⚡ TODAY IN HISTORY

On September 18, 1947, the National Security Act created the Department of Defense, placing the US military under a single Cabinet-level secretary. Today? A Republican congressman wants that secretary, Pete Hegseth, impeached over his conduct of the war in Iran.

TOP NEWS

Trump weighs new Iran strikes 7-MONTH WAR

The war in Iran has stretched past seven months with no resolution in sight. President Trump told Axios Thursday that he is nearing a decision on whether to resume large-scale attacks on the country. Trump plans to meet with leaders from six Gulf nations next week during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. His choice will decide whether the war escalates again or shifts toward negotiations.

GOP rebel forces Hegseth impeachment vote 8 ARTICLES

Kentucky Republican Thomas Massie accuses Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth of waging an unauthorized war in Iran. Massie filed eight articles of impeachment against Hegseth on the House floor Tuesday, forcing a vote before lawmakers leave for a seven-week recess. The measure is expected to fail in the Republican-controlled chamber. The vote still puts every member on record over Hegseth's handling of the war.

Chipmakers power a Wall Street rally +1.62%

Renewed demand for AI-linked hardware lifted stocks Thursday. The S&P 500 closed up 0.81%, the Nasdaq 100 climbed 1.62%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.27%. Advanced Micro Devices and Micron Technology posted some of the session's biggest gains. Crude oil prices fell as the rally continued, even as the Iran war entered its eighth month.

Rhys makes Emmy history with a double win

Actor Matthew Rhys was nominated for lead roles in both a limited series and a comedy series this year. Rhys won both awards Monday at the 78th Emmy Awards, becoming the first actor in the ceremony's history to win two lead-acting Emmys in the same night. The ceremony, held at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles, also crowned Apple TV's "Widow's Bay" one of the night's biggest winners. Noah Wyle won his second consecutive lead-actor Emmy for "The Pitt."

Trump threatens EU tariffs over Canada courtship

Canada's trade war with the United States has pushed Prime Minister Mark Carney toward closer ties with Europe. Carney addressed the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, Wednesday, outlining a bid for Canada to become an associate member of the European Union, a status that does not yet exist. President Trump responded by threatening tariffs on the EU if it treats the move as a hostile act. The dispute adds fresh strain to a US-Canada trade relationship already strained by tariffs on both sides.

WORLD

Poland warns of staged Russian attacks

Poland's government believes Russia is looking for new ways to pressure NATO countries that support Ukraine. Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned Thursday that Russia is planning hybrid strikes on European countries. Tusk said Moscow would then claim the attacks were accidental to weaken NATO members' motivation to keep backing Kyiv.

South Korea won't send troops to Iran war

The Trump administration has pressed South Korea to join a coalition patrolling waters near Iran. President Lee Jae-myung said Thursday that South Korea will not deploy troops or military assets to support the United States in the Iran war. Lee said Seoul is instead considering expanding the range of a South Korean destroyer already stationed off Somalia for anti-piracy duty. The ship's added focus would be protecting South Korean oil tankers, not joining combat operations.

Seoul nears approval of its first abortion pill

South Korea's Constitutional Court struck down the country's criminal abortion ban in 2019, but lawmakers never passed a replacement law. Health officials are now nearing approval of Mifegyne, which would become the country's first legal medication-abortion pill. The drug would initially be available only through hospitals, for pregnancies up to nine weeks. The change would end years in which women bought the medication through the black market, often at high cost.

Pentagon holds the line in the Middle East

President Trump's decision on Iran remains pending. Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have ordered the military to maintain current troop and ship levels in the Middle East through the end of the year, according to US officials cited by Axios. The order keeps American forces in place while Trump consults Gulf allies on the war's next phase and signals no immediate US pullback from the region.

Carney pitches Canada as Europe's newest partner

A decade after the EU-Canada trade deal was signed, several of its chapters still are not fully in force. Prime Minister Mark Carney used his Strasbourg speech to push for something bigger: joint undersea cables, shared data centers, and expanded Canadian energy exports to Europe. Canadian and EU officials are also discussing freer movement of goods, services and workers in energy, artificial intelligence and defense. The push reflects Ottawa's search for partners beyond a difficult trade relationship with Washington.

POLITICS

House blocks Democrat's push to impeach Trump

Democrats have largely avoided embracing impeachment as a political strategy this Congress. Rep. Al Green forced a floor vote on his own resolution to impeach President Trump on Tuesday, over the objections of party leadership. The House voted to table the measure Tuesday afternoon, ending it without a full debate. Massie's surprise Hegseth impeachment push came later the same day, catching both parties off guard.

Massie's rebellion has roots in the Epstein fight

Thomas Massie lost his Kentucky primary in May to a Trump-backed challenger after leading a bipartisan push to force release of files related to Jeffrey Epstein. Massie is not seeking reelection, which frees him to break with party leadership without facing voters again. His Hegseth impeachment filing runs 34 pages and also accuses the defense secretary of authorizing unauthorized military operations in Venezuela and Yemen. Pentagon press secretary Kingsley Wilson dismissed the effort, saying the department is unified behind Hegseth's leadership.

A second Democrat also wants Hegseth impeached

Arizona Democrat Yassamin Ansari has her own complaint against the defense secretary. Ansari announced plans this week to file separate articles of impeachment against Hegseth, citing the Iran war and a strike that killed civilians. Ansari said only Congress holds the constitutional power to declare war. Her effort joins an earlier impeachment push from Rep. Shri Thanedar over a lethal strike on a boat and the handling of classified information.

Trump administration threatens to raze the Kennedy Center

A federal judge has repeatedly blocked the Trump administration's push to close the Kennedy Center for a two-year renovation. Justice Department lawyers told the court last month that the center could ultimately face demolition if the closure plan is not allowed to proceed. The filing also asks for Trump's name to be restored to the building's facade after a judge ordered it removed in June. Lawyers said the venue could be replaced with an outdoor amphitheater if it must come down.

Impeachment fights crowd out the GOP's midterm message

Republican leaders wanted this final pre-recess week focused on tariffs, gas prices and artificial intelligence ahead of November's midterms. Instead, dueling impeachment pushes from both parties dominated the floor schedule. The House left this week for a seven-week recess, meaning any further action on the Hegseth measure waits until lawmakers return after the election. Both parties now face the same problem: members forced onto the record on issues their own leaders wanted to avoid.

MARKETS

AI chip demand widens Thursday's rally +5.67%

Investors have been rotating back into chip stocks on renewed AI enthusiasm. Advanced Micro Devices closed up 5.67% Thursday, Micron Technology gained 4.52%, and Meta Platforms rose 4.70%. The gains added to a broader rally in technology shares this week.

Crude oil slips as the Iran war drags on

The Iran war has repeatedly disrupted shipping routes since fighting began in February. Oil prices moved lower Thursday even as the conflict continues into its eighth month. Traders are watching for President Trump's expected decision on whether to resume large-scale strikes, a call that could send prices swinging again. A shift toward negotiations, by contrast, would likely ease prices further.

Gas prices track the war's next move

Pump prices have climbed since the Iran war escalated earlier this month, adding to the broader pace of inflation. The increase is landing on households already stretched by high borrowing costs. Analysts expect gas prices to keep tracking developments in the war, including Trump's anticipated decision on whether to resume strikes on Iran.

Spider-Man crosses $935 million at the box office

"Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has stayed near the top of the box office chart for much of its run. The film passed $935 million domestically after 45 days in theaters, making it one of the year's biggest hits. The film was finally knocked out of first place last weekend by the horror sequel "Practical Magic 2."

Trump's Canada-EU tariff threat rattles trade watchers

Canada and the European Union are exploring deeper economic ties as Ottawa's trade war with Washington drags on. President Trump has threatened new tariffs on the EU if it grants Canada a special "associate member" status. Trade analysts say the threat adds uncertainty for companies already navigating tariffs on steel, aluminum, autos and other goods.

ENTERTAINMENT

Widow's Bay dominates Emmy weekend 8 AWARDS

Apple TV's horror-comedy "Widow's Bay" impressed critics and voters alike this year. The series collected eight awards across two nights of the Creative Arts Emmys, more than any other show. The wins came ahead of Monday's main Primetime Emmy ceremony at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. The total makes "Widow's Bay" the single biggest winner at this year's Emmys.

Wyle, Seehorn win first Emmys for medical, political dramas

Noah Wyle's role as an overworked ER physician earned him his second consecutive lead-actor Emmy for "The Pitt" on Monday. Rhea Seehorn won her first Emmy for lead actress in a drama, for Apple TV's "Pluribus," after several earlier nominations for "Better Call Saul." Allison Janney pulled a mild upset in supporting actress for "The Diplomat," a category many predicted would go to a cast member of "The Pitt." Host Mariska Hargitay also won her first Emmy, for the documentary "My Mom Jayne."

Taylor Swift makes a surprise Emmys cameo

The 78th Emmy Awards drew a packed red carpet Monday, including Zendaya and Tom Holland, and Harrison Ford and Calista Flockhart. Taylor Swift made a surprise appearance during the ceremony, becoming one of the night's most talked-about moments. The show also marked a career milestone for Julie Andrews, who at 90 became the oldest performer to win a Primetime Emmy, for her voice work on "Bridgerton."

Practical Magic 2 casts a $30 million spell $30M OPENER

Nostalgia for the 1998 original helped draw audiences back to theaters for "Practical Magic 2." The sequel opened with $30 million domestically last weekend across 4,146 theaters, the best debut of the fall movie season so far. The film knocked "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" out of first place after six weeks atop the box office.

Rhys's double Emmy win caps a record night

Actor Matthew Rhys was nominated for lead roles in both a limited series and a comedy series this year. Rhys won both awards Monday, becoming the first actor in Emmy history to take home two lead-acting statues in the same night. He won for "The Beast in Me" in the limited-series category and for "Widow's Bay" in comedy. The sweep made him the evening's most decorated performer.