Latest Headlines for Thursday, September 17th.

Here are today’s top headlines.

Construction crews at the Kennedy Center erected metal fencing and began barring workers from entering without hard hats one day after President Trump ordered the center’s immediate closure. A member of the legal team fighting the closure said in court filings that she saw a forklift repeatedly strike pillars on the building, and the Democratic congresswoman leading the litigation is now seeking an emergency court hearing over the incident. Read More

A Southern California woman has been arrested on a murder charge after her wrong-way driving caused a crash that killed two people, an incident that indirectly led to the deaths of a television reporter and helicopter pilot covering the scene near Chatsworth. The news helicopter crashed and exploded in flames while covering the original accident, killing NBC4 Los Angeles reporter Eliana Moreno and pilot George Marciniw. The National Transportation Safety Board says a preliminary report on the helicopter crash will take at least 30 days. See Details

New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is doubling rapper Macklemore’s $1 million donation to Gaza relief efforts. Macklemore was dropped from Ed Sheeran’s tour lineup after making pro-Palestinian remarks onstage, a decision that has since prompted several of Sheeran’s other opening acts to quit in solidarity. The gesture adds a philanthropic turn to a controversy that has roiled the tour’s remaining U.S. dates. Source

The House voted Wednesday evening to send long-delayed sanctions legislation targeting Russia and Iran to President Trump’s desk, passing the measure 262-159. The bill, which also carries a childhood education provision the Senate had attached as a vehicle, cleared the Senate last month by an 86-11 margin. Fifty-eight Democrats crossed the aisle to support the measure even as Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries opposed it over its tariff-authorization provisions. Read More

President Trump rallied supporters in Gastonia, North Carolina, aiming to boost Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley, who has trailed Democrat Roy Cooper in recent polling. Trump cast Cooper’s home state as riddled with crime and said Whatley would back tougher penalties for convicted criminals if elected. A recent survey found Cooper leading by 11 points among likely voters, despite a late infusion of campaign cash for Whatley’s bid. Source

House Speaker Mike Johnson sent lawmakers home early, closing out the chamber’s session so members can campaign ahead of the midterm elections. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., used the moment to deliver a lengthy floor speech criticizing Johnson and GOP leadership for leaving unfinished business, including his own push to impeach Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and a bipartisan effort to force release of more Jeffrey Epstein investigation files. Find out More

Flash flood warnings are in effect across parts of Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado as the seasonal North American monsoon brings heavy rain to the Southwest. Meteorologists warned the flood threat could persist into Thursday even as most flood watches were expected to expire by Wednesday night. Officials urged residents in affected areas to avoid driving through flooded roads, noting most flood deaths occur in vehicles. Source

Family and friends gathered at a Coconut Creek, Florida, park to hold a vigil for a 4-year-old girl who died in a rollover crash in nearby Deerfield Beach. Two of her young cousins remain in medically induced comas after the crash, which happened when a driver attempting a U-turn was struck by a motorcyclist; the motorcyclist also died. The girl’s brother described her at the vigil as someone whose daily mission was to make others smile. Find out More

San Diego’s city council voted unanimously to press California lawmakers and Gov. Gavin Newsom for greater local control over autonomous vehicles, following Waymo’s launch of public robotaxi service in the city this month. The resolution reflects a broader tension between state regulators, who currently oversee testing and deployment of self-driving cars, and cities seeking more say over how the vehicles operate on their streets. San Diego joins a growing number of municipalities pushing back on the rapid expansion of driverless taxi services. See Details

The Federal Reserve raised its benchmark interest rate by a quarter point to a range of 3.75% to 4%, its first increase since 2023, after inflation driven partly by high energy prices remained elevated. The Federal Open Market Committee approved the move unanimously, and updated projections point to the possibility of another hike before year’s end. The decision marks a sharp reversal from the rate cuts the Fed delivered in September of the past two years. Find out More

U.S. stocks fell sharply after the Fed’s rate announcement, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average dropping roughly 600 points, or 1.2%, and the S&P 500 losing 0.45%. The Nasdaq Composite was little changed. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed back above 5%, its highest level since 2007, as markets digested the central bank’s signal that another hike could follow this year. Source

SpaceX’s stock rose roughly 5% after the company announced it will attempt the 14th test flight of its Starship spacecraft on Sept. 22 from its Starbase facility in South Texas, its first attempt since a successful flight in August. The mission, if it succeeds, would deploy new Starlink satellites and test upgrades to both the Starship vehicle and its booster. CEO Elon Musk has suggested the company may again try to catch the booster using its “Mechazilla” tower arms. See Details

Congressman Gregory Meeks (D-NY) put a hold on the Trump administration’s approval of a $2.8 billion sale of 2,000-pound bombs to Israel, reversing restrictions the Biden administration placed on a similar shipment in 2024 over concerns about civilian casualties. The package includes 40,000 bombs funded through U.S. foreign military financing. The sale comes as ceasefire monitors continue tracking progress on a broader plan aimed at ending Hamas control of Gaza and facilitating the territory’s reconstruction. See Details

The United States has confirmed for the first time that it has deployed weapons in space, following years of warnings about rival nations potentially weaponizing the orbital domain. The disclosure marks a shift in how officials publicly discuss the country’s space-based military capabilities. It comes amid heightened scrutiny of an emerging arms competition beyond Earth’s atmosphere among the world’s major military powers. Find out More

Belarus has agreed to free 25 prisoners in exchange for the U.S. lifting sanctions on two Belarusian companies, according to the U.S. special envoy for the country. The announcement came a day after the envoy met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, who has pushed for remaining American sanctions to be dropped. Officials said they are continuing to work toward securing the release of additional detainees. Source

Sony’s horror-comedy reboot of “Resident Evil” is targeting a franchise-best opening between $40 million and $45 million, giving movie theaters a jolt heading into the early fall box office. The projection would top every previous installment in the long-running video-game franchise’s domestic debut. The film’s strong early tracking suggests audiences remain eager for theatrical horror releases even amid a competitive fall slate. Source

The Country Music Association will produce a live two-hour special on ABC paying tribute to Dolly Parton, who died last month at age 80 after a brief battle with cancer. The special will honor the Queen of Country’s decades-long career and influence on the genre. Details on the broadcast date and participating artists are expected in the coming weeks. Read More

The Yankees rallied from an early deficit to beat the Twins in extra innings, with Anthony Volpe’s two-run double tying the game in the ninth before New York pulled away. Yankees starter Carlos Rodón allowed two runs over six innings, while New York batters struck out a season-high-tying 17 times. Minnesota avoided a three-game sweep after Tommy Nance closed out a perfect 13th inning for the Twins. See Details

Lionel Messi scored the 100th goal of his Inter Miami career, and Casemiro added another, as Miami defeated Cruz Azul 2-0 to win the Campeones Cup, the annual competition between Major League Soccer and Liga MX champions. It was Miami’s first trophy under new manager Cristian Gonzalez. No MLS side had won the competition since 2022. See Details

The Cleveland Guardians beat the Chicago White Sox 6-3, tightening the American League Central race down the stretch of the regular season. The White Sox took a hit when infielder Colson Montgomery left the game with a left wrist contusion after being struck by a pitch, adding uncertainty for a team clinging to a slim division lead. Chicago has struggled offensively in September, batting just .104 with a sub-.500 OPS over its last 15 games. See Details

A Birmingham drag racer says he feels “truly blessed” to have walked away from a crash that sent his car viral online. He is inviting the public to an open day at his garage this weekend so people can see the wrecked vehicle up close and understand the importance of proper racing safety equipment. He credited his survival to the safety gear he was wearing at the time of the accident. Source