Today's Headlines: As Jack Smith Testifies, a Senator’s Accusation of Perjury Falls Apart
OpenAI Ignored Employees Who Warned It Wasn’t Doing Enough About Security
View in browser
The New York Times
Today's Headlines
September 30, 2026, 4:30 a.m. Eastern time

Top News

As Jack Smith Testifies, a Senator’s Accusation of Perjury Falls Apart

A Republican eager to prove the former special counsel was dishonest appeared to instead demonstrate his own confusion over basic facts.

OpenAI Ignored Employees Who Warned It Wasn’t Doing Enough About Security

Employees and security researchers said that they had cautioned the company on safely testing its A.I. models and strengthening its corporate infrastructure, but that OpenAI did not listen.

Democrats in Congress Embrace a More Punitive Posture Toward Israel

Nearly every Democratic senator voted to advance a measure calling for a human rights report on Israel’s conduct in the West Bank, as some in the party propose punishing settlement activity with sanctions.

World

How Asia Has Survived the Energy Crisis

Seven months after the start of the Iran War, the biggest buyers of Middle Eastern energy have secured alternative supplies.

What Life Looks Like in the ‘Fortress Cities’ Russia Is Trying to Break

Emergency workers have to move fast after Russian attacks in eastern Ukraine. Another could come at any moment.

No Bombs Found in U.K. Case, but Officials Say Threat to Bases Is Real

The prospect of an attack on an air base used by U.S. forces prompted stepped-up protections across Europe, but confusion shrouds the case, in which the suspects were released on bail.

See more world news

U.S.

Man Shot by ICE Agent in Austin Is Charged With Assault

Prosecutors say Wilber Garces Perez struck an agent with his car’s mirror before another agent shot him. The charge reveals the existence of body camera footage of the shooting, though that video has not been released.

D.A. in Cornell Case Hopes to Speak to Accuser as He Weighs New Evidence

District Attorney Matthew Van Houten said a woman’s report to police in 2024 saying she had been raped at a fraternity did not support a criminal case. But he said he is now reaching out to her.

Backpack Is the Fattest of the Fat Bears

Alaska’s Fat Bear Week finds its newest champion in a bear that overcame an injury in 2007 that nearly killed him.

See more U.S. news

Politics

Supreme Court Allows Rapid Third-Country Deportations, for Now

The court also announced it would hear arguments in December on the legality of the Trump administration policy to swiftly deport immigrants to countries not their own.

In Nine Key Senate Races, Five Republicans Won’t Commit to Campaigning With Trump

Three campaigns left their positions unclear, and two said they would not join the president on the trail.

He Says He Killed a Man and Cast Out Demons. He Wants to Run Colorado.

Some Republicans in the state fear that the sensational biography of Victor Marx, their party’s candidate for governor, could drag down the rest of the ticket.

See more political news

Business

Mideast Oil Exports Rebound Even as Prices Remain Elevated

More tankers are moving through the Strait of Hormuz as shippers gain confidence, but the global supply of oil is still below demand.

Tankers Are Loading Oil Again From a Vital Saudi Pipeline

Saudi authorities had taken the pipeline offline this month after it was damaged in a drone attack by an Iranian-backed Iraqi militia.

Paramount’s Streaming Chief Leaves Ahead of Warner Bros. Deal

Cindy Holland’s departure clears the way for Casey Bloys, the HBO chairman, to have a leading role in the combined company’s streaming services.

See more business news

Technology

At White House, Trump Asks A.I. Titans to Police Themselves

President Trump’s meetings with tech leaders produced some voluntary safeguards and a commitment to rebrand artificial intelligence as “super intelligence,” the term that Mr. Trump prefers.

Trump Launches Government Chatbot That Contradicts Some of His Claims

Democrats amplified statements from America.gov that frequently contradict the president on tariffs, election fraud and other topics.

Religious Scholars Met With Anthropic. What They Heard Stunned Them.

In a series of private meetings, the company consulted religious scholars to help instill morality into its A.I. models — and make the case that Claude could be conscious.

See more technology news

New York

Mamdani Announces Plan to Fight Antisemitism, Without Discussing Israel

A report issued by Mayor Zohran Mamdani describes ways that New York City is funding hate crime prevention and celebrating the contributions of Jewish New Yorkers.

What We Know About the Cornell Rape Investigation

Prosecutors have reopened the case of a woman who said she was sexually assaulted on campus in 2024. The woman’s lawsuit brought renewed pressure to reopen the investigation.

Central Park Was Her Home and Her Studio. She Was Killed There.

Francis Lee Rogers painted birds in the park, her home for decades. She was found dead on Sunday, beaten and stabbed, shaking a community of friends and collectors of her art.

See more New York news

Arts

MacArthur Foundation Announces 2026 ‘Genius Grant’ Winners

The 20 fellowship recipients across the arts, humanities and sciences will each receive an $800,000, no-strings-attached stipend for their work.

He Showed That Principals and Students Didn’t Have to Be Enemies

As Mr. Belding on “Saved by the Bell,” Dennis Haskins helped change an onscreen dynamic that paved the way for principals to come.

In ‘How Shakespeare Saved My Life,’ Tragedy Mingles With Comedy

The actor Jacob Ming-Trent faced numerous rejections. But in this solo play at the Public, he tells how he found redemption through the playwright’s worlds and words.