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By Sunup
Morning news brief

Thursday, September 24, 2026

· The free headline edition

The bottom line

  • Iran’s president told the UN his country is ready for diplomacy but will not yield to force.
  • Xi Jinping arrived for a state visit; the U.S.–China trade truce was extended to Jan. 10.
  • Bond yields hit their highest since 2007; mortgage rates are at a two-year high.
  • Fighting flared between Tigrayan and federal forces in northern Ethiopia.

The World Overnight

Iran’s president tells UN: ready for talks, not threats

Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran is “ready for dialogue and diplomacy” but rejects “the language of force,” a day after President Trump threatened Iran with annihilation from the same podium.

Sources: Al Jazeera · NBC News · NPR · Washington Post

Xi arrives in Washington; trade truce extended

President Trump greeted Xi Jinping on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews, a rare gesture.

Sources: AP · NBC News · CNBC

Fighting flares in northern Ethiopia

Tigrayan forces seized airports and clashed with federal troops.

Sources: Al Jazeera · Euronews · Africanews

The U.S. has invited Vladimir Putin to December’s G20 summit in Miami, Secretary of State Rubio said; the Kremlin said it would decide later.

Sources: Al Jazeera · Meduza

Defense & Security

Navy: eight sailors attempted suicide on long deployment

Eight sailors in the USS Abraham Lincoln strike group attempted suicide during a deployment that began in November and included combat against Iran, the acting Navy secretary told a senator.

Sources: CNN · AP · Navy Times

Washington

Judge orders White House to restore press access

Overnight, U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly temporarily lifted the ban on reporters from CNN, MS NOW and Politico, restoring access for 14 days while their lawsuit proceeds.

Sources: NBC News · CBS News · NPR

National polls: Democrats lead the congressional ballot 53%–41% (PBS News/NPR/Marist, registered voters) and 53%–42% (Emerson, likely voters). Both put President Trump’s approval at 39%.

Sources: PBS News · NPR · Emerson College

No shutdown next week: the stopgap law signed this month funds the government to Dec. 11.

Sources: NPR · Fox News

Markets & Your Money

Bond yields reach highest since 2007

Stocks fell after a survey showed U.S. business activity growing at its fastest pace since July 2021, stoking inflation worries.

Sources: AP · Reuters · CNBC

Mortgage rates at highest since 2024

The average 30-year rate rose to 7.12% last week from 6.97%, the Mortgage Bankers Association said.

Sources: Reuters · CNBC

2027 Social Security raise estimated at about 3.5%

The Senior Citizens League projects a 3.5% cost-of-living raise for 2027 (AARP: 3.6%), up from 2.8% this year, or about $68 a month on the average check.

Sources: Senior Citizens League · CBS News

Scam alert: fake police and government callers took more than $1.6 billion in 19 months, the FBI says. Real officials never ask for payment by prepaid card, cryptocurrency or courier.

Sources: FBI · The Register

Health & Science

FDA advisers back a multi-cancer screening blood test

A panel voted 7–2 that the benefits of Grail’s Galleri test for adults 50 and older outweigh its risks.

Sources: STAT · Scientific American · NPR

Recall: more than 167,000 pounds of raw pork, beef and goat from Star Meat Delivery carried a false USDA mark (“EST. 1363”). It was sold nationwide; discard or return it.

Sources: USDA · ABC News

American Life

Nor’easter floods Virginia coast; New England braces

High tides flooded parts of coastal Virginia, and gusts near 50 mph hit North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Sources: weather.com · Spectrum News

Sports Desk

MLB Padres 5, Dodgers 1; San Diego takes the top NL wild-card spot.

Sources: ESPN · CBS Sports

MLB Yankees 9, Rays 2; Ben Rice hits home runs No. 40 and 41.

Sources: CBS Sports · ESPN

GOLF The Presidents Cup begins today at Medinah, near Chicago.

Sources: Yahoo Sports · ABC7 Chicago

On Today’s Calendar

MORNING White House welcome for Xi Jinping; talks, then a state dinner.

Sources: White House · Bloomberg

SENATE Confirmation hearing for FDA nominee Dr. Heidi Overton.

Sources: Roll Call · The Hill

One Good Thing

Strangers rally to help an 81-year-old retire

Don Johnson of The Colony, Texas, has been delivering lost airline luggage, often 14 hours a day, to pay for his wife’s cancer care.

Sources: NBC DFW · FOX 4

Researched and written each morning with AI assistance. Every item is checked against at least two independent news reports, then re-verified by a second, independent fact-check before sending. Editor: A. J. Hale. Corrections: hello@bysunup.com · How it’s made