Edition, 18 stories.

Evening NOISE, Sep 26

World, 17:02, 4 sources, Update.

Trump rejects Iran proposal to reopen Strait of Hormuz

President Trump said Saturday he rejected Iran's latest proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, conveyed through Qatari mediators during indirect talks in New York this week. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi offered a seven-day plan to restore normal shipping and resume nuclear talks if the United States lifts its naval blockade, eases oil sanctions and restores a regional ceasefire, and Iran said it would admit U.N. nuclear inspectors if the plan is accepted. U.S. envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are demanding nuclear concessions and told Tehran it does not control the strait, Axios reported, while a U.S. official said constructive talks are continuing. Dozens of tankers are transiting daily under U.S. protection with about 60 million barrels moving in the last 72 hours according to U.S. officials, still below prewar volumes after Iran closed the strait following U.S. and Israeli strikes on Feb. 28, and crude prices dipped Friday on reports of the talks as mediators try to prevent further disruption to global oil supply.

Follow-up to Iran offers US seven-day deal to reopen Strait of Hormuz, September 26

Signal read, tense. Waterfall gorge. Illustration: NOISE.

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AxiosTrump says he rejected the latest Iranian proposal NPRTrump calls Iranian plan to reopen Strait of Hormuz not 'acceptable'

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Signal read

Tense

Energy disruption, legal clashes and fiscal fights overshadow business, tech and sports news.

Sep 20, Tense. Sep 21, Busy. Sep 22, Tense. Sep 23, Tense. Sep 24, Busy. Sep 25, Busy. Sep 26, Tense, latest.

Sep 20Sep 26

Markets	Last	Change
S&P 500 close	7,743.41	+0.51%
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CRWD	252.13	-2.90%
AMZN	249.67	+0.12%
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U.S., 4 stories

Washington closed the week testing executive limits, from sidelining CNN on Air Force One to a pocket rescission of $810 million and a temporary Supreme Court nod for voter citizenship checks, as gas tax relief surfaced before the midterms.

15:16 White House blocks CNN from Air Force One trip to Tennessee The White House removed CNN from Air Force One for President Donald Trump's Saturday trip to Knoxville, Tennessee, and listed Real America's Voice News, which is not part of the U.S. network video pool, in its place. Trump was scheduled to attend a midday college football game between the University of Tennessee and the University of Texas. The decision came after a federal judge on Thursday ordered the White House to restore hard passes for CNN, MS NOW and Politico following Trump's ban last week, but the order did not explicitly address pool rotations or Air Force One, leaving television pool coverage of the trip uncertain after the pool had resumed Friday to film Trump with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the National Archives.

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NPRCNN left off Air Force One for Trump's upcoming trip, White House signals in new media restriction NYTWhite House Blocks CNN From Covering Trump’s Trip to Tennessee

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Fri 19:33 Supreme Court allows use of voter citizenship database for now The Supreme Court ruled Friday that the Trump administration can temporarily use an expanded Department of Homeland Security database containing Social Security data to help state officials check voter rolls for noncitizens ahead of the Nov. 3 midterms. The unsigned majority said the challengers likely lack merit and cited a federal obligation to help state and local election officials verify citizenship, while the three liberal justices dissented over error risks raised by naturalized citizens who sued. The permission is temporary while the case continues in lower courts, and its immediate impact may be narrow because federal law bars broad voter purges in the 90 days before an election, leaving only individualized removals.

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WaPoGovernment can use Social Security data to identify noncitizen voters, Supreme Court rules

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08:27 Trump uses rare power to cancel $810 million in approved spending President Donald Trump announced Friday he will cancel $810 million in congressionally approved spending using a pocket rescission with five days left in the federal fiscal year. The cuts target Health and Human Services programs for refugees and unaccompanied minors, education aid for migrant students, a Justice Department office on community relations, minority business development, housing counseling and other grants the Office of Management and Budget called harmful or ideological. Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins called the move illegal and a usurpation of Congress spending power, and the Government Accountability Office says pocket rescissions are unlawful, setting up a fight after the Supreme Court allowed a $4.9 billion foreign aid rescission last year.

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APTrump administration uses rare authority to claw back nearly $1B in spending approved by Congress

06:00 Ohio and Massachusetts weigh gas tax holidays before midterms Candidates in Ohio and Massachusetts are pushing gas tax holidays ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections to offer relief from soaring fuel prices tied to the US conflict with Iran. Ohio's Republican legislature plans a rare pre-election session on a 90-day suspension of the state's 38.5-cent gas tax and 47-cent diesel tax, while Gov. Maura Healey proposed a two-month suspension of Massachusetts' 24-cent gas tax. AAA reported regular gasoline averaged $4.49 a gallon Friday and diesel hit a record $6.53, up from $2.98 on Feb. 28 when the US and Israel attacked Iran, as a federal holiday stalls and critics warn the pauses would strip road funding.

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WaPoStates consider gas tax holidays ahead of Election Day

World, 2 stories

Paris drew an estimated 700,000 to Pope Leo XIV's open air Mass on his France visit while South African police investigated a tenth woman's death near Johannesburg amid national outcry over gender based violence.

15:48 Pope Leo draws hundreds of thousands to Paris Mass on France visit Pope Leo XIV celebrated an open-air Mass at the Place de la Concorde in Paris on Saturday after riding down the Champs-Élysées in the popemobile, with an estimated 700,000 people gathered. The Mass on the second day of his four-day visit to France was attended by senior figures including Brigitte Macron and Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu, following his meeting with President Emmanuel Macron on Friday and a prayer vigil with 80,000 young people at the Stade de France. The turnout is seen by the Church as a sign of renewed spirituality in secular France amid rising adult and teenage baptisms, and the pope travels next to Lourdes for a Mass on Sunday and to Metz on Monday.

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WSJPope Leo Receives Rockstar Welcome in Secular France BBCPope praises young people's 'energy and commitment' at huge open-air Mass in Paris

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14:30 Tenth woman's body found near Johannesburg amid killings investigation Police said a woman's body was found early Saturday at a cemetery in Tembisa in Ekurhuleni, east of Johannesburg, bringing to 10 the number of women found dead in the area since July, and was identified by a friend who had been with her at a bar the previous evening. Gauteng police commissioner Lt. Gen. Tommy Mthombeni said investigators consider the ninth killing, for which two women have been charged, to be isolated but have not ruled out links among the other cases that share similar victimology and methods, and said it was too soon to connect the latest death. The killings, mostly involving women in their 20s and 30s found naked or partially clothed in open areas after extreme violence, have fueled national outcry over gender-based violence in South Africa as crime scene investigators and the Investigative Psychology Unit continue their work.

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BBCTenth woman's body found in South Africa suburb as police probe killings APBody of 10th woman found in South Africa as killings investigation continues

Business, 2 stories

Corporate debt stayed calm while the signals underneath turned choppier, with bond volatility near March highs and issuance trailing forecasts, even as Paramount promised theaters 30 plus films a year to land Warner Bros.

15:00 Bond volatility signals rising risk for corporate debt investors Update Bond market volatility is spiking even as US corporate bonds have stayed resilient through a global government bond selloff, raising the risk that company debt underperforms government debt and borrowing spreads widen. The ICE BofA MOVE index rose to about 105 basis points this week, its highest since March and well above its decade average of about 80, while most US Treasury yields topped 5% and US high-grade spreads stood at 77 basis points Thursday. Higher and unstable yields are already lifting default protection costs and slowing new sales, with US companies selling about $33 billion this week against a roughly $40 billion forecast, and strategists warn refinancing will get harder if yields stay elevated.

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Follow-up to Foreign buying of US stocks hits record as debt demand fades, September 26

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BloombergBond Market Volatility Signals Risks for Corporate Debt Investors

15:23 Paramount promises 30-plus films a year to win Warner Bros bid Paramount settled with state attorneys general to advance its acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery, agreeing to release at least 30 theatrical films in 2027 and 2028 and at least 32 a year from 2029 through 2031. The agreement requires at least 20 wide releases in more than 2,000 theaters in the first two years, rising to 21, with at least 20 percent carrying budgets over $50 million, and sets a $30 million penalty per missed film. Theater owners welcomed the guaranteed pipeline but remain skeptical about film quality, crowded scheduling and whether output will fall after the five-year deal expires as the combined company carries about $79 billion in debt.

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CNBCHere's exactly what Paramount promised Hollywood to land WBD — and why some are still skeptical

Tech, 4 stories

Apple faces a $5.7 billion haptics verdict it plans to appeal while TikTok will pay Alabama at least $100 million over child safety claims, as hospitals, insurers and Tesla wrestle with what AI and EVs actually cost.

17:30 Apple ordered to pay $5.7 billion over iPhone haptics patents A federal jury in San Diego awarded Taction Technology more than $5.7 billion on Friday after finding Apple infringed two haptics patents. Taction argued Apple used its vibration-based tactile transducer technology without a license in the Taptic Engine in iPhones and Apple Watches in a case filed in 2021. Apple said its Taptic Engine is fundamentally different, called the damages unsupported by the facts and said it will appeal.

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CNBCApple faces $5.7 billion patent infringement verdict over iPhone and Apple Watch haptics

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17:02 Insurers say hospital AI added $942 million in healthcare spending Hospitals' use of artificial intelligence tools when submitting insurance claims added $942 million in healthcare spending over a two-year period, according to an analysis by the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association. The analysis found a sharp increase in patients documented as having complex conditions with no evidence of a corresponding change in care delivered. The finding points to escalating payment disputes between hospitals and insurers as both sides deploy AI. Abridge founder Shiv Rao said AI could lead to automated systems fighting over claims but might also reduce tensions and cut costs.

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TCInsurers claim AI is already increasing healthcare costs

16:24 TikTok to pay Alabama at least $100M over child safety claims TikTok will pay Alabama at least $100 million to settle allegations it misled users about safety and designed its platform to addict children. The deal was reached before a trial scheduled to start Monday and could total $300 million depending on certain conditions, according to the state attorney general's office. TikTok also agreed to set a two-hour daily limit for underage users, restrict overnight use and cosmetic filters, and add parental controls. It follows an August $400 million settlement with the Department of Justice over alleged violations of child privacy laws.

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TCTikTok agrees to pay at least $100M in Alabama settlement

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06:45 Tesla launches 500-mile Semi amid charging shortage Tesla launched high-volume production of its Semi electric truck at an invite-only event Thursday at its factory in Sparks, Nevada. The long-range version will travel an estimated 500 miles per charge and the standard version 325 miles, and an alliance including Microsoft and PepsiCo ordered 2,500 trucks for delivery over the next 18 months. The outlook depends on charging infrastructure, with only two public Tesla megawatt chargers operating in the Los Angeles area and 30 planned by year end, plus upfront costs two to three times higher than diesel and cuts to federal support, even as record diesel prices improve the economics.

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ArsTesla’s big electric truck faces an even bigger infrastructure challenge

Sports, 5 stories

Top ranked Texas survived Tennessee 20-17 at Neyland behind a record tying five sacks from Colin Simmons, one with an unfortunate celebration flag, while Detroit gave Justin Verlander a family filled farewell in his final start.

16:20 Justin Verlander exits final start in emotional Tigers farewell Justin Verlander left his final major league start to hugs from his family and teammates in Detroit on Saturday. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch sent 7-year-old daughter Genevieve to the mound to remove the 43-year-old in the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates, and Verlander walked off Comerica Park holding her hand to a standing ovation after allowing two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. The outing closed a 21-season career for the 10-time All-Star and three-time Cy Young Award winner, who entered with a 266-159 record, a 3.33 ERA and 3,560 strikeouts, eighth on the career list.

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ESPNTigers' emotional Justin Verlander leaves final career start to hugs

16:13 Texas defense holds off Tennessee in 20-17 win at Neyland Top-ranked Texas held off No. 14 Tennessee 20-17 on Saturday at Neyland Stadium in the SEC opener for both teams. Colin Simmons tied the program record with five sacks to lead 10 sacks by Texas, while Raleek Brown ran for 67 yards and two touchdowns including the 4-yard winner with 5:41 left. Tennessee pulled within three on Faizon Brandon's 30-yard touchdown pass to Mike Matthews with 1:22 left and recovered the onside kick, but Jelani McDonald batted away Brandon's final pass in the end zone.

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ESPNTexas rides stout defensive performance to hold off Vols

13:16 Max Scherzer delays decision on 20th MLB season until offseason Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Max Scherzer said Saturday he will wait until the offseason to decide whether to pitch a 20th major league season in 2027. The 42-year-old is 3-9 with a career-worst 6.14 ERA in 17 starts this season and is expected to start on short rest against Cincinnati in Sunday's season finale, and he said uncertainty around labor issues next year could affect his plans. A three-time Cy Young Award winner with a career record of 224-126 and 3,550 strikeouts, Scherzer returned to Toronto in February on a $3 million one-year contract and has earned $2 million in performance bonuses.

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ESPNJays' Max Scherzer waits to decide on returning for 20th season

15:16 Bears rule out Williams for Monday game against Eagles Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams has been ruled out for Monday night's game against the Philadelphia Eagles with a right hamstring injury suffered in Week 2, his first missed start since being drafted first overall in 2024. Williams did not practice this week and is considered week-to-week. Backup Tyson Bagent returned to full practice Saturday but remains in concussion protocol and is listed as questionable. Coach Ben Johnson said the team is still determining its quarterback depth chart, with third-string quarterback Case Keenum practicing all week and in line for a possible start.

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ESPNBears QB Williams out for MNF; backup Bagent back at practice

14:36 Colin Simmons penalized for miming urinating after sack Texas defensive end Colin Simmons was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct for miming urinating on the field after sacking Tennessee quarterback Faizon Brandon in the second quarter Saturday in Knoxville. The referee announced the call as simulating using the restroom, costing Texas 15 yards after a 16-yard sack, and Tennessee then drove past midfield before turning the ball over on downs in a game Texas won 20-17. Simmons apologized after the game, coach Steve Sarkisian briefly removed him before returning him to the game, and Simmons finished with five sacks to tie a school record.

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ESPNTexas' Colin Simmons penalized for miming urinating on field