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When I read that Lookout would be doing a series featuring Santa Cruz County artists, I was delighted. We are lucky to reside in a community that supports and values the creative work of the people who live here. 

Santa Cruz Shakespeare’s The Last Five Years turns a five-year relationship inside out, with Chris Cherin and Charlotte Boyce Munson tracing love, ambition and heartbreak in opposite directions. Reviewed by Christina Waters.

Microsoft has a problem not entirely of its own making: The time it takes to bring a system back up to date after a few months of slumber. The company is keen to talk up how efficient it plans to make Windows. Not a day goes by without either a Microsoft representative or a fan insisting that Windows 11 is a lot snappier now than it used to be. (Usually they skirt the unfortunate truth that the Windows of yesteryear generally flies on modern hardware compared with the lumbering of today's software). Microsoft recently claimed that it is working to shrink Windows' footprint to the point where 8 GB would be enough to run things acceptably. We can only hope that one shard of light piercing the gloom of today's memory shortages and rising prices is that developers might prioritize efficient RAM use alongside slinging more ads or adding features few users require. However, this vulture's experience this week indicates that there is another area that needs addressing, and that is the number of updates slung out by vendors, and not just Microsoft. A few days ago, I wrote a story about a new way to skip the Microsoft account requirement during setup for the Home edition of Windows 11. At The Register, we like to test these claims thoroughly, so I fired up an x64 Windows laptop to check them out on real hardware, which is where the problems began. We've written before about the curse of updates, but this machine was running Windows 11 and had been up to date less than a year ago. How long could it take to get to the point where it would boot without Windows Update bleating about missed patches? The answer: about seven hours. Along with the huge array of updates for Windows components and the inevitable insistence that a new version of Microsoft's flagship operating system was needed, there were multiple firmware and driver updates and plenty of restarts. And, of course, there was the progress bar of lies and the percentage counter of deceit. In the decades since Microsoft first inflicted progress bars on Windows users, it has singularly failed to make them accurately reflect the, er, progress. "Yeah, so I'm going to stick at 65 percent for about an hour and then jump to 98 percent in 30 seconds before hanging there for another hour. Lol." That this behavior has endured for decades is beyond disappointing. Redmond is far from the only offender, but Windows' ubiquity makes it one of the most visible. To be clear, this was an ordinary Windows device, running a production version of the operating system. It just hadn't been turned on for a few months. The experience highlights a challenge Microsoft and its vendors must address. It's great that, at long last, people are considering code efficiency rather than simply flinging more hardware at badly written applications to make them run acceptably. But attention must also be paid to the constant flow of updates that seem to stem from an "ah well, we can always fix it in production" attitude that pervades the tech industry. Several years ago, the chief of a DevOps project was baffled when I asked him about testing and validation before release. Surely unit testing was sufficient? And the joy of modern development practices meant that if problems arose, an update could be swiftly rolled out. All of which assumes customers will tolerate continual updates, and a potential hours-long wait if, for some reason, they give it a few months between updates. The tech industry is waking up to the need for efficiencies, or at the very least Microsoft is. It also needs to deal with the scourge of update tsunamis. It's all well and good to brag about making your software run on limited resources until an interminable wait undermines the boast while the various widgets and components of a device insist on spending hours giving themselves a thorough update. Shaving a few seconds off the startup time means nothing if there are pages of updates awaiting the unwary. ®

This past week, President Donald Trump shuttered the Kennedy Center because he’s mad that his attempts to put his name on it keep getting shot down. But the whole episode is shining a spotlight on the right’s considerable deficit when it comes to iconic figures—those who left a positive mark on history that garnered significant bipartisan support. The Kennedy Center is a tribute to…

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A cartoon by Clay Bennett. Related | Democrats demand answers on Don Jr.’s ‘wedding gift’ from Russia…

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ph @ilberlinese
Berlin Friedrichstraße

“If the girls and the gays want to look at Jon Ossoff and be like, ‘Wow, he looks so good in those pants,’ let us. It benefits him, and we’re all having fun,” said one Democrat. By Grace Panetta for The 19th Sen. Jon Ossoff of Georgia is running one of the most competitive 2026 campaigns as he seeks a second term. He’s emerged as a breakout star communicator and has been floated as…

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This story was originally published by Capital B and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration.

As a child in the 1950s and ’60s, Regina Martin became so used to the oil pumpjacks near her home that she assumed every child lived beside them. Everyone was made “sick to [their] tummy” by the sulfurous, rotten-egg smell that never seemed to leave, she thought.

Only until she was grown did she begin to see a possible connection between growing up on top of the nation’s largest urban oil drilling field and her own sickness and the asthma that affected her sister. 

For over a century in Los Angeles and across the nation, Black people have been disproportionately likely to live near oil wells, the machinery that draws oil from deep underground. The pollution from these drilling sites are connected to birth complications, child development issues, respiratory illnesses, and cancer. 

Now, a new California state law moves to turn that lived experience into a broader public-policy question: What does a state owe communities exposed to pollution for generations? And what happens when you can’t offer support to every family that has struggled through the harm?

“The company has essentially just been extracting from the community with no investments in the community.”

California lawmakers have passed AB 1661, which would steer $5 million collected from penalized oil wells in Inglewood into direct cash aid for 1,000 nearby households with qualifying respiratory or reproductive health impacts. Some of LA’s Blackest suburbs and city neighborhoods, including Inglewood, Ladera Heights, and Baldwin Hills, surround the oil field. 

The legislation, introduced by Assemblymember Isaac G. Bryan, is expected to be signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom by October. It sets aside enough money for payments of up to $5,000 for 1,000 impacted households under its initial structure. The money would come from the state’s community repair and reinvestment fund for people living nearest the oil field.

For Black communities living nearest to refineries, highways, landfills, and oil wells, this fund may signal something larger than one oil field or payment. It asks whether money can begin to repair harms accumulated across generations: lives cut short by illness, household wealth drained by medical bills and depressed property values, and the anxiety of raising children amid pollution. 

Bryan and other supporters are calling it environmental reparations and say it is a model that could be replicated to make industrial companies help repair the damage borne by people living closest to polluting sites. 

To Tianna Shaw-Wakeman, the environmental justice program director with Black Women for Wellness in LA, the law could provide a national organizing model. “My hope has always come at the community level, at the grassroots level,” she said. “I see how grassroots organizing has created long-term change in our local communities, and I see that that can be and is being replicated all over the country.”

For Bryan, who represents the communities surrounding the Inglewood Oil Field, the cash-assistance program is part of a longer fight over the field’s legacy. Bryan, the first Black legislator to chair the California Assembly’s Natural Resources Committee, said his constituents have faced lower life expectancies and higher rates of asthma and heart conditions for decades.

“The company has essentially just been extracting from the community with no investments in the community, no care in the community and what feels like no regard at times for the broader community,” Bryan told Capital B. “The community [is] due this repair, and it’s been long overdue.”

The measure builds on Bryan’s earlier legislation, AB 2716, which Newsom signed in 2024. That law requires the Inglewood Oil Field to close by 2030 and establish a penalty structure for low-producing wells. Low-producing wells can leak methane and other harmful gases into the air and water. To push operators to curb that pollution and clean up their sites, regulators imposed a penalty on companies that keep such wells operating. Bryan said operators are charged $10,000 per well each month, with the revenue directed into a community repair fund restricted to investments within 2.5 miles of the field.

The fund could eventually support affordable housing, urban greening, park infrastructure, and other community priorities, Bryan said. He described the cash program as a pilot that could help determine whether direct payments are the form of repair residents most want. “We know people are struggling,” he said. “We know one of the biggest tools against an increasingly unaffordable society is to just put more money in people’s pockets.”

As communities nationwide press for stronger environmental protections, California’s experiment could test whether government and industry are willing to move beyond preventing future harm and toward compensating people who have already lived with its costs.

“Community members who have been deeply impacted, whose health have been deeply impacted, have never gotten restitution for that in any sort of way. We deserve more than we have been getting,” Shaw-Wakeman said. “And as we transition our city, as we transition our county, part of that story has to be addressing past harms.”

At the same time, California has passed a law that would shield reparation payments from taxation. “California is actively preparing for the implementation of reparations programs,” said state Assemblymember Tina McKinnor, who introduced the legislation. “We must ensure that recipients receive the full benefit of these efforts.”

“We can’t replace toxic oil extraction with gentrification…There is still a lot more to address beyond those 1,000 households.”

Three dozen community groups came together in support of the environmental reparations legislation. There were no groups in public opposition. 

The legislation would not close the oil field or resolve the long-running fight over drilling in Los Angeles County. 

Under the proposal, eligible households within 2.5 miles of the field could seek aid if a resident has experienced respiratory or reproductive health impacts. But the program’s practical reach will depend on how Los Angeles County designs the application process, what documentation it requires, and how it handles demand if more than 1,000 households apply. There are tens of thousands more households in proximity to the oil field.

Bryan said Los Angeles County was still working through how the assistance would be delivered. It could come as a lump-sum payment, monthly payments, or another structure, he said, and county officials were evaluating which approach would best serve families.

Shaw-Wakeman said Black Women for Wellness and its allies pushed for a process that does not force residents to clear burdensome or invasive hurdles to prove harm. The organization has urged officials to consider self-attestation rather than requiring applicants to produce medical records that may be difficult or costly to obtain.

That question of access may determine whether the fund actually proves relief or is another government program that excludes the people it was intended to help. Many families, particularly low-income ones, may be living with these illnesses without formal diagnoses. 

The program also lands amid a larger debate over what should happen to urban oil sites once production ends. Environmental justice advocates have argued that closing wells is only the first step. They want operators held responsible for plugging wells, cleaning contaminated land, and ensuring that redevelopment does not displace the same neighbors who lived with the pollution. 

As oil wells have closed in Los Angeles in recent years, rental prices and home values have risen, threatening to displace longtime Black residents. 

“We can’t replace toxic oil extraction with gentrification,” Shaw-Wakeman said. “There is still a lot more to address beyond those 1,000 households. We’re trying to address the ways in which community members are still being harmed every day.”

Without buyouts, Flock would "almost certainly" need to lay off staff.

Trump claimed, without evidence, that the AI backlash is a Democratic hoax.

At times, all it takes is one or two lucky plays for a team to catch momentum at the right time.

That wasn’t the case for Aptos on Friday night as it saw numerous opportunities slip away in a 28-13 defeat to King City in nonleague play.

In the second quarter, the Mariners turned the ball over on downs when junior fullback Anthony Najera tripped over his own lineman on a 4th and 1 play, stopping him just short of the line of gain.

Then there was the fumble that resulted in a King City touchdown, while junior quarterback Jared Verdia-Moya tossed an interception that sealed the game for the opposition.

“When you play a good team, you can’t make the mistakes that we made,” Aptos head coach Zach Hewett said. “Ball security is in our control. There’s busted assignments, those are all things that are in our control.”

With the loss, Aptos dropped to a 1-3 overall record this season.

King City kept its unblemished 4-0 record intact, which will now set up a battle of the unbeatens at Monte Vista Christian (4-0) in Watsonville on Sept. 25 at 7:30pm.

The Mustangs of Watsonville have outscored opponents 103-15 in four games played thus far.

“We know they got athletes,” King City head coach Mac Villanueva said. “We know they run a really good defense, so we know we have our hands full. It’s going to be a good game, and it’s over there.”

Villanueva said he enjoys the trek up north on Highway 101 and it’s a beautiful stadium, but it’s been 13 years since King City beat MVC on its own home turf.

MVC has also won the previous four meetings between both teams, including a 37-20 victory on Aug. 25, 2017. 

“I love going over there, but we don’t have a good track record of playing over there,” Villanueva said. “So, we got our work cut out for us.”

On Friday night, King City jumped to a 14-0 lead on a pair of touchdowns from senior running back Nathan Vega.

Vega stepped in for senior star running back Carson Tidwell, who was ready to play but Villanueva ruled him out minutes before kickoff.

“We decided, it’s a non-league game, let’s rest [Tidwell],” Villanueva said. “He could have played, and he practiced all week. But we decided let’s hold him out. We felt really good with our defense.”

The Mustangs had no trouble marching down the field with Vega and teammate sophomore RJ Ayon, who had a huge 47-yard run that set up the first TD in the first quarter.

“It’s really a statement piece because I don’t think [Aptos] thought we were that good,” Vega said. “This one really solidifies that we’re a good team and we’re physical, even with or without our star player. We can still handle it.”

Aptos was gifted with a golden opportunity late in the first half when King City’s special teams unit mishandled a punt attempt deep in its own territory.

The Mariners nearly capitalized on the mistake, but a goal-line stand by the Mustang defense prevented any points from going on the scoreboard.

“They came out [of halftime] fired up, and they took that opening drive almost the whole quarter and marched it down,” Villanueva said. “That’s a potential tying touchdown if we don’t have that goal-line stand. So, that was huge.”

During their first scoring drive, the Mariners were slapped with several penalties that made it more difficult to move the ball downfield. 

Still, they managed to orchestrate a 14-play, 80-yard drive that was capped off with Najera’s first rushing TD of the night, and cutting the deficit in half at 14-7.

But, that momentum swing was cut short on the ensuing kickoff as King City returned it to Aptos’ 30-yard-line. Three plays later, Vega rushed in for his third score that put them ahead at 21-7.

“There’s only so many times you can do that,” Hewett said. “Where you save yourself, but then you put yourself in jeopardy again, and you save yourself, and you put yourself in jeopardy again.”

Hewett mentioned they were very efficient when the offense was able to execute their assignments. However, there were just too many costly errors in the end that made it challenging to catch up.

Najera finished with more than 100 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns, including one in the fourth quarter. 

“Just mistakes and mistakes, and not finishing drives,” Hewett said. “A little bit unlucky, but that’s why the ball’s not round.”

Next up, Aptos (1-3) hosts Alvarez (1-3) in nonleague play on Homecoming Night on Sept. 25 at 7:30pm.

Hewett will try his best to block out all the headaches and distractions associated with the Homecoming festivities.

He said at the end of the day it comes down to the constant and never-ending process of improving, which starts by looking in the mirror.

“If you’re not a good practicing team, then it’s really hard to come out and perform on game day,” Hewett said. “The ideal scenario is that this is a shock to the system and a wake up call of we’re pretty good, but we’ve got plenty of stuff that needs fixing.” 

Monte Vista Christian 36, Alvarez 0: The Mustangs recorded their second shutout of the fall campaign following a crushing victory over the Eagles in nonleague play Thursday night. 

MVC remains as one of three schools — King City (4-0) and Harbor (3-0) — in the Pacific Coast Athletic League with a perfect record this season.

Sophomore Gabe Figliomeni finished with a team-best 108 yards rushing and one touchdown on seven carries for the Mustangs, while teammate junior Brandon Hagen had 67 rushing yards and one TD on 13 carries.

Junior Reece Walker put MVC on the scoreboard early with a pair of rushing touchdowns in the first quarter. He finished with 56 rushing yards on eight carries, along with 10 tackles.

Senior quarterback Evan Vessey completed 8 of 14 pass attempts for 147 yards and one touchdown— a 53-yard strike to wide receiver James Tipton that put MVC ahead at 22-0 in the second quarter.

Blaise Borjon had a strong performance on defense with six tackles, one sack and one fumble recovered, while teammate Johnny Finney recorded one interception.

Next up, MVC (4-0) hosts King City (4-0) in nonleague action Sept. 25 at 7:30pm.

St. Francis 13, at Soledad 6: Jacob Fonseca and Frankie Ortiz each recorded touchdowns to help lift the Sharks past the Aztecs in nonleague play Friday evening.

Fonseca had a 2-yard run score that gave St. Francis a 7-0 lead in the second quarter. 

Ortiz extended the lead in the fourth quarter on a 15-yard sprint into the end zone. They missed the extra point, which put them ahead at 13-6 with 1:13 remaining in the contest.

But the Shark defense shut down any type of a comeback en route to their second straight win. They improved to a 2-2 overall record this season.

St. Francis senior linebacker Nicky Fantl recorded one interception in the third quarter.

“Defense played lights out and I’m proud of how our guys kept playing the next play,” St. Francis head coach John Ausman said in a text message.

Next up, St. Francis (2-2) hosts Stevenson (2-1) in nonleague play Sept. 26 at 2pm.

Saturday’s games

• Watsonville (1-2) at Stevenson (2-1), 2pm
• Pajaro Valley (2-1) at Santa Cruz (2-1), 6pm

#tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item1 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/PAJ2638-Aptos-vs.-King-City-nonleague-football-WEB-2-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item2 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/PAJ2638-Aptos-vs.-King-City-nonleague-football-WEB-3-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item3 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/PAJ2638-Aptos-vs.-King-City-nonleague-football-WEB-4-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item4 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/PAJ2638-Aptos-vs.-King-City-nonleague-football-WEB-7-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item5 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/PAJ2638-Aptos-vs.-King-City-nonleague-football-WEB-5-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item6 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/PAJ2638-Aptos-vs.-King-City-nonleague-football-WEB-6-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item7 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/PAJ2638-Aptos-vs.-King-City-nonleague-football-WEB-8-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item8 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/PAJ2638-Aptos-vs.-King-City-nonleague-football-WEB-9-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } #tdi_1 .td-doubleSlider-2 .td-item9 { background: url(https://pajaronian.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/PAJ2638-Aptos-vs.-King-City-nonleague-football-WEB-1-80x60.jpg) 0 0 no-repeat; } 1 of 9 Aptos High junior Jacob Kissinger, No. 44, makes the tackle during Friday night's nonleague game at King City High. The Mariners fell to the Mustangs, 28-13, dropping them to a 1-3 overall record this fall season. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) King City High sophomore RJ Ayon had one rushing touchdown in Friday night's nonleague game against Aptos High. The Mustangs defeated the Mariners, 28-13, to remain undefeated with a 4-0 overall record this fall season. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) Aptos High's defense gang tackles King City High senior Nathan Vega during Friday night's nonleague game. The Mariners fell to the Mustangs, 28-13, dropping them to a 1-3 overall record this fall season. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) Aptos High senior Ben Martin, No. 88, stiff arms a defender during Friday night's nonleague game at King City High. The Mariners fell to the Mustangs, 28-13, dropping them to a 1-3 overall record this fall season. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) King City High senior Nathan Vega had three rushing touchdowns in Friday night's nonleague game against Aptos High. The Mustangs defeated the Mariners, 28-13, to remain undefeated with a 4-0 overall record this fall season. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) Aptos High junior Johnny Martinez looks for some open space to run through during Friday night's nonleague game at King City High. The Mariners fell to the Mustangs, 28-13, dropping them to a 1-3 overall record this fall season. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) Aptos High senior Preston Carvalho looks for an open lane to run through during Friday night's nonleague game at King City High. The Mariners fell to the Mustangs, 28-13, dropping them to a 1-3 overall record this fall season. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) Aptos High sophomore Xander Gonzalez stands on the field as the final seconds tick away on the scoreboard during Friday night's nonleague game at King City High. The Mariners fell to the Mustangs, 28-13, dropping them to a 1-3 overall record this fall season. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian) Aptos High junior fullback Anthony Najera stands on the sideline as the final seconds tick away on the scoreboard during Friday night's nonleague game at King City High. The Mariners fell to the Mustangs, 28-13, dropping them to a 1-3 overall record this fall season. (Juan Reyes/The Pajaronian)

President Donald Trump announced on Friday that the United States has reached an agreement with Denmark and Greenland to give the US “permanent control over security, and all other needs,” in Greenland, which is a semi-autonomous territory of Denmark home to 56,000 people.

“This is an “Infinite Life” Agreement, there is no end!” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “From now on, no U.S. adversary can EVER have a base in Greenland, have a military presence in Greenland, or make sensitive investments in Greenland, without our express written approval.”

The US military already enjoys sweeping access to Greenland under a treaty that dates to the 1950s.

The agreement has not yet been signed, and little is known about it beyond Trump’s social media posts. Denmark and Greenland said on Saturday that any ​agreement with the United States would not compromise Greenland’s sovereignty. And Trump’s words about expanding American military presence in Greenland may not mean much, considering that the US military already enjoys sweeping access to Greenland under a treaty that dates to the 1950s. Service members are, in fact, the single largest group of Americans currently present in the territory.

Greenland’s prime minister, Jens-Frederik Nielsen, wrote in a post on Facebook that he is pleased with the potential deal. “The agreement recognizes the sovereignty and territorial integrity of our kingdom and ​the right of the Greenlandic people to self-determination,” he said. That suggests the agreement, whatever its specifics, does not involve fully annexing Greenland as Trump has repeatedly threatened to do in the past.

President Trump started floating the idea to annex Greenland in 2019, and he’s been saying that “the ownership and control of Greenland is an absolute necessity” since at least 2024. His threats against Greenland ramped up in early 2026. He has claimed that Greenland is “surrounded” by Russian and Chinese ships, and has said he wouldn’t rule out military force or economic coercion as strategies to try and take over the territory.

Why is he so dead set on gaining more access to Greenland? Trump has sometimes said that the US must seize Greenland so Russia or China don’t. Other annexation threats have focused less on military dominion, and more on control over the area’s rare earth minerals and oil reserves. Several US companies already mine in Greenland, and 17 days ago, the US-based company Greenland Mines signed a deal purchasing the Sarfartoq Rare Earths Project in southwest Greenland for over $35 million. As my colleague Schuyler Mitchell wrote early this year, “from Venezuela to Cuba to Greenland, this administration is committed to bolstering the financial interests of US companies through imperial aggression. Political control over a foreign nation is less important than making sure Americans can profit there.”

President Trump, despite his ongoing interest in Greenland, sometimes confuses it with Iceland and once said he “hasn’t spoken to” any Greenlanders, thousands of whom protested against his threats in early 2026. Ninety percent of Greenland’s population is Indigenous, and a majority of Greenlanders support independence from Denmark—to say nothing of the United States.

“My immediate reaction [to the deal] is that it makes me nervous and skeptical,” Ellen Frederiksen, a retired teacher in Narsaq, a town in southern Greenland, told the New York Times.

“The way Trump presents it, it sounds as if he is being given a monopoly over Greenland,” she said. “I sincerely hope that isn’t the case.”

Injustice for All is a weekly series about how the Trump administration is trying to weaponize the justice system—and the people who are fighting back. This week, we visit with some old friends, talented types like Lindsey Halligan and John Eastman. Also? FBI Director Kash Patel continues to be one of the dumbest guys in the administration. You might have forgotten all about…

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A cartoon by Clay Jones. Related | Kash Patel defends FBI’s questionable hiring standards…

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ALT

The top Democrats on the House and Senate foreign affairs committees this week announced their intent to block a $2.8 billion sale of 60,000 one-ton bombs to Israel. It’s an unusual move—and one with limited power beyond the procedural sphere. But it shows that even pro-Israel Democrats are concerned that US-funded weapons are being used to commit war crimes.

Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.)—a longtime supporter of Israel, and ranking member of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs—invoked what’s known as an informal committee hold on the bombs sale. This type of hold essentially puts a transaction on pause so that lawmakers have time to acquire more information.

Even pro-Israel Democrats are concerned that US-funded weapons are being used to commit war crimes.

“The Trump administration has not provided sufficient assurances that these weapons will be used by the Netanyahu government in accordance with US law and with appropriate protections for civilians,” he told The Guardian. “I therefore will not clear this sale at this time.”

On the Senate side, Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire has been withholding her consent for the arms sale since July. Shaheen, ranking member of the Senator Foreign Relations Committee, “has unresolved concerns about how the bombs would be used in Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza—as well as to intensify the war with Iran,” as Semafor reported.

This bicameral opposition does not fully kill the sale, because the President can still override the hold.

But it complicates the path for what would be the largest single taxpayer-funded arms transfer to Israel in years, and it showcases the Democratic Party’s increasingly total break from the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court for the crime of genocide in Gaza. At least 73,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October of 2023, according to the Gaza Ministry of Health. In April 2026, a Pew Research Center poll found that 80 percent of Democratic voters held an unfavorable view of Israel, up from 53 percent in 2022.

“Netanyahu needs to hear from America that we don’t like what he’s doing,” Shaheen told CNN. “We don’t like what’s happening in the West Bank where settler violence is killing Palestinians, sending them out of their homes, disrupting basic infrastructure. And the Netanyahu administration has basically done nothing to address that.”

Netanyahu himself, meanwhile, is preparing for a trip to the United States, where he’s scheduled to speak on September 23rd at the United Nations in New York City. The Israeli Prime Minister will face protests upon his arrival. New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who threatened to arrest Netanyahu during his campaign, no longer believes he has legal jurisdiction to do so. However, he has said Netanyahu is “not welcome in New York City.”

Google said Gemini had "acted appropriately" by ending each hack immediately.

The prospects for state-level climate and energy legislation could hinge on the outcomes of just a few races. By Dan Gearino for Inside Climate News Democrats are poised to achieve trifectas—control of the governor’s office and both legislative chambers—in at least three states in this year’s midterm elections, and maybe even more. This matters because states play an outsize role…

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Navy CTO Justin Fanelli talks co-investing alongside VCs instead of funding early research himself, recent buys like a $562 million autonomous refueling deal, and the Navy's updated wish list — from AI to quantum — for where founders should be building next.

As chaotic as the Trump administration is, there are a few things that always remain consistent: Rising costs due to Trump’s idiotic tariffs and the Iran war, and a Cabinet filled with dunderheads—Vice President JD Vance chief among them. And it’s all on video. JD Vance handles a heckler about as well as you’d expect Vance hit the stump in Kansas for GOP Sen.

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