U.S. and China Extend Busan Trade Truce to Jan. 10, 2027, as Xi Makes State Visit to Washington
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent announced the two-month extension on Sept. 23, the day before Trump and Xi met at the White House. The leaders reported no breakthroughs on Taiwan arms sales or the Iran war.
U.S.
Judge Orders White House to Restore CNN, MS NOW and Politico Press Passes for 14 Days, Citing Lack of Due Process
Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee, found the outlets were likely to win on a procedural claim because their passes were revoked without notice or a hearing; he did not rule on their First Amendment claim, and a fight over longer-term relief comes next.
Justice Department Says It Has Closed More Than 50 Decades-Old School Desegregation Cases
The Civil Rights Division says the court orders no longer match today's classrooms. Civil rights lawyers and researchers point to studies showing segregation tends to grow after districts are released.
September Nor'easter Floods Norfolk-Area Streets and Heads for New England; Forecasters Put 40 Million People in Its Path Through the Weekend
Official warnings call for 2 to 3 feet of flooding in parts of Virginia and wind gusts up to about 60 mph in coastal New England, with a full moon Saturday raising tides; private forecasters' higher 'up to' figures for wind and rain are local worst cases, not the official forecast.
Venezuela's Rodríguez Tells U.N. 'Elections Will Be Held' but Sets No Date, a Day After Meeting Trump
In her first U.N. address as acting president, Delcy Rodríguez thanked President Trump for restoring ties. Their brief meeting at a Trump-hosted reception took place the night before the speech, not days before.
Senate Health Committee Holds Confirmation Hearing for Heidi Overton, Trump's Nominee to Lead the FDA
Overton, 37, a White House health aide, went before the Senate HELP Committee on Sept. 24, 2026. Senators were expected to question her on her pledge to speed up drug approvals, childhood vaccines, the abortion pill mifepristone, her lack of management experience, and an FDA that has lost staff and leaders since 2025.
Navy Tells Senator Eight Sailors in USS Abraham Lincoln Strike Group Attempted Suicide During Iran-War Deployment
In written answers to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao disclosed eight suicide attempts and no deaths across the carrier, its air wing and its escort ships during a deployment that included 286 days at sea without a port call.
N.C.
NC 12 Closed Between Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe After Nor'easter Damages About 500 Feet of Pavement; All Ocracoke Ferry Routes Suspended
Tides broke through dunes near the Pea Island Visitor Center on Thursday. As of Friday morning NCDOT had no reopening estimate, and coastal flood warnings for Hatteras and Ocracoke islands run until 11 p.m. Friday.
Gov. Stein's Recovery Office Releases 117-Page Economic Plan for Western North Carolina, Two Years After Helene
Released Sept. 23, 2026, the plan creates no new funding. Instead, it combines existing regional strategies. It highlights a $29.2 million federal grant announced in July and a jobs coalition launched in April, while Stein presses Washington for more than $10 billion more.
Voter Groups Sue North Carolina Elections Board Over Absentee Ballot Rules Adopted in Sept. 4 Party-Line Vote
Three nonprofits and two voters asked a federal court to block new rules on unsealed inner envelopes, signature checks and ballot drop-off, after more than 8,000 mail ballots had already been cast.
NC DMV Stops Issuing License Plate Stickers and Printed Registration Cards for Registrations Made On or After Oct. 1
A provision in North Carolina's state budget moves vehicle registration to an electronic system; the state estimates the change saves about $4.8 million a year, and lawmakers cut that same amount from the DMV's budget.
Gov. Stein Rides in BETA's Electric ALIA Plane at N.C. Showcase for FAA Pilot Program
North Carolina showed off its first flights under a federal test program for new aircraft. The flights used a BETA Technologies electric plane and a Joby Aviation self-flying turboprop, not only electric aircraft as some early summaries said.
Federal Judge Rules USDA's SNAP Rollout Deadline Unlawful in 22-State Case That Includes North Carolina
A federal judge in Oregon ruled on Sept. 17 that the USDA gave states too little time to apply 2025 SNAP law changes. The ruling blocks error penalties that North Carolina's attorney general says put $425 million at risk.
Finance
Brent Crude Settles at $106.60 After Saudi Arabia Says It Shot Down Six Houthi Missiles; Houthis Claim Strikes on Jazan, Riyadh and Yanbu
Saudi Arabia says it stopped six Houthi missiles aimed at Taif and Yanbu on Thursday. Separately, the Houthis claimed much larger strikes, which Saudi Arabia has not confirmed. Brent crude rose 3.4% that day, then eased Friday after reports that U.S. and Iranian negotiators at the U.N. were discussing a phased reopening of the Strait of Hormuz.
Costco Reports Fiscal Q4 Revenue of $95.7 Billion and $6.75 EPS, Including 15 Cents From Tariff Refunds
The warehouse retailer beat analyst estimates on sales and profit. Part of the profit came from a one-time refund of tariffs that the Supreme Court struck down, and a pending lawsuit says shoppers should get that money.
New Home Sales Rose 6.4% in August to a 684,000 Annual Rate, the Highest Since December 2025 and Above Forecasts
The Census Bureau's estimate was 2.0% below August 2025. The monthly gain fell within the survey's margin of error. Builders cut prices while 30-year mortgage rates averaged 6.95%.
10-Year Treasury Yield Closes at 5.11%, Highest Since July 2007, After Weak $70 Billion 5-Year Auction and Strong Business Surveys
The Sept. 23 move came one week after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates, as traders increased their bets on another rate hike in October.
Alphabet, Oracle and Amazon Shares Fall on Sept. 23 as 10-Year Treasury Yield Reaches Highest Level Since 2007
U.S. stocks closed lower Wednesday. Alphabet fell 3.8%, Oracle 3.1% and Amazon 2.2%, while the 10-year Treasury yield rose about 12 basis points to roughly 5.1%. Market reports named the heavy borrowing by AI companies as one pressure alongside strong economic data, a weak Treasury auction and oil-driven inflation worries.
Fed Governor Barr Says More Rate Hikes Are 'Likely' Needed, a Week After the Fed's First Increase Since 2023
In a housing speech in Chicago on Sept. 23, Barr said his 'base case' calls for 'further policy adjustments.' The same day, the 10-year Treasury yield hit its highest level since 2007, as oil prices and strong business surveys also pushed rates up.
World
Saudi-Led Coalition Says It Intercepted Six Houthi Ballistic Missiles Aimed at Taif and Yanbu; Houthis Separately Claim 'Dozens' of Missiles and Drones Hit Saudi Bases in Jazan
Both claims came on Thursday, Sept. 24. France has since pledged troops and air defenses for the Yanbu oil port, after Riyadh asked four countries for air-defense help. Washington has ruled out a direct combat role.
Russian Drone Hits Kyiv High-Rise, Killing 14-Year-Old and Injuring at Least Seven, Ukrainian Officials Say
Ukraine's air force says it stopped 267 of 295 drones Russia launched overnight on Sept. 25. The strike came one week after President Trump signed a broad Russia sanctions law.
Netanyahu Rejects Gaza Genocide Charge and Attacks Iran, Turkey, Britain and France in UN Speech as Dozens of Delegates Walk Out
Israel's prime minister spoke to the UN General Assembly on Sept. 24, 2026, a month before Israel's Oct. 27 election. Many delegations left the hall at the start of the speech, while the U.S. delegation stayed.
Pakistan Detains Imran Khan's Three Sisters for 30 Days and Closes Highways Into Islamabad Before a Planned Sept. 27 Pro-Khan March
The government says the measures protect public order after deadly unrest in 2024. Khan's party and rights groups call them political persecution. Khan's party has not given a clear, final answer on whether the march goes ahead on Sunday.
Analysis
Unbiased, evergreen deep-dives on the bigger questions — not breaking news.
What Fauci's Released Diary Documents About the U.S. COVID-19 Response — and What It Leaves Unresolved
A 1,141-page personal diary released by Sen. Rand Paul's committee is roughly one-third routine administrative logging; a minority of entries bear directly on contested questions, and a few conflict with contemporaneous public statements.
Eight Months of Mamdani: What New York's Record Actually Shows, and What It Cannot Yet Show
A claim-by-claim audit of what Zohran Mamdani has delivered, how New Yorkers judge it, and what the evidence does and does not license anyone to conclude about the rest of the country.