who have incurable conditions but do not face imminent death. Around 5% of deaths in Canada—approximately 16,500 per year—are now medically assisted. Over a dozen countries allow a form of MAID, including France, Australia, and Spain. See how laws differ around the world here, and a map of which 13 US states allow medically assisted death here.

Brussels Airport is the world’s biggest chocolate seller, selling over 800 tons of chocolate a year. James