NPR News: 09-15-2026 10AM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, on Corv. Coleman, stocks opened lower this morning as investors await a decision from the Federal Reserve tomorrow on interest rates. NPR Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones industrial average slipped about 340 points in early trading. The Federal Reserve is widely expected to raise its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point tomorrow. Fedger and Kevin Worsh says after years of elevated inflation, he and his colleagues are determined to bring prices under control. The US War with Iran has been pushing energy prices higher, and oil shipments from the Middle East now have another challenge as Iran-backed Houthi rebels have control of another key choke point on the Red Sea. The Houthi say Saudi Arabia launched airstrikes in the area on Monday. Retail gasoline prices in the US rose to $4.32 a gallon overnight, while diesel prices pushed further into record territory, averaging $6.26 a gallon. Scott Horsley and Pairnid was Washington. Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders will be at a rally in Washington today with President Trump's former

1:01adviser Stephen Bannon. Their demanding restraints on the rapid growth of artificial intelligence. This comes after similar calls from AI industry leaders who warned that humanity could be in peril. But President Trump has downplayed the risks of AI, saying the US needs to keep its dominance over China. Trump will welcome Chinese President Xi to the White House this month. Senator Sanders says the two leaders should follow the path of a former US and Russian leader. The goal right now is Trump sits down with President Xi of China to see if they can do what Gorbachev and Reagan did in the 80s and negotiate some kind of treaty banning the growth of super intelligence. He spoke to NPR's morning edition. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is speaking to a special investment summit this morning in Toronto. He's called scores of business leaders together to encourage them to invest up to $1 trillion in Canada.

2:04This follows a growing trade war with the United States. Later today, Carney will head for Europe with a similar goal. Dan Carpenshuk reports from Toronto. As Carney moves to lessened Canada's dependence on the United States, he's already diversified international relationships, reaching trade and defense agreements with dozens of countries, some of them in Europe. On the weekend, he made it clear that he's not seeking membership in the European Union, but does want deeper trade defense and strategic ties on top of what has already been achieved. Also on the agenda, we'll likely be talks about pacts that include critical minerals, Arctic security, digital commerce, and AI. Carney will attend the annual state of the European Union address this week and has been invited to speak to the 27-member European Parliament in Strasbourg, France on Thursday. For NPR News, I'm Dan Carpenshuk in Toronto. And you're listening to NPR News from Washington. The US Supreme Court has blocked an effort by President Trump to restrict the use of mail-in ballots

3:07ahead of this fall's general election. The high court said there wasn't enough time for the issue. President Trump had already told the US Postal Service to create a plan to manage the ballots that's been blocked. Today, Trump expressed his outrage at the Supreme Court's decision, which he called bad. He also fumed at the high court for earlier decisions, including blocking his effort to stop birthright citizenship. That is a right enshrined in the US Constitution. The Environmental Protection Agency says it'll no longer enforce limits on greenhouse gas emissions from coal and natural gas plants, from Houston Public Media, Natalie Weber reports, on the rollback of rules. The Biden administration sought to limit climate change inducing emissions from power plants. At the time, the EPA said this sector accounted for the second highest amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the US. EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin lauded the rollbacks at a press conference in Houston,

4:07saying the Biden administration overstepped its authority. Today's announcement isn't just about restoring the American economy. It's also about restoring the rule of law. Several environmental organizations have criticized the EPA's move, saying it will negatively impact the climate and public health. For NPR News, I'm Natalie Weber in Houston. There was a big winner at last night's Emmy awards handed out for the best in television, the horror comedy Widows Bay won 14 awards. This is NPR News. Up first from NPR News is your way to slow down a fast-moving world and make sense of it, which is just what tech leaders say they need right now. One of the big stories this week is that tech leaders say they want to slow down AI development. Also, the latest fighting in the Middle East could push oil prices even higher. Start your day with what you need to know on up first. Listen, on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.