NPR News: 09-16-2026 10AM EDT
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Why did retail sales rise despite high energy prices and what does it mean for the stock market?
Live from NPR News in Washington, I'm Corva Coleman. Stocks opened mixed this morning as the Commerce Department reported a bigger-than-expected jump in retail sales last month. NPR's Scott Horsley reports the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped about 75 points in early trading.
Retail sales rose by 1.2 percent last month, suggesting shoppers are not tightening their belts despite high energy prices. Spending at gas stations surged more than 3 percent in August as gas prices soared, but consumers also continue to spend at restaurants, grocery stores, and on the Internet. Only department stores and garden centers saw a drop in sales last month. Robust spending is one factor the Federal Reserve will consider as policymakers meet today. The central bank is widely expected to raise its benchmark interest rate by a quarter percentage point. AAA says the average price of gasoline rose $0.04 a gallon overnight, while diesel prices jumped a nickel a gallon to a new high of $6.31.
Scott Horsley, Empire News, Washington.
What concerns were raised about artificial intelligence at the Pro‑Human Assembly and who were the key speakers?
Hundreds of people gathered in Washington yesterday for an event called the Pro-Human Assembly. They discussed the potential risks of artificial intelligence. People with very different political views were there, including Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders and President Trump's former strategist Steve Bannon. NPR's Huo Jingnan reports.
In their respective speeches, both Sanders and Bannon blasted the billionaires that ran the AI companies for taking humanity down a dangerous path without the public having a say.
The people of this country must make the decisions about AI and not just a handful of oligarchs.
The American citizens are not going to be supplicants to the oligarchs anymore.
However, the two disagree on what exactly to do about the existential threats they say AI poses. Many speakers called for a pause on development of the most advanced AI and for international coordination. The American and the Chinese governments so far have spoken out dismissing these ideas.
How is California addressing wildfire‑smoke damage to homes with new testing and remediation laws?
Huo Jingnan, NPR News.
California Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom has signed what's billed as a first-in-the-nation bill that will require the testing and remediation of homes damaged by wildfire smoke. NPR's Kirk Sigler reports the law is in response to the destructive Los Angeles fires in 2025.
The new California law orders state regulators to develop testing standards for homes damaged by wildfire smoke. It will also require insurance companies to pay for that testing and remediation. This was a big deal after the Eaton and Palisades fires, where an untold number of survivors returned to neighborhoods to learn their homes were still standing, but living in them wasn't safe. The efficacy of the California law will be watched closely across the West. In Spokane, Washington this summer, wildfires destroyed hundreds of homes, and residents are being allowed back into partially burnt neighborhoods, and some whose homes didn't burn say it's like living in a hazmat zone. Kirk Sigler, NPR News.
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Why did the Kennedy Center board decide to shut down the Performing Arts Center and what role does former President Trump play?
The board of directors for the Kennedy Center in Washington have shut down the Performing Arts Center. They say it's close to bankruptcy. The decision came after the board was again told by a federal judge not to put President Trump's name on the center. Supporters say only Trump can fundraise effectively for the center. Opponents say he is responsible for its financial downfall. More musicians are dropping out of the tour with singer Ed Sheeran. This comes after the rapper Macklemore was pulled from the tour over pro-Palestinian comments. And Pierce Isabella Gomez-Sarmiento reports.
The artists Aaron Rowe, Lucas Graham, and Phineas have all announced they will no longer perform as opening acts for Ed Sheeran's current stadium tour. The group Bioga, who has been touring with Sheeran as his backing band, also announced they will be leaving the tour.
What prompted the departure of multiple opening acts from Ed Sheeran’s tour and how does it relate to free‑speech debates?
This after Macklemore was kicked off Sheeran's tour for a politicized performance that included shouting Free Palestine on stage. In a statement posted on social media, Sheeran writes that the decision to remove Macklemore was made by the tour promoters.
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Chapters
5 chapters
1
Why did retail sales rise despite high energy prices and what does it mean for the stock market?
0:00–0:58
2
What concerns were raised about artificial intelligence at the Pro‑Human Assembly and who were the key speakers?
0:58–1:57
3
How is California addressing wildfire‑smoke damage to homes with new testing and remediation laws?
1:57–3:00
4
Why did the Kennedy Center board decide to shut down the Performing Arts Center and what role does former President Trump play?
3:00–3:51
5
What prompted the departure of multiple opening acts from Ed Sheeran’s tour and how does it relate to free‑speech debates?
3:51–4:39