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Episode Date: September 15, 2026

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Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. The leaders of three major AI companies are ramping up their calls to slow the development of more powerful AI systems. But experts worry restrictions may accomplish little unless the U.S. can reach an agreement with China and other countries. Here's MPR's Windsor Johnston. Gary Marcus is an artificial intelligence researcher at New York University. He says the United States and China share an interest in placing limits on AI agents. that can operate freely online. He also says building larger AI models matters less

than preventing poorly controlled systems from attacking critical infrastructure. You're going to find banking industries attack, electrical grids attacked. China shouldn't want that. We shouldn't want that. We can make a deal about unrestrained agents. The leaders of major AI companies

say they support global cooperation on safeguards. Marcus says that could be done without requiring American companies to slow development on their own. Windsor Johnston and PR News. President Trump calling new warnings from tech leaders about artificial intelligence a hoax, saying Monday on social media that any effort to limit the technology

is, in his words, a sick conspiracy. Trump said Monday that the U.S. is leading China and the only guardrails AI needs is a strong and smart president. Speaking to reporters from a wheelchair outside the Senate Chamber Monday, Kentucky Republican Mitch McConnell said he was, was looking forward to casting his first vote since a fall at his home in June.

I wasn't sure how many of you would be here today, but I'm glad to see you. Time to get back to work. McConnell's three-month-long absence raised questions about his ability to serve in Congress. McConnell said Hill's still not quite back to 100%, but he has assured Senate Majority Leader John Thune that he will do his best to be present for tough votes. The Republican candidate for Texas is oil and gas. regulating body under fire after posting a statement that Republican and Democratic officials condemning as racist. Here's NPR's Houston Public Media is Andrew Schneider.

Beau French, the GOP candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner, posted a photo Sunday of a group of Asian Americans at a University of Texas football game, saying it illustrated, quote, how many Americans have been displaced by foreigners? Asked about it on the Mark Davis show on Monday, French doubled down. DEI was discriminating against deserving people so that, you know, these liberal bureaucrat administrators at University of Texas and places like that could select their preferred groups of people. Well, that is what is racism. Republican Senator John Cornyn and Republican Congressman Dan Crenshaw of Houston both denounced French. Meanwhile, French's Democratic opponent, State Representative John Rosenthal, said,

Beau French spent Sunday morning sorting our student section by skin color. This is NPR News. Trump administration has been dealt a setback at the Supreme Court. The court Monday declined to allow the Postal Service to enforce a rule targeting mail ballots. The White House wanted restrictions in place before the November midterm elections, but the justices upheld a federal judge's ruling that block the rule while legal challenges proceed. One of the most essential water sources in the American Southwest of Rio Grande is experiencing one of its driest periods ever. Bryce Dix with member station KUNM reports.

In Albuquerque, there is no water in the riverbed, a feat that has only happened three times in almost half a century. Without water, the river's wildlife and vegetation are struggling. Paul Tashin is a conservationist with Audubon Southwest. It's kind of existential what we're seeing out there. I don't think we're going to see a complete dieback. but we might end up with 30% less trees come next year. The historic dryness is due to a combination of low winter snowpack, persistent drought, and record-breaking heat.

In a last-ditch effort to bring some relief, multiple groups came together this month to dump over 650 million gallons of water to re-wet the Rio Grande. Within days, it had dried up. For NPR News, I'm Bryce Dix in Albuquerque. The horror comedy show, Widows Bay, was a big winner Monday Night's Emmy Awards in Los Angeles. The show broke a record for a comedy with 14 wins, including Best Comedy Series, and three acting wins, including Best Actor for star Matthew Reese,

who also won Best Actor for his lead role in The Beast and Me. Rees is now the first person to win two lead acting honors at the same ceremony. This is a second person.