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UN-backed experts cite possible US war crimes in Iran strikes GENEVA (AP) — Experts commissioned by the U.N.’s top human rights body say they have found “reasonable grounds” to believe the United States committed war crimes in two strikes in Iran, including on a school in the southern city of Minab. They also accuse Iran’s theocratic government of carrying out crimes against humanity against its own people, in a report published Thursday. https://apnews.com/article/un-human-rights-us-iran-99e690efd1e818e835d4f5a00e0d261b?

The first spacecraft to visit Mars was Mariner 4 in 1965. James

🌳 New lingo: "Greenbath" Photo: Josh Trent Pic du jour from reader Josh Trent in Cheverly, Md.: "Fantastic morning 'greenbath' as the sun peeks through on the running trail."

How dogs read us Illustration: Annelise Capossela/Axios New research is providing evidence for what pet owners and animal lovers have long suspected: Dogs are remarkably good at reading human emotions. Why it matters: The findings offer clues about how living as human companions for thousands of years may have shaped dogs. 🧠 Zoom in: For the study, published recently in iScience, researchers scanned pups' brains while they looked at photos of human facial expressions portraying a range of feelings, including happiness, fear, sadness and anger. Dogs processed the faces just like humans do, focusing on eyes, noses and mouths, and their brains showed a distinct response to happy faces. While smiles elicited the biggest response, dogs appeared to read the other emotions, too. And their brains didn't put all the negative feelings in the same bucket. Instead, brain activity differed depending on whether the pups were looking at a fearful, sad or angry face. 🔎 The intrigue: This study analyzed dogs' brain responses when they were looking at photos of strangers. Their reactions would likely be even stronger when observing their owners' faces, the study authors note. 💛 The money quote: "Humans are really good at picking up small details on the face, and so are dogs," study author Raúl Hernández-Pérez from the University of Vienna told the BBC. The bottom line: Whether it's your dog or one you meet out and about, you're not the only one getting something out of saying hello.

Substandard View in browser President Trump appointed Kash Patel to lead the FBI not because of his brief experience in law enforcement but because he is a political brawler. The problem, as Patel demonstrated yesterday, is that he is not a very good one: No skilled political messenger would have allowed nearly every headline about a Senate hearing to connect their name and agency with bestiality. Yesterday’s Senate Judiciary Committee hearing was Patel’s first appearance on Capitol Hill since a raucous visit in May. (At that hearing, Patel and Senator Chris Van Hollen verbally agreed to each take a self-screening test for alcohol abuse. Van Hollen posted his results the next day, but his office said it never heard back from Patel.) It was also Patel’s first hearing since CBS News revealed changes to FBI hiring standards, which reportedly now allow the bureau to consider applicants who have hired prostitutes fewer than three times, stole from an employer more than three years ago, or engaged in sex with animals before the age of 18. Democrats were eager to press Patel on the changes, but the hearing’s buzziest exchange turned out to be between Patel and Senator John Kennedy of Louisiana, a Republican. During his questioning, Kennedy seemed to be doing everything he could to offer Patel a chance to defuse the story—but Patel, unable or unwilling to recognize the openings, didn’t take them. The ranking Democrat, Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, asked about the new requirements first. Patel said the bestiality change was designed to ensure that people who had been forced to engage in sex with animals were not shut out of an FBI job. “We did not want to punish victims of bestiality,” Patel said. “We are not going to target victims.” Whether this is accurate is unclear. The memo laying out the new standards has not been made public, but sources told CBS News that the rules “do not distinguish between candidates who were coerced into sexual activity with animals, as opposed to those who engaged in such acts willingly.” Kennedy was the next senator to quiz Patel, and he tried to do some cleanup. “I’m really trying to understand,” he said, rubbing his face. “’Cause I listened to the exchange between you and Senator Durbin, and I’ve read a few news accounts, and I’m confused.” He asked Patel, almost rhetorically, to affirm that the FBI still had hiring standards, and Patel argued that changes had been necessary to ensure the quick hiring of good agents. As for bestiality, the old rule had “automatically disqualified any individual who participated on either side of it.” Kennedy, a bit of a ham, couldn’t resist a jibe: “So you disqualified the animal?” But he was also losing patience. “I’m trying to understand why you did this,” he said, and then offered an unusually frank description of how many Senate hearings work today: “I understand the game. People try to make you look bad. We do the same thing when the other party’s in office.” He gave Patel another shot. The director replied that sometimes human traffickers force victims to engage in bestiality, and that the FBI did not want to disqualify victims—even though, again, the guidelines reportedly don’t make such a distinction. An exasperated Kennedy wasn’t buying it. “Someone came to you and recommended” this? he asked. “And when you saw bestiality—I say this with respect—the person who recommended it, why didn’t you just say, ‘What planet did you parachute in from? Why do I wanna lead with my chin and get into bestiality?’” One answer is that Patel just isn’t very politically astute. It’s hard to claim you’re cleaning up and reforming the FBI, as Patel has, when you’re allowing johns and people who stole from their employers to apply. As for bestiality, more careful wording of the FBI memo that first laid out the new standards would have avoided the controversy. Better preparation for the hearing might have given him a clearer explanation than what he offered. And sharper instincts would have told Patel that Kennedy was trying to help him out. Any high-level appointee should be able to get through a congressional hearing without bestiality becoming the main topic. Instead, Patel takes his cues from Trump, whose instinct is always to push back. But what works for Trump doesn’t work for others. It’s not even clear whether it works for Trump anymore. Patel may have felt a need to loosen qualifications for agents because the FBI has experienced an exodus of staffers since he took over. More than 1,100 special agents, who had an average tenure of almost 22 years, left in 2025 alone, according to data from the Office of Personnel Management. Durbin has alleged that more than 5,000 nonpartisan civilian staffers departed last year. Some left of their own accord, and others were fired who were involved in investigations that Trump and Patel don’t like, such as those looking into the January 6 riot. This spring, my colleague Sarah Fitzpatrick reported that Patel’s colleagues had been concerned about what they described as Patel’s excessive drinking, repeated absences, emotional outbursts, and impulsive behavior. (Patel denied the allegations and sued Fitzpatrick and The Atlantic for defamation, demanding $250 million.) If Patel doesn’t have the skills and temperament to run the FBI well, isn’t really cleaning up the bureau’s ranks, and can’t even get through a standard Senate hearing without things going off the rails, one might wonder why he’s in the job at all. Lower hiring standards apparently start at the top. Related: Kash Patel’s performative deflections The FBI director is MIA.

🔥 GOP feud boils over Mike Johnson's decision to send the House home early — again — is fueling an increasingly bitter feud with Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) over whether the speaker is using the calendar to dodge politically painful votes. Why it matters: The House will now be gone for more than six weeks ahead of the midterms, delaying Massie's effort to force a vote on impeaching Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over his handling of the Iran war. 💥 "We had the Epstein recess last year. We got the Epstein recess this year, and then we got the Hegseth day off," Massie told us coming off an hourlong tirade on the House floor today. Massie's impeachment resolution has dim prospects in the GOP-controlled House, but it would have forced members to go on the record on Hegseth just weeks before the midterms. 🚗 Driving the news: Massie introduced eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth yesterday as a privileged resolution, giving the House two legislative days to act. But Johnson's decision to cancel tomorrow's session pushes the matter until after the election. "He cut off the day tomorrow to avoid the vote," Massie said. 🥊 Johnson (R-La.) disputed that characterization, calling Massie's claim "ridiculous" and the Kentucky Republican's impeachment push a "publicity stunt." He said he expects the House to table the resolution when lawmakers return. 🤔 The intrigue: Massie took the fight to the House floor today, using a point of personal privilege to deliver an hourlong indictment of Johnson's leadership and the institution. Other lawmakers also spoke out against Johnson's decision, with Rep. Ralph Norman (R-S.C.) writing on X: "Canceling yet another day of votes is unacceptable.… The Founders did not envision taking this much time off and still getting paid." It's not uncommon for lawmakers to recess for the entire month of October in an election year. — Kate Santaliz

Schumer's $10M wager The Democrats' main Senate super PAC is pouring an additional $10 million into the Michigan Senate race to boost progressive Democrat Abdul El-Sayed, we've learned. Why it matters: The Democratic establishment is coalescing around El-Sayed after a primary that was nasty, bruising — and late in the season. 📺 Republicans see Michigan as a top pickup opportunity and are flooding the airwaves to elect former Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Mich.). "All pathways to a Senate majority run through Michigan," El-Sayed said today after meeting with Democratic senators at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee headquarters. 📺 Driving the news: The fresh $10 million from Senate Majority PAC, which is aligned with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), brings the group's spending in Michigan to $30 million. The new TV ads will begin airing Tuesday. "Mike Rogers spent years building a fortune everywhere but Michigan. Now he wants Donald Trump and Elon Musk to hand him a Senate seat," said Lauren French, a spokesperson for SMP. "We're not letting that happen." Between the lines: Ahead of a private meeting with Schumer today, El-Sayed declined to say if he would support him for Democratic leader next year. "I'm looking forward to a productive meeting because we need to win in the state of Michigan," he told reporters. 🎧 What we're hearing: Senators from across the ideological spectrum dropped by his DSCC open house, with El-Sayed personally assuring them that he would work hard to join them in the Senate next year, according to people familiar with the gathering. 💬 The conversations were friendly and forward-looking, and senators posed for pictures with El-Sayed. 👍 "He's a great candidate. He's going to win, and we are all united," said Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), the DSCC chair. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a potential 2028 presidential candidate, announced he would campaign with El-Sayed next month. The other side: Republican outside groups are also pouring tens of millions of dollars into Michigan. A MAGA-aligned super PAC is preparing to spend $18 million in the state. In August, shortly after El-Sayed defeated Rep. Haley Stevens in the Democratic primary, Senate Leadership Fund — the GOP's main Senate super PAC — announced an additional $6 million for Michigan, bringing its total commitment in the state to $51 million. The pro-Rogers Great Lakes Conservatives Fund has already spent about $10 million in the race. 🌎 Zoom out: Since El-Sayed's Aug. 4 victory over Stevens, Democrats have been working to heal the raw divisions from the primary. But there are still some holdouts: Rep. Hillary Scholten (D-Mich.) has declined to endorse El-Sayed. Zoom in: Republicans have attacked El-Sayed over his ties to Hasan Piker, a prominent left-wing streamer who campaigned with El-Sayed during the primary and whose comments about American Jews and Israel have been condemned as antisemitic by prominent Democrats. Last month, El-Sayed apologized for comments he made about a March attack on a suburban Detroit synagogue by a Lebanese-born man, in which he said that "hurt people hurt people." ✋ El-Sayed has since put distance between himself and Piker, telling Semafor last month that he has "no plans" to campaign with the streamer again. — Hans Nichols

Divisions emerge in the tech industry over calls for a coordinated AI slowdown Fears about out-of-control artificial intelligence and suggestions to hit the brakes on the technology's development aren't new, but they have recently found new life as warnings about rogue AI systems causing mayhem grow louder. Read More.

Health hazard Cigarettes don’t just cause lung cancer. The toxic smoke affects nearly every organ in the body and can lead to heart attacks and strokes. A doctor explains what you need to know.

Trump’s fixation President Donald Trump has been preoccupied with the Kennedy Center’s programming, his hand-picked board of trustees, renovations and insisting his name belongs on the building. CNN’s Aaron Blake says it shows how consumed the president is with his own glorification. ➕ Is the Kennedy Center closed? Question hangs over arts institution as judge orders update 💬 CNN Office Hours: Share your midterms questions and join the conversation live this evening at 7 p.m. ET ps:How pathetic!!!!! Dr. Nicole Saphier, Trump's 3rd surgeon general pick, faces Senate questions over her vaccine stance Dr. Nicole Saphier, President Donald Trump’s third surgeon general nominee, was grilled at her Senate confirmation hearing Wednesday about her stance on childhood vaccines, voicing support for immunization as she seeks to serve in an administration that has moved to make sweeping changes to vaccine guidance. Read More.

🥇 Summer Olympics windfall Illustration: Sarah Grillo/Axios The 2028 Summer Olympics could generate over $40 billion and create nearly a quarter-million jobs, the L.A. Times reports from a new analysis. Those are the high-end figures in a report conducted for LA28, the organizing committee behind the Los Angeles Games. 🌹 The report's less-rosy scenarios put increased economic output at around $20 billion–$25 billion, or $35 billion–$40 billion. Reality check: Pre-Olympics estimates have a history of overstating the Games' economic payoff — sometimes dramatically so. One projection ahead of the 2024 Paris Olympics called for $12.8 billion in net economic benefits. The actual result: just $2.3 billion. Go deeper.

Google, DeepMind launch AGI institute Illustration: Brendan Lynch/Axios The DeepMind Institute, launched today, seeks to provide a forum for Google, DeepMind and outside researchers to tackle the biggest questions around artificial general intelligence, per an announcement shared with Axios' Maria Curi. The institute — led by Shane Legg as managing editor alongside Google SVP James Manyika and DeepMind Chair Demis Hassabis — aims to make complex academic research accessible to the public and highlight the diversity of perspectives. 🤖 The institute launched with inaugural publications exploring economic policy for AGI, model reasoning transparency, global access and human flourishing. (Have a look.) An introductory essay from Hassabis, Manyika and Legg notes that Google, Google DeepMind and the broader global research community "will not always agree, and they will likely change their minds, as more data and information comes to light at the fast-moving frontier." They add that the institute was created "because broad-based intellectual discussion and debate are required to arrive at a consensus about how to address the challenges and opportunities we face as a society." 🖼️ The big picture: The institute comes as calls for international collaboration on AI reach a fever pitch — including with the U.S.' biggest adversary. Manyika tells Axios: "Humanity has to be a part of this. I don't know how we think about safety and responsibility on a country-by-country basis. This is a global technology that will be used by everybody." Go deeper.

House holds billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress over Epstein investigation WASHINGTON (AP) — The House approved a resolution Wednesday holding billionaire Leon Black in contempt of Congress, referring the matter to the Department of Justice after he defied the Oversight Committee’s subpoenas in its investigation into disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. https://apnews.com/article/leon-black-epstein-contempt-congress-e556566061ce2bdf0928d46e7441853f?

Federal Reserve hikes key rate for 1st time in 3 years, defying Trump demands for a cut WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate Wednesday for the first time since 2023 in an effort to quell stubbornly high inflation, and the central bank signaled another rate hike could occur later this year. https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-warsh-trump-inflation-bab1bcb07e973bfb2dd0c3e5fbbb73b1?

Four Early Rabbis You Should Know Following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 CE, Judaism underwent a radical transformation. In the wake of the crisis, a new question loomed large: How were people to express devotion to the God of Israel without the Temple? Ultimately, a reimagined form of Judaism (“rabbinic Judaism”) would take shape in small informal disciple circles centered around Torah study. Although hundreds of rabbis contributed to this development, four figures represent key aspects of the transition. https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/bible-interpretation/four-early-rabbis-you-should-know/?

👋 Good morning! Happy Hump Day. In today's edition: NFL power rankings, Alonso mashes 300th career homer, America's richest sports owners, Kiffin needs to pick a lane, Wingsuit World Championships, and more. Yahoo Sports AM is written by Kendall Baker and Jeff Tracy. Let's sports...   🚨 ICYMI HEADLINES ⚾️ MLB roundup: Pete Alonso hit his 300th career home run at Citi Field (and in a classy move, got a curtain call from his former home fans); the Brewers clinched the NL Central following another gem from Jacob Misiorowski (5 IP, 7 K, 0 R); Rays 3B Junior Caminero hit his second walk-off homer in his past four games as he makes a late push for the AL MVP. 🎰 Betting backlash: The NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL and MLS are banding together to crack down on betting-related harassment of players, coaches and families, with the leagues issuing a joint statement suggesting punishments for those who engage in such behavior. The WNBA criticized the NBA for failing to include them in their joint statement. 🏈 Big weekend ratings: Texas' comeback win over Ohio State on Saturday was ESPN's most-watched regular-season college football game in a decade (14M viewers), and the Giants' win over the Cowboys on NBC was the most-watched Week 1 Sunday night game since 2015 (25.7M viewers). 🇦🇷 Messi's last dance: Lionel Messi, who already announced his retirement from international soccer, will take part in one final farewell match with Argentina on Oct. 6 against Benin in Buenos Aires as part of the upcoming international break. ⛳️ Sorry, LIV: PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp on Tuesday unveiled the qualification system for the Tour's new two-tier structure debuting in 2028. He also addressed the elephant in the room, making it clear that the Tour will not offer a return opportunity for LIV Golf players like the one Brooks Koepka used earlier this year.   🏈 RISERS AND FALLERS NFL POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 2 (Joseph Raines/Yahoo Sports) Welcome to the first in-season edition of our 2026 NFL power rankings, courtesy of Yahoo Sports' Frank Schwab. It's good to be back. It would be foolish to draw long-term conclusions after one week of football — and equally foolish to pretend the openers meant nothing. So let's review what we learned from the biggest risers and fallers. Biggest risers Four teams climbed at least five spots in this week's rankings, with the 49ers making the biggest leap (up 11) following their rout of the preseason Super Bowl favorites in Melbourne. No. 5 49ers (▲11): Few teams looked better in Week 1 than the Niners, who scored a resounding victory in the battle of dueling jet lag strategies. The only bad news for San Francisco: They lost exciting rookie WR De'Zhaun Stribling (ankle) for at least a month. No. 6 Jaguars (▲8): The Jags picked up right where they left off, destroying the Browns for their ninth straight regular-season win behind Trevor Lawrence (18/23, 245 yards, 4 TD), who looks poised for another big season. No. 7 Chiefs (▲5): Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker III looks like he's ready to transform Kansas City's offense, which will only get better as Patrick Mahomes gets more comfortable in his return from a torn ACL. No. 14 Giants (▲9): Big Blue bullied the Cowboys in primetime to deliver a statement victory for new head coach John Harbaugh, who has already given the Giants something they haven't had in years: hope. More risers: No. 1 Bills (▲2), No. 3 Ravens (▲3), No. 10 Bears (▲1), No. 12 Bengals (▲3), No. 17 Vikings (▲1), No. 13 Saints (▲1), No. 25 Raiders (▲1), No. 27 Jets (▲2), No. 28 Cardinals (▲3). Biggest fallers Five teams fell at least five spots, with the Broncos tumbling the furthest (down 11) following their blowout defeat at Arrowhead on Monday night. No. 11 Patriots (▼6): They won't look this bad every week, but some negative regression should probably be expected in New England after last season's storybook run came against the third-easiest schedule in NFL history. No. 15 Broncos (▼11): Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong in Denver's opening contest. You have to wonder if Sean Payton is already considering taking back play-calling duties from first-year OC Davis Webb. No. 16 Cowboys (▼9): Was New York's offense really that good on Sunday night? Or is Dallas' supposedly improved defense still just as bad as it was last season? Time will tell. No. 19 Chargers (▼6): Their loss to the Cardinals was so bad it had Jim Harbaugh lamenting the decision to sit his starters for most of the preseason. Things could get ugly in a hurry with an absolutely brutal schedule coming up. No. 24 Colts (▼5): Daniel Jones didn't look great nine months after tearing his Achilles, and Indianapolis looked a lot more like the team that ended last season on a seven-game losing streak than the one that started it 8-2. More fallers: No. 4 Rams (▼3), No. 13 Texans (▼3), No. 18 Packers (▼1), No. 26 Panthers (▼1), No. 29 Falcons (▼1), No. 31 Titans (▼4). Don't see your squad? The No. 2 Seahawks, No. 8 Eagles, No. 9 Lions, No. 20 Steelers, No. 21 Buccaneers, No. 22 Commanders, No. 30 Browns and No. 32 Dolphins all stood pat and maintained their position from last week's rankings.   💰 BILLIONAIRE BALLCLUBS YOUR OWNER CAN AFFORD IT The top 20 owners in sports are collectively worth an estimated $666 billion, according to Forbes' annual rankings, up 10% from last year. For context: The cumulative market capitalization of the S&P 500 is approximately $69 trillion. The cumulative wealth of just 20 sports owners equates to nearly 1% of that figure. How about U.S. household wealth? That totals $186 trillion. 0.36% of it is represented here. Around the leagues: 10 NFL teams are represented in the top 20, just two more than the NBA and one more than MLS, thanks to the popularity of bolting on a soccer franchise to existing NFL infrastructure. The richest owners in each league are as follows: NBA: Steve Ballmer, Clippers ($156 billion) NFL: Rob Walton, Broncos ($132 billion) NHL: Henry Samueli, Ducks ($34 billion) MLB: Steve Cohen, Mets* ($27 billion) Bottom line: If your team's owner is featured on this list, they have little reason not to invest in their competitiveness… within the rules, of course (right, Steve?). *Soon to be replaced by Stan Kroenke with the completion of his Angels acquisition. Until then, MLB appears on the list just once!   🏈 REBEL REUNION DEAR LANE, YOU CAN'T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS (Henry Russell/Yahoo Sports) Lane Kiffin stiff-arming Ole Miss for LSU is one thing. But his reimagining of the whole saga on the eve of his return to Oxford is another, writes Yahoo Sports' Dan Wolken, who pulls no punches in his latest column. Here's a teaser: Lane Kiffin has been through so many lifetimes in college football and tried on so many different versions of himself that sometimes you wonder if he gets confused about which character he's supposed to play. When Kiffin left Ole Miss last December for LSU, sacrificing a viable chance to win a national championship in the process, he did it for a defensible reason. Though everything about the timing and execution was terrible, there was nothing controversial about the belief he'd have a better chance of consistently contending for titles at LSU. Why won't he just own it? What he's saying: "I told the players today, man, you don't have anything to worry about as far as like attention on you all week," Kiffin said during Monday's press conference in Baton Rouge. "There's going to be so much attention and hatred and everything on me … Really, the pressure's on them [Ole Miss]. We won seven games last year, they won 13. They return two Heisman candidates. … So you guys get to go play. The pressure's not on you." Huh? If there is one thing we know for sure about why Kiffin left Ole Miss, it wasn't to be the underdog. Not in this game, not in any game. He went to LSU not just to win, but to dominate — backed by a university administration that would rather jump in Mike the Tiger's cage than tell their football coach no. "They've been playing this matchup for a long time and this is the first time in the last 64 years both teams are in the top 10," added Kiffin. "I think it's a really good thing that a lot of people could look at it and say, hey, both sides are doing really well and both sides won." Baloney. The idea that "both sides won" is laughable gaslighting. It only turned out that way because Ole Miss refused to let Kiffin get everything he wanted. Put on the black hat once and for all and own it, Lane. If not, what was the point of going to LSU in the first place? Read the full story.   🇨🇳 MEANWHILE, IN CHINA IN PHOTOS: WINGSUIT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP (Wang HE/Getty Images) The 12th World Wingsuit League World Championship took place last week in Zhangjiajie National Forest Park* in central China's Hunan province, where 16 competitors from 11 countries participated in the thrilling, high-speed action sport. (Wang HE/Getty Images) Race to the bottom: Athletes took off from a platform on the 1,458-meter (4,783 feet) Yuhu Peak atop Tianmen Mountain before embarking on a nearly mile-long flight to the base. (Zhou Guoqiang/VCG via Getty Images) Target practice: The competition included both speed and precision races, with the latter featuring small targets that racers tried to pierce with a rod attached to their helmet. The bullseye they were trying to hit at speeds of 130+ mph? About the size of a water bottle cap. (Zhou Guoqiang/VCG via Getty Images) What they're saying: "I feel incredibly free when I fly, really like a bird," said China's Zhang Shupeng (in the pink above). "The wingsuit becomes one with my body when I'm wearing it. By changing my posture I can turn, speed up or slow down, so it's like a bird flying in the sky." *Fun fact: Zhangjiajie's trademark sandstone quartz pillars were the inspiration for the floating "Hallelujah Mountains" in the Avatar film franchise. In fact, following the release of the first film in 2009, the park officially renamed one of its pillars "Avatar Hallelujah Mountain."   📺 VIEWING GUIDE WATCHLIST: WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 16 (Sarah Stier/Getty Images) ⚾️ MLB on ESPN The day begins with another crucial game between the White Sox and Guardians in Cleveland (1pm ET), where Chicago will try to extend its narrow division lead. Then we head to Queens (7pm), where the Mets host the Orioles a day after Pete Alonso hit his 300th career home run. Can former teammate Francisco Lindor, sitting on 299, join him tonight? Best of the rest: Cade Cavalli (12-5, 3.12 ERA) and the Nationals host Zack Wheeler (12-5, 3.14 ERA) and the Phillies in a matchup of aces, while three former Cy Young winners take the mound elsewhere: Max Scherzer's Blue Jays host the Tigers (3:07pm), Blake Snell's Dodgers visit the Reds (6:40pm) and Robbie Ray's Padres visit the Rockies (8:40pm). More to watch: ⚾️ WPBL Championship: Los Angeles vs. San Francisco (7pm, ESPN+) … Game 1 in the best-of-five series to determine the inaugural champion of the pioneering league. ⚽️ US Open Cup: Columbus Crew vs. Orlando City (7pm, CBSSN); Colorado Rapids vs. St. Louis City (9:30pm, CBSSN) … Semifinals of the long-running domestic cup competition. ⚽️ Campeones Cup: Inter Miami vs. Cruz Azul (8pm, Apple) … The eighth annual match between the reigning MLS and Liga MX champions.   🏈 LET'S PLAY TRIVIA TIME (Michael Owens/Getty Images) Travis Kelce (13,073) passed Jason Witten (13,002) on Monday for second on the all-time tight end receiving yards list, trailing only Tony Gonzalez (15,127). Question: Which two tight ends round out the top five on that list? Hint: Rob Gronkowski is sixth (9,286), so he's not one of the answers. Answer at the bottom.   ⚽️ YAHOO SPORTS x APPLE TV TUNE IN: MLS ALTCAST Yahoo Sports and Apple TV are teaming up to deliver alternate broadcasts of "Friday Night Baseball" and MLS games, with the first such soccer altcast coming during tonight's Campeones Cup match between Inter Miami CF and Cruz Azul. Tune in: The Cooligans hosts Alexis Guerreros and Christian Polanco will broadcast the full game, including a brief pregame show (7:55pm ET), on Yahoo Sports. Viewers can also watch the main broadcast of the match on Apple TV.   Trivia answer: Antonio Gates (11,841 receiving yards) and Shannon Sharpe (9,961)

2026 primary season comes to a close The 2026 primaries ended Tuesday in Delaware after more than six months of contests. Along the way, voters offered a glimpse of the changing dynamics within both parties as the midterms quickly approach. Notably, President Trump’s endorsement remained influential in some races but showed signs of weakening, with 10 of his endorsed candidates losing GOP contests. On the Democratic side, self-described democratic socialists remain a small share of the party’s nominees but scored several high-profile victories, including against House incumbents. The question now is whether that momentum carries into the fall when candidates face a broader electorate. + Takeaways: The 2026 primaries taught us a lot about what’s to come in the midterms + Midterms Q&A: Drop your questions for CNN’s political experts here Editor’s note: Sign up for 20/26 Vision, a weekly newsletter focusing on this year’s midterms. Each week, CNN’s Aaron Blake cuts through the political noise with sharp analysis of the races, candidates and trends that could decide control of Congress.

A fourth measles death is reported in Pennsylvania NEW YORK (AP) — Pennsylvania officials have reported a fourth measles-associated death. https://apnews.com/article/measles-deaths-pennsylvania-5267e2deff65b12941e6a1c279976f13? ps:Pathetic!!!!!

A Hague court convicts Kosovo’s former President Thaci of war crimes and sentences him to 25 years THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Kosovo’s former President Hashim Thaci was sentenced to 25 years in prison on Wednesday after being found guilty of war crimes committed during the war for independence from Serbia in 1998-99. https://apnews.com/article/thaci-kosovo-serbia-war-crimes-0b24b81d6e1ca8f01d8b8b54bb465ee9?

House votes for a third time to end the Iran war as conflict drags on In a 220-204 vote, the House approved the resolution late Tuesday that would halt President Donald Trump’s ability to continue military action without congressional approval. None of the resolutions have made it to the president’s desk, where Trump would almost certainly veto the measure. Read more. Why this matters: In the previous House actions, four Republicans joined all Democrats voting to bring an end to the conflict. A few more Republicans joined Tuesday, including GOP lawmakers from battleground Iowa, Rep. Zachary Nunn and Rep. Mariannette Miller-Meeks, and retiring Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina. The action is likely the last House vote on the Iran war ahead of the midterm elections, where the conflict overseas is playing a substantial role in the political campaigns. RELATED COVERAGE ➤ Trump administration plans to send powerful bombs to Israel in $2.8 billion weapons sale Iran war has cost the US more than $38B, budget office says US strips millions in military aid from Europe and Mideast to back Trump-aligned nations in Americas FBI chief Kash Patel defends hiring policy changes on prostitution, bestiality at fiery hearing House panel recommends contempt charge for billionaire Leon Black in Epstein probe Senate blocks cryptocurrency regulation as Democrats push back on Trump investments Trump slams the Supreme Court for rejecting his push to restrict mail ballots Trump’s push to restrict mail ballots has failed. Other efforts to reshape the midterms are ongoing US acknowledges for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space Kennedy Center will close for renovations after judge blocks returning Trump’s name to building Americans value press freedom, but new surveys show support for restrictions in certain cases

Americans are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of AI, AP-NORC poll finds According to a new poll, 53% of Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about artificial intelligence’s environmental impacts. That is up from 41% last year. Democrats are driving much of the increase in environmental concern, but the poll also reveals broader worries about the local impact of data centers. Read more. What to know: There are thousands of data centers in the U.S., 87% of which are in urban areas. A majority of Americans are “extremely” or “very” concerned about the impact of data centers on electricity prices or the water supply in the communities where they are built. Most new data centers are planned for rural areas, according to a Pew Research Center analysis from earlier this year. About 6 in 10 Americans support limiting the number of new data centers that can be built, including most Democrats and Republicans. Overall, Americans are more worried about the environmental impact of AI than other industries with a substantial environmental footprint. Only about 3 in 10 U.S. adults are highly concerned about the impact of meat production or air travel.

September 16, 2026 By Sam Sifton Good morning. There’s a lot of news below, as well as a delicious recipe for Welsh rarebit (I’ll explain). But first, a few words about the Houthis, the Iranian-backed militia that’s learning to fight on its own. Houthi forces patrol Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, this month. Mohammed Huwais/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images Geography is power Vivian Nereim, our lead reporter in the Gulf states, said something the other day that stuck with me. A colleague had asked her a question about the Houthi militia in Yemen, which recently conquered the Bab al-Mandab, a strait that connects the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. It’s become an important artery for Saudi Arabia’s oil exports since Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz. Sources: Global Energy Monitor (pipelines); Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute (Houthi-controlled areas). The New York Times Her answer: “Geography can be power, even for the most seemingly unlikely group.” Just as Iran’s proximity to the Strait of Hormuz allowed its forces to disrupt traffic there, debilitating the energy economy, the Houthis’ strikes along the Red Sea coast have given them command of a waterway that may play an even bigger role in global shipping. A lot more than oil passes through it on the way to the Indian Ocean. “A few guys with a few drones can pose a big threat,” Vivian said. (She meant the Houthis, but it’s true of the Iranians, too.) Back in February, when the United States and Israel went to war with Iran, most of us didn’t know much about this stateless militia in Yemen backed by Iran, let alone the straits on either side of the Arabian Peninsula. Now Iran and its Houthi allies control the two main routes for shipping oil out of the Middle East. Sources: Kpler (ship position data); Critical Threats Project at the American Enterprise Institute (Houthi stronghold); Global Energy Monitor (pipeline routes). The New York Times Who are these guys? Just as a reminder, here’s the nickel tour: The Houthis started out in the 1990s as a religious movement in northern Yemen that became a motley group of Islamist fighters waging civil war against the government in the 2010s. They believe their power emanates from God. They declare death to America and Israel and “a curse upon the Jews.” Supplied by Iran, they battled a Saudi-led coalition until the United Nations brokered a fragile peace in Yemen in 2022. The following year, they started attacking shipping in the Red Sea. Nicholas Kulish, who writes about technology and war, yesterday took note of the conventional image of them: “Men on the backs of pickup trucks, firing AK-47s into the desert air.” But, Nicholas reports, they’re growing more sophisticated. A report from Anthropic last week suggested that people in northern Yemen — that’s a Houthi stronghold — had used the company’s A.I. assistant to “develop guided weapons,” specifically a multistage ballistic missile with a range of 1,200 miles. “The would-be weapons designers were careful to avoid the company’s safeguards,” Nicholas wrote, “hiding the true purpose of the guidance systems they were designing from the very system helping them design it.” That’s a long way from guys in sandals carrying long guns in the bed of a Toyota Hilux. Houthi fighters. Mohammed Huwais/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images What do they want? Vivian answered that question, too. “The Houthis describe themselves as the liberators and legitimate leaders of Yemen,” she told my colleague Katrin Bennhold. That pits them against Yemen’s Saudi-backed government. “They also want money, like access to Yemeni oil revenue and war reparations from Saudi Arabia, among other things. And they’re picking this moment to make a big push,” Vivian said. How far that push is going to take them, and how effective their entrepreneurial battlefield tactics are going to be, remains an open question. The Houthi rebels have proved adept at battling far wealthier and more powerful actors — and forcing them to stand down. Keep an eye on the Houthis, then. A former U.S. special envoy for Yemen was blunt about them last week. “They use every opportunity to build their capability, to test their capability, such that they are now the most lethal nonstate actor in the entire Middle East,” he said. Related: The Houthis said they shot down a Saudi fighter jet but denied targeting Mecca. FREE TO READ The F.B.I. director, Kash Patel, suggested he was open to sending federal agents to polling places. Jamie Beaton has 12 advanced degrees — from Harvard, Yale, Oxford and other top universities — with more on the way. Why? How? Thousands of planets discovered beyond our solar system are leading scientists to question whether Earth is truly unique. Your pick: The most clicked link in The Morning yesterday was about Sydney Sweeney’s nude ad for a sports betting app. THE LATEST NEWS Artificial Intelligence Note: Based on a New York Times/Siena poll of 1,503 likely voters nationwide conducted Sept. 8 to 13. The gray segment is for voters who did not respond or said they didn’t know. Jillian Vordick/The New York Times Which political party is better equipped to address A.I.? Voters are split, a New York Times/Siena poll found. (On every other issue tested, voters gave Democrats the edge.) An anti-A.I. event in Washington brought together Bernie Sanders and Steve Bannon. After President Trump defended A.I. and data centers on his own social media platform, commenters there attacked him. Politics Trump denounced the Supreme Court’s decision to block his efforts to change mail voting and lashed out at three justices he appointed. The Pentagon inspector general released a report detailing U.S. losses in the Iran war. Read the takeaways. Government employees were paid $9.5 billion not to work last year as part of DOGE’s efforts to shrink the federal work force. Kennedy Center After a federal judge ruled that the Kennedy Center could not inscribe Trump’s name on its facade, the center abruptly closed its doors. Officials at the center had said that it was at risk of bankruptcy but that Trump would raise the necessary funds if he received “appropriate recognition.” Energy People around the world are furious about rising energy prices caused by the war in Iran. Protests have broken out in Indonesia, Guatemala, Syria and elsewhere. Ukraine and Russia both denied Trump’s claims of a deal between the two countries to stop attacking energy infrastructure. More International News The Trump administration approved a proposed $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel. It would include 40,000 one-ton bombs. Kyrgyzstan is benefiting from the war in Ukraine: It has become a major transit point for goods headed to Russia. In the video below, Paul Sonne, our Moscow bureau chief, pays a visit to the country’s biggest market. Click to watch. The New York Times Other Big Stories Pennsylvania officials said a fourth person in the state had died from measles, making this the deadliest year for the disease in the United States in decades. Prosecutors will not seek the death penalty against Nick Reiner, who is accused of killing his parents, the Hollywood director Rob Reiner and Michele Singer Reiner. OUR UBIQUITOUS PROTECTORS Ariana Drehsler for The New York Times There are more security guards in the United States than police patrol officers — about 1.3 million. They keep watch outside schools and hospitals, strip malls and construction sites. Some handle mental health crises or guard mosques and synagogues against attack. But they’re not paid much, and many work as contractors with no benefits. They also have far less training than police officers. Still, some are dying doing their jobs. Read more about the people protecting your family. OPINIONS Abandoning a smartphone for a dumbphone made one writer’s life better. But it made the lives of everyone around her worse. It’s too late to stop the A.I. threat, Thomas Friedman writes. The U.S. and China should focus on repairing the damage it has already done. Introducing the Shows tab. A new place to find and follow podcasts in audio and video. Explore Shows in The Times app. TODAY’S NUMBER Patrick Mahomes Colin E. Braley/Associated Press 274 — That is how many days there were between the moment when the Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes suffered a devastating knee injury in December 2025 and his start in Monday night’s season opener against the Denver Broncos. Nine months! Not long ago, that injury would have ended his career. “It’s incredible,” the team’s general manager said. Here’s how Mahomes recovered so quickly. SPORTS College football: The University of Texas quarterback Arch Manning (yes, of the Manning family) apologized for joking about an A.I.-altered video depicting his coach, Steve Sarkisian, slapping the ESPN reporter Holly Rowe. N.H.L.: The Washington Capitals star Alex Ovechkin appeared in a campaign ad for a Russian political party that backs Vladimir Putin. RECIPE OF THE DAY Michael Kraus for The New York Times I had lunch at St. John in London three days in a row last week and, if my dreams have been fragrant with the deviled kidneys, gravy and mash I had for my final meal, it’s the Welsh rarebit I ate on my first that I’m most likely to return to at home. The restaurant goes a little thicker with the topping — strong cheese, dark beer and warm spices all melted together — than Mark Bittman’s recipe calls for. Spread the result over the best toast you can make, and serve the bubbling slabs with a bottle of Worcestershire sauce on the side (British Worcestershire sauce if you can, less sweet and more malty). Add as verdant and lemony a green salad as you are able, please. BECOMING JEFF KOONS Photograph by Renee Cox. Styled by Zara Mirkin Jeff Koons is complex, vast, dichotomous. He’s an incomparable salesman and a world-class artist. He’s either a master of neo-Pop or a hawker of kitsch, depending on the critic you’re talking to. His work sells for long money even as replicas of it show up at Walmart. He’s both sincere and not. “He’s either from another planet, or he’s on another planet,” says his friend the artist Richard Prince. Nick Haramis, an editor at T Magazine, profiled Koons. “Michelangelo, Leonardo, Raphael, Rubens, Rembrandt — they were all extremely wealthy,” Koons told him. “The idea that artists are supposed to suffer is new.” More on culture Ten years after the quarterback Colin Kaepernick took a knee to protest racial injustice during the national anthem before N.F.L. games, he has written a lengthy memoir. It’s called “The Perilous Fight.” Here’s one passage from it: “Y’all can see a Black man get killed on camera and be like, ‘Hmm, where should we go for lunch?’ But let me not stand for the anthem and you have this visceral reaction? This is the thing that upsets you?” Jodi Picoult’s new novel is about the 25th anniversary of 9/11. It’s also about postpartum psychosis, which has been in the news because of the trial of Lindsay Clancy. “If one woman reads this book, or her family reads it and thinks, Hmm, you know what, I’m going to try to make sure that this person gets help,” Picoult told our Elisabeth Egan, “then we’re a step ahead of where we were yesterday.” Finneas and several other of Ed Sheeran’s opening acts quit his stadium tour after the rapper Macklemore was dropped as an opener because of his pro-Palestinian remarks. NBC is launching a marathon livestream with one of its most recognizable stars. Is there such a thing as too much Steve Kornacki? Stephen Colbert returned to late night for the first time since his show ended in May with an appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” THE MORNING RECOMMENDS Reset for fall, with advice from T Magazine and its panel of artists, designers, chefs and writers: “Time to buy new pencils.” Discover the secret to a perfect desk lunch. (For me, it’s never to eat at my desk at all. Still, I’m intrigued by my colleagues’ suggestion to lean into bento boxes.) Consider a dry shampoo in lieu of a shower. The elegantly coifed evaluators at Wirecutter have laid out their favorites. (I’m bald and have no opinion.) GAMES Here is today’s Spelling Bee. Yesterday’s pangram was crimping. 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

THIS DAY IN HISTORY September 16 1620 Mayflower departs England The Mayflower sets sail from Plymouth, England, bound for Virginia with 102 passengers. However, stormy weather and navigational errors eventually force the Mayflower off course. read more Sponsored Content by REVCONTENT 19th Century 1893 Settlers race to claim land in Oklahoma Arts & Entertainment 1977 Opera star Maria Callas dies Crime 1845 Suspected Christian spy is murdered 2013 Gunman kills 12 in D.C. Navy Yard massacre Inventions & Science 1908 William Durant creates General Motors Latin American & Caribbean History 1810 Mexican War of Independence begins World War II 1940 United States imposes the draft