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ELECTION 2026

Trump's road show reveals GOP issues

Low approval ratings limit where president can help on campaign trail

BY NATALIE ALLISON AND ISAAC ARNSDORF

President Donald Trump's whirlwind travel itinerary this month reflects a careful calculation as Republicans brace for midterm losses: where he can mobilize his most devoted supporters, where his low approval ratings make him a liability and where he can simply have a good time.

His packed agenda reflects political strategy, travel logistics and the reality that the president — despite being far more active on the campaign trail than his predecessor — is an 80-year-old man with a country to run, people around him say. Trump insists on signing off on the list of places he is visiting each week, according to two people with knowledge of the process.

Trump has publicly floated a visit to Maine, where GOP Sen. Susan Collins is in a tight reelec-SEE TRUMP ON A7

New threat: Trump could face Democratic-controlled Senate. A6

Barbecue barb: The president has a queasy beef with Talarico. B1

Justices are reshaping religious rights

The Roberts court has redefined the separation of church and state

BY JULIAN MARK

AND JUSTIN JOUVENAL

Religion is on a winning streak at the Supreme Court — and faith-based advocates are pushing to extend it in coming months, hoping to cement a shift in American life that could be one of the current court's biggest legacies.

The justices are poised to decide in their new term whether a Catholic school that does not accept the children of gay parents can participate in a Colorado pre-kindergarten program. It is likely to hear arguments on whether the Ten Commandments can be posted in public schools. And it may take a case from Amish parents seeking an exemption from New York's vaccine mandate for their school-age children.

Over the past five years, the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of expanding the rights of religious groups in nearly every case that has come before it, according to a data analysis conducted for The Washington Post. Since the 2020 term, the court has sided with those groups in seven of those eight cases.

This term's cases may test how far the court is willing to go in remaking the wall between church and state in America. Recent victories for religious-rights organi-

SEE SCOTUS ON A9

ANDREW LEYDEN/GETTY IMAGES

Homeland Security Investigations police search the home of Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) on Monday in Washington. The Justice Department said in a statement that the search was part of an ongoing criminal investigation. Omar is up for reelection in November.

Ukraine's precise blows hobble Russian refineries

BY EVAN HILL,

CATHERINE BELTON

AND JARRETT LEY

On June 16, the Ukrainian military sent a wave of drones to attack one of the most well-defended oil refineries in Russia, on the southeastern edge of Moscow.

Videos of the aftermath show a cluster of tightly packed towers engulfed in flames. The target was no accident — it sits at the very heart of the refining process.

The flaming tower is part of a component most often known in Russian by the acronym ELOU-AVT, shorthand for an Electric Desalting and Atmospheric-Vacuum Distillation Unit.

Electric desalters remove water and salt from crude oil before it enters the distillation units, which separate the crude into

---

Kyiv is targeting critical components that are difficult to repair

discrete compounds — the first steps in the process of producing gasoline and other valuable fuels.

The strike, the first of two over several days, damaged one of the distillation units.

The strikes put the refinery out of service, and it remained offline as of September, according to Kpler, a global commodities data firm.

The Moscow refinery attacks were part of a concerted Ukrainian campaign to damage and destroy Russian refineries and other energy infrastructure, a strategy that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said is aimed at bringing the years-long war closer to an end.

The result is the worst fuel crisis in the country since the Soviet Union's collapse. Major gas companies have limited the amount of fuel customers can buy, and the price of gasoline and diesel have both risen about 20 percent since the beginning of the year, contributing to nationwide inflation.

The military campaign has achieved such disruption in part by targeting critical refinery parts, notably the desalting and distillation units, that sanctions have made increasingly hard to repair, according to a Washington Post examination of satellite imagery and other visuals, as well as interviews with experts and Ukrainian military officials.

The strikes on refineries have been aided by rapid advances in drone production and intelligence from allies that helps Ukraine plan and execute the attacks, the experts and officials said.

At least two-thirds of the 36 major Russian refineries tracked by market analysis firm S&P Global Energy were hit between April 1 and Aug. 31, some as many as five times, at a rate of one strike every three days, according to a Post analysis of a subset of Ukrainian strikes.

The Post reviewed scores of strikes and focused on those where satellite imagery of the aftermath was available and damage was evident. Three refinery experts reviewed the satellite imagery to identify which type of components were struck.

SEE DRONE STRIKES ON A14

Agents search Omar's home

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ACTION COMES WEEKS BEFORE MIDTERMS

She calls it ‘an attempt to target political enemies’

BY SAMMY WESTFALL,

PERRY STEIN, TED HESSON

AND LIAM SCOTT

Federal authorities searched the D.C. home of Rep. Ilhan Omar on Monday morning, three people familiar with the matter said, intensifying long-standing immigration-related accusations from Republicans regarding the nation's first Somali American lawmaker.

Ready for a refill

DEMETRIUS FREEMAN/THE WASHINGTON POST

Last month, U.S. officials said federal authorities were investigating whether Omar unlawfully entered the country.

Homeland Security Investigations, the investigative arm of the Department of Homeland Security, executed the search. The Justice Department confirmed that it secured a court-authorized warrant for a law enforcement action Monday morning, but the agency did not name SEE OMAR ON A2

The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is pressure-washed on Monday as workers prepare to refill it. Story, B20

TOM BRENNER/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST

DOGE alumni profit off D.C. stint

Short-lived revolution is now fueling a private-sector boom

BY FAIZ SIDDIQUI,

ELIZABETH DWOSKIN

AND MERYL KORNFIELD

Last year, billionaire Elon Musk unleashed a small army of Silicon Valley techies to drain what he called the “swamp” of Washington — wielding the U.S. DOGE Service to slash at a bureaucracy they argued was bloated and corrupt.

But today, many of his former DOGE foot soldiers have leveraged their government stints to fuel private-sector ambitions: building companies that tap government largesse or that deploy knowledge they garnered during their brief tenures in Washington.

A Washington Post analysis found that roughly two dozen former DOGE staffers have par-layed their government experience into relevant private-sector SEE DOGE ON A10

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IN THE NEWS

Cornell case Many students on the Ivy League school's campus are outraged about a rape lawsuit but also cowed by the university's penalties for protesters. A4

Tree removal halted A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to stop cutting down trees at East Potomac Golf Links. B13

THE NATION

New York's mayor said the city's police department will review its use-of-force policies. A2 President Donald Trump blew past a deadline to halt running taxpayer-funded campaign-style ads. A5

THE WORLD

Leif Erikson reached the Americas before Columbus. Why doesn't he get more credit? A11 U.K. leader Andy Burnham alleged that Russia sought to interfere in the 2016 Brexit vote. A12

The housing market has shifted in favor of buyers in much of the country, but interest rates are keeping people on the sidelines. A16 Wall Street kicked off a busy season with a mixed finish for the major U.S. stock indexes on Monday. A16

STYLE

An 1814 painting

by Francisco de Goya

captures the gravity of

public executions, Philip

Kennicott writes. B1

SPORTS

The Commanders'

embarrassing finish

Sunday could haunt

Coach Dan Quinn this

offseason. B7

THE REGION

Convicted felons who are out of prison or jail are eligible to vote in Virginia, reversing 150 years of disenfranchisement by the state. B13 A D.C. official was killed when two electric scooters collided in an intersection in Southeast Washington. B13

BUSINESS NEWS....A16

COMICS....B4

OBITUARIES....B15

OPINION PAGES....A17

TELEVISION....B6

WORLD NEWS....A11

CONTENT © 2026 The Washington Post Year 149, No. 54733

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CORRECTIONS

\- An Oct. 12 Page One article about presidential aide Natalie Harp and her family incorrectly said that Harp spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention. She spoke remotely from Washington.

• An Oct. 12 Page One article about the Arizona Republican Party misspelled Blake Masters's last name.

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Federal agents carry out search of Rep. Omar's home

Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) poses for a portrait in her office on Capitol Hill on Dec. 10, 2025. Her D.C. home was searched Monday.

DEMETRIUS FREEMAN/THE WASHINGTON POST

OMAR FROM A1

Omar or confirm what investigation the search was connected to.

“Today in the Washington, D.C. area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice. This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal criminal investigation,” the Justice Department statement said.

President Donald Trump, asked about the search, said “I understand they are looking at her very carefully.”

"I think she's a terrible person, but that's really up to the DOJ," he told reporters at The White House. "I have nothing to do with it."

Last month, U.S. officials said federal authorities were investigating whether Omar unlawfully entered the country by falsifying her immigration paperwork. Omar (D-Minnesota) and her team have repeatedly denied accusations that she committed immigration fraud.

“Make no mistake: this is an attempt to target political enemies and weaponize federal law enforcement,” she wrote on X. “For ten years, Trump has targeted me with baseless lies and smear campaigns. This is just the latest escalation in his campaign of political intimidation.”

The search of Omar's home appears to be the type of action that law enforcement officials have typically avoided so close to an election in the past. Omar is up for reelection in November after winning the Democratic primary in her district.

In the 60 days before an election, the Justice Department enters a “blackout” period, during which the agency typically refrains from taking public steps in politically related cases — such as executing a search warrant or indicting someone — that could be perceived as politically motivated and potentially affect the results of the election.

The Justice Department is not legally mandated to follow the 60-day blackout period and has been accused of running afoul of it in the past. In 2016, then-FBI Director James B. Comey was accused of violating the rule in connection with statements he made about the investigation into Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while she was serving as secretary of state.

And in 2024, Trump accused special counsel Jack Smith of violating the blackout period when he submitted evidence to a federal judge less than 60 days before that year's presidential election describing how Trump allegedly obstructed the 2020 election results. In that instance, Smith and his team of prosecutors were responding to a judge's deadline and were not opting to take a public law enforcement action.

A government official said Monday that the Justice Department adhered to the 60-day rule in executing the search by first consulting the Public Integrity Section, as required in instances in which the timing of an investigation could be called into question. Attorney General Todd Blanche signed off on carrying out the warrant, said the official, who like others in this report spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.

The Trump administration has effectively dismantled the Public Integrity Section and often cuts the office out of politically sensitive investigations.

A senior Trump administration official confirmed that Omar's residence was raided Monday as part of an investigation into possible criminal immigration fraud. The official said the investigation involved White House deputy homeland security adviser Anthony Salisbury, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow and Blanche.

The investigation, which has accelerated in recent weeks, is viewed as controversial within the administration and some officials have begun referring to it as “World War Eleven,” the senior official said. The phrase seemingly references a statement Omar made at a news conference in 2025. Reading from notes at a lectern, she mistakenly said “World War 11 ... two, sorry.”

A federal prosecutor in the deputy attorney general's office was overseeing the day-to-day development of the inquiry, a person familiar with the matter said.

Allegations regarding Omar's immigration history have circulated in conservative circles for years, though federal officials who have promoted the claims have not provided substantiating evidence.

Born in Somalia, Omar fled the country's civil war with her family when she was a young girl, spent four years in a Kenyan refugee camp and immigrated to the United States at age 12 in 1995.

Omar became a naturalized U.S. citizen in 2000 and was elected to Congress in 2018.

Homeland Security Secretary

Markwayne Mullin last month said that “something’s going to happen” and that there is an “ongoing investigation.”

Mullin told conservative commentator Benny Johnson, without providing evidence, “There may be more to this, the whole family migration and possibly some illegal activity for them to come to the United States to begin with. ... If we can prove it that you shouldn’t have been here in the first place, we’ll deport you.”

Omar and her team have repeatedly denied this accusation.

Asked by Fox News on Sept. 13 whether an investigation of Omar has been opened, White House border czar Tom Homan said that “things are going on,” adding, “Look, I said months ago that it’s something that’s been reported and it needs to be looked at.” But he declined to give specifics.

A DHS spokesperson referred a request to comment to the Justice Department.

On Monday morning, federal law enforcement vehicles and HSI officers lined a block in Northeast Washington where a house associated with Omar is located. Agents wearing “POLICE HSI” jackets went in and out of the house every few minutes, and some removed cardboard boxes from the house. Neighbors milled around, talking about how they learned of the raid.

Omar has faced many personal attacks, including from Trump, who in December called her “garbage” and said she must get “the hell out” of the country. Trump increased direct attacks against the congresswoman as a fraud scandal implicated dozens of Somali Americans in her state, prompting a Trump administration immigration crackdown. Omar was not accused of any wrongdoing in the scandal.

In January, a man used a syringe to spray a liquid at her during a town hall meeting, which authorities later said was apple cider vinegar.

“Every time the president of the United States has chosen to use hateful rhetoric to talk about me and the community that I represent, my death threats skyrocket,” Omar said.

On Sept. 24, DHS issued a statement calling on politicians to “stop violent rhetoric against ICE” and included a speech by Omar in which she called for the abolishment of ICE on a list of “some of the most egregious examples of hateful rhetoric.”

Federal immigration law states that criminal immigration charges generally must be brought within five years of the offense. Criminal denaturalizations have a 10-year statute of limitations. Civil immigration proceedings, including civil denaturalizations or efforts to deport someone, are not subject to a statute of limitations.

Critics of the Trump administration's focus on Omar have noted that she entered the U.S. as a child and naturalized more than 25 years ago, raising questions of why her case is being prioritized. Trump has repeatedly targeted Somali immigrants, often in harsh and disparaging terms.

“This feels very performative, very targeted to make a larger political point by this administration,” said Kerry Doyle, who worked as an immigration judge at the Justice Department but was removed under Trump as part of a wave of firings.

Doyle cautioned that she had not seen any allegations but called the investigation “extremely unusual.”

U.S. immigration authorities do open denaturalization cases against people related to decades-old actions, but those cases historically have been tied to serious transnational crimes, including war crimes and geno-

cide.

Daniel Delgado, a former immigration policy official at DHS during the Biden administration, said the effort appeared intended to intimidate other immigrants.

"It's hard to see this as anything other than being politically motivated given how close we are to the midterm elections," Delgado said.

Several Democratic officials and Minnesota leaders issued statements condemning the search.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York) wrote, “We cannot and will not accept this unprecedented abuse of power.” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York) called it a “deeply disturbing” raid that “raises serious questions about the continued corrupt weaponization” of the government.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison wrote that the action marked a “dangerous escalation of [Trump’s] authoritarian and fundamentally un-American behavior” and was “an extension of his racist attacks on Somali Americans and yet another attempt to throw chaos into our elections.”

Trump administration officials and associates have themselves been entangled in controversies related to immigration issues in the past.

Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who was born in South Africa, worked illegally at the start of his U.S. career, The Washington Post reported in 2024, months before Musk joined the Trump administration.

Musk denied wrongdoing at the time.

The Associated Press reported in 2016 that Melania Trump had been paid for modeling jobs two decades earlier, before receiving legal work authorization. An attorney for Melania Trump challenged the report at the time.

Mayor Mamdani orders review of New York police use-of-force policies

CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani speaks last week about an Immigration and Customs Enforcement shooting in the Bronx.

The democratic socialist

vowed as a candidate

to reform the NYPD

BY TIM CRAIG

NEW YORK — Mayor Zohran Mamdani (D) said Monday that the nation's largest local police department will review its use-of-force policies, thrusting the city deeper into the nationwide debate over how law enforcement officials protect themselves and the public.

Mamdani, a democratic socialist who vowed as a candidate to reform the New York Police Department, said the review will take place over the coming months and include input from city residents and community groups. It will mark the first time in a decade that the department, which has about 33,000 sworn officers, will evaluate use-of-force policies, which can include everything from tackling a subject to deploying chemical irritants or firing a weapon.

"When the government uses force against a New Yorker, the standard for accountability must be at its highest," Mamdani said. "Every New Yorker deserves to know that force will be used lawfully, carefully and only when necessary. ... This review is about making sure our policies reflect that responsibility, that our officers have the guidance and training they need."

Mamdani's announcement was met by swift condemnation from police union officials, who accused him of caving into pressure from left-wing allies. The discord reopens a debate that gripped communities nationwide in 2020 after police murdered George Floyd in Minneapolis.

"The mayor's radical base wants a wholesale dismantling of the NYPD, and it's clear this announcement is an attempt to appease them," said Patrick Hendry, president of the Police Benevolent Association of the City of New York. "It won't work, and it won't make New Yorkers any safer."

Under current procedures, New York police officers are urged to use “de-escalation techniques to safely gain voluntarily compliance from a subject.” But force is permitted when “reasonable” to protect the officer, the public or “to prevent escape from custody.” Deadly force is permitted to protect an officer or the public from “imminent serious physical injury or death.”

Although violent crime is at historic lows in New York City, there have been several high-profile incidents in recent months in which officers used deadly force. In Manhattan in August, officers fatally shot a woman on a busy street who was holding two knives after she stabbed two people near Times Square. A few days later, officers shot and killed an apparently suicidal man on the Brooklyn Bridge who was armed with a knife and claimed to have a bomb.

As a candidate last year, Mamdani had pledged major reforms to the police department including expanding independent oversight, eliminating a specialized police unit that has been used for crowd control, and deleting a gang database that critics said unfairly targeted Black and Latino residents. Mamdani also promised to dispatch mental health crisis responders to some 911 calls.

Although Mamdani established an Office of Community Safety, budget constraints have so far limited its ability to carry out his full vision for placing mental health specialists on po-

lice calls.

More broadly, Mamdani has failed so far to carry out his major campaign promises for police reforms and has frustrated some liberal allies by keeping Jessica Tisch as police commissioner. Tisch, who was initially appointed by then-Mayor Eric Adams (D), has been closely associated with traditional forms of policing.

Mamdani said his decision to order the use-of-force review comes amid concerns that current police oversight procedures are not stringent enough. He noted an officer who shot a 19-year-old man during a mental health crisis in 2024 recently retired — allowing him to collect a pension — before he could face an internal disciplinary trial.

“We have this obligation to [the 19-year-old's] family and every New Yorker who calls for help in a moment of crisis,” Mamdani said.

Police union officials said Mamdani's decision is dangerous.

“New Yorkers should be worried,” said Scott Munro, president of the New York Detectives Endowment Association. “You cannot weaken morale, drive experienced detectives out and discourage new recruits while expecting public safety to improve.”

The criticisms illustrate the pressure Mamdani is facing on both sides of the political spectrum as he tries to navigate law enforcement issues in the nation's most populous city.

Last week, after Immigration and Customs Enforcement shot and wounded a man here, his allies in the Democratic Socialists of America stepped up demands that he fire Tisch as police commissioner.

In addition to disagreeing with some of her policing priorities, the DSA has accused Tisch of not doing enough to separate the police department from ICE enforcement operations.

"If the Commissioner can't put a stop to these injustices, she must be fired," New York's DSA chapter wrote on social media.

Darializa Avila Chevalier, a democratic socialist and Democratic nominee for the 13th Congressional District, said a New York police officer shoved her to the ground during a protest against ICE on Thursday night.

"The NYPD's Strategic Response Group must be disbanded as quickly as possible, and Commissioner Tisch must step down," Avila-Chevalier wrote on X.

A Mamdani spokesman reiterated that “Tisch remains the police commissioner and there are no plans to change that.”

THE NATION

In Ohio, some Trump voters question his commitment

quieter as the president extolled the benefits of data centers.

President Donald Trump takes the stage to speak at the Butler-Vandalia Student Activity Center during a campaign rally on Oct. 3.

ROBERTO SCHMIDT/GETTY IMAGES

Amid affordability fears, they wonder whether he's still fighting for them

BY CAT ZAKRZEWSKI

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO — President Donald Trump carried Ohio in three consecutive elections by promising voters in places like this former steelmaking powerhouse that he would revive American manufacturing and put blue-collar workers first.

As he returned Monday to rally support for Republicans in the midterm elections, some onetime supporters question whether the president's vision of American economic prosperity still includes them.

The shift was on display at his rally at the Covelli Centre, where entire sections of the arena and upper levels sat mostly empty. Trump, who often brags about the size of crowds at his events, made no mention of the attendance on Monday night.

As they pay more for groceries, struggle with high housing costs and wince at prices at the gas pump, some former Trump voters say they feel a disconnect between their priorities and his. For some, that gap has widened as a new wave of proposed data centers in the area raises questions about who stands to benefit from the next chapter of American industrial growth.

For William Akel, a 26-year-old resident of Niles, Ohio, just north of here, the president's embrace of AI has become another reason to question his economic priorities.

“I hate [AI and data centers] with a passion,” he said. “AI is going to take the jobs, and then what jobs are we going to have? Probably fixing the AI?”

Akel, who works delivering soda to grocery stores, voted for Trump in 2020, saying he felt safe serving in the military during the president's first term. But he backed Kamala Harris in 2024. He remains undecided about the upcoming midterms.

“I think he’s just lost in the sauce,” Akel said of Trump. “He sees [AI] as a way to make more money. ... They’re putting billions and billions into all that. Where’s it all coming from? You’ve got people starving here.”

A few miles away, in Liberty, Ohio, Brian, a 54-year-old who voted for Trump in all three of his elections, voiced a similar discontent.

“I’m extremely disappointed in him,” he said, speaking on the condition that only his first name be used because of concerns about his privacy during a politically contentious season. “I fell for it.”

Sitting at the counter of the Yankee Kitchen Restaurant in Vienna, Ohio, he described losing his job of roughly 25 years as a welder and confronting a job market he called a “ghost town.” He watched steel plants and then auto plants shutter across the region, leaving some former factory workers stocking shelves at Walmart.

Now, he plans to vote only in local races in the upcoming election, saying he cannot stand either party's candidates for Senate or governor.

He shares Akel's doubts about data centers and Trump's assurances that technology companies will cover the additional electricity costs associated with them.

“We’re going to pay for all of this,” he said. “We always do.”

Such feelings highlight a vulnerability for Republicans in the industrial Midwest. Trump's first-term promises to champion forgotten workers appealed to blue-collar voters who historically supported Democrats. His second-term embrace of AI and the tech companies building it is testing whether voters still see him as an advocate of their economic interests, or those of the powerful he once criticized. Some of his supporters here also expressed concerns about the war with Iran, questioning why the United States is paying for another conflict in the Middle East while people experience economic hardship at home.

During Monday's rally, Trump didn't acknowledge the economic hardship many people in the area feel, instead painting his second term as an economic boom and harshly attacking several immigrant nationalities, notably Somalis and Haitians.

“All they do is kill each other in the streets. Then they come into the United States of America and they tell us how to run our country,” he said of Somalis, whom he blamed for violence and fraud.

His attacks came on the same day federal agents raided the home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, a Somali American member of Congress from Minneapolis who Trump mocked.

“She’s telling us about the constitution, and she comes from one of the worst countries anywhere on the planet,” he said.

On the economy, he asserted that “after years of steel mills and factories closing across Ohio, our steel industry is roaring back to life.”

And he repeated his frequent claim that he has brought \$21 trillion in investment to the United States. That figure is trillions higher than the numbers the White House has announced, which are based in part on announcements that companies have made about future plans for projects that have not yet created jobs.

He claimed to have drawn manufacturing back to the United States, including through “super intelligence,” the term he uses for AI. The crowd gave only a tepid response when he touted the technology.

The White House pointed to a wave of companies announcing investments in Ohio, including

Bayer, Honda and Kreate. Many of the investments could bring jobs to the state, but positions have not yet been filled.

Some of the largest investments the administration pointed to were in data centers, including Nvidia's announcement that it would provide up to \$105 billion to pay for a new artificial intelligence data center for OpenAI in Pike County, Ohio. The White House also highlighted a \$20 billion investment from Damac Properties, which targets Ohio for significant data center expansion.

Data centers have dominated the ads in the Ohio Senate race, where Democratic former senator Sherrod Brown is challenging the Republican incumbent, Sen. Jon Husted. The National Republican Senatorial Committee wrote in a memo obtained by The Washington Post in August that data centers are “the anchor hanging around Husted’s neck.”

The dissonance was on display when Trump rallied for Husted on his last visit to Ohio nine days ago. The crowd at Butler High School in Vandalia, on the western side of the state, started out enthusiastic but grew much

“We want them,” Trump said. “Look, there’s so much money to be made for Ohio, you can’t just turn them off. They’ll go to China.”

Even many of Trump's supporters here said in interviews that they do not want data centers in their backyards, citing concerns about higher electric bills and noise.

Voters favor Brown over Husted to handle data centers by an 11-point margin, according to a recent New York Times and Siena University poll. Three percent of Ohio voters said it was the most important issue to them in the midterms — a small percentage but still higher than in any other state.

Data centers have dominated local ads, as Brown's allies have sought to paint Husted as “the face of data centers.”

Some of Trump's longtime supporters say the opposition to data centers reflects a lack of education.

“You have got to have data centers,” said Mike Loychik, a 63-year-old resident of Niles. “Everything we do is data centers. Credit cards, Facebook, social media, ChatGPT.”

Loychik plans to vote for Husted and Vivek Ramaswamy, the Republican candidate for governor.

Trump did not tout data centers Monday. Instead he trumpeted Husted's football career and made frequent comments about his athletic appearance, at one point saying he “looked at his ass.”

He also heavily attacked Democrats, whom he repeatedly called “crazy.”

The rally was interrupted multiple times by protesters, whom the president mocked. He called one man who got in a scuffle with security a “fat one” and suggested he should go on a diet.

Loychik, who has attended about six Trump rallies, said Trump is doing the “best he can under the circumstances with the Iran war.”

But even such a loyal Trump backer has concerns: He wished the president would talk more on the campaign trail about the issues bothering voters, including the price of gas, health care and the military, he said.

"He seems like he talks about himself more than the issues," Loychik said. "So it's kind of a turnoff right now."

Takeaways from the first S.C. Senate debate between Graham and Andrews

Sen. Darline Graham (R), center, takes notes before Sunday's debate with Annie Andrews (D), left, and Libertarian Kasie Whitener.

SAM WOLFE/REUTERS

BY LAURA BEVERIDGE

Sen. Darline Graham (R-South Carolina) clashed Sunday night with Democrat Annie Andrews in their only scheduled debate for the red state's unexpectedly competitive Senate race.

Graham, who was appointed to fill the seat of her brother, Lindsey Graham, after he died in July, stood by President Donald Trump, who elevated her from obscurity, and cast Andrews as a “radical liberal.” Andrews, a pediatrician, presented the incumbent as unqualified and tried to appeal to independents and Republican voters she needs to win in a GOP stronghold, which last elected a Democrat to the Senate in 1998.

In September, the Cook Political Report, a nonpartisan election prognosticator, shifted the race's rating from “Solid” to “Likely” Republican. Republicans have increased spending to protect Graham, and Trump recently weighed in by attacking Andrews using an anti-transgender slur.

Graham, who never held office and kept a low profile before her appointment, entered the general election with skepticism from some in the GOP base. Despite receiving Trump's endorsement, Republicans questioned her — and her late brother's

— MAGA credentials. She said during a primary debate that she was “not that informed on national security” when asked about Taiwan policy, an answer that opponents seized upon as evidence she is ill-equipped for the job.

The debate, hosted by South Carolina ETV and Public Radio, is the only scheduled general election debate, and Graham has rebuffed Andrews's demands for more. Libertarian Kasie Whitener also participated in the Sunday debate.

Here are our takeaways.

Andrews attacks Graham as ‘unserious and

unqualified'

Andrews referenced Graham's foreign policy fumble in a primary debate as she criticized the senator's voting record on the war in Iran.

“South Carolina, if your surgeon said that appendectomies aren’t really his thing, would you still hand him a scalpel? No,” Andrews said. “So why would we hand Darline Graham a full term in the U.S. Senate? She is unserious and unqualified.”

Graham countered that her answer showed she was honest with voters.

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A ‘personal insult’ against Darline Graham’s name

Andrews accused Graham, who has also used her husband's last name Nordone, of recently changing her name in an attack that Graham called a “personal insult.”

“My name is Annie Andrews,” she said, rebutting Republicans who tried to link her to progressive Democrats. “And there shouldn’t be any confusion about that because unlike my opponent, I haven’t changed my name recently.”

Graham asserted that her legal name has always been Graham, although she had sometimes used her husband's last name on social media. She said she kept her last name to remain connected to her parents, whom she lost young, and sarcastically thanked Andrews for bringing up the "horrible, tragic memory" of their passing.

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Andrews avoids naming Trump, Graham praises him

Andrews conspicuously avoided naming the president, while criticizing his policies, like the Iran war, as Graham only mentioned his name in a positive light.

Andrews faces the challenge of running in a state Trump won by 18 percentage points in 2024, while trying to capitalize on his administration's unpopularity to win. At one point, she said Graham “seems to believe the job she has right now is to be the White House’s ambassador to South Carolina.”

Graham praised Trump for his economic record, including a recent diesel policy change to reduce the price of gas which rose as a result of his war on Iran. She then apportioned blame for high gas prices, in part, to green energy policies.

Graham defended the premise of the war, saying Democrats increased the risk of Iran developing a nuclear weapon. She also repeatedly mentioned the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026, which she sponsored and which she said gives the president "tools to end the war through economic sanctions."

“That’s up to him as to whether or not he wants to use it or whether he wants to use something else,” she said.

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Andrews tries to appeal to GOP, independents

Andrews used the debate to make explicit appeals to independents and Republicans, while distancing herself from Democratic Socialists and the left of her party on key issues, including immigration and health care.

"If you are an independent who is ready for change, this is the campaign for you. If you are a Republican who feels left behind by your party, this is the campaign for you," Andrews said in her opening comment.

After Graham accused her of supporting “government-run health care for all,” Andrews said she does not support Medicare-for-all, the universal health care plan embraced by the party’s left. Instead, she said, she supports a public option for government-sponsored coverage alongside private insurance.

On immigration, Andrews said: “Democrats have failed on the border.” She said she supports deporting illegal immigrants “who break the law,” but that enforcement needs to respect “human dignity and due process.”

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Andrews attacks Graham on husband's links to China

Andrews accused Graham of accepting campaign financing from artificial intelligence companies, calling her “data center Darline.” Graham countered that she supports community involvement and negotiation in data center development, but does not support a federal moratorium that she said would help China win the global AI arms race.

Andrews also referenced The Washington Post's reporting on Graham's husband's management roles in two companies that rely on Chinese manufacturing.

"I don't think it's appropriate for a sitting senator to be lining her pockets with money from China," Andrews said.

Graham accused Andrews of "sinking pretty low" for bringing up her husband.

"My husband is employed by the company. He doesn't own the company or have any interest in the company," Graham said. "They buy toy guns from China. If y'all didn't regulate everybody to death, maybe some of the manufacturers would actually stay in this country."

Masked and anonymous Cornell students participate in a seven-hour sit-in.

At Cornell, protest rules make furious students afraid

Cornell University student Isabel Breslin does work on her computer while participating in a seven-hour sit-in at the Toni Morrison Dining Hall on Wednesday.

HEATHER AINSWORTH/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST

HEATHER AINSWORTH/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST

Outraged over rape

lawsuit, they are cowed

by penalties for protesters

BY GREY BATTLE

ITHACA, N.Y. — At the start of midterms this month, Cornell University students woke up to their administration building vandalized. Glass was shattered. Walls had been spray-painted.

The Ivy League college where fraternities throw parties in towering mansions and students weave between deep gorges on their way to class is being rocked over the handling of rape allegations from 2024. A then-20-year-old sophomore described being drugged and raped by seven classmates to campus police, according to an ensuing lawsuit.

The dead-of-the-night act of defiance, carried out early Oct. 5 by a handful of students, reflects the outrage reverberating around campus — and also, in its scale, the fear many hold about the consequences of speaking out.

The Cornell student newspaper broke the news of the lawsuit and propelled the story into the national consciousness. The paper published the defendants' names. The paper's board wrote, "We refuse for this victim to be reduced to just another story." Students had reached a breaking point, incensed by what they believed was a lack of appropriate action from adults who promised to keep them safe.

A six-page summary of the campus police investigation didn't include the student's statement that she was raped, according to CBS News. When the summary was handed over to the local district attorney's office, it declined to pursue criminal charges.

The university “chose to use its power and resources to protect rather than condemn sexual violence,” reads part of a manifesto that came alongside the vandalism. On the building, protesters spelled out another message: “AT CORNELL RAPISTS ARE PROTECTED PROTESTORS ARE EXPELLED.”

“We respect the right of members of our community to express their views, advocate for change and engage in peaceful activity consistent with University policies,” a Cornell spokesman told The Washington Post. The university said it is investigating the vandalism.

In May 2024, Cornell's administration began restricting protesters after pro-Palestinian student encampments were set up. Since 2023, Cornell has issued at least 81 dismissals and suspensions against protesters. Administrators have arrested, suspended, evicted and dropped credit hours for student activists, causing at least one to lose his student visa.

Several students said they feared attending a rally last week because it fell outside of the university's approved hours for protests. (Protests without prior approval are allowed to take place at Ho Plaza only from noon to 1 p.m.) “Students know what Cornell will do to protesters,” said Jack Huber, a 19-year-old student who helped organize the demonstration.

Robert Cohen, a professor of history and social studies at New York University, described a nationwide chilling effect on student protest after the encampment movement in 2024. More than 2,600 students were arrested, comparable to the highest arrest rate during the anti-Vietnam War protests. "They were willing to break the rules. They didn't expect to be arrested," Cohen said. "Someone has to be able to convince you that that is worth it."

Protesters didn't storm buildings last week. They didn't opt out of their classes. Many students are angry, but they are also cowed.

Nick Wilson, a Cornell senior, was one of those students suspended in 2024. He chose not to protest last week. "If I were at another unsanctioned protest now, which is virtually all of them under the university's code of conduct. I would be immediately suspended," Wilson says. "People have been intimidated out of being involved at all or are dealing with the traumatic consequences of the university antagonizing them."

"I'm so scared that the university is going to punish me by going to a protest, even though I've been a victim of sexual assault," said another senior at Cornell, who spoke on the condition that she be identified by her middle initial, M.

During her first year of college, she says, she was in a relationship with a man in a fraternity who she says assaulted and raped her.

M tears up behind oversize glasses. She grew up in a low-income family, hundreds of miles from the university. “I worked my ass off to get in here. Freshman year, until all of this happened, my grades were doing really well,” she says. “Then it hit me like a ton of bricks.”

After the two broke up, she says she feared that he would find her on campus and hurt her again. While M was protesting in the pro-Palestinian student encampment, she says he had broken into her dorm building.

She worried that if she reported him, he would retaliate and tell the administration she was in the encampment. "As a student protester, I'm going to get in more trouble than this guy would," she says. "I was really nervous that I'd get kicked off campus." If she was caught, she says there was a possibility that she would lose her shot at an Ivy League degree and have to pay the university back for financial aid.

By the beginning of her sophomore year, M says she learned of other individuals who said the same man had assaulted them. But M had no faith in Cornell's Title IX Office to handle her case. She says, "So many people had reported and nothing came of it. What's the point?"

A Cornell spokesperson told The Post that the university is making sexual assault reporting options more accessible for students and is hiring staff focused on sexual health programming and victim advocacy.

“We will continue to examine and strengthen our policies to ensure we are doing all we can to foster a culture where sexual misconduct is never tolerated,” the university said in a statement late last month. It also said that it “took the reports very seriously and moved promptly to initiate its Title IX process.”

A group of Cornell students called Riot Moon emerged in 2024 after a message circulated on an anonymous social media platform that Chi Phi members had gang-raped a sophomore. They smashed windows and spray-painted the Chi Phi and Sigma Alpha Mu houses due to allegations of sexual assault. They left letters taped to doors they had defaced: "We no longer tolerate a culture that teaches men to rape, the use of sexual violence to subjugate others, or a 'justice system' that continually forces survivors to relive their trauma and leaves abusers unpunished and un-shamed." They continued, "We keep us safe by any means necessary."

"The anger and disappointment surrounding these allegations are understandable. However, vigilantism is not," wrote lawyer Jennifer Coatsworth, who represents Chi Phi, in a statement shared with The Post. Sigma Alpha Mu did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Davian Gekman, a senior and president of Cornell's Kappa Sigma fraternity, recalled Riot Moon stuffing raw meat into car engines, egging, throwing rocks and ripping the door handles off of cars. Gekman says trashing the Chi Phi house soon became a campuswide activity. Students would text, he recalled, "Are we meeting up at 9 p.m. to egg and throw toilet paper at Chi Phi?"

People wanted to damage Greek life, not be associated with it, he says. He remembered thinking, “If we don’t react, recruitment’s going to be screwed over.” Other fraternities seemed to get this message.

A Sexual Assault Prevention and Safety Club was created; some fraternities implemented or revised their policies around sober monitors (students assigned to stay sober and enforce safety measures at parties); and the presidents of all 22 fraternities voted unanimously to shut down Greek-sponsored events for a weekend.

The vandalism cooled, but the protesters' demands hadn't been fully met. Two student leaders of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Safety Club said they avoided discussing the allegations of gang rape at Chi Phi because they had just received funding from the university and feared losing it (Cornell University did not immediately respond to a request for comment). The New York Times reported that one of the alleged perpetrators was a Chi Phi sober monitor the night of the reported assault. The weekend that Greek life was shut down, some fraternities simply moved their parties off campus.

By 2025, although the Title IX investigation was ongoing, the campus, for the most part, had returned to normal.

Sabine Paz-Le Draoulec, who graduated from Cornell this year, says messages would often be sent in her sorority group chat, warning one another to be careful before parties — “I was roofied at this house” read one message, she said. (Paz-Le Draoulec suspects she was roofied at a Cornell fraternity party during her first semester. The fraternity was suspended by the time she joined sorority Sigma Delta Tau.)

There is a social pressure on sororities not to formally report these incidents, Paz-Le Draoulec says. Sororities are defined by their social calendar. Paz-Le Draoulec explains that making a top fraternity angry would tank a sorority's standing among the roughly one-third of Cornell undergraduates in the Greek system.

That one-third is also more likely to donate as alumni, according to a 2021 Gallup and National Panhellenic Conference survey, which found that 54 percent of those involved in Greek life had donated to their alma mater, compared with only 10 percent who hadn't participated in fraternities and sororities.

After temporary suspensions timed out, some of the accused men in Chi Phi arrived back at campus. Many students at the time felt resigned. "If they were on the street, people would look away," Paz-Le Draoulec says of the Chi Phi men accused.

The month campus police began investigating the allegations against Chi Phi members, Donald Trump was elected president for a second time. Paz-Le Draoulec, noting that Trump was found liable for sexual abuse, says, “We were 20 years old and already thought, That’s just how it is.”

In the Chi Phi case, the university expelled two men, barred one who had graduated from campus, suspended two and handed out lesser punishments to the other two. The fraternity was also permanently shut down.

At Cornell, there is a bronze plaque commemorating the armed occupation of Willard Straight Hall in 1969. Guns were smuggled into the takeover because Delta Upsilon fraternity men had tried to oust the students protesting.

After taking over the building for 36 hours, students marched out with guns in hand through a crowd of law enforcement officers, having had their demands met. The protest is said to have been the catalyst for the creation of the Africana Studies department, among other changes, and eventually led to the resignation of the university president.

Today, the mood on college campuses is closer to that of the 1950s, when students feared that political organizing would get them on McCarthy-era blacklists, Cohen posits. Or perhaps it is closer to the economic crisis in the early '70s, when students felt a suspension would make it harder to snag jobs, which were few and far between.

At Cornell last Wednesday, students planned to occupy the Toni Morrison Hall dining facility at a seven hour sit-in. “For seven hours, we will refuse business as usual,” wrote the Cornell chapter of Black Students United. Students didn’t bring weapons; most brought study materials.

Security guards at the front of the dining hall told students they couldn't bring signs inside. Those students listened and left their signs by the doors.

At the end of the sit-in, three men wearing Cornell football merchandise walked by and picked up a flier about sexual violence. "Bro, I'm going to put this up on my wall," one joked. Another said, "Ten bucks and I'll start a chant." They asked for photographs with two protesters wearing masks and homemade T-shirts, then walked away laughing.

More than 10 news outlets came by to snap a photo. Some even photographed the sign and his empty seat when Zhao had to step out to attend a Cornell Asian Pacific Student Union meeting.

Wednesday's protesters were also instructed not to spend money on campus as part of an economic blackout. When dining hall staff asked students to pay to enter, they obeyed. Others decided not to spend their dining dollars, so they sat in outside instead.

Once Ethan Zhao, a first year majoring in architecture, sat down, he made a new sign, having left his original at the door. It was a makeshift message on letter-size paper. "CU, it's SA [sexual assault] not essay, stop protecting rapists," he wrote, referring to the opportunity alleged perpetrators were given by the university to "mitigate their conduct" by writing essays. Zhao taped the paper to the back of his laptop.

Cornell students protest the university's handling of accusations of rape against fraternity members last week in Ho Plaza.

MATT BURKHARTT/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST

Trump passed deadline on taxpayer-funded campaign-style ads

cover future ad costs.

President Donald Trump's administration ran two of the ads into the early hours of Monday, advertising data from AdImpact shows. A federal judge issued a temporary blocking order Sunday.

ALEX BRANDON/AP

BY SCOTT NOVER,

AARON SCHAFFER

AND AOIFE WALSH

A federal judge issued a temporary order Sunday blocking the Trump administration from airing taxpayer-funded campaign-style television commercials. But the administration blew past a Sunday evening deadline and ran two of the ads into the early hours of Monday, advertising data from AdImpact shows.

U.S. District Judge Jennifer L. Rochon in Manhattan wrote in an order Sunday that the administration must “cancel or cause to be cancelled” any ads from airing or dissemination, including those that were scheduled to air Sunday evening.

Her decision came after the Department of Homeland Security said in a court filing Saturday that the ads would “not continue” past Sunday and that it had no plans to purchase additional ad spaces past that date. President Donald Trump said earlier that campaign funds would be used to pay for the ads going forward.

The two-week order prohibits the administration from “using, disbursing, or transferring funds" appropriated to DHS to "develop, create, disseminate, place, distribute, publish, or air" the commercials.

However, two of the ads aired numerous times after the deadline passed at 6:45 p.m. Eastern time Sunday, according to data provided by AdImpact. The two ads ran during airings of various shows, including “America’s Funniest Home Videos,” “ABC World News Tonight” and CBS News’s “60 Minutes.”

“DHS did not receive notice from the court in time to cancel the ad buys,” the White House wrote in a Monday statement. “The PSAs will be paid for by outside groups moving forward.”

The ads, which began airing in late September, included one that resembled a commercial for Trump's 2024 presidential campaign and another of him and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth advocating the Iran war.

The ads were paid for with \$20 million the Office of Management and Budget added to a DHS budget line for “commemorative events,” The Washington Post previously reported. Congress had approved that spending for “Line-of-Duty death memorials, Department or agency anniversaries, and commendation ceremonies," according to a House Budget Committee report.

The lawsuit challenging the commercials was brought by a coalition that included the advocacy group Common Cause. It argued that the ads violate federal law prohibiting agencies from using taxpayer money for unauthorized “publicity and propaganda.”

Rochon wrote that the plaintiffs are “likely to succeed on the merits” of their challenge and “will suffer irreparable harm in the absence of an injunction.”

Trump has not publicly commented on the order, but after backlash from Democrats and some Republicans, he said on Oct. 5 that his super PAC would

In a statement issued by Democracy Forward, a nonprofit legal organization, the coalition said it was “pleased the court acted swiftly,” calling the ads “blatantly unlawful political propaganda.”

OMB and DHS did not respond to requests for comment on the ads that ran after the judge's deadline.

Last week, the Democratic National Committee filed a separate lawsuit over the ads, arguing that they violate campaign spending rules and make it harder for the group's candidates to compete.

After this article was published online, lawyers for the plaintiffs in the case filed a notice alerting the judge to The Post's reporting and requesting that she evaluate whether the Trump administration complied with the temporary restraining order.

“Plaintiffs do not presently seek contempt sanctions,” the lawyers wrote. “But given that the ads have continued to run on October 12 — the day after Defendants insisted the ad-buy was no longer effective — Plaintiffs request a status conference to determine Defendants’ compliance.”

Michigan candidate in tight Senate race walks back his criticism of Obama

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed.

In a 2012 op-ed piece, Abdul El-Sayed cited president's ‘failures’

PAUL SANCYA/AP

---

BY VIOLET JIRA

Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed disavowed a 2012 opinion piece criticizing what he said were “failures” by President Barack Obama during his first term in office.

Just after Obama defeated Republican Mitt Romney and won his 2012 reelection campaign, El-Sayed wrote a column in the Huffington Post saying the outcome was “no victory. It was the rock we chose over the hard place.”

"This leader has perpetuated war, violated our civil liberties, deported more people from our shores than any other president before him, and the list of his failures goes on," said El-Sayed, who was then a 28-year-old assistant professor at Columbia University.

On Sunday, in an interview on NBC's “Meet the Press,” El-Sayed said he didn't realize then how hard it was to bring about change.

“I was younger,” El-Sayed said. “And I was angry about circumstances.”

“That’s 2012 now, so it’s 2026, 14 years on. You grow up and you start to appreciate just how hard change is and how important it is to pick up and push," El-Sayed said, adding that he thought Obama "did an amazing job with the circumstances he was in."

Obama is scheduled to join El-Sayed on the campaign trail Oct. 24.

El-Sayed is locked in a tight race against Republican Mike Rogers for the Michigan Senate seat.

His race is considered one of a handful that could be pivotal in Democrats' efforts to take control of the Senate in November.

El-Sayed's 2012 op-ed was critical of Obama's use of drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen and the state of the U.S. economy at the time. El-Sayed, who is Muslim, said at the time that he felt “no more dignified, no more accepted” under an Obama presidency because of nationwide policing tactics that El-Sayed viewed as unjustified and intrusive.

On “Meet the Press,” El-Sayed likened his criticism of Obama to the way one might criticize a family member or loved one, recalling his father.

"When you intensely appreciate somebody who's done so much to make something you're doing possible, you're going to see the best of them and you're also going to want to change. I can't say how much I appreciate President Obama," he said.

SARAH L. VOISIN/THE WASHINGTON POST

From left, Democratic senators Tim Kaine, Chuck Schumer and Adam Schiff at a news conference on Jan. 8. Schumer has pledged that Democrats will not confirm ‘MAGA justices’ if they retake the Senate.

nominee.

Threat of Democratic-run Senate looms for Trump

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) has warned that Democrats will pursue a “socialist agenda” if they flip the chamber.

J.SCOTT APPLEWHITE/AP

Republicans warn of Trump being stonewalled for his final two years

BY THEODORIC MEYER

In his six years in the White House, President Donald Trump has never had to contend with a Democratic Senate majority — but that could change in January.

but that could change in January. Senate Republicans are staring down the prospect of losing control of the chamber in the November midterm elections — and are sounding the alarm that it could be a disaster for Trump's final two years.

Republicans have braced for months for Democrats to retake the House. But recent polling suggests Democrats could also capture the Senate, giving them full control of Congress — once an almost-unthinkable prospect.

A Democratic-led Senate would give the party the power to block Trump's nominees, which Democrats could not do if they flip just the House. Senate Democrats would also gain subpoena power if they retake the majority, giving the party more firepower to investigate Trump.

And full control of Congress could also allow Democrats to pass some of their agenda — though Trump could still veto the party's legislation.

As the midterms near, Republicans have started warning in sometimes dire terms about the possible repercussions. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-South Dakota) predicted Democrats would raise taxes and pursue a “socialist agenda” if they succeed in flipping the chamber.

Republicans have expressed particular concern that Democrats would not confirm a Trump nominee to fill a Supreme Court vacancy if one of the justices dies or decides to retire — and some Democrats say they're right to be worried.

Then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) in 2016 blocked the confirmation of Merrick Garland, President Barack Obama's nominee to fill a Supreme Court vacancy, leaving the seat open for more than a year until the Senate confirmed Trump's nominee, Neil M. Gorsuch.

"The standard was set by McConnell, at least when it comes to Supreme Court justices, and I think we should stick to that standard," Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona) said. "And I certainly will be a big advocate for that."

Democrats are planning aggressive investigations of Trump, his family and his administration if they retake control of one or both chambers. But some Democrats argue it is at least as important to fulfill their campaign pledge to make life more affordable for Americans if they win full control of Congress.

While Trump's unpopularity could help Democrats recapture the Senate, Sen. Chris Van Hol- len (D-Maryland) said the party will need to demonstrate ahead of the 2028 presidential election that they stand for more than just reining in Trump.

“We're hardly wildly popular as a party,” Van Hollen said. “That's why it's going to be especially important that this Congress, if the Democrats have the majority, that they show the American people what we're fighting for.”

Even if Democrats retake both chambers, their ability to pass an agenda will be limited by Senate filibuster rules, which require 60 votes to advance most legislation. Many Democrats want to scrap the filibuster, but at least two senators who caucus with the party — John Fetterman (D-Pennsylvania) and Angus King (I-Maine) — have said they oppose that move.

Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Virginia) has started talking with colleagues about drafting a bill that could pass through reconciliation, a special process that allows legislation to evade a filibuster if it conforms with complicated budget rules. Democrats could pass policies aimed at making life more affordable — which Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-New York) has said is a priority — and undo Republicans' cuts to Medicaid and food assistance.

“We need to be legislators, not just putting up guardrails against Trump,” Kaine said in an interview. “If we have both houses, we should use it to do what we told the voters we would do.”

Democrats relied on reconciliation after winning control of Congress in the 2006 midterms to pass legislation overhauling federal student loan programs. President George W. Bush signed the bill — which many Republicans also supported — into law. Republicans tried a similar maneuver in 2016 with less success, passing a reconciliation bill to repeal much of the Affordable Care Act that Obama vetoed.

Trump could veto any bill that Democrats pass if they regain control of Congress — but Kaine said Democrats should not assume he will.

“He deeply wants a legacy,” Kaine said. “Why else is he putting his name on things like the Kennedy Center? ... The best legacy isn’t names on stuff. The best legacy is actually making something happen that benefits everyday people."

Gallego, who put out an economic policy plan on Wednesday, said Democrats could pass some of his ideas through reconciliation, such as placing new taxes on data centers and artificial intelligence. Democrats should prioritize policies “that are moderate, modest and would be very popular with the public,” he said.

Trump has said he will spent the next two years blocking Democratic bills if Republicans lose control of Congress — but he also mused that he would “probably be able to make deals” with Democrats.

“You know they’re going to want some stuff, and we’ll get — you make deals,” Trump told Fox News’s Laura Ingraham last month.

Democrats are hardly assured of recapturing the Senate.

The party needs to pick up four Senate seats to win the majority, including at least two seats in states that Trump won by double digits in 2024. Polling shows Democrats running competitively in Senate races for at least half a dozen Republican held-seats, but Democrats could still fall short.

A Democratic Senate would test how much worse partisan tensions have grown since the last time one party controlled the Senate and the other held the

White House, during the final two years of the Obama administration. Republicans angered Democrats at the time by delaying a vote for months on Loretta E. Lynch, Obama's attorney general nominee.

The Republican-controlled Senate ultimately confirmed Lynch, with McConnell and nine other Republicans joining Democrats to support her. The Senate also confirmed Obama's picks for defense secretary and education secretary as well as 20 judicial nominees, even as Republicans outraged Democrats by blocking Garland.

Some Republicans are skeptical that Democrats would be willing to confirm Trump's nominees if the Senate flips in November.

"It would just be enormous gridlock," Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Missouri) said. "I think judges wouldn't be confirmed, Cabinet secretaries wouldn't be confirmed. I bet a budget wouldn't get passed. I would fear for government shutdowns. I think it'd be pretty gruesome."

No Supreme Court nominee has been confirmed by a Senate controlled by the opposite party since Clarence Thomas in 1991 — and several Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee warned that Democrats are all but certain to block any Trump

Sen. John Kennedy (R-Louisiana) compared the chances of Democrats confirming a Supreme Court justice if they re-take the Senate to the odds of someone mistaking him for Brad Pitt.

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) predicted that Democrats would keep any vacancy on the court open for the next two years. And Sen. Darline Graham (R-South Carolina), who is facing a competitive race in November, pitched Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.'s potential retirement as a reason to vote for her.

“Should Justice Alito choose to retire next year, a Republican-majority Senate will be needed to vote and hopefully confirm a Supreme Court nominee from President Trump,” Graham wrote on X. “If Democrats control the Senate, they will not even allow a vote.”

Schumer has done little to dispel the idea, pledging that Democrats would “not let Trump put such horrible justices — MAGA justices — on the Supreme Court and the lower courts” if they re-take the chamber.

Obama told Democratic donors on Wednesday that blocking Trump's judicial nominees is a critical reason that Democrats need to retake the Senate.

Federal judges have provided a crucial check on Trump, Obama said at a private fundraiser in Great Falls, Virginia, according to excerpts from his remarks provided to The Washington Post. If Republicans hold the Senate, he warned, Trump would have two more years to reshape the courts.

"At some point the scales may tip in the direction where he's got carte blanche," Obama said. "You now have a very serious danger to democracy in addition to just bad policy."

Still, some Democrats said they would not reflexively oppose Trump's nominees if they retake the Senate.

Sen. Peter Welch (D-Vermont) voted last year to confirm Kyle Dudek to a district court judgeship in Florida, describing him as “the needle in the haystack: a qualified Trump nominee.” Welch said he was open to supporting more of Trump’s judicial nominees if he makes better picks.

“Trump has nominated a lot of very extreme people for important positions, and we’ve been voting no on the merits,” Welch said. “Hopefully the president would get more mainstream people who respect the institutions and didn’t have to lie about who won the 2020 election. So that’s really up to Trump.”

Liz Goodwin contributed to this report.

Trump hits the road, but low approval ratings drag behind him

TRUMP FROM A1

President Donald Trump boards Air Force One for a trip to San Antonio on Wednesday. He visited Texas twice in seven days as the midterms approach.

EVAN VUCCI/'REUTERS

tion fight, but White House and outside advisers to the president say such a trip is highly unlikely. Two people involved in planning his schedule said there are no trips scheduled to Maine or New Hampshire.

Last week's stops included deep-red Nebraska, where the Senate race is closer than once expected; Texas, for the second time in seven days; Upstate New York, to stump for his friend, gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman, who trails by double digits in many polls; and Tennessee, for a rally near a military base.

While in Syracuse, New York, Trump brought former professional boxer Mike Tyson onto the stage to speak.

Bad weather forced him to cancel a trip to Alabama for a college football game, which would have been his second visit to the state in just over a week. Football games are more fun for him than rallies, said one Trump adviser, who like others working on the president's midterm strategy, was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.

But the rallies — now often held in smaller venues than in years past — still serve as an escape for Trump as he presides over an unpopular war and faces his lowest approval ratings in office. When he traveled to Oklahoma earlier this month, he said he was doing so “to thank them” for supporting him.

In Clarksville, Tennessee, Trump said giving frequent speeches is “easy” because “there’s such love in these rooms.”

"It's amazing when you stand up here. It's just, like, the love," he told the crowd. "I could say the stupidest things and you clap."

“It’s the last time he’s really going to be able to do this in full force,” said Mark Mitchell, a politically independent pollster who previously supported Trump but is now critical of many of his policies. “A 30-day blitz of the country to do these rallies again when he’s the most unpopular president — it just doesn’t really make sense.”

Trump has at times been in high spirits while traveling and said he thinks campaigning is going well, one adviser said. But another person with knowledge of his behavior observed that Trump has been in a “foul mood.”

Trump's advisers maintain that the rallies are the most effective thing Trump can do — short of lowering gas prices driven up by the war he started with Iran — to try to minimize Republican losses this fall. GOP officials say Trump showing up in the backyard of supporters who voted for him three times is the party's best chance to turn out those voters this fall when he isn't on the ballot. Republican enthusiasm is trailing that of Democrats. A recent survey by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center found that among those who say they are extremely motivated to vote, Democrats lead 59 percent to 35 percent. That's a contrast with the 2022 midterms, when such extremely motivated voters were evenly divided between the two parties.

Supporters who sign up to attend the rallies submit their contact information to Trump's political operation, which follows up with communications urging them to vote. Many of Trump's supporters aren't accustomed to voting in midterms or need to be reminded there's an election this year, another adviser said, and all attention helps — especially in an election cycle where Democrats are highly mobilized.

White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, political director Matt Brasseaux and former White House deputy chief of staff James Blair — now working as an outside adviser with Trump's political operation — have worked together to decide where Trump can be most useful, according to a person with knowledge of the process.

Determining where Trump can help has been trickier in House races than in Senate contests, several of which are competitive in states Trump easily won, the person said. Some House races are so tight that Republicans worry an unpopular Trump could hurt their efforts, while statewide races can more easily benefit from the president helping boost turnout in conservative enclaves.

This week, Trump is scheduled to visit Youngstown, Ohio, where the GOP under Trump has made significant gains; Wasilla, Alaska, a Republican stronghold north of Anchorage; and the heavily conservative areas of Bullhead City, Arizona, and Kalispell, Montana.

"There is no safer space for Donald Trump to go in Arizona than Mohave County, which is full of disaffected former Californians and conspiracy theorists and 'Don't tread on me' types," said Barrett Marson, a Republican strategist in the state, referring to the county Trump is scheduled to visit Wednesday.

Going to heavily Republican areas such as Bullhead City — or deeply red states such as Oklahoma, Alabama and Tennessee, as Trump has done in the last week and a half — is all but guaranteed to draw a friendly crowd, while still generating coverage in surrounding media markets and the national press, advisers say.

Bullhead City is on the Arizona-Nevada border, and Trump's appearance there could help mobilize Republican voters in Nevada, where GOP Gov. Joe Lombardo has only a narrow lead over his opponent. Rep. Elijah Crane (R) also faces a competitive race in Arizona's neighboring 2nd Congressional District.

Some choices are less strategic.

New York conservative talk radio host Bob Lonsberry urged Trump to cancel Friday's trip to Syracuse, fearing it would harm the candidate's chances. “Stay away, Mr. President,” he wrote on social media. “The last thing Bruce Blakeman needs is a visit from you.”

Other officials maintained that all provide some advantage, even if it is for a House race elsewhere in the state from where Trump is visiting, or a statewide race just over the border. The president combines political strategy with his personal preferences, such as accepting requests to campaign for friends such as Blakeman and Mike Mazzei, the GOP gubernatorial nominee in Oklahoma.

Since Labor Day, Trump has made 14 stops in other states, not including visits to his golf clubs in New Jersey and Virginia. Of those, two were presidential battlegrounds in the last decade.

In addition to political considerations, the president's team faces logistical challenges in finding large and secure venues in rural places. He does not like to stay overnight except at his own properties, such as his hotel in Las Vegas.

Three people with knowledge of the schedule said Trump's stop in Tennessee was something of a placeholder — a rally planned around the main attraction for him that day, the Alabama-Georgia football game in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, which he ultimately did not attend because of Hurricane Isaias. The White House chose the location after Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn's team had for months recommended it, given its proximity to Fort Campbell, home of the 101st Airborne Division, and the area's population growth.

Blackburn, now the GOP nominee for Tennessee governor, is working to maximize GOP turnout as an independent candidate threatens to lower her margins, but the longtime elected official is not seen as being at risk of losing her race. GOP strategists hope Trump's stop there also boosts Republican congressional candidates running in seats redrawn this year by the state legislature.

Two people involved in planning his schedule said there are no trips scheduled to Maine or New Hampshire. Trump is still scheduled to visit Michigan, a state whose Senate race he's been vocal about, but early voting and other data could change that plan, one of his advisers said.

Wherever the itinerary takes him, some of Trump's most devoted fans are willing to follow. Blake Marnell, the longtime

Trump rally-goer known online as “Brick Suit,” has been driving through the night, sometimes for 14 hours, to make it to almost all the rallies this month.

In Durant, Oklahoma, supporters stood outside for hours in ponchos as a storm moved through the region on the day of Trump's rally — which started two hours late due to weather delays.

In San Antonio, supporters lined up before dawn for his evening rally on Wednesday. One man told a KENS5 reporter he had driven nine hours to be there.

“I just love Trump. That’s why I came this week,” the man told the television reporter. “I didn’t have nothing better to do anyway.”

Beside him, another man who arrived before sunrise observed that he was used to seeing longer lines. “I’m surprised we’re still pretty empty right now,” he said.

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Doctors are urging women to redo early genetic tests

Cancer risks can be

detected thanks to

advances in technology

BY JULIE HALPERT

Tricia James was 27 when she first underwent genetic testing. Not only did she have a family history that put her at high risk for breast and ovarian cancer, but she had developed ovarian cysts. She was relieved to find out that she was negative for the gene mutation targeted by the test.

Yet in fall 2025, nearly three decades later, doctors discovered Stage 3 ovarian cancer while James was in surgery for a hysterectomy. She got tested again, and this time, the same gene variation considered in 1996 came back positive. She was shocked. Retesting had never been suggested in the intervening years.

"The thing that came to my mind was I wanted my children tested," she recounted recently through tears. "And I prayed that they would be negative, and they were."

As genetic testing has become ever more sophisticated, capable today of detecting several dozen genes, James is among the women first tested when the field was in its infancy who are now being urged to do so again. But oncologists and gynecologists are concerned that the word is not out. They're worried about the consequences if a generation of women don't know how much they could benefit from the advances that have been made.

"There are probably thousands of individuals out there who need to be retested," said Sofia Merajver, medical director of the Breast and Ovarian Cancer Risk Evaluation Program at the University of Michigan's Rogel Cancer Center.

The process uses a small sample of blood or saliva to analyze DNA for variations in genes that can put someone at higher risk for a plethora of diseases or conditions. This screening is recommended when factors indicate a higher risk, such as a family history of cancer.

About 5 to 10 percent of women with breast cancer carry a variant that prevents an underlying gene from working properly, explained Megan Frone, a genetic counselor at the National Cancer Institute. Early technology fell short in detecting certain variants, but “we’ve made rapid, profound advances in our genetic testing since the early 2000s,” she said.

Screening for breast cancer mutations began in 1996 with the development of tests focused on the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

Identifying such variations, which significantly increase the odds of both breast and ovarian cancers, provides a woman with a more complete understanding of her risk. It also allows for interventions that could mitigate it, including drugs or hormonal therapies, as well as surgical measures such as a preventive mastectomy, said Versha Pleasant, director of the Cancer Genetics and Breast Health Program at Von Voigtlander Women's Hospital in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

"It's very worthwhile for someone to get retested because if you've only been tested for BRCA1 and 2, you only have part of the story," Pleasant stressed. "You don't have the full picture and you don't have a comprehensive understanding of what this person's risk may be."

Myriad Genetics, a Salt Lake City-based company, pioneered the initial tests for mutations of BRCA1 — for which James ultimately was positive — and BRCA2.

But after the Supreme Court overturned Myriad's patent in 2013, ruling that genomic DNA could not be patented, “the revolution of panel testing began,” Merajver said. Other companies began offering testing for additional genes linked to a higher-than-average risk of breast and gynecologic cancers.

A 2023 study of those who initially tested negative reported that 17.3 percent — more than 1 in 6 — were found to have a gene variant when they were retested. The results added to “the growing body of evidence” that supports retesting, especially given the extensive panels now available, said Siddhartha Yadav, an associate professor of oncology at the Mayo Clinic.

He is concerned too few doctors are explaining this to their patients. But once informed, he added, those patients should raise the issue with their providers every few years given how much the field is evolving.

“By the time [patients] come to me, it's too late to talk about prevention,” Yadav said.

That same study identified barriers to retesting. One is cost, because health insurance may not always cover it. Logistics also play a role: Women who think they are in the clear don't regularly see an oncologist.

Slavka Clark, who lives in Ontario, Canada, tested negative in 2014 for BRCA1 and BRCA2 pocket mutations after she was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 40. She was retested for 37 mutations in 2025 after getting cancer in her other breast. The result was positive for BRCA1.

“I was shocked,” she said. “I didn’t even think that they were testing me for BRCA.”

An issue with retesting for so many variants is the limited information on whether some put a person at greater risk — meaning individuals have to be comfortable with that uncertainty, noted Frone, of the National Cancer Institute.

But Merajver said there's still value in having such data, since over time scientists will know more about which genetic mutations are benign and which are associated with disease.

At her home in Lake Forest, California, James is glad she was tested again, even if the results were not what she wanted. Her cancer is now in remission.

These days she's a big advocate for retesting. “Don't be afraid of it,” she said. “Get ahead of it because knowledge is going to make the difference.”

Another measles-related death in Pa.

BY RACHEL ROUBEIN AND DANIEL WU

HANNAH BEIER/REUTERS

A dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. A sixth person who had measles has died in Pennsylvania, a local coroner said.

BEN NOLL/THE WASHINGTON POST; NOAA

Satellite imagery captures major Hurricane Simon swirling near Mexico's west coast on Sunday, with lightning flashing.

A 39-year-old unvaccinated woman from Franklin County, Pennsylvania, who had been diagnosed with measles has died, according to the local coroner's office, marking the sixth such death reported since the state's outbreak began this year.

The woman's primary cause of death was a “probable acute cardiac event due to possible complications of the measles,” the coroner's office said in an emailed statement.

The patient had “a recent history” of having contracted the highly contagious disease, the coroner’s office wrote in a Facebook post, adding that it meets the state health department’s definition of a measles-associated death. The woman had several underlying health conditions and had a “past diagnosis of measles with treatment.”

The coroner's office, which is led by Jordan F. Conner, a Republican, said it would not be releasing additional identifying details, citing privacy protections.

The state health department is “aware” of the reported death, spokesman Neil Ruhland said in a statement. A team has reached out to the coroner’s office, is conducting a “thorough review” and plans to provide an update once the investigation is finished.

Pennsylvania is in the midst of a growing outbreak of measles as the United States faces the highest measles tally since 1991. The state is also the center of a bitter political dispute between Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro.

Shapiro has accused Kennedy — the founder of a prominent anti-vaccine group — of sowing confusion about vaccines and contributing to the spread of a disease that the United States eliminated more than 25 years ago. Kennedy has contended that the governor, who is widely expected to run for president, is using the moment for political gain.

As of Friday, the state had confirmed 1,136 measles cases across 41 counties, in the first U.S. outbreak to surpass 1,000 cases in 35 years.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health has reported five measles-associated deaths in the state, and infectious-disease experts say that indicates the outbreak is far larger than the number of reported cases.

The state defines a measles-associated death as one that occurs within 30 days of symptom onset with clinical evidence of a measles infection and a positive laboratory test, and that is not due to unrelated causes, such as a car accident. The coroner's office said that “all deaths are considered measles associated with clinically relevant symptoms within the last 30 days prior to death.” This is the only death that fits the criteria on record in the county, the coroner's office said.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has included two deaths in its national measles tally. The website does not say where the deaths occurred, but Pennsylvania is the only state to have reported fatalities this year. After the state announced its first two deaths, the CDC excluded them from the tally, a decision that came from the agency's new director, Erica Schwartz. Former officials called the move highly unusual and said it departs from the agency's typical practices.

"We are saddened to learn of this death in Pennsylvania," Grace Davis Jamison, a spokeswoman for the Department of Health and Human Services, wrote in a statement. “The CDC remains committed to supporting the state as it responds to the ongoing measles outbreak,” and Kennedy and Schwartz “continue to recommend the MMR vaccine as the most effective way to prevent measles infection.”

Pacific hurricane season sets record

Measles has surged in the U.S. this year amid declining vaccination rates and the Trump administration's efforts to change federal vaccine policy. Over 4,000 measles cases have been reported this year, according to the CDC.

The symptoms of measles include a high fever, red and watery eyes, and a blotchy rash. Most people will recover, but the disease can cause pneumonia, brain swelling, deafness and intellectual disabilities. Fatalities are now rare: About 1 to 3 in every 1,000 children who become infected with measles die of respiratory and neurological complications, according to the CDC.

An unparalleled El Niño has fueled storm after storm this season

Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine are 97 percent effective against measles. Amid the outbreak, Pennsylvania health workers have deployed several strategies to boost vaccinations, including administering the shot at home and organizing pop-up clinics inside fire stations and places of worship.

BY BEN NOLL

A record for tropical storm and hurricane activity has just been set in the eastern and central Pacific Ocean.

A hurricane near Mexico's west coast, named Simon, cemented 2026's place in the record books as the busiest year on record for storm activity in these ocean regions. That's based on a measure of the cumulative duration of strong winds, surpassing the record set in 2018.

This level of activity has been described as “remarkable” by some meteorologists, and it highlights the power of the ongoing El Niño amid a wider ocean fever in the Pacific.

The western United States and Plains have felt the effects of several of these systems, either as a distant source of tropical moisture or as remnants sweeping across the region, raising the risk of flooding — a pattern expected to continue in the weeks ahead.

So far this season, the super-charged activity has fueled several hurricanes that have ravaged parts of Hawaii even as the close encounters sideswiped the islands.

The record comes on the heels of former Hurricane Rachel, whose remnants lashed the West on Sunday, with big waves crashing into homes in Long Beach, California, and numerous flash floods from San Diego to Las Vegas.

In Las Vegas, 1.08 inches of rain fell on Sunday — more than a quarter of its annual average — tying the daily record for October, according to the National Weather Service there. Some weather stations to the north and west of the city received 2 to 3 inches of rain, with several local reports of swift water rescues, including on the Las Vegas Strip.

Even Death Valley, the driest place in North America, received almost half an inch of rain at its visitor center. Annual average rainfall there is about two inch-

es.

That storm will continue to drive flood risks across Arizona, Nevada and Utah on Monday.

Meanwhile, Hurricane Simon will skirt Mexico's west coast early this week — and is expected to produce life-threatening flooding in several Mexican states, according to the National Hurricane Center, before some of its moisture becomes tangled in a wider disturbance tracking across the western United States.

That's expected to contribute to the potential for severe storms from Texas to Missouri starting Tuesday, with that risk continuing through Thursday. That risk includes cities such as Wichita and Kansas City, Missouri.

There's also a chance for flooding across that zone, particularly in western Texas and possibly New Mexico from Thursday into

Friday, when a more direct moisture surge from Simon is expected.

And the Pacific will continue to add to its record-breaking season. The National Hurricane Center is flagging a 90 percent chance for a new tropical storm west of Mexico over the next week.

Several long-range forecast models show this next storm following a similar path across Mexico into Texas and the Plains next week, potentially driving more severe weather and floods.

The relative calm of the Atlantic hurricane season was recently disrupted by Isaias — the basin's first and only hurricane this season, which made landfall near Destin, Florida, late Friday. The Atlantic will probably remain hurricane-free over the next week.

Supreme Court reshapes limits of religious rights in U.S.

SCOTUS FROM A1

Women pray outside the Supreme Court last year. Religious rights are on a roll at the Supreme Court, and next term could be momentous.

JABIN BOTSFORD/THE WASHINGTON POST

OLIVER CONTRERAS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

People demonstrate in Washington in 2025 in support of being able to opt children out of classes involving LGBTQ-related content.

WIN MCNAMEE/GETTY IMAGES

Former Bremerton High School assistant football coach Joe Kennedy after his case was heard in 2022.

zations, along with a slew of earlier decisions by the court led by John G. Roberts Jr., already have greatly expanded the presence of religion in public life.

The decisions have granted religious organizations exemptions from antidiscrimination and health care mandates. They have allowed public benefits to flow to religious schools. They have given parents the right to take their children out of school lessons that include books with LGBTQ+ themes.

The Supreme Court's 6-3 conservative majority could continue down that path this term, having already accepted three cases involving religious plaintiffs, with more expected.

One potential blockbuster involves a Catholic preschool in Colorado that has sued to join the state's universal prekindergarten program. Colorado requires participating schools to sign an agreement not to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation, among other factors.

The school, run by St. Mary Catholic Parish, says accepting the children of gay and transgender parents would interfere with its teaching that true marriage exists only between a man and a woman. The state argues that excluding these children is openly discriminatory. Arguments in the case are scheduled for November.

“What’s happened in the last 20 years is the court has treated the government’s arguments for restricting religion very skeptically,” said Thomas C. Berg, a law professor at the University of St. Thomas who supervises the school’s religious-liberty appellate clinic.

Berg, whose clinic typically files friend-of-the-court briefs in support of religious organizations, added that “it’s very easy to see St. Mary’s as the next case in this progression of protecting religious exercise.”

The court's shift on religion reflects profoundly different views of what the Constitution means when it says the government cannot prohibit the “free exercise” of religion.

The Supreme Court has long been skeptical of letting religious groups benefit from taxpayer-funded programs, for example, but the current justices are more likely to see excluding those groups as discriminatory. Although earlier courts worried that public displays of Christian faith by official figures could cow minority groups, the Roberts court has been loath to curtail them.

This term's cases may test whether the justices have reached their limit in welcoming religion into the public sphere.

The case involving the Ten Commandments, which the justices are widely expected to take up, confronts a 46-year-old Supreme Court precedent saying that posting the Ten Commandments in public-school classrooms violates the Constitution's promise of the separation of church and state. The high court in 2022 abandoned another five-decade-old precedent when it ruled in favor of a high school football coach who prayed after each game on the 50-yard line.

The court may also take up a case involving an Amish community that is seeking an exemption from New York's vaccine mandate for schoolchildren. During the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the justices ruled overwhelmingly for religious plaintiffs seeking carve-outs from health policies, though it has stopped short of exempting them from general vaccine mandates.

The Amish case could give the justices an opportunity to change that. Regardless, it is increasingly clear that expanding religious free-exercise rights has become one of the defining themes of the Roberts court.

In the five decades before Roberts became chief justice in 2005, the Supreme Court voted in favor of expanding religious rights about half the time, according to a data analysis conducted by Washington University in St. Louis political science professor Lee Epstein and Andrew D. Martin and Michael J. Nelson of Penn State.

Those rulings usually were in support of religious minorities, not mainstream Christian groups, according to Epstein's research.

By contrast, in the two decades of the Roberts court, decisions favoring the expansion of religious rights jumped to 86 percent.

During Roberts's first 15 years leading the court — when conservatives held a 5-4 majority — the court issued a “pro-religion” decision in 80 percent of the 15 cases it decided, the research shows. The proportion has only grown since 2020, when Justice Amy Coney Barrett, a religious conservative, replaced Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, cementing a 6-3 conservative majority.

In one case, the court overturned a Maine law that barred religious schools from participating in a tuition assistance program. In another decision, this one unanimous, the court found that the city of Philadelphia phia could not refuse to contract with a Catholic foster care organization that declined to place children with same-sex couples.

The only recent case where the court did not rule in favor of expanding religious rights came in 2025 — and it could have gone the other way, had all the justices participated. The court deadlocked 4-4 on whether Oklahoma could establish a religious charter school, after Barrett recused herself due to her close friendship with a professor who had advocated for the creation of the school.

The pro-religion bent of the Roberts court is largely driven by the court's conservative members, according to Epstein's research. From 2005 to 2019, the court's Republican appointees voted in favor of expanding religious rights 83 percent of the time, compared with Democratic appointees who cast such votes only 47 percent of the time.

In contrast to past courts, many of the favorable rulings by the Roberts court have come in support of mainstream Christian groups and plaintiffs, Epstein and Eric A. Posner, a University of Chicago Law School professor, wrote in a 2022 paper.

Epstein and other scholars have found that the Catholic justices are significantly more likely to vote in favor of religious groups than non-Catholic justices. Six of the nine justices are Catholic: Roberts, as well as Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Sonia Sotomayor, Brett M. Kavanaugh and Barrett. Justice Neil M. Gorsuch grew up Catholic and later became Episcopalian.

Only one of the justices belongs to a non-Christian minority. Justice Elena Kagan, who is Jewish, regularly dissents from the majority's opinions expanding the role of mainstream religion in public life. Sotomayor, a liberal justice whom Epstein's research found is less "devout" than other Catholics on the court, also regularly dissents from such decisions.

The court's rulings are “driven by this general desire to return free exercise to its glory of a general right to religious freedom,” said Zalman Rothschild, an assistant professor at the Cardozo School of Law in New York who has written extensively about religion and the law.

That means “that any time a law interferes with your religious beliefs, you presumptively have a free-exercise right against the government — and the government now has to show why it can’t cater to your religious convictions and practices,” Rothschild added. “If that’s the motive, then it’s not surprising that [the Supreme Court] is constantly siding with religion.”

Rachel Laser, president and CEO of Americans United for Separation of Church and State, put it more bluntly.

"The biggest concern is the way the court has turned religious freedom on its head," said Laser, whose organization is participating in the case challenging Texas's Ten Commandments law. It has "misused religious freedom as a way to allow people to impose their religion on others and undermine church-state separation, which is the true guard for religious freedom."

The court occasionally has ruled against religious plaintiffs in recent cases, but those did not squarely concern the free exercise of religion.

In June, for example, the high court ruled in an ideologically split decision that a Rastafarian man could not sue prison officials who forcibly shaved off his dreadlocks. But the decision focused on the technicality of whether an inmate could sue individual prison officials, as opposed to the prison itself.

Rick Garnett, a professor at Notre Dame law school, cautioned that not all the court's decisions in favor of religious groups have been strictly divided along ideological lines. Among the cases he cited was a unanimous decision in 2012 exempting a religious school from an employment discrimination lawsuit.

He also disputed the notion that the Roberts court has distorted the promise of religious freedom. Instead, it has undertaken “doctrinal repair” of cases that disfavored religious exercise, he said.

Citing the Ten Commandments case, he added, “It remains to be seen whether this doctrinal repair that I’m talking about is going to be extended into this realm of what’s happening in the public school classroom.”

DOGE alumni have leveraged their short government experience

DOGE FROM A1

Elon Musk ran DOGE with the goal of shrinking the federal government. Former staffers have parlayed their experience into relevant private-sector jobs or investments.

BLOOMBERG/GETTY IMAGES

JEENAH MOON/REUTERS

The actress Sydney Sweeney starred in an ad campaign for Novig, a sports prediction market company that hired an ex-DOGE member.

jobs or investments — becoming founders, securing CEO positions or senior executive roles, amassing large stakes in startups looking to win government contracts or approvals, or taking the skills developed at DOGE to the private sector. Though several of the businesses are only months old, with little public activity, at least six DOGE alumni have registered on Sam.gov, a government contracting portal examined by The Post.

The migration of former staffers from DOGE — short for the Department of Government Efficiency — into the private sector has prompted a burst of funding for their businesses. Start-ups founded by, or with key investment from, DOGE alumni have raised at least half a billion dollars in funding, according to an analysis of government data, investor research platforms and venture capital funding disclosures, paired with lists of confirmed DOGE members compiled by The Post, the New York Times and ProPublica. They have built a cottage industry of ambitious but largely untested businesses, often helmed by inexperienced founders, sometimes drawing initial valuations in the billions of dollars.

Despite DOGE's shaky track record on trimming the federal budget, the private sector has come to see experience with the group as a valuable commodity, said Jeff Hauser, executive director of the Revolving Door Project, a nonprofit-sponsored organization that advocates for government work to serve the public interest.

“They have enormous juice,” he said of ex-DOGE members, adding that they effectively combine two coveted power centers — Silicon Valley knowledge and government connections — leading to a dynamic where technologists with intimate, albeit limited knowledge of government functions and sometimes hyper-partisan viewpoints are in demand.

"The student has become the master," Hauser said.

The start-ups include a host of firms focused on cybersecurity and defense technology, as well as ventures dedicated to helping businesses across America deploy artificial intelligence tools. Among the largest is Cathedral, an AI-enabled cybersecurity firm, founded by Gavin Kliger and Luke Farritor. Valued by investors at \$1.4 billion, Cathedral aims to sell to both corporate America and government agencies, including the Pentagon, according to a person familiar with the business, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the firm has not made its operations public.

Kliger joined the Pentagon in 2025 and served as the Defense Department's chief data officer until April 2026, according to his LinkedIn. He began fundraising for Cathedral by May. A Pentagon instruction issued in 2020, during the first Trump administration, said senior employees are barred from seeking government contracts for up to two years after serving. But fundraising for start-ups intending to seek government work would probably fall into a gray area, Hauser said.

Cathedral declined to comment. The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment.

Farritor, who has since left the company but still owns shares and “remains close,” the person said, served in roles across the Energy Department, the Health and Human Services Department and the General Services Administration during DOGE’s initial six-month blitz.

The co-founders of Special, a start-up that aims to “transform critical American industries” through AI, said in a company announcement that its founders were “motivated to extend the ethos of our work at DOGE back into the private sector.”

The revolving door that rewards public service with private-sector windfalls is a long-running and oft-criticized facet of federal work. An entire industry of executives, advisers and K Street lobbyists has leveraged experience in government for profit.

But those former officials often bring deep subject-matter experience and long track records, far exceeding the months-long government tenures allowed for the many DOGE members serving as special government employees.

While DOGE faced widespread public disapproval and fell far short of Musk's promised \$2 trillion in cuts, alumni have pitched their government experience as an asset to investors, said four people familiar with the pitches from Cathedral and Special, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations.

Horowitz and Sequoia's Shaun Maguire, are allies of President Donald Trump who helped advise DOGE.

“I believe DOGE will be looked back upon as a generationally important program, and the Cathedral founders were some of its most talented builders,” Maguire said in a text message. Andreessen Horowitz, which has also invested in Special, declined to comment.

Special — founded by former DOGE members Nate Cavanaugh and Justin Fox — has drawn investment from at least seven former DOGE staffers or associates, according to a post from Andreessen Horowitz.

One of its investors, Banner VC, was founded by former DOGE members Adam Ramada and Brooks Morgan. The venture capital firm has raised nearly \$300 million to date, according to Crunchbase.

Representatives of Banner VC did not respond to requests for comment.

Blitz Industries, founded by former DOGE member Ethan Shaotran, is registered to bid for government contract awards on Sam.gov. A LinkedIn page for Shaotran says he is “Rapidly hiring!”

While some firms now helmed by DOGE alumni have existed for years, a Post analysis of investor-focused sites, including Crunchbase and Pitchbook, and fundraising data, including Crunchbase's Heat Score, found that the companies began attracting more investment interest after their leaders' time in DOGE, leaving them flush with

capital.

After former DOGE member Stephen Ehikian was appointed CEO in September 2025 of C3 AI, an AI software company targeted to federal and private customers, its stock increased by about 20 percent in the following weeks. In December, the company announced that the Department of Health and Human Services had selected C3 to power AI enterprise software, in what Ehikian called in a news release “a major step toward a modern, AI-ready architecture for national health data.”

C3 did not respond to a request for comment.

Others were able to pivot their careers post-DOGE, taking on high-level roles in areas where they had little experience.

After Tyler Hassen, a former DOGE staffer appointed to the Department of Interior, was named CEO of a cleaning supply company in June, the business announced a shift to focus on providing infrastructure and permitting for data center buildouts. It soon unveiled a new name, Zone Frontier, and announced a \$100 million public offering. Alex Spiro, who has served as Musk's attorney, was appointed as the chairman of its board of directors.

Hassen, a former oil executive without tech experience before joining DOGE, said in an earlier interview with The Post that he was inspired by his time working with AI in the government to bring that experience to the private sector.

Some DOGE alumni have found themselves working in spaces dependent on government approvals. Unlike other DOGE members, Elie Mishory joined the cost-cutting group with prior government experience, including nearly two years in senior roles at the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission, according to his LinkedIn profile. In June, Mishory took a job as chief regulatory and legal affairs officer for Novig, a sports prediction market company backed by start-up incubator Y Combinator and venture capital firm Lux Capital, which is also a Cathedral investor.

Novig's regulatory approval from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission was touted in an August news release as “among the fastest in CFTC history.” In the release, Mishory said the certification was “approved in record time.”

Novig did not respond to a re-

quest for comment.

For some investors, however, the DOGE connection carries a potential downside: It could draw scrutiny if Democrats regain control of Congress, according to two of the people familiar with DOGE investment pitches.

Investors have advised some of the founders to prepare for a potential midterm sweep by seeking to avoid the appearance of impropriety or hyper-partisanship, according to the two people.

Special did not respond to a request for comment.

A former senior government ethics official said the large investment garnered by ex-DOGE members exceeds any example of trading on government experience he's previously seen. Before the second Trump administration, many DOGE members were relative unknowns in Silicon Valley and unlikely to draw major investment.

"It has the appearance that they found a new way to monetize government service that is far beyond anything lobbyists ever dreamed of," said Norm Eisen, who served as a White House ethics lawyer during the Obama administration and chairs a group that has filed numerous lawsuits challenging DOGE and its authority.

Some investors view the founders' time working in the tight-knit, pressurized environment of DOGE as an asset, according to one of the people, who compared it to undergoing training in efficiency.

It's “less about what they got done in the time they had” than the mindset they developed from being part of DOGE, the person said: Looking deeply into government, “what did they see about what could be built or fixed?”

As former DOGE officials have moved into the private sector, they have formed an increasingly interconnected business network, investing in and working with one another. Two of Cathedral's board members, venture capitalists Marc Andreessen of Andreessen

A new cybersecurity start-up, Cathedral, hopes to sell its services to the Pentagon.

CHARLES DHARAPAK/AP

“Everything has been done fairly, cleanly, openly, transparently and assuming that anyone could be the poster child ... for congressional ethics targets,” said one of the people.

Hauser, of the Revolving Door Project, said government ethics rules were designed around long-tenured employees, without anticipating the outcomes of the temporary work arrangements afforded to many in DOGE. Though short, these stints allowed them to learn intimate details about the agencies in which they served.

“Washington is kind of vulnerable to this because a lot of our ethics laws were built in the 1970s [and] haven’t been updated since,” Hauser said. “There’s going to need to be a serial reconsideration of ethics laws.”

THE WORLD

Long before Columbus, Erikson reached the Americas

Statue of Leif Erikson (970-1020) an Icelandic explorer overshadowed by Christopher Columbus.

UNIVERSAL HISTORY ARCHIVE/UNIVERSAL IMAGES GROUP/GETTY IMAGES

HERITAGE IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES

"Leiv Eiriksson Discovering America," by the Norwegian artist Christian Krohg, from the National Museum of Art in Oslo.

BY MATTHEW HAY BROWN

For the explorers from ice-covered Greenland, it must have seemed a paradise. A genuinely green land of lush meadows irrigated by free-flowing rivers. Whales and caribou to hunt, nesting birds and wild salmon to catch, grapes and wheat to gather. A warmer climate, with more daylight and milder winters.

These Norsemen and women, led by the Viking Leif Erikson, built a year-round outpost believed to be a station for ship repair and staging ground for voyages farther south. They fought and traded with Indigenous peoples. At least one woman gave birth.

They named it Vinland.

Today, it's called Newfoundland, in Atlantic Canada. The Norse arrived in the year 1000, give or take a decade — half a millennium before a certain other European explorer first landed in the Bahamas.

So why, on Monday, does the United States observe Columbus Day?

---

'Columbus had better PR'

Christopher Columbus never set foot on the North American continent. It wasn't until after his death that Juan Ponce de León became the first European to reach what is now the United States.

“Columbus had better PR,” says John Steinberg, an archeologist at the University of Massachusetts Boston.

Much of what's understood about the Norse presence in North America comes from the Vinland Sagas, a pair of 13th-century Icelandic works of genealogy, stories and navigational data that was uncorroborated until the discovery of Norse artifacts in Newfoundland in the 1960s.

Christopher Columbus's voyage to the Americas in 1492, by contrast, was detailed by the contemporary writer Bartolomé de las Casas, a lawyer and Dominican friar working in part from Columbus's own logs.

"The Vinland Sagas are stories told around a campfire," Steinberg says. "We have legends and archeology but no real history. ... With Columbus, someone writes the story from his point of view."

---

An Italian American heritage day

The Genoan navigator also benefited from a strong Italian American lobby, during a period when Italian immigrants to the United States were subjected to sometimes violent discrimination.

Columbus Day is first known to have been celebrated in New York on Oct. 12, 1792, the 300th anniversary of his landfall. The first distinctly Italian American observance came in 1866.

In 1891, a mob in New Orleans lynched 11 Italian immigrants. Italy severed diplomatic relations with the United States. The following year, President Benjamin Harrison proclaimed Oct. 12 a national holiday. Lobbying by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic fraternal order, and prominent Italian Americans eventually led to its proclamation as a federal holiday in 1937 by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.

In reaching the Americas, Columbus and those who followed him brought slavery, disease and death to the native population, and academics and activists in recent years have called for an end to the holiday.

In 1989, as the 500th anniversary of his first voyage approached, South Dakota, home to nine federally recognized tribes, replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples Day.

More than a dozen states and the District of Columbia have followed suit. Joe Biden in 2021 became the first president to proclaim Indigenous Peoples' Day, alongside Columbus Day.

President Donald Trump, whose administration has pushed to scrub federal institutions of what it calls “corrosive ideology” — including policies or programs recognizing historical oppression and racism — last year signed a presidential proclamation to recognize Columbus as “the original American hero.”

Trump last year proclaimed that he was “bringing Columbus Day back from the ashes,” though many places had never stopped celebrating it.

Corroborating the sagas

For centuries, the Norse claim to have reached Americas rested on the Saga of the Greenlanders and the Saga of Erik the Red, sometimes contradictory works written some 250 years after the events they depict.

As history, the sagas can be problematic. Alongside plausible descriptions of Viking life on land and at sea, they recount, for example, the time that the recently deceased Thorstein Erikson sits up to speak to his widow. Also the mortal wounding of Thorvald Erikson by a one-legged creature, and the natives who elude Norse capture by vanishing. (Leif, Thorstein and Thorvald were all sons of the explorer Erik the Red.)

But as navigational guides, historian Eleanor Barraclough says, the sagas are remarkably helpful.

“Part of it is the stuff you need to know to survive out in the world, which is directions and how to get across seas,” says Barraclough, author of “Beyond the Northlands: Viking Voyages and the Old Norse Sagas.” “And so that material is really quite neatly mapped.”

It was the sagas that pointed the Norwegian husband-and-wife team of explorer Helge Ingstad and archaeologist Anne Stine Ingstad to L'Anse aux Meadows on the northern shore of Newfoundland, where in 1960 they discovered traces of a Norse settlement — the first evidence of European contact with the Americas before Columbus.

Found at the site were the remnants of eight sod-and-wood structures — three longhouses that could have housed scores of people, an iron forge and several workshops — identical to those the Vikings built in Iceland and Greenland, and artifacts including bone needles, iron nails, ship rivets and a bronze ring-headed cloak pin.

Researchers using carbon dating estimated the outpost to have been in use at some point between 990 and 1050. In 2021, scientists at the University of Groningen in the Netherlands used a new method — counting tree rings from the radiocarbon signature left by a solar disturbance known to have occurred in 993 — to date three pieces of wood hewn there to 1021.

L'Anse aux Meadows is now a Canadian National Historic Site with artifacts, replica buildings and historical interpreters, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

---

What were Vikings doing in Newfoundland?

We don't know, precisely, but we can theorize. The Norse were known to have ranged as far south as the Mediterranean and as far east as Kievan Rus', present-day Russia. To build ships, they needed lumber, a commodity scarce in Iceland and Greenland.

According to the Saga of the Greenlanders, the Icelandic merchant Bjarni Herjólfsson, blown off course while attempting to reach Erik the Red's settlement in Greenland, was the first Norseman to sight Vinland. Leif Erikson, intrigued by Herjólfsson's stories of a forested land, bought his ship and attempted to retrace his steps.

With a crew of 35, he found territory he called Helluland (Land of Flat Stones), believed to be present-day Baffin Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavut; Markland (Land of Forest), believed to be Labrador; and Vinland (Land of Wine).

The outpost at L'Anse aux Meadows might have been one in a network of sites used by the Norse throughout the year, as in Greenland and Iceland. "They would have summer dairy stations, fishing stations," Steinberg says.

The relatively modest accommodations, lack of burial sites and comparatively shallow midden pile — waste dump — all suggest that it was not intended as a permanent settlement.

"It's an outpost," Barraclough says. "They're using that place as a sort of springboard so they can spend their winters mending ships and then they can keep going further inland."

Among the most compelling finds at the site are butternut shells. Butternut trees don't grow naturally in Newfoundland. Their presence suggests that the Norse ventured farther south, perhaps to the Saint Lawrence River Valley or New Brunswick, or at least traded with people who did.

According to the sagas, the Norse had both friendly and violent encounters with Indigenous peoples.

A notable figure in the sagas is Gudrid Thorbjarnardóttir, the widow of Thorstein Erikson. She is said to have remarried and given birth to a son, Snorri, believed to be the first child of European descent born on the North American mainland; attempted a conversation with an Indigenous woman; and, after converting to Christianity, made a pilgrimage to Rome.

It's unclear how long the Norse remained in contact with Vinland. Scientists conjecture sporadic visits over decades. Barraclough notes a 14th-century report of a ship blown off course from Markland — Labrador — turning up in Iceland.

“And so even in the 1300s,” she says, “it seems quite plausible that there are at least foraging expeditions, because Greenland doesn’t have an awful lot of wood, and the Norse really do need wood for the type of lifestyle that they’re trying to keep going.”

---

The campaign for Leif Erikson Day

As 19th-century Italian Americans began lobbying for Columbus Day, so Scandinavians sought recognition for Leif Erickson Day. The movement was fueled by the 1874 publication of “America Not Discovered by Columbus” by Rasmus B. Anderson, a professor of Scandinavian studies at the University of Wisconsin and later a U.S. ambassador to Denmark.

Though overbroad in its claims — Anderson writes of Leif Erikson's travel to present-day New England, for which no evidence has been found — the work helped to popularize the idea of the Norse “discovery” of the Americas. In 1925, President Calvin Coolidge, speaking to a group of Norwegian Americans on the 100th anniversary of the arrival of Norwegian immigrants in New York Harbor, called Erikson the discoverer of America.

Soon, Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Canadian province of Saskatchewan, all home to substantial Scandinavian American populations, declared Leif Erikson days. President Lyndon Johnson followed with a national holiday in 1964, proclaimed by every president since. It's celebrated today principally in the Upper Midwest.

As it was on Friday. It falls each Oct. 9 — not a date from Erikson's life, but the anniversary of the arrival of those 1825 immigrants. And, conveniently, a few days before that other explorer's day.

SUDAN

---

Conflict, drought are worsening food crisis

Conflict and drought are worsening food insecurity across parts of Sudan's Darfur and Kordofan regions, a global food crisis monitor warned Monday.

There is a “deteriorating humanitarian situation” across greater Darfur and Kordofan, including areas identified as at risk of famine, as well as other locations, according to the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, or IPC.

Severe drought linked to El Niño is affecting more than half of Sudan, causing localized crop failures and depriving households of food and income, it said.

In May, nearly 19.5 million people — more than 40 percent of the population — were facing high levels of acute food insecurity, according to an IPC assessment. Of those, 135,000 were in Phase 5, the most severe classification, characterized by

extreme food shortages, starvation, very high levels of malnutrition and deaths from disease or acute malnutrition.

Sudan's war erupted in April 2023 when tensions between the military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, escalated into open fighting in the capital, Khartoum, before spreading across the country. The conflict has killed at least 150,000 people, according to conflict monitor ACLED, though aid groups say the true toll is likely to be higher.

The war has also displaced about 13 million people and pushed parts of the country into famine.

Farmers' livelihoods have also changed as they're now relying more on markets and assistance, said the IPC, which further warned that without a quick significant increase in assistance, "food insecurity, acute malnutrition, and excess mortality will likely intensify."

Poor vegetation growth affects 64 percent of croplands in North Darfur and about half in South Darfur, West Kordofan and South Kordofan, where severe water deficits and limited opportunity for agricultural recovery threaten livelihoods.

\- Associated Press

---

PAKISTAN Provincial government accused of Taliban ties

Pakistan's federal government on Monday accused the provincial administration led by imprisoned former Prime Minister Imran Khan's party of working "hand in glove" with the Pakistani Taliban, citing the alleged collusion to justify its suspension a day earlier.

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said the government had “solid evidence” to support its allegations.

He said the suspension and imposition of a state of emergency in northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province will allow security forces and the new administration to better coordinate efforts to combat

DIGEST

terrorism.

Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said the provincial government had been suspended for at least six months but gave no timetable for lifting the emergency. Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, the province's top elected official, was in government custody after being removed from his position.

The information minister accused Afridi of facilitating the Pakistani Taliban, who are suspected of being behind a surge in violence in recent years. Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP, is a separate group but a close ally of the Afghan Taliban, who returned to power in Afghanistan in 2021.

\- Associated Press

---

FRANCE Principal, teacher are hurt in school shooting

French police detained a 14-year-old suspected of opening fire Monday on his middle school principal and a teacher

with a shotgun that he hid in a guitar case, wounding both in a rare school shooting, prosecutors said.

A staff member at the Joseph Lakanal middle school in Aubagne, east of Marseille, disarmed the boy after he fired multiple shots while roaming on two floors of the school, prosecutors said. Police then took him into custody. Aubagne is about nine miles east of the Mediterranean port city of Marseille. Gun violence perpetrated by pupils in schools is rare in France.

Marseille prosecutor Nicolas Bessone said in a statement that the pupil fired once or twice on the first floor, wounding the principal and the teacher in the legs. They were hit with pellets used in 12-gauge shotguns, according to Marseille deputy prosecutor Audrey Jouaneton and police. They were transported to a hospital with injuries that weren't life-threatening.

— Associated Press

British comedian and actor Russell Brand appeared in a

London court Monday for the start of his trial on rape and sexual assault charges. The hearing at Southwark Crown Court was adjourned until Tuesday after a morning of jury selection. The prosecution is due to open its case later in the week. Brand, 51, has pleaded not guilty to three counts of rape, three counts of sexual assault and one count of indecent assault. The charges involve six women and alleged offenses between 1999 and 2009.

North Korea on Monday fired multiple ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters, South Korea's military said, adding to a recent streak of weapons demonstrations that has heightened tensions during a prolonged freeze in diplomacy. Jang Do-young, spokesperson for South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff, said missiles of various types were fired from an area around the North Korean capital of Pyongyang. Jang said one of the missiles flew more than 550 miles before falling into the sea.

— From news services

U.K. prime minister: Russians meddled in Brexit vote

Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he requested a briefing on interference in the Brexit vote as soon as he took office in July.

CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/GETTY IMAGES

Burnham's accusation infuriates supporters of the divisive referendum

BY STEVE HENDRIX

LONDON — Prime Minister Andy Burnham sparked fury in Britain on Monday with his assertion that Russia had sought to interfere in the 2016 Brexit vote that took the country out of the European Union, breaking with previous premiers who said there was no evidence Moscow had meddled.

Burnham made the remarks on “The Rest Is Politics,” a popular British podcast released overnight, saying he wanted to highlight the danger of Russian misinformation as European countries prepare for elections at a time of hyperpolarization.

Burnham said he requested a briefing on Brexit interference as soon as he took office in July, believing the passage of time did not diminish the importance of the issue.

“I asked the question coming to Downing Street: Was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? And I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was,” Burnham said. “I mean, these things are important now to put clearly on the record and, I believe, help voters in Germany and France understand that some of this politics is instigated via our enemies, namely Russia."

His remarks infuriated Brexit supporters, who accused him of resurfacing the issue to cast doubt on the results of a referendum that has divided the British for 10 years. Nigel Farage, a key architect of the Brexit vote and leader of the anti-immigration Reform party, said Burnham was making it up.

"The prime minister is a liar, yes, a liar," Farage said at a news conference Monday. "There was no Russian interference. The Russian hoax has run all the way through this."

Conservative shadow minister Katie Lam told the BBC that Burnham “risks sowing doubt about the result of a professionally run, independently monitored democratic vote.”

Officials scrambled to clarify that Burnham's remarks did not mean the government rejected the outcome of the referendum, in which Britons voted 52 percent to 48 percent to leave the E.U.

“Yes, we believe the referendum result was legitimate,” a spokesperson for Burnham’s office told reporters after being pressed several times. “The PM absolutely accepts the referendum result.”

Burnham said he stands by the importance of acknowledging Moscow's efforts to spread misinformation in the Brexit vote and in subsequent elections.

"I think we've been too much on the back foot on that, actually," he said, "and we haven't informed people sufficiently about the extent to which people are seeking to disrupt the political process from overseas."

Conservative leaders have consistently dismissed the idea of Russian meddling in the referendum. Asked in 2017 whether he had seen evidence of successful Russian interference, then-Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson replied: “Nyet, not a sausage.”

In 2020, after members of a parliamentary committee said the government had avoided looking for it, Johnson, who was prime minister at the time, rejected the committee's call for an assessment, saying the government had “seen no evidence of successful interference.”

After Burnham's comments this week, Johnson again doubled down.

"As soon as I became foreign secretary I asked the security services the same question and they replied that there was no evidence of any successful interference in the 2016 referendum, by Russia or any other power," Johnson said in a post Monday on X.

Burnham resurfaced the question as he seeks to steer the United Kingdom back toward Europe more forcefully than any leader since the referendum.

In his first party conference speech as Labour leader, he said last month that Brexit had done “more harm than good” and promised to lay out options for the country’s long-term relationship with the E.U., including a customs union and single-market membership.

His government is preparing for a U.K.-E.U. summit in Brussels in November, at which the sides hope to complete deals on food standards, a youth mobility program and linking their carbon-trading markets. Burnham has stopped short of proposing to rejoin the bloc, though he has said he hopes to see Britain back in the E.U. in his lifetime.

But Burnham said he spoke out now to warn other European democracies facing a surge from the populist right. He said he discussed Russian influence with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Berlin last week, as Merz contends with regional election gains by the far-right Alternative for Germany.

Russia has denied any attempt to interfere in Brexit or other democratic elections.

Tim Bale, a professor of politics at Queen Mary University of London, said Burnham may be calculating that disenchantment with Britain's anemic post-Brexit economy could make revisiting the vote a political winner and build support for closer ties to the continent.

And goading the unpopular Farage could be “the icing on the cake,” Bale said.

But the move is not without risks in a country that has grown exhausted with a decade of Brexit debates.

"It's one thing to delegitimize Brexit by bringing up the role played in it by a country that most Brits despise and distrust," Bale said. "It's quite another to be seen to be trying to relitigate what most Brits, however they feel about the merits of the decision taken in 2016, still regard as a broadly fair expression of how the country was feeling 10 years ago."

U.S. and NATO commander vows to thwart Moscow, but also warns Kyiv

Gen. Alex Grynkewich, commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Europe, delivers a speech at the Warsaw Security Forum on Monday.

OMAR MARQUES/GETTY IMAGES

Mixed signals expose a split in Trump's approach to Russia

BY ELLEN FRANCIS,

GREG MILLER

AND FRANCESCA EBEL

BRUSSELS — The top U.S. and NATO military commander in Europe vowed wide-scale measures to thwart any Russian attack on the continent, in an address Monday meant to signal reassurance to Europe and strength to Moscow.

At the same time, he and other U.S. officials have delivered a different kind of message behind the scenes, warning Ukraine to stop attacking Russian refineries or risk getting cut off from critical U.S. weapons and intelligence.

The mixed signals expose a deep split in the U.S. approach to Russia, with President Donald Trump seeking election-season help from Moscow in lowering energy prices even as U.S. military officials cast Russia as a growing threat to Europe.

Gen. Alex Grynckewich, the commander of U.S. and NATO forces in Europe, was among the U.S. officials to convey an ask from Washington for Ukraine to hold off on attacking Russian oil refineries, according to a Ukrainian security adviser and a Western official familiar with the matter, both of whom spoke on the condition of anonymity to share sensitive information.

They said Kyiv saw the messages from U.S. officials, accompanied with reminders that Washington supplies key weaponry and intelligence, as a threat.

“Support to Ukraine through PURL continues to flow,” NATO said in a statement in response to a request for comment from Grynkewich. PURL refers to the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List, a U.S.-NATO procurement mechanism.

Ukraine's strategy of destroying Russian energy infrastructure has sparked the worst fuel crisis in Russia since the Soviet

Union's collapse. The requests from Washington highlight the increasing overlap of two grinding wars, in Iran and in Ukraine, as the fallout from one appears to sway the U.S. position in another.

A few months ago, at a NATO summit in July, Trump hailed Ukraine's strikes on Russia, describing them as “an escalation that can help lead to an end” of the war. But gasoline and diesel prices have since soared, driven by military strikes that are damaging energy infrastructure, including by the United States and Iran in the Middle East, and by Ukraine and Russia in their war.

With less than a month until the midterm elections, the

Trump administration is trying to bring down prices. On Friday, Trump said he had spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who agreed to release 300,000 tons of diesel fuel this month to U.S. and global markets, with more to follow.

The deal, along with the temporary easing of U.S. sanctions on Russian diesel, provoked consternation in Ukraine and its European allies, which have increasingly accused Russia of staging plots to test NATO's resolve.

Seeking to reassure a jittery Europe and warn Moscow, Grynkewich on Monday outlined a strategy to confront any assault in the alliance's east with firepower, precision munitions, autonomous systems and drones — citing examples from the battlefield in Ukraine.

“We will ensure any attack against any ally proves utterly futile,” he said.

Grynkewich said at a security conference in Warsaw that he did not believe a conflict with NATO is “imminent or inevitable” but that the alliance’s forces will be ready for one. “Let there be no doubt, should war come, we will block and blunt any attack, and then if it does not cease, we will break the forces conducting aggression against us,” he said.

Grynkewich praised Ukraine's capabilities in fending off Russian forces, "despite the differences in manpower." And he called on European nations to give more funds to PURL.

Grynkewich's message to Europe and his private message to Ukraine follow Trump's urging to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to halt attacks on Russian energy sites.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump announced an “energy ceasefire” between Russia and Ukraine, of which neither side appeared aware. He said it was “effective immediately.” Zelensky said Monday that he was ready to sign an “energy ceasefire” but would respond to Russia if it continued to attack Ukrainian power grids.

The Ukrainian security adviser said Kyiv had interpreted requests from U.S. officials as a warning that Washington “could cut intel and everything going under PURL if you don’t stop.”

"The Americans are saying that they are not threatening, just saying that we are partners in this, and we should help them by stopping our attacks on the refineries," the adviser said. "Maybe it's this administration's way to threaten, maybe it's just how we read it. ... I hope the temperature in the room goes down."

While European governments have become Ukraine's chief financial and military backers, the U.S. has continued to deliver some of its weapons through the PURL program, with the Europeans footing the bill.

Over the weekend, Trump lambasted Zelensky and said he should be replaced, after the Ukrainian leader described the diesel arrangement with Russia as “a weak decision.”

Zelensky responded, saying it was up to the Ukrainian people to decide on their president. He said the U.S. was trying to shift blame for rising prices away from its standoff with Iran and disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor for global oil supplies.

Asked why Trump blames Kyiv for stalled Russia-Ukraine peace efforts, Zelensky told ABC News: "because it's more simple to speak about the prices and connect it with Ukraine when everybody in the world understands ... prices are rising ... because of the war in Middle East."

Rising energy prices have squeezed U.S. farmers and truckers — industries that are key to Republican support — ahead of the November elections.

Kremlin special envoy Kirill Dmitriev celebrated on social media a win for “diesel diplomacy” after Trump’s announcement on Friday. The deal, Dmitriev wrote, “showcases the power of economic cooperation between Russia and the US and its benefits to people and the world.”

Miller reported from London and Ebel from Kyiv. Beatriz Ríos in Brussels and Catherine Belton in London contributed to this report.

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VANTOR

Damage to ELOU-AVT, shorthand for an Electric Desalting and Atmospheric-Vacuum Distillation Unit, units at various Russian refineries. Kyiv is targeting critical components that are hard to repair.

Ukraine is targeting vital parts in Russia's oil refineries

DRONE STRIKES FROM A1

Ukrainian Strikes on Russian Oil Refineries

© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap

Source: The Washington Post

---

“We aim at the most important parts of the oil refinery. We don’t need to hit the entire plant. We know where to hit so that it stops and does not recover.”

A Ukrainian drone battalion commander, in an interview with The Post

Of 54 strikes analyzed by The Post and reviewed by the experts, more than half appear to have damaged the desalting and distillation units, the examination found. More than one-third of the 54 appear to have hit nearby secondary processing units, which further refine the distilled materials into more valuable products like gasoline, jet fuel and liquefied petroleum gas.

“We aim at the most important parts of the oil refinery,” a Ukrainian drone battalion commander said in an interview with The Post. “We don’t need to hit the entire plant. We know where to hit so that it stops and does not recover.” He spoke on the condition that he be identified only by his call sign, Tango, in keeping with military rules.

The day after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, the European Union banned the export of atmospheric-vacuum distillation and secondary processing equipment to Russia as part of a sweeping sanctions package. The United States followed days later and restricted export licenses for the same components, effectively banning their sale to Russia.

Those sanctions make it difficult for Moscow to obtain the parts necessary to repair units struck by Ukraine, said Alexander Kolyandr, the Europe director at the Eurasia Group and an expert on the Russian economy. "I don't think that anything that's been hit cannot be mended, the problem is the frequency of attacks is shorter than the time needed for repair," he said.

Even if the units are repaired, repeated strikes stress the metal structures and render them more likely to fail catastrophically, said Sergey Vakulenko, a senior fellow at the Carnegie Russia Eurasia Center.

President Donald Trump has in recent weeks repeatedly expressed alarm about Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries, claiming that rising global diesel prices have been “mostly caused by the Russia/Ukraine War” rather than the war in Iran. On Friday, he announced that the U.S. would ease restrictions on the importation of Russian diesel fuel, effectively aligning Washington with Moscow and against Ukraine and its bombing of Russian energy infrastructure.

On Saturday, Trump lit into

Zelensky for refusing to stop attacking Russian refineries. “He’d better damn well stop,” Trump told reporters. “It’s time for Ukraine to get a new president.”

Russian President Vladimir Putin acknowledged in an October public appearance that Ukraine had targeted Russian oil refineries in an attempt to damage the economy. "Did they achieve their goal? Partially, because, by our estimates, we lost about 1 percent of GDP," Putin said.

He has pledged to improve the country's air defenses, and his administration issued a decree allowing the state to take over privately owned critical infrastructure, including refineries, if owners can't protect such properties or refuse to repair them. For the first time, the government has also begun to allow private companies to purchase and install their own air defenses.

The Financial Times previously reported on elements of Ukraine's targeting of critical, hard-to-replace refinery components.

Mass Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries began in earnest in August last year, according to data compiled by Tochnyi, an independent Ukrainian open source research group. The pace of strikes dropped over the winter months, as Ukraine and Russia met for multiple rounds of negotiations, then accelerated in April before reaching a new high this August, according to Tochnyi's data.

Tango, the drone commander, said that while the Ukrainian military has targeted critical components at refineries since last year, it has found more success over time as “the intensity of the strikes has increased.” Tango serves in Ukraine’s 1st Separate Center of Unmanned Systems, which specializes in deep-strike operations — the long-range Ukrainian strikes targeting energy and military industry facilities deep inside Russia.

By the end of August this year, half of Russia's total refining capacity had been knocked offline, more than twice the amount that was offline in late 2025, according to S&P Global Energy. As of early August, the volume of refined exports had fallen to half the volume at the same time in 2025, according to S&P.

Ukraine's campaign has been aided by its growing ability to produce massive numbers of cheap drones and drone parts, which has enabled the military to deploy larger waves of drones in attacks, experts said.

One person involved in the deep-strike drone campaign, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he did not have permission to discuss sensitive security matters, said that since last year Ukrainian forces have doubled the number of drones and decoys in each wave. Decoys, which carry no explosives, help confuse Russian air defenses and force them to waste ammunition.

"The ratio of success of drones is based on the decoys," the person said. "If you don't do this you will just lose quite expensive systems." The person declined to comment on whether Ukraine is specifically targeting desalting and distillation units but said Ukrainian forces were generally targeting hard-to-repair parts of

SEE DRONE STRIKES ON A15

DRONE STRIKES FROM A14

refineries.

András Rácz, a senior fellow at the German Council on Foreign Relations who has conducted research on drone operations in Ukraine, said that even if only 2 to 3 percent of the drones reach their target — a number he called “realistic” — they will inflict significant damage.

"The strike packages are just too large to defend," he said.

The Ukrainian campaign has turned Russia's size, historically one of its great strategic advantages, into a liability. Russian air defenses are spread thin, making it impossible for them to defend every refinery all the time, experts said.

Intelligence assistance from Western allies has helped Ukraine exploit gaps in Russia's air defenses, according to experts and Tango, the drone commander. U.S. intelligence about the specific locations of Russian air defense systems and radars has been crucial in allowing planners to map routes that evade detection, according to a European security official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not allowed to discuss sensitive security issues. Such U.S. assistance has been previously reported.

The White House did not re-

spond to a request for comment.

Ukraine is also able to mount attacks deep inside Russia by at times using high-altitude balloons to float drones before they deploy. This allows the drones to carry less fuel and more explosives, according to the European official and Deborah Fairlamb, founding partner of Green Flag Ventures, an American venture capital firm that invests in Ukrainian defense technology including drones. Artificial intelligence has helped improve Ukraine's targeting, Fairlamb and Tango said.

In addition to targeting refineries, scores of other Ukrainian strikes this year have damaged fuel storage tanks and pumping and pipeline infrastructure across the country, making the transportation of fuel more difficult even as it becomes more limited, said Christina Harward, Russia deputy team lead at the Institute for the Study of War.

A veteran pays his respects at a makeshift memorial to Ukrainian soldiers killed in the war with Russia, on Independence Square in Kyiv, Ukraine, on Monday.

EFREM LUKATSKY/AP

Methodology

Mary Ilyushina contributed to this report.

For this investigation, The Post gathered information about strikes on refineries from three sources: Tochnyi, the independent Ukrainian open-source investigative group; the Institute for the Study of War, a U.S. think tank; and DeepStrike.

live, an anonymous open-source collective.

Reporters independently used media reports and social media posts to collect additional information about the strikes, then cross-checked that information with the databases provided by the outside groups. They also searched for videos and photos of each strike and high-resolution satellite imagery to confirm damage.

An expert in geospatial analysis reviewed the imagery at our request and confirmed that damage was evident in 57 strikes between April 1 and Aug. 31. We asked three experts with experience in refineries and petroleum engineering to review the imagery to determine

which parts of the refineries were struck. We eliminated three strikes from our analysis because of disagreement among the experts about which component was damaged. Shadows, condensation, complicated equipment and accumulated soot at refineries can make satellite imagery hard to read. In addition, refinery components are

custom-configured according to the needs of each location, contributing to the difficulty of distinguishing one type of unit from another. Of the remaining 54 strikes, 22 appeared to damage only desalting and distillation units, 14 appeared to damage only secondary processing units and six appeared to damage both types of units.

Trump's diesel import deal with Russia faces stiff bipartisan pushback

Seven senators say pact violates ban on energy imports from nation

BY RILEY BEGGIN

Amid strong bipartisan pushback to an agreement to import Russian oil, President Donald Trump defended the deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"The European Union paid Russia 250 Billion Dollars for Energy, and the Fake News Media doesn't want to get near that story. I made the right choice for the American People," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Monday morning.

Some lawmakers have been publicly pushing back on Trump's announcement that Russian President Vladimir Putin had agreed to supply diesel fuel to the global marketplace, an effort to bring down diesel prices.

Seven senators on the Foreign Relations Committee, four Republicans and three Democrats, released a statement arguing that the agreement violates a 2022 law that bans Russian energy imports “to prevent American dollars from financing Putin’s brutal war against Ukraine,” which began in February that year.

“President Trump’s decision to allow Russian diesel imports to the U.S. runs directly counter to that law,” they said. “The United States should not provide Putin with a financial lifeline while Russia continues to kill Ukrainian civilians. The Administration must immediately reverse course."

Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kansas) agreed on Monday that the U.S. "should be tightening sanctions further, not undercutting them by allowing the import of Russian diesel" in a statement on the social media platform X.

In the U.S. House, Rep. Don Bacon (R-Nebraska) said Trump is “weak on Putin” and Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pennsylvania) said he would introduce bipartisan legislation to block all purchases of Russian oil.

The Treasury Department temporarily lifted sanctions on Russian diesel Friday, allowing the fuel to be imported into the U.S. until April. Trump also said Sunday that Russia and Ukraine agreed to an “energy ceasefire,” though Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said neither side agreed to and that Russia was still hitting Ukrainian energy infrastructure.

Persistently high energy prices driven primarily by the Iran war have been a major challenge for Republicans in the midterm elections. The economy has consistently ranked as the top issue for voters in the midterm elections, according to recent polling from the Pew Research Center, which also found that voter confidence in Trump's ability to make good decisions about the economy has dropped.

GOP criticism around Trump's move has built in recent days.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) told NBC's "Meet the Press" on Sunday that the decision could have “deadly consequences.”

"This guy has a murderous rap sheet. He cannot be trusted. And I will guarantee you, at the first opportunity Putin has to embarrass or undermine President Trump, he will," said Tillis, who was also part of the Foreign Relations Committee letter.

Former vice president Mike Pence said the decision to lift sanctions is “throwing a lifeline to Putin’s war machine.”

Democrats similarly hammered the White House, including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (New York) calling it “a deal with the devil” enacted to help Trump’s “flailing political fortunes.”

Russia is one of the world's largest oil exporters and was a major provider of fuel to European countries before the E.U. and other members of the Group of Seven countries implemented sanctions on Russia in 2023 in response to its war against Ukraine.

Some Republicans defended the president's agreement as a needed compromise to bring down fuel prices.

"The president is focused on getting down the cost of energy," Sen. John Barrasso (Wyoming), the second-ranking Republican in the Senate, said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" on Sunday. Trump "has to make tough decisions. He's balancing his effort to stop and end Putin's war in Ukraine and lowering prices for American families."

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Florida) said it will “massively benefit the American people.”

ECONOMY & BUSINESS

It's a great time to buy a house – if you can stomach a 7% rate

Housing under construction in Valencia, California, in June. There are more listings on the market nationally and demand is dipping, meaning less competition for homes.

PHOTOS BY JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY IMAGES

Sellers are offering far more contingencies and credits than they did four years ago.

Buyer's market emerges, but pricier mortgages keep many on sidelines

BY RACHEL LERMAN

Buying a house has gotten a lot easier — though pricier.

The days of fighting multiple offers and waiving house inspections to even have a shot of buying a home are over in many parts of the country. Yet, even with decreased competition and slowing price increases, buyers aren't rushing back to the housing market.

Interest rates hit 7.4 percent this past week for a 30-year mortgage, the highest level in three years and one of the few times it's reached that high in the past decade. With pricier mortgages looking like a long-term issue, would-be buyers are hesitating on the sidelines.

“Interest rates are the entire story,” said Stephanie Crawford, a broker in Nashville. “I think if interest rates would come down, there are a ton of people that would jump into the market.”

The housing market has generally been sluggish and threatens to slow even more as buyers struggle with affordability and economic uncertainty. It would now take nearly five months to exhaust the inventory of homes for sale, the highest level in more than 10 years, according to the National Association of Realtors.

Last month, the number of buyers hit a record low since Redfin began tracking the data in 2013. September marked the strongest buyer's market in Redfin's records. Nationally, sellers outnumbered buyers by 63 percent.

Most housing economists expected rates to go down near 6 percent this year, which was expected to inject new life into the housing market. But then the U.S. war in Iran hit, sending inflation higher and spurring the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates to curb price increases. At the same time, Treasury yield markets, which are closely tied to mortgage rates, surged.

In many ways, it's a great time to buy a house. There are more listings on the market nationally, and buyer demand is dipping, meaning less competition for homes. Home prices are increasing at a slower rate in many parts of the country and in some cases, list prices are even dropping. Sellers, eager to off-load their homes, are offering contingencies and credits they never would have considered four years ago.

But years of high inflation have weighed on Americans' budgets, and the dramatic home price increases during the pandemic have left a new house purchase out of reach for many. Combined with unexpectedly high interest rates this year, people are questioning if they can afford the monthly payments of buying a first or new home.

“We're seeing buyers get even more reluctant to buy just because the math is higher,” said Daryl Fairweather, Redfin's chief economist. “But instead of sellers retreating at the same time, they're getting a bit nervous that if they don't sell now, prices will fall next year.”

Sellers are also feeling the itch to move after many stayed put for longer than they intended because they felt locked in to their low mortgage rates, she said.

Home buyers who do dip their toes into the market can get concessions from sellers they never would have achieved three years ago. In Nashville, first-time home buyers Joe Hiebert and Annie Reagan bought a 1960s ranch-style home in June for about \$482,000 — nearly \$20,000 lower than the list price.

The home had been on the market for more than 40 days, and was pushing toward the top edge of the couples' budget. After negotiating a lower price, an inspection turned up several repair issues, including the need for a new roof. The couple were able to get an additional \$23,000 in repair credits.

The price cut made the house more palatable to buy, even with high rates.

"When we started looking at interest rates rising, we had to look at a more conservative end of our budget," Reagan said.

Nashville, where sellers outnumber buyers by 152 percent, is the second-hottest buyer's market in the country, according to Redfin. Miami edged it out.

While people are still moving to Nashville, the housing market is a far cry from the frenzy of the late pandemic, when interest rates were low. The “urgency left over from covid has simmered out,” said Jacob Jones, founder of the Jones Group in Nashville.

"We've slowed down, and I think everybody feels that," he said.

The pace can be a shock to the system for sellers more accustomed to homes flying off the market and bidding wars.

"If a seller is not willing to price a home right and negotiate, it's just a detriment to that house," said Andrea Wall, a Redfin real estate agent in Nashville. "It's a gigantic gap in between both buyers and sellers right now."

A few miles outside downtown Nashville, in quickly developing neighborhood The Nations, Lee Mockmore and his wife bought a detached townhouse in late 2021 — the type of home called a “tall skinny” house in Nashville.

The house doesn't have much of a yard, and Mockmore and his wife were eyeing an empty lot just across the alley behind their house, where they could plant trees and create a relaxing open space.

The owner listed the lot for \$299,000, and Mockmore offered \$200,000 for it. The seller countered at \$245,000, but Mockmore stood firm and the seller walked.

A month later, the seller came back and asked if he still wanted to buy it for \$200,000.

"I figured he'd probably come back," Mockmore said.

Mixed session for stock indexes ahead of key economic updates this week

BY DAMIAN J. TROISE

AND ALEX VEIGA

Associated Press

Wall Street kicked off a busy week Monday with a mixed finish for the major U.S. stock indexes, although the market remained near its all-time high.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.1 percent after wavering between small gains and losses. The benchmark index set a record high last Tuesday and is up 14 percent this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.4 percent, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.4 percent.

Shares in roughly 64 percent of the companies in the S&P 500 rose, led by communication services stocks. Meta Platforms rose 3.4 percent, T-Mobile added 2.2 percent, AT&T gained 1.4 percent and Verizon Communications rose 2.7 percent.

Energy stocks had some of the biggest gains as oil prices kept rising. Chevron rose 1.4 percent.

Despite those gains, a slide in big technology stocks dragged the market into the red.

Micron Technology fell 3.9 percent, Advanced Micro Devices dropped 2.3 percent, Broadcom slid 1.9 percent and Nvidia gave up 1.3 percent. They are among several companies in the sector with big stock values that tend to have a heavy influence on the market. They have also been the driving force behind the broader market's record gains throughout the year.

Those companies could face more scrutiny from investors during this round of corporate earnings as Wall Street tries to get a better sense of whether the stock gains made during the frenzy over artificial intelligence can translate into future growth.

“AI continues to support growth, reinforcing the outlook for tech and critical suppliers across the supply chain,” wrote Magdalena Ocampo, market strategist at Principal Asset Management, in a report. “Yet uncertainty about AI’s long-term impact persists, making future gains more reliant on earnings delivery rather than potential.”

The price of Brent crude, the international standard, rose 1.8 percent to settle at \$106.65 per barrel. Prices jumped despite President Donald Trump's announcement on social media Friday that he struck a deal to buy Russian diesel with Russian President Vladimir Putin, aiming to tamp down a spike in fuel prices ahead of the Nov. 3 midterm elections. The plan, though, runs counter to U.S. efforts to cut the flow of money Russia gets from oil and gas sales that can be used to pay for its war against Ukraine.

The surge in energy prices and its impact on the broader economy will be a key focus this week as Wall Street reviews several important economic updates.

The big updates involve reports about inflation hitting consumers and businesses.

The rate of inflation by any measure remains well above the Federal Reserve's target rate of 2 percent. That prompted the central bank to raise its benchmark interest rate at its last meeting in an effort to cool inflation. Wall

Street expects another rate hike before the year ends.

The latest round of corporate earnings updates ramps up this week with financial results from banks. Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo will report their results Tuesday, and Bank of America will report its results Wednesday. They have been reporting record profits throughout the year and Wall Street expects more of the same for the latest quarter.

All told, the S&P 500 fell 4.30 points to 7,807.24. The Nasdaq dropped 120.27 points to 27,245.90. The Dow gained 195.60 points to close at 51,850.55.

NOBEL PRIZES

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American economists' work is recognized

American economists Robert E. Hall and Michael Woodford won the Nobel Memorial Prize in economics Monday for their work on models that have helped governments and central banks manage economic shocks, such as energy crises and inflation.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the winners in Stockholm, noting that their work created the theoretical foundation to better understand how consumers decide whether to save or spend, insights that make it easier for policymakers worldwide to stabilize economies after fluctuations.

"The laureates' research has made it possible to manage major macroeconomic crises far more effectively than before," the Nobel committee wrote in a paper explaining the economists' work. "It has been hugely beneficial during the pandemic and the energy crises of recent years."

Hall, 83, is affiliated with Stanford University in California. Woodford, who was born in 1955, is affiliated with Columbia University in New York.

Woodford spoke to the committee by phone from New York: "It's a tremendous honor. It's a surprise."

Hall also said the award was a "wonderful surprise."

For decades, governments responded to economic shocks by following the Depression-era prescriptions of the British economist John Maynard Keynes: Intervene in the economy by lowering interest rates and taxes and hiking government spending, thereby encouraging consumers and businesses to spend and invest and help restart growth.

Policymakers had thought economic management involved simple trade-offs — unemployment, for instance, would stay low at a time of high inflation and rise when inflation fell. But the “stagflation” of the 1970s — when the world economy experienced simultaneous high inflation and high unemployment — proved the formula was

DIGEST

simplistic.

Some economists argued that government attempts to intervene in the economy were doomed to fail. But Hall and Woodford, in separate contributions, set about improving the Keynesian model to take into account how consumers and businesses actually make decisions about whether to invest and spend.

— Associated Press

ENERGY

Heavy crude oil supply backed up in Americas

Dense heavy crude, which oil refiners around the world favor for its typically low cost, is piling up in the Americas as soaring freight rates have stifled exports and U.S. refiners have been running close to their limits.

The glut in North and South America has opened an unusual split in the global oil market, as buyers in Asia and Europe struggle with supply shortages and benchmark prices hold above \$100 a barrel.

Heavy crude is a denser type of oil that Asian, many U.S., and some European refineries are typically configured to process. It is usually cheaper than light crude, offering refiners better margins when shipping costs are affordable.

With U.S. diesel prices soaring, the cheap, stranded barrels should be getting snapped up in a diesel-starved market, since

heavy crude yields more of the fuel than lighter grades. But Gulf Coast refiners have already bought as much as they can process, analysts and traders said.

Venezuelan exports have surged since the U.S. captured the country's former leader Nicolás Maduro in January, then started pushing to reactivate the country's oil sector. Canadian output is at a record and Washington has released more than 130 million barrels from its emergency reserve.

The cost of hiring a super-tanker from the U.S. Gulf Coast to Asia, meanwhile, has more than quintupled since February, as ship-to-ship transfers in the Gulf of Oman tie up vessels worldwide.

— Reuters

These UChicago core classes are going analog

MATT MCCLAIN/THE WASHINGTON POST

BY JENNY TRINITAPOLI

My colleagues and I think of the seminar as a garden — a space to nurture and protect.

All students at the University of Chicago

All students at the University of Chicago spend a year in that garden, taking one of eight sequences to fulfill our social sciences core requirement. We think students should do their own work in these small seminar-style classes, but personal devices and artificial intelligence can create distractions and stunt intellectual growth. So this academic year, my colleagues and I, who teach the social science core, decided our seminars should be analog courses.

By this we mean that students will read difficult texts without relying on AI summaries or secondary sources, discuss those texts in a classroom setting without the distractions of clicking keyboards or flashing screens, and speak knowing they are not being recorded. They will be trusted to complete their homework, exams and essays without help from AI. We also reassured students that faculty will still be grading their work ourselves.

This was never intended to be news. But within days of our memo's release in August, news outlets, media commentators and fellow academics were discussing it on at least five continents. Our expectations, however, are hardly radical.

It is difficult to focus on Adam Smith when the student next to you is adding shoes to her shopping cart. The free exchange of ideas is stifled when an embarrassing question might be recorded by a classmate wearing Meta glasses and shared on social media. When a fellow student recites a Claude-level summary of Hobbes, it's hard to build on such a comment.

Faculty need a coordinated approach to preserving the garden. Device-free defaults support the atmosphere needed for a productive seminar — the full attention of everyone in the room and a shared understanding that anything less is disrespectful. In addition, students want clarity on what professors expect. “I don’t want you to use AI, but I won’t forbid it, and it better not sound like AI, but if you want to brainstorm with it, that’s probably okay” is woefully unclear.

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Device-free defaults support the atmosphere needed for a productive seminar – the full attention of everyone in the room and a shared understanding that anything less is disrespectful.

All over the country, college instructors have been told to go it alone — to design and enforce their own policies. But this atomized approach is no way to organize a curriculum. It's confusing for students, bad for learning and especially hard on junior colleagues, who wonder if there will be institutional backup for the standards they set. A cohesive set of analog classroom norms allows faculty to focus on substance rather than policy and policing.

Our weekly staff meetings were once almost entirely devoted to discussion of the texts to be taught that week. But out of necessity during the pandemic, we shifted a large proportion of our time to discussing the practicalities of teaching in an emergency. Then came the superficially competent large language models, and we found ourselves stuck in a different spiral of logistics.

After five years of deliberations about policies, our social science core instructors want their staff meetings back. Instructional meetings are a vital part of faculty life; this is where we hone our teaching to ensure that each time we read Aristotle or explain experimental logics, we do so with an eye on the students we find before us.

This is also where faculty spend time learning about learning. From these conversations we know that the scientific record about reading, attention and young-adult development points in a clear direction: eliminate distractions.

Our decision-making can be a model for faculty governance of AI elsewhere. Small groups of faculty can be selective and clear about the role of technology in different parts of a curriculum. This localized approach grows out of the University of Chicago's broader commitment to teaching and learning “with, without, and about AI.” After years of careful, systematic attention to the complaints, experiments and successes of the instructors who teach our sequences, we looked at our garden — composed of these required year-long sequences — and decided the best way to protect it is to develop a unified message to students: Your classmates are worthy of your full attention, for 80 minutes at a time, twice a week.

No guidance document will turn back time. But what the reaction to ours has made clear is that faculty everywhere are hungry for direction as we continue to teach and learn in the era of unregulated AI. The temptation to outsource one's thinking is real. As long as there is a social sciences core curriculum at the University of Chicago, our students will still be asked to read, write and think on their own.

Jenny Trinitapoli is a professor of sociology and master of the Social Sciences Collegiate Division at the University of Chicago.

TUESDAY OPINION

Priceless discoveries by the James Webb telescope

Some of the “little red dots” discovered by the James Webb Space Telescope.

NASA, ESA, CSA, STSCI, DALE KOCEVSKI WITH COLBY COLLEGE

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BY FABIO PACUCCI

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope is a \$10 billion machine that unfolded itself like origami as it traveled toward a point four times farther from Earth than our moon is. The complexity of its design is matched by the grandness of its mission: to study the light that encodes the opening chapters of our universe. Since 2021, James Webb has revealed a trove of cosmic marvels, including galaxies whose light had traveled 13.5 billion years to reach the telescope's electronic eyes.

This is what it was meant for. But its most consequential discovery so far was unforeseen: a swarm of crimson specks of light in the distant, young universe, which astronomers have named “little red dots.” James Webb’s data reveal that those dots were everywhere back then: They thrived from 600 million to 1.5 billion years after the Big Bang, and then ... mysteriously disappeared. Nothing quite like them exists today.

The dots offer a lesson not only in the mysteries of the universe but in the peculiar economics of the scientific frontier. A space telescope has a calculable price: mirror, instruments, launch, operation. But what it discovers does not.

That relationship is true for any scientific venture. A discovery — especially an unexpected one — is the highest-value asset that a curious species like ours can acquire. But we never know what the discovery will be, where it will come from or when it will arrive. There is nothing to sell before it exists, and once it does, its returns rarely accrue to whoever paid for it. This is one reason pure science today is chiefly (but not exclusively) funded by public money.

Nonetheless, discovery is ultimately a profitable investment. History abounds with examples of what Abraham Flexner in 1939 called the “usefulness of useless knowledge” — curiosities that turn out to be moneymakers years or decades after their discovery. The technology behind your phone’s camera was invented by NASA scientists trying to make tiny detectors for spacecraft. WiFi runs on techniques radio astronomers developed to hunt for exploding black holes. Quantum mechanics, which seemed a mind-bending, esoteric concept a century ago, is now built into every chip, laser and phone. The chips Nvidia spent decades developing for video games turned out to be the missing hardware for artificial intelligence — a side quest that helped make Nvidia the first \$5 trillion company.

After James Webb detected those little red dots, the question of what they were consumed astrophysicists — including me — for years. Two main answers emerged: Perhaps the dots were unimaginably dense groups of stars, so many that if Earth sat at their center, our sky would shine with billions of suns. Or perhaps they were lit by giant black holes devouring matter, roughly the moon's mass every few seconds, and heating it until it glowed. Every new observation seemed to support one hypothesis and contradict the other.

I have defended the black hole hypothesis since its inception, though I watched countless observations challenge it. And now, after years of journal articles and conferences around the world, this debate has been partly settled: Most astronomers believe massive black holes power the dots. Yet two main mysteries remain.

First, these black holes are oddly invisible. James Webb, gathering infrared light, detected the fingerprints of matter whirling around a colossal and unseen object — a black hole. But a feeding black hole should also be ablaze in X-rays as superheated matter falls toward its bottomless pit, emitting a final scream of high-energy light before vanishing. Yet, with a couple of exceptions, astronomers have not detected those X-rays from the dots, even using NASA's most powerful X-ray observatory, Chandra, possibly because these black holes emit too few X-rays for current instruments to catch.

Second, the dots' black holes are surprisingly massive. In today's universe, galaxies are monumental structures, outweighing their central black holes a thousand times over, and the standard conception is that a supermassive black hole develops at the center of an existing “host” galaxy. But in the case of the dots, the gigantic black holes seem to rival their host galaxies in mass. And they may have come first: not by-products of galaxies’ evolution, but the seeds from which the first galaxies sprouted. If this turns out to be true, the long-presumed chain that led from a dark, formless universe to galaxies, stars, planets and, eventually, us would be rewritten.

Beneath these mysteries lies the oldest question of all: Where do we come from? The stakes are enormous, and the returns might be supermassive. X-rays are the unmistakable proof of a black hole's presence — catch those photons, and you are reading a message in a bottle from the dawn of time. To see the beating hearts of the dots, astronomers will need an X-ray telescope far more powerful than Chandra. NASA is starting to explore such a next-generation observatory in an initiative with the fitting acronym ASTRA.

But no line item can capture what a telescope will actually accomplish. Time and again, we build an instrument to answer one question, and the universe presents new ones. We have been rewarded for daring to ask questions, but those rewards have always been as unpredictable as the light beyond the horizon.

James Webb sees the little red dots as they were more than 12 billion years ago — smudges of glowing red in a universe ruled by night. They may help answer one of the most fundamental questions: What lit up the universe? The light that holds the answer has been streaming toward us for billions of years, but our instruments cannot catch it. Could it be that the universe was first illuminated by its darkest objects — black holes? We do not know what a new eye on the sky will reveal. We never do — that is why we must build it. What we do know, from centuries of looking, is that there will be something.

Fabio Pacucci is an astrophysicist at Harvard University.

My dog seemed to hate me. Here's how I changed that.

ILLUSTRATION BY VIDHYA NAGARAJAN/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST

BY EVA JABER

I was 16 when Pretzel, a golden-brown doodle with legs about six inches too short for her stout, hotdog-shaped body, entered my life. I loved her immediately, but she barely tolerated me. She sprinted to the door to greet any soul who arrived, but I was an outlier. Pretzel wouldn't wag her tail when she saw me and would walk away when I tried to pet her. What could be more disappointing than getting rejected by my own dog?

Everything changed the day I realized that Pretzel wasn't the oddball. I was.

Pretzel had just learned to give someone a kiss on the cheek in return for a treat. Wanting a treat made her uncharacteristically friendly toward me. I was eating a bowl of popcorn when Pretzel came barreling up and kissed me square on my nose. She licked her lips in anticipation of her reward, but I suddenly wasn't there.

I had bolted for the kitchen sink. All I could think about were the millions of pathogens that had just made their way from Pretzel's tongue to my pores. It felt as if I had taken a fire hose of sewage water to the face. As I lathered it with dish soap (the most convenient cleanser), something clicked. This can't be normal.

And that's when I figured it out. Pretzel thought I didn't like her. My behavior confused her dog brain as much as hers did my person brain. I'd been inadvertently rejecting my own dog to avoid contracting some nebulous disease.

A few weeks later, I was diagnosed with obsessive-compulsive disorder. After a decade of insisting that germophobic neuroticism was just a benign component of my personality, I realized it was something more.

OCD is a cycle of obsessions (creating anxiety) and repetitive behaviors (soothing the distress). I feared contamination nearly every time I had contact with the world, but it took my confused puppy to show me that I needed support.

I just turned 20, and I am writing this piece with Pretzel napping by my side. Exposure and response prevention therapy changed my life. ERP consists of confronting anxiety-inducing situations to practice developing healthy, non-compulsive coping mechanisms, and it can be highly effective in treating OCD.

My success with ERP shows that even high-functioning individuals can immeasurably benefit from seeking help. We don't have to wait until we begin to unravel to address the parts of us that have frayed.

My therapy started small. My instinct was to wash my own utensils and hold them hovering over my place mat before a meal like some suppertime Jedi, because touching the table would make them disgusting. In ERP therapy, I practiced using a fork that had lain on a table. I imagine that someone without my condition would feel the same if they had to do origami with a snotty tissue, but forcing myself to sit with the uncertainty and discomfort of my fears helped disarm my anxiety.

For a tougher exposure therapy exercise, I had to drop my laundry on the floor, fold it and put it away, instead of following my instinct that the clothes on the floor were now dirty and needed to go in the hamper. It felt like I was caking microbes into the crevices of my palms, but I sat during a telehealth appointment with clammy hands folding T-shirts while my therapist played “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten and encouraged me to keep going. It sounds ridiculous. It felt ridiculous.

It was also one of the hardest things I had ever done, which means that I really did need the help.

First in therapy sessions and later in real-life scenarios, I challenged myself with exposures and learned new coping strategies. When a friend playfully reached into my bag of chips, I let my contamination discomfort happen without resorting to compulsive behaviors to fight it.

Having OCD sometimes makes me feel less-than, but I couldn't be prouder of the ways I am triumphing over it. Every time Pretzel tackles me to the ground when I open my front door to pepper me with kisses, I know I'm winning.

My goals for therapy were big and small. I wanted to be happy. And I wanted to eat birthday cake after someone has blown out the candles. This summer, my sister turned 17, and I was cheering instead of wincing as the flames went out. Pretzel even jumped on the couch and tried to get a lick of the ice cream atop my slice of birthday cake. I'm pretty sure her nose made contact with my dessert. I ate it anyway.

Eva Jaber is a student at William & Mary.

The Washington Post

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VALENTYN OGIRENKO/REUTERS

A Russian drone engine lies on the ground in a residential area of Kyiv on Monday after overnight strikes.

EDITORIALS

Trump is pressuring the wrong side in Ukraine

U KRAINIAN PRESIDENT Volodymyr Zelensky gets what President Donald Trump instinctively understands in other contexts: Weakness invites bullying. Zelensky accurately characterized Trump's deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin to bring Russian diesel back onto global markets as a sign of weakness. Oil revenues bankroll Moscow's war machine.

The agreement would initially release 300,000 tons of Russian diesel, followed by larger shipments in November and December. This undermines years of U.S. pressure both on Europe to rein in its addiction to Russian supplies and on countries such as India and China to buy less crude. And the impact on prices ahead of the midterm elections will probably be negligible.

Predictably, in response to being criticized, Trump blamed Zelensky for failing to end the war and suggested that Ukraine needs a new president. Senior U.S. officials contacted European and Ukrainian leaders over the weekend to demand an end to strikes on Russian refineries. The Trump administration even reportedly threatened to cut off intelligence sharing and to block arms supplies through the NATO-coordinated program that allows European governments to buy U.S. weapons for Ukraine, including critical air-defense systems.

Then, on Sunday, Trump announced on social media that an “ENERGY CEASEFIRE” was in effect and claimed that both sides had agreed to it, warning, “Do not break it!” Zelensky, who apparently learned of the ceasefire by reading Trump’s post, quickly pointed out that he would be happy to abide by any such agreement if it were reciprocal, but that the Russians had already attacked Ukraine’s electricity grid since Trump’s démarche.

The double standard is disgraceful. Ukraine is being battered by a daily barrage targeting its energy and telecommunications infrastructure. These relentless attacks have also hit nonmilitary targets with the obvious intent to terrorize. Zelensky said that intercepted Kremlin communications revealed an order issued in September to expand attacks on civilian infrastructure, including schools, hospitals and transportation networks. In a separate interview, Zelensky described a new Russian doctrine intended to make Ukrainian cities increasingly uninhabitable as winter approaches.

Applying U.S. pressure to the country on the receiving end of such barbarism

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR is bad enough, but Trump's gambit isn't even likely to yield the results he wants. Though Ukrainians have their differences with their wartime leader, there was little constituency for capitulation before the bombs started blowing up buses and shopping centers. Now, with death raining down on the nation's cities, spines have stiffened. Indiscriminate bombardment tends to rally citizens around a leader looking to punch back, not send them searching for appeasers.

Few in Ukraine believe that attacking Russia's infrastructure will end the war. Instead, they see it as necessary to demonstrate that Russia cannot bomb Ukraine into submission without paying an increasingly steep price. With the battlefront all but stalemated, Putin is looking for ways to show military momentum. Kyiv, unable to trade blow for blow in long-range strikes with Moscow, needs to impose costs for escalation against civilian targets.

Now is not the moment for Ukraine to ease that pressure or for Washington to feign neutrality. Russia is always probing for openings. Only when Moscow sees that all its easy avenues for advance are blocked will it even consider negotiating an actual ceasefire, not one floated on social media.

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I'm a student. This is why I need my phone at school.

Regarding the Oct. 2 news article “Bipartisan bill seeks to ban cellphones in schools nationwide”:

I'm a high school student, and I believe that phones should stay in schools. I recently discovered that I have attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and I have worked with my doctor to find strategies to help with my learning. One of them is listening to music. It helps me block distractions and allows me to be present during class. And it's not helping just me: An April 2026 study published in Psychiatry International found that among students with ADHD, listening to music while studying was associated with a higher GPA. Taking phones out of schools would take away easy and discreet access to the music that helps me learn.

Meara Power, Cleveland

I'm a high school student, and I strongly believe that technology should be used in the classroom. One of the main issues that this bill attempts to address is mental health, but I can vouch for the fact that if any mental health damage is sustained, it is most definitely not because someone wanted to text their mom in class. This leads to my next point: Having smartphones in school lets students easily communicate with home, which can help ease anxiety during emergencies.

Phones also allow students to easily access learning materials and tools. I don't think cellphones will get any less prevalent in the future, so having them in schools allows students to learn in both a fun and up-to-date way.

Hughes Wilson, Cleveland

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How to improve Trump accounts

The Oct. 8 editorial “A good step to build wealth for American kids” argued the Trump accounts would have greater buy-in had the president not politicized the initiative by insisting the accounts bear his name.

I think it is the lack of progressivity in the account structure that prevents broader buy-in, not the name. Sen. Cory Booker (D-New Jersey) and Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts) offered the forerunner to the Trump accounts through their baby bonds legislation. Their version provided decidedly higher contributions for low-income households than the Trump accounts do.

The editorial board argued the private Dell grant is an efficient way to redistribute resources to “children in lower-income areas.” The Dell gift provides \$250 across a very broad group of children (about 70 percent of children in the target age range qualify). The gift is indeed generous, but it will not meaningfully change the ultimate wealth accumulation of children from low-income families.

they need to be improved. A straightforward approach is for the government or charitable foundations to target sizable contributions to children who reside in truly low-income areas. Specifically, targeting new contributions to the 5 million children who reside in persistent poverty counties in the United States would be a good and simple next step. This might help the accounts get the broader political buy-in that is currently lacking and hopefully encourage their use long after President Donald Trump leaves office.

David A. Weaver

I agree with the editorial board that the Trump accounts are a good step, but

Columbia, South Carolina

The writer is a former director of health, retirement and long-term analysis at the Congressional Budget Office.

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The grid needs backup

Brian Deese and Anna Pasnau's Oct. 7 online op-ed, "The battery-storage backlash is a costly case of mistaken identity," was right to warn against conflating battery energy storage with the debate over data centers. But the case for battery storage goes well beyond accommodating America's growing appetite for computing power.

Consider what happens on a sweltering summer afternoon when air conditioners are running full blast and electricity demand surges. Battery systems can deliver stored power exactly when the grid needs it most, easing pressure on utilities and helping contain costs for families and businesses.

That flexibility matters just as much when severe weather threatens. Hurricane Isaias showed that the importance of reliable electricity is anything but abstract. Battery storage can help stabilize the grid and, when properly configured for backup power, support critical services during outages. With winter approaching, these are benefits communities need whether or not a data center is anywhere nearby.

None of this means dismissing legitimate safety concerns. Battery installations demand rigorous testing, appropriate siting and strong fire protection measures. A practical path forward would be implementing modern, consensus-based safety standards that protect communities without shutting the door on technologies they increasingly need.

America's energy future comes down to three core priorities: more electricity, greater reliability and lower costs. Americans should be making it easier to deploy technologies that help deliver all three, not erecting new barriers to them.

Patrick Hughes, Arlington

The writer is the senior vice president of strategy, technical and industry affairs at the National Electrical Manufacturers Association.

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Billionaires are leaving Britain – and sending a warning to the U.S.

FOR MANY OF the world's wealthy, paying tax is largely a matter of choice. Disagreeable though this may be for governments, it is nevertheless a fact of life. If you are rich and don't like the taxes in one place, you can very quickly decamp to another — as nervous Democrats are discovering with California's billionaire-targeting Proposition 40 up for a vote next month.

JON SUPER/AP

On the international stage, there will never be a shortage of countries willing to accept wealthy people seeking a more agreeable tax climate. A textbook example of wealth's mobility can be found today in Britain. Since taking power in July 2024, the Labour government has sought to tap the country's billionaires for money to subsidize its ambitious social programs. Above all, the government in April last year abolished “non-dom” tax arrangements whereby residents whose permanent home is in another country (“non-domiciled”) could live in Britain while paying tax only on money they earned there or brought into the country.

Those who had been residents in Britain for at least seven of the previous nine years paid a flat rate of 30,000 pounds (\$39,700) on their foreign earnings and asset sales. Those who had been in Britain for at least 12 of the previous 14 years paid 60,000 pounds (\$79,400). By paying the flat rate, they avoided needing to pay up to 45 percent tax on investment income and as much as 24 percent capital gains tax on asset sales.

Chasing the chimera of an obedient wealthy class sitting still while forking over whatever taxes the government demands is not a strictly liberal habit; a plan to phase out the non-dom policy originated with the Conservative government in 2024. Labour simply sped up the transition.

Britain's Prime Minister Andy Burnham in Liverpool, England, on Sept. 29.

When the Tories floated the idea, officials expected to raise 2.7 billion pounds (\$3.57 billion) annually in extra revenue. That hope, however, is looking rather

Since 2024, Bloomberg reports, billionaires representing some \$160 billion in wealth have severed or loosened their ties with Britain. Critics blame the end of the non-dom policy for many of the exits. One billionaire alone, Lakshmi Mittal, who owns a steel company and has a fortune estimated at roughly \$40 billion, has reportedly set up tax residence in Switzerland.

forlorn. The Bloomberg Billionaires Index last week exposed the cost of the policy change, as many wealthy individuals have chosen to leave Britain rather than pay full taxes on their worldwide income.

You might assume that the Labour government would, with the dire effect of the policy change already apparent, soon desperately row it back, but that seems unlikely. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has yet to present his tax plans; more will be known on Oct. 28 when Chancellor of the Exchequer John Healey presents the government's annual budget. All indications are that Burnham intends to pursue the traditional Labour course of higher taxes and higher spending.

In a July speech, Burnham declared that Britain “took a series of wrong turns in the 1980s.” That was the decade when Margaret Thatcher undertook free-market reforms, revitalizing an economy that had been brought low by unproductive state-sector industries and voracious taxation. Britain seems destined to relearn the lessons of the postwar era the hard way. America’s political class, take note.

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OPINION

MAX BOOT

Trump is discovering that 'dollar diplomacy' doesn't work

Jared Kushner, Steve Witkoff and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on Sept. 6.

entice him to attend another summit this year.

VALENTYN OGIRENKO/REUTERS

As President Donald Trump's envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff negotiate an end to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, they are also working with the Kremlin to sell \$20 billion in international assets owned by the Russian oil company Lukoil to a group of investors that includes their own business partners.

According to the Financial Times and the New York Times, the U.S. government (via the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation) would get a 15 percent stake in the new company. Other stakeholders would include Trump donor Todd Boehly; an Emirati fund that also invested in World Liberty Financial; a cryptocurrency company co-founded by the Trump and Witkoff families (Witkoff says he has divested his interest); and two Syrian-born Qatari brothers who are partners with Kushner and his wife, Ivanka Trump, in a planned luxury resort in Albania.

While Witkoff and Kushner say they would not benefit from the Lukoil sale, the deal reeks of conflicts of interest at best and outright corruption at worst. But it is emblematic of the de facto Trump Doctrine — mixing private and public interests to an unprecedented degree.

The justification for this approach is that advancing U.S. business interests can advance U.S. national security interests. The International Development Finance Corporation, for example, said the proposed Lukoil deal “would ... strengthen

U.S. economic security, advance U.S. foreign policy and lower energy prices for everyday Americans." Countries that do what Trump wants get lucrative business deals; those that don't get higher tariffs.

Trump is pursuing his own version of “dollar diplomacy,” a term coined during the administration of an earlier pro-business Republican — William Howard Taft, who claimed more than a century ago that he would be “substituting dollars for bullets” to pursue U.S. interests. The problem is there’s little evidence that “dollar diplomacy” works.

In his first term, Trump hoped to lure North Korea's Kim Jong Un into giving up his nuclear weapons in return for Western investment. "Kim Jong Un understands the unbelievable economic potential that country has," the president said. "It's located between Russia and China on one side, and South Korea on the other. And it's all waterfront property. It's a great location." The White House even produced a slick propaganda film to depict the glorious future for North Korea if only Kim cooperated with Trump.

The pitch didn't work. Kim refused to give up his nuclear weapons; today, according to Trump, he has "57 very powerful nuclear weapons." Rather than cooperating with Washington, Kim is supporting the Russian invasion of Ukraine in return for Russian military technology. Kim has so far shown no public interest in Trump's attempts to

Undeterred by the failure of his North Korea diplomacy, Trump offered a similar pitch to Hamas in 2025: disarm in return for beachfront condos. The White House released another video showing a future Gaza Strip full of resorts and skyscrapers, including a gold-trimmed hotel labeled “Trump Gaza.” The goal was to turn the devastated enclave into the “Riviera of the Middle East.”

Not surprisingly, Hamas isn't interested. The fanatical terrorist group hasn't given up its weapons. The Gaza Strip remains a bombed-out wasteland.

This June, Trump was at it again, this time with Iran. He presented a deal that would have given Iran tens of billions of dollars in sanctions relief along with a \$300 billion reconstruction fund. All Iran had to do in return was open the Strait of Hormuz and negotiate the fate of its nuclear program. This was seemingly a great deal for Iran, and yet hard-liners in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps sabotaged it by attacking tankers in the strait. The war drags on with no end in sight.

You would think Trump, Kushner and Witkoff would have figured out by now that dictators are not primarily interested in economic development. While Trump & co. have devoted their lives to making money, the leaders of North Korea, Hamas, Iran and Russia have devoted their lives to accumulating power. They fear that making concessions to Washington would undermine their iron grip on power. Sure, their people suffer as long as Western sanctions remain in place, but what do the dictators care? They're doing just fine.

The irony is that while Trump is failing with his "dollar diplomacy," other countries see him as a target for their own "ruble" or "riyal" diplomacy — and they're also discovering the sharp limitations of that approach.

Putin obviously hopes to dangle development deals in front of Kushner and Witkoff to lift U.S. sanctions. He made some progress when Trump announced on Friday that the United States would be importing diesel fuel from Russia. But most sanctions remain in effect, and Congress recently passed legislation to strengthen them.

The Saudis and Emiratis have invested so much in business projects associated with the Trump clan in large part because they are hoping to buy influence.

Trump did agree to sell artificial intelligence chips to the United Arab Emirates and nuclear energy technology to Saudi Arabia — both projects that the Biden administration had rejected. Yet Trump also dragged the Gulf countries into a costly war with Iran that they didn't ask for. And when the Houthis attacked Saudi Arabia, Trump refused to come to their aid because he is reluctant to be trapped in another endless war. Even for Trump, who is turning the presidency into a multibillion-dollar profit center, there are sharp limits to what money can buy.

How to keep the defender's window open on cybersecurity

The Shell Deer Park oil refinery in Texas in 2017.

GREGORY BULL

BY PAUL M. NAKASONE

During my tenure leading the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, I saw how cyberthreats can endanger the United States. Election interference, ransomware, supply chain attacks and zero-day vulnerabilities in critical software systems all threaten national security. Today, from my perch as a member of the board at OpenAI, I see an even greater risk emerging in cyberspace: artificial intelligence. (The Washington Post has a content partnership with OpenAI.)

AI is rapidly altering the balance of power online. The most capable models can now find previously unknown software flaws, develop new ways to exploit them and operate without a person directing every step. As these capabilities expand, hostile governments, criminal organizations and other malevolent actors will be able to conduct more sophisticated operations against more targets in less time.

The danger is magnified by the condition of the systems we must defend. Much critical infrastructure still depends on aging technology and a patchwork of interconnected software containing dangerous bugs that may have escaped detection for years. Worse, hospitals, water systems, power providers and local governments often operate with limited cybersecurity staff and budgets.

AI can help adversaries find and exploit weaknesses across these systems far faster than they could before. But it will also give defenders their greatest technological advantage in a generation. The same capabilities that find vulnerabilities can help close them. Models can examine legacy code, identify weaknesses that survived years of human inspection, prioritize urgent risks over background noise and help engineers quickly develop and test patches.

There is a narrow period in which trusted defenders can use the most capable models to strengthen critical systems before comparable tools become broadly available to attackers. This has been called the defender's window, and it is currently open. But it won't stay open indefinitely.

Meeting this moment requires a whole-of-government approach. Though the Defense Department and civilian agencies will have to play a part, the intelligence community should be at the center of the response due to its privileged view into the threats facing the United States.

All leading U.S. AI labs will need to volunteer to put their most capable models on real-world missions to harden critical infrastructure. The labs are uniquely positioned to understand the strengths, limitations and risks of their frontier models. That position creates a responsibility to reduce the risks these systems may create or amplify, and to help the government defend against them. The cooperation needs to be unprecedentedly broad and deep — “radical partnerships” that combine the government’s intelligence and information-gathering capabilities, the private sector’s control of most networks, data and cloud systems, and academia’s deep expertise.

This effort must not succumb to jurisdictional disputes or become an arena for political fights and commercial rivalries. The speed of the threat demands sustained cooperation across institutional and corporate lines.

Providing access to powerful models will not be enough. A small-town utility or regional hospital cannot simply be handed a sophisticated tool and expected to transform its security. Critical-infrastructure operators need training, technical assistance and support integrating these systems into their existing workflows.

Initiatives such as Project Watershed 250 — a pilot program between Texas and the federal government to use AI to identify vulnerabilities, detect threats and protect water utilities from cyberthreats — show how the technology can enhance our defenses. Success should be measured not by how many vulnerabilities an AI system discovers but by how many are verified, prioritized and fixed.

Cyberthreats don't respect borders, so this effort must extend to America's allies. OpenAI has begun providing advanced defensive tools and expertise to vetted organizations and allied governments. Those efforts should expand, with safeguards appropriate to the capabilities involved. A vulnerability discovered and repaired in an allied network can strengthen security at home.

What we do now will help determine whether AI leaves our critical systems more secure or more exposed. And there is no time to waste. The defender's window will be closing soon.

Paul M. Nakasone, former head of the National Security Agency and U.S. Cyber Command, is the founding director of Vanderbilt University's Institute of National Security and a board member of OpenAI.

A bipartisan plan to end Senate dysfunction

BY JEFF MERKLEY AND STEVE DAINES

Our country faces massive challenges, but getting solutions through the U.S. Senate is too often like walking through tar. Obstruction, dysfunction and even government shutdowns have become the norm. Senators on both sides of the aisle have had enough.

We're working together — a Democrat and a Republican — because we ran for office to get things done for working families. But in the more than a decade that we have served together in the Senate, both our parties have been hamstrung by the Senate's tangled rules.

The world isn't waiting for the Senate. Technology and the global economy are changing faster than ever before. The Senate needs to be able to keep up to legislate effectively. So we have put together a plan to reward bipartisan cooperation, create more opportunities for senators to offer constructive amendments, and allow the chamber to bring more bills to the floor for public debate.

We're sharing our plan now, before the midterm elections, because these reforms are needed no matter who wins in November. To be clear: Both parties have played a role in creating Senate dysfunction, and both have a responsibility to fix it. That will require real reforms that preserve what's best about the Senate while straightening out what has gone wrong. Here's what we propose:

Update the cloture rules. Cloture was created in 1917 as a tool for the Senate to end filibusters and start voting. But the 60-vote threshold generally required for a cloture motion to pass is now deliberately abused to slow down the legislative process and delay voting on big issues. Through 1974, a cloture motion was filed 126 times. Compare that with the period from 1975 to 2024, when cloture was filed 2,762 times. We can speed up the legislative process and free up floor time by eliminating cloture in specific areas and reducing it in others.

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Serving as senators for more than a decade, we've seen both our parties hamstrung by the Senate's tangled rules.

First, we would eliminate cloture entirely on some routine business and procedural votes, such as nominations, motions to proceed and amendments. Second, we would eliminate the “intervening day”—the full calendar day required between when a cloture motion is filed and when the Senate votes on that motion. Finally, we would reduce “post-cloture consideration,” which requires us to wait up to 30 hours before we can vote on any business before the Senate. Together, these simple reforms would let the Senate vote on many more bills and nominees each week.

Establish a new expedited process to suspend Senate rules and pass broadly bipartisan, common-sense legislation. Over the past decade, more than 650 bipartisan bills have passed their respective committees yet have never received floor consideration because of existing time and procedural constraints. Creating an efficient pathway for robustly bipartisan bills to receive votes on the floor can help reduce this backlog and make the Senate more productive. This new process would bring committee-passed bills to the floor for expedited votes with limited debate and allowing no amendments. This fast track would enable broadly popular bills that are often blocked by one or two senators from passing by unanimous consent to be adopted by a two-thirds vote.

Create a one-day fast track for robustly bipartisan bills. If a bill passes out of a committee with the support of the majority of both Democratic and Republican members, then the chair, ranking member and 16 senators — including at least three from each party — could bring it to the floor by a petition. This petition could provide for consideration of specific amendments, solving the current problem whereby calling up an amendment and agreeing to consider a slate of amendments require unanimous consent. Debate would be limited to six hours, and bills would be processed and passed by simple majority. This would incentivize bipartisan cooperation in committee and on the Senate floor and move popular bipartisan bills through the Senate more quickly.

Create a two-day fast track for bipartisan spending bills. If spending bills are passed out of committee with substantial bipartisan support, they would be eligible for fast-track consideration on the floor. Fast-track spending bills would be required to include a list of 20 relevant amendments — 10 for each side — with debate limited to five minutes for each. This would allow senators the opportunity to change or improve bills without slowing down the process. And it would make government shutdowns and omnibus spending bills much less likely.

Time and time again, the Senate has recognized the need for fast-track procedures that circumvent the cloture rule and its 60-vote threshold. There are more than 161 exemptions to cloture, such as the Congressional Review Act — which allows Congress to overturn certain federal agency rules and regulations — and the budget reconciliation process. But over time these simple-majority tools, which were designed for limited circumstances and helped empower the Senate to rein in the executive branch, have instead been used for partisan initiatives. The bipartisan exceptions we propose would reward legislation created on the basis of the best Senate traditions: cooperation, negotiation and compromise.

For too long, the Senate has been stuck in the muck. Our bipartisan plan will get it moving by letting senators debate, negotiate and legislate again so we can deliver for the American people.

WP Intelligence

COUNCIL PERSPECTIVES

Where will AI make the biggest contribution to U.S. national security – and where does it create the greatest new risk?

“AI has the potential to do more than change how conflicts are fought and won—it can help prevent them from happening in the first place. By accelerating the development of advanced capabilities and giving warfighters better information to make faster, more informed decisions in contested environments, AI can strengthen deterrence, reduce miscalculation, and help prevent conflict from escalating into war. Realizing that potential requires moving quickly while maintaining a decisive technological edge over adversaries and ensuring responsible governance. The challenge is to harness AI’s power to deter aggression, preserve stability, and ultimately make war less likely—not simply to fight it more effectively.”

Alex Veneziano

Chief Executive Officer, Airbus U.S. Space and Defense

"AI gives intelligence analysts and decision-makers faster, more robust access to data analysis—equipping the warfighter with immediate and actionable information. As I see it, the greatest risk to intelligence would be sidelining human involvement and solely relying on the technology without human validation, which in turn can lead to incalculable errors. To get this right, agencies should ask where AI tools can truly advance the mission and exploit those analysis advantages, while also ensuring that human expertise, oversight and judgment is prioritized in decision-making."

Mike Manzo

President and CEO, ASRC Federal

“What we have learned this year—specifically through the conflicts in Iran and Ukraine—is that AI-powered systems simply must work together at scale. AI is what turns a thousand separate machines into one team: systems that share what they see, divide the work and close the gap when one is lost. One operator determines the mission and now AI can work on how that mission gets executed. Across the distances of the Pacific Ocean, that is the only way the math works. Deterrence is about the other side's calculation, and AI at that scale makes it very hard.”

Paul Lwin

CEO and Co-founder of Havoc

"As America's national security priorities increasingly turn toward the Arctic, the ability to make faster, smarter decisions will be a strategic advantage. At Chugach, we support critical defense missions and infrastructure in some of the world's most demanding environments, where operational readiness is paramount. AI will reshape traditional hierarchies by accelerating decisions, breaking down organizational barriers, and putting better intelligence in the hands of people closest to the mission. But technology cannot replace experience, accountability, or sound judgment. The competitive advantage won't be AI alone. It will be combining innovation with human expertise to deliver when and where it matters most."

Jonathan Dalrymple

CEO, Chugach Alaska Corporation

“AI has accelerated the proven OODA loop—Observe, Orient, Decide and Act, as pioneered by USAF Colonel John Boyd. The OODA loop is at cycle speeds even Colonel Boyd did not grasp possible—intelligence collection, analysis and target selection, providing the critical capability to assess and prioritize mission targets. The greatest risk for AI is in Orient to Decide and Act. The human must still be in the loop, holding the critical judgements and mental models for the decision cycle. Abrogating those loops to AI creates a ‘slop’ that is unacceptable in national security.”

Patrick Weldon

Director, Advanced Technologies, Polaris Industries

The Washington Post Style

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2026

FRANCISCO DE GOYA/MUSEO NACIONAL DEL PRADO

The president's queasy beef with Talarico

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BY EMILY KENNARD

This year's midterm mudslinging has largely focused on substantive topics such as corruption and affordability. When it comes to the U.S. Senate race in Texas, however, President Donald Trump has an additional issue he'd like the electorate to consider: vomit.

The vomit in question supposedly belongs to Democratic candidate James Talarico — “Tofu Talarico,” to Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose party has spent months trying to make the alliterative nickname stick. In at least nine separate interviews and speeches, Trump has painted a visceral scene in which the current state representative throws up after eating barbecue.

“He wants to eat a piece of lettuce. ‘A little piece of lettuce, please,’” Trump said at a San Antonio campaign rally Wednesday night. “He’s sick because he’s been forced to eat meat for political reasons, and he’s throwing up all over the place.”

Usually, as Trump describes in the fabricated scenarios, Talarico politely ducks out of public view to regurgitate

SEE TALARICO ON B3

JIM YOUNG/REUTERS

Donald Trump eating a pork chop at the Iowa State Fair in 2015.

A painting that captures the moral gravity of public executions

Hegseth wants to live-stream a firing squad, but dramatizing the absolute power of the state almost always humanizes the condemned

BY PHILIP KENNICOTT

ust a few days after President Donald Trump doxed Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas) for blocking a bill to make daylight saving time year-round, Trump's minister of manliness, Pete Hegseth, announced that he will set the moral clock back a few centuries. The defense secretary's promise to live-stream the execution by firing squad of convicted Fort Hood shooter Nidal Malik Hasan will implicate the U.S. military in a spectacle degrading to its reputation worldwide. But like the act it is designed to amplify — and other acts of state violence, including torture — it will humiliate its perpetrator, not its victim, and it won't further justice or enhance security. It will make us look weak and thus we will be weakened.

Consider the moral power of one of the great treasures of the Prado Museum in Madrid, a painting titled “The Third of May 1808” by Francisco de Goya. It depicts the execution of civilians by a firing squad of French troops during Napoleon’s brutal occupation of Spain. The soldiers’ heads are bent over their rifles, obscuring their faces. That focuses attention on the man they are murdering, who stands with his arms and legs outstretched, a reference to Jesus on the cross and perhaps the ancient idealization of the human body’s proportions, most famously depicted in Leonardo da Vinci’s “Vitruvian Man.”

"The Third of May 1808" is a huge painting, nearly 9 by 12 feet, and it was designed to elicit cinematically scaled sympathy not just for the man about to die but also those who are already dead, lying in a bloody heap before him, and those about to die, who cover their eyes in horror.

You don't need to know the historical particulars for this painting to align your sympathy with the men facing, rather than dealing, death. Goya's painting distills the absolute imbalance of power that makes execution morally abominable, even when it proceeds from a legal process, even when prisoners like Hasan, who killed 13 people at a Texas Army post in 2009, are guilty of horrific crimes.

To have a human being entirely at the mercy of state power imposes a duty on the state, and the drama of that impotence almost always humanizes the condemned, which is why the botched execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee is so disturbing. So, too, the U.S. military's "double tap" strike on an alleged Venezuelan drug boat last year, which killed two survivors clinging to the burning wreckage, shocks the conscience and may be a war crime. The spectacle of turning execution at the hands of American soldiers into entertainment will only add to the growing sense that Hegseth and Trump have corrupted the military, its values, ethics and professionalism.

SEE CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK ON B2

"The 3rd of May 1808 in Madrid, or 'The Executions'" by Francisco de Goya. It depicts the execution of civilians by a firing squad of French troops during Napoleon's brutal occupation of Spain.

Q&A For Murray Hill, ‘Showbiz’ is no longer a joke

BY SHANE O'NEILL

Murray Hill has been shouting his catchphrase “Showbiz!” since he began performing as an emcee at gay clubs in the '90s. Onstage, in his sweaty borscht belt persona, “Showbiz!” is a punctuation mark, a punch line, an expletive and a philosophy.

It used to be a joke. Someone like him couldn't really be part of showbiz. There were barely any drag kings or transmasculine performers in underground nightlife, let alone on TV. But much has changed since then. He's opened for Le Tigre and the late Joan Rivers, performed for Marc Jacobs and Pedro Almodóvar and appeared with Jeff Hiller in three seasons of the Emmy-winning HBO show "Somebody, Somewhere" starring his longtime friend Bridgett Everett. He threw out the first pitch at a Mets game in 2024.

Now, at 54, he's in a peculiar place in his life and career. He's achieved unprecedented success for a guy who cut his teeth in the LGBTQ underground, but he's feeling the drag (no pun intend-SEE HILL ON B2

DON SPIRO

Murray Hill is frank in his memoir.

The barbaric idea would live forever online

Visitors look at Goya's "The Second of May, 1808" and "The Third of May, 1808" at the Prado museum.

JAVIER SORIANO/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

CRITIC'S NOTEBOOK FROM B1

Powerlessness humanizes, which is one reason most governments abhor public executions. In a famous passage from the 17th-century graphomaniac Samuel Pepys's diaries, the author scurries through London to witness the execution of a man convicted of robbery, only to find sympathy for the victim: "A comely-looked man he was, and kept his countenance to the end: I was sorry to see him." Even Saddam Hussein, one of the most brutal men to walk the planet, was pathetic in the video that leaked of his 2006 execution. He was killed in a cramped, dark and grubby chamber, but he too kept his countenance to the end, and the video did no credit to the nascent Iraqi state.

By the 19th century, countries around the world were beginning to move away from public execution. They had become occasions for public disorder, and they eroded approval of this most drastic use of state power. In the United States, capital punishment continues, which keeps us company with some of the worst regimes in the world. Public execution would align us morally with a handful of even more execrable states. Live-streaming an execution would make the exceptional nation truly exceptional in the worst possible way.

In Goya's painting, the central figure is dressed in a white smock and bares his chest to the bullets as if to say "Do your worst, and the world shall witness it." Hegseth's grisly imagination is America at its worst, and there is something like truth in all of this. We hide our executions for the same reason we hide those we kill in war and the slaughter of animals; we want the glory of war, the satisfaction of vengeance and the taste of blood, but we recoil from the raw truth of our violence. Now we would acknowledge that truth, and the brutality at the core of the American project, and broadcast it to world. It is a barbaric idea and it would live forever on the internet. But it is a confessional, too.

Having alienated our friends and allies, Hegseth's America will go even further and sicken the entire world. It must seem as if we are in the grips of the addict's pathology: We will not change course until we hit rock bottom.

Perhaps this is rock bottom, or perhaps there's more digging to be done. Hegseth's live-stream provocation comes at a moment when public opinion is souring on the administration he serves. He proposed it a day after Secretary of State Marco Rubio, a possible candidate to succeed Trump in 2028, gave a speech in

Athens about the Ancient Greek idea of “thumos”: the striving, emulative spirit that arouses courage, ambition and inspirits heroic acts. Thumos, the homely sibling of reason, justice and love, has been a popular theme among some American conservatives, especially those fascinated by ideas of manliness.

But Hegseth's macabre ideas and Rubio's celebration of ancient ideals of aggression make our nation's top leaders seem like ill-bred children. They remind me of the boys in my fourth-grade class upon discovering a history book that reproduced the 1943 black-and-white photo known as "Dead Americans at Buna Beach," a harrowing image of sacrifice from World War II. They were fascinated and thrilled by the dead bodies in a picture that should convey only service, sorrow and loss. I am sure most of them have grown up and would be ashamed of the pleasure they took in the photograph, as Alypius, the friend of Saint Augustine, was ashamed to have been addicted to gladiator violence as a young man.

As Trump nods, and rivals for the throne jostle for preeminence, there will be a flood of gothic ugliness coming from his would-be successors. Fantasies of violence, dressed up as thumos, or packaged as juridical entertainment, seem to be their best hope of advancement. Like the men waiting for death in Goya's painting, the better part of the world will cover its eyes.

For Hill, it's been a funny and painful journey

HILL FROM B1

ed) of an administration pushing back against trans people and a pop culture that is increasingly tentative about trans representation. "I've broken through the glass ceiling, but it's catching at my ankles," he told me.

Last week, he released his memoir, "Showbiz!: My Life as a Middle-Aged Man." It's the first time he's publicly discussed the trauma of his abusive childhood, the realities of his alcoholism and the painful, lonely realities of forging his own path in life and showbiz. Not that the book is some sad clown tragic cliché. As we discuss here, his memoir also covers bad haircuts, bad sex, angry ex-girlfriends and roller-blades.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

In your memoir, you write, "As of this writing, it's been ten years without a drink." I've also just hit 10 years, no drinks.

You know how hard it is, bro!

I really appreciated that your memoir included the brass tacks of “I need to get sober. I’m not rich. I need to find a way to detox in New York City.” Why was it important to say, “This is what it’s like to try to get sober when you are on Medicaid?”

It is very difficult to go to rehab without having money, and that's tragic. But being queer and being trans, it's quite brutal. When I went to rehab, I walked in the door and instantly people were saying f---ed up s--- about if I was a boy or a girl. I got screamed at by this huge security guard for talking to a boy. They were like, "You're not allowed to talk to the opposite sex." I was maybe an hour outside of New York City, and I could have traveled to the 1950s. Can a straight person imagine bleeding from a gunshot, going

RODRIGO CORRAL STUDIOS

Murray Hill's memoir published on Oct. 6.

"Being queer and being trans, it's quite brutal."

Murray Hill, talking about going through rehab

into an emergency room, going "I need help!" and they go "Uh ... Are you a girl? Are you a boy?"

For people who want to be a part of queer nightlife, you often have to be around alcohol. Do you have any tips, tricks, advice for people who are trying not to self-destruct but need to be in those spaces? The biggest tip is you have to let your chosen family know that you're trying to stay sober. The thing in showbiz and nightlife is you could drink your face off every single night, and no

one would say anything. And if you don't tell anybody that you actually have a serious issue and you need support? Well, if you're going to feed the wolves you're going to eat.

One of my favorite moments in the book was your first haircut when you went to college at Boston University. You found a coupon for a hairstylist, and this poor gay guy tried to do you right and gave you a frizzed bouffant.

I wish I had a picture of it, Shane. It was like “Designing Women.” My hair was out, like Dixie Carter out. I still don’t even know what it’s called. Teasing? It was up and feathered and I had a helmet of hair. It was funny, but when I was on the street I felt so much shame. It took decades to shed all of that stuff and be this.

I love how much attention you paid to hair in your book. People think it's frivolous, but it's actually quite important. Was that conscious?

Hair is such a signifier. My mother wanted me to have long hair, and I hated it. You see a lot of lesbians, they wear hats or they wear those insufferable tight ponytails or buns. It's almost like you have to have long hair, so you try to make it as least personally offensive as possible to get through. So when I did get to New York, symbolically and in real life, I cut that f---ing hair and never went back.

Who's doing your hair these days?

I have a gay barber who also does women's hair. We call this the executive cut. It's kind of like a low fade.

The last time I interviewed you, you mentioned something about an ex-girlfriend that maybe you wished you had not said.

Oh, boy, did I get heat from that! Still! It was a very showbiz line, something like “This is the first girlfriend I’ve ever had that I’ve liked.”

I was curious if there's a correlation between that and the chapter about your girl-friends that is full of intentional blacked-out redactions

[Interrupting] Yes. The answer's yes. I wanted to acknowledge that I have had many relationships, many that have not worked because of drinking, not having my [stuff] sorted out and all that stuff. They were very self-destructive and dysfunctional relationships and I played a 98 percent part in that. But I didn't want to upset my actual exes.

The biggest sex scene in the book is pretty rough and awkward and funny. She said, "You have such strong legs" and you said, "I rollerblade." I kind of see it now as like arrested development, right? Like, I wasn't out, I didn't even know I was queer or anything. I did not know what the f--- I was doing. I was not cool. I had those teenage discovery years when I was much older. There was one sex ed class, Shane, that we were supposed to have in sixth grade. For whatever reason, my year, they canceled it. Sometimes I get blown away that people are out in high school. I'm an uncle to three boys from my ex. And we're very close. One of them just went to college, I'm so proud of him. I remember when he was young, maybe third grade or something, we're walking down the street and he turns to me and says, "Uncle Murray? What are your pronouns?" You know what? I started crying. I couldn't believe how much has changed. And the younger generation — we really need these kids right now — they are unfazed. They are unfazed by any of this, as they should be.

ILLUSTRATION BY NICK GALIFIANAKIS/FOR THE WASHINGTON POST

Should I lift social media ban on mother-in-law to keep the peace in family?

Carolyn

Hax

Dear Carolyn: A few months ago, my spouse and I got into a horrible argument with my mother-in-law. I removed her from social media because she has a

habit of posting passive-aggressive comments. Think: insulting posts about the “weaker younger generation” and “ungrateful children,” which always seem to appear when a family tiff has started.

Now that we are trying to mend things, I feel hesitant to add my mother-in-law back on the socials. If she uses her social media like a burn book, then I feel this will only fuel my annoyance with her during future arguments. I don't want to be in a vicious cycle of constantly being angry with my mother-in-law.

However, my main goal is to support my spouse and let her set the pace for interacting with her mother. I don't want to make the situation worse by refusing a form of contact.

I just don't know how to bring this up to my spouse or what to say if the mother-in-law inquires why I haven't lifted the social media ban.

\- Failing Zen Meister

Failing Zen Meister: I wouldn't overthink that last issue: "This works for me" [shrug]. So good in so many situations, but especially good when the stakes are low, like when the so-called prize is, whoop de doo, a return to your online friends list. It's just not a point of access, a medium, even a symbol that's anywhere near as significant as your agency. Or your peace, for that matter.

So while I respect your deference to your spouse and her relationship with her mother, don't assume you have to give away licenses to your mental airwaves for that.

Preparing your spouse for any repercussions is how you can bring it up: “In case your mother asks you why she’s still not on my socials, you can refer her to me, or just say I must have cut back.” Not a lie, right? You cut back on her. Feel free to trim your list of other nuisances to truth that up. And to cut back the time you spend on your socials, as soul bonus.

Plus, you said it yourself. Less mother-in-law online commentary means you will be less annoyed with the mother-in-law, which ultimately benefits your spouse. Even if the transition is spiky at first.

In the interests of full disclosure, though: I think those sample mother-in-law mean posts are hilarious.

It's hilarity of the transparently-ridiculous-ax-grinding-hyperbole variety, which I'll grant is easier to find amusing when it's someone else's mother-in-law. But I mention it in case there's any chance you could come around emotionally to this viewpoint. Nothing neutralizes someone's passive-aggressive public unraveling like the genuine capacity to laugh or shrug it off.

Such immunity to her burns would allow you to leave her on your feed, neatly bypassing the whole issue of who notices who's back on whose socials or not. (I feel diminished just typing it. See: "whoop de doo," above.) In a pinch you could mute your way to serenity.

Regardless, I hope you will consider — and I hope your health care access permits — some sessions with a therapist to discuss this family's dynamic. I've focused my answer on disengagement tactics to help you stay out of “future arguments” or the next “family tiff,” which must be common to warrant an “always” in the sentence. So that is merely symptom management.

The problem is worth more ambitious attention. It is neither inevitable nor healthy for the adults in a family to argue horribly in a way that involves “habit,” another word you used; some counseling can help you and your spouse understand the patterns better, or just you if your spouse opts out. With that understanding, you can then develop strategies for getting along more productively — even with members who think family drama in the comments belongs in the playbook of any adult.

Write to Carolyn Hax at tellme@washpost.com. Get her newsletter delivered to your inbox each morning at wapo.st/gethax.

Join the discussion live at noon Fridays at washingtonpost.com/livechats.

Don't assume you have to give away licenses to your mental airwaves.

the GUIDE to the Lively Arts

DATES & TIMES

An appetite for talking about Talarico, barbecue and barf

Cooks preparing barbecue in 1963 at President Lyndon B. Johnson's ranch in Johnson City, Texas.

CHITOSE SUZUKI/DALLAS MORNING NEWS/GETTY IMAGES

James Talarico, who's been labeled a vegan by President Donald Trump, eats barbecue in June at a Dallas campaign event.

TALARICO FROM B1

his food. The president has been repeating a similar story since Sept. 2 at a Rose Garden dinner — where Republican lawmakers gorged on prime-aged beef burgers, no less. There, he said that Talarico “eats meat and he goes outside, and he throws up all over the place.”

Trump, who has diagnosed Talarico with a sort of barbecue-induced bulimia — not yet recognized by the DSM-5 — is probably riffing on the allegation that Talarico is a closeted vegan. Though, until Wednesday night, Trump mostly pronounced the term “vay-gan” while telling these stories. (He credited the first lady for correcting him.)

"James is not and has never been a vegan," a Talarico campaign spokesperson said in an email.

Crowds at the campaign stops typically laugh intermittently when Trump talks about imagined vomit. But all of Trump's retching rhetoric offended one Texas GOP operative's Southern sensibilities.

“First off, that’s gross. Second, joking about someone having bulimia isn’t funny,” the operative, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly discuss the president’s vomit jokes, told The Washington Post in a text. “It’s clearly Trump calling Talarico a wuss.”

Republicans have focused heavily on attacking Talarico's diet, a line of discourse Trump's been eager to escalate. In 2022, when Talarico cited climate-related concerns about meat consumption in a speech to local animal rights advocates, he unwittingly condemned Texas voters to a midterms cycle of visualizing the boyish 37-year-old regurgitating his brisket.

It's not news that in Texas, candidates' views on barbecue serve as a primo fodder for political, uh, roasts. J.C. Reid, a barbecue columnist for the Houston Chronicle, said in an email that attacking a candidate's barbecue consumption is a way to frame opponents as culturally incompatible — and too feminine — to lead the state. He traces the political association between meat and Texas politics back to President Lyndon B. Johnson, who hosted “blow-out barbecues and elaborate rodeos” at his Texas ranch.

“This was a very Texan form of projecting power and masculinity, especially for Johnson, who I think at the time considered European leaders in particular to be somewhat effeminate,” Reid said in an email. “Texas barbecue is often a proxy for both establishing Texan bona fides as well to a lesser extent masculinity.”

In 2018, Sen. Ted Cruz was facing a close election against then-rising star Beto O'Rourke. "If Beto wins, BBQ will be illegal!" Cruz tweeted, adding three laughing emojis. When newspapers contacted his campaign about that, his team said that Cruz was "of course" just joking.

This year, it's not clear whether Republicans are still kidding. Even Cruz tweeted that “this freak wants to BAN BBQ” in March.

Talarico, who has never publicly claimed to be vegan, has made public stops in at least two barbecue joints. PolitiFact has rated the vegan allegations as “false.”

Truth-squadding, of course, has not stymied Republicans' meat-centric attacks.

"James Talarico wants to force everyone to eat & buy vegan, non-meat products. Insanity," posted Joanna Rodriguez, the National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) communications director, in March. No laughing emojis were appended.

The NRSC put out a news release the same month that accused Talarico's campaign of wanting "to rid the world of Texas barbecue" — again framing the Democrat as an existential threat to the state's slow-roasted meats.

When asked by The Post whether the statements were made in jest, Rodriguez said by email, “I’m not sure what is so confounding.” She pointed to the 2022 video in which Talarico said his campaign team would opt for vegan meals because of environmental concerns and repeated the baseless claim that Talarico became ill after “suddenly changing his vegan diet to deceive Texans that he abandoned his push to ban red meat over climate change."

This week, Republicans sent out a plethora of posts and news releases about Talarico's absence from the campaign trail. His team said in public statements that he had the flu, which Trump called into doubt in a Truth Social post on Thursday. At the San Antonio rally, he said Talarico's newfound meat consumption had caused his illness.

All that fuss was short-lived, however. The Democrat was spotted Friday afternoon at a music festival in Austin.

Talarico's supposed meat-related affliction isn't the only medical condition his opponents have diagnosed him with this year. Paxton has labeled his opponent "Low-T Talarico," a nickname straight out of the manosphere, implying he has inadequate levels of testosterone. Paxton's campaign did not respond to a request for comment on the vomit of it all, however.

Trump's vomit jokes are another way to diminish Talarico's masculinity, said Sarah Murnen, a psychology professor at Kenyon College who studies gender and eating disorders. She explained that eating disorders are culturally associated mostly with women.

“Meat is so associated with masculinity, and he's saying he won't even eat meat. He's, you know, he's vomiting the meat. So, I think it's just a way to say that he's not sufficiently masculine to be our candidate,” Murnen said.

Though, when it comes to phobia-based dining habits, the president might be hurling rocks from a glass house. The president has a well-documented fear of illness, which he's cited before as a reason he loves fast food — and which perhaps inspires his preference for well-done steak.

"He eats like, fast food, because he trusts it," Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told Joe Rogan in February. "He doesn't want to eat in some local place where, you know, he gets food poisoning or something."

Christine Quinn, a Democratic commentator and New York City politician who has publicly talked about her struggles with bulimia, said the president's repeated jokes about Talarico's vomit are not only not funny, they're "very dangerous and unkind," especially to those with eating disorders.

"People's fears are very personal; they're very locked up or twisted in whatever their life experience was. They're not always rational," Quinn said. Likewise, she wouldn't want to see a line of attack targeting Trump's food preferences. "I hope there aren't Democrats out there mocking his fear of food-based illnesses. That would be unkind."

Still, Trump is known for food and weight insults. In 2016, a former Miss Universe claimed that Trump called her “Miss Piggy” and said his comments contributed to her developing an eating disorder. Then he doubled down. He’s previously called comedian Rosie O’Donnell a “fat pig.”

Over the years, he has regularly criticized former New Jersey governor Chris Christie's diet and weight. At the White House correspondent's dinner in July, he joked that Christie is among “the heaviest of the heavyweights” and “one of the sloppiest human beings you'll ever meet.”

Mike DuHaime, a veteran Republican operative and former lead Christie campaign strategist, said he thinks that while the juvenile nicknames were once effective, they may be losing impact. “I think voters are getting tired of it now,” he said in a text to The Post.

Democrats in Texas think this cycle might finally be the one to flip the Senate seat — though they said that the past three times, too. For now, they're looking for a silver lining among the splatter.

“Gas and grocery prices are at all-time highs, and obviously they can’t blame James Talarico for that. So, what do they do? I guess you just descend into weird personal attacks that aren’t true and are just kind of gross,” said Katherine Fischer, a Democrat who heads the Texas Majority PAC. But, she added, “I just don’t think that people care about what other people eat on any level, whether they’re running for office or not.”

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(Live) | The Briefing (Live) | Last Word (Live) | The 11th | MTV | Caught in Act | Caught in Act | Caught in Act | Caught in Act | Unfaithful | Nat'l Geographic | Life Below Zero | Surviving Ala. | Surviving Ala. | Megastorm (P) | Disaster | Nickelodeon | Movie: Despicable Me 3 ★★ (2017) | Friends | Friends | Big Bang | Big Bang | Big Bang | NWSN | Vargas Report | NewsNation Special Report | On Balance | Katie | Paramount | (6:00) Movie: Just Go With It ★★ (2011) | (:45) Movie: Old School ★★ (2003) Three men relive their wild past by starting a fraternity. | Movie: Just Go ... | Paramount+Sho | (5:45) Movie: The Bodyguard (1992) | Movie: When Harry Met Sally... ★★★★ (1989) | (:35) Movie: You've Got Mail ★★ (1998) | Syfy | (5:00) Movie: H... | Movie: Halloween II ★ (2009) | Movie: Old ★★ (2021) A family visits a beach that causes them to age rapidly. | TBS | Leadoff (Live) | MLB Baseball TBA at Tampa Bay Rays (Live) | TCM | (6:15) Movie: W... | Parade | Movie: All That Heaven Allows ★★★ (1955) | (:45) Movie: Leave Her to Heaven ★★★ (1945) | TLC | 1000-lb Sisters | 1000-lb Sisters | 1000-lb Sisters | 1000-lb Roomies | 90 Day | TNT | Women's International Soccer Friendlies USA vs. Spain (Live) | Postgame | Movie: Blended ★ (2014) Two single-parent families are stuck together at a resort. | Travel | My Haunted | My Haunted | My Haunted | My Haunted | MyHaunt.. | TruTV | Leadoff (Live) | MLB Baseball Division Series: Teams TBA (Live) | TV Land | Raymond | Raymond | Raymond | Raymond | (:20) Raymond | Raymond | Raymond | King | TV One | CosbySh.. | CosbySh.. | Lv Single | Lv Single | Lv Single | Lv Single | Lv Single | Lv Single | Lv Single | USA Network | Law & Order: SVU | Law & Order: SVU | Law & Order: SVU | Law & Order: SVU | Law-SVU | VH1 | Chris | Chris | Movie: First Sunday ★★ (2008) | Movie: Two Can Play That Game (... | WNC8 | Paid Prog. | Paid Prog. | Paid Prog. | 7News at... | SportsTalk | National | WJLANe.. | Paid Prog. | National | Movie Ratings (from TMS) ★★★★ Excellent ★★★ Good ★★ Fair ★ Poor No stars: not rated

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BIRTHDAY | OCTOBER 13:

You're focused and direct. You're also courageous and resourceful. This is a

and resourceful. This is a year of service (perhaps to family). Take care of yourself so you can be a resource for those who turn to you for guidance, comfort and courage. It also might be time for a personal makeover.

Moon Alert: Caution! Avoid shopping (except for food and gas) and important decisions from 4:15 a.m. to 9:15 p.m. today. After that, the Moon moves from Scorpio into Sagittarius.

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ARIES

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(March 21-April 19)

It's tricky because the Moon is in your Financial House, which might encourage you to negotiate financial matters and discuss shared property, banking details, insurance issues and inheritances. However, today is a Moon Alert! Postpone these discussions.

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TAURUS

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(April 20-May 20)

Today you have to go more than halfway when dealing with others because the Moon is opposite your sign. In two weeks, people will have to go more than halfway when dealing with you, when the Moon is in your sign. Meanwhile, it's a Moon Alert today.

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GEMINI

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(May 21-June 20)

You might want to get better organized today. (Co-workers will be helpful.) However, there's a Moon Alert in effect most of this day, which could create shortages, delays and lower energy. Just cover the basics.

N-S VULNERABLE

NORTH (D)

♠ K832

♥ AQ

♦ 76532

♣ 74

WEST EAST

♠ 76 ♠ 54

♥ J984 ♥ K1065

♦ AK4 ♦ QJ109

♣ KJ108 ♣ 962

SOUTH

♠ A Q J 10 9

♥ 7 3 2

♦ 8

♣ A Q 5 3

---

The bidding: | NORTH | EAST | SOUTH | WEST | Pass | Pass | 1♠ | Dbl | 2 NT | Pass | 4♠ | All Pass | Opening lead — ♠ 7 | ---

HOROSCOPE

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CANCER

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(June 21-July 22)

Most of this day is a Moon Alert, which means you have fantastic opportunities to express your creative talents! Enjoy hobbies, arts and crafts. Enjoy socializing, especially sports events and fun activities with kids.

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LEO

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(July 23-Aug. 22)

The Sun is urging you to get out, schmooze, travel and learn something. Today, however, you might want to kick back and relax at home. Take it easy. It's a poor day to shop or make important decisions. (Check the Moon Alert.)

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VIRGO

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(Aug. 23-Sept. 22)

(18.25 Sept. 22)

Indulge your eagerness to talk to others and share your ideas today. People will enjoy talking to you because you know a lot, especially trivia. That's what makes you so interesting! (Especially when you do dialects.)

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LIBRA

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(Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

(Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

This is a strong time because the Sun in your sign is recharging your batteries for the rest of year. Meanwhile, three planets are in your Money House, making you think about buying beautiful things. Don't do it today. Check the Moon Alert. Just make a list.

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SCORPIO

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(Oct. 23-Nov. 21)

Today three planets are in your sign, which is a powerhouse. Plus, Mars is high in your chart arousing your ambition. Basically, this is the kind of day where you can go after what you want. But not today! Why? There's a Moon Alert in effect all day.

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BRIDGE

Cy the Cynic says that half a loaf is better than no idle time at all. Cy is like many players: As declarer, he is lazy; he adopts the first line of play he sees, especially if it looks easy.

In my club's penny game, Cy played at four spades. West led a trump, and Cy won with dummy's king and led a club, finessing with his queen. West took the king and led a second trump.

The Cynic won and tried a heart to dummy's queen. That finesse lost also, and Cy finished with only nine tricks: five trumps in his hand, a club, a heart and two ruffs in dummy.

Cy makes his game with more effort. At Trick Two he must concede a diamond. He wins the trump return in dummy, ruffs a diamond and finesse in hearts, losing. If East returns a club, Cy's queen loses to West, but Cy wins the heart return with the ace, ruffs a diamond, ruffs a heart in dummy

(Just do your homework and fill your databank.)

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SAGITTARIUS

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(Nov. 22-Dec. 21)

Today is a mixed bag. In one way, you feel sociable because you're popular right now. People want to talk to you, and your involvement in groups and organizations is stronger than usual. However, another part of you wants to be low-key and keep things quiet. That might be the wise choice.

---

CAPRICORN

---

(Dec. 22-Jan. 19)

(See: 25 Sun 10)

You might have a heart-to-heart discussion with a female acquaintance today or a member of a group.

Keep in mind that you look good to everyone right now because the Sun is casting you in a flattering spotlight. Nevertheless, there's a Moon Alert all day. So keep things light.

---

AQUARIUS

---

(Jan. 20-Feb. 18)

People notice you today! In fact, some people will know personal details about your private life. That's just the way it is. Be aware of this in case you have to do some damage control. Because there's a Moon Alert all day, restrict spending to food and gas.

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PISCES

---

(Feb. 19-March 20)

(Abr. 15 March 20)

Avoid controversial subjects today.

They will amount to nothing due to the

Moon Alert taking place all day. It will

all be just a lot of hot air. However,

you can make progress at work or

with any task you set for yourself. Get

busy!

— Georgia Nicols

© 2026, KING FEATURES SYNDICATE, INC.

---

and ruffs a diamond.

Cy can then take the ace of clubs, ruff a club and cash dummy's good fifth diamond for his 10th trick.

---

DAILY QUESTION

You hold:

♠K832♥AO

◆76532♣74

The dealer, at your left, opens one heart. Your partner doubles. The next player passes. What do you say?

ANSWER: If you held K 8 3 2, 3 2, A Q 5 3 2, 7 4, you would jump to two spades to invite game with nine useful points. After the opening bid at your left, your queen of hearts may be useless. Bid one spade. An “advance” of 1NT would show some strength, but your hand will almost surely play better at spades.

— Frank Stewart

©2026, TRIBUNE CONTENT AGENCY, LLC.

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SUDOKU

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains every digit from 1 to 9 inclusively. | 7 | 5 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 9 | DIFFICULTY RATING: ★★☆☆☆

DIRECTIONS: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. "Blanks" used as any letter have no point value. All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition. SOLUTION TOMORROW For more information on tournaments and clubs, email NASPA - North American SCRABBLE Players Association info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website - www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com

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PREVIOUS SCRABBLEGRAMS SOLUTION | $A_{1}$ | $D_{2}$ | $R_{1}$ | $O_{1}$ | $I_{1}$ | $T_{1}$ | RACK 1 = $\underline{7}$ | $V_{4}$ | $E_{1}$ | $S_{1}$ | $T_{1}$ | $U_{1}$ | $R_{1}$ | $E_{1}$ | RACK 2 = $\underline{60}$ | $P_{3}$ | $U_{1}$ | $R_{1}$ | $L_{1}$ | $O_{1}$ | $I_{1}$ | $N_{1}$ | RACK 3 = $\underline{61}$ | $A_{1}$ | $P_{3}$ | $P_{3}$ | $E_{1}$ | $A_{1}$ | $S_{1}$ | $E_{1}$ | RACK 4 = $\underline{72}$ | PAR SCORE 140-150 TOTAL | 200 | ---

LA TIMES CROSSWORD

We have more than 100 card, puzzle and word games to challenge you.

---

Play more games online

Just scan the QR code with your phone's camera or visit

wapo.st/games

---

Game Break

Get our gaming newsletter with daily reminders and other insights. wapo.st/newsletters

---

PREVIOUS SUDOKU SOLUTION | 9 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 9 | 7 | 1 | 8 | 1 | 4 | 7 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 7 | 3 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 6 | 9 | ---

JUMBLE CROSSWORDS

10-Lovely 2D-Tailed 3D-Epsonre 4D-Readem B-Verketa

©2008 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

ANSWER: 1A-Litter 5A-Value 6A-Elope 7A-Stream

& Hoyt Designs. All Rights Reserved.

Send comments to DLHoyt@HoytlinteractiveMedia.com

How to play Complete the crossword puzzle by looking at the clues and unscrambling the answers. When the puzzle is complete, unscramble the circled letters to solve the BONUS.

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By Zachary Edward-Brown & Shannon Rapp

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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71

ACROSS

1 Make red-faced

6 Feature of some Southern accents

11 Bread with caraway seeds

14 Like unhelpful hints

15 Civic-minded brand?

16 Snakelike fish

17 Seth MacFarlane cartoon series

19 Language in which "Baw pennyang" means "It's nothing"

20 Ballpark snack

21 Hotel customer

23 Lane of "Superman"

26 Conversation that might involve Jordan and LeBron

29 Promises

31 Solemn acts

32 Letter before lambda

33 Moral wrong

34 Get a better loan rate, for short

37 \_\_ out a living

38 Big lottery win

42 \_\_ sum: bite-sized Chinese fare

43 Truly engrossed

45 Quaker possessive

46 Running track shapes, often

48 Seven, in Spanish

50 Sea cow

52 "Room" Best Actress Oscar winner

55 Take a day off, say

56 Baggy

57 \_\_-frutti

59 Wine cask wood

60 Green Bay Packers fans, or what 17-, 26-, 38-, and 52-Across have

66 Carry-on screeners: Abbr.

67 Bridgestone products

68 Bright courtyards

69 "Charlotte's Web" enclosure

70 Bowling score indicated by a slash

71 Used a keyboard

DOWN

1 "Hacks" comedy writer Daniels

2 Impact sound

3 The "A" of A/S/L

4 "Let's catch some waves!"

5 Whodunit suspect

6 Marvel villain played by Josh Brolin

7 Fictional chocolatier

8 "On top of that ...""

9 Secrecy doc

10 Gizmo

11 Information on a movie poster

12 Baker's supply

13 Mexican corn dish

18 Bird house?

22 App with a Women Drivers option

© 2026 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

23 L.A. NBAer

24 Honshu port city

25 Server's query after a drink order, perhaps

27 Journey

28 T. rex, for one

30 TV friend of Sheldon and Howard

33 Cloud location

10/13/26

35 Computer folder contents

36 "Nothing for me, thanks!"

39 Flour for chapati and roti

40 "Believe" diva

41 Heavy load

44 Formal neckwear

47 Assortment

49 Puts in office

50 Styling foam

51 Poker stake

52 Rorschach test shapes

53 Cook in an oven

54 Pilot

58 The one there

61 \_-hop music

62 Slice of history

63 Dada artist Jean

64 Monopoly cube

65 Melancholy

MONDAY'S LA TIMES SOLUTION

Dan Quinn has coached the Commanders to a 1-3-1 record this season. "We're going to stick by each other and weather the storm," quarterback Jayden Daniels said.

NICK WASS/AP

A tenure-defining mistake?

As the Commanders try to salvage their season, Sunday's win-turned-tie may be the beginning of the end for Quinn

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BY TASHAN REED

Dan Quinn stared into the distance. The Washington Commanders coach had just slammed his headset in anger. He stood on the field in silence with his hands on his hips. In that moment, he epitomized the collective disbelief within Northwest Stadium.

Nothing about it made sense.

The Commanders had the ball at the New York Giants' 24-yard line with the last seconds of overtime ticking away. The game was tied. Neither team had a timeout. Washington's decision should have been simple: Spike the ball and attempt a game-winning field goal. There was no guarantee that rookie Drew Stevens would have made the kick, of course, but that would have been the most rational plan.

Rather than follow that line of thinking, Quinn and offensive coordinator David Blough decided to run another play. Quarterback Jayden Daniels dropped back to pass and got sacked, and the rest of the clock ran out.

The inexplicable mismanagement defined the Commanders' 27-27 tie with the Giants on Sunday.

"I'm in total disbelief my Commanders had such poor clock management in today's overtime game against the Giants," minority owner Magic Johnson said in a social media post Sunday. "All we had to do was kick the field goal and we would have won the game!"

Quinn explained afterward that there were two reads on the play — throw the ball away or spike it to stop the clock — but that was seemingly lost on Daniels and the rest of the players on the field.

The pass catchers ran routes downfield, which typically doesn't happen on a designed throw-away. Daniels briefly looked to throw before

Week 6: Commanders at 49ers Monday, 8:15, ABC/ESPN | No update on Penix Falcons expect to know more later in week, B9

scrambling. Even after that failed execution, the sense of urgency didn't seem to register with Washington (1-3-1).

Daniels looked to the sideline and was slow to get up. The pass catchers remained downfield. The offensive linemen were just standing around.

It wasn't until right tackle Josh Conerly Jr. ran up to Daniels and told him to spike the ball that the Commanders started getting lined up. It was far too late. Time ran out.

“Ten out of ten,” Quinn said Sunday when asked to rate his level of frustration. “And that falls on me.”

It's true that the blame game starts with Quinn. While Blough calls the plays, how the Commanders handle any in-game situation is Quinn's decision. He erred when he didn't have Blough call for a spike.

"It's easy enough to say, 'Hey man, let's clock it SEE COMMANDERS ON B9

ON THE NFL

In NFC East, bad choices led teams to bad endings

BY ROB MAADDI

Associated Press

Poor situational management cost the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Commanders victories. The New York Giants squandered chances, too.

It was a tough Sunday for the NFC East and a rough Week 5 altogether for the division, including the Dallas Cowboys losing at home Thursday night to a previously winless team and an undrafted rookie quarterback.

The depleted Eagles gave away an improbable victory in London.

The Commanders inexplicably ran the clock out on themselves in field goal range and had to settle for a tie against the Giants, who wasted two chances to win in overtime.

Down four offensive linemen, Saquon Barkley and fellow running back Tank Bigsby, and No. 1 wide receiver DeVonta Smith, the Eagles still had a chance to beat Jacksonville when Jake Elliott kicked a 48-yard field goal with eight seconds left.

The Jacksonville Jaguars had no timeouts remaining, so Philadelphia should have kicked the ball into the end zone for a touchback and forced them to run a play from the 35, needing about 25 yards to get in field goal position.

Instead, Elliott kept the ball in play, and Ameer Abdullah returned it 53 yards against a unit that allowed a touchdown on the opening kick that was negated by penalty. Abdullah was tackled at the Philadelphia 39 with a second to go, giving Cam Little an opportunity to drill a 57-yarder for a 19-17 victory.

Eagles Coach Nick Sirianni immediately regretted the decision.

"I lost us that game," Sirianni said. "And that's what I said to our guys. And what hurts there is that the guys fought so hard, and then I don't make the decision that I should make at the end of the game. And I cost us that game, and I put that fully on me."

Special teams coach Michael Clay also deserves blame for not choosing to go for a touchback.

SEE ON THE NFL ON B9

ADAM BETTCHER/AP

A late strategic mistake by the Eagles allowed Cam Little to kick a walk-off field goal for the Jaguars.

Sun is setting on JMU in Sun Belt

Dukes will join Navy for American football no later than 2028

BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY

Virginian-Pilot

James Madison University is leaving the Sun Belt Conference for the American Conference, continuing a rapid ascent since joining the Football Bowl Subdivision for the 2022 season.

JMU will join the American Conference no later than July 1, 2028, the school said Monday.

"The Board of Visitors voted unanimously to authorize the university to apply for and accept an invitation for membership in the American Conference, and we did so with tremendous confidence and excitement for this university's future," Dave Rexrode, rector of the JMU Board of Visitors, said in a statement. "The American Conference is the right home for James Madison University, academically, competitively, and geographically. This conference is where our academic peers compete, they have a shared vision for the future, it's where our alumni live and work, and where our student-athletes will thrive."

The American Conference has 12 full-time football-playing members: Alabama-Birmingham, Charlotte, East Carolina, Florida Atlantic, Memphis, North Texas, Rice, South Florida, Temple, Texas-San Antonio, Tulane and Tulsa. Wichita State is a full member but does not offer football. Navy and Army are football-only members.

The news of the Dukes' move broke Monday morning, just before Ricky Rahne's weekly news conference. The football coach at SEE JMU ON B11

PERSPECTIVE It's time for the PGA to welcome Rahm back

BY ADAM MINTER

Bloomberg Opinion

Three years ago, Jon Rahm was on top of the golf world. He had two major championships, a stint as the No. 1-ranked player in the world and star power. LIV, the Saudi-backed upstart challenging the PGA Tour, noticed. It needed a superstar to boost its credibility, and Rahm was the obvious prize. For a deal reportedly worth more than \$300 million, LIV lured him away.

It didn't last. Saudi backing for LIV is drying up, the series is in bankruptcy, and last week, Rahm's lawyer said he's walking.

That leaves the PGA Tour with a decision that should be easy because one of the world's best golfers is suddenly available. But there's a hitch. The tour's one-time return window is closed, and it has no plans to reopen it.

That's a mistake, especially if Rahm wants to return to the tour. With LIV no longer a serious threat, keeping Rahm off the tour would only weaken it and risk a return to the bad habits that left its best players open to leaving in the first place.

For decades, the PGA Tour could take the world's best golfers for granted. It had the prestige, the tournaments and, most importantly, no serious rival. But it was far from perfect. Players had no guaranteed salaries, faced a relentless tournament schedule and had little leverage to demand better terms.

LIV, which debuted in 2022, exploited those weaknesses. Saudi money brought bigger purses, lucrative guarantees, a lighter SEE RAHM ON B11

SOCCER

SPOTLIGHT: COLLEGE FOOTBALL

Michigan's Whittingham backs Underwood, Beck

But Wolverines coach says his struggling QB must clean up play

BY LARRY LAGE

Associated Press

ANN ARBOR, MICH. — Michigan Coach Kyle Whittingham is sticking with quarterback Bryce Underwood and offensive coordinator Jason Beck.

“Jason is calling plays, and Bryce is our guy,” Whittingham said Monday.

The Wolverines (3-2, 0-2 Big) host Penn State (3-3, 0-3) on Saturday in a matchup of disappointing teams led by coaches in their first year with two of the winningest programs in college football.

Michigan was No. 16 in the Associated Press top 25 preseason poll, fell out after a controversial win over Western Michigan, then reentered the rankings after beating then-No. 11 Oklahoma, only to go back to being unranked with losses to then-No. 17 Iowa and Minnesota.

The Wolverines are 0-2 in conference play for the first time since 2014.

Since the first snap this season in Ann Arbor, all eyes have been on Underwood. Coming off a shaky freshman season as the nation's No. 1 recruit, he has struggled to sustain success in large part because of turnovers.

Underwood, who mishandled the second snap of the season, has lost three fumbles this season and thrown four interceptions with just five passing touchdowns.

He threw interceptions on two straight snaps against the Golden Gophers. He was picked off on an ill-advised pass against the Hawkeyes at the Iowa 2-yard line, taking away a chance to go ahead by two scores in a game Michigan lost by one point after giving up a game-ending touchdown pass.

While Whittingham reiterated that Underwood would continue to start, he did leave an out for an eventual potential change. Michigan's backup quarterback, Tommy Carr, took some snaps with the first-string offense during the team's bye week.

"If we don't get this turnover thing fixed rapidly, then something's got to give," Whittingham said.

The Wolverines' minus-4 turnover margin ranks No. 122 out of 138 teams in the Football Bowl Subdivision.

“That’s pretty bad,” Whittingham said.

Michigan isn't much better on offense, scoring just 23 points a game to rank No. 101 in the nation and ranking 98th with 135 yards rushing per game.

Last year at Utah, with Beck calling plays in Whittingham's 21st season with the program, the Utes were fifth in scoring average (41.2 points) and second in rushing (266.3 yards).

ABBIE PARR/AP

Turnovers have plagued Bryce Underwood (19), the No. 1 recruit in the Class of 2025, in his second season as Michigan's quarterback.

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TELEVISION AND RADIO

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MLB PLAYOFFS – CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

8 p.m. American League, Game 2: Cleveland at Tampa Bay » TBS | 6 p.m. | New Jersey at Detroit » ESPN | 6:45 p.m. | Washington at Carolina » Monumental Sports Network, WJFK (106.7 FM) | 8:30 p.m. | Colorado at Dallas » ESPN | 11 p.m. | Boston at San Jose » ESPN | 7 p.m. | Cleveland at Orlando » NBCSN, Peacock | 10 p.m. | Golden State vs. Los Angeles Lakers » NBA TV | COLLEGE FOOTBALL | 7 p.m. | Delaware at Middle Tennessee » CBS Sports Network | 8 p.m. | Florida International at Jacksonville State » ESPNU | 12:45 p.m. | UEFA Champions League, league phase: Sporting CP at Lens »CBS Sports Network | 3 p.m. | UEFA Champions League, league phase: PSV at RB Leipzig »CBS Sports Network | 7 p.m. | Women’s friendly: Spain at United States » TNT, Universo | 8:30 p.m. | Copa Sudamericana semifinal, first leg: Vasco da Gama at Boca Juniors »BelN Sports | 11 p.m. ATP: Shanghai Masters, early rounds; WTA: Wuhan Open, early rounds » Tennis Channel

9 a.m. St. Andrew's Links Collegiate, second round » Golf Channel

7 p.m. Michigan at Michigan State » Big Ten Network

Recipe finder Search our database of tested recipes by ingredient or name. washingtonpost.com/recipes The Washington Post

$\frac{1}{2}$ cup oat bran $\frac{1}{2}$ cup chopped walnut, peams or walnut $\frac{1}{2}$ cup re, laizs dates or sulcans I tab. baking powder $\frac{1}{2}$ cup brown sugar $\frac{1}{2}$ cup honey $\frac{1}{2}$ egg whites 2 tabs. rog. oil $\frac{1}{2}$ cup skin milk

A00 & ry ing vdo, to bseel. Mix eggs and oil and milk tog other

THE DAY IN SPORTS

A most valuable matchup

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford and Bills quarterback Josh Allen, the past two NFL MVPs, squared off on “Monday Night Football” in Inglewood, California. The game ran late for this edition. For coverage, visit postsports.com.

PHOTOS BY JAYNE KAMIN-ONCEA/IMAGN IMAGES

COLLEGES

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Maryland suspends its club tennis team

The University of Maryland said it suspended its club tennis team after learning of racist imagery in material sent to other tennis clubs.

"On Saturday, UMD Recreation and Wellness (RecWell) staff learned that members of the Maryland Club Tennis student organization distributed programming material with a graphic containing racist imagery targeting people who are Black or African American," the school said Monday. "They emailed this information to other university tennis clubs in the region about this weekend's fall tournament at College Park."

The school said the team was suspended and the matter referred to university police.

"The University of Maryland is horrified and expresses its regret and sincere apology for the harm that this has caused," the school said. "In addition to UMD club tennis apologizing and forfeiting its matches, UMD's director of Recreation and Wellness issued an apology to the club presidents of all the participating teams. This matter has been referred to the University of Maryland Police Department and the Office of Student Conduct." ...

No. 6 Alabama is preparing to play without leading wide receiver Ryan Coleman-Williams at No. 14 Tennessee on Saturday.

Coach Kalen DeBoer said Coleman-Williams is doubtful for the SEC rivalry known as "The Third Saturday in October." The captain is dealing with multiple injuries, including a concussion. ...

No. 12 UCLA's reemergence was thrust into doubt, with multiple reports saying quarterback Nico Iamaleava is expected to miss the remainder of the season with a left knee injury. ...

Auburn will be without stand-out linebacker Xavier Atkins, the team's second-leading tack-ler, against top-ranked Georgia on Saturday for undisclosed reasons. ...

Washington quarterback De-mond Williams Jr. seems unlikely to return this week from a rib injury he suffered during Friday's loss to Iowa. ...

Iowa State women's basketball coach Bill Fennelly said he will retire at the end of the coming season, his 32nd with the Cyclones.

Fennelly is 656-335 with 24 NCAA tournament appearances and 26 postseason appearances at Iowa State. ...

Arizona State is in talks with Colorado Avalanche assistant and former NHL head coach Dave Hakstol to serve as its interim hockey coach as the school investigates an outdoor workout that left a player on life support.

Arizona State placed coach Greg Powers on administrative leave last month as it conducts an investigation into the collapse of 21-year-old Matthew Mayich, who is unlikely to recover from external heat stroke.

---

PRO BASKETBALL

---

Dream's Finals games may have low capacity

The Atlanta Dream will be hosting two games of the WNBA Finals next week, but it's still not known where those contests will be played.

The Dream, which faces the Golden State Valkyries in the best-of-seven series that begins Saturday, will host Games 3 and 4 on Oct. 22 and 24.

Atlanta would love to hold those games at State Farm Arena, where the Hawks play, because it seats over 17,000 fans. But that site isn't available because of a concert by singer Sombr the same day as Game 3, and the Hawks have their home opener the same day as Game 4.

If the Finals go to six games, State Farm Arena also isn't available for Game 6 on Oct. 29, when the Hawks have another home contest.

The Dream played most of their regular season games at Gateway Center Arena, which holds only 3,500 fans. Atlanta moved six regular season games and the three previous home playoff games to State Farm Arena. The team will play all its games next season at State Farm Arena after signing a multiyear deal earlier this month. ...

Cheryl Reeve, the Minnesota Lynx's coach and president of basketball operations, won her third executive of the year award, as determined by a voting panel composed of an executive from each of the WNBA's 15 teams.

Reeve, who also won her record fifth coach of the year honor this season, was the executive of the year in 2019 and 2024. She's the first person to win both awards in the same season twice, also doing so in 2024. ...

A game-worn, autographed Michael Jordan road jersey from the 1998 NBA Finals was privately sold for \$14 million, the highest price paid for a piece of basketball memorabilia, an auction house said.

Pennsylvania-based Hunt Auctions announced the private treaty sale and identified the buyer as Miami real estate investor Ron Firman.

The red jersey is the one Jordan wore in Game 2 on June 5, 1998. He and the Chicago Bulls beat the Utah Jazz that night and would win the series in six games, the sixth and final title of Jordan's Hall of Fame career. ...

The Golden State Warriors expect big man Kristaps Porzingis to report to the team's facility Tuesday after being away for two weeks.

Porzingis, who began his NBA career in 2015, was a surprise no-show for the start of training camp late last month. General Manager Mike Dunleavy Jr. said the 7-foot-2 center was dealing with a “health issue.”

TENNIS

---

Alcaraz falls; Zverev will be year-end No. 1

Zizou Bergs stunned second-seeded Carlos Alcaraz,

DIGEST

7-5, 7-6 (7-4), to advance to the fourth round of the Shanghai Masters.

Bergs converted his first match point with a ninth ace to beat the tournament favorite in the biggest win of his career. It was the second encounter on the ATP Tour between the pair and the first victory for Bergs.

Next, Bergs will face Tommy Paul after the American knocked out defending champion Valentin Vacherot, 6-4, 6-2.

The loss for Alcaraz, coupled with Jannik Sinner's season-ending injury, means Alexander Zverev will complete the year as the No. 1. The 29-year-old Zverev will become the oldest player to achieve the year-end honor for the first time, the tour said.

Also, fifth-seeded Daniil Medvedev eased past Dalibor Svrcina, 6-2, 6-3.

In his second straight victory since being disqualified at the China Open for hitting a spectator in the eye with a ball, Medvedev converted his fourth match point when his Czech opponent sent a backhand volley wide.

Fourth-seeded Felix Auger-Aliassime eliminated Pablo Carreno Busta, 6-3, 4-6, 6-1, and Stefanos Tsitsipas came from a set down to knock out 11th-seeded Taylor Fritz, 3-6, 7-5, 6-3. ...

Zheng Qinwen withdrew from the Wuhan Open, citing a shoulder injury, a day after winning her first WTA title in two years at the China Open.

French Open champion Mirra Andreeva, who lost in Sunday's final in Beijing, also pulled out of the 1,000-level event.

Both players were replaced in the Wuhan draw by “lucky losers” from qualifying. Anna Bondar replaced Andreeva, and Camila Osorio replaced Zheng.

---

HOCKEY Sabres beat Panthers, but both suffer losses

Noah Ostlund scored the go-ahead goal on the power play 7:15 into the third period, and the host Buffalo Sabres defeated the Florida Panthers, 5-3, as both teams lost key players to injury.

Buffalo captain Rasmus Dahlin scored his second goal of the season before not returning after sustaining an upper-body injury early in the second period. Coach Lindy Ruff listed Dahlin as day-to-day and said the defenseman won't initially join the team on its three-game road trip.

Meanwhile, Florida starting goalie Jacob Markstrom did not return after allowing two goals on 11 shots in the first period. Coach Paul Maurice said Markstrom felt something tighten, and downplayed the severity by saying: “There’s no injury there.”

Following the game, the Sabres said they acquired defensemen Caleb Jones and Daniel Laatsch in a trade that sent blue-liner Ryan Johnson to the Pittsburgh Penguins. ...

Dallas Stars veteran forward

Matt Duchene is expected to miss about three months after undergoing surgery to repair a core injury, the team said.

Duchene hasn't played in a game this season after dealing in training camp with what had been called a lower-body injury. He was placed on long-term injured reserve after a setback before the season opener.

SOCCER

---

French side Lille mulls legal action for injury

Champions League club Lille is considering legal action over an injury to defender Tiago Santos, who is set to miss the rest of the French league season.

The 24-year-old right back ruptured the ACL in his right knee, the club confirmed, in an “uncontrolled and dangerous” tackle Saturday by a Le Havre player during a Ligue 1 game. Lille did not identify midfielder Amir Richardson, who was not shown a yellow or red card for the challenge.

Lille said it asked the French league and soccer federation to explain the video review process by Saturday's match officials analyzing the incident. The club suggested the tackle justified a direct red card. ...

Teenager Sidiki Cherif scored one and made one as promoted Coventry overcame a disheveled Newcastle, 4-1, and earned successive English Premier League wins.

Coventry lost its first four games of the season but edged Nottingham Forest in the final league match before the international break. In beating Newcastle, the Midlands club secured its first home win in the Premier League in 25 years. ...

Scottish striker Robbie Ure scored his first goal for Sevilla, but the in-form Spanish side let a lead slip twice as Levante came back to draw, 3-3, in a dramatic game in Manises.

GOLF

---

European tour will bar LIV golfers, CEO says

The DP World Tour delivered an ultimatum to players contemplating the new version of LIV Golf, saying anyone who joins will not be allowed to be European tour members.

"Players need to make a choice," Guy Kinnings, CEO of the European tour, said in a statement.

The European tour previously let LIV players to keep their European membership as long as they paid fines for playing LIV events that conflicted with the tour.

It extended an olive branch earlier this year to nine players, allowing them to play LIV events without sanctions if they settled all previous fines and agreed to add European tour events to their 2026 schedules.

Kinnings delivered a far stronger message — us or them through coverage – as of April

— as LIV is trying to emerge

from bankruptcy stemming

from Saudi Arabia's sovereign

wealth fund cutting off financial

support.

— From news services

PERSPECTIVE

These Patriots seem to be on an odyssey to be like the 2001 edition

Six weeks after the Patriots released cornerback Kindle Vildor (#28), he shined against the Raiders.

WINSLOW TOWNSON/GETTY IMAGES

BY ANDREW CALLAHAN

Boston Herald

FOXBOROUGH — Adam Vinatieri looked down from the owner's box high above midfield Sunday and smiled.

So did Tedy Bruschi.

What they saw must have looked familiar.

Set aside the elite quarterback performance for a moment, a Tom Brady-esque display of command and accuracy from Drake Maye we will revisit later.

Down there, on the Gillette Stadium turf, were modern reminders of the New England Patriots dynasty's DNA and one strand in particular — a through line that stretched from Bruschi and Vinatieri's time as champions in 2001, for which they were honored Sunday, to the later Brady years and finally this 45-17 obliteration of the Las Vegas Raiders.

True football resourcefulness.

The type of gumption that let Mike Vrabel's defense survive the loss of four cornerbacks, then a fifth, by blitzing its way through it. The kind of inventiveness Josh McDaniels drew on to draw up a game plan that powered the Patriots to their highest scoring output in almost five years. And the internal wherewithal of the players to continue outflanking an opponent while their teammates dropped like flies and a deluge of penalty flags threatened to bury everybody in uniform by 4 o'clock.

This, in spurts, was how the old Patriots used to win.

ed but proud Patriots team.

Guile and guts.

And this — for however long it takes players such as A.J. Brown, Christian Gonzalez and now Will Campbell to return — is how these Patriots must win.

Because there are no unsung heroes left in Foxborough. They are all known to you now. From Efton Chism, the Little Wide-out Who Could, to little-known cornerback Kindle Vildor, even the backups' backups are front and center.

Chism was a healthy scratch just four weeks ago. On Sunday, he led the team in targets and catches over a dominant offensive day. Oh, and he pulled off a hook-and-lateral play that, no matter where or how their journey ends, will land on the Patriots' final 2026 season highlight reel.

Meanwhile, Vildor is New England's No. 7 cornerback at best. He was promoted off the practice squad Saturday, when the Patriots placed their 18th and 19th players on injured reserve — the third most in the NFL this season and three more than they had all of last season.

Against the Raiders, Vildor broke up a third-quarter pass for Brock Bowers, an all-pro tight end and conservatively one of the 10 to 15 best pass-catchers on Earth. Later, he tracked Bowers down on a fourth-down play and punched the ball out for a fumble. Mind you, the Patriots cut Vildor just six weeks ago, after his disastrous performance in their preseason finale that also had every other NFL front office turning up its nose at his stinky tape.

What do you think they'll

make of his tape Sunday?

"The competitive spirit of some of these guys is really, truly special," Vrabel said.

Credit, too, is owed to Vrabel's staff. After pulling the defensive coordinator's version of deliberately placing your hand on a hot stove — having 5-foot-8 Marcus Jones shadow Bowers in man coverage, a ploy that burned the Patriots for two first-down catches and a touchdown — Zak Kuhr tweaked his plan.

Defending the pass meant attacking the quarterback — the graying, pocket-bound Kirk Cousins — not getting cute with his best weapon, for whom the Patriots had no coverage answer.

So, the Patriots repeatedly sent all-out pressure at Cousins. He went 1 for 6 against those blitzes without a Plan B and took an L on his way to the bench midway through the fourth quarter.

"The thing we try to attack is just affecting the quarterback," Patriots outside linebacker Gabe Jacas said. "Getting into the middle of the pocket, trying to disrupt [Cousins's] timing in

whatever way we can."

Cousins is 38 years old but still effective. He led the NFL in touchdown passes entering kickoff, an older player surviving on guts and guile. Maye didn't need much of either while casually throwing for 374 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions.

Only his God-given talent, and trust in that talent — which Maye misapplied in virtually every big moment during Weeks 1-3, when he would force a throw for a bad interception or hold on to the ball too long and fumble. None of those plays surfaced Sunday. Maye had zero turnovers.

"I felt like he was in control," Vrabel said.

Though here, again, credit is owed to McDaniels, who unveiled new formations, different personnel groupings and protections to crack a solid Raiders defense. Las Vegas ranked 11th by points allowed and DVOA, thanks mostly to a good scheme and a great pass rusher, Maxx Crosby, a five-time Pro Bowler. Then Crosby ran into a wound-

Crosby finished with zero sacks, one tackle and two quarterback hits, one of which he unloaded with less than 30 seconds before halftime. Maye beat Crosby to the punch by zipping a 11-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Henry in a place, at a time and under a type of pressure that would have produced an interception just two weeks ago.

Instead, Maye went into the locker room ahead 21-7, and the Patriots led by at least two possessions for the rest of the game.

"It was beautiful," Maye said. "It was beautiful to be a part of today. [McDaniels] was clicking on all cylinders, making us look good, and we were executing. I think that's what it's like when we put some things together."

As wounded as they are, the Patriots should not need this exact version of Maye, who shredded every coverage and blitz he saw, to survive upcoming battles with the New York Jets, Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins. But the power of the quarterback position is still such that Maye can still paper over any injury or problem the Patriots have.

As Maye and the Patriots left the field at halftime, Vinatieri walked toward a makeshift stage that had been assembled at midfield for a ceremony. He was about to be recognized for his recent induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. After a representative from the Hall spoke, and then Robert Kraft, Vinatieri gave a short speech from the same podium.

He reflected on the 2001 Super Bowl team, and his famous kick against the Raiders in the Snow Bowl, the last game ever played at the old Foxboro Stadium, which shuttered as the Patriots opened their dynasty just two weeks later.

Per usual, Vinatieri saved his best for last.

"At that time, I thought we owned the Raiders," Vinatieri said. "And thanks to Tom [Brady], we actually do."

After Sunday, he can thank Drake, too.

ANALYSIS

Sunday's endgame implosion may be an omen for Quinn's future

Giants players were elated to come away with a tie Sunday after the clock ran out on Jayden Daniels and the stunned Commanders.

PATRICK SMITH/GETTY IMAGES

COMMANDERS FROM B7

right here,” Quinn acknowledged.

The players, however, must also shoulder responsibility. That starts with Daniels.

The third-year quarterback appeared to lose his awareness of the situation. Taking a sack simply wasn't an option.

"We just have to be better," Daniels said when asked why he didn't throw the ball away. "Situational football. Starts with me. Everybody will say the same thing, but we have to be better at situational football."

Daniels said he was aware the Commanders didn't have any timeouts but added that "we just got to communicate that." If he didn't communicate that to his teammates when they huddled before the final play, that also falls on Daniels.

Coming off a disastrous 2025 season, Quinn added an emphasis on drilling gamelike situations throughout organized team activities and training camp. That makes a meltdown of this magnitude even more perplexing.

“You can be prepared for a moment. You can study and practice. But if you don’t do it when it counts the most, that’s what happens,” wide receiver Terry McLaurin said. “We just didn’t execute. That’s what it comes down to.”

Owner Josh Harris reiterated his support of Quinn — and General Manager Adam Peters — earlier this month, but questions about their job security will only intensify if Quinn can't find answers.

“We will,” Quinn said. “They’ve been through a lot already in five games. And the locker room, this is a tough team. And so, having gone through adversity in these games, it doesn’t make it any better, but they are equipped to absolutely dig in and get rolling.”

He's right — the Commanders have been through a lot this season. They have already had nine starters miss games because of injuries. Four of them were still out against New York (3-1-1). Most notably, Daniels has played just two full games this season after suffering a re-dislocation of his left elbow in Week 2. Quinn will get some grace because of the injury troubles, the locker room's support and the proof of concept that was the memorable

2024 season.

“It’s on all of us. It’s not just one individual,” Daniels said. “We’re all in this together. Tough times don’t last; tough people do. We have a brotherhood in there. If you’re rocking with each other, we're going to stick by each other and weather the storm."

That sounds good, but the NFL remains a results-based business. And things may only get worse before the Commanders' Week 7 bye: They visit the undefeated San Francisco 49ers next week on “Monday Night Football.”

Barring a dramatic turnaround, the Commanders are well on their way toward another disappointing year. The reasons are multifaceted. The roster constructed by Peters lacks quality depth and has left Washington with glaring weaknesses along the offensive line and in the secondary. Daniels suffered another major injury. The rest of the team has been battered as well.

If Washington continues down this path, the tie against the Giants will stick in the memories of both fans and those within the organization. As Harris deliberates whether his franchise needs a new direction, that debacle could very well dictate Quinn's fate.

ON THE NFL

The Eagles join the Commanders and Giants on the shame train

ON THE NFL FROM B7

There was a similar scenario in the Baltimore Ravens-Cowboys game in Brazil in Week 3. In that one, Dallas elected to kick the ball out of the end zone after Brandon Aubrey made a 23-yard field goal to tie the score at 31 with seven seconds remaining. Unlike Jacksonville, Baltimore had a timeout, so the touchback wasn't the right call. Lamar Jackson completed a 27-yard pass to Zay Flowers, the Ravens stopped the clock, and Tyler Loop made a 56-yard field goal for a 34-31 victory.

The Eagles should have been in position to kick the winning goal as time expired, but the offense mismanaged the sequence leading up to Elliott's attempt.

They were in Elliott's range with a first down at the Jacksonville 34 after Jalen Hurts completed a 17-yard pass to Dallas Goedert and the Jaguars used their second timeout to stop the clock with 25 ticks left.

But Hurts threw incomplete on first down, wasting only four seconds and stopping the clock. A run play would have forced the Jaguars to use their last time-out. Hurts then connected with Makai Lemon for a seven-yard gain on second down, but the rookie wide receiver went out of bounds instead of going down, which stopped the clock and saved Jacksonville's timeout. On third down, Dameon Pierce lost three yards on a run, and the Jaguars used their last timeout with 12 seconds left.

Asked about the play-calling, Hurts said: "It's not my place. I'm prepared as a QB to not worry about those things. I honor the play call, honor the things that come into the game.

When I'm up at night, I think, 'Should I have said something?' But ultimately there's a commitment to going out there and executing.

Hurts didn't want to second-guess his coaches publicly, but he didn't challenge the calls in the moment.

The Eagles (2-3) have lost three straight games for the first time since 2021.

Jaguars Coach Liam Coen made some questionable decisions of his own. Jacksonville had a first down at the Philadelphia 1 in the final minute of the first half with 15 seconds left and one timeout. After a run for no gain on first down, the Jaguars used their last timeout. Trevor Lawrence then threw incomplete twice, and Bhayshul Tuten lost six yards on a run on the last play of the half instead of the Jaguars kicking a field

goal.

Coen again passed up a short field goal down 14-10 with 6:40 left in the game. Lawrence threw incomplete from the Philadelphia 5. The Jaguars had trouble with a backup long snapper, but the field goals were chip shots. DaVon Hamilton's snap on the game-winner was spot on.

In Washington, the Giants and Commanders each had chances to run the clock down and kick a field goal to win in overtime. New York was in position with two minutes remaining to try a 42-yarder. But Dominic Zvada already had missed from 50, 57 and 46 yards, so Coach John Harbaugh wanted to get it closer. However, Cam Skattebo fumbled to give Washington an opportunity.

Jayden Daniels drove the Commanders to the Giants 26.

On first down, Rachaaad White ran two yards and was tackled with just under 50 seconds to go. With no timeouts remaining, Washington had a few options because a field goal would have ended the game. Instead of spiking the ball to stop the clock and kicking, the Commanders huddled. Daniels went to the line of scrimmage with around 20 seconds remaining and snapped the ball with 12 to go. He didn't spike it or throw it out of bounds. Daniels ran, got tackled and Washington had no time for a field goal.

Commanders Coach Dan Quinn took the blame, and it's unclear whether Daniels thought the team had a timeout.

No matter who made the decisions for the Eagles and Commanders (1-3-1), the mistakes were inexcusable.

NOTES

Stefanski: Too soon for update on Penix

---

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Atlanta Falcons Coach Kevin Stefanski offered no update on quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who left Sunday night's 30-23 overtime loss to the Baltimore Ravens with a rib injury.

When asked whether Penix will be able to start on Sunday for the Falcons (2-3) against the Chicago Bears, Stefanski said he would have a better idea later in the week.

“I always want to see how the guys respond over a couple days before I can give you a good answer there,” Stefanski said Monday.

Stefanski provided no details on imaging tests on Penix's rib, which was injured in the fourth quarter.

Penix hoped to return for over-time but said the pain grew more intense as he sat on the bench during the Ravens' long touchdown drive to open the period. Instead, Tua Tagovailoa led the offense and threw a game-ending interception.

Penix said after the game he was determined to start against the Bears.

\- 49ERS: The NFL suspended linebacker Dre Greenlaw one game for head-butting Seattle's Ernest Jones IV following a late hit on the Seahawks sideline.

Greenlaw will miss San Francisco's game Monday night against the Washington Commanders, pending an appeal Tuesday. ...

Wide receiver Deebo Samuel will miss at least a few weeks after injuring his hamstring against the Seahawks.

Linebacker Garret Wallow also hurt his hamstring and could miss time, but edge rusher Nick Bosa (knee/calf), fullback Kyle Juszczyk (knee) and defensive tackle James Thompson Jr. (ankle) all have a chance to return this week.

\- BEARS: Caleb Williams could return for Chicago this week at Atlanta. If he's unable to play, well, the next man up is still being worked out.

Tyson Bagent threw two interceptions in Sunday's loss at the Green Bay Packers. Case Keenum was picked off and lost a fumble after replacing Bagent.

Bears Coach Ben Johnson was noncommittal when asked who would serve as the No. 1 quarterback if Williams, who has missed three games with a right hamstring injury, isn't available for practice Wednesday.

•RAVENS: With two AFC North opponents coming up, Baltimore would love to have quarterback Lamar Jackson back from his ankle injury, but it's still not clear when that will happen.

"He's definitely doing better," Coach Jesse Minter said. "Wednesday, I'm not sure about exactly how that practice will look. To Lamar's credit, he's doing everything he can."

•JAGUARS: Jacksonville flew in veteran long snapper Jacob Bobenmoyer to replace the injured Ross Matiscik before Sunday's game against the Houston Texans in London. ...

Left tackle Anton Harrison had tests on his injured right knee, and Coach Liam Coen said he's "a little stiff."

\- PACKERS: Defensive Javon Hargrave, who was carted off the field with an Achilles tendon injury against Chicago, is the latest Green Bay player out for the season.

\- SEAHAWKS: Running back Zach Charbonnet (knee) was back at practice, but Coach Mike Macdonald said he probably won't play Thursday against the Denver Broncos.

•GIANTS: Coach John Harbaugh said right tackle Jermaine Eluemunor (calf), cornerback Colton Hood (concussion) and safety Tyler Nubin (neck) are day-to-day.

•TEXANS: Coach DeMeco Ryans said running back David Montgomery (groin) and safety Jalen Pitre (shoulder) are week-to-week.

•BROWNS: Coach Todd Monken said running back Quinshon Judkins, who had a walking boot on his right foot after Cleveland's loss to the New York Jets, tweaked his ankle and that the move was precautionary.

•COWBOYS: Dallas is bringing former NFL coach Mike Pettine out of retirement to be a senior assistant to defensive coordinator Christian Parker.

PHOTOS BY JARED C. TILTON/GETTY IMAGES

Chase Briscoe's victory at Charlotte Motor Speedway on Sunday was his second in a row, putting the Joe Gibbs Racing driver 65 points behind Kyle Larson in the race for the NASCAR Cup Series championship.

Can Briscoe rally to win a title? The JGR driver will try.

Briscoe's No. 19 Toyota edged out his teammate Christopher Bell's No. 20 Toyota in a photo finish.

---

BY STEVE REED Associated Press

CONCORD, N.C. — Chase Briscoe's hero in auto racing has always been Tony Stewart.

Now, the driver of the No. 19 Toyota is hoping to replicate what “Smoke” accomplished in 2011 when he stunned the racing world by rallying to win the NASCAR Cup Series championship by winning five of 10 playoff races, including the season finale at Homestead to register one of the sport’s biggest comebacks.

"He made a pretty unbelievable run, and hopefully we can do the same thing," Briscoe said of Stewart.

Briscoe is certainly giving it his best effort after winning back-to-back playoff races. That included Sunday, when he edged out Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Christopher Bell by .029 seconds to win the second-closest race in Charlotte Motor Speedway's 66-year history. That win, combined with his victory last week in Las Vegas, has vaulted Chase back into the “Chase.”

Two weeks ago, Briscoe was 123 points behind playoff points leader Kyle Larson. He has trimmed that deficit to 65 with four races remaining before a champion is crowned.

Denny Hamlin (49 points back) and Bell (51) also remain ahead of Briscoe heading into the stretch run.

If Briscoe can pull it off, he would be the first champion for the racing team owned by Gibbs, the Super Bowl-winning Washington coach, since 2019. The late Kyle Busch won his second title that year.

Now it's just a matter of whether it's too little, too late for Briscoe.

“I think we are certainly in contention,” Briscoe said. “We probably need to win another race or two, but we at least put ourselves in the ballgame. That’s all you can ask for.”

Briscoe lamented four laps in the playoffs that he said have cost him 75 points because of miscues. But he added the focus is on next week when the circuit heads to Phoenix.

“We never know how it’s going to look in four weeks from now, but [we] just have to go to the racetrack and keep winning races ultimately,” he said. “And if we can do that, the points are going to be what they’re going to be at the end.”

Briscoe's crew chief, James Small, is hoping to seize on the momentum from the two wins.

"I think we've got to step on their throats while we can," Small said. "I'm not going to let off the throttle pedal right now."

When asked whether the mild-mannered Briscoe was the type to step on someone's throat, Small laughed and said, "Definitely not." But then Small added: “When he puts his helmet on ... he’s silent, but he’s like a silent assassin.”

Briscoe got a chuckle when informed of Small's comments after the race.

"You can be a nice guy outside of the racecar, but in the racecar, I think you have to be a killer,"

Briscoe said. "For us, that's the whole approach."

Briscoe is expected to continue his “ultra-aggressive” approach next week.

"The only way you're going to cut into the gap is by winning races," Briscoe said. "If you just run second or third and Larson runs second or third with you — like, you're not going to gain 65 points in four weeks. Yeah, just have to go win races and just have to be ultra aggressive truthfully and try to do everything we can in our power, and if it's enough, it'll be enough at the end."

Larson's crew chief, Cliff Daniels, told reporters that Sunday was a good reality check for his team that the season isn't over.

Larson finished sixth at Charlotte, marking the first time he has finished outside of the top five in the postseason. Still, he was able to add nine points to his lead over second-place Hamlin.

But Briscoe is the driver that clearly has his attention.

"I won't feel comfortable until it's over," Larson said. "Obviously, Briscoe winning and having a good day — you can take big chunks out of [the lead] if you win. We're going to go to some tracks where others are really good coming up, so we just have to keep putting together days like [Sunday]. We weren't the fastest, but we got good points."

In USWNT's friendly loss, Swanson was ‘super grateful’ to be back on field

BY NOAH TRISTER

Associated Press

Back on the field for the U.S. women's national team after a two-year absence, Mallory Swanson glided down the right wing with the ball before playing a brilliant, curling pass behind the defense to Ashley Sanchez near the far post.

The play did not result in a goal — missed chances were piling up by this point for the Americans — but it was a quick reminder of what the 28-year-old Swanson can provide up front as the United States prepares for next year's World Cup.

“Super grateful,” she said afterward. “Obviously it takes a lot to get back.”

The U.S. lost to defending World Cup champion Spain, 2-0, on Saturday at Audi Field, unable to rally after conceding two goals in the first 14 minutes. Swanson's entrance as a substitute near the midway point of the second half was a bright spot. She had last played for the U.S. in October 2024 before having her first child last year with her husband, MLB shortstop Dansby Swanson.

Mallory Swanson was on the U.S. team that won the 2019 World Cup, scoring in the team's tournament opener at age 21. A knee injury kept her out of the 2023 tournament, but she was back for the Paris Olympics the following year, scoring in the final against Brazil to help the U.S. earn the gold medal.

Swanson has 38 goals for the national team, combining with Sophia Wilson (25) and Trinity Rodman (13) to form the trio known as Triple Espresso. They haven't played together much of late, with Wilson having a daughter in September 2025 and Swanson having hers in November.

Wilson returned to the national team in April. Swanson was on the roster in June for a pair of matches against Brazil in Brazil, the site of next year's World Cup. She didn't play in a game for the U.S. until last weekend.

“Physically, I'm feeling better and better. Obviously, coming back from a baby is completely different than an injury, and everybody's body's completely different,” Swanson said. “It was definitely a learning curve, but I'm feeling better and better and definitely have the support that I need around me.”

Swanson, who began her professional career with the NWSL's Washington Spirit, made her return to the Chicago Stars back in May. Playing again for the national team is a different kind of milestone.

“I think getting back to playing is one thing, but to do it at the highest level is another,” she said. “I’m just very grateful to be back here and have the support that I have had.”

The U.S. can officially qualify for the World Cup with a win over El Salvador in Texas next month, but the Americans are already playing matches that can be considered significant preparation for next year. They experienced a road atmosphere in June, when they split a pair of games against Brazil in São Paulo and Fortaleza. After falling to the world's top-ranked team Saturday in Washington, they will play a rematch with Spain on Tuesday night in the Philadelphia area.

The U.S. had most of the chances after falling behind 2-0 but couldn't beat Spain goalie Adriana Nanclares.

“I think that we actually created a lot,” Swanson said. “It’s just now trying to get that final piece of quality inside the box. Trying to do that and then defensively, trying just to apply the pressure when needed.”

Mallory Swanson, who had her first child last year, went roughly two years between caps for the U.S.

JAMIE LEBLANC/IMAGN IMAGES

MLB PLAYOFF ROUNDUP

Contreras puts Milwaukee two games away from its first pennant in the NL

William Contreras's fifth-inning solo homer tied the score at 4-4, and his single in the sixth put the Brewers ahead for good. Milwaukee made the 1982 World Series in the AL.

ASHLEY LANDIS/AP

BREWERS 7, DODGERS 4

ASSOCIATED PRESS

William Contreras hit a tying homer in the fifth and singled home the go-ahead run an inning later as the Milwaukee Brewers defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers, 7-4, on Monday in Game 2 of the National League Championship Series.

Four relievers combined to retire the last 15 Dodgers batters in order as the Brewers took a 2-0 lead over the two-time defending World Series champions in this best-of-seven series, which heads to Los Angeles for Game 3 on Wednesday.

The Brewers are chasing their second pennant and first in the NL. They made their lone World Series appearance in 1982, when they were in the American League.

Los Angeles is trying to become the first NL team to win three straight World Series. The Dodgers last rallied from a 2-0 deficit to win a series in 2020, when they beat the Atlanta Braves in a seven-game NLCS before going on to win the World Series.

The Dodgers will need more punch from their lineup to have a chance at getting back to the Fall Classic. They mustered just three hits Monday and went 0 for 4 with runners in scoring position to drop to 2 for 26 in those situations this postseason.

Los Angeles couldn't even get a boost from Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who entered 8-1 with a 2.14 ERA in 11 career playoff appearances. Yamamoto lasted just 2 2/3 innings for his shortest postseason start.

"Just wasn't sharp today," Dodgers Manager Dave Roberts said. "He just didn't have it tonight, which is very rare."

The Dodgers took the lead on three occasions in the first five innings. Milwaukee responded each time, the last coming when Contreras tied it with a 436-foot homer to center off Kris Bubic in the fifth.

That turned the game into a battle of the bullpens, where the Brewers again had the edge.

Dustin May, JoJo Romero, Abner Uribe and Aaron Ashby combined to shut down the Dodgers after Logan Henderson's early exit. Brewers relievers have allowed one earned run in 28 2/3 postseason innings.

The score was 4-4 when Los Angeles right-hander Brock Stewart hit Milwaukee's David Hamilton with a pitch to lead off the sixth. Stewart attempted a pickoff throw that went off the glove of first baseman Freddie Freeman and into foul territory for an error, advancing Hamilton to second.

After Jackson Chourio grounded out, the right-handed Stewart walked the left-handed-hitting Brice Turang to face the right-handed Contreras, who had homered in his previous plate appearance.

Contreras singled to left this time to bring home Hamilton with the go-ahead run.

Turang and Jake Bauers added RBI singles in the eighth to extend Milwaukee's lead.

The anticipated pitchers' duel between Yamamoto and Henderson didn't work out according to plan.

In three previous playoff starts following Dodgers losses, Yamamoto had gone 3-0 with a 1.23 ERA. When he faced the Brewers in last year's NLCS, he threw the first playoff complete game since Justin Verlander did it in 2017.

This time, Yamamoto couldn't even make it out of the third inning before leaving with the Dodgers behind 3-2.

Henderson entered Monday having not allowed more than three runs in any of his 24 career starts (including the postseason). That streak ended when he allowed four runs over four

innings.

Because Henderson committed two errors — matching his previous career total — only two of the runs were earned.

Milwaukee trailed 2-1 in the third when Bauers capped a 12-pitch plate appearance by taking a 3-2 offering in the dirt to load the bases with a walk. Christian Yelich followed by lining a single up the middle that brought home two runs and knocked Yamamoto out of the game.

Los Angeles bailed out Yamamoto by scoring twice in the fifth.

After Kyle Tucker hit a lead-off double, Tommy Edman sacrificed him to third. Henderson fielded the bunt and made a wild throw to first, enabling Tucker to score and moving Edman to

second.

Edman advanced to third when Mookie Betts grounded out and scored on Freeman's sacrifice fly.

Henderson also had made a wild throw to first on a pickoff attempt in the third inning that allowed Edman to score from third.

---

AL teams tweak rosters

The Tampa Bay Rays added rookie right-hander Brody Hopkins to their AL Championship Series roster and dropped lefty Garrett Cleavinger, while the Cleveland Guardians added right-hander Slade Cecconi.

The Rays made no other changes to their 26-man roster ahead of Game 1 on Monday night against the Guardians. The AL East champions are carrying 14 hitters and 12 pitchers again in this round after sweeping the New York Yankees in the best-of-five Division Series.

The Guardians are carrying 13 pitchers after going to five games against the Chicago White Sox before advancing on Saturday night. Cecconi replaces utilityman Daniel Schneemann.

Cecconi was 5-7 with a 4.91 ERA in 28 games, including 21 starts. He moved to the bullpen in August and posted a 5.93 ERA in 13 2/3 innings.

Hopkins had seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings in six appearances this season but also walked six and posted a 5.06 ERA. He made his major league debut on Sept. 13. Cleavinger had a 4.79 ERA in 41 1/3 innings over 51 appearances. He didn't pitch in the ALDS vs. the Yankees.

PERSPECTIVE

LIV appears finished. Rahm and others should have a happy PGA homecoming.

RAHM FROM B7

schedule and equity in the teams around which it built its tournaments. Suddenly, golfers had an alternative, and some of the biggest names took it.

The PGA Tour was forced to compete. Purses grew, more money flowed to the biggest stars, and — eventually — players received equity in the tour's commercial arm.

Nonetheless, the tour wasn't exactly grateful for the lesson, and the bitterness ran thick. Commissioner Jay Monahan accused LIV players of “turning their backs on” the tour for “financial-based reasons” and disrespecting loyal players and fans. LIV players were suspended, and those who resigned

were barred from competing as nonmembers. There was no set path back.

The Returning Member Program, established in early 2026, offered a cold welcome. Marking the announcement, PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp wrote that returnees would be held “accountable for substantial compensation earned elsewhere.”

Brooks Koepka, a five-time major champion and one of four players who qualified for the program, accepted the terms for returning. Rolapp estimated coming back could cost Koepka as much as \$85 million in future earnings — plus a \$5 million charitable contribution. It was, Rolapp noted, “one of the largest financial repercussions in professional sports history.”

If the point was to deter future defectors, the tour can rest assured that the message was sent. But the organization also said the program was created for fans interested in seeing “the best golfers competing together more often.” Punishing players is a strange way to accomplish that goal.

Others decided not to apply, including Rahm. At the time, he was still under contract with LIV and, publicly at least, noncommittal about a return to the PGA Tour. Given Koepka's terms, why rush? The program expired in February.

To be fair, deterrence has value, and the tour isn't wrong to demand something in return from the prodigal athletes. Golfers who stayed passed up big LIV guarantees. It would be unfair if defectors could simply resume after filling their pockets with LIV's once-abundant cash.

But there's a difference between being fair and being punitive, especially when punishment weakens the PGA Tour itself. What, precisely, has been accomplished if terms are so heavy-handed that players don't want to come back at all? How does that ensure fans get to see the best golfers compete?

These questions ultimately lead to one main one: What should returning players have to give up? For starters, they shouldn't recover status or benefits they left for LIV's riches, and they should have to earn their way into tournaments under the same rules as everyone else. But there's no reason to impose financial penalties so steep that returning becomes

— for some players, at least — a humiliation that's more trouble than it's worth.

For now, Rahm hasn't said he wants to return. In early September, he told the BBC “we'll see what happens” when asked if he would go back to the PGA Tour, noting that he remains under contract with LIV Golf. Soon, he won't be.

Rahm is unlikely to be the tour's last test. Other players could soon be available too, including Bryson DeChambeau. He has roughly 3 million YouTube subscribers, regardless of what competition he affiliates with. DeChambeau is one of

golf's biggest online personalities. The tour has few players who can equal his reach with digitally minded sports fans, and it should covet the chance to be associated with a player who is.

This move wouldn't just be about the present. The PGA Tour's next challenger may look nothing like LIV. Should another rival step forward in the future, it would be great for the tour to seem like the best place to be. It can start by showing the public it has learned not to take players for granted.

This column reflects the personal views of the author and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Bloomberg editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Four years after joining Sun Belt, JMU announces it will jump to the American

JMU FROM B7

rival Old Dominion was unaware of JMU's move before asked about it by a reporter.

"The one thing I will tell you is I have the utmost faith in our president, in our administration to make sure that they put Old Dominion in a great position," Rahne said. "And I also have the utmost faith in [Sun Belt Commissioner Keith Gill] to make sure that he does a great job. He's a very intelligent person, and I've had the pleasure of getting to know him now, being the longest-tenured coach and that sort of thing. So I've had the pleasure of getting to know him, and he is incredibly sharp, and I'm quite sure that this probably didn't catch him as off-guard as maybe it caught other people."

Ross Dellenger of Yahoo Sports reported that the Dukes will pay more than \$20 million in an entrance fee to the American Conference.

“JMU will have to cover both a Sun Belt exit fee and American entry fee,” the school said in an online FAQ. “However, the exit fee is being covered by new private funding from generous supporters, while the entry fee has already been committed from new private corporate partners who championed this move."

As the leagues' respective federal tax filings reveal, the American offers its members far more conference revenue than the Sun Belt.

In fiscal 2024-25, the most recent year on record, the American reported \$127.2 million in revenue, more than double the Sun Belt's \$57.2 million. The disparity in per-school shares was even more striking.

For football members, the American's distributions ranged from \$12.6 million for East Carolina to \$6.2 million for Rice. JMU's share of Sun Belt revenue was \$1.98 million, just north of ODU's \$1.72 million.

After winning two national titles in the Football Championship Subdivision, JMU elevated to the FBS Sun Belt in 2022. The Dukes haven't stop winning.

Despite two coaching changes, their football program is 46-11 since the move and 6-0 this season under first-year coach Billy Napier. He succeeded Bob Chesney, who in 2025 — the second year of his tenure — steered JMU to a 12-2 record, the Sun Belt championship, a College

Football Playoff bid (the Dukes lost at Oregon in the first round) and a No. 19 ranking in the final Associated Press poll.

Chesney followed Curt Cignetti, who along with then-athletic director Jeff Bourne shepherded the program from FCS to FBS. Cignetti and Chesney left JMU for the Big Ten, with Cignetti departing to Indiana and Chesney to UCLA.

Indiana (6-0) and UCLA (5-0) are Nos. 5 and 12 in this week's AP poll, and the Hoosiers are riding a 22-game winning streak after last season's 16-0 run to the national championship.

“We work every day to best position our athletics program for excellence,” JMU Athletic Director Matt Roan said in the school’s release, “and today’s announcement is the next step in our strategic elevation. The American offers opportunities for all our sports to thrive, to grow our brand and media exposure, to expand our constituent base, and to continue to elevate the impact of James Madison on college athletics.”

David Teel and David Hall contributed to this report.

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SCOREBOARD

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PRO FOOTBALL | SOUTH | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | Carolina | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 121 | 109 | Atlanta | 2 | 3 | 0 | .400 | 119 | 122 | Tampa Bay | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | 100 | 112 | New Orleans | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | 118 | 151 | NORTH | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | Minnesota...... | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 109 | 64 | Green Bay...... | 3 | 2 | 0 | .600 | 104 | 112 | Detroit...... | 3 | 2 | 0 | .600 | 164 | 148 | Chicago...... | 3 | 2 | 0 | .600 | 119 | 96 | WEST | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | San Francisco...... | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 154 | 93 | Seattle...... | 3 | 2 | 0 | .600 | 134 | 105 | x-L.A. Rams...... | 2 | 2 | 0 | .500 | 85 | 83 | Arizona...... | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | 108 | 162 | EAST | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | x-Buffalo | 3 | 1 | 0 | .750 | 127 | 107 | New England | 3 | 2 | 0 | .600 | 110 | 94 | N.Y. Jets | 2 | 3 | 0 | .400 | 93 | 96 | Miami | 0 | 5 | 0 | .000 | 70 | 132 | SOUTH | W | L | T | PCT | PF | PA | Jacksonville...... | 4 | 1 | 0 | .800 | 123 | 70 | Indianapolis...... | 2 | 3 | 0 | .400 | 124 | 138 | Houston...... | 1 | 4 | 0 | .200 | 110 | 112 | Tennessee...... | 0 | 5 | 0 | .000 | 58 | 109 | ---

x-Late game

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WEEK 5

THURSDAY'S RESULT

Tampa Bay 24, at Dallas 16

N.Y. Giants 27, at Washington 27 (OT)

Jacksonville 19, Philadelphia 17 in London

Cincinnati 31, at Miami 24

at Green Bay 31, Chicago 7

Houston 26, at Tennessee 3

Minnesota 23, at New Orleans 13

at N.Y. Jets 17, Cleveland 12

at New England 45, Las Vegas 17

at Pittsburgh 34, Indianapolis 22

Denver 23, at L.A. Chargers 17

Detroit 45, at Arizona 21

San Francisco 32, at Seattle 29

Baltimore 30, at Atlanta 23 (OT)

BYES: Kansas City, Carolina

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MONDAY'S RESULT

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WEEK 6

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SUNDAY'S GAMES

Baltimore at Cleveland, 1

Houston vs Jacksonville in London, 9:30 a.m.

Carolina at Philadelphia, 1

Chicago at Atlanta, 1

N.Y. Jets at New England, 1

New Orleans at N.Y. Giants, 1

Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay, 1

Tennessee at Indianapolis, 1

Arizona at L.A. Rams, 4:05

Buffalo at Las Vegas, 4:25

L.A. Chargers at Kansas City, 4:25

Dallas at Green Bay, 8:20

BYES: Cincinnati, Miami, Detroit, Minnesota

---

MONDAY'S GAME

Washington at San Francisco, 8:15 WEEK 7

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SUNDAY, OCT. 25

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Ravens 30,

---

Falcons 23 (OT)

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Late Sunday | BALTIMORE | 3 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 30 | ATLANTA | 7 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 23 | ---

FIRST QUARTER

Atlanta: Bates 36 fumble return (Folk kick), 8:03.

Baltimore: FG Loop 51, 8:04.

Atlanta: Pitts 5 pass from Penix (Folk kick), 2:24.

Baltimore: FG Loop 51, :00.

---

THIRD QUARTER

Baltimore: Henry 18 pass from Huntley (pass failed), 6:53.

Atlanta: FG Folk 34, 8:03.

Atlanta: FG Folk 48, 2:31.

Baltimore: D.Walker 7 pass from Huntley (Henry run), :40.

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FOURTH QUARTER

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FIRST OVERTIME | Bal | Atl | First downs....24 | 17 | Total Net Yards....391 | 367 | Rushes-yards....35-208 | 26-110 | Passing....183 | 257 | Punt Returns....1-11 | 2-0 | Kickoff Returns....5-132 | 5-124 | Interceptions Ret....1-2 | 0-0 | Comp-Att-Int....24-32-0 | 21-35-1 | Sacked-Yards Lost....4-18 | 3-17 | Punts....4-44,25 | 4-53.25 | Fumbles-Lost....1-1 | 1-0 | Penalties-Yards....5-40 | 7-67 | Time of Possession....35:10 | 32:45 | Baltimore: Henry 24-102, Hill 4-73, Huntley 6-20, Flowers 1-13. Atlanta: Bi.Robinson 17-86, Br.Robinson 7-16, Penix 2-8.

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RUSHING

Baltimore: Huntley 24-32-0-201. Atlanta: Penix 19-32-0-240, Tagovailoa 2-3-1-34.

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PASSING

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RECEIVING

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TRANSACTIONS

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MLB

Tampa Bay Rays: Reinstated RHP Brody Hopkins and removed CF Daniel Schneemann from American League Championship Series roster.

Nft: Suspended San Francisco 49ers LB Dre Greenlaw for one game without pay for unsportsmanlike conduct. Buffalo Bills: Signed CB Anthony Kendall from the practice squad to the active roster. Released OLB Michael Danna. Elevated DT Phidarian Mathis and WR Trent Sherfield Sr. from the practice squad to the active roster. Carolina Panthers: Signed DT Keith Cooper Jr. to the practice squad. Released DE Anthony Goodlow from the practice squad.

---

NFL

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Designated WR David Sills V to return from injured reserve.

---

NHL

New Jersey Devils: Placed RW Connor Brown on injured reserve, retroactive to Sept. 28. Recalled RW Stefan Noesen from Utica (AHL).

Columbus Blue Jackets: Reinstated RW Riley Bezeau from non-roster injured reserve. Assigned Bezeau to Cleveland (AHL).

St. Louis Blues: Recalled D Colin Ralph from Springfield (AHL).

Philadelphia Flyers: Placed D Helge Grans on waivers. Assigned RW Carl Grundstrom to Lehigh Valley (AHL). Pittsburgh Penguins: Placed D Trevor van Riemsdyk on injured reserve.

---

BASEBALL

Vegas Golden Knights: Assigned F Ben Hemmerling to Henderson (AHL).

Game 1: Chi. White Sox 6, at Houston 3

Game 2: Chi. White Sox 7, at Houston 3

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MLB playoffs

---

FIRST ROUND Best of three

Game 1: at N.Y. Yankees 9, Boston 0

Game 2: at N.Y. Yankees 9, Boston 2

PADRES ELIMINATED CUBS, 2-0

Game 1: at San Diego 8, Chi. Cubs 0

Game 2: at San Diego 4, Chi. Cubs 1

DIVISION SERIES

Washington Capitals: Placed D Rasmus Sandin on long-term injured reserve and D Matt Roy on injured reserve. Recalled D Justin Holl from Hershey (AHL).

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DIVISION SERIES

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NATIONAL LEAGUE

BREWERS ELIMINATED PADRES, 3-1

Game 1: at Milwaukee 3, San Diego 2

Game 2: at Milwaukee 4, San Diego 3

Game 3: at San Diego 4, Milwaukee 3

Game 4: Milwaukee 3, at San Diego 1

DODGERS ELIMINATED BRAVES, 3-1

Game 1: at L.A. Dodgers 5, Atlanta 3

Game 2: Atlanta 3, at L.A. Dodgers 2

Game 3:: L.A. Dodgers 3, at Atlanta 1

Game 4: L.A. Dodgers 4, at Atlanta 1

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AMERICAN LEAGUE

RAYS ELIMINATED YANKEES, 3-0

Game 1: at Tampa Bay 1, N.Y. Yankees 0

Game 2: Tampa Bay 5, N.Y. Yankees 2

Game 3: Tampa Bay 4, at N.Y. Yankees 3

WHITE SOX LEAD GUARDIANS, 4-1

Game 1: Chi. White Sox 3, at Cleveland 0

Game 2: Chi. White Sox 4, at Cleveland 3

Game 3: Cleveland 9, at Chi. White Sox 3

Game 4: Cleveland 9, at Chi. White Sox 5

Game 5: Chi. at Cleveland 2, White Sox 0

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CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

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Best of seven; x-If necessary

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NATIONAL LEAGUE

BREWERS LEAD DODGERS, 2-0

Game 1: L.A. Dodgers at Milwaukee 2, L.A. Dodgers 1

Game 2: at Milwaukee 7, L.A. Dodgers 4

Wednesday's game: Milwaukee at L.A. Dodgers, 8

Thursday's game: Milwaukee at L.A. Dodgers, 9

x-Friday's game: Milwaukee at L.A. Dodgers, 9

x-Sunday. Oct. 18: L.A. Dodgers at Milwaukee, 8

x-Monday. Oct. 19: L.A. Dodgers at Milwaukee, 8

---

AMERICAN LEAGUE

---

RAYS VS. GUARDIANS

Game 1: Cleveland at Tampa Bay, late Tuesday's game: Cleveland at Tampa Bay, 8 Thursday's game: Tampa Bay at Cleveland, 6 Friday's game: Tampa Bay at Cleveland, 6 x-Saturday's game: Tampa Bay at Cleveland, 8 x-Monday, Oct. 19: Cleveland at Tampa Bay, 5 x-Tuesday, Oct. 20: Cleveland at Tampa Bay, 8

Cincinnati at Baltimore, 1

Pittsburgh vs. New Orleans in Paris, 9:30 a.m.

San Francisco at Atlanta, 1

Cleveland at Tennessee, 1

Indianapolis at Minnesota, 1

Miami at N.Y. Jets, 1

Tampa Bay at Carolina, 1

N.Y. Giants at Houston, 1

Denver at Arizona, 4:05

Green Bay at Detroit, 4:25

L.A. Rams at Las Vegas, 4:25

Kansas City at Seattle, 8:20

BYES: Washington, Buffalo, Jacksonville, L.A. Chargers

MONDAY, OCT. 26

Dallas at Philadelphia, 8:15

Baltimore: Flowers 8-53, Bateman 5-62, Andrews 4-28, Cuevas 2-26, Walker 2-9, Hill 2-5, Henry 1-18. Atlanta: D.London 7-118, Pitts 5-42, Bi.Robinson 4-32, Dotson 2-54, Branch 2-15, Woerner 1-13.

Brewers 7, Dodgers 4 | W-L | ERA | TEAM | TBD | 0-0 | 0.00 | 0-0 | Peralta (R) | 0-0 | 1.93 | 1-0 | ---

WORLD SERIES

Best of seven; x-If necessary

Friday, Oct. 23: AL at NL, TBD

Saturday, Oct. 24: AL at NL, TBD

Monday, Oct. 26: NL at AL, TBD

Tuesday, Oct. 27: NL at AL, TBD

x-Wednesday, Oct. 28: NL at AL, TBD

x-Friday, Oct. 30: AL at NL, TBD

x-Saturday, Oct. 31: AL at NL, TBD

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AL game

GAME 2: GUARDIANS AT RAYS, 8:00 | DODGERS......101 | 020 | 000 | — | 4 | 3 | 2 | BREWERS......102 | 011 | 02X | — | 7 | 12 | 2 | DODGERS | AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | AVG | Betts ss.... | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .250 | Freeman 1b.... | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 | T.Hernández lf.... | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .500 | Ohtani dh.... | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .333 | Smith c.... | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Muncy 3b.... | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | Rojas ph.... | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .000 | Pages cf.... | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .250 | Tucker rf.... | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | Edman 2b.... | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | TOTALS | 28 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 9 | — | BREWERS | AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | AVG | Chourio lf | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .222 | Turang 2b | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .600 | Contreras c | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | .429 | Bauers 1b | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | .286 | Yelich dh | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | .400 | Mitchell cf | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .000 | Pratt ss | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .333 | Frelick rf | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | Hamilton 3b | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .667 | TOTALS | 35 | 7 | 12 | 7 | 6 | 10 | — | E: Freeman (0), Pages (0), Henderson 2 (2). LOB: Dodgers 2, Brewers 11. 2B: Tucker (1), Turang (1). HR: Contreras (1), off Bubic. RBIs: T.Hernández (0), Freeman (0), Contreras 3 (3), Yelich 2 (2), Turang (2), Bauers (1). SB: Hamilton 2 (2). CS: Pratt (1). SF: T.Hernández, Freeman. S: Edman.

Inherited runners-scored: Vesia 2-0, Stewart 2-0, Scott 2-0, Wrobleski 2-1, May 1-1. IBB: off Stewart (Turang). HBP: Stewart (Hamilton). WP: Henderson. Pitch timer violations: Stewart (pitcher). T: 3:21. A: 42,516 (41,700). | DODGERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Yamamoto....2 $\frac{1}{3}$ | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 10.12 | Vesia.... $\frac{1}{3}$ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | Sasaki....1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.00 | Bubic.... $\frac{1}{3}$ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 13.50 | Stewart.... $\frac{1}{3}$ | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13.50 | Scott....1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 | Henriquez....1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 18.00 | Wrobleski.... $\frac{1}{3}$ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | BREWERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Henderson....4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4.50 | May....1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | Romero....1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 | Uribe....1 $\frac{1}{3}$ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 | Ashley.... $\frac{1}{3}$ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 | BREWERS | AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | AVG | Chourio lf......4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | Turang 2b......2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 | Contrens c......3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .000 | Bauer 1b......3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .333 | Vaughn dh......3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .333 | Mitchell cf......3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .000 | Pratt ss......2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | Lara rf......3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .333 | Ortiz 3b......3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .000 | TOTALS | 26 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 13 | — | DODGERS | AB | R | H | BI | BB | SO | AVG | Betts ss.... | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .250 | Freeman 1b.... | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .250 | Smith c.... | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .000 | Ohtani dh.... | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | .333 | T.Hernández lf.... | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 | Muncy 3b.... | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .250 | Pages cf.... | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .250 | Tucker rf.... | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .000 | E.Hernández 2b.... | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | De Paula ph.... | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | --- | Edman pr.... | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | --- | TOTALS | 31 | 1 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 8 | — | Late Sunday

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Brewers 2, Dodgers 1

LOB: Dodgers 9, Brewers 7. 2B: Vaughn (1). HR: Turang (1), off Skubal. RBIs: Pages (1), Turang (1), Lara (1). CS: Bauers (1). S: Pratt, Turang.

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Runners left in scoring position: Dodgers 3 (Betts,

Pages, Tucker); Brewers 5 (Mitchell 2, Contreras 2, Pratt). RISP: Dodgers 1 for 6; Brewers 2 for 7. Runners moved up: Mitchell, Ortiz. GIDP: Smith, E.Hernández, Freeman, Vaughn.

DP: Dodgers 1 (E.Hernández, Betts, Freeman); Brewers 3 (Pratt, Turang, Bauers; Pratt, Turang, Bauers; Turang, Pratt, Bauers). | DODGERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Skubal | 5 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 | 3.60 | Vesia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0.00 | Phillips | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 | Scott | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0.00 | BREWERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | ERA | Misiorowski | $4\frac{1}{3}$ | 5 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 2.08 | Hall | $\frac{2}{3}$ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | Uribe | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.00 | Ashby | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0.00 | Megill | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.00 | WP: Hall (1-0), LP: Skubal (0-1), S: Miegin (1).

Inherited runners-scored: Scott 1-0, Hall 1-0. IBB: off Scott (Contreras), off Scott (Vaughn). Pitch timer violations: Scott (pitcher). T: 2:55. A: 42,617 (41,700).

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NHL

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HOCKEY | ATLANTIC | GP | W | L | OT | Pts | GF | GA | Ottawa...... | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 19 | 12 | Tampa Bay...... | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 16 | 12 | Boston...... | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 20 | 13 | Toronto...... | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 20 | 18 | Buffalo...... | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 16 | 22 | Florida...... | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 12 | 17 | Montreal...... | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 15 | 19 | Detroit...... | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 10 | 15 | METROPOLITAN | GP | W | L | OT | Pts | GF | GA | Carolina....7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 11 | 27 | 17 | N.Y. Rangers....7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 23 | 13 | Pittsburgh....6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 22 | 17 | Washington....5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 17 | 14 | New Jersey....5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 11 | 18 | Columbus....4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 13 | 14 | N.Y. Islanders....5 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 16 | 13 | Philadelphia....7 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 8 | 28 | CENTRAL | GP | W | L | OT | Pts | GF | GA | Utah...... | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 22 | 15 | x-Minnesota...... | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 15 | 9 | Winnipeg...... | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 13 | 15 | Colorado...... | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 26 | 17 | Nashville...... | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 14 | 14 | Dallas...... | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 11 | 8 | St. Louis...... | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 14 | 16 | Chicago...... | 6 | 1 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 26 | PACIFIC | GP | W | L | OT | Pts | GF | GA | x-Vegas...... | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 23 | 14 | Edmonton...... | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 25 | 17 | Anaheim...... | 5 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 18 | 13 | Seattle...... | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 8 | 26 | 17 | San Jose...... | 5 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 13 | 17 | Vancouver...... | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 4 | 24 | 35 | Los Angeles...... | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 10 | 17 | Calgary...... | 5 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 27 | ---

SUNDAY'S RESULTS

Seattle 5, at Washington 3 at N.Y. Rangers 6, Vancouver 2 Carolina 4, at Philadelphia 1

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MONDAY'S RESULTS

at Buffalo 5, Florida 3

Ottawa 4, at New Jersey 1

Vegas at Minnesota, late

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TUESDAY'S GAMES

New Jersey at Detroit, 6

Florida at Columbus, 6:15

Buffalo at Montreal, 6:30

Washington at Carolina, 6:45

Seattle at Philadelphia, 7

Tampa Bay at N.Y. Rangers, 7:15

St. Louis at Ottawa, 7:30

Vancouver at N.Y. Islanders, 7:45

Pittsburgh at Chicago, 8

Minnesota at Winnipeg, 8:15

Colorado at Dallas, 8:30

Vegas at Nashville, 8:45

Toronto at Utah, 9

Calgary at Anaheim, 9:45

Edmonton at Los Angeles, 10:30

Boston at San Jose, 11

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WEDNESDAY'S GAMES

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THURSDAY'S GAMES

Montreal at Washington, 7:30

Dallas at Colorado, 8:30

Buffalo at Toronto, 7

N.Y. Islanders at Ottawa, 7

N.Y. Rangers at New Jersey, 7

Seattle at Tampa Bay, 7

Vancouver at Florida, 7

Philadelphia at Detroit, 7:30

San Jose at Nashville, 8

St. Louis at Minnesota, 8

Winnipeg at Chicago, 8

Utah at Edmonton, 9

Calgary at Vegas, 10

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CAPITALS' NEXT THREE

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at Carolina Hurricanes

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vs. Montreal Canadiens

Wednesday 7:30 Monumental

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vs. New Jersey Devils | Saturday | 1 | Monumental | FLORIDA | 1 | 2 | 0 | - | 3 | BUFFALO | 2 | 1 | 2 | - | 5 | ---

FIRST PERIOD

Scoring: 1, Buffalo, Doan 1 (Krebs), 5:58. 2, Florida, Lundell 1 (Ekblad, Vilmanis), 11:00. 3, Buffalo, Dahlin 2 (Thompson, Quinn), 15:55 (pp).

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SECOND PERIOD

Scoring: 4, Florida, Reinhart 1 (Jones, M.Tkachuk), 6:26 (pp). 5, Buffalo, McLeod 1 (Zellweger, Power), 11:25. 6, Florida, Reinhart 2 (B.Tkachuk, Jones), 13:41 (pp).

Scoring: 7, Buffalo, Ostlund 2 (Quinn, Benson), 7:15 (pp). 8, Buffalo, Thompson 4 (Krebs, Power), 13:20. SHOTS ON GOAL

Power-play opportunities: Florida 2 of 4; Buffalo 2 of 5. Goalies: Florida, Schmid 0-1-1 (21 shots-18 saves), Florida, Markstrom 2-1-1 (11-9). Buffalo, Luukkonen 2-2-0 (14-13), Buffalo, Ellis 1-1-0 (9-7). A: 19,070 (19,070). T: 2:29. | OTTAWA....0 | 2 | 2 | — | 4 | NEW JERSEY....0 | 0 | 1 | — | 1 | ---

SECOND PERIOD

Scoring: 1, Ottawa, Pinto 1 (Giroux, Amadio), 0:09. 2, Ottawa, Halliday 2 (Stutzle, Cozens), 8:40 (pp).

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THIRD PERIOD

Scoring: 3, Ottawa, Stutzle 5 (Spence, Chabot), 11:10. 4, New Jersey, Gritsyuk 1 (J.Hughes), 14:59. 5, Ottawa, Kleven 1, 17:53 (en).

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SHOTS ON GOAL | OTTAWA | 7 | 10 | 3 | -20 | NEW JERSEY | 4 | 12 | 14 | -30 | Power-play opportunities: Ottawa 1 of 5; New Jersey 0 of 2. Goalies: Ottawa, Ullmark 5-0-0 (30 shots-29 saves). New Jersey, Daws 0-2-0 (19-16). A: 15,085 (16,514). T: 2:26. | ---

NHL LEADERS | GOALS | GP | G | Sebastian Aho, Carolina | 7 | 6 | Evan Bouchard, Edmonton | 5 | 6 | Kyle Connor, Winnipeg | 5 | 6 | Kirill Kaprizov, Minnesota | 5 | 6 | Nick Schmaltz, Utah | 6 | 6 | Alexis Lafreniere, N.Y. Rangers | 7 | 5 | Nathan MacKinnon, Colorado | 5 | 5 | William Nylander, Toronto | 6 | 5 | Vasily Podkolzin, Edmonton | 5 | 5 | Paul Cotter, Vancouver | 7 | 4 | Freedy Gaudreau, Seattle | 6 | 4 | Brandon Hagel, Tampa Bay | 5 | 4 | Bo Horvat, N.Y. Islanders | 5 | 4 | Mark Jankowski, Carolina | 7 | 4 | Auston Matthews, Toronto | 6 | 4 | Victor Olofsson, Vegas | 4 | 4 | Logan Stankoven, Carolina | 7 | 4 | ---

HIGH SCHOOLS

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MONDAY'S RESULTS

Leonardtown 13, Great Mills 0

South River 3, McDonogh 0

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VIRGINIA

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BOYS' SOCCER

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MARYLAND

Bethesda-Chevy Chase 0, Einstein 0

C.H. Flowers 5, IHSALP 4

Fairmont Heights 3, Crossland 1

Friendly 3, Central 0

Parkdale 4, Bladensburg 2

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GIRLS' SOCCER

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MARYLAND

Bethesda-Chevy Chase 3, Einstein 2

Bowie 9, High Point 1

Northwestern 2, Wise 1

Suitland 2, Laurel 2

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GIRLS' VOLLEYBALL

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GIRLS' VOLLE MARYLAND

CMIT def. Largo, 3-0 (25-8, 25-16, 25-12)

Clarksburg def. Poolesville, 3-0 (25-20, 25-18, 25-9)

Leonardtown def. Patuxent, 3-0

Watkins Mill def. Paint Branch, 3-0

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VIRGINIA

Westfield def. Robinson, 3-1

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PRO BASKETBALL

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NBA preseason | Atlantic | W | L | Pct | GB | Brooklyn | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | — | Boston | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | — | Toronto | 1 | 1 | .500 | 1 | Philadelphia | 1 | 2 | .333 | $1\frac{1}{2}$ | New York | 0 | 3 | .000 | $2\frac{1}{2}$ | Southeast | W | L | Pct | GB | Atlanta....3 | 1 | .750 | — | Washington....2 | 1 | .667 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | Miami....2 | 1 | .667 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | Charlotte....1 | 1 | .500 | 1 | Orlando....1 | 1 | .500 | 1 | Central | W | L | Pct | GB | Cleveland | 1 | 1 | .500 | — | Indiana | 1 | 1 | .500 | — | Detroit | 1 | 1 | .500 | — | Milwaukee | 1 | 2 | .333 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | Chicago | 1 | 2 | .333 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | WESTERN CONFERENCE | Southwest | W | L | Pct | GB | Memphis | 2 | 1 | .667 | — | Houston | 1 | 1 | .500 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | Dallas | 1 | 1 | .500 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | New Orleans | 1 | 1 | .500 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | x-San Antonio | 0 | 2 | .000 | $1\frac{1}{2}$ | Northwest | W | L | Pct | GB | Portland.... | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | — | Minnesota.... | 3 | 1 | .750 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | Denver.... | 2 | 1 | .667 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | x-Utah.... | 1 | 1 | .500 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | Oklahoma City.... | 0 | 3 | .000 | $2\frac{1}{2}$ | Pacific | W | L | Pct | GB | L.A. Lakers | 2 | 1 | .667 | — | L.A. Clippers | 1 | 1 | .500 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | Golden State | 2 | 2 | .500 | $\frac{1}{2}$ | Phoenix | 1 | 2 | .333 | 1 | Sacramento | 0 | 3 | .000 | 2 | Dallas 132, Houston 115 at Cleveland 119, Orlando 105 at Denver 133, Chicago 128 at Charlotte 105, Milwaukee 90

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SUNDAY'S RESULTS

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MONDAY'S RESULTS

Brooklyn 131, at Washington 122 at Portland 119, London Lions 66 at Atlanta 113, Oklahoma City 110 Minnesota 122, at New York 104 San Antonio at Utah, late

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TUESDAY'S GAMES

Cleveland at Orlando, 7

New York at Toronto, 7

Indiana at Oklahoma City, 8

Golden State at L.A. Lakers, 10

Portland at Sacramento, 10

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WEDNESDAY'S GAMES

Brooklyn at Miami, 7:30

Charlotte at Boston, 7:30

Chicago at Milwaukee, 8

Detroit at Minnesota, 8

New Orleans at Dallas, 8

Phoenix at San Antonio, 8

Denver at L.A. Clippers, 10:30

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THURSDAY'S GAMES

Toronto at New York, 7:30

Oklahoma City at Houston, 8:30

Nets 131, Wizards 122 | Brooklyn......36 | 37 | 30 | 28 | — | 131 | Washington......32 | 40 | 22 | 28 | — | 122 | BROOKLYN | MIN | FG | FT | O-T | A | PF PTS | Porter Jr. | 23:53 | 8-13 | 4-5 | 0-4 | 0 | 1 22 | Randle | 23:28 | 5-8 | 2-4 | 0-4 | 9 | 1 14 | Charpe | 21:07 | 1-1 | 1-4 | 3-2 | 3 | 3 4 | Demin | 22:17 | 2-8 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 4 | Ellis | 21:14 | 4-7 | 4-5 | 0-1 | 0 | 4 15 | Clowney | 21:35 | 5-8 | 1-1 | 1-3 | 4 | 0 15 | Traore | 19:50 | 6-8 | 3-3 | 0-1 | 2 | 1 17 | Wagner | 18:02 | 4-8 | 5-6 | 2-5 | 1 | 3 13 | C.Johnson | 16:15 | 2-3 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 4 | Powell | 10:22 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 0 | 3 3 | Te.Mann | 8:51 | 1-2 | 0-0 | 0-2 | 0 | 2 3 | Nelson | 8:51 | 4-5 | 0-4 | 3-1 | 1 | 2 9 | Wolf | 8:51 | 1-4 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 1 | 0 2 | Saraf | 8:08 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 4 | 0 0 | Minott | 7:15 | 2-4 | 2-2 | 1-2 | 0 | 1 6 | TOTALS | 240:00 | 46-81 | 22-30 | 9-31 | 29 | 22 131 | Percentages: FG .568, FT .733. 3-Point Goals: 17-41, .415 (Clowney 4-6, Ellis 3-4, Randle 2-4, Traore 2-4, Porter Jr. 2-7, Powell 1-1, Sharpe 1-1, Te.Mann 1-1, Nelson 1-2, C.Johnson 0-1, Minott 0-1, Wolf 0-1, Wagner 0-3, Demin 0-5). Team Rebounds: 14. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 3 (Minott, Porter Jr., Sharpe). Turnovers: 18 (Nelson 3, Porter Jr. 3, Randle 3, Traore 3, C.Johnson, Demin, Saraf, Sharpe, Te.Mann, Wagner). Steals: 11 (Sharpe 3, Porter Jr. 2, Wagner 2, C.Johnson, Clowney, Demin, Randle). Technical Fouls: None. | WASHINGTON | MIN | FG | FT | O-T | A | PF | PTS | Dybantsa | 25:12 | 5-12 | 3-4 | 4-4 | 3 | 2 | 14 | Sarr | 23:00 | 3-10 | 0-0 | 1-9 | 0 | 5 | 6 | Ayton | 25:22 | 2-4 | 0-0 | 2-7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | George | 24:36 | 6-7 | 6-6 | 1-1 | 4 | 4 | 21 | Young | 27:53 | 1-5 | 8-8 | 0-3 | 11 | 2 | 11 | Coulibaly | 24:16 | 7-11 | 2-2 | 0-2 | 1 | 1 | 19 | T.Johnson | 20:03 | 5-9 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 3 | 1 | 13 | Champagne | 15:33 | 3-7 | 0-0 | 2-3 | 0 | 2 | 7 | Carrington | 12:35 | 3-5 | 5-6 | 0-0 | 1 | 0 | 14 | T.Mann | 12:00 | 1-3 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 3 | Okpara | 12:00 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | Beekman | 7:15 | 1-1 | 3-3 | 0-0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | Riley | 6:53 | 1-1 | 0-0 | 0-1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | Keels | 3:22 | 0-1 | 0-0 | 1-1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | TOTALS | 240:00 | 39-77 | 27-29 | 11-33 | 30 | 25 | 122 | Columbus at Cincinnati, 5

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 21

D.C. United at Cincinnati, 7

Percentages: FG .506, FT .931. 3-Point Goals: 17-36, .472 (George 3-3, Carrington 3-4, Coulibaly 3-5, T. Johnson 3-7, Riley 1-1, Tr.Mann 1-2, Champagne 1-3, Dybantsa 1-3, Young 1-4, Keels 0-1, Sarr 0-3). Team Rebounds: 7. Team Turnovers: 3. Blocked Shots: 3 (Coulibaly, Dybantsa, Okpara). Turnovers: 20 (Young 8, Dybantsa 3, Sarr 3, Carrington 2, Ayton, Beekman, Riley, T.Johnson). Steals: 12 (Coulibaly 3, George 3, T.Johnson 2, Beekman, Champagne, Dybantsa, Young). Technical Fouls: None.

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WNBA playoffs

DREAM ELIMINATED MYSTICS, 2-0

Game 1: at Atlanta 92, Washington 77

Game 2: Atlanta 93, at Washington 75

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LIBERTY ELIMINATED LYNX, 2-0

Game 1: New York 91, at Minnesota 75

Game 2: at New York 87, Minnesota 71

VALKYRIES ELIMINATED WINGS, 2-1

Game 1: at Golden State 104, Dallas 80

Game 2: at Dallas 108, Golden State 100 (OT)

Game 3: at Golden State 77, Dallas 73

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ACES ELIMINATED FEVER, 2-1

Game 1: at Las Vegas 102, Indiana 85

Game 2: at Indiana 99, Las Vegas 89

Game 3: at Las Vegas 94, Indiana 83

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SEMIFINALS

VALKYRIES ELIMINATED ACES, 3-0

Game 1: at Golden State 71, Las Vegas 60

Game 2: at Golden State 83, Las Vegas 81

Game 3: Golden State 87, at Las Vegas 77 (OT)

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DREAM ELIMINATED LIBERTY, 3-0

DREAM ELIMINATED LIBERTY, 3-0

Game 1: at Atlanta 92, New York 82

Game 2: at Atlanta 101, New York 98 (OT)

Game 3: Atlanta 85, at New York 83

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VALKYRIES VS. DREAM

Saturday's game: Atlanta at Golden State, 3:30

Monday's game: Atlanta at Golden State, 8

Thursday, Oct. 22: Golden State at Atlanta, 8

Saturday, Oct. 24: Golden State at Atlanta, 3:30

x-Monday, Oct. 26: Atlanta at Golden State, 8

x-Thursday, Oct. 29: Golden State at Atlanta, 8

x-Saturday, Oct. 31: Atlanta at Golden State, 8

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TENNIS

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WTA

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WUHAN OPEN

At Optics Valley International Tennis Centre; In Wuhan, China

Purse: \$4,088,211

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SINGLES — ROUND OF 64

Marie Bouzkova, Czech Republic, def. Clara Tauson, Denmark, 6-1, 2-0, ret; Janice Tjen, Indonesia, def. Aoi Ito, Japan, 6-3, 6-1; Mia Pohankova, Slovakia, def. Anna Bondar, Hungary, 6-1, 6-3; Jasmine Paolini (15), Italy, def. Sara Bejlek, Czech Republic, 6-3, 6-4; Magdalena Frech, Poland, def. Mananchaya Sawangkaew, Thailand, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5); Maria Sakkari, Greece, def. Donna Vekic, Croatia, 6-4, 6-2; Caty McNally, United States, def. Yulia Starodubtseva, Ukraine, 2-6, 7-6 (7-2), 6-4; Wang Xiyu, China, def. Wang Xinyu, China, 6-2, 6-0.

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DOUBLES — ROUND OF 32

Ulrikke Eikeri, Norway, and Quinn Gleason, United States, def. Desirae Krawczyk, United States, and Maya Joint, Australia, 2-6, 6-4, 10-5; Kristina Mladenovic, France, and Hanyu Guo (6), China, def. Alexandra Panova, Russia, and Maia Lumsden, Britain, 6-4, 6-3; Olivia Nicholls, Britain, and Tereza Mihalikova, Slovakia, def. Hao-Ching Chan, Taiwan, and Miyu Kato, Japan, 6-3, 2-6, 10-8.

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SOCCER

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MLS | EAST | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | Nashville.... | 19 | 3 | 6 | 63 | 59 | 22 | Inter Miami CF.... | 13 | 5 | 10 | 49 | 68 | 50 | Chicago.... | 14 | 8 | 6 | 48 | 51 | 40 | New England.... | 14 | 10 | 4 | 46 | 45 | 39 | Charlotte FC.... | 13 | 8 | 7 | 46 | 50 | 40 | Philadelphia.... | 12 | 10 | 6 | 42 | 56 | 45 | Orlando City.... | 11 | 13 | 4 | 37 | 51 | 66 | New York.... | 10 | 12 | 6 | 36 | 38 | 52 | Cincinnati.... | 9 | 9 | 9 | 36 | 58 | 65 | New York City FC.... | 8 | 11 | 9 | 33 | 42 | 38 | Toronto FC.... | 7 | 10 | 11 | 32 | 41 | 52 | D.C. United.... | 6 | 9 | 12 | 30 | 34 | 46 | Columbus.... | 8 | 15 | 5 | 29 | 41 | 46 | Atlanta.... | 7 | 15 | 6 | 27 | 33 | 48 | CF Montréal.... | 6 | 16 | 6 | 24 | 35 | 56 | WEST | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | Vancouver.... | 15 | 7 | 6 | 51 | 61 | 30 | St. Louis City SC.... | 14 | 6 | 8 | 50 | 54 | 38 | FC Dallas.... | 13 | 7 | 8 | 47 | 52 | 45 | San Jose.... | 13 | 8 | 7 | 46 | 50 | 40 | Houston.... | 13 | 9 | 6 | 45 | 46 | 36 | Los Angeles FC.... | 11 | 9 | 9 | 42 | 44 | 31 | Seattle.... | 11 | 9 | 8 | 41 | 38 | 35 | Colorado.... | 11 | 13 | 4 | 37 | 39 | 39 | LA Galaxy.... | 9 | 11 | 9 | 36 | 39 | 50 | Portland.... | 9 | 13 | 6 | 33 | 51 | 54 | Real Salt Lake.... | 9 | 14 | 5 | 32 | 41 | 46 | San Diego FC.... | 8 | 12 | 8 | 32 | 48 | 51 | Austin FC.... | 7 | 11 | 10 | 31 | 46 | 50 | Minnesota United.... | 7 | 12 | 9 | 30 | 42 | 51 | Sporting KC.... | 6 | 18 | 4 | 22 | 35 | 68 | ---

SATURDAY'S RESULTS

at Miami 4, D.C. United 0

at Toronto FC 2, CF Montréal 1

at Chicago 2, New York City FC 1

Cincinnati 3, at Atlanta 1

at Charlotte FC 3, FC Dallas 2

Seattle 3, at New England 0

at New York 4, San Diego FC 1

at Orlando City 3, Columbus 2

at Philadelphia 2, Real Salt Lake 1

Nashville 4, at Austin FC 1

Portland 3, at Sporting KC 3

Houston 2, at Minnesota 2

San Jose 1, at Colorado 1

Vancouver 1, at Los Angeles FC 1

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SUNDAY'S RESULT

at St. Louis City SC 6, LA Galaxy 2

WEDNESDAY'S MATCHES

New England at Cincinnati, 7:30

Charlotte FC at Columbus, 7:30

New York at D.C. United, 7:30

New York City FC at Miami, 7:30

Atlanta at CF Montréal, 7:30

Orlando City at Toronto FC, 7:30

Philadelphia at Chicago, 8:30

Seattle at FC Dallas, 8:30

Sporting KC at Nashville, 8:30

Vancouver at St. Louis City SC, 8:30

Minnesota at Colorado, 9:30

San Jose at Real Salt Lake, 9:30

Portland at LA Galaxy, 10:30

Austin FC at Los Angeles FC, 10:30

Houston at San Diego FC, 10:30

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SATURDAY'S MATCHES

Charlotte FC at Philadelphia, 2:30

St. Louis City SC at Minnesota, 4:30

Miami at Atlanta, 7:30

Chicago at New England, 7:30

Toronto FC at New York, 7:30

D.C. United at Orlando City, 7:30

Los Angeles FC at New York City FC, 7:30

Vancouver at Austin FC, 8:30

FC Dallas at Houston, 8:30

Real Salt Lake at Sporting KC, 8:30

San Diego FC at LA Galaxy, 10:30

Colorado at Portland, 10:30

Nashville at San Jose, 10:30

CF Montréal at Seattle, 10:30

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SUNDAY'S MATCH

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NWSL | W | L | T | Pts | GF | GA | Gotham FC....16 | 14 | 4 | 7 | 55 | 35 | 21 | San Diego....16 | 18 | 8 | 3 | 51 | 40 | 28 | Washington....15 | 18 | 8 | 4 | 49 | 39 | 26 | Utah....14 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 46 | 44 | 35 | Kansas City....13 | 13 | 9 | 5 | 44 | 48 | 38 | Angel City....12 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 43 | 45 | 29 | Portland....12 | 12 | 8 | 7 | 43 | 45 | 39 | North Carolina....13 | 11 | 3 | 4 | 42 | 50 | 39 | Seattle....12 | 11 | 4 | 4 | 40 | 33 | 32 | Denver....10 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 38 | 45 | 37 | Orlando....10 | 10 | 4 | 3 | 36 | 46 | 34 | Houston....8 | 13 | 6 | 3 | 30 | 34 | 39 | Boston....8 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 29 | 36 | 46 | Bay FC....7 | 15 | 5 | 2 | 26 | 28 | 42 | Louisville....7 | 17 | 3 | 2 | 24 | 36 | 52 | Chicago....5 | 20 | 2 | 17 | 15 | 63 | ---