Daily briefing · Thursday, September 24

Diplomatic opening remains uncertain as oil rises

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told the UN General Assembly that Tehran remained open to dialogue but would not accept coercion. An adviser to Iran’s supreme leader warned that renewed American attacks could broaden the conflict, while President Donald Trump separately threatened further military action. Talks through mediators had resumed, but no ceasefire or concrete diplomatic breakthrough was announced. Brent crude rose above $105 a barrel as markets reassessed risks to shipping and energy supplies. The price movement reflects uncertainty, not evidence that wider conflict is inevitable. Iran threatens to expand war to Indian Ocean if US attacks again · Oil prices back up as U.S. and Iran trade threats to expand 7-month war

United States and China extend tariff truce through January

The United States and China extended their trade truce through January 10, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said after meeting Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng. The arrangement had been scheduled to expire November 10. Its extension postpones a possible return to higher tariffs, reducing an immediate risk for businesses and consumers while creating more time for negotiations. The announcement coincided with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s arrival in Washington for his first state visit to the United States in more than a decade. U.S. says China trade truce extended by 2 months

Hawaii prepares for Nolo while Polo passes Mexico

Hawaii’s Big Island was under a hurricane watch as Tropical Storm Nolo remained south of the island and was forecast to strengthen. Its slow movement and uncertain turn make rainfall, wind and surf forecasts especially sensitive to small changes in track. Farther east, Hurricane Polo regained Category 5 strength off southwestern Mexico but was expected to remain offshore. Polo’s outer bands were still forecast to bring heavy rain, dangerous surf and possible flooding to coastal areas, showing why an offshore track does not eliminate local hazards. National Hurricane Center mobile tropical-cyclone advisories · Hawaii under another hurricane watch as new storm closes in · Hurricane Polo is a powerful Category 5 storm off Mexico. See its path.

Navy confirms eight suicide attempts in Lincoln strike group

Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao told Senator Kirsten Gillibrand that eight service members assigned to the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier strike group attempted suicide during its deployment, which began last November. The group spent more than 250 consecutive days at sea and supported combat operations in the Middle East. The Navy said no suicides occurred and that counselors, mental-health personnel and chaplains were available. The disclosure gives Congress clearer information for examining deployment length, living conditions and the support provided to crews. 8 service members in Lincoln strike group attempted suicide on recent deployment · Navy reports 8 suicide attempts on carrier group that faced monthslong deployment amid Iran war

PAM leads Morocco election as turnout falls

Morocco’s Authenticity and Modernity Party won 97 of 395 parliamentary seats, according to preliminary Interior Ministry results. The National Rally of Independents won 66 and Istiqlal took 65. Together, those three parties would hold 228 seats, an independently calculated total exceeding the 198 needed for a majority, though the next government will depend on negotiations. National turnout was 38.08%, down from 50.86% in 2021, with nearly six million people voting. 2026 Legislative Elections: PAM Leads with 97 Seats According to Preliminary Results

Judge temporarily restores three outlets’ White House access

A federal judge ordered the White House to restore press credentials for CNN, MS NOW and Politico for 14 days while their lawsuit proceeds. Judge Timothy Kelly found the outlets were likely to show that officials revoked access without the notice and opportunity to respond required by due process. He also said the existing record did not support the administration’s national-security rationale. The temporary order preserves coverage of presidential events but does not resolve the outlets’ broader First Amendment claims. Judge blocks Trump’s ban on CNN, MS NOW and Politico’s White House access for now

Brain-cell atlas maps change across the human lifespan

Researchers created a large atlas of gene activity in the human prefrontal cortex using more than six million individual cells from almost 1,500 donors, ranging from infants to centenarians. The results show rapid remodeling during development, relative stability through much of adulthood and broader molecular changes later in life. The atlas is not a diagnostic test, but it provides a population-scale reference for studying normal aging and investigating how cellular changes may relate to Alzheimer’s disease, psychiatric conditions and other brain disorders. Lifespan single-cell transcriptomic atlas of the human prefrontal cortex · Landmark map of human brain’s gene activity holds clues to Alzheimer’s disease and more

Quadruped robot finishes marathon on one battery

The RAIBO2 quadruped robot completed 42.195 kilometers in 4 hours, 19 minutes and 52 seconds on a single battery charge, researchers reported in Nature. Its designers combined lightweight mechanical hardware, lower-resistance motor electronics and a locomotion policy intended to reduce energy loss. They report more than three times the travel range of comparable quadrupeds. Battery endurance is a central constraint for walking robots because their joints continually support weight and lose energy through repeated ground contact. Greater efficiency could support longer outdoor and disaster-response operations. A quadruped robot designed to complete a marathon on a single battery charge

Judge dismisses lawsuit over inaccurate Iowa poll

An Iowa judge dismissed President Donald Trump’s lawsuit against The Des Moines Register, its parent company and former pollster J. Ann Selzer. The case argued that a 2024 pre-election poll showing Trump behind Kamala Harris amounted to fraud and consumer deception. Judge Scott Beattie concluded that the claims failed under Iowa law even when he temporarily assumed the complaint’s factual allegations were true. The ruling distinguishes an inaccurate political forecast from commercial fraud and warns that allowing such claims could chill reporting and debate. Judge dismisses Trump’s 2024 lawsuit against Iowa newspaper over poll results · Iowa judge dismisses Trump suit vs. Des Moines Register and pollster

Scottsdale drops direct recycled-water expansion

Scottsdale, Arizona, abandoned plans to send highly treated recycled wastewater directly into its drinking-water system after local candidates promoted unsupported contamination claims. The city council instead created a $100 million allocation for new water sources and supplies. Its existing plant will continue recharging purified water into the aquifer, a form of indirect reuse practiced there for decades. Because Scottsdale receives about 70% of its water from the Colorado River, the dispute shows how public confidence can determine whether established treatment technology becomes part of a city’s water portfolio. Election year claims lead Scottsdale to drop recycling plan · Advanced Water Purification