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Supreme Court agrees to review a Reconstruction-era ban on distilling spirits in private homes WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court agreed on Monday to consider whether Congress had the constitutional authority to impose a ban on distilling spirits in private homes more than 150 years ago. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-distilling-spirits-reconstruction-ban-51131151865ded86093a99ec56451465?

The Story of Ruth Depending on whether you’re using a Jewish or Christian version, the Book of Ruth is placed between Judges and Samuel or between the Song of Songs and Lamentations. But wherever the story of Ruth appears in your Bible, you will want to find it and study it again after you read “Ruth—Big Theme, Little Book,” originally published in the August 1996 issue of Bible Review. In this article, Adele Berlin argues that Ruth illuminates the main theme of the Hebrew Bible: the continuity of God’s people in their land.—Ed. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/hebrew-bible/the-story-of-ruth/?

👋 Good morning! Welcome back. In today's edition: A crazy day in college football, Rays go up 3-2, Valkyries out front, NFL Sunday scoreboard, Milwaukee's "Timeless" promotion, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🏈 EXPANSION DEBATE CHAOS MEETS CONTROVERSY Unranked Auburn stunned top-ranked Georgia, marking the second straight week that the No. 1 team lost. (Jeffrey Vest/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) Saturday's historic college football chaos arrived just as the sport moves closer to a 24-team playoff, providing ammunition for both sides of the expansion debate. ICYMI: Five of the AP's top seven teams lost on the same day for the first time ever, with No. 1 Georgia, No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 5 Indiana, No. 6 Alabama and No. 7 Texas all going down. The rankings were shaken up so thoroughly that not a single team retained its position in Sunday's new AP poll. The timing: This came just two days after news broke of a reported "handshake agreement" between the College Football Playoff and ESPN to televise a new 24-team playoff beginning next season. The madness on the field immediately became Exhibit A for both sides of the expansion debate, with two competing arguments echoing across TV broadcasts and social media feeds all weekend: Anti-expansion: Saturday's upsets were seismic precisely because every loss carries enormous consequences, even in October. Under a 24-team format, most of those defeated heavyweights would barely suffer a scratch and season-defining losses would be more like a speed bumps. Why devalue the best regular season in sports? Pro-expansion: Look at all that parity! We need more playoff teams, not fewer. Saturday proved how many programs are capable of beating the nation's best, and a bigger field would give more of them a shot at a national championship. Why let a bad performance in October decide who gets to compete for a title when we could settle it on the field? What they're saying: Polling has shown that the vast majority of college football fans oppose a 24-team playoff. But regardless of where you stand, I thought Tim Tebow did a good job summing up what expansion will fundamentally change: "Before, it was about how consistent could you be throughout the season. Now it's about can you just get in and get hot at the right time. So it takes away the consistency. Before, you had to focus every week and you had to show up and you had to bring your best. Now, you can have weeks where you don't have to show up. And I think it changes … what college football is about." Bottom line: Saturday was either the best advertisement imaginable for a 24-team playoff or the strongest argument against one. It all depends on what you think college football should value most: The magic of its regular season, or the possibilities of its postseason. Good read: What was the most damaging loss from the chaotic college football weekend?   📸 SNAPSHOTS THROUGH THE LENS (Nick Cammett/Getty Images) ⚾️ Cleveland, Ohio The Rays have regained control of the ALCS, winning Game 4 (7-3) and Game 5 (3-1) over the weekend to take a 3-2 series lead and move within one victory of their third Fall Classic appearance (2008, 2020). Ace delivers: Tampa Bay's bats got the job done on Saturday, but it was Drew Rasmussen's arm (7 IP, 6 K, 1 ER) that paced the AL East champions on Sunday. The former Brewer is now 11-0 with a 1.73 ERA across his last 15 starts. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) 🏀 San Francisco, California The Valkyries' vaunted defense took care of business on Saturday at "Balhalla," where Golden State beat Atlanta, 68-64, to take a 1-0 lead in the WNBA Finals. Gabby Williams continued her dominant form with a game-high 26 points, including eight in the final three minutes to turn a narrow deficit into a narrow victory. From 10-0 to 0-10: The Dream entered the day riding a 10-game winning streak… and left having lost 10 straight Finals games. They're still searching for their first win on the sport's biggest stage after being swept in 2010, 2011 and 2013. (Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) 🏀 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania LeBron James made his 76ers home debut in Friday's preseason finale, putting up 8 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists in an overtime loss to the Celtics. Next up: The new-look Sixers travel to New York for tomorrow's season-opener against the reigning champion Knicks. Preseason takeaways: On the eve of Opening Night, it's a great time to absorb the basketball we saw during the preseason. What are teams trying to establish? What do they need to work on? And how much should you believe in your squad? (Brett Davis/Getty Images) ⚽️ Atlanta, Georgia Stop me if you've heard this one before: Lionel Messi just set a new MLS record. This time, he became the first player in league history with at least 15 assists in three straight seasons after setting up Miami's first goal in Saturday's 3-1 win over Atlanta. But wait, there's more: Messi then scored twice in a four-minute span, giving him 25 goals this season, five more than anyone else. With 40 goal contributions for second-place Miami, he's a virtual lock to win his third straight MVP.   🏈 WEEK 6 NFL SUNDAY: RAMS REELING, BOLTS BROKEN Rams QB Matthew Stafford walks off the field after the loss. (Eric Thayer/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images) The Rams entered the season as one of the biggest Super Bowl favorites in recent memory. Six weeks in, they don't even look like a playoff team. The latest low point: an 18-16 loss to the Cardinals as 12.5-point favorites, dropping them to last place in the NFC West at 2-4. "We won't win a game unless we figure out how not to beat ourselves. There's nothing positive I can say about today," head coach Sean McVay told reporters postgame. "A good, humbling day. This is the challenge in sports." Across town, it's even worse: The Chargers fell to 0-6* with a 22-6 loss to the Chiefs, leaving Los Angeles' two NFL teams with a combined 2-10 record. The Bolts didn't generate as much preseason hype as their SoFi Stadium** co-tenants, but they were widely viewed as being among the top contenders. Instead, they might be the worst team in the league. Packers WR Matthew Golden celebrates a touchdown with the Lambeau faithful. (Michael Reaves/Getty Images) More from Sunday: Packers 23, Cowboys 13 … Once upon a time, this was a storied rivalry. Not so much anymore. The Packers are 11-1-1 against the Cowboys since 2009 and haven't lost to "America’s Team" in over a decade (Oct. 16, 2016). Bills 33, Raiders 30 … For the fourth time this season, Buffalo's defense allowed 30+ points. And for the fourth time, Josh Allen and the offense bailed them out and they won. Texans 34, Jaguars 31 … The third and final London game ended on a walk-off field goal. Next up on the NFL's international slate: Steelers vs. Saints this Sunday in Paris. Browns 13, Ravens 10 … Cleveland (4-2) sits atop the AFC North after beating the Lamar Jackson-less Ravens, but Baltimore (4-2), Pittsburgh (4-2) and Cincinnati (3-2) are lurking. Steelers 26, Buccaneers 19 (OT) … After trailing 16-3 entering the fourth quarter, Pittsburgh roared back late to win back-to-back games for the first time this season. Patriots 26, Jets 19 … Feel familiar? It should. This was New England's 41st victory over Gang Green since 2000, the most wins by any team vs. any opponent in that span. Saints 34, Giants 27 … J.J. McCarthy nearly engineered an epic comeback after replacing Jameis Winston in the fourth quarter (243 passing yards in 11 minutes!). Is it his job now? Bears 31, Falcons 23 … Caleb Williams returned with a flourish after missing the last three weeks with a hamstring injury, completing 30 of 36 passes for 305 yards and a touchdown. Titans 26, Colts 20 … Tennessee scored 26 second-half points to earn its first victory and snap an 11-game losing streak to AFC South opponents dating back almost two years. Panthers 25, Eagles 14 … The Eagles looked like a potential dynasty 20 months ago. Less than two calendar years later, it's worth asking if they need to start a rebuild. *Full circle: The Chargers' starting QB the last time they began a season 0-6 (in 2000)? Jim Harbaugh, their current head coach. **Make yourselves at home: The Cardinals (2-0) have more wins at SoFi Stadium this season than the Rams (1-2) and Chargers (0-3) combined.   ⚾️ BRASS TICKET MILWAUKEE'S "TIMELESS" PROMOTION (Milwaukee Brewers) Eleven years ago, 1,000 Brewers fans paid $1,000 apiece for a ticket to any future home game. Now, with Milwaukee headed to the World Series for the first time in more than four decades, the lucky fans who held onto theirs can finally cash in. Timeless Ticket: The Brewers launched the unusual promotion in 2015, selling 1,000 "Timeless Tickets" for $1,000 each. The personalized, 1-pound brass tickets (Willy Wonka would be proud!) could be redeemed for any future home game, "whether it's this season, the year 2050, or the 7th game of the World Series." Fans who hadn't already redeemed their ticket were required to submit a form to secure their World Series seat. Ticket redemption "is subject to availability," according to the Brewers, who have been "working diligently on all inquiries." Fans who submitted requests are expected to learn today which game they'll attend and where they'll be sitting. Milwaukee hosts Games 1 and 2 on Friday and Saturday, plus Games 6 and 7, if necessary, the following weekend. Quite the value: The cheapest available ticket for Game 1 is currently $2,681 (via Gametime), and plenty of nosebleed seats are going for more than $3,500. Timeless Ticket holders, meanwhile, not only get their own much cheaper ticket but also the right to purchase three additional tickets at face value, subject to availability. Then vs. now: When the Brewers launched this promotion in 2015, it was a fun way to drum up some sales and attention for a team that rarely contended into October. Fast forward a decade, and that isn't exactly an issue anymore, as they've now reached the postseason twice as many times in the last nine seasons (8) as they did in their previous 49 (4).   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: MONDAY, OCT. 19 Tropicana Field after the Rays won Game 2. (Julio Aguilar/Getty Images) ⚾️ ALCS, Game 6 Who will face the Brewers in the World Series? We could get our answer tonight in St. Petersburg (8pm ET, TBS), where the Rays (up 3-2) will try to finish off the Guardians. Pitching matchup: Freddy Peralta (0.79 ERA in 11.1 IP this postseason) gets the ball for the home team, while the Guardians will deploy a bullpen game with ace Gavin Williams "not an option" after he went five innings on Thursday. 🏀 WNBA Finals, Game 2 The Valkyries host the Dream again this evening (8pm, USA) as they look to take a commanding 2-0 lead before the best-of-seven series shifts to Atlanta. Grit and grind: Don't expect an offensive shootout. These two defensive-minded teams combined to shoot just 32% (46-142) from the floor in Game 1, the second-worst FG percentage in Finals history. 🏈 Commanders at 49ers San Francisco brings its 5-0 record and NFL-best +61 scoring differential into a home matchup against Washington (8:15pm, ESPN/ABC), which will look to rebound from last week's clock mismanagement that resulted in a tie. Wrong kind of history: Unless the Commanders win tonight, the NFC East will become the first division since the merger (1986) to go winless in back-to-back weeks despite every team playing both weeks. Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events in your city.   🏈 LET'S PLAY COLLEGE FOOTBALL TRIVIA Hoosiers WR Nick Marsh reacts after realizing he was out of bounds on the potential game-winning score. (Jeffrey Brown/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) With Indiana's 22-game winning streak and Notre Dame's 16-game run both ending Saturday, which FBS team now owns the nation's longest active streak at 12 games? Hint: Big 12. Answer at the bottom.   🏀 FANTASY HOOPS DRAFT YOUR SQUAD! Yahoo Fantasy Basketball is back and better than ever. Grab your friends and play in a private league or join a public league to compete against other fans all season long. New way to play: High Score is our streamlined game format that features six weekly starters, with only their highest-scoring game each week counting toward your total. Spend less time managing your lineup and more time following the action. Draft your squad: Opening Night is tomorrow, so the clock is ticking!   Trivia answer: Utah

Bipartisan permitting bill in Congress could speed energy projects, but draws green critics WASHINGTON —Suddenly there’s hope for cutting the reams of red tape that can make getting new energy projects a seemingly endless slog. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/16/repub/bipartisan-permitting-bill-in-congress-could-speed-energy-projects-but-draws-green-critics/?

Immigrants from Ukraine, Sudan could soon lose protected status WASHINGTON — More than 100,000 Ukrainians and roughly 2,000 Sudanese immigrants are bracing for the possibility they’ll lose their humanitarian protections by Monday. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/16/repub/immigrants-from-ukraine-sudan-could-soon-lose-protected-status/?

Trump back on the road as analysts see more congressional races shifting in Dems’ favor WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has a flurry of travel on deck in the final frantic weeks leading up to the end of the midterm elections, in which the GOP is vying to maintain its control of both the U.S. House and Senate. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/16/repub/trump-back-on-the-road-as-analysts-see-more-congressional-races-shifting-in-dems-favor/? National scrutiny on mail ballots changed Utah’s elections system All Utah voters have automatically received a mail ballot since 2020. The reliably red state had championed universal mail voting. However, with voting under greater national scrutiny, Utah legislators rolled back universal mail voting. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/16/repub/national-scrutiny-on-mail-ballots-changed-utahs-elections-system/?

Last-minute Trump DOJ suit in California targeting noncitizen voters alarms advocates After the U.S. Department of Justice sued California over its refusal to remove voters the federal government alleges are noncitizens, voting rights advocates fear the Trump administration is violating a court order blocking it from rooting out noncitizens with states’ voter data. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/18/repub/last-minute-trump-doj-suit-in-california-targeting-noncitizen-voters-alarms-advocates/?

Feds unlikely to change abortion pill policy before next year The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said late Wednesday that it expects to complete its long-awaited safety review of abortion pills by mid-December and issue a report evaluating the results by March 2027. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/17/repub/feds-unlikely-to-change-abortion-pill-policy-before-next-year/?

In Florida, a first-time voter and fears of election interference at No Kings day of action Note: This story has been updated with information from a Tampa rally. Sam Kokales has a personal stake in the midterm elections. At 21, working toward a degree in business management from Florida State University, he finds himself in deep medical debt following two procedures for an abscess on his tonsils. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/17/in-florida-a-first-time-voter-and-fears-of-election-interference-at-no-kings-day-of-action/? The story Florida’s new driver licenses tell ain’t necessarily so More oranges, too, lots of oranges — a whole pile of oranges! https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/10/19/the-story-floridas-new-driver-licenses-tell-aint-necessarily-so/?

Ukraine defies Trump with major attack on Russia Ukraine launched one of its biggest drone attacks this year on Russia overnight on Saturday, striking a key oil terminal despite President Trump’s demand that Kyiv stop targeting Russian energy infrastructure. It comes as tensions between the US and Ukraine are deepening after Trump exempted Russia from sweeping US economic penalties, raising fears that Kyiv could lose crucial American support. + Video: Ukraine strikes Russia in major drone attack + Read more: Trump slams Zelensky after Ukraine attacks Russia

15 days until critical US midterm elections President Donald Trump is hitting the campaign trail with renewed urgency as new polling paints a troubling picture for Republicans. With control of Congress at stake, CNN’s latest poll of polls shows Democrats leading Republicans 54% to 45% when voters were asked which party’s candidate they would support. Trump’s approval rating is also hovering at a career low around 34%, while growing dissatisfaction among Latino voters could hand Democrats a win in next month’s midterms — and help propel the party to congressional majorities. + Trump’s campaign blitz: The president will visit a different state each day this week + For subscribers: Plummeting Latino support for Republicans could swing the midterms + Video: Iran war has turned Iowa farm country into a midterm toss-up

Where the investigation stands Days after a deadly elementary school shooting in Bend, Oregon, investigators are examining evidence recovered from the gunman’s home as questions about his motive remain unanswered. The 16-year-old shooter, a former student at Silver Rail Elementary, returned to the school and opened fire inside a special needs classroom on Thursday, killing three students and a teacher. Officials said he had previously attended special needs classes at the school, though it remains unclear whether he was once enrolled in the classroom he targeted. + Read more: Where the investigation stands + Four lives lost: What we know about the victims

‘60 Minutes’ Legend Goes In on Trump After Bust-Up With Boss Is Leaked The show’s 35-year veteran put Trump’s obsession under the microscope. 60 Minutes legend Lesley Stahl delivered a scathing report on President Donald Trump’s federal election-meddling efforts just a week after an alleged editorial dust-up with her MAGA-curious boss, Bari Weiss. Stahl, 84, dove deep into how the Trump administration has attempted to undermine the reliability of elections, speaking with state and local officials about their unprecedented actions regarding election security on Sunday night’s episode. The 35-year-veteran correspondent first spoke with Fulton County Commissioner Dana Barrett about the administration’s January FBI raid on a local Georgia election facility. “In my wildest dreams, I never imagined that we would be raided by the FBI,” Barrett, a Democrat, told Stahl on 60 Minutes. In January, FBI officials stormed the Fulton County election office and seized hundreds of boxes containing ballots and voter rolls from the 2020 presidential election. Barrett described how dozens of federal agents, wearing vests and carrying guns, arrived at the warehouse with a criminal search warrant. She told Stahl she had no choice but to let them seize the ballots they were looking for, and that to this day, she still has no idea where they went. “I think it was all part of this concerted effort that’s happening nationwide to undermine faith in elections,” she said. Stahl also spoke with Utah Republican Lieutenant Governor Deidre Henderson, who agreed that the level of federal interference in elections was unheard of. “In the past two elections that I oversaw as lieutenant governor, the threats were all external. Non-state actors, cybersecurity threats, and other things,” she said. “But now we also have threats coming from within our own government. ”Henderson described how Trump’s Justice Department demanded their “statewide voter registration list,” which includes voters’ sensitive personal information. “They wanted things that we typically are required by law to keep private: Social Security numbers, full dates of birth, driver’s license numbers,” she said, noting that DOJ officials didn’t explain why they needed the confidential data. Henderson dismissed the government’s claim that noncitizen voting was a major problem, saying she found only 52 cases among the over 2 million votes cast in Utah. Stahl said that the figure calculated out to two-thousandths of 1 percent. The Utah Republican said the DOJ notified her last month that she was officially “under investigation,” but that she wouldn’t back down even despite the federal pressure. “I’m just doing my job,” she told Stahl. “I have to tell myself it doesn’t matter what the consequences are, if—as long as I feel like I’m doing what’s right.” Henderson continued, “I think this is an important thing for me to do—holding these guardrails, holding the line. Someone has to.” Stahl then turned her attention to Trump. “In America, elections are local. They’re run by towns and counties and states. It’s all in Article 1 of the Constitution. Congress makes laws regulating elections,” she explained. “But the president doesn’t have a role in running them. That hasn’t stopped Mr. Trump from signing two executive orders trying to create new federal voting rules.” She also highlighted just how frequently Trump, 80, has belabored his claims of election fraud in the 2020 election. “In the 21 months of President Trump’s second term, he has said, in so many words, the vote can’t be trusted more than 150 times,” Stahl said.Speaking with the DOJ’s assistant attorney general for civil rights, Harmeet Dhillon, Stahl pressed the Trump appointee on whether the president would go so far as to station federal ICE agents to polling locations. “There is no plan to do that,” Dhillon, 57, answered, adding that the idea that Trump would challenge the midterm results was just “paranoia.” “I don’t know what is going to happen, but I can tell you that absent some shocking contingency that is unexpected, there should be no interruption in the usual course of counting and certifying the results in the states,” she told Stahl. Stahl’s in-depth report on Trump comes just a week after a claim that she had a heated debate with CBS News editor-in-chief Weiss over a 60 Minutes segment on violent Israeli settlers. Insiders revealed to Status that Weiss, a fervent supporter of Israel and critic of media coverage in Gaza, inserted herself repeatedly into the editorial process behind the report and became “very, very hands-on.” Weiss and her deputy, managing editor Charles Forelle, were even thinking of shelving the report for a later date, but Stahl wasn’t having it. Stahl and Weiss then engaged in an “aggressive back-and-forth,” which resulted in the story coming to air last Sunday. The 60 Minutes veteran, however, privately discussed quitting, according to Status. “This is a ludicrous, twisted narrative. All ‘60 Minutes’ pieces go through a famously rigorous editorial process—which includes edits from editors. This piece received far fewer edits than most,” a CBS spokesperson said of the report at the time. The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment. https://www.thedailybeast.com/60-minutes-legend-lesley-stahl-goes-in-on-trump-after-bust-up-with-boss-bari-weiss-is-leaked?

Ford recalls more than 102K vehicles. See the affected models Ford Motor Company is recalling more than 102,000 vehicles due to a defect with the speedometer. https://www.newsbreak.com/news/4956625899485-ford-recalls-more-than-102k-vehicles-see-the-affected-models?

Here's an article from AP News on this: Macron condemns those who ‘sought to bring down the Republic’ after rioting mars nationwide protests PARIS (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday voiced the public’s “anger” and “shame” over rioting and looting during nationwide protests against rising living costs and poor conditions in schools. At least 2,400 people were arrested. https://apnews.com/article/france-protests-violence-looting-f5ce07c2ef46ad0c02c6ff7018532a59? also this might matter explain the problem, which reminds of of what has been happening here: France’s yellow vests: Who they are, what they want, and why PARIS (AP) — Yellow vest protesters remain a force in French politics despite ups and downs in the five months after their movement started. As President Emmanuel Macron announces long-awaited responses to their grievances Thursday, here’s a look at their movement: https://apnews.com/general-news-84b32c4da6a14d2e9c56e3d90a0ec1ed ps:When reading this article it talks about the president of France being a president for the "rich" which is pretty much what we have here in the U.S. a president who is a president for and only the rich!!!!!

Houthi rebels strike Yemen’s government forces, killing at least 53 CAIRO (AP) — Iran-backed Houthi rebels struck Yemeni government forces with ballistic missiles on Monday, killing at least 53 soldiers at a military camp in one of the deadliest attacks since a resurgence in fighting this summer, Yemeni military officials said. https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-saudi-fighting-6afad4ec4c22dcccd379152ea87cb0e2?

October 19, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning. Peaceful antigovernment protests in France devolved into riots and looting. Now shopkeepers are picking up the pieces. And President Trump spent the weekend on the campaign trail, trying to make clear that the midterms are actually about him. There’s a lot more below, including Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s Broadway debut. I’m going to start, though, with the human face of America’s utility bill crisis. Genia Weitz confined herself to her living room to try to keep the electricity bill down. Erin Schaff/The New York Times A bad combination The economic news was grim last week. Government data revealed something millions of Americans have known for months: Rising energy costs, largely driven by the war with Iran, have pushed prices up all over. Wages are flat. And nearly half of Americans are having trouble paying for basic needs right now. The climate news hasn’t been much better. It was the hottest summer on record in the United States, hotter than the Dust Bowl summer of 1936. Over the past few months, Americans ran a lot of air-conditioning to keep themselves cool — and, in some places, to keep themselves alive. Now about one in six U.S. households is behind on utility bills, according to federal data. Some hot-weather states have laws to prevent utility companies from shutting off someone’s electricity during the most dangerous heat. But then comes fall, and the disconnections begin to mount. It’s when, Eli Saslow reports, “a climate crisis turns into a collection notice.” Eli spent days with a couple and their family in the small city of McAlester, Okla., as they struggled to pay an electricity bill that was higher than their monthly income. When the heat index finally fell below 100 degrees at the end of September, the family had nine days to pay. Here then were Genia Weitz and her husband, Daryl Mason. They have a three-bedroom house with two bathrooms but had installed themselves mostly in their 300-square-foot living room, hanging heavy blankets across the halls and doors to trap cool air from a rattly window-mounted air-conditioner. Weitz had been sleeping on the couch, with her oxygen machine plugged into the wall. Mason slept in the recliner with a CPAP machine for sleep apnea. Weitz had just retrieved the disconnection notice from her mailbox. Eli captured the stakes: “I can’t breathe if I don’t have my oxygen,” Weitz said, as she handed the bill to Mason. “I don’t think I’d last a single night.” “We’d probably stroke out anyway in all this heat,” Mason said. “If we lose this room, we’re not going to make it.” In crisis Weitz and Mason’s power comes from the Public Service Company of Oklahoma, known as PSO. The company had told its customers that it faced rising costs itself. Demand for its electricity had risen because of the extreme weather — and because of all the juice required by new customers, including data centers. A PSO facility. Erin Schaff/The New York Times The state has emerged as a hub for them. One proposed data center outside McAlester, Eli reported, “would use more electricity each week at full capacity than all the homes in McAlester used in an entire year.” PSO’s rates were below the national average, but the summer’s high temperatures had kept air-conditioners running around the clock. Bills were high all over. Weitz and Mason weren’t alone. Weitz’s daughter-in-law went on social media and found hundreds of others in the same boat: “My bill is unreal. I guess I’ll just burn up.” “I use a flashlight on my phone before I turn a light on, and I pay $100 a week.” “Single mom here. Cried on the phone with them last week because mine is so high.” “My monthly bill is almost 900. I know it’s hot, but this is like an AC bill on Venus.” A struggle Eli was with Weitz as she tried to figure out what to do. The family’s car was broken down in the driveway, so she rode a shuttle bus into town to get a doctor to sign a form saying she had a serious medical condition. That was a chance to get 30 days of relief from disconnection. “Please be advised that a life-threatening situation does not cause the debt to be forgiven, but merely postponed to a later date,” the form read. She got her monthlong reprieve — but not more money. Eli’s account of what happened next is extremely powerful. I urge you to read every word. FREE TO READ In Minneapolis. Eric Ruby for The New York Times A concrete legacy: Minoru Yamasaki designed the World Trade Center. But that wasn’t all. See more of his work. Times investigation: Gold that delivers profit to Wall Street and governments is connected to criminals, gangsters and those who exploit children. Read how. Your pick: The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was about O.J. Simpson’s possible accomplice in the murder of his ex-wife and her friend. Metropolitan Diary: Scarred by a pork chop. Living with secrets: The wealthy are making housekeepers, tutors and private chefs sign nondisclosure agreements. THE LATEST NEWS France Protests The town hall in Limoges, France. Pascal Lachenaud/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Rioters attacked city halls and shops during protests over living costs and poor school conditions. The far-right National Rally party is looking to gain from denouncing the rioting. More International News Five members of a U.N.-backed force sent to stop gang violence in Haiti remain missing after an ambush. A spacecraft set to launch from Japan today could bring back the first samples of dirt from a Martian moon. Brazil’s presidential election could decide the future of the Amazon. In an interview with The Times, Venezuela’s opposition leader María Corina Machado criticized the Trump administration’s handpicked oil partner there and spoke about her country’s future. Immigration The New York Times The Homeland Security Department has repeatedly said that ICE agents are pursuing “the worst of the worst” criminals. But data shows that arrests of people with no criminal record have soared. In the video above, our reporter Hamed Aleaziz explains. Click to watch. The Trump administration said that people who came to the United States from Ukraine and Sudan can keep Temporary Protected Status for now. Politics The East Potomac Golf Links. Andrew Leyden for The New York Times Trump said the East Potomac golf course in Washington would close for 15 months for renovations, starting within four weeks. Barack Obama defended Representative Ilhan Omar, describing the Trump administration’s investigation of her family as an effort to intimidate her. Trump said his decision to ease sanctions against Russia was part of peace negotiations that could involve hostages. Other Big Stories New York has a new weapon in its war on rats: BurrowRx, a carbon monoxide-emitting killing machine. Dozens of cows were found wandering streets in Kansas City after a semi truck carrying them overturned. OPINIONS Stephan Dybus Tenants already pay a lot in rent. A surge in add-on “junk fees” is overwhelming them, Tracie McMillan writes. Abolish business schools, a professor at one argues. He says they normalize the economic system’s harms and train leaders to defend its structures. Deeply reported journalism needs your support. The Times relies on subscribers to help fund our mission. Become a subscriber today. TODAY’S NUMBER Sanae Takaichi Eric Lee for The New York Times 3 — That is the minimum number of hours each day that Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, says she spends on makeup, bathing, cooking and other chores. “Finding the time to sit down and focus with a truly clear head is a challenge,” she told the country’s Parliament last week. “I feel that, compared to a male prime minister, I might be spending an extra three or four hours on these tasks.” Her remarks have set off a debate among our readers — and you can join it. A taste: B BlueKazoo New York Japan definitely has high and honestly absurd standards for women’s presentation in public. But people are in denial if they don’t think the US has some too. Women are critiqued on their fashion choices and comments are made on if they look “put together” in the corporate and political world. People don’t notice it because it’s so much an unspoken part of our culture. View all comments SPORTS M.L.B.: The Tampa Bay Rays won Game 5 of their series against the Cleveland Guardians, putting them one win from the World Series. College football: The University of Miami is No. 1 in the A.P. Top 25 for the first time since 2002 after five of the top seven teams lost matches on Saturday. Boxing: Wilfredo Gomez rose from poverty in Puerto Rico to win world boxing championships in three weight classes. He died at 69. RECIPE OF THE DAY Armando Rafael for The New York Times. I love a veal piccata, a chicken piccata, even a swordfish piccata. Here’s a brilliant fourth option for that alchemy of lemon, capers and butter: tofu piccata. Press a firm brick of the stuff so it releases its water, cut it into slabs or cubes, coat it in cornstarch and pan-fry. Then build your piccata sauce while the tofu rests. You could nap it onto a bedroom slipper and have a good meal. (Make sure the butter you use at the end is cold, so it melts slowly into the sauce and emulsifies properly.) TRADECRAFT David McCloskey Shelby Tauber for The New York Times David McCloskey is a 40-year-old former C.I.A. analyst, now a spy novelist who some say is shaping up as America’s answer to John le Carré. (“The Persian,” his 2025 novel about a Persian Jewish dentist who goes to Tehran to spy for the Mossad, makes the argument well.) McCloskey’s latest offering is “London Station,” which imagines the relationship between the C.I.A. and its British counterpart getting so bad that the two agencies start actively working against each other. He spoke to The Times about it — and the supreme weirdness of the intelligence agency he worked for. More on culture Julia Louis-Dreyfus made her Broadway debut last night, in Jon Robin Baitz’s play “Other Desert Cities.” Our critic Helen Shaw praised her “nervy charisma.” Read the whole review. Copenhagen is famed for its luxe restaurants and innovative tweezer food. But these days its hottest dish is super basic: bread, butter and hard cheese. The city’s top bakeries are competing to make the best version. Take a tour. The comedian Larry David mocked the Democratic Socialists of America in an essay. Not everyone found it funny. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS Quinn Kelsey The New York Times Hear the baritone Quinn Kelsey sing Verdi at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. We’ve got clips! Fight aging. Fight it hand to hand. Buy your parents (or yourself) a new phone. The helpful little ones at Wirecutter found the best blowers for older people. GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was jointed. 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

Heat, scarce snow melting away Slovenia’s Alpine glaciers. One is still standing Faced with rising temperatures and declining snow in winter, the Alpine nation has seen one of its two glaciers melt away, and the remaining one shrink irreversibly. It is called Skuta and is located in the Kamnik-Savinje Alps to the north. Read more. Why this matters: Known as a nature-loving country, Slovenia has mountain climbing and hiking as part of the country’s tradition. Locals have followed closely the change as it unfolded before them. What remains is a patch of ice on the surface of the mountainside, and the rest buried under stones, with a narrow opening leading into a crevasse. Andrej Slak, a mountain guide, said the glaciers have served as vital water reservoirs for the surrounding valleys over centuries. Shepherds once used icy hollows like this to store and preserve meat but such ice pockets can no longer be found, he explained. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: See the last glacier and experts explain recent changes

Israeli police arrest 10 following weekend attacks by settlers on journalist and diplomats Washington Post photographer Heidi Levine was beaten by a crowd of young male settlers on Friday, leaving her with several broken ribs and vertebrae, in the village of Abu Falah. A day later, masked settlers attacked a group of European diplomats and others visiting the Christian village of Taybeh. Read more. Why this matters: Israel had come under heavy international criticism for the attacks. From her hospital bed Sunday, Levine said she was “shocked and insulted” that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had cast doubt on the attack, which was witnessed by a crowd of people, by calling it “alleged.” U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee condemned the attack. Israeli police said they have been collecting evidence and witness statements since the weekend attacks. They did not identify the suspects or specify their roles in the attacks, which came during a spike in settler violence during the annual Palestinian olive harvest season. Settler violence has surged in recent years, and rights groups say that attackers are rarely arrested or punished for attacks on Palestinians. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ WATCH: Levine recounts ordeal from hospital bed Trump endorses embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for reelection America’s politically divided Jewish community braces for Israel’s elections Flight from Tel Aviv to Vienna makes emergency landing in Bulgaria after bomb threat

Democrats gain ground with AAPI adults as trust in Republicans fades, AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll finds Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islander adults have become more disillusioned with President Donald Trump and Republicans according to a new AP-NORC/AAPI Data poll, giving Democrats a substantial edge on major issues like the economy and healthcare. Read more. What to know: The economy, the cost of living and healthcare dwarf other issues for AAPI adults. Trump’s economic approval among AAPI adults has dropped about 10 percentage points over the course of the year. Only about 2 in 10 approve of Trump’s performance on the economy. About one-quarter of AAPI adults approve of the way Trump is handling his job as president overall. But while trust in the Democrats on specific issues has increased, AAPI adults are ambivalent about the party as a whole. About half, 48%, of AAPI adults have a “somewhat” or “very” unfavorable impression of the Democratic Party, while 44% have a “somewhat” or “very” favorable impression. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Latino voters helped put Trump back in the White House. What’s their next move? Jackson doesn’t regret telling Collins to ‘shut up’ after protester interrupted Maine Senate debate Trump dominated rural America. Iowa is testing whether Democrats can win them back A new Medicare season begins, but some shifts will arrive in 2027 Trump says he will close historic DC golf course for 15 months of renovations

⛳️ Trump reveals golf course grand vision Via Truth Social President Trump announced controversial plans to renovate the public East Potomac Golf Course in D.C. to a "World Class Championship Golf Course," despite a federal judge's orders to pause plans. Trump said construction would begin in November and that the new course will open in about 15 months. Friction point: Following Trump's Truth Social post, the U.S. district judge on the case ordered the administration to answer whether it still plans to argue that designs for East Potomac are just "preliminary." Keep reading. ps:Absolutely the most pathetic potus!!!!!

💊 Health stocks boom Data: FactSet. Chart: Axios/Matt Phillips Health care stocks have done well in recent months as investors bank on Democrats gaining power in the midterm elections, Axios Markets co-author Matt Phillips writes. Why it matters: The prices suggest traders and investors see increasing odds that some cuts to federal health spending imposed by President Trump's big 2025 spending bill could be undone. The S&P 500's health care sector is up more than 9% over the last three months, the second-best performer of the blue-chip index's 11 sectors. (Energy was the best.) Pharmaceutical shares like Eli Lilly, Merck and AbbVie were some of the strong contributors.

🇺🇦 Zelensky's olive branch 🇷🇺 Breaking: Vladimir Putin has proposed a three-way summit next month with President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in an effort to negotiate an end to the Ukraine war on terms favorable to Russia, although Trump hasn't agreed, The Wall Street Journal reports (gift link). Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky spoke yesterday with Trump envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner about the crisis between the countries and U.S. efforts to resume peace talks with Russia, Axios' Barak Ravid reports. During the call, which lasted around 40 minutes, Zelensky discussed the possibility of holding an in-person meeting in the coming days. Why it matters: It was the first call between Zelensky and senior U.S. officials since tensions spiked after Trump cut a diesel deal with Russia 10 days ago. The latest: Trump defended his decision to grant a waiver related to sanctions pushed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), saying the U.S. didn't want to jeopardize negotiations with Russia. "I am in the process of negotiating Peace in the war between Russia and Ukraine, and don't want to do anything that will drive, foolishly, Russia away from the bargaining table," Trump wrote on Truth Social. Read more.

💰 AI boom transforms philanthropy Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios The AI boom is about to rewrite the rules of global philanthropy, shifting its center of gravity to Silicon Valley, where the IPOs of AI giants Anthropic and OpenAI will create some of the world's largest charitable organizations, Axios' Bradley Olson writes. Why it matters: The new wave will mirror startup culture, dominated by flexible capital, ambitious bets and a search for measurable impact rather than old-school donations to rename hospital wings or graduate programs. 💰 Zoom in: Anthropic announced yesterday that it plans to launch a massive benefit fund with 5% of its shares. The company's pledge, which would amount to $100 billion if it reaches an IPO value of $2 trillion, will go to a public benefit fund and is set to grow as its valuation rises. Anthropic says the fund will be a wholly owned LLC, giving it flexibility to make large donations to nonprofits or distribute money directly to specific populations. The commitment builds on the pledges of co-founders to give away 80% of their equity. 🖼️ The big picture: Anthropic is joining OpenAI, which is controlled by a nonprofit foundation that holds a 26% equity stake in the company, worth about $130 billion based on the company's current valuation.