September 25, 2026

SUZANNE NUYEN

Up First Newsletter editor

Good morning, and happy "9 to 5" day to all who celebrate. Cities and states across the U.S., including New York City and the state of California, have declared Sept. 25 Dolly Parton Appreciation Day. Here's the news we're following:

Today’s top stories

President Trump (L) and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands as they leave after their talks at the Gimhae Air Base, located next to the Gimhae International Airport in Busan on October 30.

Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images

President Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping for a state dinner last night, after the two met for around three hours at the White House. It was the first of a two-day summit for the leaders of the world's two largest economies.

🎧 NPR's Deepa Shivaram tells Up First that expectations were low for major announcements from the summit. U.S. and Chinese officials had discussed an information-sharing system to alert each other to AI incidents affecting national security. She adds that this would be a big development in global AI security, because few guardrails exist for this technology. But it remains unclear how far this proposal will go. Trump has said he wants to leave AI regulation "exactly where it is." Even as the U.S. and China compete over AI, experts from both countries have been holding informal talks on shared risks, including cyberattacks and loss of control.

🎧 Despite a federal judge's ruling restoring White House press access, CNN and MS Now were still denied entry to last night's state dinner. NPR's Brian Mann says journalists for state-controlled Chinese media were allowed in. Major TV networks have not restored full shared pool coverage of the president and are seeking written assurance that CNN will receive equal access without government interference. Listen to a press freedom expert explain what the ruling does — and doesn’t — settle.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu returns to Israel today after a short trip to address the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Dozens of diplomats walked out as Netanyahu took the podium for his address, while some supporters cheered from the public gallery. Netanyahu went on to celebrate and defend the U.S. and Israeli-led war in Iran, reject claims that Israel has committed genocide in Gaza and downplay the escalating settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, where settlements are illegal under international law.

🎧 NPR's Kat Lonsdorf says that this week has underscored how increasingly isolated Israel has become both at the United Nations and in public opinion. About 100 people were arrested after large groups gathered in Midtown Manhattan to protest Netanyahu's visit, chanting “Let Gaza live” and “the whole world is watching.” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has also been outspoken against the Israeli prime minister's visit. Netanyahu met with very few world leaders before returning to Israel, and notably did not meet with Trump.

The average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage has surpassed 7% for the first time in more than a year. The sharp rise in rates since March risks further squeezing homebuyers' budgets and deepening the freeze on the housing market. High mortgage rates contributed to a 2% decline in existing home sales in August from the previous month, according to the National Association of Realtors. Housing researchers had hoped 2026 would provide some relief. But while mortgage rates briefly fell below 6% in February, they quickly shot back up after the war in Iran led to volatility in bond markets

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Deep Dive

LM Otero/AP

Earlier this month, the Federal Reserve raised interest rates a quarter percentage point, aiming to slow the acceleration of inflation. But how does that actually work? Here’s a clearer explanation.

💵 The Fed raises its interest rate in hopes of triggering a domino effect across the economy that pushes up borrowing costs. The main goal is to cool prices by encouraging people and businesses to spend more carefully.

💵 When the Fed is worried about the labor market, it cuts interest rates to boost consumer spending and investment.

💵 The small rate hike won't significantly affect the economy, but it comes as many borrowing costs are rising.

Weekend Picks

Stills from Silent Hill: Townfall, Control Resonant, and Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave

Konami, Remedy Entertainment, Nintendo

Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:

🍿 Movies: Documentary films can often get lost in the shuffle when talking about upcoming films. Pop Culture Happy Hour highlights new documentaries worth checking out.

📺 TV: In a new HBO docuseries, Jay-Z dissects his catalog with producer Rick Rubin. The series hopes to further cement the artist's legacy as one of the most revered lyricists of our time.

📚 Books: New DNA analysis has added evidence that Thomas Jefferson fathered children with Sally Hemings, a woman whom he held in slavery. The twists and turns of the investigation are detailed in a new book, History by a Hair.

🎵 Music: Ella Langley's "Choosin Texas" is now the longest-running No. 1 Billboard hit of all time. NPR's Stephen Thompson breaks down five reasons it's had so much staying power.

🍟 Food: Longtime friends Brian Landry and Peter Harris have known each other since the 5th grade. The chef and jazz musician have teamed up on a new cookbook, Rhythm & Roux: The Simmer and Swing of New Orleans, that pays tribute to two of the Big Easy's staples.

🎮 Gaming: Game publishers are rushing to debut their work before Grand Theft Auto 6's release in November. Here are some of the best and biggest games of September.

❓Quiz: Stop! If you want to give yourself the best chance of acing this week's news quiz, you'll want to make sure you read the rest of this newsletter before taking it.

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3 things to know before you go

A campaign poster urges Swiss voters to reject a neutrality initiative ahead of a Sept. 27 nationwide vote on whether to enshrine permanent armed neutrality in the constitution and limit participation in military alliances and sanctions.

Fabrice Coffrini/AFP via Getty Images

1

The people of Switzerland will vote this weekend on whether to make the country's historic neutrality stance even more legally binding.

2

Online retailer eBay has joined its competitors in banning sales of airbags. Earlier this year, federal regulators found that substandard airbag inflators imported from China were linked to a dozen deaths or injuries since 2023.

3

Star Wars creator George Lucas opened the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art this week in Los Angeles. Only a small part of the museum is dedicated to his film franchise; Lucas has been collecting art since his college days.

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This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi. Brittney Melton contributed.