How are mail-in ballots checked and counted?

U.S. shifted forces into Jordan

The Pentagon moved personnel and equipment from Iraq to Jordan partly to put American forces farther from Iranian missiles.

U.S. aid supports Jordan’s budget

Analyst David Schenker estimates that U.S. grants provide at least 8% of Jordan’s yearly budget, or about $1.47 billion.

West Bank fears could spill over

Jordan worries that worsening Israeli settler violence could push some of the West Bank’s 2.8 million Palestinians into the kingdom.

Evidence varies by country

Some governments have openly blamed Russia, while other cases remain under investigation and may still be judged accidental.

Targets support Ukraine

The affected sites include factories making drones, ammunition, helicopter parts and other equipment linked to military supply chains.

A past spike drew warnings

A 2024 parcel-bomb plot involving packages sent toward the UK and Poland was serious enough for the White House to warn the Kremlin to stop.

Siegmund’s style is strategic

His polished appearance, upbeat speeches and direct TikTok replies are designed to make hard-line positions seem more approachable.

The party has internal tensions

Former supporter Hannes Kreschel argues that the AfD’s economic policies favor wealthier people even as its campaign presents itself as speaking for everyone.

Voters do not agree completely

Some potential AfD voters support limiting migration but reject other positions, including leaving NATO, abandoning the euro or backing Russia.

Diesel broke its old record

The new diesel price surpassed the previous record of $5.81 set in June 2022.

Oil drives half the price

Crude oil makes up about half of a U.S. gallon's price, with refining, taxes and marketing making up the rest.

New oil may take years

Even the Venezuela deal involving about 65 billion barrels of proven reserves may not provide enough usable crude to lower U.S. fuel prices for years.

Waller made his support conditional

Christopher Waller said he would favor holding rates if inflation improves again, but would consider a hike if recent progress fades.

Williams wants more evidence

New York Fed president John Williams said it is not yet clear whether current policy will return inflation to its target within the next year or two.

The Fed faces internal disagreement

Three regional bank presidents already favored a hike at the late-July meeting, so Chairman Kevin Warsh will face opposition whichever option he chooses.

The proposal covers more than cars

The requested ban would also target connected-vehicle hardware and software, not just finished vehicles imported from China.

BYD illustrates the challenge

BYD is exporting more low-cost vehicles worldwide as Chinese automakers gain ground in markets outside the United States.

Canada is lowering tariffs

Under a January trade deal, Canada will allow Geely to sell tens of thousands of EVs annually while cutting tariffs on them from 100% to 6%.

Cyber skills cut both ways

OpenAI says Astra can identify and develop zero-day exploits that defenders could use to find and patch weaknesses, while the same ability creates security risks.

Benchmarks favor Astra

The company says Astra outperformed models including OpenAI’s Sol and Anthropic’s Fable on tasks such as finding bugs, using terminals, and answering questions about codebases.

AGI remains loosely defined

OpenAI president Greg Brockman said AGI is now treated as a mission or spiritual concept rather than a contractual milestone tied to the company’s Microsoft partnership.

Anthropic fixed several model errors

Anthropic identified the cause about 15 minutes after its first report and said the main issue was resolved by 12:16 pm, though a separate Sonnet error appeared briefly after noon.

OpenAI used a mitigation

OpenAI reported elevated errors across ChatGPT and Codex at 10:43 am and marked the problem resolved by 12:55 pm after putting a mitigation in place.

Grok reports spiked sharply

User reports about Grok rose from fewer than 10 before 9 am to 1,365 by 9:45 am before falling to 273 later.

The fleet remains very small

Texas has authorized Tesla to operate 314 driverless vehicles, but only 45 of them are Cybercabs, and the company has not said how many are serving passengers.

The car seats two people

Cybercabs use bench-style seating for up to two passengers and have trunk room for luggage, scooters and other bulky items.

Tesla plans fleet sales

The vehicles are currently owned by Tesla, but the company is seeking interest from organizations that could eventually buy and manage groups of Cybercabs.

The categories reflect different causes

Primary heart attacks involve blocked blood flow, secondary ones come from an oxygen supply-and-demand problem caused by another acute condition, and procedure-related ones happen after surgery.

SCAD gets clearer recognition

Spontaneous coronary artery dissection, a tear in a heart artery that accounts for about 90% of cases in women, moves from an ambiguous category into the primary heart attack group.

Imaging is encouraged more often

The updated approach recommends using imaging alongside blood tests to help identify what caused the heart attack, especially when symptoms or test results are not typical.

Side effects can be intense

Beasley experienced nausea and fatigue for about three months, while Black initially had so little appetite that she relied on frequent snacks to eat enough.

Eating habits may need changing

Beasley found that previous portion sizes and combinations of rich food and alcohol could make her sick after starting treatment.

Health changes went beyond weight

Beasley says the medication eased her joint pain, brain fog, swelling, and painful irregular periods while improving her sleep and ability to move.

Two probes divide the work

ESA's MPO carries 11 instruments to map Mercury's surface and interior, while JAXA's Mio focuses on the planet's magnetosphere, atmosphere and surrounding dust.

The south remains poorly known

MESSENGER viewed Mercury's northern hemisphere more clearly than its southern half, so BepiColombo may reveal new details in permanently shadowed craters where water ice could survive.

Orbit unlocks most instruments

Many instruments could not work during the journey because of the spacecraft's travel configuration, meaning the mission's biggest wave of data will come after the probes separate and enter orbit.

The image came from NASA

The picture was viewed through NASA's Worldview satellite photo browsing tool and shared by the blog Arctic News.

The patches are not unprecedented

Polar scientist Julienne Stroeve said water has reached Arctic ice in this way before, so the scene is concerning but not entirely new.

One snapshot has limits

The image shows conditions at one place and time, so it cannot establish whether Arctic ice is worse this year than during the past few years.

The study combined many cohorts

Researchers compared DNA and questionnaire results from about 611,000 to 1.14 million people across 46 cohorts.

Traits linked to different outcomes

Genetic patterns tied to conscientiousness were associated with less substance use, more sports participation, fewer hospital stays and healthier aging.

Neuroticism raised serotonin questions

Neuroticism was correlated with 10 psychiatric disorders, but the study found no strong connection between the trait and serotonin.

The punishment has precedent

The NBA previously took five first-round picks from Minnesota in the 2000 Joe Smith case, although two were later returned.

Leonard's penalty was limited

Leonard must repay $700,000 in improper benefits, while the article says his career and earning power were largely unaffected.

Sponsors may face new worries

The ruling could make companies more cautious about player endorsement deals if they fear the league will view them as hidden compensation.

Onside kicks remain unlikely

Fewer than 8% of onside kicks have been recovered by the kicking team since the dynamic kickoff began, prompting discussion of a possible fourth-and-long replacement.

Reviews can trigger ejections

League officiating personnel may use available video to recommend disqualification for a flagrant act, even when officials missed the foul, but they must act before the next legal snap or kick.

Kickoff rules shift in two ways

Receiving teams need only five players on the restraining line instead of six, may place four players in the setup zone instead of three, and an out-of-bounds kickoff from the 50-yard line will now put the ball at the 40.

Watson spread the ball around

Pop Watson III completed 18 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns to seven different UMass receivers, while also running for 40 yards.

Turnovers tilted the game

Rutgers quarterback Dylan Lonergan threw four interceptions and lost a fumble, helping UMass score on seven of its 10 drives.

The upset was historically large

UMass's 16-point victory was the largest win by a team entering as at least a 29-point underdog since Texas State beat Houston in 2012.

Her activism changed everyday rules

Steinem worked during a period when women could be denied credit cards and bank accounts in their own names, helping challenge the broader system behind those limits.

Her work crossed generations

Younger public figures including Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Julianne Moore and Lena Dunham described receiving Steinem's personal advice as well as her public example.

She witnessed progress reverse

Steinem lived through Roe v. Wade recognizing a constitutional right to abortion in 1973 and its reversal by the Supreme Court in 2022.

Fans call themselves Damfinos

The nickname comes from Keaton’s joking reply “damfino,” meaning he did not know the answer.

Silent films demand attention

Viewers must watch closely because missing a title card can mean missing an important part of the story.

The celebration bridges generations

Keaton’s granddaughter and nephew joined younger fans, helping pass along family memories and firsthand connections to his career.

The experiment used licensed material

The AI was trained on licensed Marilyn Monroe films before attempting to place her likeness over Dakota Johnson’s face.

Data centers carry environmental costs

Gyllenhaal connected AI’s energy demands to concerns about data centers, including a debated issue in South Memphis.

Cheaper films could shrink funding

She warned that if AI makes a commercial movie for $4 million or even $40,000, investors may stop funding similar projects made through more traditional methods.

The downturn began abruptly

Monthly arrivals plunged from 646,000 in January to just 63,000 in March, a 90% drop after airspace closures disrupted travel.

Gulf neighbors lead visitors

GCC travelers supplied 958,000 arrivals, or 41% of the total, while Asia and Oceania and Europe each accounted for about one-fifth.

The recovery has ground to cover

Qatar recorded 2.3 million arrivals in the first eight months of 2026, compared with 3.3 million in the same period last year and 5.1 million for all of 2025.

Peak timing varies by region

Northern destinations such as Stowe can be especially colorful in October and November, while the milder Blue Ridge Mountains offer a somewhat later southern-season option.

Views come with varied activities

Travelers can see the leaves from overlooks such as Brasstown Bald, scenic loops like Cades Cove, or trails ranging from gentle walks to challenging mountain hikes.

Western options broaden the trip

Aspen and Sun Valley pair autumn scenery with luxury shopping, skiing-town amenities, and cultural connections including Ernest Hemingway’s history in Idaho.

Cruise discounts stretch furthest

Celebrity, Virgin Voyages, MSC, HX Expeditions, and Royal Caribbean are offering different savings on select sailings, including reduced second-guest prices, free upgrades, and cabin discounts.

Some deals suit families

MSC says kids can sail free on eligible bookings, while Royal Caribbean lists three-night sailings starting at $298.

Gear sales have firm deadlines

The listed retail promotions end on different dates, ranging from September 7 for some brands to September 14 for Samsonite.

The law changes borrowing limits

The legislation creates a lifetime borrowing limit, lowers some graduate-student debt limits, restricts Parent PLUS loans and ends the Graduate PLUS program.

Schools lacked implementation time

Congress gave the Education Department less than a year to implement the changes, while colleges sometimes had to wait for software vendors or calculate aid by hand.

Late aid creates extra costs

Students may need family help or other temporary money and can face late fees, missed payments and risks such as eviction or car repossession.

Many classrooms would be affected

About 35 percent of Head Start children are dual language learners, while some regions serve more than 60 percent.

The change could be costly

HHS estimates nearly $47 million for new classroom materials and another $26 million to $78 million for teacher training.

Key details remain unclear

Program leaders do not yet know whether the rule would ban bilingual books, posters or home-language conversations during activities such as lunch and naptime.

Recycling cannot solve everything

Only 9 percent of plastics are recycled worldwide, and scientists warn recycling will not keep pace with expected growth in plastic production.

Industry influence takes many forms

The reported efforts include lesson plans, worksheets, science activities, career programs, school supplies, and support for recycling curricula.

Some materials mimic science

Education specialists say technical vocabulary and claims of STEM alignment can make materials look rigorous even when they do not clearly identify which learning standards they meet.

Print still leads overall

Most books read in the United States are still print books, with sales growing particularly in science fiction and self-help.

Devices remove reading barriers

E-readers can hold an entire library, and apps such as Libby let people borrow and begin reading digital books within seconds.

Reading improves through practice

Regular reading can strengthen vocabulary and help people place new information in context, making future reading feel more manageable.

Sunscreen still matters after summer

The article recommends choosing sunscreen with at least SPF 30 because harmful rays do not disappear when summer ends.

Retinol has several uses

Retinol is a vitamin A derivative commonly used for concerns including acne and wrinkles.

The discounts vary widely

Listed savings range from 13% to 50%, with the largest stated discount applying to the iRestore LED mask.

The container adds a barrier

The pill organizer sits inside a magnetic container with a detachable clear lid, so users must remove it from the fridge and open it to reach the pills.

Visibility is the main feature

The setup is designed to prompt memory rather than provide instant access, since seeing it when opening the fridge is the key part of the hack.

Kitchen storage has limits

A fridge may be a poor location in homes where children or pets could easily reach the medication.