NPR News Now - NPR News: 09-29-2026 3AM EDT

Episode Date: September 29, 2026

NPR News: 09-29-2026 3AM EDTSee pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.NPR Privacy Policy

Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder. In the Oval Office Monday, President Trump questioned the release on bail of five British nationals arrested in the UK near a U.S.-run airbase in England. Might be, but I will tell you, I would have said, don't let them have bail. Cashless bail. I wonder, is it cashless bail, I guess? That was one of the problems that we had, which started the whole mess of crime, and we're ending cashless bail. The UK's head of counterterrorism policing says the men face stringing conditions and remain under investigation.

They were detained Sunday near a British military base used by the U.S. to launch strikes on Iran. Investigators looking into a possible link to Iran, also Russia or non-state-backed military groups. A bill to reform college athletics has cleared its biggest hurdle to date. The Protect College Sports Act passed the Senate by a vote of 77 to 22 late Monday night. and peers Becky Sullivan. Supporters of the bill say it's needed to curtail chaos in college sports, where lawsuits have chipped away at longstanding NCAA rules around amateurism, transfers, and eligibility. The legislation would give the NCAA a limited antitrust exemption in order to restore some of those rules.

Critics felt it didn't go far enough to rein in other runaway spending on things like recruiting and facilities and coaching salaries. This was a bipartisan bill with bipartisan opposition. Yeas and nays came from Republicans and Democrats alike. In a statement, NCAA President Charlie Baker thanked senators, but noted there's still much work left to do. The bill is supported by President Trump, but first it must pass the House, which has gone on recess until after the midterms. Becky Sullivan and PR News. OpenAI says it's delaying the release of a new artificial intelligence model out of security concerns. Open AI's decision Monday came a day before AI executives are to meet with. President Trump. Separately Open AI is apologizing for the hacking of an Australian government website. The hack in June was made public last week. August wildfires ravished whole neighborhoods in Spokane, Washington on Monday. Governor Bob Ferguson released details on the scope of the damage. Lisa Limeberger from Spokane Public Radio reports. Governor Ferguson says that 649 homes were burned

by the Spokane Complex fires this summer. He says the losses totaled more than $188 million. The figures are part of a major disaster declaration Ferguson sent to the president. This is going to take a long time to dig out from this and to get folks the help that they need. So we're here from the long haul. The governor's declaration requests additional funds to help both residents and public entities recover from the fires. Officials say this is one of Washington's worst fire seasons on record. In addition to the Spokane Complex fires, there have been numerous wildfires in central and eastern Washington. This is NPR News.

Hurricane Polo has made land pall. The National Hurricane Center in Miami says Polo came ashore of Mexico's Baja California Peninsula and is expected to remain a hurricane when it makes a second landfall on the Mexican mainland. Forecasters are warning of life-threatening winds and flash flooding. Further west, forecasters say Hurricane Nolo is edging away from the main Hawaiian islands. A man who spent decades on Utah's death row as being released on bail. Prosecutors say newly analyzed DNA evidence does not link 71-year-old Douglas Stewart Carter to a 1985 killing. A judge ordered to release hours after a bond hearing on Monday.

A British chess prodigy has become the youngest player to earn the title woman Grand Master, and she's only 11 years old. in prayer. It's more from London. Bodana Sivananda uses a booster seat to reach the chess board. She's Britain's youngest women's chess champion and the youngest person overall to represent England internationally in any sport. On Sunday at the 46th Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan, she clinched the highest title a female player can attain, and she'll hold it for life.

She told reporters there, I want to keep going and keep making history as well instead of just stop here. In addition to traveling the world to play chess tournaments, Bodana is in the British equivalent of sixth grade and is on her way home now to catch up on school assignments. Lauren Freyer and PR News London. And I'm Charles Snyder. This is NPR News.