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A Conclusion in Search of Evidence (Anna Moneymaker / Getty)   View in browser When President Trump returned to office last year, the administration had revenge on the agenda. First, the FBI purged agents who’d been involved in investigations into Trump while he was out of office. Second, the Department of Justice launched a major probe to prove a “grand conspiracy” to politically persecute Trump, which would rely in part on the former agents’ cooperation and testimony about improper or illegal actions. Perhaps you have spotted a potential flaw in the plan. The administration apparently did not. The team conducting the probe sought to compel testimony from agents involved in an August 2022 search of Mar-a-Lago, in which the FBI recovered documents that Trump had removed from the White House. Last week, lawyers representing agents involved in the search filed a motion saying that if they were forced to testify to a grand jury, they would relay “their firsthand memories of investigating a properly predicated allegation” that Trump had “unlawfully retained hundreds of highly classified documents,” as well as “factually supported opinions on why and how such retention put the country’s national security at risk.” No one should be surprised that the agents, who appear to have already been fired for simply doing their job, were not eager to testify in court that they’d been involved in anything untoward. Although such testimony would pose serious problems for the DOJ probe, the motion’s intent was not to sabotage it, The New York Times notes, but rather to seek assurances that if the agents testified, they would not be violating a federal judge’s order that bars publication of Special Counsel Jack Smith’s report about it. (Smith testified to the Senate Judiciary Committee today—more on that in a moment.) More to the point, the agents were never likely to have the sort of damning information about a conspiracy that prosecutors want. The facts of the Mar-a-Lago case are not complicated: Trump absconded with documents, many of them highly sensitive; did not turn them over when asked to do so by the National Archives and later via a subpoena; and was found in possession of them at Mar-a-Lago. Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing, didn’t really dispute any of these facts. He argued that he had declassified the materials—a claim for which he provided no evidence—and that he rightfully possessed them. (Prosecutors further alleged that he’d suggested to his lawyers that they hide some documents, and that he’d tried to hide others from them.) The grand-conspiracy probe, which attempts to tie together the documents case, investigation of the 2016 Trump campaign’s ties to Russia, and other investigations into Trump allies, has been a mess. In April, a career prosecutor leading the team was removed, reportedly after she concluded that there was not enough evidence to charge John Brennan, the CIA director under President Obama who has repeatedly tangled with Trump, with any crimes. (Brennan is reportedly facing two separate DOJ criminal investigations, which a law professor told The Washington Sun is an indication of either prosecutorial incompetence or malice; those might not be mutually exclusive.) She was replaced by Joseph diGenova, who was a federal prosecutor in the 1980s but has more recently been known for propagating conspiracy theories. He and his wife were appointed to Trump’s defense team during Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe in 2018 but quickly withdrew; they were later involved in Trump’s attempt to challenge the 2020 presidential-election results. DiGenova abruptly resigned earlier this month and implied that he had been under pressure to bring unjustified charges. “If you want indictments where there’s no evidence, you have an ethical problem,” he told the New York Post. Yesterday, another member of the team, Kurt Olsen, departed. The Times reports that Olsen faced difficulties with his security clearance; The Washington Post says that he was also frustrated by pressure from DOJ officials to move faster. If even Olsen thinks DOJ is being hasty, that would be stunning: He pushed DOJ to ask the Supreme Court to overturn the 2020 election and more recently was the driving force behind more conspiracy theories, including about voting in Fulton County, Georgia, in 2020. People like diGenova and Olsen are die-hard loyalists, not just deep-staters or fair-weather Trump fans. The problem with the grand-conspiracy probe is the fundamental premise, not staffing. Trump’s view of the world is zero-sum, such as in trade or diplomacy. The motive for the probe is that because Trump suffered during his criminal probes, his antagonists must have done something just as bad and must suffer the same. Perhaps you can see the flaw here too: Trump and his allies are starting with a conclusion of guilt and attempting to work backwards to find the charges and evidence to justify it. The risks of this were vividly displayed during Smith’s testimony today, in one of the most excruciating exchanges I’ve ever seen in politics. Senator Eric Schmitt of Missouri seemed convinced that he had caught Smith perjuring himself—when, in fact, Schmitt had failed to recognize the difference between the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks and the University of Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball team, eviscerating not only Schmitt’s dignity but also his theory that Smith had been covertly meeting with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to conspire against Trump. A robust debate continues about whether it was politically prudent to prosecute Trump for his various offenses in order to uphold the rule of law, or whether doing so simply inflamed his supporters and fostered an atmosphere of partisan retribution. Legally, the matter is simpler. On one side of the ledger, Trump did take the documents, Trump did try to overturn an election that he lost, and Trump’s 2016 campaign did have a series of inappropriate contacts with foreign governments. (The weakest case against Trump involved falsified business records, but that one produced a felony conviction.) On the other side, federal law-enforcement agencies did their job and investigated those actions, for which many were fired. Given the facts, is the DOJ probe investigating a grand conspiracy, or is it evidence of one? Related: A Department of Justice for an age of conspiracy theories Trump is turning DOJ into his personal law firm. (From 2025)

Canada’s first major LNG export terminal plans to double its capacity The multinational owners of Canada’s first large-scale liquefied natural gas export terminal agreed Tuesday to a C$33 billion (US$23 billion) expansion in British Columbia that will double the facility’s capacity and expand Canada’s exports to overseas energy markets. Read More.

Bosnian Serb leaders meet with Russia's President Vladimir Putin ahead of weekend election in Bosnia Bosnian Serb pro-Russian ruling politicians on Tuesday met with Russia's President Vladimir Putin just days ahead of a general election this weekend in Bosnia. Read More.

Rivals for LA mayor set to meet in forum as city struggles with homelessness, Hollywood job losses Two Democratic rivals seeking to lead troubled Los Angeles will meet in a high-stakes forum Tuesday just days before mail ballots drop, as voters weigh whether to stick with unpopular incumbent Karen Bass or turn to a little-known City Council member backed by the Democratic Socialists of America, Nithya Raman. Read More.

Burkina Faso opens its first gold refinery in a push for economic sovereignty DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Burkina Faso has opened its first gold refinery as its military-led government seeks greater economic sovereignty after severing ties with traditional Western partners. https://apnews.com/article/burkina-faso-gold-refinery-nationalism-sovereignty-f39f714232e1784bb5051cdf44f0b992?

Watchdog says Trump can't cancel more than $800M in spending approved by Congress President Donald Trump is not permitted to withhold beyond the end of the fiscal year ending Wednesday more than $800 million in spending approved by Congress. That's according to a review from the Government Accountability Office that was sent to federal lawmakers and Vice President JD Vance on Tuesday. Read More.

Trump says top tech firms have signed accord to ‘self-police’ AI development WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he and a large group of leaders of artificial intelligence companies had signed a voluntary accord that will include internal and external reviews during a meeting at the White House aimed at addressing Americans’ fears about the technology. https://apnews.com/article/trump-ai-anthropic-musk-595796511f110fc006cca0d01329733e? Trump says top tech firms have signed accord to 'self-police' AI development President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he and a large group of leaders of artificial intelligence companies had signed a voluntary accord that will include internal and external reviews during a meeting at the White House aimed at addressing Americans' fears about the technology. Read More.

⚓️ 1 for the road: Storm turns up shipwreck Exposed shipwreck remains along the southern shore of Nantucket, Mass. Photo: Jason Graziadei/Nantucket Current via AP Maritime experts in Nantucket are inspecting weathered wooden beams exposed by last weekend's powerful nor'easter — possibly the remnants of a 19th-century shipwreck. The Egan Maritime Institute is surveying the site and working with state archaeologists to determine the wreckage's origins. 🌊 The splintered timbers, fastened together by rusted iron, emerged near an area where remains believed to be from the Warren Sawyer have been found before. That ship ran aground in 1884 while carrying cotton and scrap iron from New Orleans to Boston. Go deeper.

👨🏽‍💻 AI could force millions into new roles Illustration: Allie Carl/Axios Roughly 11 million American workers might need to change jobs over the next decade as the economy adapts to the AI era, Axios' Emily Peck writes from a new McKinsey Global Institute estimate. 🧑‍🔧 By the numbers: About 7% of current employees might need to shift occupations, the model found. Many who don't switch jobs will still see their work transformed by AI: About 70% of U.S. workers will face some level of role reinvention. Read the report.

Meet OpenAI's new agent, "dots" Screenshot: OpenAI ChatGPT maker OpenAI today launched "dots" — AI agents with disarmingly cute avatars that can be asked to perform a range of tasks, Axios' Ina Fried reports. 👾 Powered by GPT-6 Astra, dots can work across connected apps, Codex and ChatGPT Work to do research, analyze data, prepare documents and build software. They can work in the background and reach out when they need more input. Users can also set boundaries around dots' actions. Dots are available to OpenAI's Pro, Business and Enterprise users, with one dot per user to start. OpenAI says in an announcement: "Your dot is always within reach, whether it is through ChatGPT, Slack, or Teams." "You can ask questions, explore ideas, and give feedback along the way; or you can simply hop on a voice call when you need to talk something out." (Go deeper.) 🤝 OpenAI says it envisions teams of dots eventually working together. CEO Sam Altman said at a developer event today: "This is the real deal version of AI we've always imagined." 🖼️ The big picture: OpenAI's dots will compete with a growing crop of consumer AI assistants used to book travel, cancel subscriptions and more, including Meta's Muse agent. Meta dove headfirst into the consumer market, launching Muse widely to its massive audience. The app topped the download charts early on. OpenAI is targeting high-end subscribers, mostly developers — at least for now. Read the announcement ... Go deeper.

Federal prosecutors charge Venezuelan man shot by ICE agent in Texas with assaulting an officer AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Federal prosecutors on Tuesday announced an assault charge against a Venezuelan delivery driver who was shot in his car by a federal immigration agent in Texas, accusing the man of striking an officer with his side mirror while trying to drive away. https://apnews.com/article/ice-shooting-austin-texas-wilber-rafael-garcesperez-e3ca63b090ee1b33ee154eecb99e3311? Former ‘American Idol’ singer Caleb Flynn convicted of fatally shooting his wife A former Ohio music pastor who once appeared on “American Idol” was convicted of murder Tuesday in the killing of his wife while he was having an affair. https://apnews.com/article/american-idol-caleb-flynn-trial-ohio-d2a4d31d28e6ad2a4c057312bbbfa0c5?

👋 Good morning! Happy GeoSports day to you and yours. In today's edition: The NHL is back, the Protect College Sports Act passes the Senate, Bears crush Eagles on "MNF," American cyclist scores stunning victory, MLB postseason power rankings, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES 🎓 PCSA passes Senate: U.S. senators on Monday overwhelmingly voted to pass the Protect College Sports Act, representing a historic moment for the NCAA. But the question that looms now is whether the bipartisan bill will pass in the House, where it faces a far tougher challenge. 🏈 Welcome back, Case! The Bears crushed the Eagles, 27-7, on "Monday Night Football" behind a stellar game from veteran QB Case Keenum (24/34, 247 yards, 3 total TD), who was making his first NFL start since 2023. Philadelphia's loss leaves the Bills, Chiefs, Raiders, Vikings and 49ers as the only undefeated teams left through three weeks. 🏀 Lynx win Coach, ROY: Minnesota's Olivia Miles was named the unanimous WNBA Rookie of the Year, while Cheryl Reeves was named Coach of the Year for a record fifth time. Now, they'll try to avoid getting swept on the road tonight against the 8th-seeded Liberty. 🏀 Year 24 loading: LeBron James addressed the media for the first time as a member of the 76ers at the NBA's annual media day on Monday. Topics covered included his unwavering championship mindset and that he "had visions" of joining the Knicks, but changed his mind after they won the title. 🏈 NFL news: The Giants acquired J.J. McCarthy from the Vikings for a fifth-round pick to provide depth at QB following Jaxson Dart's injury; Dolphins star RB De’Von Achane and Giants star pass rusher Brian Burns will both miss the rest of the season after tearing their ACLs.   🏒 PUCK DROP THE NHL IS BACK Caption The NHL returns to action tonight, as the puck drops on the league's 110th season — and first since 1993-94 to feature an 84-game schedule. Preseason title favorites: The Hurricanes and Panthers, who've combined to win the last three Stanley Cups, open as co-favorites to hoist the chalice next spring. Hurricanes (+650): Rod Brind'Amour's squad will try to become the fourth team in the past decade to repeat as champions, and they'll do so with a roster that looks almost identical to last season's title-winning outfit. Why mess with success, I guess? Panthers (+650): The talent here is undeniable, with newly-acquired Brady Tkakchuk joining his brother Matthew in Florida alongside steady veteran Sam Reinhart and the return of superstar Aleksander Barkov, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL. Avalanche (+700): Like the Canes, the Avs return most of the players who powered their Presidents' Trophy-winning campaign last season. It helps when you have Nathan MacKinnon and Cale Makar, two of the five best players in the sport. Oilers (+800): Speaking of dynamic duos, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl will try yet again to lead this team to the promised land, as Edmonton carries the flag for a nation still seeking its first Stanley Cup in over three decades (1993 Canadiens). Golden Knights (+850): Vegas almost pulled off the unthinkable last year, reaching the Stanley Cup Final after changing coaches in the final month of the regular season. Let's see how they fare this year under rookie head coach (and longtime Vegas assistant) Ryan Craig. Names to watch: Countless figures will come to define this season, but these three are worth keeping a particularly close eye on. Connor Hellebuyck: The three-time Vezina Trophy winner has been with the Jets since he was a rookie in 2015, but that relationship seems to be coming to the end after he requested a trade out of Winnipeg this summer. The league's best goalie is currently suspended without pay amid his holdout, and remains under contract through 2030-31. Mike Babcock: Edmonton's new head coach* was a rather surprising hire given the longtime bench boss faced numerous allegations of mental abuse from players during his NHL career. "I am absolutely shocked they hired him," said Oilers legend Mark Messier. But Edmonton's players vetted him themselves, and the NHL's investigation concluded "there is no current basis to restrict his employment. Alex Ovechkin: The league's all-time leading goal scorer (929) begins his 22nd season at age 41 following yet another campaign in which he led the Capitals in goals (32) and points (64). This may or may not be his final season, and for now he'll hope his play on the ice distracts from his controversial appearance in a recent video supporting Russian President Vladimir Putin's political party. Go deeper: Strengths, weaknesses and X factors for every team (ESPN) *Coaching carousel: Babcock was one of five new head coaches hired this offseason. The others: Peter Laviolette (Kings), Jim Hiller (Maple Leafs), Manny Malhotra (Canucks) and Ryan Craig (Golden Knights).   💯 STAT SHEET BIG NUMBERS (Dario Belingheri/Getty Images) 🚴 33 years Brandon McNulty stunned the field on Sunday at the cycling world championships, becoming the first American cyclist in 33 years to hold the title of road racing world champion. The last one to do so? Lance Armstrong in 1993. What he's saying: "I'm really at a loss for words. Until the last 300 meters I didn't believe it, I was so tired," said the 28-year-old Phoenix native. "I knew something could happen but it would take a miracle. I guess today, a miracle happened." (Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) 🏈 115-35 With Sunday's win over the Dolphins, Patrick Mahomes improved to 115-35 in his career, matching Tom Brady's record for the most wins in NFL history through a QB's first 150 starts (including postseason). But that's only where the similarities begin between the GOAT and his heir apparent. Pretty eerie: Through those first 150 games, Brady and Mahomes both went exactly 98-31 in the regular season and 17-4 in the playoffs. They both went 5-2 in their first seven AFC Championships and 3-2 in their first five Super Bowls. And they both tore their ACL and missed the playoffs in their ninth season. (Luke Hales/Getty Images) ⚾️ 100 losses The Angels lost 100 games this season for the first time in franchise history (62-100), which is sort of surprising given their long history of mediocrity. Even more surprising? They had been the only active team without such a season on their ledger. Welcome to the club, fellas. Most and fewest: No franchise has more 100-loss seasons than the Athletics (18), while the Phillies (14), Orioles (13), Braves (13) and Pirates (10) are the others with at least 10. On the other end, the Brewers and Giants join the Angels as the only teams with just one such season, while the Dodgers, Yankees, Reds and Diamondbacks have two each. Curry poses for a photo during Monday's media day. (Jeff Chiu/AP Photo) 🏀 $652 million Stephen Curry's two-year, $116 million extension pushed his career on-court earnings to $652 million, the most by any player in NBA history. Add that to his new 10-year, $400 million endorsement deal with Li-Ning, and it's been an awfully lucrative summer for the greatest shooter of all time. $500M club: Curry is the only NBA player with more than $600 million in past or active contracts, but there are seven others in the $500M club: Kevin Durant ($598M), LeBron James ($592M), Kawhi Leonard ($543M), Paul George ($519M), Joel Embiid ($515M), Donovan Mitchell ($514M) and James Harden ($510M).   ⚾️ ROAD TO THE WORLD SERIES MLB PLAYOFF POWER RANKINGS (Hayden Hodge/Yahoo Sports) The unpredictable gauntlet that is the MLB postseason begins today, so before the first pitch is thrown let's rank the 12 clubs still chasing a championship, courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Jordan Shusterman. Dodgers (100-62): They've looked much more vulnerable this season, but the two-time defending champions hold onto the top spot until someone knocks them off their perch. Brewers (103-59): With Jacob Misiorowski, Jackson Chourio and more, it's time to see whether Milwaukee's regular-season success will finally translate to October. Rays (98-64): Tampa Bay had the fourth-lowest payroll in the majors but the third-best record, which stands out even more after the AL featured just two 90-win teams. Padres (91-71): For the first time in franchise history, San Diego has reached the playoffs three years in a row. And this time they enter with MLB's best record since late July. Braves (94-68): After an uncharacteristic down year, Atlanta is back and looking as dangerous as ever. That starts with Chris Sale, making his Braves playoff debut tonight. Yankees (93-68): The question of greatest intrigue across the tri-state area is whether or not Aaron Judge (calf) will be on the Wild Card roster. We'll find out shortly. Cubs (89-73): Pitching remains a question mark, but a team with the league's best offense and defense has to feel pretty good entering the playoffs, right? Guardians (85-77): Cleveland always seems to find a way to reach the postseason, but that hasn't changed the fact that their 77-year title drought is the longest in baseball. Phillies (88-74): If everything clicks, few teams can match the high-end talent of Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Zack Wheeler, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo. Red Sox (87-75): They enter the playoffs in a bit of a slump, but we've seen what they can do when they get hot (i.e. go on a 32-5 run to completely turn their season around). White Sox (84-78): After three consecutive 100-loss seasons, no team is playing with house money quite like the Southsiders. Astros (81-81): Yes, they played .500 ball this season. But they also led the majors in HR, boast the likely MVP in Yordan Alvarez and still have Josh Hader to close things out. Crazier things have happened.   🏀 GO DEEPER GOOD READS: NBA EDITION (Amy Monks/Yahoo Sports) With the NBA season tipping off in three weeks and training camps beginning today, here's just a taste of the content our experts have been producing in preparation for the league's 81st campaign. Kevin O'Connor: NBA Pressure Rankings: Who faces the most heat this season? Training camp is the time of year when everybody in the NBA gets to believe things will be different. But some people need more than a good media day; they need a season that changes the conversation about their careers. Here are the 10 players, coaches and executives feeling the most heat entering this season. (Hayden Hodge/Yahoo Sports) Dan Devine: The NBA's 5 most interesting newcomers Here are the five most interesting folks who joined a new team this summer, from LeBron James' pursuit of a fifth title in Philadelphia, to Ja Morant's much-needed career reset in Portland, and beyond. (Dillon Minshall/Yahoo Sports) Steve Jones: NBA dark-horse contenders? Raptors, Warriors among teams that could make unexpected run Seemingly every season, an unlikely team emerges as a serious threat to make a deep run in the playoffs. So let's roll the dice on some teams that look like they might fit the bill, whether they're already good and simply being slept on, or could steadily improve throughout the season.   📆 ON THIS DAY SEPT. 29, 1954: THE CATCH (New York Daily News Archive via Getty Images) 72 years ago today, Willie Mays made the most iconic catch in baseball history — an over-the-shoulder grab in Game 1 of the 1954 World Series that just about every kid who's ever worn a glove has tried to emulate. Clutch catch: The score was tied 2-2 in the eighth with two on and no outs when Cleveland's Vic Wertz crushed a fly ball to the Polo Grounds' uniquely deep center field. Mays tracked it down, then turned and threw a bullet to second base to stop the go-ahead run from scoring. Two innings later, his Giants hit a walk-off homer before going on to sweep the series. (Bettman Archive/Getty Images) "I always played shallow when I was young. I didn't think nobody could hit a ball over my head," Mays later recalled. "When Vic hit the ball, in my mind, I was always going to catch [it]. … Everyone said, 'Well, it was a hard catch.' I said, 'Nah, it was an easy catch.'" What a legend.   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: TUESDAY, SEPT. 29 (Hassan Ahmad/Yahoo Sports) ⚾️ MLB Wild Card The postseason begins today with all four best-of-three Wild Card series kicking off at the higher seed's stadium: Phillies at Braves (2pm ET, NBC); White Sox at Astros (5pm, Peacock/NBCSN); Red Sox at Yankees (8pm, NBC); Cubs at Padres (10pm, Peacock/NBCSN). Pitching matchups: Jesús Luzardo (PHI) vs. Chris Sale (ATL) in Atlanta, Payton Tolle (BOS) vs. Cam Schlittler (NYY) in New York, Matthew Boyd (CHC) vs. Michael King (SD) in San Diego, and a bullpen game in Houston started by Hagen Smith (CWS) and AJ Blubaugh (HOU). 🏒 NHL Opening Night Tonight's season-opening tripleheader on ESPN kicks off with a matchup between the two most recent Stanley Cup winners, as the defending champion Hurricanes host the Panthers in Raleigh (5pm). Then the Bruins host the Rangers in prime time (8pm) and the Golden Knights host the Blackhawks in the nightcap (10:30pm). Plus: The only other games tonight are Canadiens at Maple Leafs (7pm) and Canucks at Oilers (10pm) in a pair of all-Canadian battles. 🏀 WNBA Playoffs Two teams can clinch a spot in the semifinals tonight, as the Aces (up 1-0) visit the Fever (6:30pm, Prime) and the Liberty (up 1-0) host the Lynx (8:30pm, USA) in Game 2 of their best-of-three series. No. 1 and done? Top-seeded Minnesota suddenly finds itself on the brink of elimination on the road. Can Olivia Miles and Co. send the series back to Minneapolis, or will the Liberty become the first 8-seed to win a playoff series under the current best-of-three format (since 2022)? More to watch: ⚽️ Friendly: USMNT vs. Chile (8pm, TNT) … St. Louis hosts the Americans' second game of the international break. ⚽️ UEFA Nations League: Spain vs. Croatia (2:45pm, FS1) … La Roja seek to extend their historic unbeaten run to 40 straight matches in today's group-stage tilt. Got plans tonight? Gametime is the best place to score last-minute tickets to the events in your city.   🌎 LET'S PLAY GEOSPORTS GeoSports is back in Yahoo Sports AM, and we'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.

Florida AG files to block ChatGPT development and place restrictions on OpenAI Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier filed Monday for a temporary injunction against OpenAI and Chat GPT, upping his legal challenge against the artificial intelligence company that he says has admitted it can’t regulate its own technology. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/28/florida-ag-files-to-block-chatgpt-development-and-place-restrictions-on-openai/? How AI-powered bungling by Florida cops cost a father his freedom and $45,000 The supermarket assistant manager was working a day shift in Jacksonville when he stepped out of the store’s office and saw two sheriff’s deputies talking with his boss – who then pointed directly at him. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/28/how-ai-powered-bungling-by-florida-cops-cost-a-father-his-freedom-and-45000/? The signs offer quick cash for homes. But states want more oversight. WE BUY HOUSES. CASH 4 HOMES. FA$T CA$H. https://floridaphoenix.com/2026/09/29/repub/the-signs-offer-quick-cash-for-homes-but-states-want-more-oversight/?

OpenAI delays latest model over security concerns, as industry faces new safety pressures OpenAI said Monday it’s decided to hold back the release of a model, called GPT-6.1 Astra, out of security concerns voiced by its researchers, the latest in the company's effort to decelerate the pace of the technology’s advance. Read more. What to know: In a statement from OpenAI's head of safety systems Saachi Jain, the version “didn't quite meet the bar.” It had become more persistent in completing tasks, but OpenAI needed to balance that capability against unauthorized behavior. OpenAI paused training of its most advanced models last week, saying training would resume “only when we are confident that we have additional safeguards.” That was after it disclosed instances in which AI agents exceeded their instructions, including by accessing government websites without authorization. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Nvidia unveils security platform to stop AI agents from going rogue Contradicting Trump, Pope Leo says artificial intelligence safety concerns not ‘fake news’ We’re in this together, Earth’s leaders told each other at the UN. But how does that work, exactly?

CNN, MS NOW and Politico ask a court to block Trump from enforcing his White House media ban Three news outlets that President Donald Trump abruptly banished from White House grounds this month asked a federal court to block the ban until the case is resolved. Read more. What to know: They say the Trump administration has “persisted in unpredictably and inconsistently implementing its ban” despite a judge’s restraining order— including selectively barring CNN from White House pool duties. A two-week temporary restraining order on Trump’s ban that restored the outlets’ White House access expires Oct. 8. “The White House’s words and actions leave little doubt that it will immediately reinstitute a complete ban of CNN, MS NOW, and POLITICO if allowed the opportunity,” lawyers for the three outlets wrote in a filing late Monday. The filing came a day after the Trump administration made clear it was not backing down. “It is a privilege, and not a right, to be there,” Attorney General Todd Blanche said on ABC on Sunday speaking about the White House. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Taxpayers have funded nearly $1.5M in pro-Trump ads. Criticism is mounting, including from the GOP Second prosecutor resigns from Justice Department ‘grand conspiracy’ probe targeting Trump foes Alito steps aside in a major climate case after scrutiny over oil stock holdings Trump administration asks Supreme Court to allow transgender medical care restrictions in prison Trump disputes his ambassador’s account that he asked China’s president if he wanted to buy US arms From motorcycles to booze, US ban on $1 billion worth of Canadian imports goes into effect

Hegseth says national security, military cyber forces will guard US election systems during midterms The U.S. National Security Agency and other military intelligence and cybersecurity forces will guard election systems in November, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday. Read more. Why this matters: Military cybersecurity experts have routinely helped monitor systems and deter potential hackers since election equipment was designated “critical infrastructure” in 2017. But Hegseth’s announcement comes after President Donald Trump gutted the civilian agency specifically created to safeguard election infrastructure, a division of the Department of Homeland Security called the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Both announcements come with early voting already underway. The short timeline “suggests this is just theater,” said David Becker, a former U.S. Justice Department attorney who leads the nonprofit Center for Election Innovation & Research. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ 2 US Navy aviators eject while landing plane on carrier off Virginia, 4 sailors injured Trump’s mail voting crackdown tests Postal Service leader who says he’s ‘not political’ GOP doubts about Georgia and North Carolina have Republicans shifting focus in battle for Senate Trump can’t force election changes by blocking counterterrorism funds to states, judge says Stay with this one, here’s what other readers like you are spending time with: In GOP Speaker Mike Johnson’s district, the political mood is mixed for the party in power

September 29, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning. The Trump administration announced an import ban on some Canadian products, including alcohol, dairy products and motorcycles. It also rescinded a Biden-era policy that extended federal sex discrimination rules to protect L.G.B.T.Q. people. And there’s more news below. But first, let’s go to school. Ricardo Tomás Modest proposals A long time ago, after a stint as a restaurant cook, I spent a few years as a teacher in the New York City public schools. My perch was Bushwick High School, a vast and crumbling brick and terra-cotta building on Irving Avenue, where I taught social studies. The school’s closed now — done in by low graduation rates — but when I was there it was a pulsing organ of the community, overcrowded and chaotic, a difficult place and a beautiful one, too. The exterior of Bushwick High School in 1995. Chang W. Lee/The New York Times Naturally I had ideas about how to make Bushwick better. Everyone there did — students and parents, administrators, teachers, aides, nurses and school security officers. Sometimes there was agreement, in the way that everyone can agree that it would be awesome to go to Utopia High School every day and not this darker place that exists in reality. More often, there was not: That idea’s too expensive. This one’s not going to move the needle. But from our posts in the classroom, we weren’t always watching the trends of scholarship. Had our ideas to fix the place been tried or studied? Did they work, and how much did they cost? We just complained (or campaigned) in the staff room or in meetings with parents or elected officials, on the front steps or in the fetid heat of the gym. (Go Tigers!) Graduates and families celebrating after commencement at Bushwick High School in Brooklyn in 1994. Nancy Siesel/The New York Times My colleagues on The Upshot, a section of our newsroom devoted to data journalism, went to the experts. They recently took up the question of how educators might fix our nation’s ailing schools, where student abilities have been in decline over the last decade. Compared with 2015, reading scores are down in 83 percent of school districts, with declines in math scores that are nearly as widespread. Our reporters wanted to know what could actually help reverse the trend. They asked 37 leading academics and researchers who study education to rate a range of ideas to improve student achievement, looking at both effectiveness and cost. Basically, they figured out how to rank the proposals. I urge you to read them. What to do Three ideas grabbed my attention. Another seemed so obvious that I couldn’t believe it wasn’t already standard practice. Small-group tutoring (No. 1). The experts put this well above reducing class size. Students meet multiple times a week, in groups of three or four, with the same tutor, during the school day. That practice is, one expert said, the “most promising intervention” available. Small-group tutoring moves the needle on testing. The downside? It has to be done often and well, and finding a lot of tutors who are available during the school day is both hard and expensive. Expanded access to advanced classes (No. 7). More kids should be able to take algebra in eighth grade or Advanced Placement classes in high school, the experts said. That’s not just about expanding gifted and talented programs. It’s about making these opportunities available to more higher-achieving students in more schools, particularly in low-income ones that offer fewer college-prep classes. The caveat: “Pushing students into material they haven’t prepared for can backfire,” one expert said. Increase teacher pay (No. 20). A simple business: Compensate educators the way we compensate other jobs that require the same education and experience. No one goes into education to get rich. But you want people to stay in the field, building experience, stacking knowledge. That’s hard when they make less than they’d get doing virtually any other job they can get with a college degree. (An expert cautioned that it remains a question whether teachers with bigger paychecks become better instructors. And also: It would cost a lot of money.) Ban cellphones (No. 22). There’s no real evidence yet that doing so increases test scores, experts told The Times. But, one noted, “There are academic and social benefits that are hard to quantify.” I’ll say. (Some states have already made it the law of the land.) All I had to deal with a million years ago were the precious few kids who had a Discman to play Rakim on CD. I can’t imagine teaching Global History, much less learning Global History, in a room full of kids straining not to look at their phones. Look at all the rankings here. They were put together by Sarah Mervosh, Francesca Paris and Claire Cain Miller. Then look at the comments. You may be moved to leave one yourself. FREE TO READ Sources: United Nations (control and restricted areas); New York Times analysis of satellite imagery (earthen barriers and outposts). Samuel Granados/The New York Times More terrain: Israeli forces are expanding into Gaza beyond the boundary they agreed to with Hamas. Satellite images show how much territory Israel now controls. No devices: Phoebe Bridgers banned phones from her tour, forcing fans — or allowing them — to be fully present in the moment. Sick of dating apps? Young people in Japan are turning to matchmakers for help getting married. Your pick: The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was a calculator to determine how much protein you need, based on your age and weight. THE LATEST NEWS Russia A Russian drone hit the National Academy of Sciences in Ukraine, forcing people to climb out of windows. Click the video above. Evan Gershkovich, a Wall Street Journal reporter who was imprisoned in Russia for 16 months, described his ordeal and a moment that nearly broke him. Read the interview. Evan Gershkovich Todd Heisler/The New York Times Around the World Oil exports from the Middle East have risen sharply this month, some analysts say. The rebound could ease some pressure on global energy prices. Hurricane Polo made landfall in the Baja California peninsula, in Mexico, with 110 m.p.h. winds. It is now a Category 1 storm. Britain said five men arrested in connection with a possible terrorist plot on a military base were being released on bail while the investigation continued. A town council in eastern Germany voted to stop installing small plaques in the street that memorialize Holocaust victims. Far-right and center-right councilors jointly proposed the move. Pope Leo praised Europe’s democracy and unification efforts during a speech in France. Experts said his comments were a rebuke to President Trump. Elections Note: Figures are rounded and exclude write-in votes. Sources: The Associated Press; state election websites. The New York Times Democratic turnout surged in this year’s midterm primaries. Will it matter in November? A judge blocked a Trump administration effort to withhold emergency grants from states that did not explore paper balloting or citizenship verification. F.B.I. In an internal memo, the F.B.I. said it believed hackers may have stolen sensitive information on all of its employees. The hacking group said it would not publish the data. A deputy director at the bureau will step down after barely a year in the job. (He and Kash Patel, the F.B.I. director, did not get along, people familiar with their interactions said.) More on Politics The Senate approved sweeping new rules for college sports that regulate transfers, shifts in conference membership and payments to athletes. The administration also asked the Supreme Court to let it deny hormones to transgender inmates in federal prisons. The coal industry asked the Energy Department to use emergency powers to keep aging coal plants open, and the government obliged. Science and Tech OpenAI said that it would not release its newest artificial intelligence model because of security concerns. SpaceX’s Starship made it to orbit for the first time. Still, there were problems, and the spacecraft returned home early. Nvidia said it would spend another $150 billion buying back its own company shares, adding to what it described as the largest stock buyback in history. Scientists discovered a virus that contains a human gene. Crime Prosecutors will revisit their decision not to pursue criminal charges against Cornell University fraternity members accused of drugging and sexually assaulting a woman in 2024. The police accused a Bay Area couple of shooting and killing their son-in-law, who worked at The New York Times. OPINIONS Many educators exalt writing as the only way that their pupils will learn to think. The truth is messier, one professor writes. American power grids are vulnerable to foreign attack. Clean energy offers a lifeline, two cybersecurity researchers write. 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 The Yankees starter Cam Schlittler will open the Wild Card Series against Boston. Seth Wenig/Associated Press 3.24 — That, on average, is how many earned runs a Yankees pitcher gives up in a game. The team starts a best-of-three contest with the Boston Red Sox tonight for the right to move on in the playoffs. The Sox have strong arms, too, so it could be a pitching-heavy duel. And what are each team’s worst stats? The Athletic has thoughts. SPORTS N.F.L.: The league asked the Department of Homeland Security to take down a video featuring a Philadelphia Eagles legend, Brian Dawkins. P.W.H.L.: “Hockey Night in Canada” is back. It plans to air eight prime time games of the professional women’s league. RECIPE OF THE DAY David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews. Prop Stylist: Paige Hicks.Times I wrote this recipe for kale salad with dried cranberries, pecans and blue cheese. It isn’t really a recipe, though, so much as an invitation to improvise. Would diced apples and salted cashews be a better match for the cheese? Do you want croutons? I’ve made it with dried cherries and almonds, with a mustardy vinaigrette and with plain oil and vinegar. It’s a no-recipe recipe. You’ll figure it out. DARK AND DRY Netflix The comedian Sam Morril has a new special out, “Incorrect.” He’s a rascally joke merchant and hard-living road comic and our comedy critic, Jason Zinoman, calls him one of the best working today: Constantly taking you behind the curtain of his process, he narrates his own jokes, reminding you he’s not the hero of one or putting on his critic’s hat to tell you that he has not grown as a person at all. The road is not great for moral betterment. A characteristically self-aware punchline from Morril: “The thing about a good miscarriage joke is that without a proper delivery, you got nothing.” More on culture “Man in the Mirror,” by Anand Giridharadas, is a searing investigation into the 2023 death of Jordan Neely, a mentally ill man, on a New York City subway, after a fellow passenger put him in a chokehold. The novelist Scott Turow, reviewing the book for The Times, calls it “an exhaustively reported book by a ferociously talented writer.” It’s in stores today. Late night hosts joked about Xi Jinping’s three-day visit to the White House. THE MORNING RECOMMENDS Read for pleasure again. (For instance, you could join me on this Len Deighton kick I’ve been on, with his crackly, staggeringly complicated spy novel “Berlin Game,” from 1983.) Listen to 10 songs we’re talking about this week, including Taylor Swift’s new track about someone who gets a phone call from her ex-boyfriend’s current lover: “If you’re sick of him, I got you,” she sings. “I was patient zero.” Electrify your morning routine with one of the plug-in kettles recommended by the inquisitive baristas at Wirecutter. I went with the gooseneck version, myself. Fancy! GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangrams were conductor and nonconductor. 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 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

⚾️ 1 for the road: October starts early Photo: MLB X account The MLB postseason begins today with the best-of-3 wild card round — four series, 12 teams still alive and little margin for a slow start. Today's schedule: 2 p.m. ET: Philadelphia Phillies at Atlanta Braves (NBC) 5 p.m.: Chicago White Sox at Houston Astros (Peacock/NBCSN) 8 p.m.: Boston Red Sox at New York Yankees (NBC) 10 p.m.: Chicago Cubs at San Diego Padres (Peacock/NBCSN) Full postseason schedule.

💼 New this morning: Muse for small business Meta announced Muse for Small Businesses this morning, expanding its consumer AI agent to a new market, Axios' Ina Fried writes. Why it matters: Facebook's parent is moving into an area long dominated by companies such as Microsoft, bringing its viral consumer AI agent and broader AI infrastructure to businesses of all sizes. Zoom in: Meta is pitching Muse as a digital operations layer for small businesses that often lack the time or money to hire specialists for every function. For example, a business owner can ask Muse to analyze sales, campaigns and social activity and develop a growth plan. It can also help manage cash flow and inventory, draft customer communications and create ads and other content, including by analyzing what has worked previously. Share this story ... Read the announcement. 🦆 Power moves: Tucker Bounds, a Meta veteran (and proud Oregonian) who first went to work in Menlo Park in 2011, was elevated to Vice President, Global Communications and Public Affairs. David Ginsberg, who held that role, is shifting to a new AI-focused innovation role as VP, Product, Insights Innovation. More from Sara Fischer.

🔮 Scoop: Rising in the '28 stakes First-term Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) — who was a tough-on-crime state attorney general, and now is vice chair of the Joint Economic Committee — has grown close to Vice President Vance and is seen as a top prospect to become a potential 2028 running mate, Jim VandeHei reports in Axios C-Suite. We hear the VP views Schmitt, 51, as trustworthy, intelligent, articulate and a deft political operator. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is obviously the Trump favorite for Vance's #2, but he doesn't seem eager for that role.

🌽 GOP braces for Iowa pain Iowa is on the verge of a farm crisis that threatens to wreck the agricultural heart of the state and hurt the fortunes of Republicans at the top of the midterm ticket, GOP strategists acknowledge to Marc Caputo and Axios Des Moines' Linh Ta. Why it matters: Democrats could win in several once-reliably Republican states in November. But President Trump's policies have caused such severe financial problems for farmers — especially those who grow corn — that Iowa appears particularly vulnerable. A top GOP campaign consultant working in Iowa and other states tells us: "In Iowa, we should brace for losing everything, definitely the governor's race and maybe the Senate race and who knows what else." As his political operation watches Iowa with alarm, Trump yesterday held a White House press conference to announce plans for a massive steel plant in the state that would be one of the nation's largest. 🚜 Zoom in: Iowa farming has been difficult for years because of rising costs, consolidation trends and foreign competition. But farmers say two recent stressors are directly tied to Trump: Tariffs increased costs of fertilizer, pesticides and farm equipment, and caused market instability. The related trade wars especially hurt U.S. relations with Canada, which buys about 30% of Iowa's exports. The war in Iran increased the cost of diesel by nearly 80% in Iowa, forcing farmers to bleed money, consider taking loans just to survive and limit machine use to critical levels. 👀 What to watch: Trump won Iowa by more than 13 points in 2024. But in the current Senate race, Republican Rep. Ashley Hinson is essentially tied in polling averages with Democratic state Rep. Josh Turek. In the race for governor, state Auditor Rob Sand, a Democrat, leads Republican nominee Zach Lahn by larger margins.

🤥 European CEO claims AI "big lie" Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios Axios CEO Jim VandeHei recently visited with Uljan Sharka, founder and CEO of Milan-based Domyn, the company the EU has picked to build Europe's open-source frontier model. From Jim's Axios C-Suite newsletter: OpenAI and Anthropic are purposely lying about safety concerns, Sharka told Jim. "This is a big lie that is driving an unreasonable conversation." Asked if he's comfortable seeing the word "lying" in print, he said: "It's the truth for me. ... I'm ready." His case: The tech has plateaued. The doom talk is designed to prop up valuations ahead of IPOs — and manufacture a delay to buy time so they can build AI that actually matches their hype. 🧐 Who the hell is Uljan? He runs the hottest open-source company in Europe, recently valued at $2B. He's pitching a product that competes with the U.S. AI giants: sovereign, data-secure AI systems that individual companies fully own and control. His case: He claims AI thinking-on-its-own capabilities are broadly overhyped, based on his years of work building these systems. He said they're nothing more than "digital books" of data that do what you tell them to. Anthropic and OpenAI insist their fears are real and driven by private testing and models that Uljan has never seen.

🥊 AI polices AI Illustration: Maura Kearns/Axios AI companies are turning to AI to police AI, Axios' Nathan Bomey and Sam Sabin write. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang sought to calm escalating fears across governments, markets and industries by announcing an open-source safety platform for monitoring and potentially quarantining AI agents. 🤔 Between the lines: The fundamental challenge humans face in policing powerful AI is that it requires them to imagine all the ways the models may behave in unexpected ways in order to meet their given objectives. One top AI executive compared the process to finding ways to keep a teenager from sneaking out at night. A parent might make rules such as don't leave through the front or back doors, don't open the garage or don't leave through any windows. But what if the teen could build a bulldozer and use it to break through a brick wall, allowing an escape? 🦾 The industry solution: Use AI to help create those guardrails, help investigate and stop rogue agents, help secure systems and build safer training environments. Microsoft, Cisco, Google and CrowdStrike have introduced cyber-focused AI models. Palo Alto Networks recently launched a service that uses frontier and open-weight models to find security flaws and recommend fixes.

Trump's wage-and-cost blues Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios Five weeks before the midterms, Americans' pocketbook pain is getting worse: Paychecks haven't kept up with inflation for the better part of this year, and borrowing costs have surged, Axios' Courtenay Brown writes. Why it matters: President Trump's record is effectively on the ballot, and economic sentiment remains deeply depressed, including among Republican voters. This is the backdrop as voters prepare to cast their midterm ballots: 1. In the past five months, pay for rank-and-file workers has trailed inflation. That's a recent reversal: Since the start of 2021, hourly pay for rank-and-file workers has climbed 29%, slightly outpacing the 27% gain in consumer prices. 2. Consumer prices are up over 5% since Trump took office, piling on Biden-era gains. It costs about $20 more to fill a 15-gallon tank of gas than it did a year ago. The national average for regular gas is $4.46 a gallon, up more than $1.30 from last September, according to AAA. 3. Mortgage rates are back above 7%, while rates on credit cards, auto and other loans remain elevated. Consumer sentiment is sitting at the second-lowest reading on record, according to the University of Michigan's tracker. Contrast that to Trump's first term: Before the pandemic, the same survey showed one of the strongest periods ever for America's consumer sentiment. Another gauge shows a similar decline: The Conference Board's confidence index averaged 126 from 2017-19, compared with just 89.4 for the latest reading in August. 📈 The other side: The lousy sentiment comes alongside strong economic growth that's apparent in the GDP figures — but hard for consumers to appreciate at the grocery store or the gas pump. A closely watched GDP tracker published by the Atlanta Fed shows the economy growing at a blistering 5% pace this quarter. Unemployment remains at a historically low 4.1%. 🐘 The GOP case: Kush Desai, White House senior deputy press secretary, tells us that "hard data of actual consumer spending and retail sales have been robust throughout President Trump's term so far." "American consumers are proving their resilience with their dollars every day thanks to the Trump administration's tax cuts, private-sector job creation, and investment boom."