USA Today - 15.09.2026.pdf

苹果公司新款 iPhone Duo 凭借“折叠屏手机”之名俘获人心

美国国家队主导其篮球黄金时代

专栏作家詹妮弗·乔利分析这款最新必备产品的优缺点。见版

美国女篮奋起，连续第五次夺得世界杯冠军。见版

今日美国 (USA TODAY)

全美新闻 / \$3 / 星期二, SEPTEMBER 15, 2026

马里斯卡·哈吉泰 摄影：ARAYA DOHENY / GETTY IMAGES

捕捉普赖姆时段艾美奖的精彩瞬间

浏览当晚最耀眼的明星、最顶尖的时尚，以及镜头关闭后的精彩花絮，请访问 usatoday.com / entertainment。

交易员押注美联储将加息

数据：通胀增长速度快于薪资增长

Rachel Barber 今日美国 (USA TODAY)

美联储 9 月的决议可能结果非常接近，但交易员们押注政策制定者将在三年多以来首次提高联邦基金利率（短期利率的目标区间）。

尽管总统唐纳德·特朗普及其政府中的部分人士呼吁降低利率，但经济学家认为降息可能不在考虑之列。相反，他们表示，美联储的决定在于加息还是维持现状。

美联储的政策制定者通常通过提高全国短期利率基准来抑制通胀，并通过降低利率来刺激就业市场。在 2026, 至今，他们选择将其维持在 3.5% 至 3.75% 的区间内。

在 9 月会议之前，通胀的增长速度快于工人的薪资增长，且招聘情况有所回升，美国雇主在 8 月增加了 162,000 个岗位。美联储主席凯文·沃什在 Aug. 28 描述劳动力市场为“稳定”，并表示政策制定者应关注物价上涨。

美联储主席凯文·沃什在 Aug. 28 描述劳动力市场为“稳定”，并表示政策制定者应关注物价上涨。 EVELYN HOCKSTEIN / REUTERS

“价格稳定并非自动实现的，”沃什说，“提供稳定的价格是美联储的职责。”

截至 Sept. 13, 根据 CME 联邦基金利率监测工具 (CME FedWatch)，大多数交易员押注联邦公开市场委员会 (FOMC) 将把联邦基金利率提高 25 个基点。虽然交易员对于委员会在今年最后两次会议上的行动分歧较大，但略多于一半的人预测 10 月将把区间维持在 3.75% 至 4%，而略少于一半的人押注 12 月将其提高至 4% 至 4.25%。

随着 9 月决议预计将与 FOMC 的《经济预测摘要》一同发布，美联储观察人士很快将更清楚地了解到官员们认为联邦基金利率将走向何方。该季度报告包含了委员会成员对利率适当路径的预测。沃什并不赞成让市场知道他的想法，因此在 6 月没有提供自己的预测，但他的同事们提供了。

详见，第 4A 页

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奥普拉·温弗瑞的新创业项目旨在激发人们的活力。EMMA ROSE MILLIGAN 为今日美国 (USA TODAY) 拍摄

“这是一个带来活力与生机感的机会。”

今日美国独家报道 奥普拉的 AHA 旨在 捕捉 惊叹

温弗瑞的 Sphere 活动旨在提供连接

温迪·诺格尔 USA TODAY

奥普拉·温弗瑞正在帮我吸掉脸上的油光。• 这得怪纽约市这个反常的温暖九月天，显然，我的脸变得有点油腻。在摄像机开拍前，她热情地拥抱了我，然后用纸巾开始帮我处理。• 她的方式让我感到舒适且被关怀；直到后来我才意识到这件事让我有点尴尬。• 这就是奥普拉·温弗瑞的魔力。她能看到你，像对待朋友一样关心你。那天下午，当我观察在她周围出入的其他几个人时，每个人都说了类似的话：“太神奇了。”“我告诉了她关于我母亲的事。”“她让我拍了张照片。”“这简直是人生清单级的体验。”他们走出房门时面带微笑，心情变得轻松且振奋。● 能不仅给人们注入能量，还能改变他们的观点，扭转他们对世界以及可能性的看法，这是一种罕见的天赋。● 这正是她希望通过一个名为“奥普拉·温弗瑞的 AHA”的全新、独一无二的活动来实现的。详见第 6A 页关于奥普拉的报道

官员宣布环孢子虫病疫情结束

CDC 仍在调查 寄生虫疾病病例

玛丽·沃尔拉斯-霍尔德里奇 USA TODAY

官员表示，此次全美已知最大规模的爆发性腹泻疾病——环孢子虫病（cyclosporiasis）的疫情已经结束。

美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）宣布，此次与生菜直接相关的疫情于 9 月 11 日结束。自 5 月 1 日以来，全美 21 个州共有 12,883 例经实验室确认的病例。

CDC 仍在调查全国范围内的几个寄生虫疾病病例集群，但目前仅确定了一个来源——由农产品巨头泰勒农场（Taylor Farms）在墨西哥种植的冰山生菜。根据美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）的食源性疾病调查页面，至少还有五起疫情仍在调查中。

冰山生菜与环孢子虫病病例的爆发有关。 ILDAR IMASHEV / GETTY IMAGES

截至 9 月 11 日，全美 49 个州以及华盛顿特区共报告了 19,595 例环孢子虫病病例，其中包括 2 例死亡和 1,043 例住院治疗。另有数千例病例仍在等待实验室确认。

CDC 表示，实际患病人数可能要高得多，因为许多人在家中康复而没有接受检测。由于确认感染并正式向联邦层面报告所需的流程，该机构的病例统计大约有六周的滞后。这意味着各州报告的新病例在数周后才会反映在 CDC 的统计数据中，而新病例在就医一个月后才可能被追踪到。

这也意味着，即使最大规模的疫情被认为已经结束，CDC 的统计数据中仍将继续增加病例。

CDC 的生菜疫情页面显示：“与此次疫情相关的近期感染人数已显著下降。与此次疫情相关的受污染生菜已不再在商店或餐厅供应。”

详见第 4A 页疫情报道

环孢子虫病是一种由

国会不应主导 AI 安全工作

约翰逊：开发者应承担责任

詹姆斯·鲍威尔 (James Powel) 和 杰伊·斯塔尔 (Jay Stahl) 《今日美国》

众议院议长迈克·约翰逊 (Mike Johnson) 在 9 月 13 日参加 CNN 的《国情咨文》(State of the Union) 节目时表示，确保产品安全的责任在于人工智能开发者而非国会，并拒绝在 AI 建设方面实施全国性的暂停禁令。

这位来自路易斯安那州的共和党人表示，这里存在“显而易见的企业责任”，但他指出，与中国的竞争是国会不应强加监管的原因。

“我们不能对此实施禁令，因为中国将会超越我们，这就是挑战，”约翰逊说。“如果国会只是匆忙介入并举行某种紧急会议试图监管 AI，我们将会在与中国的竞争中落败，而这将是对每一个美国人的威胁。”

约翰逊表示，他支持与科技领袖进行对话，但他提到了白宫人工智能与加密货币顾问大卫·萨克斯 (David Sacks) 在 9 月 12 日发布的一篇社交媒体帖子，该帖子认为保护公众免受伤害的责任在于行业领袖。

“我们需要像对待过去的其他新技术一样处理这项新技术，并确保我们在尽一切努力负责任地行动的同时，也不会扼杀美国的创新，”约翰逊说。

人工智能担忧

近期，随着 Anthropic 研究员雅各布·考克森 (Jacob Coxon) 辞职并声称“构建 AI 的人们真诚地相信，到本十年末，它可能会杀死我们所有人”，人们对 AI 潜在危害的担忧日益加剧。

Anthropic 首席执行官达里奥·阿莫代 (Dario Amodei) 随后发表了一篇文章，呼吁在人工智能方面采取更严谨的预防措施，他在文中将 AI 比作治愈癌症，但同时也承认其风险。

“如果谨慎使用，AI 可以成为一连串技术奇迹中的最新成员，从而提升并升华人类，”阿莫代写道。

在分别发布的 X 帖子中，运行 xAI 的特朗普盟友埃隆·马斯克 (Elon Musk) 和 OpenAI 首席执行官萨姆·奥特曼 (Sam Altman) 支持阿莫代关于增加安全保障并放缓 AI 开发的呼吁。

人工智能开发的倡导者唐纳德·特朗普总统在 9 月 13 日参加爱尔兰的一场高尔夫球赛时，对这些担忧不屑一顾，称“许多负面力量”正在影响该行业。

他此前曾表示，除非美国社区想要变得“落后且贫穷”，否则应该接受数据中心，并且对于反对数据中心的行为，“中国可能会感到非常高兴”。

人工智能成为中期选举核心议题

人工智能的发展与基础设施已成为中期选举的关键议题。政治预测人士预计，此次选举可能会使约翰逊失去议长之位。

NBC新闻决策台（NBC News Decision Desk）在9月6日的一项民调中发现，69%的受访者反对在他们所在的地区建设人工智能数据中心。盖洛普（Gallup）5月发布的一项调查显示，70%的美国人反对在他们的社区建设数据中心，其中48%的人表示强烈反对。

多位民主党人在采访后对约翰逊的言论做出了回应。

亚利桑那州民主党参议员鲁本·加莱戈（Ruben Gallego）在《国情咨文》（State of the Union）节目中跟随约翰逊的观点，将人工智能的潜在威胁比作核武器。加莱戈表示：“核武器本身并不具备投掷核武器的决策权，而人工智能具备这种能力。”

前交通部长皮特·布蒂吉格（Pete Buttigieg）在NBC的《新闻面对面》（Meet the Press）节目中表示，他对国会的无所作为感到“震惊”。

“你知道什么在快速发展吗？人工智能在快速发展，”布蒂吉格说。“国会就这样坐视不管，白宫没有采取任何实质行动，这对美国人民和世界来说是非常危险的。”

少数党领袖哈基姆·杰弗里斯（Hakeem Jeffries）在ABC的《本周》（This Week）节目中表示，当民主党党团本周开会时，人工智能将具有“高优先级”。

“我们现在应该采取果断行动，以便我们能够像首席执行官们最近承认的那样，放慢开发速度，以保护美国人民并确保人工智能在安全的情况下推进，”约翰逊说。

撰稿：Joey Garrison 和 Greta Cross, USA TODAY; 路透社

8月25日，华盛顿特区约翰·F·肯尼迪表演艺术中心附近的一块标志牌。KEVIN DIETSCH / GETTY IMAGES

肯尼迪中心警告：除非特朗普的名字回归，否则将面临破产

提交给董事会的 57 页草案概述了相关原因

Thao Nguyen USA TODAY

据多份报道，约翰·F·肯尼迪表演艺术中心的官员警告称，该机构正接近破产，最早可能在 9 月 15 日（周二）被迫关闭。

在《华盛顿邮报》和《纽约时报》获取的文件中，由总统唐纳德·特朗普任命的肯尼迪中心现任领导层认为，除非将总统的名字重新添加到建筑正面，否则该机构将面临“必然的财政崩溃”。这一警告出现在一份 57 页的资料包中，该资料包在计划于 9 月 15 日举行的特别会议之前分发给了肯尼迪中心的董事会。

据《邮报》报道，该决议草案声称，在几周之内，该机构将无法支付员工工资或承担维护费用。据《时报》报道，决议草案还表示，该中心面临破产风险，但特朗普已“提出介入并筹集必要资金”以拯救该机构。

据《时报》报道，该决议草案详细列出了 10 种将特朗普的名字放置在中心正面主标志下方的方案。

据《时报》报道，决议草案指出：“董事会明白，如果没有这种适当的认可，总统特朗普不太可能对主楼的翻修提供根本性的监督，并领导中心的财政救援。”

《邮报》率先报道了这份 57 页资料包的内容。《今日美国》（USA TODAY）已联系肯尼迪中心寻求评论。

自从特朗普在第二任期开始时任命自己为主席以来，肯尼迪中心一直陷入政治和法律纠纷。尽管中心董事会在 2025 年 12 月投票决定将特朗普的名字添加到建筑上，但一名联邦法官随后下令拆除该标志。

尽管中心董事会在 2025 年 12 月投票决定将特朗普的名字添加到建筑上，但一名联邦法官随后下令拆除该标志。

随后，董事会在 8 月投票决定将他的名字恢复到建筑正面，同时推进关闭中心进行为期两年翻修的计划，预计翻修费用将超过 2.5 亿美元。但将特朗普名字放回建筑的举措仍被法院搁置，尚未生效。

董事会的这一决定是在一名联邦法官此前裁定，未经国会同意不能更改中心官方名称的情况下做出的。政府律师则辩称，新标志是为了认可特朗普在翻修建筑中的作用，而非正式更名。

特约撰稿：Mike Stunson, USA TODAY Network; 路透社

更多警察在 Flock 滥用调查后被捕或被解雇

USA TODAY 记者 揭露该问题

Kenny Jacoby, Austin Fast and Jack Lemnus USA TODAY

在 记者询问雇主为何重复追踪特定车辆后，至少又有三名警察被捕，一名警察被解雇，原因涉嫌滥用 Flock 车牌识别摄像头。

这些最新进展使得因 关于 Flock 被广泛滥用的报道而被捕、解雇、停职或接受调查的警察及警长办公室官员总数达到 22 人。

这些案件是全国性反思的一部分，已促使多个城市、县和州暂停或完全放弃该技术。

法院记录显示，在佛罗里达州，前富特皮尔斯（Fort Pierce）警察约瑟夫·克鲁奇菲尔德（Josepher Crutchfield）被指控四项未经授权访问计算机网络的重罪。他尚未进行抗辩。

对公开的 Flock 审计日志分析发现，克鲁奇菲尔德在 2025 年的 8 个月内，至少 189 次利用该服务搜索一名女性的车牌。在 记者致电该女性几天后，该女性向圣卢西县（St. Lucie County）法院申请保护令，指控克鲁奇菲尔德跟踪她。

佐治亚州里士满县警长办公室逮捕了副警长何塞·费雷尔（Jose Ferrer），理由是滥用车牌识别器并违反其就职誓言。 的分析发现，从 2023 年 1 月到 2025 年 5 月，他使用 Flock 搜索同一个车牌至少 1,146 次，并在搜索理由中填写“可疑（SUSPICIOUS）”和“鲍勃（BOB）”。

内部事务部的詹姆斯·凯利（James Kelly）中尉在电子邮件声明中表示，直到一名 记者在 8 月联系该机构，警长办公室才意识到费雷尔频繁进行搜索。截至发稿时，费雷尔尚未在法院被起诉。

凯利的声明称：“搜索所提供的解释并未建立起与 Flock 摄像头系统授权使用相一致的合法执法目的。对同一车牌的重复搜索，结合这些搜索 surrounding 的情况，引发了严重关注并证明有必要进行调查。”

在一名 记者询问关于她在 2024 年 11 月至 2025 年 9 月期间频繁搜索四个车牌（其中一个搜索次数超过 2,600 次）的情况后，纽约州奥尔巴尼县警长办公室的高级调查员劳里·摩尔（Laurie Moore）被指控职务失职和伪造商业记录。

警长克雷格·苹果（Craig Apple）在 9 月 9 日的新闻发布会上表示，警长办公室随后的调查确定，该车牌登记在摩尔的前女友名下。她还多次搜索其他四个车牌，“且没有任何合法目的”。摩尔将于 9 月 24 日出庭，目前似乎尚未进行抗辩。

“我们在收到你们的电子邮件后开始了调查，”警长办公室的律师凯特琳·马托斯（Caitlin Mattos）在给 的电子邮件中写道。“你们的提问成为了更详细审查 Flock 如何被利用的催化剂。”

在俄亥俄州，哥伦布警察局解雇了警员梅尔文·特利斯（Melvin Tellis），此前 网络成员——《哥伦布派遣报》（Columbus Dispatch）的一名记者向该机构询问了特利斯的情况，他在 2023 年 11 月至 2024 年 12 月期间至少 272 次搜索同一个车牌。局长伊莱恩·布莱恩特（Elaine Bryant）表示，特利斯出于个人原因进行搜索，并要求市公共安全部对其进行调查。

哥伦布市市长安德鲁·金瑟（Andrew Ginther）表示，该市将进行第三方审计以识别任何进一步的滥用行为。与此同时，该市将完全暂停使用 Flock，并用袋子遮盖全市的 65 个摄像头。

更正与澄清

我们的目标是及时纠正错误。请通过 accuracy@usatoday.com 联系标准编辑 Michael McCarter 以报告错误。请描述错误内容、您看到该错误的位置、日期、页码或 URL。

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面临风险的外籍员工宽限期

该计划可能在员工失业后将其强制驱逐出美国

María Luisa Paúl 今日美国（USA TODAY）

特朗普政府正提议取消针对失业外籍员工的 60 天宽限期，这可能会迫使他们及其家人立即离开美国，否则将面临被驱逐出境的风险。

该拟议规则计划于 9 月 11 日在《联邦公报》（Federal Register）上正式公布，将适用于几种临时签证类别的员工。其中包括从事专业职业的 H-1B 员工、L-1 跨国公司内部调派人员、具有杰出能力的 O-1 员工，以及持有 TN 签证的加拿大和墨西哥专业人士。

此举还将影响他们的家属，因为家属在美国居住——以及在某些情况下的工作——能力与主签证持有者的身份挂钩。

近十年来，失业员工最多有 60 天的时间寻找另一个担保人、更改移民身份或准备离开。这一宽限期是在巴拉克·奥巴马总统任内设立的，旨在给予高技能员工更多更换工作的自由，并帮助美国公司招募已在境内的外籍员工。

新提案将取消这一缓冲空间。一名被突然解雇或裁员的员工将在次日失去合法身份，迫使家庭匆忙终止租约、出售房屋、将孩子从学校接走，或寻找其他留在该国的方法。那些在没有合法身份的情况下停留的人可能会收到“出庭通知”（Notice to Appear），这是启动驱逐程序的文件。

此举是特朗普政府通过提高签证费用、加强审查和限制留美途径来限制合法移民这一广泛举措中的最新一项。这也对 H-1B 计划造成了又一次打击，该计划允许美国公司在通常需要至少学士学位或同等学历的专业职业中聘用外籍员工。由于政府对某些新申请征收 $100,000 的费用，并更改了抽签系统以向高薪员工倾斜，该计划受到了特别关注。

总统唐纳德·特朗普于 2025 年 9 月 19 日在白宫椭圆形办公室签署一项行政命令。 ANDREW HARNIK / GETTY IMAGES

“我们简直没法喘口气，”在加利福尼亚州一家科技公司工作的 H-1B 签证持有者卡洛斯·莱姆斯（Carlos Lemus）说道，“过去这一年感觉就像有一根绞索在脖子上越收越紧。科技行业经历了如此多的裁员。如果发生了什么，我怎么可能在短短 1 天之内收拾好我的生活和孩子的生活？”

美国国土安全部没有立即回应《今日美国》的置评请求。

H-1B 签证是对美国工人有益还是有害，长期以来一直分歧严重。批评者认为，公司利用该计划以较低成本聘用外籍员工，从而压低工资并取代美国雇员。支持者则反驳称，这些签证有助于填补缺口，并引进推动创新和增长的人才。

关于 H-1B 员工是否取代美国人的研究结果不一，但多项研究发现了更广泛的经济效益。一项研究发现，外籍 STEM 员工的增加提高了美国本土出生工人的生产力和工资，而没有显著降低其就业率。另一项研究发现，增加 H-1B 录取人数增加了科学和工程领域的就业和专利申请，对美国本土出生的科学家和工程师影响有限。

一项利用人口普查局数据的 2024 年研究发现，获得 H-1B 员工的公司增长更快，产生的收入更多，且生存概率更高，且总体上没有取代受过大学教育的美国本土出生工人。但 2022 年的一项研究得出了不同的结论，发现每增加一个 H-1B 签证，就会在担保公司中取代约 1.5 个其他工人，且对创新的影响有限。

国土安全部（DHS）在拟议的规则中写道，取消宽限期的理由在于，当支持一名工作人员合法身份的工作结束时，其合法身份也应随之结束。该部门认为，由于国会并未设立这 60 天的窗口期，因此国土安全部部长有权将其取消。

DHS 还将此次变更视为提高效率的问题。在现行政策下，审核工作人员下一份申请的移民官员必须确定前一份工作何时结束，并决定宽限期（如果有的话）应适用多久。

该机构估计，从 2021 财年到 2025 财年，平均每年有近 66,000 名工作人员失去工作、离职或更换工作。其中，平均每年约 3,800 人在 60 天内有新雇主为其提交申请，且其中 99% 以上是 H-1B 工作人员。

但这些数字仅提供了部分情况。DHS 的数据基于雇主撤回的申请，而一些公司从未报告工作人员离职的时间。该机构表示，无法估计最终会有多少工作人员——以及身份依赖于他们的家属——必须离开美国。

即使在 DHS 自己的分析中，该提案的权衡也十分剧烈。该机构未发现对工作人员或雇主有任何直接益处，同时承认工作人员可能会损失工资，家庭可能面临突然的搬迁成本，公司可能会遭受干扰且生产力暂时下降。

而且，政府的部分工作量可能只是转移到了其他地方。DHS 写道，美国公民及移民服务局将投入资源将不离境的工作人员移交给驱逐出境程序，这将增加移民与海关执法局以及美国司法部（DOJ）本已积压严重的移民法院的工作量。

与此同时，保守派智库曼哈顿研究所（Manhattan Institute）的经济学家兼研究员丹尼尔·迪·马蒂诺（Daniel Di Martino）表示，该提案可能会降低 H-1B 签证对考虑在人员流动率较高领域（包括初创公司和创新科技公司）工作的申请者的吸引力。

他表示，这一变更不仅不会减少签发的签证数量，反而可能引导工作人员远离高薪、创新的雇主。他补充道，通过让工作人员面临“立即自我驱逐”的前景，拟议的规则将赋予公司对员工更大的权力——这种筹码可能尤其有利于那些薪资低或存在不道德劳工实践的第三方派遣公司。

“这两种影响都违背了总统关于减少 H-1B 计划滥用并支持真正高技能移民的议程，”迪·马蒂诺说道。

目前，工作人员仍享有 60 天的宽限期。该提案必须首先经过 60 天的公众评论期，之后 DHS 可以对其进行修改、放弃，或发布最终规则设定宽限期结束的日期。

军事基地有毒 PFAS 清理工作被推迟

五角大楼进度 落后于计划数十年

Austin Fast

USA TODAY

自从纽约州纽堡市宣布饮用水被有毒的“永久化学物质”污染并进入紧急状态以来，该市一座空军国民警卫队基地附近的家庭在过去 10 年里一直生活在担忧之中。

该基地原定于 9 月达成一个重要的清理里程碑。然而，当地居民还将得等待数十年。

五角大楼 9 月 2 日宣布，将再次推迟数百个军事基地的永久化学物质清理工作，其中一些基地的进度表此前已悄悄推迟了数年甚至数十年。

通过对最新更新的军事记录进行分析，《今日美国》（USA TODAY）发现，五角大楼在过去五年中将清理时间表推迟了近 1,250 次。

这些时间表旨在处理 PFAS（全氟烷基和多氟烷基物质），军方在数十年间将其用于灭火泡沫。这些化学物质会渗入地下水，并与癌症及其他健康问题相关联。

在今年夏天《今日美国》的一项调查之前，五角大楼一直悄悄更新一个隐藏在网站链接背后的图表来宣布这些延迟。这种做法导致该机构收到了数十名立法者的愤怒信函，一名参议员称此举是“军事领导人与周边社区之间信任的违背”。

这一次，五角大楼于 8 月 31 日直接向国会议员发送电子邮件，通知他们额外的延迟情况。

两天后，五角大楼更新了其 PFAS 网站，显著地将“频繁”的时间表变更描述为多步骤超级基金（Superfund）计划的常规部分，该计划指导他们如何清理环境污染。

更新后的网站写道：“对这些时间表的调整反映了我们正确完成工作的承诺——确保当前预计时间表的透明度，纳入不断发展的 PFAS 科学和变化的监管标准，并寻求公众意见。”

“这个水库曾是一个繁荣、功能完备的资源，在 100 多年里一直由我们自主掌控，我们应该能够恢复到那种状态，”纽堡市终身居民、现为净水倡导者的詹妮弗·罗利森（Jennifer Rawlison）说道。 资料提供：TAMSIN HOLLO / NEWBURGH CLEAN WATER PROJECT

五角大楼的网站现在还列出了最新更新中被推迟的站点数量以及这些变更的一般原因，将其归咎于美国环保署（EPA）在 2024 年批准的更严格的饮用水标准，并指出需要优先为污染更严重的站点分配资源。

“由于这些鲁莽的推迟，我女儿这一代以及她未来的孩子可能将被继承有毒暴露、癌症风险增加和时间损失，而军方却没能提供任何保证。”

詹妮弗·罗利森 纽堡市终身居民 现为净水倡导者

五角大楼的一位发言人在出版前未及时回应《今日美国》的提问。

延迟现象发生在所有军种中，但最严重的是空军国民警卫队基地，其达成清理里程碑的时间平均比最初承诺的晚 30 年以上。

空军国民警卫队基地通常位于主要民用机场附近，例如凤凰城和俄勒冈州波特兰的机场。

在 40 个被推迟的空军国民警卫队站点中，所有站点在五角大楼最近三次时间表更新中都被反复推后。

例如，伊利诺伊州皮奥里亚空军国民警卫队基地的一个清理里程碑原预计在 2025 年达成，现在被推迟到了 2065 年——比原定目标整整晚了 40 年。五角大楼在连续的更新中，首先将时间表延长了 6 年，然后又延长了 15 年，最近一次又延长了 19 年。

军方的图表解释称，几乎所有这些重复出现的空军国民警卫队基地延期，都是为了优先分配资源，“首先处理那些对人类健康构成最高风险的场地”。

对于居住在部分延期基地附近的人们来说，五角大楼的解释几乎无法提供任何安慰。

以纽堡（Newburgh）为例，这是一个位于纽约市以北 60 英里的一个小镇。2016 年的研究发现，斯图尔特空军国民警卫队基地（Stewart Air National Guard Base）使用的灭火泡沫污染了该市的水库——附近的华盛顿湖（Washington Lake），目前该州正资助通过输水管铺设饮用水的费用。

终身居住在纽堡并转而成为清洁水倡导者的詹妮弗·罗利森（Jennifer Rawlison）表示，这次紧急连接解决了眼前的健康危机，但并未解决污染本身。

“这个水库曾是一个繁荣且功能完备的资源，在 100 多年里一直由我们自主掌控，我们应该能够恢复到那种状态，”罗利森说道。

9 月 4 日，她与其他抗议者一起聚集在湖岸边，抗议军方在清理污染方面长达四分之一个世纪的延期。

代表该地区的民主党众议员帕特·赖恩（Pat Ryan）表示，他参加此次集会是为了要求追究责任并要求五角大楼给出答案。

“每个美国人——尤其是我们的孩子——都理应拥有清洁的饮用水，”赖恩在新闻稿中写道。“我们在哈德逊河谷（Hudson Valley）仍然面临着一场公共卫生危机，联邦政府应该加快清理速度，而不是将其推迟数十年。”

在集会上，罗利森在讲台上介绍自己是一个居民委员会的成员，该委员会定期与基地领导层会面。在 7 月的一次会议上，官员们向他们保证清理工作正按计划进行，几天后，罗利森表示，通过《今日美国》（USA TODAY）的调查而非直接从军方领导层那里得知延期消息，这简直是一种侮辱。她表示，一名基地官员随后告诉她，他事先也没有被告知这一变动。

五角大楼的新公告进一步推迟了纽堡的时间表。原定于 2026 年 9 月完成的清理里程碑，现在被推迟到了 2051 年。

对于罗利森和其他邻居来说，这不仅仅是一个修订后的时间表，而是又一代人的等待。

“由于这些鲁莽的延期，”罗利森在集会上说，“我女儿这一代，甚至很可能是她未来的孩子，将被继承有毒物质暴露、癌症风险增加以及被浪费的时间，而军方对此没有提供任何保证。”

吊死案已有人员被捕

警察局长：将提起谋杀指控

迈克尔·洛里亚 (Michael Loria)

今日美国 (USA TODAY)

杰克逊警方宣布，一名男子于 9 月 11 日星期五被捕，该男子与一名密西西比州黑人女性的吊死案有关。

29 岁的塔西亚·福特恩 (Tasia Fortune) 于 8 月 3 日被发现死在杰克逊市一座废弃房屋后院的一棵树上。尸体被发现后，包括著名民权律师本·克伦普 (Ben Crump) 在内的多方呼吁展开调查。

杰克逊警察局局长拉沙尔·布拉克尼 (RaShall Brackney) 告诉记者，州医学检查官办公室于周四晚上将福特恩的死因定为谋杀，随后警员于周五在杰克逊逮捕了与该死亡事件有关的雅克·拉特利夫 (Jacques Ratliff)。

“有了这一判定，我们的调查人员迅速采取了行动，”布拉克尼在周五谈到密西西比州医学检查官办公室的调查结果时表示。“今天的逮捕是此次调查的一项重要进展，但这并非结论。”

她补充道：“此案仍处于活跃状态，随着调查人员继续追踪证据，后续还将有进一步的逮捕行动。”

警察局长表示，本案将提起谋杀指控，但未说明拉特利夫是否被指控杀害福特恩。布拉克尼表示，该女性与拉特利夫之间存在某种“关联”，但未详细说明。

她说：“确实存在关联，但目前我们不会详细说明这种关联的程度，也不会透露相关细节。”

福特恩的家人和拉特利夫均无法联系到以发表评论。

今日美国已联系杰克逊当局，以获取关于拉特利夫被捕的更多信息。

杰克逊警察局长指出，由于一名黑人女性被吊死，且密西西比州在种族暴力方面有着沉重的历史，此案引起了广泛关注。

“考虑到密西西比州的历史，我们理解人们的疑问以及对答案的渴望，”布拉克尼说。“我们不会忽视这些担忧。”

一辆受损车辆停在亚马逊 Prime Air 货机失事现场旁，该飞机在迈阿密国际机场跑道冲出跑道。NTSB 经由路透社提供

亚马逊暂停与 21 Air 的合作

决定是在迈阿密飞机失事后做出的

涛·阮 (Thao Nguyen)

今日美国 (USA TODAY)

亚马逊公司 9 月 13 日表示，在亚马逊品牌飞机上周在迈阿密国际机场失事导致 5 人死亡后，这家在线零售商已暂停与货运承运商 21 的业务往来。

“在经历了上周末的悲剧之后，我们花时间支持调查并审查了一些相关情况，我们决定暂停与 7598 航班的运营商 21 的合作，”亚马逊发言人凯利·南特尔 (Kelly Nantel) 在给今日美国的一份声明中表示。“我们将继续努力支持调查以及所有受影响的人员。”

该公司做出这一决定之际，联邦调查人员正在审查该事件的相关情况。9 月 6 日，一架由 21 运营的亚马逊 Prime 货机（波音 767-33A）在迈阿密国际机场降落时冲出跑道后失事。

该飞机撞击了地面上的两辆车辆，造成 5 人死亡，5 人受伤。

联邦调查人员尚未确定失事原因。但国家运输安全委员会 (NTSB) 发布的初步调查结果对飞机在进场时的速度以及飞行员的降落操作提出了质疑。

亚马逊致命飞机失事事件详情

此次事故发生在当地时间 9 月 6. 下午 2 点前不久。亚马逊航空（Amazon Air）7598 航班从波多黎各的圣胡安起飞抵达，在着陆时冲出跑道，在铺装跑道之外留下了 1,300 英尺的撞击路径。美国国家运输安全委员会（NTSB）主席詹妮弗·霍门迪（Jennifer Homendy）将现场描述为“彻底的毁灭”。

调查人员表示，这架飞机是一架机龄 32 年的货机，当天是其第三次飞行。在失事前的 9 月 6 次飞行之前，它先后从辛辛那提飞往迈阿密，再从迈阿密飞往圣胡安。

调查人员称，共有五人死亡，死者均为地面两辆车内的乘员，其中一辆是由航空公司承包的清洁公司所有的面包车，另一辆为其他车辆。迈阿密-戴德县警长罗西·科德罗-斯图茨（Rosie Cordero-Stutz）表示，另有五人被送往医院，其中包括机上的两名飞行员，他们在接受治疗后被释放。

事故发生后，一名遇难者的妻子提起了一起过失致死诉讼，指控此次失事是由机上两名飞行员、飞机运营商以及其他与该航班相关人员的失职造成的。该诉讼于 9 月 9 日在迈阿密-戴德县巡回法院提起，指控飞行员操作失误、培训不足，以及投入使用一架机龄 32 年且系统正处于调查中的飞机。

NTSB 发布的初步信息显示，在驾驶舱语音记录的最后 1 分钟 42 秒内，其中一名飞行员多次提到飞机速度过快。调查人员表示，对于这些提醒并没有一致的口头回应。

该机构还表示，在飞机触地之前，飞机系统发出了多次“高度过低，地形”警告。

协作报道：路透社

美联储利率

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美联储为何要提高基准利率？

虽然消费者价格同比通胀率在 2022, 达到 9.1% 的峰值后有所下降，但 8 月份仍维持在 3.4%，依然高于美联储 2% 的年度目标。

通胀具有韧性的原因有多个。除了从未消失的疫情后价格冲击外，伊朗战争、关税以及 AI 基础设施建设，都导致美国消费者在加油站、杂货店及其他地方感受到的价格上涨。

在 9 月 11 劳工部的数据显示 8 月消费者成本再次上升后，多位专家表示，新数据可能足以促使美联储在下次会议上提高目标区间。来自美国银行全球研究部（Bank of America Global Research）、毕马威经济研究部（KPMG Economics）和牛津经济研究院（Oxford Economics）的分析师指出，虽然加息并非必然，但数据增强了加息的理由。

“他们对经济状况的广泛解读是否仍足够温和，从而让他们目前保持稳定；或者通胀的适度重新加速是否代表了一个临界点，促使他们加息？这就是问题所在，”Plante Moran Financial Advisors 的首席投资官吉姆·贝尔德（Jim Baird）在给《今日美国》（USA TODAY）的一份简报中表示。“如果政策制定者选择再次维持现状，那么关于他们在等待什么的质疑将会变得更加响亮且直接。”

为什么美联储会维持利率不变？

Truist Advisory Services 美国经济主管迈克·斯科德莱斯（Mike Skordeles）认为，尽管通胀依然顽固，但 9 月份加息并非“板上钉钉”。

虽然上个月上涨的不仅仅是汽油价格，但汽油价格 3.9% 的涨幅推动了 8 月份消费者通胀的上升。美联储的政策制定者在历史上倾向于忽略供应冲击（例如与中东冲突和俄乌战争相关的石油供应受限），因为他们无法直接控制这些因素。然而，当这些供应冲击开始推高其他商品成本时，他们更有可能采取应对措施。

此外，市场已经推高了长期利率。在 7 月份的美联储上一次会议上，沃什暗示市场可能已经在替联邦公开市场委员会（FOMC）承担部分抗击通胀的工作，并指出国债收益率曲线上的名义收益率和实际收益率均有所上升。

“加息与维持不变的争论非常激烈，”斯科德莱斯说，“无论选择哪个方向，都有充分的理由。”

FOMC 上一次调整利率是什么时候？

在 2024 和 2025 年，美联储遵循了类似的模式。在这两年中，联邦公开市场委员会都维持目标区间不变，直到在 9 月份以及随后的两次会议上投票决定将其调整。不同之处在于，当时 FOMC 是降低了区间，而现在它在考虑将其提高。

如果委员会成员批准加息，这将是自 2023 年 7 月以来他们首次选择这样做。当时，美国雇主预计增加了 209,000 个工作岗位，且前一个月的消费者价格同比通胀率为 3%。

虽然委员会今年维持联邦基金利率不变，但在最近一次会议上，12 名投票成员中有 3 人对该决定持异议。7 月份，克利夫兰联储主席贝丝·哈马克（Beth Hammack）、明尼阿波利斯联储主席尼尔·卡什卡利（Neel Kashkari）和达拉斯联储主席洛里·洛根（Lorie Logan）倾向于将目标区间提高 25 个基点。

“无论是硬数据还是轶闻证据都在告诉我同一件事：政策并非限制性的。通胀过高——它在我们的目标之上停留的时间越长，就越难将其拉回，”哈马克 9 月 4 日在 LinkedIn 上表示，“我将继续关注数据并倾听轶闻。目前，我听到的是现在是采取行动的时候了。”

利率上调对消费者意味着什么？

通常情况下，美联储提高基准利率会导致借款人的信用卡、汽车贷款和个人贷款利率上升。对于储蓄者而言，这通常意味着其高收益储蓄账户和定期存款的收益率会提高。

SoLo Funds 总裁罗德尼·威廉姆斯（Rodney Williams）表示，如果联邦公开市场委员会（FOMC）批准加息，持有浮动利率债务的借款人可能会首先感受到影响。他表示，信用卡年利率（APR）可能会在 1 到 2 个账单周期内上升，从而增加最低还款额；而房屋净值信贷额度（HELOC）和浮动利率个人贷款的还款额也可能在利率重置时攀升。

威廉姆斯告诉《今日美国》（USA TODAY）：“可调利率抵押贷款借款人可能会获得暂时保护，但他们极有可能在下一次预定调整时面临更高的还款额。对于那些已经过着‘月光族’生活的美国人来说，即使是小幅上涨，最终也会让他们在维持基本生活开支的同时，更难偿还现有债务。”

海军联邦信用社（Navy Federal Credit Union）助理副总裁 CJ Pointkowski 表示，加息还意味着储蓄收益率会随时间推移而提高，但并非每家银行或信用社都以相同的速度调整利率。

Pointkowski 表示：“储蓄者与其试图精准把握市场波动时机，不如经常检查自己的账户，在发现适合自己的竞争性利率时采取行动，并保持关注和灵活性，以便利用符合其目标的利率。”

疫情爆发

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环孢子虫（Cyclospora cayetanensis）寄生虫会导致不适的胃肠道症状，通常与食物中毒相关，如腹泻、恶心和呕吐。这种寄生虫通常通过受污染的食物或水感染，通常不被认为具有致命性；然而，对于免疫系统受损或有其他潜在健康问题的人群，它可能会引起更严重的并发症。

一场前所未有的爆发

联邦当局最早于 7 月开始追踪病例集群，最终确定使用 Taylor Farms 提供的切碎生菜的塔可贝尔（Taco Bell）是患者的共同来源。Taylor Farms 于 7 月 17 日召回了多种生菜产品。

随后的一份 FDA 执行报告显示，被召回的生菜不仅销售给塔可贝尔、肯德基（KFC）和必胜客（Pizza Hut）等餐饮店，还销售给了包括沃尔玛（Walmart）在内的零售商。但其他疾病集群的来源尚未被确定，至少在公开层面是这样。

由于潜伏期长、样本获取困难，且无法使用针对大肠杆菌和李斯特菌等病原体的相同基因追踪工具，环孢子虫病爆发的来源比其他食源性疾病更难追踪。专家在接受《今日美国》采访时表示，这种病原体研究较少，他们希望这种情况能够改变。

FDA 在 8 月派遣调查员前往墨西哥视察 Taylor Farm 的运营情况，一些批评者和专家认为此举力度不足且为时已晚。批评者还指出相关卫生机构的预算削减，有人表示，监测规模的缩减和人员配备的不足不仅导致了环孢子虫的传播，还导致了近期其他疫情（如螺旋蝇蛆病）的爆发。

去年，美国疾病控制与预防中心（CDC）缩减了一项监测食源性疾病（包括环孢子虫引起疾病）的联邦-州长期合作伙伴关系。尽管卫生部长小罗伯特·F·肯尼迪（Robert F. Kennedy Jr.）表示，削减的是“冗余”项目，并称相关批评“无效”，但一些专家指出，监测基础设施和数据的丢失可能会增加当局在识别爆发源头和阻止进一步传播方面出现延迟的风险，《今日美国》报道称。

处于生菜相关聚集性疫情核心的企业面临审查

泰勒农场（Taylor Farms）也受到了越来越多的审查，尤其是在其部分产品被纳入海岸柑橘分销商（Coast Citrus Distributors）于 8 月发起的墨西哥辣椒召回行动之后，这使其成为了一个仍在扩大且涉及多个州的沙门氏菌疫情的中心。

7 月下旬，众议院监督委员会的高级民主党人、加利福尼亚州代表罗伯特·加西亚（Robert Garcia）给该公司首席执行官布鲁斯·泰勒（Bruce Taylor）写了一封信，指称泰勒农场试图影响或阻挠美国食品药品监督管理局（FDA）的调查并误导公众。信中还指出了该公司最近的政治捐款，其中包括一笔据称捐给与特朗普相关的超级政治行动委员会（super PAC）的款项。

“仅在 2025 年，泰勒农场就向与唐纳德·特朗普总统及其他共和党人相关的政治行动委员会捐款超过 $2，并在与食品安全监管相关的游说活动上花费了超过 $810。”

泰勒农场否认了这些指控，在与《今日美国》（USA TODAY）分享的一份声明中表示：“泰勒农场断然拒绝任何关于该公司试图通过政治捐款或任何其他不正当影响来获得或已获得优惠监管待遇的暗示。这些指控是不真实的。”

该公司在过去十年中曾多次负责产品召回，此前还因一条现已删除的声明而受到 FDA 的批评，在该声明中，公司称 为其冰山生菜产品在检测环孢子虫时出现的“假阳性”结果而“道歉”。 在此后不久发表声明澄清，实验室样本的发现“并未改变 正在进行的疫情调查的基础，也未改变支持泰勒农场目前自愿召回的压倒性流行病学数据”。

泰勒农场在声明中再次指出了样本检测的阴性结果。

“当人们对近期环孢子虫疫情的来源提出质疑时，我们立即将所有可能受影响的产品从市场中撤出，并且……对源自该地区的所有冰山生菜发起了范围更广的召回，”该公司表示。“我们对自己的食品及食品安全系统充满信心，并将随着更多信息的公布继续保持透明。”

前所未有的厄尔尼诺现象呈现诸多谜团

一台 Saildrone Explorer SD-1090 于 8 月 21 日从檀香山出发，执行前往南方 1,500 英里赤道太平洋的任务。四台 Saildrone 将为美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA）太平洋海洋环境实验室的科学家采集海洋和大气数据。由 SAILDRONE / NOAA 提供

这可能有助于科学家解决气候问题

Dinah Voyles Pulver 《今日美国》

随着赤道地区一个具有潜在历史意义的厄尔尼诺现象的发展，科学家们看到了探索这些干扰全球天气的事件中尚未解答之问题的机会。

“这是一个了解在更温暖的气候中，厄尔尼诺现象将呈现何种样貌的机会，”迈阿密大学罗森斯蒂尔海洋、大气和地球科学学院的研究员艾米莉·贝克（Emily Becker）表示。

美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA）在 9 月 10 日的一份更新报告中预测，这次厄尔尼诺现象有 75% 的可能性成为“一次历史性事件，其强度将超过自 1950 年以来以往的所有厄尔尼诺事件”。

在檀香山附近，NOAA 最近部署了一支由四台自主式 Saildrone Explorer 组成的舰队，执行前往赤道太平洋的任务，以研究该地区的状况。由于洛威尔飓风（Hurricane Lowell）向夏威夷群岛袭来，他们的任务暂时中断，无人机必须在继续旅程前被引导至安全地带。

一旦这些有时被称为“机器人冲浪板”的 Saildrone 到达厄尔尼诺区域（NOAA 数据显示，该地区目前的海面温度为该年度记录以来最高），这些无人机将在接下来的五个月里收集测量数据。

NOAA 太平洋海洋环境实验室海洋气候站小组负责人、研究海洋学家梅根·克罗宁（Meghan Cronin）表示，结果预计将为科学家提供“比通过任何其他方式都能看到的更多关于厄尔尼诺区域状况的信息”。

厄尔尼诺观测史

华盛顿大学的研究员迈克尔·麦克法登（Michael McPhaden）研究厄尔尼诺现象已近 50 年。他于 6 月从 NOAA 高级科学家岗位退休，但鉴于目前正在发展的厄尔尼诺现象，他尚未停止工作。

他经历的第一次重大厄尔尼诺现象发生在 1982 年。

“我们当时没有观测系统，完全没有预见到它的到来，”他说。“我们没有预测模型。直到它几乎达到顶峰时，我们才意识到它正在发生。”

他表示，当时国际科学界正计划开展一项为期 10 年的厄尔尼诺研究计划，而这次突发事件在某种程度上是一次“震惊和尴尬”。

从 1984 年开始的十年间，该计划建立了一系列海洋观测平台和卫星。克罗宁表示，如今该阵列已经过重新设计，并在这次厄尔尼诺现象发展过程中提供持续的数据流。

她说，这是一项令人兴奋的工作。“我们由衷希望能在提高对这些事件的预测能力方面取得重大进展，因为这些事件对水资源、能源资源、农业以及我们的生活有着如此巨大的影响。”

什么是 Saildrone？

长度为 23 英尺的 Saildrone Explorer 是无人水面航行器。类似型号曾被用于大西洋飓风盆地的研究。

Saildrone 公司的海洋科学高级项目经理克里斯蒂娜·卡斯蒂略（Cristina Castillo）表示，每艘航行器都配备了 15 种不同的气象和海洋传感器，用于持续收集数据。这些传感器可测量温度、盐度、二氧化碳和洋流等状况。

该项目包括来自美国国家海洋和大气管理局（NOAA）太平洋海洋环境实验室以及华盛顿大学的科学家，他们通过气候、海洋与生态系统研究联合合作研究所进行协作。

NOAA 该项目的首席研究员张东晓（Dongxiao Zhang）表示，无人水面航行器“开启了海洋观测的新时代，通过针对最需要数据的区域，提高我们对高影响、快速发展的海气相互作用过程（如此次厄尔尼诺现象）的理解和预测，而这些过程将对全球产生深远影响”。

卡斯蒂略说，这些由风力驱动和太阳能供电的无人机可以移动到科学家想要收集更多数据的地点。这一点至关重要，因为数千英里之外发生的事情“实际上控制着全球天气模式，以及我们是否会面临极端风暴、洪水和渔业中断”。

科学家希望了解什么？

在麦法登（McPhaden）开始研究后的几十年里，科学家们对大规模大气和海洋过程有了更深入的了解。这帮助他们预测厄尔尼诺或拉尼娜现象何时发生，并显著提高了全球热带风暴和飓风的预报准确率。现在，他们希望获得更精细的细节。

他将厄尔尼诺气候模式比作一场篝火，而海洋热量则是干燥的木材。科学家们正试图进一步了解被认为能提供点火火花的短期天气扰动。他说，火花并不总是来自同一个地方，而且导致信风减弱或偏移从而引发厄尔尼诺 / 拉尼娜现象的原因有多种。

麦法登表示，例如今年，4 月份西太平洋赤道两侧的一对孪生气旋似乎通过产生向东的强风，帮助点燃了厄尔尼诺。其他因素也发挥了作用，例如暖水中的热能波（称为开尔文波），以及一种被称为马登-朱利安振荡（Madden-Julien Oscillation）模式下的短期热带天气扰动爆发。

为什么理解厄尔尼诺很重要？

迈阿密大学罗森斯蒂尔学院（Rosenstiel School）院长本·基特曼（Ben Kirtman）表示，对于厄尔尼诺如何与不断演变的气候变化问题相互作用这一“至关重要的问题”，我们尚未得到答案。

宾夕法尼亚州立大学气象与大气科学系助理教授乔丹·琼斯（Jhordanne Jones）表示，厄尔尼诺和拉尼娜现象是大自然平衡全球大气的一种方式。

她将全球系统视为一个和谐的整体和一段旋律，所有这些信号都包含其中。

她说：“随着气候变化，系统听到了一段不同的旋律，一种更不规则的旋律，”科学家需要了解自然变率及相关的极端天气可能会如何发生变化。

《今日美国》（USA TODAY）国家记者迪娜·沃伊尔斯·普尔弗（Dinah Voyles Pulver）除其他新闻外，还报道暴力天气、气候和环境相关报道。可通过 dpulver@usatoday.com 与其联系。

第二位法官拦截特朗普对邮寄投票的限制

路透社

9月13日晚，第二位联邦法官采取行动，阻止唐纳德·特朗普总统的政府实施一项新的美国邮政局规则，该规则将收紧邮寄投票的要求，尽管美国最高

奥普拉

尼科尔斯（Nichols）批准了民主党提出的初步禁令请求，以拦截该规则，民主党称该规则是联邦政府对选举管理的不法干预。

特朗普多年来一直呼吁限制邮寄投票，他虚假地声称其2020年总统大选的失败是广泛选民欺诈的结果。

（接第1A页）

“没有任何法规授予邮政局发布该规则关键部分的权力，”这位由特朗普在白宫首个任期内任命的法官写道。

她此前主持过现场活动，例如2014年的“你想要的生活”巡演（The Life You Want Tour）以及探讨目标、健康和正念的“超级灵魂会议”（SuperSoul Sessions），后者汇集了思想领袖和文化人物。

但72岁的温弗瑞表示，虽然她将在拉斯维加斯这场两小时的演出中登台，但这次体验将完全不同。这个仅限一个周末（4月2日至4日）的活动将音乐艺术家和视觉讲述者聚集在一起，旨在带嘉宾开启一次“深刻的奇迹之旅”。

这是她在本月刚好开始40周年的电视节目中所阐述使命的延伸：帮助人们“理解他们拥有改变自己生活的力量”。

以下是激发她最新大构思的灵感、这一构思如何契合她一生的工作，以及谁有权力对奥普拉·温弗瑞说“不”。

本次采访经过编辑和删减。

你创建了电视节目、电影、杂志以及一整个网络。在Sphere（球体馆）的这次体验中，有什么是上述所有尝试都无法实现而这里可以实现的？

华盛顿联邦地区法院法官卡尔·尼科尔斯（Carl Nichols）做出这一决定之际，特朗普领导的共和党正努力在11月3日的中期选举中维持对国会两院的控制。

回答：这是所有这些尝试的顶峰。我一次又一次地强调——这提供了一个机会，让我能与一些在各自领域最顶尖的世界级合作伙伴共同表达。

这件事是这样发生的。我在拉斯维加斯的Sphere观看博诺（Bono）和U2的演出。我很喜欢那场演唱会，玩得很开心。在某个时刻我转过身——我就坐在建造这个场馆的吉姆·多兰（Jim Dolan）旁边——我问他：“发生了什么？我们现在是在室外吗？那是穿过穹顶的阳光吗？”我无法理解发生了什么，而且我能闻到大海的味道。

他只是说：“冷静点，没事的。”我当时确实有点迷失方向，因为我没有为这种沉浸式体验做好准备。

[之后] 当我静静地站在那里，试图吸收这一切时，我产生了一种感觉：如果你能带人们去到太空的边缘，让我们看到我们与地球、星辰、星系的关系，看到宇宙如此之大，而我们又是如此之小，以及我们能从中诞生是多么奇迹，会怎样？这只是我当时的一种感觉。

这非常像我记得第一次产生这种感觉的时候：我在祖母的门廊上，看着她把衣服挂在绳子上。她是一名家政工人，她把客户的衣服带回家在后院煮洗，因为我们当时甚至没有洗衣机。没有自来水，没有电。我记得透过纱门看着她，她说：“你，奥普拉·盖尔（Oprah Gayle），你最好现在专心看着我，因为有一天你得学会自己做这些事。”

她向我演示如何拿衣服，并用晾衣夹将其固定。我只是看着，心中产生了一种感觉：“不，我不会的。这不会是我的人生。”当时这种感觉也告诉我：“别告诉她，因为如果你大声说出来，你会被揍的。” [她笑了]

同样的感觉，同样的平静——在某种程度上，感觉就是那样。

您认为为什么人们现在需要一种惊奇感？

因为只有这样，你才能让自己从困惑、疲惫、不堪重负和停滞不前中走出来。

法院仍在权衡政府撤销另一项阻止该规则的命令的请求。

人们需要惊奇。他们需要快乐来让自己感到更有生命力。

我认为很多人已经麻木了。我认为他们被手机搞麻木了，被工作搞麻木了，被新闻里这个世界上发生的事情搞得彻底麻木了。

每个人都处于关闭状态。所以这是一个带来活力和生命力的机会——不是为了说教，也不是为了告诉你任何你已经知道的事情。这就是为什么它被叫做“a-ha”（顿悟）。因为我或你经历过的每一次“a-ha”时刻，都只是在提醒你那些你早已知道的事情。“啊哈！我知道这个，我只是忘了。”它激起你内心的一些东西，提醒你那些你早已知道的事情。

我想提醒人们的是，我们每个人心中都 carrying 一盏灯。我们每个人都有一个使命去完成我们命中注定要做的工作，而不是被压垮，而是专注于真正属于你的人生事业，而不是被那些[人们告诉你应该是]你生活一部分的事情所吞噬。

您的电视节目是在 40 年前首播的。在第一集中，您说您的使命是向人们展示他们拥有改变自己生活的力量。

我知道，而且我至今仍在这样做。

您是如何一直拥有这种坚定的愿景的？甚至在您看着祖母晾衣服时，这种感觉就出现了。您是如何保护并维持它的？

我在后门廊看着祖母时的那种感觉非常强烈。即使在 5 岁时，我也知道那是真实的，我开始在其他事情上倾听它的声音。“别去那里，去那里。”“你应该这样做。”“不，放学后你不应该加入他们，你会给自己惹麻烦的。”

奥普拉·温弗瑞正在揭晓“AHA”，这是一个在拉斯维加斯 Sphere 举办的仅限一个周末的活动。EMMA ROSE MILLIGAN 为《今日美国》拍摄

那种感觉如此强烈，我能感觉到它。我知道它在说：“这不会是你的生活。”我想，好吧，我喜欢这个想法！

我一生都在倾听那个声音，那种直觉。当我的父亲说“我的女儿绝不会成为一名演员”时，正是那个声音让我说“好吧，那我就当一名老师”。

然后我最终在广播电台找到了一份工作。当我第一次接到去电视节目工作的电话时，它说：“你必须去做。你应该做出那个决定[去芝加哥]。”它在说：“你在巴尔的摩待得足够久了”，尽管每个人都说我会失败。

每当你创新、改变或做一些不同的事情时，人们都会有反应。所以您在生活中面对过批评。您是否感到被误解，您又是如何挺过来的？

女性们向我倾诉，她们已经做了所有的事情：上了大学，生了孩子，拥有了白色栅栏的院子和沃尔沃汽车。但她们觉得缺失了某些东西。

唯一一个说我没有（被误解）的人是我的朋友盖尔 [金]。但我当时想，“噢，好吧，因为你是我的最好的朋友。”她说：“我认为你可以击败多诺休。”我说：“这不可能。”但我倾听了那个声音，即使巴尔的摩的 WJZ 电视台给我开出双倍的薪水，“我们会给你一套公寓，给你一辆新车，给你这个。”同样的感觉告诉我：“无论他们给你开什么条件，你都应该走。”

很多次。让我和你分享这个。在 90 年代，我开始在每场节目结束后与观众交谈。这始于我不想再签签名了。我想，“我想做什么？我想和人们聊聊他们为什么来，以及他们的生活中发生了什么。”这就是我们所有节目灵感的来源。从第 10 年开始，我就只是与观众交谈。

然后我开始意识到，这里有一条主线。我认为人们失去了自我意识 [因为他们] 把一切都给了别人。你如何找回自我，而你的“自我”又是什么？它是你的精神，是你的灵魂。于是我们开始了一个名为

“我知道这件事[在 Sphere]可能会让我受到一些批评，但我知道在此时此刻，这是正确之举。”——奥普拉·温弗瑞

“找回你的精神。”

那是一件微不足道的小事。但它被误解和误读得最严重。所有的评论家都说我想创办自己的教会，向人们传教。事实并非如此。我只是想在人们询问“这就是全部了吗？我想要什么？我究竟为什么在这里？”时，激起一些思考。

那是我们第一次开始讨论关于“目标”的话题。

所以，是的，我受到了批评。我知道这件事[在 Sphere]可能会让我受到一些批评，但我知道在此时此刻，这是正确之举。

你是在人生中许多人开始慢下来的时候做这件事的。对于那些认为重新定义自我已经太晚，或者认为人生第三或第四幕的大门已经关闭的人，你会对他们说什么？

直到最后一息。直到最后一息，你都有机会把它做对。你要不断尝试。当你 72 岁或 82 岁时，转型会更困难。困难是因为你的习惯已经根深蒂固，陷入了僵化。但获得“顿悟时刻”永远不算太晚。被提醒想起那个被你遗忘、被你放任麻木或被你忽视的自我部分，永远不算太晚。这件事永远不算太晚。直到你的最后一息。

你可以做任何事情。谁会告诉你“不行”？或者可能会说“那个想法有点疯狂”？是斯特德曼 [格雷厄姆，她的长期伴侣] 吗？还是盖尔 [金，她的终身好友兼《CBS早晨》共同主持人]？

我们最近失去了多莉·帕顿和格洛丽亚·斯泰纳姆。很多人在审视自己的生活，思考自己的遗产。当人们最终描述你的遗产时，你希望他们能理解什么——那些无法用收视率、奖项或影响力来捕捉的东西？你最希望他们记得什么？

是盖尔和斯特德曼。还有另一个人。对我最坦诚的人是鲍勃·格林。他曾经是我的所谓“教练”，但后来成了我的另一个最好的朋友。他是人们不知道的另一个最好的朋友。他现在是我的业务经理。他是那个比任何人都更快说“不行”的人，或者会告诉你：“你知道，皇帝没穿衣服，快去穿点什么。”

我对遗产这件事一点也不担心，因为我在南非创办学校时从玛雅·安杰卢那里学到了教训。我回到她家告诉她：“玛雅，这所学校将是我最伟大的遗产！”

玛雅说：“你根本不知道你的遗产将会是什么。你的遗产不是建筑上刻着你的名字。它可能是你对这些女孩生活的改变，但实际上，它是你触动过的每一个生命。”

那么人们会如何记得我？我已经知道我将如何被记得，因为无论我去过什么样的场所或空间，无论是餐厅、海滩、沙漠还是洞穴，我总能遇到看过那个节目，或者他们的母亲、祖母看过那个节目的人。

他们放学回家，是那些独自在家等父母的“钥匙孩子”。在这个星球上的任何地方，都没有一个人没有走过来对我说：“我看过你，你为我做了这些。”

我在卡普里的一家餐厅里，一名女性经过我的桌子说：“我今年 55 岁，当我 18 岁时，我和我 16 岁的妹妹一起看你讨论虐待的话题，我开始哭泣。然后我的妹妹也开始哭，我问她：‘你在哭什么？’她说：‘你为什么在哭？’那是我们第一次分享彼此都被继父性侵的事实。”

“在看了那个节目之后，我们共同拥有了发声的勇气。”

于是现在我站在餐厅里，我们两个都在哭。

她说：“我必须感谢你，因为这救了我的命，因为在那之后我变成了一个不同的人。”我一遍又一遍地听到这样的故事。

所以我非常清楚，那个节目所起到的作用是无与伦比的。

在 9 / 11 事件之后，每个人都害怕穆斯林，于是我们专门做了一期节目，邀请穆斯林女性坐在观众席上，当时人们[带着轻蔑地]说：“为什么你头上得戴那个？那个叫什么？”

而到节目结束时，那些指责她们的人却在拥抱她们。

我很清楚，这种影响力是真实的，它并非体现在某一件具体的事情上，而是体现在你所触动的每一个生命之中。

所以，如果你认为影响力是指你将要成就的宏图大业、你将留下的财富，或是以你命名的建筑——那么与你触动的每一个生命相比，这些都毫无意义。所以，我不去考虑那些。我知道我没有那样做。我已经完成了那件事。

对你来说也是一样。我被赋予的、去响应生命召唤的这份天赋，是每个人的天赋。只有当你服从他人的召唤而非自己的召唤时，你才会偏离轨道。但当你能够生活在属于你生命的召唤之中，当你能够追随它、倾注于此并向其臣服时，你才能作为一个人，活出最充分的自我表达。而这正是我来到这里想要提醒人们的事情。

“奥普拉·温弗瑞的 AHA”是一个全球艺术家的集体，包括格莱美奖得主 Jacob Collier、诗人 Ocean Vuong、艺术家 Es Devline 以及许多其他人。音乐指导由 Max Richter 担任，由 Ethan Tobman 执导。门票在 ahalive.com 起售价为 $145。官方预售于 9 月 15 日（周二）东部时间 1 pm 开始。正式发售于 9 月 25 日东部时间 1 pm 开始。

共和党需要总统带来实效，而非一场鼓劲集会

英格丽德·雅克 (Ingrid Jacques) 今日美国 (USA TODAY)

我必须承认，唐纳德·特朗普总统拥有十足的自信。

但这种自信是否能帮助共和党人在 11 月取得胜利，则完全是另一回事。

在特朗普的坚持下，共和党举办了其历史上首次中期选举大会。这场为期两天的活动被戏称为“特朗普狂欢节”（Trumpapalooza），在达拉斯举行。特朗普于 9 月 9 日晚上发表讲话，旨在为此次活动“定调”。他在最后一晚也发表了闭幕词。

总统认为，他的选民需要被提醒：尽管这次他不在选票上，但他希望他们像他参选一样去投票。

但在决定谁将在特朗普剩余任期内控制国会的中期选举前几周，这可能并不是该党所需的动力。

民主党人对此感到欣喜若狂。他们极力想将特朗普的记录及其低支持率与那些希望保住席位或夺取其他席位的共和党人联系起来。随着伊朗战争的拖延以及经济状况不如特朗普承诺的那样乐观，即使是在特朗普最坚定的支持群体中，他的支持率也在下降。

但这并没有阻止共和党将达拉斯的这次活动粉饰成一件好事。

共和党全国委员会主席乔·格鲁特斯 (Joe Gruters) 在中期选举大会前的一份声明中表示：“特朗普总统将围绕我们的共同愿景团结共和党人，积蓄势头，并为我们党带来一场精彩的大会。”

许多处于激烈竞争中的共和党人并不热衷于与一位优先级经常以牺牲共和党利益为代价的总统一起“积蓄势头”。

因此，他们缺席了这场盛会，将注意力集中在自己的选区。

在我所在的密歇根州，几场备受关注的竞选可能会决定美国参议院和众议院的控制权，而这些竞选中的候选人对“特朗普狂欢节”的处理方式截然不同。

“特朗普狂欢节”对摇摆区共和党人而言是“巨大的风险”

共和党众议员汤姆·巴雷特（Tom Barrett）在争取保留其密歇根州中部席位的艰苦战斗中，选择缺席此次活动，称他在自己的选区会发挥更大的作用。

“在距离选举日仅剩 55 天且处于目标竞争席位的情况下，离开中密歇根州从未被考虑过，”巴雷特的竞选战略师杰森·卡贝尔·罗（Jason Cabel Roe）告诉我，“这次大会将是对 11 月 3. 日结果后果的一次有价值的重新定义，但汤姆的选民在他的选区里。”

前国会议员迈克·罗杰斯（Mike Rogers）正与进步派的阿卜杜勒·埃尔-赛义德（Abdul El-Sayed）在一次极度激烈的参议院空缺席位竞争中僵持不下，他出席了大会，并且是预定发言的 3 名密歇根州候选人之一。

共和党美国众议员汤姆·巴雷特 4 月 17. 日在密歇根州布赖顿的竞选办公室向支持者发表讲话。REBECCA COOK / 路透社

最近的民调显示，在 2024 年参议院竞选中以约 20,000 票之差落败的罗杰斯，目前与埃尔-赛义德不分伯仲。

库克政治报告（Cook Political Report）将该席位评级为“五五开”（toss-up）。

对于一名将竞选基础建立在跨党派合作、并在此过程中吸引了“支持迈克·罗杰斯的民主党人”联盟的候选人来说，出席“特朗普狂欢节”是一个奇怪的决定。

但这也显示出他所陷入的困境：在特朗普不在选票上的情况下，如何激发共和党人的热情。

“中期大会并非一个坏主意，但考虑到特朗普目前的得票率以及不可否认的政治风向，对于摇摆区共和党人来说，这是一个巨大的风险，尤其是考虑到这实际上是一场特朗普集会，而非整个共和党的真正大会，”共和党战略师丹尼斯·伦诺克斯（Dennis Lennox）告诉我。

我认为特朗普想要重现 2024 年共和党全国代表大会的情景，那次大会真正地统一了党内，并帮助建立了在那个 11 月将其推向胜利的势头。

但这很难复制。就在那次大会开始前几天，特朗普在宾夕法尼亚州的一次集会上幸免于一场暗杀企图。

我当时在共和党全国代表大会现场，对特朗普的支持是显而易见的。

他还利用了人们对前总统乔·拜登履行职责能力日益增长的不信任（拜登随后不久退出了连任竞选）。

特朗普必须重新承诺兑现竞选诺言

特朗普竞选时的两大重点是：关闭拜登留下的开放边境和修复经济。值得肯定的是，他在边境问题上迅速取得了成效。但尽管经济的某些方面表现强劲——看看最近的就业报告——许多选民仍在应对高昂的汽油和食品价格。

总统必须重新承诺兑现他的竞选诺言，并明确他正在采取什么措施来实现这些目标。

选民以及依赖他们的共和党人不需要“特朗普狂欢节”。他们需要特朗普完成他们选他上台时所要求他做的工作。

英格丽德·雅克（Ingrid Jacques）是《今日美国》（USA TODAY）的专栏作家。您可以通过 ijacques@usatoday.com 或 X 账号 @Ingrid_Jacques 与她联系。

特朗普自己的聊天机器人知道他那 $5,000 承诺的真相

9月 10 日，唐纳德·特朗普总统在达拉斯的共和党中期选举大会上迎接支持者。 CALLAGHAN O'HARE / 路透社

Chris Brennan USA TODAY

唐纳德·特朗普总统要求举办的共和党中期选举大会，被描述为对他第二任期成就的庆祝，以及一场旨在让其政党继续控制国会的推销活动。

然而，在达拉斯大会首晚，特朗普那场冗长且东拉西扯的 104 分钟演讲，生动地展示了这位老牌表演者如今在思想上是多么匮乏。

这就涉及到了特朗普在 9 月 9 日演讲中的承诺：如果共和党在 11 月 3 日的中期选举后继续控制美国众议院和参议院，他将向每一位美国成年人发送一张 $5,000 “特朗普红利”支票。

“如果共和党赢得了众议院和美国参议院，两院都赢了……我将向美国每一位成年公民发放 $5,000 的红利，”特朗普对着半满的体育馆说道，他在演讲中又四次提到了这 $5,000,。

听起来很耳熟？

特朗普持续承诺贿赂美国人。这是违法的。

这是因为特朗普在第二任期的第一年里，一直抛出承诺，要向美国人发放 $2,000 或 $5,000 的支票，作为对他那场灾难性的政府效率部（Department of Government Efficiency）清洗以及推高消费者物价的贸易战关税的“红利”。

正如特朗普一贯的作风，那些支票从未寄出。

让我们先揭穿特朗普的新承诺，因为他绝不会因为你投票给众议院和参议院的共和党人就给你寄一张 $5,000 支票。

首先，国会必须批准这些现金支出，这将使我们的国家债务惊人地增加 $1 trillion 以上。想象一下，那些热衷于宣扬限制联邦支出的众议院和参议院共和党人在面对该项投票时会感到多么痛苦。

其次，虽然美国司法部（DOJ）目前充当着特朗普的私人律师事务所和打手队，但他的任命者不会永远掌控那里。假设一名民主党人在 2028. 当选总统。在 2029 1 月接管司法部的律师们，可能会对这种试图用纳税人的钱大规模贿赂选民的行为产生兴趣。

一项八十年前通过的联邦法律规定，提供金钱以换取投票或不投票的行为，无论是行贿者还是受贿者，都将面临监禁和罚款。

司法部自己的“联邦选举事实清单”指出，以下情况是联邦起诉的依据：“支付费用让选民登记投票，或在包含联邦候选人姓名的选票选举中投票，或在将买票视为‘贿赂’罪行的州通过邮寄方式进行上述行为。”

对于那些希望通过投票快速获得 $5,000 的粉丝们，请问问自己：你真的愿意为了一个特朗普不会兑现、一张他永远不会寄给你的支票而触犯联邦法律吗？

不要只听我的话。2025, 当特朗普抛出 DOGE 红利和关税红利时，我决定询问总统自己的社交媒体聊天机器人，他是否可能兑现这些承诺。

以下是特朗普的 Truth Social AI 在 11 月我询问他是否有“承诺发支票但不寄出”的历史时给我的回答：“是的。特朗普多次向美国人提出发放‘红利’或返现式支票，但尚未向公众交付此类款项。”

“如果共和党赢得众议院和美国参议院……我将向美国每一位成年公民发放 $5,000 的红利，”特朗普在半满的体育馆里说道，他在演讲中又四次提到了 $5,000,。

特朗普是 Trump Media & Technology Group 的最大单一股东，该公司拥有 Truth Social。而这就是 Truth Social AI 对其承诺的评价。

十个月过去了，是时候再次询问 Truth Social 聊天机器人了，对吧？我在 9 月 10 问道：“唐纳德·特朗普在 9, 2026, 承诺，如果共和党在 11 月 3 大选中继续控制美国众议院和参议院，将向每位美国成年人寄发一张 $5,000 的‘特朗普红利’支票。特朗普是否有过做出类似承诺但未寄发支票的历史？”

特朗普的 Truth Social AI 知道他在胡说八道

Truth Social AI 再次列举了特朗普去年未能兑现分红承诺的记录，最后得出结论：“这种结构——取决于政治或立法结果的大额品牌分红支票——与他早前提出的 DOGE 和关税分红想法一致，而这些想法并未产生他所描述的广泛发放的支票。”

特朗普自己的社交媒体聊天机器人都不信任他，也不把他的承诺当回事。那你为什么要相信？

请看清事实：特朗普已经黔驴之技，且极其恐惧在期中选举中失去对国会的控制，因为这将导致明年面临民主党严重的审查和监督。因此，他希望选民能再次落入一个他根本无意兑现的承诺陷阱。

您可以在 Bluesky 平台（@bychrisbrennan.bsky.social）和 X（@ByChrisBrennan）上关注《今日美国》专栏作家克里斯·布伦南（Chris Brennan）。

“《今日美国》希望作为一个促进更好理解与团结的论坛，帮助美国真正成为一个统一的国家。” —— 创始人艾伦·H·纽哈特（Allen H. Neuharth），1982年9月15日

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科技评论

我被苹果公司的 iPhone Duo 折叠屏手机折服了

詹妮弗·乔利在 9 月 9 日苹果公司的大型发布会上试用新产品。 图片提供：詹妮弗·乔利

买一台得花不少钱，但这就是它的套路

詹妮弗·乔利

《今日美国》特约报道

每年我走进苹果公司的秋季盛会时，都清楚地知道接下来的剧本：无论推出什么产品，都会被描述为“他们有史以来制造的最佳产品，迄今为止最先进的，令人惊叹的，不可思议的，神奇的，而且显然，是我将会爱上的东西”。

我报道过足够多次这类活动，以至于会对这种“苹果式”的套路翻白眼。然而，当灯光熄灭，演示开始，我就立刻被吸引进去了。

9 月 9 日的活动也不例外。我走进会场时笃定自己绝不可能花 2,000 美元买一部折叠手机。结果第二天早上醒来，我想要一台。

地球上没有哪家科技公司能把这件事做得更好。苹果能将一件你从未想要的东西，通过一场主题演讲，让你想象自己在使用它。或者更具说服力地，让你觉得需要它。

苹果的折叠屏手机是什么样的？

iPhone Duo 的售价为 1,999 美元。预订将于 10 月 16 日开启，10 月 23 日上市。我原本希望苹果把它命名为 iFold，因为，拜托，那样好听多了。

这是近 20 年来 iPhone 外形上的第一次真正变革。闭合时，它大约只有护照大小，可以放进我的后口袋。打开它，你就得到了我一直称之为“iPad Mini Mini”的东西：比 iPad Mini 小，但比任何 iPhone 都大。（另一位记者展示了它打开后的大小像一张明信片。确实如此。）

iPhone Duo 的屏幕如何？

我评测过的每一款折叠屏手机感觉都像是金属和塑料的混合体，尤其是屏幕。Duo 的感觉更高端。苹果在折叠显示屏上采用了哑光纳米纹理饰面，这减少了眩光，并赋予了整体更精致的触感。

然后是折痕。每部折叠手机都有折痕——屏幕弯曲处中间可见的凹陷，时刻提醒着你手里拿着的是由两半“勉强”组成一个整体的东西。折痕一直是折叠屏手机的噩梦，是的，它一直让我很困扰。

我在 Duo 上寻找折痕。我倾斜手机，用手指抚过，从各个角度观察。如果你刻意寻找，尤其是强光下，能找到折痕。但你不会去特意寻找它的。

这在我使用其他折叠屏手机时从未发生过，在这些手机出现近十年之后，这感觉是一件相当大的突破。

重量

Duo 的重量为 254 克，大约相当于一个大苹果的重量，这要么是个巧合，要么是库比蒂诺的某个人在向我们眨眼。它比我带来对比的三星 Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra 更重、更厚，且差异明显。

苹果增加这几盎司的重量是有原因的。它配备了两块电池而非一块，采用了钛金属框架而非铝合金，并且具备防尘防水密封设计。

所有这些使得它比 Fold 8 Ultra 重了大约 39 克，比更具可比性的 Fold 8 重了 50 克多。

三星选择了另一个方向，制造出尽可能轻的折叠屏手机。苹果的续航更久，耐用性更强。三星的则更易于握持。两者都没有错。你只需要决定你最在意什么。

折叠屏真正发挥作用的地方

Duo 的摄像头比 iPhone 18 Pro 低了一个档次。镜头更少，没有真正的光学变焦。如果你在足球场对面给孩子拍照，你会注意到这一点。

但外屏解决了我们大多数人在手机拍照时遇到的三个问题。自拍通常使用手机最差的摄像头。而在 Duo 上，你将其翻转；外屏变成了你的取景器，你可以使用优质的 4800 万像素摄像头拍摄。

还有？在其他 iPhone 上，被拍摄的人永远无法

详见乔利（JOLLY），第 2B 页

AARP 反对“固定费率”生活成本调整（COLA）计划

报道称社会保障金调整方案损害中产阶级

Medora Lee

USA TODAY

一项旨在每年为所有社会保障金领取者增加相同金额福利的旧方案正获得关注，但一些人认为这将给美国中产阶级带来灾难。

1987年，来自明尼苏达州第一国会选区的前民主党众议员蒂姆·佩尼（Tim Penny）提出了一项“固定利率生活成本调整（Flat-Rate COLA）”方案，该方案将向所有受益人支付相同的生活成本调整额（COLA）。COLA的金额将设定为处于第20百分位数的受益人所获得的生活成本调整额。支持者表示，通过这种方式，低收入受益人将获得更多福利，贫困程度将降低，且社会保障金的破产时间将得以推迟。

根据该计划受托人的说法，用于补充工资税以支付每月社会保障金的信托基金预计将在2032年底前耗尽。届时，法律要求福利削减约$22%以确保该计划的成本不超过其收入。

但固定利率COLA的批评者（如非营利且无党派的AARP）计算得出，80%的受益人将看到其福利的购买力年复一年地被侵蚀，导致许多人陷入或接近贫困。

“对于80%的受益人来说，固定利率COLA将侵蚀社会保障金一直以来提供的通胀保护，且这种影响会随着人们年龄的增长而增加，”服务于1.25 亿名50岁及以上美国人及其家庭的AARP在博客中表示。“由于COLA削减的影响会随时间而倍增，固定利率COLA将加剧许多80岁和90岁老人以及在相对年轻时就出现残疾的人员的经济困难。”

固定利率COLA与目前的COLA有何不同？

目前，社会保障局每年的COLA是基于7月至9月期间CPI-W（城市工资领取者指数）的年平均增幅来确定的。每位社会保障金受益人的支票都会根据该COLA百分比而增加。

在固定利率COLA中，百分比增幅的计算方式相同，但它仅适用于处于第20百分位数的人群。

无论该群体获得的具体金额增加多少，当年所有社会保障金领取者都将获得相同的金额，无论他们处于哪个百分位数。

为什么支持者支持固定利率COLA？

设定在第20百分位数的固定利率COLA为两个

Anthropic 表示已拦截潜在的生物武器研究

格蕾塔·赖希 (Greta Reich)

今日美国 (USA TODAY)

人工智能研究公司 Anthropic 在 9 月 10 日发布的一份报告中表示，该公司已干预了科学家及其他行为者的多次尝试，这些人试图利用其模型来协助开发生物武器。

这份详尽的文件详细描述了 Anthropic 在 2025 年 12 月至 2026 年 8 月期间，如何发现并阻止了多起其 AI 模型被恶意使用的案例。

报告称：“我们在此分享的案例并非典型的滥用，而是我们迄今为止识别出的最显著且新颖的威胁活动示例。随着模型能力的不断增强，除非 AI 开发人员和社会捍卫者采取行动使其更加安全，否则其风险也将随之增加。”

除了生物武器外，

Anthropic 还指出其瓦解了其他六个领域的危害，包括网络行动、影响力行动、监视、诈骗与欺诈、常规武器开发以及非法蒸馏（即未经授权地将一个模型的能力复制到另一个模型中）。

Anthropic 没有立即回应《今日美国》的置评请求。

报告将生物滥用列为“前沿 AI 模型最严重的风险之一”。在生物滥用案例中，研究人员无法确认相关工作是合法的还是带有恶意意图，因此该公司关闭了那些规避安全防护措施且在某些情况下似乎与军事研究有关的可疑用户账号。

福特汉姆大学专注于 AI 和生物安全的法学教授多尼·布鲁姆菲尔德 (Doni Bloomfield) 告诉《今日美国》，他认为与军事综合体相关的用例最令人感兴趣，尽管“目前尚不清楚这些被访问的模型在最佳状态下究竟能做到什么程度。但我认为这项工作正在进行中，这一点值得关注。”

论文中提出了五个案例研究，以演示 Anthropic AI 如何被用于开发生物武器。其中一个案例模拟了这样一个场景：一名用户要求模型为一家国家关联的传染病实验室撰写一份研究正痘病毒 (orthopoxvirus) 的拨款申请。

正痘病毒与天花和猴痘相关，后者在 2022 年引发了全球疫情。

该研究的目标是更好地了解对病毒具有免疫力的基因，而这可能会被某些人用来保存、增强或转移病毒免疫力。

“你还必须将此与我们在其他形式的 AI 中看到的进展相结合，”布鲁姆菲尔德说。“许多此类进展同时发生，这尤其令人担忧。而且，这些正是他们收到的请求，这一点并不令人安心。”

报告称，基于其发现的结论，即当今的模型可能能够“实质性地”帮助开展危险的生物研究，Anthropic 重新推出了带有更强安全防护措施的最新模型。

“这表明，随着这些模型的性能大幅提升，我们需要非常慎重地考虑如何监管现有的安全防护措施，”布鲁姆菲尔德表示。

格蕾塔·赖希通过塔贝尔 AI 新闻中心 (Tarbell Center for AI Journalism) 的奖学金为《今日美国》报道人工智能行业。资助方不提供编辑建议。

Buc-ee's 在商标侵权诉讼中获赔 $850K

Buc-ee 海狸在 2025. 年佐治亚州布伦瑞克 -'s 开业典礼的展台附近跳舞。南卡罗来纳州服装零售商 Born United 承认侵犯了 -'s 的商标。RICHARD BURKHART / USA TODAY NETWORK

Anthony Thompson USA TODAY

-'s 在保护其著名的海狸吉祥物的法律斗争中再次获胜。

据 USA TODAY 网络旗下媒体《格林维尔新闻》（Greenville News）报道，一名联邦法官已命令南卡罗来纳州服装零售商 Born United 支付超过 $850,000，此前该公司承认侵犯了 -'s 的商标。判决永久禁止 使用 -'s 的海狸标志或任何被认为“极具混淆性”的标志。

该命令还要求 销毁带有争议标志的商品，删除包含该标志的广告；如果该公司违反判决条款，可能还需支付 -'s 的律师费。

这一裁决是这家总部位于德克萨斯州的旅行中心连锁店的最新一次胜利。随着其在美国范围内的扩张，该公司一直在积极捍卫其商标。近年来，-'s 已对多家公司提起诉讼，称这些公司抄袭了其品牌元素，包括其极具辨识度的微笑海狸吉祥物。

为什么 -'s 起诉 ？

-'s 于 2025, 年对 提起联邦诉讼，指控这家位于北查尔斯顿的零售商销售带有该公司注册商标海狸标志变体版本的服装。

据《格林维尔新闻》报道，部分商品描绘了一只类似于 -'s 吉祥物的海狸，它穿着战术装备（包括夜视镜）并携带武器。-'s 主张这些设计侵犯了其联邦注册商标，并可能导致消费者认为这些产品与该公司有关联。

同意通过支付约 $850,000 并永久停止使用 -'s 海狸标志或类似设计来达成和解。判决还要求该公司销毁剩余的带有争议标志的产品，并删除包含该图像的广告。

是什么？

是一家南卡罗来纳州的服装公司，在北查尔斯顿、默特尔比奇和萨默维尔设有门店。

该零售商通过多个品牌销售军事主题的服装和配饰。在其网站上， 表示其“尊重、支持并致敬”军人、执法人员、消防员、急救人员以及其他为国家服务的人员。

Buc-ee's 提起多起商标纠纷

随着 Buc-ee's 继续将其业务扩展至德克萨斯州以外，Born United 案是该公司提起的几起商标纠纷之一。

最近，-'s 起诉了位于俄亥俄州比弗克里克（Beavercreek）的一家家族经营便利店 Beaver's Mini Mart。根据联邦起诉书，-'s 指称该店的微笑海狸标志、名称以及红字品牌标识与其商标足够相似，足以导致消费者混淆。这家俄亥俄州企业否认故意抄袭 -'s 的品牌标识。

在 HBO 的约翰·奥利弗（John Oliver）在《上周今夜》（Last Week Tonight）节目中批评 -'s 的商标诉讼历史，并挑战该公司就带有松鼠吉祥物的恶搞商品提起诉讼后，该诉讼引起了全国关注。几天后，-'s 对 Beaver's Mini Mart 提起诉讼。

-'s 还对包括佐治亚州的 Teddy's Market、密苏里州的 Barc-'s、德克萨斯州的 Super Fuels 以及 Chicks 便利店在内的企业提起过商标诉讼。

随着 -'s 继续在新的州开设门店，该公司越来越多地求助于法院，以保护其认为最具有辨识度的品牌资产之一：其注册商标——微笑海狸。针对 Born United 的判决是 -'s 努力防止其他企业使用其认为可能误导消费者的标志或品牌标识的最新案例。

撰稿：Gabe Hauri, USA TODAY

记者 Anthony Thompson 的联系方式为 ajthompson@usatoday-co.com，或在 X 上关注 @athompsonUSAT

229 万 瓶 Sour Crush 滚珠糖果被召回

Anthony Thompson

USA TODAY

在联邦安全官员警告称，一个可拆卸部件可能导致窒息风险并造成严重伤害或死亡后，超过 229 万 瓶热门滚珠糖果正被召回。

根据美国消费品安全委员会（CPSC）Sept. 10 一份召回通知，Ricky Joy 公司正在召回大约 229 万 瓶 Sour Crush 滚动液体糖果瓶，因为容器顶部的滚珠可能会脱落。CPSC 表示，目前尚未收到事故或受伤报告。消费者应立即停止使用被召回的糖果，将其远离儿童，并联系公司

固定利率

接第 1B 页

无党派非营利组织“负责任联邦预算委员会”（CRFB）在一项分析中表示，这将比目前预测的年限更长，且具有“高度累进性”。

CRFB 表示，这将“最有效地减缓那些终身收入最高的人（即可能拥有最高财富和收入的退休人员）的福利增长，同时在整个生命周期内，继续向初始福利较高的人支付比初始福利较低的人更多的资金”。

CRFB 补充道，这将“增加低收入者的生活成本调整，提高最需要人群的福利慷慨度”。

“特别是那些生活到 80 岁、90 岁（及以后），且已耗尽所有储蓄或工作能力的低收入老人，将从随时间推移而产生的实际福利增长中受益。”

申请退款。以下是关于此次召回需要了解的信息。

哪些 Ricky Joy 糖果瓶被召回了？

此次召回涉及 Ricky Joy Sour Crush 滚动液体糖果瓶，其中包含 1.85 液盎司通过滚珠顶盖分发的酸味液体糖果。

这些产品分单瓶、三瓶装或 12 瓶装销售，共有四种口味：

- 蓝树莓（蓝色瓶）

- 草莓（红色瓶）

● 青苹果（绿色瓶）

● 西瓜（粉色瓶）

每瓶都印有 Ricky Joy 标志、“EXTREME SOUR”和“SOUR CRUSH”字样、口味名称以及一个

固定额度生活成本调整（COLA）有什么问题？

美国退休人员协会（AARP）表示，针对所有高于第20百分位的人群（包括第20至第60百分位的中产阶级美国人）实施固定额度福利将使其受损。

该协会表示：“每位受益人都将获得相同的金额增长，这意味着 80% 的受益人获得的调整额将低于目前的水平。”

AARP 计算得出，如果固定额度 COLA 在年初生效，2026 年平均每位受益人每月将获得 $34.20，而非实际收到的 $57.90，且该金额低于实际通胀率。

AARP 表示：“平均受益人的购买力将会下降，因此这种调整不能被视为真正的生活成本调整（COLA）。”

在许多退休人员已经面临财务困难的情况下，“该提案在一年内将使平均每位受益人损失 $285”。

正面是一个绿色怪物的图像。

被召回的糖果在全国范围内的 H-E-B、Forman Mills 及其他糖果店销售，并于 2023 年 1 月至 2026 年 5 月期间通过 Walmart.com、CandyFunHouse.com、RickyJoy.com 及其他零售商在线销售。单瓶售价约为 $3, 而 3 瓶装和 12 瓶装的零售价在 $13 和 $32. 之间。

消费者应该怎么做？

消费者应立即停止使用被召回的糖果瓶，将其从孩子身边拿走，并联系 Ricky Joy 公司申请退款。公司将为客户提供预付运费标签，以便退回被召回的产品。

今年 1 月，在参与 AARP 财务安全趋势调查的退休人员中，30% 的人表示他们非常或有些担心是否有足够的资金支付基本开支，52% 的人担心自己支付大额意外开支的能力。即使在现有的 COLA 机制下，64% 的人表示他们担心物价上涨速度快于收入增长。

AARP 政府事务高级副总裁比尔·斯威尼（Bill Sweeney）在 7 月的一篇 LinkedIn 帖子中写道，固定额度 COLA “听起来像是个有趣的想法，但它实际上是用技术术语包装的对社会保障金的大规模削减”。

其他新闻

今年没有常规款的 iPhone 18，因此最便宜的新款 iPhone 是售价 $1,199 的 iPhone 18 Pro，比去年上涨了 $100。

新款 Watch Series 12 可能是被低估的亮点。苹果公司将两款设备的最佳创意结合在一起，并将其戴在了你的手腕上。

Oura 是一款智能戒指，可帮助你追踪睡眠和整体健康等重要指标。Plaud 则是一款小型录音机，人们将其夹在衬衫上，以记录全天的对话。

新款 Watch 拥有类似于 Oura 的“准备就绪评分”，此外还将推出一项今年晚些时候上线的功能，可以回溯对话的最后 15 秒，并写出你遗漏的内容。或者，开启 Siri Recap 功能，它会对整个对话进行记录，并在之后为你提供一份转录摘要，就像 Plaud 一样。

这对于采访、就医或家长教师会议来说可能非常出色，但对于房间里的其他人来说，可能会让人感到有些不安。苹果公司表示，它从不存储音频，转录内容经过加密，且由你决定何时开启监听。

有一个限制：手表将于 9 月 18, 发货，但对话功能和重新设计的健康（Health）应用要到今年晚些时候才会推出。

你现在购买的是传感器，而软件还需要等待。Series 12 的售价为 $399,，Ultra 4 的售价为 $799.。

我想要新款折叠屏 iPhone 吗？

Duo 给人一种高端感且能放入我的口袋，但当它展开时，我可能无法单手操作。而且，是的，我想要一台。

但它的价格比 iPhone 18 Pro 贵 $800，而第一代苹果产品通常会让那些选择等待的人获益。

苹果公司允许你分 24 个月支付，每月 $83.29,，或者以每月 $57.99 起的价格租赁一台。

我并不是在建议你购买。但在观察了多年的折叠屏手机并思考“为什么”之后，我终于明白了答案。我可能需要卖掉一颗肾脏才能买得起一台 $2,000 的 iPhone。但至少现在我可以想象拥有它后会怎么用——而这正是苹果公司吸引你的方式。

詹妮弗·乔利（Jennifer Jolly）是一位获得艾美奖的消费科技专栏作家。本专栏中表达的观点和意见仅代表作者本人，不一定反映《今日美国》（USA TODAY）的观点。

50★州动态

阿拉巴马州 蒙哥马利：劳动节周末，阿拉巴马州的高速公路发生了致命事故，在为期四天的期间内共有六人在车祸中丧生。

阿拉斯加州 诺姆：一名与两名成年亲属一同乘坐渔船出海的青少年于9月7日在阿拉斯加海岸附近被发现幸存，当时他正紧紧抓着翻覆船只的顶部。美国海岸警卫队表示，该船在两天前的恶劣天气中翻覆，这名15岁的少年是唯一的幸存者。

亚利桑那州 菲尼克斯：科罗拉多河印第安部落与亚利桑那州中部水资源保护区于9月11日达成一项协议，向亚利桑那州中部项目交付 9,009 英亩-英尺的部落用水。

阿肯色州 温斯洛：纤维艺术家将于10月聚集在温斯洛，在一年一度的奥扎克民俗纤维节（Ozark Folkways Fiber Fest）期间进行为期两天的演示、研讨会、音乐活动和传统工艺展示。这一免费且适合家庭参加的节日将于10月3-4日在具有历史意义的 Muxen 建筑场地举行。

加利福尼亚州 马里布：据多份报道，一名女性于9月11日深夜进入了前副总统卡玛拉·哈里斯及其丈夫道格·埃姆霍夫在马里布的房产，促使哈里斯的安全人员联系了洛杉矶县治安警署。《洛杉矶时报》报道称，安全人员在该女性到达住宅前将其拦截。该女性同意离开，未被逮捕。

科罗拉多州 洛夫兰：经过多年的筹备和数周的低调运行，亚马逊于9月4日举行盛大的开业典礼，揭开了其位于洛夫兰的大型机器人履约中心的神秘面纱。

康涅狄格州 哈特福德：据 WFSB 报道，康涅狄格州监管机构命令九家预测市场公司停止在该州提供与体育相关的合约，称这些产品违反了州博彩法和消费者保护条例。

特拉华州 多佛：原计划于今年秋季进行的特拉华州中部几个海湾海滩的补沙工程已推迟一年。

哥伦比亚特区 华盛顿：唐纳德·特朗普总统签署了一项法案，在国家广场建立一座纪念碑，以表彰荣誉勋章获得者。

佛罗里达州 迈阿密：极受欢迎但充满争议的《侠盗猎车手》（Grand Theft Auto）游戏系列正成为佛罗里达州的一个政治议题，官员们正在讨论真实的迈阿密是否应该接纳其虚构的对应版本。

佐治亚州 亚特兰大：作为佐治亚州交通部与 The Ray 合作伙伴关系的一部分，九处路边场地已种植原生植被。根据一项社区公告，这些草甸是该部门首次通过“能源与交通用地黑脉金斑蝶全国候选保护协议”而建立的银行化绿地。

夏威夷州 檀香山：据 Hawaii News Now 报道，中太平洋学校（Mid-Pacific School）揭幕了一个耗资 $7.500 万 的新田径综合体，标志着在旨在服务学生和更广泛社区的体育设施方面的一项重大投资。

爱达荷州 博伊西：据 KTVB7 报道，百年高中（Centennial High School）正式启用一个新的体育综合体，其中包含升级后的足球场、田径场和垒球设施，以及新的特许经营摊位和洗手间。

伊利诺伊州 泰勒维尔：在 Sparklight 过去三年投资近 1000万美元 升级并扩展其覆盖伊利诺伊州中部九个社区的富光纤网络后，泰勒维尔地区的居民和企业正体验到扩大的宽带容量。

印第安纳州 布鲁明顿：梧桐土地信托（Sycamore Land Trust）于 2022 年购买的 113 英亩土地正被建设为卡尔·齐格勒湿地与教育中心（Carl Ziegler Wetlands and Education Center），以展示印第安纳州南部的生物多样性。房屋和场地的翻修工作正在进行中，预计将于 2027 年 5 月开放。

爱荷华州 邦恩：根据一份新闻稿，Lightedge 计划在邦恩商业园区购买 10 英亩土地用于建设一个“托管设施”。该建筑将安置计算机服务器和网络设备，为银行、医院、执法部门和当地企业处理数据。

重点报道：北卡罗来纳州

北卡罗来纳大学威尔明顿分校的新研究船“鱼鹰号”（R / V Osprey）停泊在海洋科学中心。KEN BLEVINS / USA TODAY NETWORK

威尔明顿：在烈日的照射下，船只的银色船体和上层建筑闪闪发光，北卡罗来纳大学威尔明顿分校海洋科学中心的显贵与宾客们赞叹地欣赏着该校全新的顶尖研究船，这艘船的筹建历时十余年。凭借最先进的科学设备，“鱼鹰号”有望将该大学推向海洋研究大学的顶尖行列。与该校现有的研究船资产相比，这艘长 78 英尺的“鱼鹰号”在能力上实现了质的飞跃，并于 9 月 1 日抵达该校海洋中心的母港。

堪萨斯州 托皮卡：在过去的六年里，托皮卡居民发现房价和租金大幅上涨。一项由托皮卡领导层委托开展的新住房研究显示，自 2019 年以来，房价飙升了 63% 以上。租金则上涨了 20%。

肯塔基州 路易斯维尔：福特汽车公司正向肯塔基卡车工厂投资 10 亿美元 billion，该工厂负责组装该公司部分利润最高的产品。福特表示，这笔资金将用于建设一个“顶尖”的涂装车间并进一步使工厂现代化。

路易斯安那州 巴吞鲁日：路易斯安那州野生动物与渔业部的科学家们将在今年秋天抽干五个湖泊，并在路易斯安那州东北部的一个多湖综合体中投放能食用杂草的巨型大蠊象鼻虫。

缅因州 沃特维尔：据 WMTW 报道，缅因儿童之家开设了全新的家庭中心，将多个家庭支持项目整合在同一屋檐下，以改善缅因州各地的家庭在获取咨询、收养、个案管理和育儿服务方面的便利性。

马里兰州 索尔兹伯里：帕克赛德高中的职业与技术教育园艺项目庆祝了一个新温室的启用，并创下了种植纪录——在 11 分 15 秒内安装了 11,400 棵三色堇幼苗。

马萨诸塞州 普罗温斯敦：据海岸研究中心报道，一头被严重缠绕且在两天内一直避开救援人员的小须鲸于 9 月 8 日在诺塞特入海口附近被发现，此前它从最初在鳕鱼角湾被报告的位置移动了 40 多英里。

密歇根州 圣伊格纳斯：9 月 7 日，数万人徒步穿越 5 英里的“强力麦克”（Mighty Mac），完成了 2026 年麦基诺大桥步行活动。据麦基诺大桥管理局称，预计有 34,000 人计划参加，与 2025 年预计 33,000 人参加年度大桥步行相比，参与人数略有增加。

明尼苏达州 圣保罗：据《明尼苏达改革者》报道，尽管在两年内发生了五起导致一名居民死亡和四人住院的独立事件，但明尼苏达州的一家辅助生活设施在居民健康、安全和人员配置方面仍获得了州政府的平均评分。该新闻机构报道称，根据立法审计师办公室的一份新报告，这是因为明尼苏达州人类服务部在发布辅助生活设施的“成绩单”评级时，并未将严重的虐待事件纳入考量。

密西西比州 杰克逊：杰克逊市议会在就城市能否在满足其他需求的同时负担更多警察和消防员进行辩论后，批准了明年的预算。

密苏里州 杰斐逊城：据《密苏里独立报》报道，美国最高法院阻止了一名联邦法官要求密苏里州在 11 月使用经过操纵的国会选区图的命令，使该州重新回到使用 2022 年绘制的选区进行选举的轨道上。

蒙大拿州 布特：据 KBZK 报道，布特中央学校在其 100 多年的历史中首次引入了官方吉祥物——一只名叫 Shamrock 的狼崽。

内布拉斯加州 奥马哈：奥马哈的亨利·杜利动物园和水族馆迎来了首对极危物种蓝眼黑狐猴双胞胎。据 WOWT 报道，这次具有里程碑意义的诞生为该稀有物种的保护带来了希望。

内华达州 黑岩城：今年，有二十多人在燃烧人节的黑岩城通过地面或空中救护车被送往医院。

新罕布什尔州 康科德：通常情况下，新罕布什尔州的城镇可以在选举 22 个月后开始销毁旧的纸质选票。然而，就在 2024 年大选的保留期限即将结束之际，美国司法部（DOJ）命令州政府官员继续保存这些记录，新罕布什尔公共广播电台报道称。

新泽西州 特伦顿：一家联邦上诉法院撤销了新泽西州环境保护局对一项拟建天然气管道水质许可的批准。该管道计划从宾夕法尼亚州穿过新泽西州，并在拉里坦湾下方延伸至纽约。这一裁决给东北部供应增强（Northeast Supply Enhancement）管道项目带来了又一次挫折。

新墨西哥州 阿尔伯克基：圣菲大主教约翰·韦斯特呼吁采取行动解决新墨西哥州日益恶化的水危机。据 KOB4 报道，由于干旱持续给里约格兰德河及全州社区带来压力，他敦促实施节水和公平的水资源政策。

纽约州 费尔维尤：马里斯特大学将在 2027 年为新入学的一年级学生和转学生推出一项经济实惠的计划。该大学的“帝国州承诺”（Empire State Promise）计划将年收入在 \$200,000 或以下的纽约家庭的学费、住宿费和餐饮费上限设定为 \$32,000。其目标是消除就读私立大学的障碍，并扩大纽约家庭在选择大学时的选择范围。

北达科他州 尤拉：据 KFYR 报道，Talon Metals 放弃了在尤拉附近建设镍加工厂的计划，选择利用密歇根州现有的运营设施，而非在北达科他州开发新设施。

俄亥俄州 哥伦布：俄亥俄州将在未来五年通过“人才搜索资助计划”（Talent Search Grant program）获得 \5000万美元 的联邦资金。州领导人表示，这笔奖金将帮助数千名学生为大学和职业生涯做好准备。州长迈克·德温（Mike DeWine）和俄亥俄州高等教育局局长迈克·达菲（Mike Duffey）宣布，俄亥俄州是最大的资助接收方，也是唯一被选定获得资金的新州。

俄克拉荷马州 俄克拉荷马市：俄克拉荷马天然气电力公司（Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company）已与谷歌的一家子公司就一项多年电力协议达成一致。公用事业官员表示，到 2036, 这可能为住宅电费缴纳者每月节省 \$6.84，但俄克拉荷马州公司委员会（Oklahoma Corporation Commission）仍需批准最终命令。

俄勒冈州 林肯县：林肯县沿海地区被破坏的俄勒冈州立公园洗手间的维修费用预计接近 \$100,000.

宾夕法尼亚州 曼彻斯特镇：在 9. 举行 的每月监督委员会会议上，曼彻斯特镇的新酒店条例经一致投票通过正式生效。这份长达 14 页的酒店条例将要求办理年度许可证、接受检查并符合安全和物业标准。

罗德岛州 普罗维登斯：罗杰·威廉姆斯公园动物园的一头斑马在显然被另一只动物伤害后死亡。动物园在社交媒体帖子中表示，这头名为 Zipper 的斑马在 9 月 3, 被发现“受了重伤，据推测是由同栖息地的同类造成的”。

南卡罗来纳州 皮肯斯县：生产金属建筑组件的公司 Tyson Steel Building Products 正在搬迁至皮肯斯县，以启动其在南卡罗来纳州的首个站点。根据州长亨利·麦克马斯特（Henry McMaster）办公室的消息，Tyson Steel 将向其皮肯斯县的运营投入 \$15.1500 万。

南达科他州 阿伯丁：北州立大学将于 9 月 16 日启动 2026 年秋季“正午论坛”系列活动，届时将由政治学教授乔恩·沙夫（Jon Schaff）进行演讲。沙夫将探讨“林肯的宣言”，通过亚伯拉罕·林肯的视角审视《独立宣言》，并重点关注《葛底斯堡演说》。

田纳西州 纳什维尔：全美最大的护理学校正在纳什维尔建设校园，以解决田纳西州日益严重的医疗保健人员短缺问题。预计该州在 9 年内将面临 8,500 名护士的缺口。总部位于伊利诺伊州的钱伯林大学（Chamberlain University）校长阿米莉亚·曼宁（Amelia Manning）表示，该校已于 9 月 9 日在“音乐之都”开始面试潜在学生，计划在 1 月初启动其三年加速课程。

德克萨斯州 阿马里洛：自火灾席卷波特县的毕晓普庄园（Bishop Estates）社区及其周边地区近四个月以来，幸存者仍在艰难地进行清理和恢复工作。该区域位于阿马里洛西北部，靠近市垃圾填埋场，当地居民表示目前尚未聘请承包商来清理碎片。

犹他州 图伊尔：图伊尔县学区的一名代班巴士司机被解雇，此前两名有特殊需求的小学生被遗留在校车上，且车辆在未将学生送往学校的情况下返回了运输场。据 KSL 报道，此事引发了要求加强全州巴士安全措施的呼吁。

佛蒙特州 南伯灵顿：一场聚焦于可持续发展、能源效率和环境教育的社区节日计划于 9 月 19 日在南伯灵顿市政厅举行，备选雨天日期为 9 月 20 日。

弗吉尼亚州 韦恩斯伯勒：韦恩斯伯勒公立学校宣布，西伍德山小学（Westwood Hills Elementary School）将于 9 月 17 日重新向学生开放。自 9 月 2 日发生一起导致嫌疑人死亡、一名工作人员受伤的校园枪击事件以来，该小学一直处于关闭状态。

华盛顿州 西雅图：据《华盛顿州标准报》（Washington State Standard）报道，在 8 月的华盛顿州初选中，有超过 20,000 张选票因提交过晚而被拒绝，比 2024 年多出数千张。

西弗吉尼亚州 舍泼德斯敦：居民和游客受邀参加 9 月 19 日在舍泼德斯敦举行的第二届年度“我们人民”宪法日游行。参与者将携带美国宪法的放大页穿过城镇，随后聚集在一起进行公开朗读和反思。

威斯康星州 麦迪逊：威斯康星州计划生育协会（Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin）提起了一项新诉讼，挑战两项长期存在的州法律，旨在确立堕胎的宪法权利——这一裁定可能会为未来进一步扩大堕胎获取渠道铺平道路。

怀俄明州 大角山：据《谢里登新闻报》（The Sheridan Press）报道，大角山娱乐与早期学习中心将于 9 月 17 日举行奠基仪式。该中心是一项计划中的社区设施，将提供室内娱乐空间和扩展的早期儿童教育服务。

来自今日美国（USA TODAY）网络及电讯报道

X世代仍深受大衰退影响

1994年的电影《现实残酷》（Reality Bites），由伊桑·霍克（左）、薇诺娜·瑞德、珍妮恩·加罗福洛和史蒂夫·赞主演，描绘了X世代的生活。图片提供：VAN REDIN / UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

该群体遭受经济挫折打击

丹尼尔·德·维塞 (Daniel de Visé)

今日美国 (USA TODAY)

对于目前的财务担忧，X世代将其归咎于通货膨胀，归咎于新冠疫情，归咎于2008年的大衰退，以及20世纪90年代后期的互联网泡沫。

这读起来像是一份经济挫折的清单。但X世代在生活和工作（或失业）过程中，经历了一连串的金融冲击，这一系列的经济低迷在很大程度上定义了这一代人，至少在财务层面是如此。

简历构建网站 Zety 最近的一项调查要求 1,003 名 X世代劳动者指出阻碍其财务状况的主要经济事件。他们的回答如下：

• $64\%$ 的人提到过去几年高通胀导致的物价上涨

• 46% 的人归咎于新冠疫情

• 23% 的人提及 2008 和 2009 年的大衰退

• $10\%$ 的人追溯到 2000 年代初期破裂的互联网泡沫

“我认为我们在这里看到的是一种复合效应：每隔几年就被某种东西击中一次，”Zety 的职业专家贾斯敏·埃斯卡莱拉 (Jasmine Escalera) 表示。

对X世代而言，退休现实残酷

Zety 的调查是众多报告中最新的一篇，显示 X世代在面对即将到来的退休生活时倍感挣扎。

X世代出生于 1965 年至 1980 年之间。该群体中最年长的人现在 61, 岁，距离获得社会保障金资格还差一年。

在受访的 X世代中，略多于一半的人表示担心自己为退休储蓄不足。近五分之二的人预计将在 68 岁或更晚退休，或者根本不退休。

一种普遍的经济理论认为，X世代比其前后的世代面临更多的挣扎。

许多 X世代在互联网泡沫（即 2000 年破裂的科技股繁荣）之前或期间进入职场。

几年后，当大衰退袭来时，许多 X世代正处于收入最高的人生黄金期。

“在我们成年生活的黄金时期，我们经历了一个失去的十年，”伊利诺伊州沃伦维尔的财富管理顾问菲尔·巴廷 (Phil Battin) 表示，他本人也是 X世代。

一辈子的财务挫折

每一代人都在大衰退中遭受了损失，但经济研究表明，X世代的遭遇比大多数人更严重。

佛罗里达州坦帕市西北互助保险公司 (Northwestern Mutual) 旗下 Riverwalk Wealth Advisors 的私人财富顾问约翰·费尔克罗斯 (John Faircloth) 表示，X世代的财务动荡可以说比互联网泡沫“追溯得更远”。

许多年长的 X世代在 1990年代 和 1991, 年的经济衰退期间大学毕业，这为他们的职业生涯奠定了阴郁的基调。

“如果你按顺序思考，你经历了 1990 年代的衰退，然后有几年好日子，接着我们被互联网泡沫摧毁，然后又有几年好日子，接着我们又被全球金

X世代在 401(k) 计划出现时成年

X世代在成年之时，国家也正开始采用一种新的退休模式，该模式要求员工通过 401(k) 账户积累储蓄，而非依赖职场养老金。

根据西北互助保险公司（Northwestern Mutual）的 2026 年《规划与进展研究》，X世代的平均开始退休储蓄年龄为 32 岁。

相比之下，典型的千禧一代在 28 岁开始储蓄，而 Z世代的平均开始年龄为 22 岁。

Voya 投资管理公司分销主管蒂法尼·波特斯塔（Tiffani Potesta）表示：“在退休规划中，这并非一个很小的延迟。”

根据西北互助保险公司的数据，X世代预计的退休年龄也比年轻员工晚：平均为 67 岁。典型的千禧一代计划在 64 岁退休，Z世代的平均退休年龄为 61 岁。

波特斯塔表示，由于起步较早，Z世代在退休时拥有的退休储蓄“可能是 X世代的两倍”。

退休专家表示，在经历了所有这些经济冲击之后，许多 X世代感到对退休准备不足并不令人惊讶。

但现在准备还不算太晚。以下是为 X世代员工加强退休计划提供的一些建议。

最大化你的退休储蓄

得益于联邦法律最近的修订，接近退休年龄的 X世代可以在 401(k) 账户中比以往储蓄更多。

在 2026 年，任何拥有 401(k) 计划的员工最高可缴纳 24,500 美元。50 岁或以上的储蓄者可以进行最高 8,000 美元的额外“补缴”贡献，使总缴纳额提高到 32,500 美元。60、61、62 和 63 岁的员工则拥有更高的“超级补缴贡献”上限，为 11,250 美元。

制定退休计划

显然，X世代对退休感到担忧。但他们可能在规划方面投入的时间不足。

根据跨美洲退休研究中心（Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies）的数据，只有 29% 的美国人定期进行退休规划，且只有 31% 的人寻求专业财务顾问的帮助。

费尔克罗斯（Faircloth）表示：“每个人都应该有一份书面计划。”

延长工作时间；推迟领取社会保障金

退休专家表示，即使多工作一两年，以及将领取社会保障金的时间推迟几年，也能极大地改善你的退休前景。

斯坦福大学的一项研究发现，仅将退休时间推迟三到六个月，对退休储蓄产生的影响，相当于将 401(k) 的缴款率提高一个完整百分点并持续 30 年。

许多经济学家表示，如果员工推迟领取社会保障金，通常会更有利。从 62 岁到 70 岁，你每推迟一年领取，每月的福利支票金额就会增加。

USA TODAY / 2026 年 9 月 15 日，星期二 / C 版

金色统治的一抹色彩

MVP 布里安娜·斯图尔特及其队友与美国国家队领袖在世界杯赛场上占据绝对优势

米切尔·诺瑟姆、西德尼·亨德森、凯莉·芬和梅根·L·霍尔，来自《今日美国》

美国国家女子篮球队再次夺金。● 尽管在上半场落后 14 分，但美国队在 9 月 13. 日于柏林举行的 FIBA 女篮世界杯金牌赛中奋起反击，以 97-79 轻松战胜法国队。这是美国国家队连续第五次赢得世界杯冠军。● 布里安娜·斯图尔特在获胜中贡献了 22 分、10 个篮板和 4 次助攻，领衔全队并被评为 MVP。她与苏·伯德并列为美国国家队历史上唯一拥有四枚世界杯金牌的球员。

“四次世界杯冠军？这与历史最高纪录持平，”美国国家队教练卡拉·劳森表示。“她就是美国篮球的代表。当你回顾过去 15 年，那就是斯图尔特的时代。我们非常幸运能成为她这个 era. 的一部分。”

杰基·杨为美国队贡献了 18 分、6 个篮板和 5 次助攻，而卡莉亚·库珀得到了 15 分，切尔西·格雷和凯特琳·克拉克各得 12 分。

这是法国队首次进入金牌赛，但仍未能阻止美国队连续第五次夺得世界杯桂冠。法国队由 WNBA 球星加比·威廉姆斯和多米尼克·马隆加领衔，两人合计砍下 41 分。

顶部：9 月 13 日赢得 FIBA 女篮世界杯决赛后，美国国家队球员们紧紧相拥。底部：布里安娜·斯图尔特在确保获得第四枚世界杯金牌后，砍下 22 分并被评为赛事 MVP。照片由 ANNEGRET HILSE 和 MARYAM MAJD / 路透社提供

赢家：美国队的老将们

老将们证明了他们就是现在的主力。

当美国队在上半场陷入 14 分的劣势时——这是他们在整个赛事中的最大分差——布里安娜·斯图尔特、切尔西·格雷、杰基·杨和卡莉亚·库珀这四人组扛起了美国队的重任。斯图尔特（20 分，10 个篮板）、杨（18 分）、格雷（12 分）和库珀（15 分）合计贡献了 65 分。这四位美国队老将在金牌赛中每人都至少出场了 27 分钟。

美国国家队由老将和崛起的新星共同组成，但正是这组经验丰富的球员稳住了局面，扭转了势头，并引导美国队连续第五次获得金牌。

“年轻且激进”的群体可能是美国女篮的未来，但该队的经验核心——

佩奇·布克斯的出场时间被限制在 3 分钟以内。索尼娅·西特龙和基基·伊里亚-芬每人的出场时间不足 2 分钟。他们是接班人，但像斯图尔特、杨、格雷和库珀这样的人证明了现在依然是他们的时代。

详见美国队报道，第 7℃ 页

贾雷特·贝尔 专栏作家 《今日美国》

罗杰斯与麦卡锡再次合拍，钢人队获胜

在阿克里舒尔体育场（Acrisure Stadium）主场观众的见证下，匹兹堡钢人队赢得了赛季揭幕战，更衣室的庆祝活动中出现了一个恰到好处的温馨时刻。

亚伦·罗杰斯向迈克·麦卡锡赠送了一颗比赛球。

这一刻期待已久。麦卡锡和罗杰斯自 2018 年在格林贝包装工队效力以来，就再也没有共同赢得过一场比赛。而 62 岁的麦卡锡是匹兹堡本地人，在他从小支持的这支球队中开启了他的梦想之职，并取得了良好的开端。

“显然，这是一个特殊的时刻，”麦卡锡在 9 月 13 日以 20-13 击败猎鹰队的赛后新闻发布会上说道，“非常感谢亚伦以及他的赞美之词。”

麦卡锡在回顾时显得有些不好意思，承认在迎接首秀的过程中投入了太多的情感。

他用很多话表达了这样一个意思：已经足够了。“现在是时候向前看，从现在起赢得更多球队胜利了，”他说。

事实上，钢人队展现了极佳的团队协作，最终战胜了人员不足的猎鹰队，后者被迫由 3 号四分卫库珀·拉什首发。决定胜负的分数并非来自麦卡锡和罗杰斯所率领的进攻端

见 BELL，第 7℃ 页

熊队四分卫卡莱布·威廉姆斯贡献了两次传球达阵和两次冲球达阵。

兹维列夫在美网“徒劳测试”中击败谢尔顿

Scooby Axson USA TODAY

纽约 —— 亚历山大·兹维列夫延续了美国男选手的苦难，将美国男选手数十年未能赢得大满贯网球赛的纪录延长。他在美国网球公开赛决赛中以 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 6-2 击败本·谢尔顿，夺得今年的第二个大满贯冠军。

亚瑟·阿什体育场内 24,000 名支持谢尔顿的观众感到十分失望。自从安迪·罗迪克在 2003 年 9 月 7 日（谢尔顿出生于此日期前近 11 个月）的美网决赛中击败胡安·卡洛斯·费雷罗以来，美国男选手的冠军荒将继续延长，距离这位国际网球名人堂成员在路易斯·阿姆斯特朗体育场举起奖杯已过去 8,407 天。

“我们有 30 年没有赢得大满贯冠军；现在我们在三个月内赢了两座，”兹维列夫在 9 月 13 日说道，他指的是波里斯·贝克尔，后者是最后一名通过 1996 年澳大利亚公开赛夺冠的德国男选手。贝克尔也是最后一名赢得美国网球公开赛（1989 年）的德国男选手。“尽管观众反对我，但这依然是一个令人难以置信的比赛氛围。你们带来了能量和喧嚣。”

见 OPEN，第 2℃ 页

MLB 权力排名

格雷罗二世与蓝鸟队能否在季后赛冲刺阶段实现逆袭？

盖布·拉克（Gabe Lacques） 今日美国（USA TODAY）

弗拉基米尔·格雷罗二世实现了此前看似不可能的目标。他的多伦多蓝鸟队能否紧随其后？

这支卫冕的美国联盟冠军在整个赛季的表现均低于预期，这与他们的超级巨星、身价 5亿美元 的球员如出一辙。截至 9 月 13, 后者本赛季在罗杰斯中心尚未击出本垒打——对于一个曾单赛季击出 48 支本垒打的人来说，这相当于经历了 75 场比赛的“火力中断”。

但格雷罗终于打破僵局，击出了本赛季在加拿大的首支长打。这是他连续三场比赛击出本垒打中的第二支（对手为巴尔的摩队的特雷弗·罗杰斯），现场观众齐声高喊他的名字，队友们也欣喜若狂。

现在，在几乎整个赛季都处于 .500 胜率线以下之后，蓝鸟队距离季后赛席位仅差 1 场比赛，并在《今日美国》体育的 MLB 实力排名中上升至 No. 13。

就像目前本赛季拥有 8 支本垒打的“弗拉迪”一样，蓝鸟队能否证明现在追赶还不算太晚？

本周他们拥有一个绝佳的追分机会：他们落后克利夫兰守护者队 1 场比赛，落后美国联盟中区领先的芝加哥白袜队 $1 \frac{1}{2}$ 。这两支球队将进行三场系列赛，而多伦多队则在 9 月 14. 开始与底特律老虎队交手。蓝鸟队目前的战绩为 75-75, 自 4 月 1. （当时战绩为 4-2）以来，他们从未在 .500 胜率线之上保持 2 场以上的优势。

如果在最后 12 场比赛中能达到那种“高度”，一个极低概率的季后赛席位或许就在眼前。

以下是我们进入 9 月 14 周更新后的 MLB 实力排名：

1. 密尔沃基酿酒人队 (−)：本周将锁定国家联盟中区冠军，并有望在下周打破球队胜场纪录（97）。

2. 洛杉矶道奇队 (−)：埃德温·迪亚兹看起来更像是被强制停止，而非从康复任务中回归。

3. 坦帕湾光芒队 (+1)：维克多·梅萨（.845 OPS）为他们提供了另一个季后赛强力击球手。

4. 亚特兰大勇士队 (-2)：基本上锁定了分區冠军，所以这周表现如何并不重要。但想要获得首轮轮空可能要求太高了。

5. 纽约洋基队 (−)：卡姆·施利特勒正接近赛扬奖，但关于 MVP 的讨论得稍微缓一缓。

6. 芝加哥小熊队 (−)：本周与亚特兰大队的三场比赛将让他们提前预演季后赛系列赛。

7. 波士顿红袜队 (+1)：今年在对阵美国联盟中区球队时表现强势，战绩为 19-9。

8. 费城费城人队 (-1)：赫苏斯·卢扎多肩部炎症至少在目前看来是一个重大隐患。

9. 圣迭戈教徒队 (−)：23, 岁的杰克逊·梅里尔是一名 25-25 球员。

10. 亚利桑那响尾蛇队 (+1)：目前落后教徒队 3 场；需要确保常规赛最后一个周末的系列赛不仅仅是一张彩票。

11. 芝加哥白袜队 (-1)：自 7 月 4 日以来一直至少共同占据美国联盟中区第一。在对阵克利夫兰之前将保持半场领先。

12. 克利夫兰守护者队 (−)：连续第二年，他们可以在最后一个主场系列赛中掌控分區局势。

13. 多伦多蓝鸟队 (+2)：迪伦·西斯与酿酒人队的雅各布·米西奥罗夫斯基在争夺大联盟三振王方面处于白热化竞争。

14. 休斯顿太空人队 (-1)：他们仍有可能赢得美国联盟西区，但被坦帕湾横扫表明他们在季后赛的停留时间可能不会太长。

15. 迈阿密马林鱼队 (-1)：不知为何赢得了本赛季与道奇队的系列赛。

16. 圣路易斯红雀队 (−)：亚历克·伯莱森的大联盟领先打点数达到 109, 是自 2022 年保罗·戈德施密特拿到 115 个以来红雀队的最高纪录。

17. 匹兹堡海盗队 (+1)：胜率回到 .500. 他们能否实现自 2018 年以来的首个胜场数领先赛季？

18. 德克萨斯游骑兵队 (-1)：落后休斯顿 1 场，主场对阵红袜队和蓝鸟队的比赛将充满挑战。

19. 巴尔的摩金莺队 (+1)：先发投手凯尔·布拉迪什因下腹部不适而停止比赛。

20. 明尼苏达双城队 (+1)：埃马纽埃尔·罗德里格斯完成了期待已久的首秀，并在第一次击球时击出本垒打。

21. 辛辛那提红人队 (-2)：红人队将

弗拉基米尔·格雷罗二世在 9 月 13 日于罗杰斯中心击出本赛季首支本垒打后，受到了队友乔什·史密斯和迈尔斯·斯特劳的庆祝。 JOHN E. SOKOLOWSKI / IMAGN IMAGES VIA REUTERS

与尼克·克拉尔继续合作。

22. 底特律老虎队 (+1)：杰克逊·乔布首次投球进入第七局。

23. 华盛顿国民队 (-1)：乔比特·维瓦斯在连续两场比赛中分别击出领先分和扳平分的安打。

24. 西雅图水手队 (−)：令人震惊的是，乔什·内勒在 ABS 挑战中的命中率为 6-for-24，为大联盟最低。

25. 纽约大都会队 (−)：克里斯蒂安·斯科特在 22 场出场中取得 3.76 的防御率，对于汤米·约翰手术后的第一年来说表现非常出色。

26. 堪萨斯城皇家队 (−)：卡特·詹森的第 24 支本垒打追平了鲍勃·哈梅林保持的皇家队新秀纪录。

27. 旧金山巨人队 (−)：拉斐尔·德韦尔斯的缺阵令人非常遗憾，因为他当时正接近达成单赛季 40 支本垒打的成绩。

28. 奥克兰运动家队 (-)：谢伊·兰格利尔在 7 月右半月板撕裂修复后，以令人印象深刻的速度回到了约洛县。

29. 洛杉矶天使队 (+1)：在华盛顿遭遇惨淡横扫，三次浪费领先优势。

30. 科罗拉多落基山队 (-1)：处于 5-20 的低迷期，100 场失利的局面看来已成现实。

亚历山大·兹维列夫成为自 1989. 年鲍里斯·贝克尔以来，首位赢得美国网球公开赛男单冠军的德国选手。GEOFF BURKE / IMAGN IMAGES VIA REUTERS

公开赛

接第 1℃ 页

谢尔顿试图成为第八位赢得美国网球公开赛的美国男子选手，以及自拉斐尔·纳达尔以来首位左手冠军。

兹维列夫在最需要的时候发力，在第四盘两次破发谢尔顿。在冠军点上，兹维列夫的接球飞过了谢尔顿的头顶，造成了谢尔顿 47 次非强制性失误中的一次。兹维列夫凭借这次胜利获得了 $5.5 百万加元的奖金，他当时如此专注，以至于直到观众开始雷鸣般的掌声时，他才意识到自己赢得了比赛。

“我以为比分是 5-1，”兹维列夫在谈到冠军点上的困惑时说道，并提到在纽约的这几周漫长且艰辛。

23 岁的谢尔顿尽管输球，但排名将升至职业生涯最高的第 4 位，这在一定程度上能平息关于美国男子网球的质疑，尽管罗迪克 20 年前在法拉盛草地球场赢得的唯一一座大满贯冠军，将因美国男子大满贯历史上最长的一段空白期而继续成为每年的常识问答题。谢尔顿经历了一场令人难忘的赛事，在四分之一决赛中，他在一场持续 4 小时 28 分钟、于东部时间凌晨 3:33 a.m. ET 结束的比赛中击败了卫冕冠军卡洛斯·阿尔卡拉斯，随后在半决赛中击败了好友弗朗西斯·蒂亚福。

作为本次赛事的头号种子，兹维列夫利用其 6 英尺 6 英寸的身高和臂展，基本抵消了谢尔顿的发球优势，后者的发球时速在赛事期间最高达到了 140 英里。谢尔顿在击败蒂亚福的比赛中有 20 个 ace 球；但在决赛中仅有 10 个。兹维列夫赢下了第一盘的前两局和最后一局，而谢尔顿在首发发球被破发后，难以获得任何稳定性，并试图通过有效的二发来争取关键分。

两人在第二盘均未能破发，比赛进入抢七。谢尔顿终于获得了扭转局势的机会并加以利用。但事与愿违，他在抢七中 0-5 落后，随后在谢尔顿接发球击中球网时，兹维列夫将比赛拖入了决胜盘。第三盘的情况与之前类似，再次导致抢七。这一次，谢尔顿成功转化；兹维列夫在第 12 局被破发，使谢尔顿得以延长比赛。

谢尔顿目前对阵兹维列夫的战绩为 0-6，在这些对决中仅赢了两盘。这位 28 岁的德国选手在经历了前两轮艰苦的五盘大战后，在美国网球公开赛上发力。直到周日的决赛之前，他没有再丢掉任何一盘。

[...OMITTED...]

“在你们面前比赛是一份礼物，”谢尔顿在场上采访中说道。“我拥有业内最优秀的支持团队。在家人陪伴下完成这一切，以及这四个将生命奉献给我的职业生涯、陪我周游世界的伙伴，这种投入程度是超乎寻常的。我非常感谢你们。我才刚刚开始，我还会回来的。”

在赢得法国公开赛后，兹维列夫成为了自 2024 年以来首位在同一年赢得首两个大满贯冠军的球员；当时，此后又赢得了三个大满贯冠军的詹尼克·辛纳完成了这一壮举。

为一位特别的人准备的特别书籍

关于凯尔·布什（Kyle Busch）的精装书

限时 10% 折扣

\$35.95（原价 \$39.95），另加税费及运费；优惠于 10 月 7 日截止，书籍将于 11 月 13 日发货

封面并非最终版本

234 场 NASCAR 赛事胜利。两次杯赛冠军。一个过早逝去的“Rowdy”人生。

凯尔·布什改写了 NASCAR 的纪录本。他是最年轻的杯赛获胜者，也是 Xfinity 和卡车赛胜利次数的历史领先者。他在 2015 年和 2019 年获得杯赛赛季冠军。他是这项运动每个级别的竞争者。

《永远的 Rowdy》（Forever Rowdy）通过 128 页由 USA TODAY 体育频道提供的摄影和报道，讲述了他令人难忘的故事。这是一本向其职业生涯、冠军头衔、竞争对手以及这位毫无保留的赛车手致敬的精装书。书籍将于 11 月发货，适合作为节日礼物。立即预订您的副本！

立即在 Rowdy.USATbook.com 预订

关于最强球队的激烈争论已经开始

Nate Davis

USA TODAY

巴尔的摩乌鸦队四分卫拉马尔·杰克逊（Lamar Jackson，8号）在9月13日于印第安纳波利斯的卢卡斯油球场对阵马球队的下半场比赛中准备交球。TREVOR RUSZKOWSKI / IMAGN IMAGES VIA REUTERS

底特律狮子队跑卫贾米尔·吉布斯（Jahmyr Gibbs）在面对圣徒队的第50场NFL比赛中，持球冲球29次，推进156码并获得两次达阵（TD）。LON HORWEDEL / IMAGN IMAGES VIA REUTERS

关于2026年NFL赛季第一周我们学到的32件事：

0. 依然是纽约喷气机队防守端自2025赛季开始以来的截球数——但“绿帮”（Gang Green）对于在9月13日以23-10击败田纳西泰坦队及其前教练罗伯特·萨利（Robert Saleh）并开启2026赛季感到非常欣喜。

1. 也就是谁是NFL的第一名？我们将在22周后，也就是第61届超级碗在情人节结束时知道答案。但就目前而言？NFC全明星队，呃，洛杉矶公羊队，在澳大利亚惨败，且在接下来的至少一个月内将失去超级巨星迈尔斯·加雷特（Myles Garrett）。卫冕冠军西雅图海鹰队在超级碗重赛中幸存，但在第3周之前将无法获得受伤的四分卫萨姆·达诺德（Sam Darnold）的回归。布法罗比尔队和芝加哥熊队在击败那些并非以进攻火力著称的对手时，几乎没有进行任何防守。在9月14日于堪萨斯城参加“周一橄榄球之夜”开启赛季的丹佛野马队是否值得成为第一？一份全新的实力排名将在大约一天后给出答案，请保持关注。

2. 也就是海鹰队第二四分卫（QB2）德鲁·洛克（Drew Lock）的球衣号码，他似乎和达诺德一样深受队友喜爱。“多年来我们一直说德鲁是NFL中最好的二号（备份四分卫），”海鹰队安全卫朱利安·洛夫（Julian Love）在9月9日险胜新英格兰爱国者队后表示。鉴于西雅图“黑暗面”防守端的持续统治力——以及9月底对阵亚利桑那红雀队和华盛顿指挥官队的比赛——这里的赌注是冠军球队在没有达诺德的一两周内会没问题。我可以告诉你，周三在更衣室里几乎没有人担心达诺德的缺席，除了基于其髋部伤势当前预后的个人层面考虑——尤其是考虑到洛克在揭幕战中展现出的效率（113.3四分卫评分）、自信和气场。

2a. 预计在进入第2周时会看到几位第二四分卫（QB2）的变动——或者至少是调整——洛克将为西雅图首发。亚特兰大的频繁更替以及凯勒·马雷（Kyler Murray）在明尼苏达遭遇的脑震荡，可能预示着中锋位置后方将有更多变动。

+3. 辛辛那提孟加拉虎队周日的失误差——这是他们自2023赛季开始以来仅有的三次达成此项数据的记录之一，而这恰好与他们目前的季后赛荒相吻合。但在以33-27击败坦帕湾海盗队的比赛中，辛辛那提的新面貌防守端强迫对方出现了四次掉球（其中一次被对方反击达阵），在由乔·波罗（Joe Burrow）率领的进攻端仅贡献两次达阵的那一天，这一点至关重要。

4. 也就是四位在随后的休赛期更换球队的超级碗MVP，最新的一位是堪萨斯城酋长队的跑卫肯尼斯·沃克三世（Kenneth Walker III）。他原定于周一晚上在箭头球场对阵野马队的比赛中完成堪萨斯城首秀，如果酋长队认为有必要在帕特里克·马霍姆斯（Patrick Mahomes）因膝伤导致2025赛季提前结束后的首场回归赛中保护这位四分卫，他可能会承担相当大的工作量。

5. 进入周日时，第一周比赛中最长的现役连胜纪录，这一纪录由海盗队和费城老鹰队共有……而现在在以24-22险胜华盛顿指挥官队后，该纪录由费城独占。

6. 联盟历史上在前50场常规赛中获得50次达阵的球员人数。欢迎加入这个俱乐部，贾米尔·吉布斯。

7. 虽然比赛质量并不太高，但公羊队和旧金山49人队在墨尔本板球场聚集了100,021名球迷，这是常规赛历史上第七大观众规模。你觉得NFL不会再回到大洋洲了吗？

8. 巴尔的摩乌鸦队四分卫拉马尔·杰克逊的球衣号码。在他由新进攻协调员德克兰·多伊尔执教的首场比赛中，他传球获得324码并完成一次达阵，以41-23的比分大胜印第安纳波利斯小马队。杰克逊曾在新协调员执教的第一年两次获得联盟MVP，但在他（以及巴尔的摩队）令人极其失望的2025赛季中，单场传球码数从未达到300码。

9. 但对于乌鸦队而言，同样重要的是跑卫德里克·亨利，他在这赛季的开局中表现出色，冲球获得三个达阵，使其在辉煌的11年职业生涯中累计达到125个达阵——在NFL历史上排名第三，仅次于名人堂成员埃米特·史密斯（164个）和拉戴尼安·汤姆林森（145个）。

10. 本赛季新任主教练的人数，并列为单一招聘周期中的最高人数。这些新人们在首场比赛中合计取得了6-4的战绩，而约翰·哈博的纽约巨人队在周日晚上以28-20击败达拉斯牛仔队，确保了第一周的胜局。

11. 杰克逊美洲虎队角卫 / 外接手特拉维斯·亨特在两次接球中获得的码数，在美洲虎队34-10大胜克利夫兰布朗队的比赛中，他在防守端的全职角色中还完成了一次擒抱。

12. 亨特的球衣号码。美洲虎队在2025年以榜眼秀（第二顺位）选中了他——为此美洲虎队从克利夫兰获得了2号签——希望他能成为改变比赛的力量，并成为小市场杜瓦尔县球迷的宠儿。这在他因伤受限的新秀赛季中并未实现，而周日的比赛也不能很好地衡量他在第二年可能产生的影响。

13. 但值得注意的是——是的，在经过一周后——美洲虎队在美联南区独占榜首。四分卫特雷弗·劳伦斯传了四个达阵，并创造了职业生涯最佳的150.6传球评分，他正继续成长为一名建队核心球员，或许能达到像乔什·艾伦 0.9 那样的水平。

14. 劳伦斯还不是艾伦，这位比尔队的球星在36-31险胜休斯顿德州人队的比赛中贡献了四个达阵（两次传球，两次冲球），而德州人队在2025年拥有联盟第一的防守。这是艾伦在 Reliant 体育场此前四次首发全部落败后，在休斯顿取得的首场胜利。“比尔迷”（Bills Mafia）当然希望这是一个预兆，预示着艾伦及其队友将取得更大的突破，他们本赛季的目标是赢得球队历史上首个超级碗冠军。

15. 联盟历史上传球达阵至少300次的四分卫人数。拉斯维加斯突袭队的柯克·考辛斯在周日27-13击败迈阿密海豚队的比赛中加入了这一行列。

16. 考辛斯的稳定存在，使得2026年选秀状元费尔南多·门多萨成为了自2018年贝克·梅菲尔德以来，首位从替补席开始职业生涯的状元。

17. 回到休斯顿，这对德州人队来说是令人沮丧的一天——不仅仅是因为比尔队瓦解了他们的防守。角卫卡马里·莱斯特本可以通过拦截艾伦的一次粗心传球来赢得比赛，但他在端区没能接住球——而这位2024年的MVP在随后的一次进攻中就投出了被证明为绝杀的传球。休斯顿四分卫C.J. 斯特劳德也延续了令人担忧的失误趋势，他的第一次掉球导致布法罗队获得前3分，而第二次掉球则在比尔队阵地深处终结了德州人队的最后一次进攻。

18. 迈克·拉弗勒 > 马特·拉弗勒。

19. 迈克·拉弗勒 > 迈克·麦丹尼尔。

20. 但喷气机队和迈克·拉-弗勒的红雀队（两人将在本赛季晚些时候相遇）在争夺2027年NFL选秀状元阿奇·曼宁的过程中，是否造成了不可挽回的损害？基于我们周六晚上看到的曼宁和德克萨斯大学长角牛队的表现，只能说（朱利安）赛因（Sayin'）。

21. 熊队和卡罗来纳黑豹队在周日共计砍下 96 分，创下第一周比赛的最高得分纪录。此前的纪录由海盗队（瑞安·菲茨帕特里克时期）和新奥尔良圣徒队（德鲁·布里斯时期）共同保持，当时海盗队在那场对攻战中以 48-40 获胜，时间是 2018 年。

22. 呃，现在还早……才第一周，等等。但熊队的得分进度已经远超 2013 年丹佛野马队的联盟得分纪录（606 分）——而打破该纪录正是执教第二年的主教练本·约翰逊所设定的目标。

23. 芝加哥在周日大胜黑豹队的比赛中拿下了 59 分，远高于野马队的场均得分（37.9）。（我提到过现在是第一周吗？）但既然在聊揭幕战，历史上只有 1973 年的亚特兰大猎鹰队在赛季首场比赛中得分更高（62 分）。

24. 既然你想知道，这里有几个有趣的事实：73 年的猎鹰队在第二场比赛中被零封，在该赛季第二周到第四周之间总共仅得 15 分，且未能进入季后赛。

25. 尽管如此，我们敢打赌 2026 年的猎鹰队无法接近 73 年那支球队的九场胜利——这主要是因为亚特兰大在四分卫位置上的不确定性：由于图亚·塔戈瓦伊洛受伤，游走于各队的 QB3 库珀·拉什被迫在周日于匹兹堡首发，而未被选中的新秀 QB4 杰克·斯特兰则在后方候命。（而且社交媒体上的猎鹰队球迷似乎非常渴望看到在季前赛表现出色的斯特兰在周日获得上场机会。）

26. 拉什在第四节的一次被截获并被对方得分（pick-six）——由钢人队明星外线卫 T.J. 瓦特完成——成为了猎鹰队无法克服的打击，最终以 20-13 告负。这次表现也让瓦特与名人堂成员朱利叶斯·佩珀斯一起，成为了 1982 年擒杀成为正式统计数据以来，唯一两名职业生涯至少拥有 100 次擒杀和 10 次截球的球员。

27. 瓦特在比赛中还两次擒杀拉什，目前在竞争 AFC 本周最佳防守球员方面占据先机。对于一名在进入 NFL 第 10 个赛季之初，在匹兹堡的前景似乎并不明朗的球员来说，这是一个不错的开始。

28. 今日之战？底特律狮队在加时赛中以 31-30 险胜圣徒队如何？圣徒队在客场尝试了 2 分转换（以求获胜），但最后一球未能成功。尽管如此，在克服了 21 分的劣势（至少是暂时克服）且在联盟最艰苦的场地之一面对最具爆发力的球队之一后，完全有理由相信新奥尔良队在本赛季具备竞争 NFC 南区冠军的实力。至于狮队呢？

29. 底特律跑卫贾米尔·吉布斯承担的冲球次数创下职业生涯新高——他对阵圣徒队的 34 次触球同样是生涯最高。在吉布斯通过阵地战获得 186 码和两个达阵之日，他的幻想足球所有者无疑欣喜若狂，因为他正式进入了在底特律作为绝对核心（bell cow）的第一赛季。但如果狮队如此依赖一名在职业生涯前三个赛季分担职责期间场均触球仅 17.5 次（仅为周日工作量的一半）的球员，这种极高强度的工作量可能很难维持。

30. 作为一个一直在向小儿子介绍蜘蛛侠乐趣的父亲，给底特律的德里克·巴恩斯点赞。但显然，我的达阵区庆祝动作还需要改进。

31. 在那些将进攻体系交给毫无经验、且在五分钟前还是联盟替补的协调员的 NFC 东区球队中，第一轮“先锋”是费城老鹰队，他们勉强击败了指挥官队。

32. 最后——且极有可能是排名最低的（等待权力排名更新）——布朗队。拜托，伙计们，认真的吗？专栏作家和球迷得尖叫到什么程度，你们才会把德尚·沃森放到替补席上？永远地放下去？但显然，首年主教练托德·蒙肯——或者他的上级——并不打算听取建议，即便在周日被杰克逊维尔美洲虎队以 34-10 痛击之后也是如此。释放谢德尔！

佛罗里达州立大学在担任体育总监四年后解雇阿尔福德

约翰·莱乌齐 (John Leuzzi)

2025年3月8日，在佛罗里达州立大学男子篮球教练伦纳德·汉密尔顿退休前的最后一场主场比赛后，迈克尔·阿尔福德就汉密尔顿发表评论。ALICIA DEVINE / THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT – USA TODAY NETWORK VIA REUTERS

USA TODAY

佛罗里达州立大学做出了一项重大的行政变动。

该大学于9月14日宣布，已解雇体育总监迈克尔·阿尔福德 (Michael Alford)，结束了他领导塞米诺尔人 (Seminoles) 体育部门近五年的任期。

此次变动发生在佛罗里达州立大学橄榄球队的休赛周之后，且该项目在迈克·诺维尔 (Mike Norvell) 的领导下仍处于挣扎之中。

阿尔福德此前曾担任塞米诺尔助推者公司 (Seminole Boosters Inc.) 的总裁，他于2021年12月被聘请接替前体育总监大卫·科本 (David Coburn)。

“迈克尔·阿尔福德一直以奉献精神服务于本大学和我们的学生运动员，我们感谢他对我们体育项目的贡献，”校长理查德·麦卡洛 (Richard McCullough) 在一份声明中表示。“在我们开始这次过渡之际，我们的重点仍然是球队的成功，并继续为我们的学生运动员、教练和工作人员提供尽可能多的竞争优势。”

“佛罗里达州立大学致力于为我们的学生运动员和工作人员维持最高标准。我们希望他们所有人都能为了冠军而战。这次领导层的变动反映了这一承诺。”

在大学发布的声明中，佛罗里达州立大学董事会主席彼得·柯林斯 (Peter Collins) 将解雇阿尔福德称为“重组的下一阶段”，认为佛罗里达州立大学“必须致力于此，才能在当今的大学体育时代中竞争”。

“像这样的变动从来都不容易，但有时是必要的，”柯林斯在声明中说。“在过去的几年里，我们在体育项目和塞米诺尔助推者方面进行了重大投资和结构调整，但仍需进一步行动。这一步骤开启了重组的下一阶段，大学必须致力于此，才能在当今的大学体育时代中竞争。校长和董事会在使命以及必须达成的结果上保持高度一致。”

正如 USA TODAY 网络成员《塔拉哈西民主报》(The Tallahassee Democrat) 所指出的，

阿尔福德在2024年获得了一份价值 $6.700 万 的合同延期，在有效期至2028年的协议下，其年基本薪资为 $1.4500 万。

在阿尔福德担任体育总监期间，橄榄球项目仅在2022年和2023年有两个胜场赛季，而后者在四分卫乔丹·特拉维斯 (Jordan Travis) 赛季末受伤后，导致塞米诺尔人无缘大学橄榄球季后赛。

在过去三个赛季中，佛罗里达州立大学的总战绩为 8-18，包括本赛季 1-1 的记录。

阿尔福德的任期内还包括两项女子全国冠军，以及在垒球、沙滩排球、男子网球和男子田径等其他项目中获得的多项 ACC 冠军。

塞米诺尔人棒球项目在2024年首次重返大学世界系列赛，这是自2019年以来的首次。

在财务方面，阿尔福德帮助体育部门的收入自2022年以来增长了 31.5%。即便如此，该部门在2025财年仍承担了 4.37亿美元 的体育相关债务，这是大学体育部门中最高的债务总额之一。其中大部分债务源于佛罗里达州立大学在各项体育项目的设施工程和升级中投资的 5亿美元 以上资金。

正如《民主报》所指出的，阿尔福德的任期还包括佛罗里达州立大学与 ACC 之间显而易见的法律斗争，该斗争始于2023年。

佛罗里达州立大学 (FSU) 和克莱姆森大学 (Clemson) 与 ACC 之间的法律斗争于2025年6月达成和解。和解协议定义了任何想要离开该联盟的学校需要支付的财务成本，并允许学校保留其电视和媒体权利。

根据该大学周一发布的消息，佛罗里达州立大学负责橄榄球的高级副体育总监布鲁斯·沃里克（Bruce Warwick）将在开展全国范围搜寻新任人选期间，担任塞米诺尔队的临时体育总监。

“重要的是，我们要继续致力于为我们的学生运动员、教练员和工作人员提供连续性和支持，他们始终是我们的重中之重，”沃里克在的一份声明中表示。

佛罗里达州立大学将于 9 月 19 日前往塔斯卡卢萨，对阵排名第 10 的阿拉巴马大学。

NASCAR 杯系列赛

Kyle Larson 在 9月 13日于伊利诺伊州麦迪逊的 WWT Raceway 赢得 NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 后庆祝。CHRIS GRAYTHEN / GETTY IMAGES

拉森终于迎来胜利

Chris Vinel

代托纳比奇（佛罗里达州）新闻日报，美国今日报网络

噢，糟糕。

消化一下这位两届 NASCAR 杯系列赛冠军的这番话，然后小心点。对于季后赛（Chase）中的其他 15 位车手来说，这可能是个坏消息。

“我觉得我们找回了一点自信，”凯尔·拉森说道。

在 9月 13日的“享受伊利诺伊 300”赛后，他时隔 490 天再次驶入胜利之 lane。这次胜利结束了他连续 51 场比赛未能获胜的颓势。

这次胜利发生在世界范围技术（World Wide Technology）赛道一个混乱的一天，最终在两次加时赛中，亨德里克赛车队（Hendrick Motorsports）的拉森和亚历克斯·鲍曼包揽了冠亚军。

在周日之前，拉森的上一次胜利发生在 2025年 5月 11日的堪萨斯赛道。当然，他随后夺得了杯系列赛冠军，但他是凭借持续稳定的表现以及在菲尼克斯的一点好运实现的，而非通过获得冠军奖杯。

但这次表现正是 NASCAR 世界所期待的拉森水准。

他在 Gateway 赛道领跑 80 圈，仅次于乔伊·洛加诺的 96 圈。洛加诺获得第三名。

“我有预感，但你永远不知道，”拉森说。“我觉得这个地方太奇怪了，刹车盘故障、策略，诸如此类。我为我的团队感到自豪，因为他们在所有艰难时期和无胜纪录期间如此努力且耐心。感谢我的粉丝们也对我们保持耐心。很高兴终于解决了这个问题。”

拉森目前职业生涯共获得 33 次胜利。他在季后赛（Chase）积分榜上排名第二，仅次于丹尼·汉姆林。

威廉·拜伦也加入了拉森和鲍曼的庆祝派对，获得第四名，这是亨德里克赛车队数月来最好的表现。蔡斯·埃利奥特是唯一一名未能进入前五的队友。他提前退赛，最终排名第 31 位。

此前，埃利奥特是本赛季唯一获得胜利的亨德里克车手。雪佛兰自 6月下旬谢恩·范·吉斯伯根在索诺玛的大获全胜以来，也一直未能重返胜利之 lane。

杯系列赛积分领先者

1. 丹尼·汉姆林 ..... 2168
2. 凯尔·拉森 ..... 2159
3. 克里斯托弗·贝尔 ..... 2150
4. 瑞安·布莱尼 ..... 2135
5. 泰勒·雷迪克 ..... 2126
6. 泰·吉布斯 ..... 2117
7. 乔伊·洛加诺 ..... 2117
8. 蔡斯·布里斯科 ..... 2109
9. 卡森·霍塞瓦 ..... 2080
10. 鲍巴·华莱士 ..... 2078

庆祝一位传奇人物的生命与职业生涯

传奇人物约翰·斯特林精装纪念册

$31.95 • 原价 $35.95 • 另加税费及运费 • 优惠于 2026年 10月 7日截止 • 书籍于 2026年 11月 13日发货

36 年来，约翰·斯特林解说了每一场洋基队的比赛。每一次投球，每一次击球，每一次再见安打……连续 5,060 场广播，一次未缺。他的本垒打解说词已融入纽约棒球文化。“球飞高了，飞远了，出界了！”（It is high, it is far, it is gone!）曾是布朗克斯区夏季的声音。但这本收藏册讲述的不仅仅是麦克风背后的那个男人。这本由 NorthJersey.com 和美国今日体育（USA TODAY Sports）推出的纪念画册捕捉了斯特林时代的最伟大时刻：冠军、传奇以及令人难忘的精彩表现。它通过摄影、故事和幕后瞬间，回顾了斯特林的职业生涯以及他所解说的洋基队时代。一切尽在其中。立即预订您的副本。

在线预订请访问：

Sterling.PictorialBook.com

northjersey.com 美国今日体育

经受考验，并以此成就美国队的最佳状态

2026年德国FIBA女子篮球世界杯 美国国家队队长布里安娜·斯图尔特在击败法国队夺得FIBA世界杯冠军后，率领美国队员举起奖杯。这是美国女篮连续第五次夺冠，追平了赛事纪录。MARYAM MAJD / 路透社

南希·阿姆尔 (Nancy Armour) 专栏作家 USA TODAY

对于美国女篮来说，这是最好的结果。

当然，是在FIBA世界杯上再次夺冠，这也是她们连续第五次夺冠，追平了纪录。再加上连续八枚奥运金牌，毫无疑问，美国队是历史上最伟大的王朝之一。无论是在任何运动项目，还是任何 era.。

所有王朝最终都会终结，而世界其他地区的球队正在追赶美国队。这就是为什么美国国家队在本次世界杯上的表现，尤其是决赛，如此具有重要意义。

不要被最终比分所迷惑——9月13日在柏林以 97-79 战胜法国队。法国队（Les Bleues）给美国队带来了巨大的压力。非常大。甚至比她们在巴黎奥运会上给美国队带来的压力还要大。在第二节的某个时间点，法国队曾领先 14 分，法国队像在玩投篮游戏一样连续命中 3 分球，加比·威廉姆斯（Gabby Williams）占据了主导地位。

美国队很少显得如此容易被击败，即使是在本届赛事早些时候对阵意大利的那场比赛中也是如此。

但她们找到了解决方法。她们开始在防守端制造抢断，命中跳投，并在内线强加自己的意志。她们在半场结束前打出一波 26-14 的进攻高潮，将分差缩小到 2 分，然后在第三节以猛烈的势头反击。

美国队在第三节拉开分差

美国队封锁了威廉姆斯，限制了 3 分球，并在球场的两端让法国队感到极其难受。到第三节结束时，美国队已领先 16 分，任何对其统治地位的威胁都已成为遥远的回忆。

“法国队值得称赞，她们是一支非常强韧的球队，每次我们交手时她们都能给我们带来挑战。但我认为我在赛前传达给球队的信息是，我们就是标准，”美国国家队队长布里安娜·斯图尔特说道，她被评为本届赛事的 MVP。

“美国篮球一直在出现并追求金牌，能够连续这么多次做到这一点是一个疯狂的统计数据。我们希望确保能够继续维持这一标准，并且让其他所有人知道这一点。……我们让全世界知道，我们的目标永远是金牌。”

是的，是老将们让美国队重新掌控了比赛。斯图尔特最终贡献 22 分（10 投 7 中）、10 个篮板和 4 次助攻。在每场赛事中都获得两位数得分的杰基·杨（Jackie Young）贡献了 18 分、6 个篮板和 5 次助攻。切尔西·格雷（Chelsea Gray）贡献 12 分、5 次助攻、4 个篮板和 1 次抢断。

美国年轻球员向世界展示了实力

但美国国家队教练卡拉·劳森（Kara Lawson）早就知道能从她们身上得到什么。斯图尔特、杨和格雷，以及纳菲萨·科利尔（Napheesa Collier）和卡莉亚·库珀（Kahleah Copper），知道在国际赛事中获胜需要什么，因为她们已经做到了。

而那些年轻人——七位首次代表美国国家队参加重大国际赛事的球员——则没有这种经验。凯特琳·克拉克（Caitlin Clark）、安杰尔·里斯（Angel Reese）、阿里亚·波士顿（Aliyah Boston）、佩奇·布克斯（Paige Bueckers）、莱恩·霍华德（Rhyne Howard）、索尼娅·西特隆（Sonia Citron）和基基·伊里亚芬（Kiki Iriafen）都在国际舞台上经受了考验。

“这并不是一支典型的美国篮球之队，”劳森承认道。“我认为这恰恰展示了我们协会的实力，以及我们球员的实力。在最关键的时刻，她们能够继续发挥出最佳水平。这是一种极其难得的品质。并不是很多人都拥有这种品质。而我们美国非常幸运，拥有如此充足的这种品质。”

全球竞技水平正在提升

世界其他国家将继续向美国女篮发起挑战。法国队此前就对在巴黎的那次擦肩而过感到不忿，而这次结果只会进一步激励“蓝色军团”（Les Bleues）。

“我们正在一点点证明法国是一个篮球国家，”威廉姆斯说道。“这就是我加入这支球队的目标，去改变文化。显然我们有更高的期望，但我们会实现的。”

此外还有意大利和西班牙，这两支球队都给美国队带来了巨大的考验。德国队同样如此，尽管缺少了萨图·萨巴利，他们依然闯入了半决赛。克拉克、里斯、布克斯，甚至波士顿和霍华德——她们现在都清楚地知道在洛杉矶将面临怎样的局面。

而且她们知道自己能够应对。因为她们在这里已经做到了。

克拉克在半场结束前投进了一个强力 3 分球，将美国队的分差缩小到 2 分，随后她在下半场打出了整个赛事中表现最出色的时段之一。里斯在每场比赛中至少有一次改变局势的防守表现，而法国队在洛杉矶之前将一直对霍华德保持警惕。波士顿的表现则稳健且一致。

布克斯在决赛中出场时间不多，但她见证了这一切。感受到了这一切。她知道处于劣势并寻找方法扭转局面的感觉。

正是这类经验将使美国女篮在世界其他国家不断逼近的情况下，依然能保持顶尖地位。

“她们拥有极高的球商，技术精湛，竞争意识强。她们非常渴望为这支球队做出贡献并帮助我们获胜，而且她们知道我们需要她们，”劳森说道。“现在你们拥有了这些经验，当再次参加这样的赛事时，你们将拥有继续帮助我们获胜的信心。”

美国队在这次世界杯结束时已成为一支经验丰富的球队。这次冠军将帮助她们赢得更多荣誉。没有什么比这更好的了。

在社交媒体上关注《今日美国》体育专栏作家南希·阿莫尔（Nancy Armour）：@nrarmour

职业高尔夫

面对前数学教师，约翰逊凭借数据优势获胜

托德·凯利 (Todd Kelly)

Golfweek / USA TODAY 网络

这看起来几乎不像是一场公平的较量：一位两届大满贯冠军对阵一名前初中教师。但这正是职业高尔夫以及周一资格赛的魅力所在。

这位大满贯得主是扎克·约翰逊 (Zach Johnson)，他是 PGA 冠军巡回赛 (PGA Tour Champions) 的一名新秀，在 2026. 席卷该赛道。而那位前教师是来自密歇根州的 56, 岁球员杰伊·朱雷西奇 (Jay Jurecic)。在仅有的第四次高级别赛事首秀以及总共第 10 轮高级别赛事中，他在南达科他州米内哈哈乡村俱乐部 (Minnehaha Country Club) 的第二轮比赛中打出 65 杆，在桑福德国际赛 (Sanford International) 中与约翰逊共同领跑 36 洞。

On Sept. 13, 在以一个小鸟球开局以延续这个“如果”故事后，梦想慢慢破灭了。朱雷西奇在接下来的六个洞全部打出标准杆，随后在 8. 号洞打出一个柏忌。在连续三个标准杆之后，他又打了一个柏忌。

当他在最后一轮基本陷入停滞——朱雷西奇以连续六个标准杆结束了他 1-over round of 71 杆（+1）的一轮——其他人则在发力，尤其是约翰逊，他打出 66 杆，以 11 杆下的成绩夺冠，比同样打出 66 杆的本·克雷恩 (Ben Crane) 领先一杆。

扎克·约翰逊在最后一轮第五洞准备推球。 DAVID BERDING / GETTY IMAGES

尽管如此，对于朱雷西奇来说，这依然是一次极好的经验，并获得了一笔 $63,067 奖金。对于这位最终以 6 杆下成绩并列第八的前教师来说，这可以看作是学到了一些教训。

“这大概是我在打高尔夫球时感觉最棒的一次，面对看台，推入那个球并那样强势地收尾，简直就像梦想成真，”他在周六表示。他曾试图成为自 2025 年 Constellation Furyk & Friends 赛事的汤米·盖尼 (Tommy Gainey) 以来，首位在巡回赛中获胜的周一资格赛球员。

他在 51 岁时辞去了教学工作，以追求竞争职业高尔夫的梦想。在此之前，他从未参加过高中或大学的高尔夫球赛。

至于约翰逊，他的第五次获胜为他带来了 $330,000 的奖金，使他本赛季的总收入接近 300万美元。他与巡回赛获胜次数领先者斯图尔特·辛克 (Stewart Cink) 并列。约翰逊在 13. 次出赛中取得了胜利，包括他在 3 月的冠军赛首秀，而辛克的五次获胜则是在 15 次出赛中取得的。

辛克和约翰逊都在追逐冠军巡回赛新秀 7 次获胜的纪录。

DP 世界巡回赛：谢恩·劳里领先 11 杆获胜

乍一看，安进爱尔兰公开赛 (Amgen Irish Open) 积分榜顶端的三个名字非常抢眼。但经过进一步审视，Sept. 13. 的这场比赛其实算不上什么对决。不，对于谢恩·劳里 (Shane Lowry) 来说，这更像是在公园散步，他在爱尔兰的杜恩贝格 (Doonbeg) 以创纪录的 11 杆优势击败了帕特里克·里德 (Patrick Reed) 和华金·尼曼 (Joaquin Niemann)。

劳里在 PGA 巡回赛中经历了一个较为令人失望的赛季，但在家乡的这一周，他凭借第二轮的 62. 杆点燃了状态。他在周六的第三轮打出 65 杆，随后以 7 杆下的 63, 杆轻松进入奖杯颁奖仪式，并在 18 号洞以一个令人振奋的小鸟球收尾。

劳里得到了许多人的支持，其中包括卫冕冠军兼好友罗里·麦克罗伊 (Rory McIlroy)，后者周六打出 74 杆，但周日以 67 杆收尾。

“今年在球场上的日子对我来说相当困难，我有几次获胜的机会，也经历了一些非常艰难的时刻，”劳里说道，他在 3 月的 Cognizant Classic 赛中让一次潜在的胜利从手中溜走。“这周来到这里并做到这一点，我做事从不半途而废。我简直不敢相信自己正站在这个积分榜前。”

39, 岁的劳里赢得了他的第七个 DP 世界巡回赛冠军和第二个爱尔兰公开赛冠军。

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AQI 中等 AQI 良

记录在案

所有时间均为东部时间 (ET)

东区

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NFL

美联会议

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colspan="6">南区< / >< / ><><>< / ><>胜< / ><>负< / ><>平< / ><>胜率< / ><>得分< / >< / ><><>亚特兰大< / ><>0< / ><>1< / ><>0< / ><>.000< / ><>13< / >< / ><><>坦帕湾< / ><>0< / ><>1< / ><>0< / ><>.000< / ><>27< / >< / ><><>新奥尔良< / ><>0< / ><>1< / ><>0< / ><>.000< / ><>30< / >< / ><><>卡罗来纳< / ><>0< / ><>1< / ><>0< / ><>.000< / ><>37< / >< / ><>< colspan="6">西区< / >< / ><><>< / ><>胜< / ><>负< / ><>平< / ><>胜率< / ><>得分< / >< / ><><>旧金山< / ><>1< / ><>0< / ><>1.00< / ><>27< / >< / ><><>亚利桑那< / ><>1< / ><>0< / ><>1.00< / ><>26< / >< / ><><>西雅图< / ><>1< / ><>0< / ><>1.00< / ><>13< / >< / ><><>洛杉矶公羊< / ><>0< / ><>1< / ><>0< / ><>.000< / ><>7< / >< / table>

周三比分

西雅图 13, 新英格兰 10 周四比分 旧金山 27, 洛杉矶 rams 7 周日比分 辛辛那提 33, 坦帕湾 27 巴尔的摩 41, 印第安纳波利斯 23 布法罗 36, 休斯顿 31 底特律 31, 新奥尔良 30 杰克逊维尔 34, 克利夫兰 10 纽约喷气机 23, 田纳西 10 匹兹堡 20, 亚特兰大 13 芝加哥 59, 卡罗来纳 37 明尼苏达 39, 格林贝 22 费城 24, 华盛顿 22 亚利桑那 26, 洛杉矶闪电 14 拉斯维加斯 27, 迈阿密 13 纽约巨人 28, 达拉斯 20 周一比赛 丹佛 对阵 堪萨斯城 周四比赛 底特律 对阵 布法罗，晚上 8:15 周日比赛 辛辛那提 对阵 休斯顿，下午 1 点 克利夫兰 对阵 坦帕湾，下午 1 点 匹兹堡 对阵 新英格兰，下午 1 点 格林贝 对阵 纽约喷气机，下午 1 点

卡罗来纳 对阵 亚特兰大，下午 1 点

费城 对阵 田纳西，下午 1 点 新奥尔良 对阵 巴尔的摩，下午 1 点 明尼苏达 对阵 芝加哥，下午 1 点 杰克逊维尔 对阵 丹佛，下午 4:05 拉斯维加斯 对阵 洛杉矶闪电，下午 4:05 华盛顿 对阵 达拉斯，下午 4:25 西雅图 对阵 亚利桑那，下午 4:25 迈阿密 对阵 旧金山，下午 4:25 印第安纳波利斯 对阵 堪萨斯城，晚上 8:20 9月21日，周一 纽约巨人 对阵 洛杉矶 rams，晚上 8:15

大学橄榄球

AFCA 橄榄球冠军系列赛教练投票排名

排名< / td><>学校 (第一票数)< / ><>胜-负< / ><>得分< / ><>上周排名< / >< / tr><><>1< / ><>蒙大拿州立大学 (26)< / ><>3-0< / ><>650< / ><>1< / >< / ><><>2< / ><>蒙大拿大学< / ><>3-0< / ><>601< / ><>2< / >< / ><><>3< / ><>南达科他州立大学< / ><>2-1< / ><>595< / ><>3< / >< / ><><>4< / ><>伊利诺伊州立大学< / ><>3-0< / ><>578< / ><>4< / >< / ><><>5< / ><>塔莱顿州立大学< / ><>3-0< / ><>552< / ><>5< / >< / ><><>6< / ><>北达科他大学< / ><>3-0< / ><>483< / ><>7< / >< / ><><>7< / ><>利哈伊大学< / ><>3-0< / ><>473< / ><>8< / >< / ><><>8< / ><>斯蒂芬·F·奥斯汀大学< / ><>3-0< / ><>432< / ><>9< / >< / ><><>9< / ><>扬斯敦州立大学< / ><>2-1< / ><>405< / ><>10< / >< / ><><>10< / ><>田纳西理工大学< / ><>3-0< / ><>393< / ><>11< / >< / ><><>11< / ><>加州大学戴维斯分校< / ><>2-1< / ><>389< / ><>6< / >< / ><><>12< / ><>南达科他大学< / ><>3-0< / ><>370< / ><>12< / >< / ><><>13< / ><>罗德岛大学< / ><>2-1< / ><>331< / ><>13< / >< / ><><>14< / ><>奥斯汀佩大学< / ><>2-1< / ><>317< / ><>15< / >< / ><><>15< / ><>拉马尔大学< / ><>2-1< / ><>268< / ><>17< / >< / ><><>16< / ><>南卡罗来纳州立大学< / ><>3-0< / ><>194< / ><>20< / >< / ><><>17< / ><>西佛罗里达大学< / ><>2-0< / ><>178< / ><>22< / >< / ><><>18< / ><>爱达荷州立大学< / ><>3-0< / ><>177< / ><>24< / >< / ><><>19< / ><>北亚利桑那大学< / ><>2-1< / ><>174< / ><>23< / >< / ><><>20< / ><>耶鲁大学< / ><>0-0< / ><>160< / ><>19< / >< / ><><>21< / ><>威廉玛丽学院< / ><>2-1< / ><>103< / ><>16< / >< / ><><>22< / ><>默瑟大学< / ><>2-1< / ><>93< / ><>14< / >< / ><><>23< / ><>维拉诺瓦大学< / ><>1-2< / ><>83< / ><>18< / >< / ><><>24< / ><>弗曼大学< / ><>2-1< / ><>74< / ><>NR< / >< / ><><>25< / ><>南伊利诺伊大学< / ><>2-1< / ><>70< / ><>NR< / >< / table>

跌出榜单：里士满 (21), 阿比林基督教大学 (25)

其他获得票数的学校：里士满, 67; 加州理工大学, 51; 柯尔盖特大学, 30; 沃福德学院, 27; 杰克逊州立大学, 20; 普雷里维尤 A&M 大学, 20; 哈佛大学, 18; 中阿肯色大学, 16; 南犹他大学, 13; 亚拉巴马州立大学, 10; 伊隆大学, 7; 圣十字学院, 6; 坎贝尔大学, 4; 罗伯特莫里斯大学 (宾夕法尼亚州), 4; 奥尔巴尼大学, 3; ACU, 2; 达特茅斯学院, 2; 尼科尔斯州立大学, 2; 马丁田纳西大学, 2; 蒙茅斯大学 (新泽西州), 1; 圣迭戈大学, 1; 东南密苏里州立大学 1.

周四比赛

东部

雪城 对阵 匹兹堡，晚上 7:30

周五比赛快讯

东部

迈阿密 (佛罗里达州) 对阵 维克森林，晚上 7:30 西部

休斯顿 对阵 德克萨斯理工，晚上 8 点 波特兰州立 对阵 俄勒冈，晚上 10:30

东部

海岸线卡罗来纳大学 对阵 特拉华大学，上午 11:30 布法罗大学 对阵 宾夕法尼亚州立大学，中午 达特茅斯学院 对阵 利哈伊大学，中午 拉法叶学院 对阵 哥伦比亚大学，中午 维拉诺瓦大学 对阵 纽约长岛大学，中午 哈佛大学 对阵 新罕布什尔大学，下午 1 点 弗吉尼亚军事学院 对阵 戴维森学院，下午 1 点 普林斯顿大学 对阵 布莱恩特大学，下午 1 点 康奈尔大学 对阵 柯尔盖特大学，下午 1 点 格伦维尔州立大学 对阵 默西赫斯特大学，下午 1 点 缅因大学 对阵 波士顿学院，下午 2 点 耶鲁大学 对阵 圣十字学院，下午 2 点 罗德岛大学 对阵 纽约州立大学石溪分校，下午 2:30 长老会学院 对阵 西卡罗来纳大学，下午 2:30 宾夕法尼亚大学 对阵 巴克内尔大学，下午 3 点 南加州大学 对阵 罗格斯大学，下午 3:30 斯通希尔学院 对阵 马萨诸塞大学，下午 3:30 蒙茅斯大学 对阵 奥尔巴尼大学，下午 3:30 乔治城大学 对阵 里士满大学，下午 3:30

斯坦福大学 对阵 杜克大学，下午 4 点；鲍尔州立大学 对阵 自由大学，下午 4 点

汉普顿大学 对阵 诺福克州立大学，下午 4 点 夏洛特大学 对阵 阿巴拉契亚州立大学，下午 6 点 东卡罗来纳大学 对阵 欧道明大学，下午 6 点 北卡罗来纳中央大学 对阵 加德纳-韦伯大学，下午 6 点 北卡罗来纳 A&T 大学 对阵 坎贝尔大学，下午 6 点 圣心大学 对阵 伊隆大学，下午 6 点 福特汉姆大学 对阵 威廉与玛丽学院，下午 6 点 摩根州立大学 对阵 陶森大学，下午 6 点 西弗吉尼亚大学 对阵 弗吉尼亚大学，晚上 7:30 弗吉尼亚理工大学 对阵 马里兰大学，晚上 7:30

东南部

佐治亚大学 对阵 阿肯色大学，中午

北卡罗来纳大学 对阵 克莱姆森大学，中午 默瑟大学 对阵 佐治亚理工学院，中午 西佐治亚大学 对阵 东田纳西州立大学，中午 北卡罗来纳州立大学 对阵 范德堡大学，下午 12:45 佛罗里达州立大学 对阵 亚拉巴马大学，下午 3:30 南卫理公会大学 对阵 路易斯维尔大学，下午 3:30 弗吉尼亚-林奇堡大学 对阵 贝斯-库克曼大学，下午 4 点 密西西比州立大学 对阵 南卡罗来纳大学，下午 4:15

路易斯安那东南部大学 对阵 路易斯安那-蒙罗大学，下午 4:30 中央州立大学 对阵 阿肯色-派恩布拉夫大学，下午 5 点 佛罗里达国际大学 对阵 佛罗里达大西洋大学，下午 6 点

点大学 对阵 查尔斯顿南方大学，下午 6 点 代顿大学 对阵 东肯塔基大学，下午 6 点

佛罗里达大学 对阵 欧本大学，晚上 7 点 佐治亚州立大学 对阵 中佛罗里达大学，晚上 7 点

特拉华州立大学 对阵 南佛罗里达大学，晚上 7 点；佛罗里达大学 对阵 欧本大学，晚上 7 点

康涅狄格大学 对阵 南密西西比大学，晚上 7 点

内华达大学 对阵 中田纳西州立大学，晚上 7 点；俄亥俄大学 对阵 南亚拉巴马大学，晚上 7 点

鲍伊州立大学 对阵 亚拉巴马 A&M 大学，晚上 7 点；阿尔科恩州立大学 对阵 北亚拉巴马大学，晚上 7 点

路易斯安那基督教大学 对阵 南路易斯安那大学，晚上 7 点 路易斯安那州立大学 对阵 密西西比大学，晚上 7:30

肯尼索州立大学 对阵 田纳西大学，晚上 7:45 阿拉巴马大学伯明翰分校 对阵 路易斯安那大学，晚上 8 点

中西部

亚利桑那州立大学 vs 堪萨斯大学，伦敦，中午 鲍灵格林大学在爱荷华州立大学，中午

东密歇根大学在威斯康星大学，下午 12:30 怀俄明大学在中央密歇根大学，下午 1 点 瓦尔帕莱索大学在印第安纳大学，下午 1 点

芝加哥大学在巴特勒大学，下午 1 点 南伊利诺伊大学在伊利诺伊大学，下午 2 点

南犹他大学在圣托马斯大学 (MN)，下午 2 点 天普大学在托莱多大学，下午 3 点

东伊利诺伊大学在伊利诺伊大学，下午 3 点 迈阿密大学 (OH) 在辛辛那提大学，下午 3:30

迈阿密大学 (OH) 在辛辛那提大学，下午 3:30 德克萨斯大学埃尔帕索分校 (UTEP) 在密歇根大学，下午 3:30

西肯塔基大学在印第安纳大学，下午 4 点 北爱荷华大学 (UNI) 在爱荷华大学，下午 4 点

马歇尔大学在密苏里大学，下午 6:30 特洛伊大学在密苏里大学，晚上 7 点

扬斯敦大学在南达科他州立大学，晚上 7 点 莫尔黑德大学在西伊利诺伊大学，晚上 7 点

莫尔黑德大学在西伊利诺伊大学，晚上 7 点 中央阿肯色大学在东南密苏里州立大学，晚上 7 点 北达科他大学在内布拉斯加大学，晚上 7:15

科罗拉多大学在西北大学，晚上 7:30 密歇根大学在圣母大学，晚上 7:30

西部

北德克萨斯大学在德克萨斯大学，北中央康涅狄格州立大学在蒙大拿州立大学，下午 3 点 肯塔基大学在德克萨斯 A&M 大学，下午 3:30 犹他大学在犹他大学，下午 3:30

肯塔基大学在德克萨斯 A&M 大学，下午 3:30 犹他大学在犹他大学，下午 3:30 瓦格纳学院在加州大学，下午 3:30 杜肯大学在华盛顿大学，下午 3:30 路易斯安那理工大学在贝勒大学，下午 4 点 阿比林基督教大学在爱达荷大学，下午 4 点 西密歇根大学在莱斯大学，晚上 7 点 默里州立大学在俄克拉荷马大学，晚上 7 点 尼科尔斯州立大学在山休斯顿州立大学，晚上 7 点 休斯顿基督教大学在 UIW，晚上 7 点 梅里马克学院在塔莱顿州立大学，晚上 7 点 东华盛顿大学在华盛顿大学，晚上 7:15 新墨西哥大学在俄克拉荷马大学，晚上 7:30 杨百翰大学 (BYU) 在科罗拉多大学，晚上 7:30 东德克萨斯 A&M 大学在塔尔萨大学，晚上 8 点 UTSA 在德克萨斯大学，晚上 8 点 阿肯色大学在 TCU，晚上 8 点 圣迭戈大学在 Cal Poly，晚上 8 点 北亚利桑那大学在犹他科技大学，晚上 8 点 东北州立大学在北科罗拉多大学，晚上 8 点 西北大学在韦伯州立大学，晚上 8 点 斯蒂芬 F. 奥斯汀州立大学在 Prairie View A&M，晚上 8 点 南达科他大学在博伊西州立大学，晚上 10 点 詹姆斯·麦迪逊大学在圣迭戈大学，晚上 10 点 斯特森大学在加州大学戴维斯分校，晚上 10 点 北伊利诺伊大学在亚利桑那大学，晚上 10:30 北达科他大学在 Sac.，晚上 10:30 弗雷斯诺州立大学在圣何塞州立大学，晚上 11 点 蒙大拿大学在俄勒冈大学，晚上 11 点 普渡大学在加州大学洛杉矶分校 (UCLA)，晚上 11 点

MLB

美国联盟 东区

< / td><>胜< / ><>负< / ><>胜率< / ><>落后< / >< / tr><><>z-坦帕湾< / ><>90< / ><>59< / ><>.604< / ><>—< / >< / ><><>纽约扬基< / ><>86< / ><>63< / ><>.577< / ><>4< / >< / ><><>波士顿< / ><>82< / ><>68< / ><>.547< / ><> $8\frac{1}{2}$ < / >< / ><><>多伦多< / ><>75< / ><>.500< / ><> $15\frac{1}{2}$ < / >< / ><><>巴尔的摩< / ><>72< / ><>78< / ><>.480< / ><> $18\frac{1}{2}$ < / >< / table>

中区

<><>< / ><>胜< / ><>负< / ><>胜率< / ><>落后< / >< / ><><>芝加哥白袜< / ><>76< / ><>73< / ><>.510< / ><>—< / >< / ><><>克利夫兰< / ><>76< / ><>74< / ><>.507< / ><> $1\frac{1}{2}$ < / >< / ><><>明尼苏达< / ><>70< / ><>79< / ><>.470< / ><>6< / >< / ><><>底特律< / ><>70< / ><>79< / ><>.470< / ><>6< / >< / ><><>堪萨斯城< / ><>66< / ><>84< / ><>.440< / ><> $10\frac{1}{2}$ < / >< / table>

<><>< / ><>胜< / ><>负< / ><>胜率< / ><>落后< / >< / ><><>休斯顿< / ><>75< / ><>.500< / ><>—< / >< / ><><>德克萨斯< / ><>74< / ><>76< / ><>.493< / ><>1< / >< / ><><>西雅图< / ><>70< / ><>80< / ><>.467< / ><>5< / >< / ><><>奥克兰运动家< / ><>61< / ><>89< / ><>.407< / ><>14< / >< / ><><>洛杉矶天使< / ><>56< / ><>93< / ><>.376< / ><> $18\frac{1}{2}$ < / >< / table>

乔治亚南方大学 对阵 杰克逊州立大学，晚上 7 点。德尔塔州立大学 对阵 密西西比谷州立大学，晚上 7 点。南卡罗来纳州立大学 对阵 弗曼大学，晚上 7 点。 国家联盟 东区

中区

西区

注：z- 已锁定季后赛席位。

周日比分 底特律 8, 科罗拉多 1 华盛顿 6, 洛杉矶天使 5 费城 9, 亚特兰大 4 纽约扬基 2, 纽约大都会 0 多伦多 8, 巴尔的摩 1 坦帕湾 14, 休斯顿 4 迈阿密 6, 洛杉矶道奇 4 克利夫兰 9, 明尼苏达 2 辛辛那提 4, 密尔沃基 3 圣路易斯 3, 芝加哥白袜 1 匹兹堡 4, 芝加哥小熊 3 波士顿 4, 堪萨斯城 1 奥克兰运动家 8, 西雅图 7 德克萨斯 7, 亚利桑那 6 圣迭戈 6, 旧金山 4 周一赛程 洛杉矶道奇 对阵 辛辛那提 芝加哥白袜 对阵 克利夫兰 底特律 对阵 多伦多 巴尔的摩 对阵 纽约大都会 纽约扬基 对阵 明尼苏达 亚特兰大 对阵 芝加哥小熊 旧金山 对阵 圣路易斯 圣迭戈 对阵 科罗拉多 西雅图 对阵 洛杉矶天使

迈阿密 对阵 亚利桑那

周二赛事

L.A. Dodgers 对阵 Cincinnati，下午 6:40 Athletics 对阵 Tampa Bay，下午 6:40 Chi. White Sox 对阵 Cleveland，下午 6:40 Milwaukee 对阵 Pittsburgh，下午 6:40 Philadelphia 对阵 Washington，下午 6:45 Detroit 对阵 Toronto，下午 7:07 Baltimore 对阵 N.Y. Mets，下午 7:10 N.Y. Yankees 对阵 Minnesota，下午 7:40 Atlanta 对阵 Chicago Cubs，下午 7:40 San Francisco 对阵 St. Louis，下午 7:45 Boston 对阵 Texas，下午 8:05 Kansas City 对阵 Houston，下午 8:10 San Diego 对阵 Colorado，下午 8:40 Seattle 对阵 Atlanta，下午 9:38 Miami 对阵 Arizona，下午 9:40

周三赛事 Chi. White Sox 对阵 Cleveland，下午 1:10 San Francisco 对阵 St. Louis，下午 1:15 N.Y. Yankees 对阵 Minnesota，下午 1:40 Detroit 对阵 Toronto，下午 3:07 L.A. Dodgers 对阵 Cincinnati，下午 6:40 Athletics 对阵 Tampa Bay，下午 6:40 Milwaukee 对阵 Pittsburgh，下午 6:40 Philadelphia 对阵 Washington，下午 6:45 Baltimore 对阵 N.Y. Mets，下午 7:10 Atlanta 对阵 Chicago Cubs，下午 7:40 Boston 对阵 Texas，下午 8:05 Kansas City 对阵 Houston，下午 8:10 San Diego 对阵 Colorado，下午 8:40 Seattle 对阵 L.A. Angels，下午 9:38 Miami 对阵 Arizona，下午 9:40

足球

英格兰足球超级联赛

< / td><>GP< / ><>W< / ><>D< / ><>L< / ><>GF< / ><>GA< / ><>Pts< / >< / tr><><>Arsenal< / ><>4< / ><>0< / ><>8< / ><>1< / ><>12< / >< / ><><>Manchester City< / ><>4< / ><>0< / ><>8< / ><>2< / ><>12< / >< / ><><>Hull City< / ><>4< / ><>2< / ><>0< / ><>5< / ><>2< / ><>8< / >< / ><><>Brighton< / ><>4< / ><>2< / ><>1< / ><>13< / ><>5< / ><>7< / >< / ><><>Chelsea< / ><>4< / ><>2< / ><>1< / ><>10< / ><>9< / ><>7< / >< / ><><>Brentford< / ><>4< / ><>1< / ><>3< / ><>0< / ><>7< / ><>4< / ><>6< / >< / ><><>Liverpool< / ><>4< / ><>1< / ><>3< / ><>0< / ><>6< / ><>4< / ><>6< / >< / ><><>Everton< / ><>4< / ><>1< / ><>3< / ><>0< / ><>5< / ><>3< / ><>6< / >< / ><><>Ipswich Town< / ><>4< / ><>2< / ><>0< / ><>2< / ><>7< / ><>10< / ><>6< / >< / ><><>Newcastle< / ><>3< / ><>1< / ><>2< / ><>0< / ><>6< / ><>4< / ><>5< / >< / ><><>Leeds United< / ><>3< / ><>1< / ><>2< / ><>0< / ><>3< / ><>2< / ><>5< / >< / ><><>Nott'm Forest< / ><>4< / ><>1< / ><>2< / ><>1< / ><>4< / ><>5< / >< / ><><>Man United< / ><>4< / ><>1< / ><>2< / ><>7< / ><>4< / >< / ><><>Sunderland< / ><>4< / ><>1< / ><>2< / ><>3< / ><>5< / ><>4< / >< / ><><>Bournemouth< / ><>4< / ><>0< / ><>3< / ><>1< / ><>6< / ><>7< / ><>3< / >< / ><><>Crystal Palace< / ><>4< / ><>1< / ><>0< / ><>3< / ><>6< / ><>11< / ><>3< / >< / ><><>Tottenham< / ><>4< / ><>0< / ><>2< / ><>0< / ><>5< / ><>2< / >< / ><><>Fulham< / ><>4< / ><>0< / ><>1< / ><>3< / ><>4< / ><>7< / ><>1< / >< / ><><>Aston Villa< / ><>4< / ><>0< / ><>1< / ><>3< / ><>1< / ><>7< / ><>1< / >< / ><><>Coventry City< / ><>4< / ><>0< / ><>4< / ><>0< / ><>10< / ><>0< / >< / table>

注：胜一场得三分，平一场得一分。

MLS

周日比分 考文垂城 0, 布莱顿 5 曼城 1, 曼联 0 周一比赛 纽卡斯尔联 对阵 利兹联 周五比赛 切尔西 对阵 布伦特福德，下午 3 点 周六比赛 托特纳姆 对阵 阿斯顿维拉，上午 7:30 布莱顿 对阵 阿森纳，上午 10 点 埃弗顿 对阵 伊普斯维奇镇，上午 10 点 纽卡斯尔 对阵 赫尔城，上午 10 点 诺丁汉森林 对阵 考文垂城，下午 12:30 周日比赛 AFC 伯恩茅斯 对阵 利物浦，上午 9 点 利兹联 对阵 水晶宫，上午 9 点 曼城 对阵 桑德兰，上午 9 点 富勒姆 对阵 曼联，上午 11:30

东部赛区

< / td><>胜< / ><>负< / ><>平< / ><>积分< / ><>进球< / ><>失球< / >< / tr><><>纳什维尔< / ><>16< / ><>3< / ><>6< / ><>54< / ><>50< / ><>21< / >< / ><><>迈阿密国际 CF< / ><>12< / ><>4< / ><>9< / ><>45< / ><>61< / ><>46< / >< / ><><>新英格兰< / ><>13< / ><>8< / ><>4< / ><>43< / ><>41< / ><>31< / >< / ><><>夏洛特 FC< / ><>11< / ><>7< / ><>40< / ><>45< / ><>36< / >< / ><><>芝加哥< / ><>11< / ><>7< / ><>6< / ><>39< / ><>45< / ><>35< / >< / ><><>奥兰多城< / ><>10< / ><>11< / ><>4< / ><>34< / ><>44< / ><>56< / >< / ><><>费城< / ><>9< / ><>10< / ><>6< / ><>33< / ><>46< / ><>39< / >< / ><><>纽约城 FC< / ><>8< / ><>9< / ><>8< / ><>32< / ><>39< / ><>33< / >< / ><><>辛辛那提< / ><>8< / ><>32< / ><>52< / ><>59< / >< / ><><>纽约红牛< / ><>8< / ><>11< / ><>6< / ><>30< / ><>33< / ><>48< / >< / ><><>华盛顿特区联< / ><>6< / ><>7< / ><>11< / ><>29< / ><>30< / ><>37< / >< / ><><>多伦多 FC< / ><>6< / ><>8< / ><>11< / ><>29< / ><>38< / ><>46< / >< / ><><>哥伦布< / ><>6< / ><>14< / ><>5< / ><>23< / ><>35< / ><>42< / >< / ><><>亚特兰大< / ><>6< / ><>14< / ><>5< / ><>23< / ><>29< / ><>43< / >< / ><><>蒙特利尔 CF< / ><>5< / ><>14< / ><>6< / ><>21< / ><>31< / ><>51< / >< / table>

西部赛区

<><>< / ><>胜< / ><>负< / ><>平< / ><>积分< / ><>进球< / ><>失球< / >< / ><><>温哥华< / ><>14< / ><>6< / ><>4< / ><>46< / ><>53< / ><>23< / >< / ><><>休斯顿< / ><>13< / ><>8< / ><>4< / ><>43< / ><>32< / ><>28< / >< / ><><>达拉斯 FC< / ><>12< / ><>6< / ><>7< / ><>43< / ><>49< / ><>42< / >< / ><><>圣何塞< / ><>12< / ><>8< / ><>5< / ><>41< / ><>44< / ><>36< / >< / ><><>圣路易斯< / ><>11< / ><>6< / ><>8< / ><>41< / ><>42< / ><>35< / >< / ><><>洛杉矶 FC< / ><>11< / ><>8< / ><>7< / ><>40< / ><>41< / ><>27< / >< / ><><>科罗拉多< / ><>11< / ><>12< / ><>2< / ><>35< / ><>33< / ><>32< / >< / ><><>波特兰< / ><>9< / ><>11< / ><>5< / ><>32< / ><>47< / >< / ><><>圣迭戈 FC< / ><>8< / ><>11< / ><>6< / ><>30< / ><>42< / >< / ><><>洛杉矶银河< / ><>7< / ><>10< / ><>9< / ><>30< / ><>31< / ><>40< / >< / ><><>皇家盐湖城< / ><>8< / ><>11< / ><>5< / ><>29< / ><>37< / ><>39< / >< / ><><>明尼苏达< / ><>7< / ><>10< / ><>8< / ><>29< / ><>37< / ><>43< / >< / ><><>奥斯汀 FC< / ><>7< / ><>10< / ><>8< / ><>29< / ><>32< / ><>44< / >< / ><><>西雅图< / ><>7< / ><>9< / ><>7< / ><>28< / ><>25< / ><>30< / >< / ><><>堪萨斯城竞技< / ><>5< / ><>16< / ><>3< / ><>18< / ><>26< / ><>59< / >< / table>

注：胜一场得三分，平一场得一分。

周五比赛

纽约红牛 对阵 纽约城，晚上 7:30 周六比赛 洛杉矶 FC 对阵 圣何塞，晚上 7:30 奥兰多城 对阵 新英格兰，晚上 7:30 哥伦布 对阵 CF 蒙特利尔，晚上 7:30 夏洛特 FC 对阵 华盛顿联，晚上 7:30 多伦多 对阵 圣路易斯，晚上 8:30 费城 对阵 堪萨斯城 Sporting KC，晚上 8:30 辛辛那提 对阵 休斯顿，晚上 8:30 洛杉矶银河 对阵 明尼苏达，晚上 8:30 奥斯汀 对阵 达拉斯 ，晚上 8:30 温哥华 对阵 皇家盐湖城，晚上 9:30 西雅图 对阵 科罗拉多，晚上 9:30 芝加哥 对阵 纳什维尔，晚上 9:30 亚特兰大 对阵 波特兰，晚上 10:30 NWSL

NWSL< / td><>胜< / ><>负< / ><>平< / ><>积分< / ><>进球< / ><>失球< / >< / tr><><>哥谭< / ><>14< / ><>4< / ><>6< / ><>48< / ><>29< / ><>18< / >< / ><><>华盛顿< / ><>13< / ><>7< / ><>4< / ><>43< / ><>33< / ><>23< / >< / ><><>犹他< / ><>13< / ><>8< / ><>3< / ><>42< / ><>41< / ><>30< / >< / ><><>圣迭戈< / ><>13< / ><>8< / ><>3< / ><>42< / ><>34< / ><>27< / >< / ><><>北卡罗来纳< / ><>12< / ><>9< / ><>3< / ><>39< / ><>47< / ><>35< / >< / ><><>波特兰< / ><>11< / ><>7< / ><>6< / ><>39< / ><>38< / ><>33< / >< / ><><>堪萨斯城< / ><>11< / ><>8< / ><>5< / ><>38< / ><>39< / ><>34< / >< / ><><>西雅图< / ><>11< / ><>8< / ><>4< / ><>37< / ><>29< / ><>26< / >< / ><><>天使之城< / ><>9< / ><>8< / ><>6< / ><>33< / ><>37< / ><>27< / >< / ><><>丹佛峰会< / ><>8< / ><>7< / ><>31< / ><>37< / ><>30< / >< / ><><>奥兰多< / ><>9< / ><>12< / ><>3< / ><>30< / ><>31< / ><>36< / >< / ><><>休斯顿< / ><>7< / ><>12< / ><>5< / ><>26< / ><>29< / ><>34< / >< / ><><>波士顿遗产< / ><>7< / ><>12< / ><>5< / ><>26< / ><>31< / ><>40< / >< / ><><>路易斯维尔< / ><>7< / ><>15< / ><>2< / ><>23< / ><>35< / ><>47< / >< / ><><>湾区< / ><>6< / ><>13< / ><>4< / ><>22< / ><>32< / >< / ><><>芝加哥< / ><>5< / ><>17< / ><>2< / ><>17< / ><>14< / ><>54< / >< / table>

波特兰 1, 芝加哥 1

周五比赛

堪萨斯城 对阵 圣迭戈，晚上 10 点 周六比赛 波特兰 对阵 奥兰多，下午 4 点 哥谭 对阵 北卡罗来纳，晚上 6:30 西雅图 对阵 丹佛，晚上 8:45

交易

美国国家橄榄球联盟 (NFL)

亚利桑那红雀队 – 角卫 Kalen King 加入练习阵容。

亚特兰大猎鹰队 – 线卫 Bralen Trice、近端锋 Nick Muse 加入练习阵容。

巴尔的摩乌鸦队 – 外接手 Chris Moore、线卫 Carl Jones Jr. 加入练习阵容。

布法罗比尔队 – 跑卫 Frank Gore Jr.、外接手 Greg Dortch 加入练习阵容。

卡罗来纳黑豹队 – 安全卫 Isaiah Simmons、线卫 Jeremiah Moon 加入练习阵容。芝加哥熊队 – 四分卫 Miller Moss、外接手 Kaden Davis 加入练习阵容。

辛辛那提孟加拉虎队 – 近端锋 Tanner Hudson、线卫 Joe Giles-Harris 加入练习阵容。

克利夫兰布朗队 – 线卫 Nathaniel Watson、角卫 D'Angelo Ross 加入练习阵容。

底特律狮子队 – 防守截锋 Ben Stille 加入练习阵容。

格林贝包装工队 – 线卫 Kristian Welch、外接手 Bo Melton 加入练习阵容。

休斯顿德州人队 – 安全卫 George Odum 加入练习阵容。

印第安纳波利斯小马队 – 角卫 Kenneth Harris 加入练习阵容。

杰克逊维尔美洲豹队 – 四分卫 Nick Mullens 加入练习阵容。

拉斯维加斯突袭者队 – 外接手 Cody White、近端锋 Chris Myarick 加入练习阵容。

迈阿密海豚队 – 防守端锋 Clelin Ferrell 加入练习阵容。

明尼苏达维京人队 – 线卫 Kyle Van Noy、跑卫 DeeJay Dallas 加入练习阵容。

新奥尔良圣徒队 – 跑卫 CJ Donaldson、外接手 Kevin Austin Jr. 加入练习阵容。

赛车

NASCAR 杯系列赛 Enjoy Illinois 300

周日

1. (2) 凯尔·拉森 (Kyle Larson)，Hendrick MS，247, 73 分。
2. (1) 亚历克斯·鲍曼 (Alex Bowman)，Hendrick MS，247, 38。
3. (1) 乔伊·洛加诺 (Joey Logano)，Penske 战队，247, 54。
4. (2) 威廉·拜伦 (William Byron)，Hendrick MS，247, 33。
5. (20) 罗斯·查斯坦 (Ross Chastain)，Trackhouse，247, 32。
6. (22) 奥斯汀·狄龙 (Austin Dillon)，Rich Childress，247, 31。
7. (19) 康纳·齐利施 (Connor Zilisch)，Trackhouse，247, 30。
8. (6) 卡森·霍塞瓦 (Carson Hocevar)，Spire MS，247, 34。
9. (10) 丹尼·汉姆林 (Denny Hamlin)，Joe Gibbs，247, 33。
10. (13) 奥斯汀·辛德里克 (Austin Cindric)，Penske 战队，247, 27。
11. (26) 寇尔·卡斯特 (Cole Custer)，Haas Factory，247, 26。
12. (23) 布拉德·凯塞洛夫斯基 (Brad Keselowski)，RFK Racing，247, 34。
13. (25) 埃里克·琼斯 (Erik Jones)，Legacy MC，247, 24。
14. (7) 鲍巴·华莱士 (Bubba Wallace)，23XI Racing，247, 24。
15. (28) J. H. 尼梅切克 (J. H. Nemechek)，Legacy MC，247, 22。
16. (17) AJ·奥门丁格 (AJ Allmendinger)，Kaulig，247, 21。
17. (14) 瑞安·普里斯 (Ryan Preece)，RFK Racing，247, 24。
18. (9) 泰·吉布斯 (Ty Gibbs)，Joe Gibbs Racing，247, 21。
19. (4) 克里斯托弗·贝尔 (Christopher Bell)，Joe Gibbs，247, 27。
20. (29) 迈克尔·麦道尔 (Michael McDowell)，Spire MS，247, 17。
21. (27) 奥斯汀·希尔 (Austin Hill)，Richard Childress，247, 0。
22. (30) 寇迪·韦尔 (Cody Ware)，Rick Ware Racing，247, 15。
23. (35) S. 范·吉斯伯根 (S. Van Gisbergen)，Trackhouse，247, 14。
24. (34) 托德·吉兰德 (Todd Gilliland)，Front Row MS，247, 13。
25. (18) 泰勒·雷迪克 (Tyler Reddick)，23XI Racing，247, 15。
26. (36) 瑞基·斯滕豪斯二世 (Ricky Stenhouse Jr)，HYAK MS，247, 11。
27. (21) 克里斯·布舍尔 (Chris Buescher)，RFK，237, 事故 10。
28. (16) 乔什·贝里 (Josh Berry)，Wood Brothers，231, 15。
29. (15) 丹尼尔·苏亚雷斯 (Daniel Suárez)，Spire，229, 事故 8。
30. (32) 泰·狄龙 (Ty Dillon)，Kaulig，227, 7。
31. (8) C. 埃利奥特 (C. Elliott)，Hendrick，214, 12。
32. (5) C. 布里斯科 (C. Briscoe)，Joe Gibbs，213, 11。
33. (31) N. 格雷格森 (N. Gragson)，Front Row 19B, 4。
34. (33) 莱利·赫伯斯特 (Riley Herbst)，23XI，176, 16。
35. (3) 瑞安·布莱尼 (Ryan Blaney)，Penske，154, 16。
36. (12) Z. 史密斯 (Z. Smith)，Front Row，129, 1。

WNBA

东部会议

< / td><>胜< / ><>负< / ><>胜率< / ><>落后场数< / >< / tr><><>亚特兰大< / ><>26< / ><>14< / ><>.650< / ><>-< / >< / ><><>印第安纳< / ><>26< / ><>14< / ><>.650< / ><>-< / >< / ><><>纽约自由人< / ><>24< / ><>16< / ><>.600< / ><>2< / >< / ><><>华盛顿< / ><>24< / ><>16< / ><>.600< / ><>2< / >< / ><><>芝加哥< / ><>15< / ><>25< / ><>.375< / ><>11< / >< / ><><>多伦多< / ><>11< / ><>29< / ><>.275< / ><>15< / >< / ><><>康涅狄格< / ><>10< / ><>30< / ><>.250< / ><>16< / >< / table>

西部会议

<><>< / ><>胜< / ><>负< / ><>胜率< / ><>落后场数< / >< / ><><>明尼苏达< / ><>31< / ><>9< / ><>.775< / ><>-< / >< / ><><>金州< / ><>29< / ><>11< / ><>.725< / ><>2< / >< / ><><>拉斯维加斯< / ><>27< / ><>13< / ><>.675< / ><>4< / >< / ><><>达拉斯< / ><>24< / ><>16< / ><>.600< / ><>7< / >< / ><><>波特兰< / ><>16< / ><>24< / ><>.400< / ><>15< / >< / ><><>洛杉矶火花< / ><>15< / ><>25< / ><>.375< / ><>16< / >< / ><><>菲尼克斯< / ><>14< / ><>26< / ><>.350< / ><>17< / >< / ><><>西雅图< / ><>8< / ><>32< / ><>.200< / ><>23< / >< / table>

联赛因国际篮联（FIBA）世界杯进入休赛期，直至 9 月 17 日星期四。

天气 在线天气 USATODAY.COM

今日预报

雷阵雨今天将从密歇根州和俄亥俄州延伸至亚利桑那州和新墨西哥州。部分雷阵雨可能较为剧烈，并可能产生阵风、小冰雹和突发洪水。在强降雨反复出现的爱荷华州南部，突发洪水的风险最高。除墨西哥湾沿岸下午的雷阵雨外，美国其他地区预计天气干燥。

高温将维持在国家的南部和中部地区。气温将比平均水平高出 5-15 度，范围从德克萨斯州延伸至肯塔基州。东海岸天气将更加凉爽且湿度较低，伴有阳光。

从加利福尼亚州到蒙大拿州和怀俄明州，气温将接近或略低于平均水平。西南部和落基山脉地区天空将以晴朗为主。

天气瞬息万变。全天候 24 / 7. 实时更新。USA TODAY 下载我们的免费应用程序

今日最高气温

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AccuWeather®

雷暴 雨 雪 冰 / 雨夹雪

降水预报

周三

极端天气

最高气温：113° 加利福尼亚州，死亡谷 最低气温：32° 加利福尼亚州，阿尔图拉斯

巴尔的摩 周二 部分多云 77 / 58 周三 大多晴朗 82 / 64 周四 非常温暖 87 / 67

周二 多云 67 / 56 周三 晴朗，宜人 77 / 64

周四 阵雨 77 / 67

AQI 良 AQI 良

美国城市< / td><>今日< / ><>周三< / >< / tr><><>俄亥俄州，阿克伦< / ><>80 / 65pc< / ><>82 / 68t< / >< / ><><>纽约州，奥尔巴尼< / ><>70 / 55pc< / ><>75 / 62℃< / >< / ><><>阿尔伯克基< / ><>86 / 64t< / ><>83 / 65t< / >< / ><><>宾夕法尼亚州，艾伦敦< / ><>74 / 52pc< / ><>79 / 61s< / >< / ><><>德克萨斯州，阿马里洛< / ><>91 / 66t< / ><>90 / 66pc< / >< / ><><>加利福尼亚州，安纳海姆< / ><>84 / 67pc< / ><>82 / 66pc< / >< / ><><>阿拉斯加州，安克雷奇< / ><>57 / 51r< / ><>62 / 47pc< / >< / ><><>科罗拉多州，阿斯彭< / ><>76 / 50t< / ><>70 / 50t< / >< / ><><>新泽西州，大西洋城< / ><>73 / 59pc< / ><>77 / 67s< / >< / ><><>佐治亚州，奥古斯塔< / ><>90 / 64pc< / ><>89 / 60s< / >< / ><><>德克萨斯州，奥斯汀< / ><>101 / 76pc< / ><>99 / 75t< / >< / ><><>加利福尼亚州，贝克斯菲尔德< / ><>92 / 65s< / ><>91 / 62s< / >< / ><><>路易斯安那州，巴吞鲁日< / ><>95 / 75t< / ><>92 / 72t< / >< / ><><>蒙大拿州，比林斯< / ><>70 / 45s< / ><>70 / 46pc< / >< / ><><>阿拉巴马州，伯明翰< / ><>97 / 74pc< / ><>93 / 69s< / >< / ><><>北达科他州，俾斯麦< / ><>68 / 47s< / ><>69 / 47sh< / >< / ><><>爱达荷州，博伊西< / ><>78 / 48pc< / ><>81 / 56s< / >< / ><><>纽约州，布法罗< / ><>78 / 65pc< / ><>75 / 64℃< / >< / ><><>佛蒙特州，伯灵顿< / ><>69 / 60pc< / ><>76 / 59℃< / >< / ><><>爱荷华州，锡达拉皮兹< / ><>73 / 59t< / ><>68 / 63t< / >< / ><><>南卡罗来纳州，查尔斯顿< / ><>87 / 67sh< / ><>87 / 66s< / >< / ><><>西弗吉尼亚州，查尔斯顿< / ><>88 / 62s< / ><>89 / 67pc< / >< / ><><>怀俄明州，夏延< / ><>66 / 47pc< / ><>80 / 56t< / >< / table>

周二 零星雷阵雨 94 / 80 周三 零星雷阵雨 88 / 79 周四 阳光充足 90 / 73

周二 大多晴朗 72 / 62 周三 大多晴朗 79 / 67 周四 潮湿 81 / 70

<><>< / ><>今日< / ><>周三< / >< / ><><>辛辛那提< / ><>91 / 71s< / ><>91 / 71pc< / >< / ><><>克利夫兰< / ><>83 / 68pc< / ><>81 / 69t< / >< / ><><>科罗拉多斯普林斯< / ><>73 / 51t< / ><>80 / 57t< / >< / ><><>南卡罗来纳州，哥伦比亚< / ><>90 / 66pc< / ><>88 / 63s< / >< / ><><>俄亥俄州，哥伦布< / ><>86 / 69pc< / ><>87 / 70t< / >< / ><><>德克萨斯州，科珀斯克里斯蒂< / ><>100 / 78pc< / ><>96 / 79t< / >< / ><><>俄亥俄州，代顿< / ><>88 / 69pc< / ><>88 / 71t< / >< / ><><>佛罗里达州，代托纳比奇< / ><>88 / 78t< / ><>87 / 77pc< / >< / ><><>爱荷华州，德梅因< / ><>72 / 60t< / ><>68 / 64t< / >< / ><><>明尼苏达州，杜鲁斯< / ><>65 / 43w< / ><>64 / 49pc< / >< / ><><>北卡罗来纳州，达勒姆< / ><>82 / 57s< / ><>83 / 57s< / >< / ><><>德克萨斯州，埃尔帕索< / ><>94 / 71t< / ><>92 / 69t< / >< / ><><>阿拉斯加州，费尔班克斯< / ><>50 / 45r< / ><>49 / 44r< / >< / ><><>亚利桑那州，弗拉格斯塔夫< / ><>72 / 56t< / ><>69 / 54t< / >< / ><><>北达科他州，法戈< / ><>72 / 47pc< / ><>70 / 52sh< / >< / ><><>佛罗里达州，迈尔斯堡< / ><>92 / 76t< / ><>91 / 75t< / >< / ><><>阿肯色州，史密斯堡< / ><>101 / 77s< / ><>99 / 77t< / >< / ><><>印第安纳州，韦恩堡< / ><>87 / 68t< / ><>81 / 67t< / >< / ><><>加利福尼亚州，弗雷斯诺< / ><>92 / 61s< / ><>88 / 60s< / >< / ><><>密歇根州，大急流城< / ><>77 / 60t< / ><>72 / 62pc< / >< / ><><>威斯康星州，格林贝< / ><>75 / 50℃< / ><>69 / 58pc< / >< / ><><>北卡罗来纳州，格林斯伯勒< / ><>82 / 60pc< / ><>84 / 61s< / >< / ><><>南卡罗来纳州，格林维尔< / ><>82 / 64pc< / ><>86 / 62s< / >< / ><><>宾夕法尼亚州，哈里斯堡< / ><>75 / 56pc< / ><>81 / 64h< / >< / table>

良 中等

周二 雷阵雨 82 / 66 周三 雷阵雨 72 / 68

周四 阵雨 77 / 64

周二 零星雷阵雨 89 / 76 周三 零星雷阵雨 89 / 74 周四 强雷阵雨 86 / 73

周二 部分多云 78 / 60 周三 大多晴朗 83 / 66 周四 潮湿 86 / 69

热门旅游城市 空气质量指数 () 夏洛特 底特律 良 pc 部分多云 s 晴朗 sh 阵雨 t 雷阵雨

周四 雷阵雨 77 / 59

周二 零星雷阵雨 99 / 80 周三 零星雷阵雨 96 / 80 周四 下午雷阵雨 99 / 82

AQI 良

周四 阵雨 约 90 / 77

< / td><>今日< / ><>周三< / >< / tr><><>康涅狄格州 哈特福德< / ><>72 / 53pc< / ><>79 / 61s< / >< / ><><>印第安纳波利斯< / ><>93 / 71t< / ><>89 / 72t< / >< / ><><>纽约州 伊斯利普< / ><>71 / 58s< / ><>76 / 65s< / >< / ><><>密西西比州 杰克逊< / ><>98 / 73t< / ><>95 / 70s< / >< / ><><>佛罗里达州 杰克逊维尔< / ><>88 / 73t< / ><>88 / 72w< / >< / ><><>密苏里州 杰斐逊城< / ><>97 / 71t< / ><>96 / 72pc< / >< / ><><>堪萨斯城< / ><>87 / 67t< / ><>88 / 72t< / >< / ><><>佛罗里达州 基韦斯特< / ><>90 / 83t< / ><>90 / 81t< / >< / ><><>田纳西州 诺克斯维尔< / ><>92 / 70pc< / ><>92 / 70s< / >< / ><><>德克萨斯州 拉雷多< / ><>107 / 78s< / ><>102 / 78s< / >< / ><><>肯塔基州 莱辛顿< / ><>93 / 72s< / ><>95 / 71pc< / >< / ><><>内布拉斯加州 林肯< / ><>69 / 61t< / ><>73 / 66t< / >< / ><><>阿肯色州 小石城< / ><>98 / 77s< / ><>99 / 76t< / >< / ><><>加利福尼亚州 隆比奇< / ><>80 / 68pc< / ><>80 / 67pc< / >< / ><><>肯塔基州 路易斯维尔< / ><>96 / 76s< / ><>97 / 75pc< / >< / ><><>德克萨斯州 拉伯克< / ><>99 / 70s< / ><>94 / 69s< / >< / ><><>威斯康星州 麦迪逊< / ><>76 / 53r< / ><>68 / 59sh< / >< / ><><>新罕布什尔州 曼彻斯特< / ><>72 / 51pc< / ><>81 / 60pc< / >< / ><><>田纳西州 孟菲斯< / ><>98 / 79s< / ><>99 / 77s< / >< / ><><>密尔沃基< / ><>77 / 63t< / ><>68 / 65t< / >< / ><><>阿拉巴马州 莫比尔< / ><>95 / 76t< / ><>92 / 69s< / >< / ><><>加利福尼亚州 莫德斯托< / ><>90 / 55s< / ><>84 / 54s< / >< / ><><>阿拉巴马州 蒙哥马利< / ><>97 / 72t< / ><>92 / 64s< / >< / ><><>南卡罗来纳州 默特尔比奇< / ><>85 / 66pc< / ><>84 / 67s< / >< / table>

AQI 中等 洛杉矶 AQI 良

周二 晴 100 / 77 周三 阳光充足 97 / 73 周四 晴 96 / 74

AQI 中等

<><>< / ><>今日< / ><>周三< / >< / ><><>北卡罗来纳州 纳格斯海德< / ><>79 / 69s< / ><>79 / 70pc< / >< / ><><>田纳西州 纳什维尔< / ><>98 / 76s< / ><>97 / 73s< / >< / ><><>新泽西州 纽瓦克< / ><>75 / 60s< / ><>83 / 67s< / >< / ><><>康涅狄格州 纽黑文< / ><>69 / 58s< / ><>77 / 65s< / >< / ><><>弗吉尼亚州 诺福克< / ><>79 / 67pc< / ><>80 / 67s< / >< / ><><>加利福尼亚州 奥克兰< / ><>72 / 58pc< / ><>72 / 60pc< / >< / ><><>俄克拉荷马城< / ><>101 / 75s< / ><>98 / 74s< / >< / ><><>内布拉斯加州 奥马哈< / ><>73 / 60t< / ><>70 / 65t< / >< / ><><>加利福尼亚州 棕榈泉< / ><>100 / 74s< / ><>99 / 74s< / >< / ><><>佛罗里达州 彭萨科拉< / ><>93 / 76t< / ><>91 / 72s< / >< / ><><>南达科他州 皮埃尔< / ><>72 / 54pc< / ><>76 / 53pc< / >< / ><><>匹兹堡< / ><>81 / 62s< / ><>85 / 67t< / >< / ><><>缅因州 波特兰< / ><>68 / 52pc< / ><>74 / 57pc< / >< / ><><>俄勒冈州 波特兰< / ><>66 / 53sh< / ><>82 / 55s< / >< / ><><>罗德岛州 普罗维登斯< / ><>71 / 52s< / ><>77 / 61s< / >< / ><><>北卡罗来纳州 罗利< / ><>83 / 59s< / ><>86 / 61s< / >< / ><><>南达科他州 快速城< / ><>74 / 53pc< / ><>86 / 54pc< / >< / ><><>内华达州 里诺< / ><>85 / 49s< / ><>83 / 52s< / >< / ><><>弗吉尼亚州 里士满< / ><>80 / 58pc< / ><>84 / 60s< / >< / ><><>纽约州 罗切斯特< / ><>76 / 64pc< / ><>75 / 65℃< / >< / ><><>加利福尼亚州 萨克拉门托< / ><>89 / 56s< / ><>81 / 56s< / >< / ><><>圣安东尼奥< / ><>101 / 79pc< / ><>97 / 78t< / >< / ><><>加利福尼亚州 圣何塞< / ><>81 / 58pc< / ><>77 / 56pc< / >< / ><><>新墨西哥州 圣菲< / ><>83 / 58t< / ><>76 / 57t< / >< / table>

< / td><>今日< / ><>周三< / >< / tr><><>佛罗里达州，萨拉索塔< / ><>92 / 76t< / ><>92 / 75t< / >< / ><><>佐治亚州，萨凡纳< / ><>88 / 68t< / ><>88 / 68s< / >< / ><><>亚利桑那州，斯科茨代尔< / ><>97 / 79t< / ><>95 / 79t< / >< / ><><>路易斯安那州，什里夫波特< / ><>100 / 77t< / ><>99 / 78t< / >< / ><><>南达科他州，苏福尔斯< / ><>73 / 51℃< / ><>66 / 58sh< / >< / ><><>印第安纳州，南本德< / ><>86 / 66t< / ><>78 / 69t< / >< / ><><>华盛顿州，斯波坎< / ><>65 / 47pc< / ><>73 / 49s< / >< / ><><>密苏里州，斯普林菲尔德< / ><>99 / 75s< / ><>98 / 74t< / >< / ><><>伊利诺伊州，斯普林菲尔德< / ><>94 / 69t< / ><>89 / 71t< / >< / ><><>圣路易斯< / ><>99 / 75t< / ><>96 / 77t< / >< / ><><>佛罗里达州，圣彼得堡< / ><>92 / 78t< / ><>90 / 74t< / >< / ><><>纽约州，锡拉丘兹< / ><>75 / 60pc< / ><>76 / 64℃< / >< / ><><>佛罗里达州，塔拉哈西< / ><>96 / 74t< / ><>92 / 68s< / >< / ><><>佛罗里达州，坦帕< / ><>93 / 77t< / ><>91 / 75pc< / >< / ><><>俄亥俄州，托莱多< / ><>86 / 68t< / ><>79 / 68t< / >< / ><><>堪萨斯州，托皮卡< / ><>87 / 66t< / ><>90 / 72t< / >< / ><><>亚利桑那州，图森< / ><>93 / 76t< / ><>91 / 73t< / >< / ><><>密西西比州，图珀洛< / ><>98 / 74s< / ><>97 / 71s< / >< / ><><>俄克拉荷马州，塔尔萨< / ><>100 / 79s< / ><>99 / 76s< / >< / ><><>弗吉尼亚州，弗吉尼亚海滩< / ><>79 / 68pc< / ><>78 / 66s< / >< / ><><>堪萨斯州，威奇托< / ><>99 / 71t< / ><>96 / 71pc< / >< / ><><>特拉华州，威尔明顿< / ><>77 / 56pc< / ><>82 / 63s< / >< / ><><>北卡罗来纳州，温斯顿-塞勒姆< / ><>81 / 60pc< / ><>86 / 60s< / >< / ><><>马萨诸塞州，伍斯特< / ><>68 / 52pc< / ><>74 / 61s< / >< / table>

周二 多云 64 / 51 周三 宜人 75 / 52 周四 大多晴朗 77 / 53 AQI 良

周二 多云 79 / 62 周三 大多晴朗 84 / 65 周四 非常温暖 89 / 71 AQI 良

世界城市

<><>< / ><>今日< / ><>周三< / >< / ><><>北京< / ><>85 / 61s< / ><>89 / 63s< / >< / ><><>布宜诺斯艾利斯< / ><>66 / 46pc< / ><>57 / 52s< / >< / ><><>墨西哥，坎昆< / ><>93 / 75sh< / ><>93 / 76sh< / >< / ><><>阿联酋，迪拜< / ><>104 / 87h< / ><>103 / 88h< / >< / ><><>法兰克福< / ><>82 / 61℃< / ><>71 / 50pc< / >< / ><><>香港< / ><>90 / 80r< / ><>90 / 80pc< / >< / ><><>伊斯坦布尔< / ><>78 / 65℃< / ><>74 / 63℃< / >< / ><><>耶路撒冷< / ><>88 / 67s< / ><>90 / 67s< / >< / ><><>约翰内斯堡< / ><>73 / 49pc< / ><>79 / 55h< / >< / ><><>伦敦< / ><>72 / 52sh< / ><>68 / 55pc< / >< / ><><>墨西哥城< / ><>76 / 55r< / ><>79 / 56℃< / >< / ><><>蒙特利尔< / ><>67 / 59℃< / ><>75 / 56pc< / >< / ><><>莫斯科< / ><>64 / 44pc< / ><>63 / 48pc< / >< / ><><>印度，孟买< / ><>90 / 80r< / ><>89 / 80sh< / >< / ><><>巴黎< / ><>90 / 56s< / ><>71 / 52pc< / >< / ><><>里约热内卢< / ><>73 / 67r< / ><>71 / 66sh< / >< / ><><>罗马< / ><>86 / 61s< / ><>84 / 64s< / >< / ><><>首尔< / ><>81 / 56s< / ><>85 / 62s< / >< / ><><>新加坡< / ><>92 / 80sh< / ><>92 / 79h< / >< / ><><>悉尼< / ><>75 / 54s< / ><>61 / 50w< / >< / ><><>多伦多< / ><>73 / 65t< / ><>77 / 60pc< / >< / ><><>东京< / ><>81 / 71t< / ><>73 / 68r< / >< / table>

贝尔

接第 1℃ 页

因其而闻名。他们来自边缘冲锋手 T.J. 瓦特，他在第四节通过一次拦截后推进 35 码地得分，并完成了两次擒杀。

无论如何，这件事发生了。

“当这是在某个地方的第一次时，总是很特别，”罗杰斯说，“而当这是你从小支持的球队时，则格外特别。”

如果不是因为麦卡锡回到家乡——他在南区可以看到钢人队总部的格林菲尔德社区长大，目前暂时住在父母家中——罗杰斯可能不会为了他的“最后一程”而留在匹兹堡。

在迈克·汤姆林于 1 月辞职后，罗杰斯认为他作为钢人队球员可能只有一次机会。然而，麦卡锡的受聘使之成为可能。而麦卡锡毫不掩饰他希望 42 岁的罗杰斯回归，开启他的第 22 个 NFL 赛季。

“我觉得在身体上，我能行，”他在一次训练营采访中告诉我。“但考虑到与迈克的熟悉程度，我在心里想，‘我不想回来后再去学习一套全新的进攻体系。我去年就经历过一次，那简直是一场折磨。’”

第一周的比赛揭示了未来需要面对的一些问题。麦卡锡对旨在创造平衡的冲球进攻并不满意——钢人队冲球 21 次，获得 58 码，平均每次冲球 2.8 码。然而，即便存在一些脱节的情况，看着罗杰斯（24 次传球成功 / 40 次尝试，221 码，1 次达阵，0 次拦截，83.4 传球评分）在球场中路运作，与去年由前协调员亚瑟·史密斯运行的战术形成了鲜明对比。其中出现了斜线传球、内切路线、近端锋接缝传球等更多战术。

“是的，伙计，就是一套不同的体系，”罗杰斯在谈到差异时说道，随后他回忆起在格林贝的岁月，并列举了一系列让该体系奏效的接球目标。

当然，关键因素（X factor）是教练与四分卫之间的纽带，这种纽带建立在 13 年的合作基础之上，且他们的履历中都有一座超级碗冠军奖杯。罗杰斯了解教练的内心，而他的哲学理念也没有改变。但考虑到他们在格林贝任期结束时存在的一些摩擦，时间的流逝在此时产生了一个至关重要的影响。

“我想说，他现在更沉稳了一些，我也一样，”罗杰斯告诉《今日美国》体育版（USA TODAY Sports）。“迈克对比赛有着炽热的热情。也许是因为现在要抚养三个女儿。他和杰斯组建了第二个家庭，有两个更小的女儿。我想他可能从中学会了很多耐心，并将这种耐心带到了球场和会议室。”

“但你知道，我也变得沉稳多了。因为我依然是一个炽热的竞争者，他依然炽热、好胜且充满激情，但我认为在沟通方面，我们现在都能更好地传达想要表达的信息，而无需失去冷静。”

这听起来像是罗杰斯和麦卡锡如果想要重现当年的魔力，彼此都需要对方。

两分钟演习

- 有哪支球队在第一周的表现比熊队更具宣言意义吗？在对阵卡罗来纳的比赛中，双方共计砍下 96 分，创下揭幕周纪录，熊队以 59-37 大胜——这让芝加哥教练本·约翰逊（Ben Johnson）一直强调的高远目标变成了现实。约翰逊毫不掩饰他的野心：除了赢得第 61 届超级碗，他还想打破由佩顿·曼宁（Peyton Manning）率领的丹佛野马队在 2013 年创下的 606 分 NFL 得分纪录。而在第一周之后，熊队（552 码，8 个达阵，219 码冲球，2 名冲球超过 100 码的球员）的得分进度正朝着 1,003 分迈进。约翰逊重申道：“我们进入这个行业，并不是为了追求平庸或平均水平。”

- 放弃既得分数总是有风险的，尤其是在客场且处于第四节时。包装工队教练马特·拉弗勒（Matt LaFleur）在特雷·斯麦克（Trey Smack）的 40 码射门中因违规被判罚后，深刻体会到了这一点。在 22-17 领先的情况下，拉弗勒在最后一节初期选择了第四档长距离 1 码进攻，而非稳拿 8 分的领先优势。这是一个糟糕的决定。乔丹·洛夫（Jordan Love）被拦截，比赛势头瞬间逆转。维京人队随后连续砍下 22 分。糟糕。

- “传奇”休斯顿德州人队在面对爆发性的布法罗进攻线时遇到了对手，而这一切是由超级四分卫乔什·艾伦（Josh Allen）触发的，他传球 334 码并贡献 2 个达阵，冲球贡献 2 个达阵。尽管这场 36-31 的惊险对决被评为 NFL 本周之战且进攻火力全开，但最终锁定胜局的却是比尔队那并不那么“传奇”的防守线——在休斯顿队推进至 9 码线准备进行第一次达阵尝试（first-and-goal）后的最后三次进攻中，比尔队完成了两次擒杀。其中第一次是由身高 6 英尺 7 英寸、体重 331 磅的防守截锋德旺·沃克（De-one Walker）完成的，他用一个巧妙的晃动动作清理出通往 C.J. 斯特劳德（C.J. Stroud）的路径。

- 新任教练在首秀中的战绩为 6-4，其中亚利桑那队的迈克·拉弗勒（Mike LaFleur）在击败充电者队时取得了最出人意料的胜利。26-14 的结果终结了该球队连续八个第一周失利的纪录，拉弗勒也成为了自 1973 年唐·科里尔（Don Coryell）以来，首位在首秀中获胜的红雀队全职教练。此外，约翰·哈博（John Harbaugh）也值得喝彩，他通过击败分区竞争对手达拉斯牛仔队，为巨人的新时代揭开了序幕。

- 当狮子队将大卫·蒙哥马利（David Montgomery）交易至德州人队时，“索尼克与纳克鲁斯”这对 NFL 顶尖的 1-2 号跑卫组合就此解体。然而，分离或许会让 them 变得更加致命。贾米尔·吉布斯（Jahmyr Gibbs）在底特律对阵新奥尔良的生存战中，通过进攻端贡献了 186 码（其中冲球 156 码，每次冲球平均 5.4 码）和两个达阵；而蒙哥马利在休斯顿的首秀中则砍下三个达阵（总计 79 码）。

- 舍杜尔·桑德斯（Shedeur Sanders）的倒计时时钟仍在滴答作响。布朗队在杰克逊维尔的比赛中毫无竞争力，德尚·沃森（Deshaun Watson）率领的进攻线在第三档进攻中 8 次尝试仅成功 1 次。随着杰克逊维尔在下半场初期建立起 31-0 的领先优势，条件似乎已经成熟，足以让教练托德·蒙肯（Todd Monken）派上桑德斯以寻求潜在的突破或仅仅是为了让他获得实战经验。但事实并非如此。桑德斯没有上场一次，沃森在垃圾时间里完成了一次 46 码的达阵传球给大卫·波士顿（David Boston）。

现状与理想状态

上个赛季，有 11 位四分卫在 17 场常规赛中全部首发。根据我的《今日美国》体育同事内特·戴维斯（Nate Davis）的研究，在 2025 赛季中，共有 62 位四分卫在比赛中上场——这还不包括乔·弗拉科（Joe Flacco）为两支球队效力的出场时间，以及贾雷特·斯蒂德姆（Jarrett Stidham）在美联赛（AFC）冠军赛中为丹佛野马队首发的情况。

这个故事告诉我们：每个人都需要一名优秀的替补四分卫。或者三名。

而第一周的比赛再次提醒了我们这一点。

卫冕超级碗冠军西雅图海鹰队已经被迫启用德鲁·洛克（Drew Lock），因为萨姆·达诺德（Sam Darnold）在对阵新英格兰爱国者队的比赛中，仅在第五次出场时就因髋部受伤离场。西雅图方面庆幸达诺德没有遭受导致赛季报销的髋臼骨折，但据福克斯体育（Fox Sports）的杰伊·格雷泽（Jay Glazer）报道，他因臀部腱损伤预计将缺席一段时间。海鹰队目前正在寻求多方医疗意见，以确定伤情程度和康复计划。

与此同时，明尼苏达维京人队在凯勒·马雷（Kyler Murray）第一节因脑震荡离场后，由替补登场的卡森·温茨（Carson Wentz）率队获胜（23 次传球成功 19 次，133 码，3 次达阵，0 次被截球，传球评分 123.5）。马雷在被绿湾包装工队安全卫杰文·布拉德（Jevon Bullard）铲倒在地时受伤——布拉德因此被判不必要粗暴行为——这无疑将触发 NFL 新实施的“三次违规出局”政策的审查，该政策旨在严厉打击严重犯规。

还有亚特兰大猎鹰队，他们仍在等待前首发迈克尔·佩尼克斯二世（Michael Penix Jr.）从导致其 2025 赛季报销的 ACL（前交叉韧带）部分撕裂中恢复。图亚·塔戈瓦洛亚（Tua Tagovailoa）原计划在匹兹堡的赛季揭幕战中首发，但在周四的练习热身期间遭遇了斜肌受伤（此前他在训练营第一周就因背伤被迫缺席训练），新任教练凯文·斯特凡斯基（Kevin Stefanski）被迫启用 3 号四分卫库珀·鲁什（Cooper Rush）。

甚至这个计划在周六早上鲁什出现背部痉挛时也变得岌岌可危。鲁什及时恢复并打满了全场，但猎鹰队当时几乎就要启用未被选中的新秀杰克·斯特兰德（Jack Strand）。现在的希望是，已被允许全面参与训练的佩尼克斯能在 9 月 20 日对阵卡罗来纳的主场揭幕战中回归。

上赛季我们看到了很多替补四分卫的出场时间。按照这个速度，本赛季 NFL 球队的替补出场时间可能会更多。

最糟糕的胜利

底特律狮队在主场浪费了 21 分的领先优势，最终在加时赛中通过化解对方的两次转换得分，以 31-30 惊险获胜。这让人想起上赛季底特律在多场失利中错失机会，最终在 NFC 北区垫底的阴影。如果不是因为一次极具争议的即时回放裁决取消了新奥尔良圣徒队一次明显的抢球达阵，比赛可能在加时赛前就已分出胜负。根据 NFL 规则的字面定义，新奥尔良并没有（再次）被回放裁决抢走胜利，因为底特律四分卫贾里德·戈夫（Jared Goff）在被切斯·扬（Chase Young）击中时已经开始了投球动作，而这正是乔纳斯·桑克（Jonas Sanker）完成那次看似达阵的回攻的前提。但在肉眼看来，这简直是现代版的“收球规则”（Tuck Rule）重演。你是相信自己的眼睛，还是相信规则书？

收盘铃 (Closing Bell)

泰坦队原计划在对阵喷气机队的揭幕战中场休息期间将克里斯·约翰逊（Chris Johnson）入选其荣誉之环，但该计划被推迟了。推迟的原因比他那些卓越的足球成就——包括 2009 年单赛季冲球 2,000 码——更能引起人们的共鸣。

那就是现实生活。

球队在周五的一份声明中表示，约翰逊于 6 月 29 日透露自己患有肌萎缩侧索硬化症（ALS），由于“不可预见的情况”，他无法前往纳什维尔参加仪式。

这是一个令人冷静的提醒，提醒人们 40 岁的约翰逊正在与之抗争的病情及其与踢足球之间的联系。尽管目前显然没有科学证据确认足球导致了约翰逊的病情，但他似乎将两者联系了起来，并在上周发布在《球员论坛》（The Players' Tribune）的一封写给四个孩子的信中公开承认了这一点。

祝克里斯·约翰逊一路平安。为你、你的妻子布列塔尼（Brittany）以及你的家人和挚爱祈祷。

在 X 上关注 Bell：@JarrettBell

美国 (USA)

接第 1℃ 页

MVP 布里安娜·斯图尔特 (Breanna Stewart)

这位三届奥运金牌得主赢得了她的第四枚世界杯金牌，并被评为世界杯 MVP，成为首位两次获得该奖项的球员。

“我很幸运能与许多优秀的球员一起比赛，这个团队真的很特别，”斯图尔特说。“我们在场内外的考验方式，以及我们如何在这种考验中继续成长，我为他们感到非常自豪，也很兴奋能赢得这枚金牌并将其带回家。”

布里安娜·斯图尔特和切尔西·格雷 (Chelsea Gray) 在国际篮联 (FIBA) 女篮世界杯庆祝活动中展示他们的金牌。ANNEGRET HILSE / 路透社

斯图尔特出场时间全队最高，达到 30 分钟，并成为首位在世界杯决赛中砍下 20 分 10 个篮板两双数据的美国球员。在整个赛事中，斯图尔特场均贡献 12.8 分、7.3 个篮板和 2.8 次助攻。

杰基·杨 (Jackie Young) 的纪录级表现

杰基·杨是唯一一名在柏林每场比赛都得分上双的美国球员，而她的最佳表现出现在最关键的时刻。杨在比赛中贡献了 18 分、6 个篮板和 5 次助攻，投篮 14 投 7 中，三分线 7 投 4 中。杨被评为全场最佳球员。

“我并不太关注个人荣誉。我只是尽我所能帮助球队获胜，”杨在获胜后表示。“今天就是表现得积极一些。对方对我们的身体对抗非常激烈，所以我只是尽量寻找自己的位置，并在开局阶段投中了几个球。”

杨成为女篮世界杯历史上首位在决赛中获得 15 分或更多、5 个或更多篮板以及 5 次或更多助攻的球员。

她是首位赢得高中州冠军、NCAA 冠军、WNBA 冠军、奥运会 5x5 金牌、3x3 金牌和世界杯金牌的球员。她是一个赢家。

安杰尔·里斯 (Angel Reese) 的表情包收藏

如果你还不知道的话，安杰尔·里斯在表情包领域正处于一个世代级的巅峰期。

她（无意中）制造了许多令人愉悦的 WNBA 时刻，并将这种特质带到了全球舞台。在美国队横扫法国队时，她显得异常兴奋，在第三节美国队火力全开时，她做出了一个坚毅的表情。那太精彩了。

随后，她在替补席上为美国队队友们欢呼，留下了一个可爱的瞬间。

美国队教练卡拉·劳森与总经理苏·伯德

随着在美国本土举办的奥运会临近，卡拉·劳森和苏·伯德承受着巨大的压力。伯德需要组建阵容，而劳森则需要将其执教至夺金。当阿贾·威尔逊因伤退出赛事后，这种压力进一步升级。

最终，伯德和劳森完成了任务。伯德打造了一支包含七名首次代表成年国家队参加重大赛事的球员的阵容，而劳森则通过在关键时刻依靠老将，并为年轻人创造能够成功的机会，找到了获胜方案。

如果美国国家队输掉了这次比赛，那么在进入洛杉矶奥运会之前的两年里，人们将会不断质疑他们是否是领导该项目的合适人选。而现在，质疑者们被沉默了。

输家

法国队

由于与美国国家队的历史纠葛，以及法国女篮在比赛开局时的出色表现，这次失利可能感觉更加沉重。

在 2024 年巴黎奥运会上，加比·威廉姆斯在终场哨响时投进了一个远距离投篮，但由于她的脚趾踩线，该球被判定为两分而非 3 分，导致“蓝色军团”以一分之差输给了美国队。鉴于那次失败，且这是法国队首次进入女篮世界杯金牌赛，人们意识到这场比赛将充满情感波动。

“坦白说，我们没有什么可失去的。我们确实知道她们是一支伟大的球队。她们多年来赢得了每一次世界杯，”法国队的玛丽娜·约翰内斯在比赛前表示。“她们非常有天赋，这一点我们都知道。我们整个赛季都在 WNBA 与这些球员一起比赛，我们知道她们有多强。

“这只是一场比赛。没什么可失去的。我们会全力以赴，看看会发生什么。”

法国队在开局确实打得很努力，在第二节开始后打出一波 8-0 的进攻高潮，在第二节进行到两分钟时以 28-17 领先。

尽管美国国家队一度落后多达 14 分，但法国队最终在对方复苏的防守压力下败下阵来，渐渐失去了势头。

法国的加比·威廉姆斯

在整个赛事中，加比·威廉姆斯看起来像是一个决心复仇的球员，这种情况在金牌赛的上半场得以延续——她在半场结束前投篮 9 中 5，三分线 5 中 3，砍下 16 分。但在法国队最需要她的时刻，她被限制住了，第三节得分颗粒无收，最终全场得到 20 分。

这样的收尾，加上她在 2024 年奥运会决赛最后几秒的经历，必然令人心痛——但威廉姆斯像冠军一样面对失败。

“也许过几天感觉会好一些。当然，我们现在很失望，但我认为我们正在一点点地向世界展示法国作为一个篮球国家的实力，”威廉姆斯说。“我加入这支球队时的目标就是改变文化。显然我们有更高的期望，但我们会实现的。”

法国的玛丽娜·约翰内斯

玛丽娜·约翰内斯在对阵美国队的金牌赛前表示，法国队“没有什么可失去的”。她说她会全力以赴，看看会发生什么。约翰内斯现在可能想要重新来过，因为她在 23 分钟的出场时间里仅得到 5 分，三分线 6 投 1 中。在周日之前，约翰内斯以 19 个三分球命中数领跑整个赛事，但在金牌赛中她仅命中一个。在第三节，当约翰内斯因拍击卡莉亚·库珀的脸而被判定为非体育道德行为时，挫败感似乎爆发了。哎呀。

冠军！

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他们本不被看好能赢得总冠军。在残酷的 SEC 赛区以 14-16 的战绩勉强进入 NCAA 锦标赛。但 Sooners 队随后势不可挡，直到第三次夺得大学世界系列赛（College World Series）冠军才停止燃烧。在大学棒球最伟大的“灰姑娘”故事之一中， 队以 11-2 的连胜收官，总比分以 118-53 击败对手。从淘汰佐治亚理工学院的再见本垒打，到 13-2 大胜堪萨斯大学，再到以五次本垒打将佐治亚大学淘汰，以及 13-2 横扫北卡罗来纳大学，斯基普·约翰逊（Skip Johnson）的球队毫无疑问地证明了谁才配站在 CWS 的巅峰。

《BOOM TIMES：俄克拉荷马 队冲击 2026 年大学世界系列赛冠军的史诗征程》是一本独家精装收藏册，由《俄克拉荷马人报》（The Oklahoman）的获奖记者撰写，记录了 队历史上最伟大赛季中的每一个关键时刻。立即预订，拥有这个惊心动魄的故事！

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USA TODAY / 2026年9月15日 星期二 / D 版

在 Hulu 系列剧的第二季中，这位虚构的四分卫在场外尽情释放自我。第 2D 页

该设计师以 2027 年春季的标志性造型庆祝纽约时装周。第 4D 页

第 78 届普赖姆时段 艾美奖

珍·斯马特（Jean Smart）在《Hacks》第五季（也是最终季）中饰演德博拉·万斯（Deborah Vance）。由 HBO MAX 提供

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• 红毯上的亮眼造型
• 电视直播中未呈现的内容
• 您最喜爱的明星的数百张照片

完整报道：usatoday.com / entertainment

生命线

今天是您的生日 谁在今天庆祝

凯·吉（Kay Gee）

编剧兼导演罗恩·谢尔顿（Ron Shelton） 81 岁。演员汤米·李·琼斯（Tommy Lee Jones） 80 岁。电影导演奥利弗·斯通（Oliver Stone） 80 岁。鼓手凯利·基吉（Kelly Keagy，来自 Night Ranger 乐队） 74 岁。演员巴里·沙巴卡·亨利（Barry Shabaka Henley） 72 岁。丹尼·努奇（Danny Nucci） 58 岁。DJ 凯·吉（Kay Gee，来自 Naughty By Nature 乐队） 57 岁。乔什·查尔斯（Josh Charles） 55 岁。汤姆·哈迪（Tom Hardy） 49 岁。马里莎·拉米雷斯（Marisa Ramirez） 49 岁。戴夫·安纳布尔（Dave Annable） 47 岁。艾米·戴维森（Amy Davidson） 47 岁。电视名人海蒂·蒙塔格（Heidi Montag） 40 岁。

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白羊座（3月21日-4月19日）。陷入迷恋？小心！你可能只是喜欢这个人所代表的形象，而非其真实的人格。

金牛座（4月20日-5月20日）。你和你的“伴侣”真的是平等关系吗？随着金星与冥王星发生冲突，权力失衡的情况变得明显。

双子座（5月21日-6月21日）。帮别人一个忙……但有附加条件？避免提出不公平的要求。

巨蟹座（6月22日-7月22日）。感觉到被渴望？有人想要占有你。而你可能也渴望如此！

狮子座（7月23日-8月22日）。你是否在受到胁迫？一位挚爱之人正在提出不公平的要求。

处女座（8月23日-9月22日）。与同事相处困难？金星与冥王星的冲突阻碍你达成公平的解决方案。

天秤座（9月23日-10月23日）。决心要达成自己的目的？当金星挑战冥王星时，你的真实欲望（以及驱动这些欲望的恐惧）在很大程度上是潜意识的。

天蝎座（10月24日-11月21日）。对一段关系过度痴迷？你无法控制其结果。在金星与冥王星冲突之际，请将重心转向个人蜕变。

射手座（11月22日-12月21日）。这是真爱还是渴望？金星与冥王星的冲突激发了对浪漫关系的自我意识，但蜕变过程可能会令人不适。

摩羯座（12月22日-1月19日）。你可能真心为他人着想，但随着金星与冥王星冲突，只有在对方请求时才提供帮助！

水瓶座（1月20日-2月18日）。你今天是一股不可忽视的力量！在温柔与刚强、魅力与操纵之间寻找平衡。

双鱼座（2月19日-3月20日）。在同一条浪漫之路上徘徊？随着金星与冥王星冲突，新的爱情有着熟悉的吸引基础。

图书

Dave Mustaine（来自 Megadeth 乐队）在其现已出版的传记《在我最黑暗的时刻》（In My Darkest Hour）中，以毫不掩饰且带有冷幽默的方式详细讲述了他与舌癌抗争的经历。JASON KEMPIN / GETTY IMAGES

Megadeth 乐队的 Mustaine 拥抱“平凡生活”

Melissa Ruggieri USA TODAY

Dave 已经用一生时间去克服一个虐待且酗酒的父亲以及自身的成瘾心魔。但当他在 2019 年 2 月被诊断出舌根部患有鳞状细胞癌时，这位 Megadeth 乐队的联合创始人、主唱兼吉他手被迫面对他最强大的敌人。

《在我最黑暗的时刻》（In My Darkest Hour，由 Hachette 出版，现已上市）——书名取自 Megadeth 1988 年专辑《So Far, So Good ... So What!》中的一首歌——以毫不畏惧的坦诚、直白和冷幽默，详细记录了 的抗癌之旅。他曾以为疼痛与牙齿有关；在舌根部发现了一个一英寸宽的肿瘤；Megadeth 录制格莱美获奖专辑《Dystopia》续作的计划被搅黄；即使是对一个拥有“财富和资源”的人来说，医疗系统也令人沮丧。他的信仰如何受到考验，以及考虑到此前 17 次进入康复中心，他的担忧如何升级。

在其妻子 Pam 以及孩子 Electra 和 Justis 的部分评论配合下，毫不避讳地回顾了在 2019 年 10 月获得痊愈通知之前，折磨他及其家人的情感与身体上的痛苦。

在书出版前一周， 身穿一件 Megadeth T 恤，戴着黑框眼镜，在多伦多的酒店套房里不停地踱步。当晚，该乐队将作为嘉宾参加由同为金属巨头 Iron Maiden 领衔的巡演。

他看起来很健康，甚至在拿着手机拍照时，还停下来在酒店家具上伸展腿部。他的声音听起来像是一个从未将生活视为理所当然的人，但

详见 ，第 2D 页

Dave （来自 Megadeth 乐队）在经历癌症折磨后，回到了他最喜欢的地方——舞台。由 CAMERON NUNEZ 为 DAVE 提供

电影

加菲尔德在《起义》中宣泄愤怒

布莱恩·特鲁伊特 (Brian Truitt)

今日美国 (USA TODAY)

安德鲁·加菲尔德 (Andrew Garfield) 很庆幸自己是从 21 世纪的硅谷回到了 14 世纪的英格兰，而不是反过来。

在一次有趣的电影时间旅行中，这位英国演员首先拍摄了传记片《人工智能》（Artificial，12 月 25 日上映）中的主角，饰演 OpenAI 首席执行官萨姆·奥特曼 (Sam Altman)。随后，他转向了完全不同的方向，在动作十足的历史剧《起义》（The Uprising，9 月 10 日上映）中饰演一名革命农民，该片灵感源自 1381 年的农民起义。

加菲尔德在与《起义》导演保罗·格林格拉斯 (Paul Greengrass) 的 Zoom 采访中表示，后者最终成了“一种口味的洗涤剂”。在饰演了这样一个充满争议的人物之后，“我积压了很多需要表达的愤怒，所以这很好。”

耕种者（安德鲁·加菲尔德 饰）在历史剧《起义》中引发了 14 世纪英格兰的一场革命。由 BETINA LA PLANTE / FOCUS FEATURES 提供。

而他确实愤怒了。加菲尔德在片中饰演耕种者 (Ploughman)，一名在黑死病中失去家人的农民，随后他将怒火发泄在了一些收税员身上。收税员出现并强迫当地人支付他们负担不起的钱，甚至要求耕种者为死去的亲人支付死亡税，且士兵们对女性进行肢体骚扰。在一个决定性的时刻，耕种者激烈地反击，引发了乡村的武装号召，他成为了数千名向伦敦进军、对抗少年国王理查二世 (Richard II，伍迪·诺曼 Woody Norman 饰) 之人的不情愿的领导者。

“他是集体愤怒的接收天线，而我发现他甚至没有意识到这一点，”加菲尔德说。此外，“他感受到一种压力，不仅来自他自己的灵魂，还来自周围人的灵魂，以及在瘟疫中丧生的人们的灵魂。”

格林格拉斯补充道，当耕种者最终崩溃时，“英雄之旅在那个点被触发，但任何观看这部电影的人都能产生共鸣。无论你是收到了一张不公平的燃气账单，还是在工作中遇到了麻烦，或者其他任何事情，人们普遍有一种感觉：我们已经给得足够多了。现在够了。”

43 岁的加菲尔德在职业生涯中饰演过多个历史人物，从风险投资家爱德华多·萨夫林 (Eduardo Saverin，《社交网络》) 和耶稣会传教士塞巴斯蒂昂·罗德里格斯 (Sebastião Rodrigues，《沉默》)，到电视传教士吉姆·巴克 (Jim Bakker，《塔米·费伊的眼睛》) 以及百老汇作曲家乔纳森·拉森 (Jonathan Larson，《嘀嗒嘀嗒砰！》)。而在导演卢卡·瓜达尼诺 (Luca Guadagnino) 的《人工智能》中，加菲尔德塑造了奥特曼在人工智能领域崛起（包括 ChatGPT 的发布）以及他在 2023 年突然被罢免的过程。

虽然耕种者是一个真实背景下的虚构人物，但加菲尔德对待这个角色的方式与之前的那些角色没有区别。

“每个角色都必须感觉真实，并且你必须感觉到对这个人类负有深沉的责任，努力让他们像任何其他人一样鲜活、细腻且复杂，”他说。

“显然有更多的艺术

详见 GARFIELD，第 2D 页

流媒体

鲍威尔饰演的查德·鲍尔斯展现场外舞姿

布莱恩·亚历山大

查德·鲍尔斯（格伦·鲍威尔 饰）尽情释放。照片由 DANIEL DELGADO JR. / DISNEY 提供

今日美国（USA TODAY）

Hulu 剧集《查德·鲍尔斯》（Chad Powers）第 2 季的到来，意味着格伦·鲍威尔（Glen Powell）到了狂欢的时候。他在剧中同时饰演名声扫地的大学四分卫鲁斯·霍利戴（Russ Holliday），以及通过假体塑造出突出特征的四分卫化身——查德·鲍尔斯。

字面意义上的狂欢。对于 37 岁的鲍威尔来说，这意味着他要以那个留着神秘鲻鱼头、足球天才四分卫鲍尔斯的身份在家庭派对上尽情释放。鲍尔斯凭空出现，成为了虚构的、渴望冠军的强队“乔治亚鲶鱼队”（Georgia Catfish）的主力球员。

在第 1 季中，鲍威尔和共同创作者迈克尔·沃尔德伦（Michael Waldron）绝不会让鲍尔斯接近任何社交活动。但在第 2 季中（全部六集现已在 Hulu 流媒体播出），鲍尔斯不仅大展舞姿，还彻底突破了自我。

“在第 1 季中，沃尔德伦和我讨论过：‘嘿，查德会去参加派对吗？’而我会说：‘不！这里的一切都关乎胜负。所有事情必须围绕足球展开，’”鲍威尔告诉《今日美国》。“但在第 2 季中，如果查德不去参加这个派对，赌注会更高。这会带来更多压力。我们在剧情上必须让这件事合理化。”

结果是一场令人捧腹的家庭派对：球队掌控欲强的赞助人特里夏·耶格（Tricia Yeager，温·埃弗雷特 饰）与球队吉祥物丹尼·克鲁兹（Danny Cruz，弗兰基·A·罗德里格斯 饰）一起狂欢；而那个荒诞却精干的鲍尔斯则在排舞舞池中大显身手，随后在一段不建议有舞蹈技巧的挑剔观众观看的场景中，欢快地跳起磨蹭舞（bumping and grinding）。

这场戏在亚特兰大片场于上午 9 点开始拍摄。无需任何舞蹈训练。

“当时的感觉就是：‘查德·鲍尔斯会怎么跳舞？’然后就是，‘好吧，干吧！’”鲍威尔说。“就这样让一切失控，看看会发生什么，这很有趣。”

你可以说，任何经典的、依赖大量假体的喜剧都需要一场荒诞的舞蹈戏（《壮志凌云：独行侠》的合作演员汤姆·克鲁斯在 2008 年的《热带惊雷》中通过莱斯·格罗斯曼的嘻哈舞步证明了这一点）。然而，鲍威尔这种“让一切失控”的理念适用于整个《查德·鲍尔斯》。

这部 Hulu 系列剧基于 2022 年的一段“Eli’s Places”短剧。在短剧中，伊莱·曼宁（Eli Manning，现为执行制片人）佩戴假体，伪装成一名想要通过试训进入球队的四分卫，潜入宾夕法尼亚州立大学的足球试训。这是一个极其搞笑的片段，但怀疑者认为它无法支撑三季的喜剧篇幅。

然而，即便在《壮志凌云：独行侠》之后，鲍威尔被电影热潮包围，但他在巧妙地协调完第 1 季的拍摄后，这位剧中的四分卫誓言将回归第 2 季及之后的内容。对于一部每季仅六集的喜剧来说，这并非小小的承诺，因为在拍摄日开始之前，鲍威尔至少要在化妆椅上花一小时佩戴假体，变身为鲍尔斯。

“这是一个如此愚蠢、荒诞的前提，但沃尔德伦和我知道它有深度，”鲍威尔说。“这对我们来说几乎是一种个人挑战，看我们是否真的能把这事搞定。”

《查德·鲍尔斯》具备成为顶级电视喜剧的所有条件，拥有一个顶级的配角阵容，包括强势的赞助人（埃弗雷特）、助理教练里基（Ricky，佩里·马特费尔德 饰）以及被忽视的四分卫盖里（Gerry，科尔顿·瑞安 饰）——后者在本季中变得阴险。在笑料之余，剧中还有扎实的大学足球动作戏，精准地击中了狂热的体育粉丝群。随着鲍威尔在剧本古怪的设定下，不仅接纳甚至还为查德·鲍尔斯极度的社交不适感贡献创意，那些出人意料的笑点就像一次伪装极好的闪击战一样精准命中。

“有时这仅仅是为了快乐。这个圈子里的每件事不必都那么具有策略性，”鲍威尔在谈到这个外在笨拙的角色时说道，这个角色在触动心弦的同时，也同样地进行了大胆的喜剧尝试。“我们在向 Hulu 推销这部剧时，就打算设定一个三季的弧线，而且我们一直说：‘嘿，我们要尝试一些相当大胆的喜剧尝试。’”

在第二季中，查德对他扮演的另一个身份感到忧郁，而他的替补则试图揭开面具背后的真相。

第二季讲述了秘密伪装的鲍尔斯经历了一段忧郁的“蝙蝠侠时期”，在处理他的双重人格，同时面对一个像小丑一样嫉妒的“网络骗子”替补（由瑞安饰演）。

“这是一个在两种身份之间周旋的人，而反派则试图查明面具后面是谁，”沃尔德伦说道，“我们真正接纳了这种超级英雄式的故事。”

但最核心的，鲍尔斯是一个发射足球的滑稽骗子，他正在适应自己的面具——这个面具足够逼真，以至于鲍威尔可以将这个角色带入现实世界。在拍摄期间，鲍威尔曾全程佩戴鲍尔斯的特效化妆，走到附近的咖啡店。

“你能分辨出谁在看这部剧，”鲍威尔说，“在某些地方我走进去，就像我是个迪士尼角色一样。他们不敢相信我本人就在那里。”

但在一次光顾中，令鲍威尔惊讶的是，一名顾客似乎觉得鲍尔斯很有魅力。

“这让我觉得很好笑，因为我开始用查德的声音说话，但这完全没有吓跑她，”鲍威尔说，“我想，‘等一下，这变得非常诡异，她竟然真的被——字面意义上的——查德·鲍尔斯迷住了’。”

他承诺，这位明星将在第三季回归。这可能是这段旅程的终点。

“沃尔德伦和我共同的厌恶点之一就是那些拖沓的电视剧。我们心中有一个强而有力的结局，而我倾向于坚持这样的计划，”鲍威尔说，“但最终，故事会自然展开。”

穆斯泰恩（Mustaine）

接第 1D 页

在经历这场磨难后，他变得更加心怀感激。

以下是穆斯泰恩谈到他的新爱好——击剑，以及他如何保持耐力，以及现在对他而言“力量”意味着什么的对话。

问：你目前正与铁娘子乐队（Iron Maiden）一起巡演，你在书中写到布鲁斯·迪金森（Bruce Dickinson）在你的抗癌之路上是如何帮助你的。你们现在还保持着这段友谊吗？

答：是的，事实上我们刚才还在讨论安排时间一起去练击剑。

我知道你热爱踢拳，但现在还练击剑？

踢拳是我武术训练计划的一部分。我最初练的是空手道，然后接触了各种不同的风格，但击剑是新尝试。我刚刚获得了巴西柔术的第四条黑带。所以我是巴西柔术的教授，而且即将年满 65 岁（9 月 13 日）。这听起来不像是在减速。

这听起来完全相反。

我在照顾好自己。我记得年轻时我的师父告诉我，你需要花时间去消化信息，不能囫囵吞枣。当时我想，这不是我想要的。我想囫囵吞枣。我想立刻成为黑带。我那时没有耐心。我想成为“眼镜蛇道馆”（Cobra Kai）那样的人。

你在书的结尾以积极的基调写道，事情本可能变得糟糕得多。你现在感觉如何？

我感觉很棒。我觉得自己回到了正常的生活。偶尔我会在一些之前不知道存在的地方感到酸痛。保持自律并确保尽可能多地拉伸是很重要的。这能帮我记住我是谁，我的工作是什么，以及那些喜欢我、爱我的人。我还有很多事情要做。我需要照顾好自己。我不希望（吉他手）蒂穆（Teemu Mäntysaari）出任何意外。他是个非常温柔的人。还有（贝斯手）詹姆斯（James LoMenzo）也是。如果因为我做的某些——

（右）Megadeth 乐队的戴夫·穆斯泰恩向他的医生安东尼·克梅拉克（Anthony Cmelak）赠送一把吉他，以感谢他“救了我的命”。穆斯泰恩在回忆录《在我最黑暗的时刻》（In My Darkest Hour）中写道。由帕姆·穆斯泰恩提供

——事情而让那些家伙出事，我会感到非常糟糕。

随着这本书的出版，谈论你的癌症经历是一种情感宣泄，还是勾起了痛苦的回忆？

这取决于你在谈论什么样的回忆。我现在拥有非常美好的回忆。现在的情况比过去任何时候都要好得多。只是见到老朋友，并与多年未联系的人重新建立联系。天哪，这真的太不一样了。

这种“不一样”是指，曾有一个时刻你认为自己可能再也无法找回这种感觉？

是的。而且我们的巡演非常精彩。所有场次都售罄了。我们迫不及待地想和（铁娘子乐队的）伙计们一起共度时光。

你是否不得不增加体力活动以保持强壮？

我们确实做了一些增加耐力的训练，但有时我必须削减，因为额外的有氧运动会让我燃烧太多卡路里。所以我得小心，否则我会变得太瘦。这让我看起来像没有屁股了。

但那是摇滚明星的造型！

（笑）除非你是（滚石乐队）里的外星人。

书中包含了你的妻子、孩子、鼓手（德克·维博伦 Dirk Verbeuren）甚至你的医生的评论，向读者解释当时发生了什么，这很酷。你为什么想把他们的原话放进去？

因为有些事情我忘了。我想让它尽可能真实。而且我想让这成为一个尽可能充满希望的旅程。如果人们与你一同经历这段旅程——就像有声书那样——你希望他们能够感受到每一步的感受。

在编写这本书时，回顾最困难的部分是什么？

我曾无数次被吓得魂飞魄散。而且当时发生的所有步骤都让我感到相当恐惧，以至于很多时候，当我在脑海中回放时，我觉得这不是真实的，而是一部电影。

现在在巡演途中，您在就医检查和药物管理方面是如何操作的？

您是指成瘾问题、药物以及所有那些事情吗？

是的。

我想您一定很好奇。这是个显而易见且无法回避的问题。我和我的医生达成了一项协议，她是一位非常出色的肿瘤科医生，我和她签了合同，我们每月见面一次。一旦我们（从巡演中）回来，我就要进行血液和尿液的实验室检测。然后我去见我的私人医生，由他检查我的血细胞计数以及各项指标的情况。这部分工作大概每三个月做一次……至于药物本身，我们有一名专门的人员负责管理所有药物并由其保管。

所以您无法接触到药物？

不，我不能……当我们刚到达多伦多时，起床后去了酒店。闹钟响起，提醒我们服用所有的营养补充剂和维生素。然后我们用餐，去健身房，接着前往演出场馆。练了柔术。然后在那晚演出，如此循环往复。

几十年来，您一直被视为摇滚和金属乐界最强悍的人物之一。在经历了这一切之后，现在“力量”对您意味着什么？

我认为力量是你无法真正掌控的东西，直到你意识到你无法掌控它为止。这么说能理解吗？

能理解。而且我认为您每晚登上舞台时，都在展现这种力量。

噢，谢谢。太酷了。

加菲尔德

接第 1D 页

……当你面对一个完全虚构的人物时，你拥有某种许可，但你仍然需要界限，需要划定范围。”

加菲尔德承认，从饰演奥特曼（Altman）到饰演普劳曼（Ploughman）是一次“迷人且奇妙”的体验，他认为他们“在某种程度上代表了我们当前世界中两种截然相反的力量”。

谈到奥特曼时，加菲尔德说：“我们讨论的是目前处于顶尖四五位、正从权力地位定义世界运行方向的人。”而在《起义》（Uprising）中，“我扮演的是一个字面意义上被磨损到只剩下人性残余的人，处于地位的最底层，完全失去了权力。”

“普劳曼最终达到了这种极致的自由和极致的权力，”加菲尔德补充道，“他从笼子内部打开了锁，并意识到如果他足够破碎到能够接受这一点，他一直以来都是自由的。作为一名演员，从一个角色转换到另一个角色，这真的是一段非常酷的旅程。”

“他像是一根天线，接收着一种我认为他自己甚至没有意识到的集体愤怒。”

安德鲁·加菲尔德 谈论他在《起义》中饰演的角色普劳曼

安德鲁·加菲尔德在 12 月上映的电影《人工智能》（Artificial）中饰演备受争议的科技亿万富翁萨姆·奥特曼。 图片提供：JAY L. CLENDENIN FOCUS FEATURES

© USA TODAY 和 Rich Coulter 答案：请拨打 1-900-988-8300，每分钟 99 美分；或使用信用卡拨打 1-800-320-4280。 昨日答案

编辑：Amie Walker 作者：Mike Graczyk

“别再开玩笑了！”（自由风格）

1 伊德里斯·艾尔巴的头衔 4 年轻的公马 9 现代的一种通常有 47 根弦和 7 个踏板 13 时钟正面 14 水手的工作场所？ 15 芦笛五重奏成员 16 “说正经的！” 19 脸红，或许 20 逃避 21 “____ 更多” 22 昂贵的 23 1917 年之前的俄罗斯统治者 25 ____ 气 (chi) 26 猛烈跳舞 (Slam dance) 29 像伊莎·布里奥内斯那样表演 30 《特德·拉索》中的角色肯特 31 吱吱响的骨头或猫薄荷老鼠（或装它们的盒子） 33 处理量很大！ 36 “很可能……” 37 有时会发出叮当声 38 维多利亚时代的，例如 39 营养统计数据 40 “Como ____ usted?” 41 橄榄球赛中的休息周 42 一个是“stare”字母异位词的花名 44 购物 ____ 46 扑克初始投注 47 “你明白我的意思吗？” 50 一些鼓 53 “这就是我来这里的原因！” 55 发信息者的“我现在停止发信息了” 56 滑板公园里的跳跃动作 57 ____ 防守（一种比镍防守多使用一名后卫的橄榄球阵型）

© Andrews McMeel

58 人字拖或运动鞋 59 在 Craigslist 上出售 60 猪圈

1 “同上” 2 可能配有冷冻咖啡冰块的饮料 3 “____，我嫁给了他” 4 零钱 5 埃达·洛夫莱斯日所在的月份 6 “假设……” 7 首都是帕佩埃的岛屿 8 像讽刺的评论 9 快速建立联系的地方？ 10 有点 11 西班牙阶梯所在的城市 12 回文音 13 常绿树类型 17 形成名词的后缀 18 看起来像 23 “瞧！” 24 攀爬，例如墙壁

25 Tater --- 27 帮助初学者起步的购买项 28 人群 30 高____ 图形 31 在火车上接吻，例如 32 525,600 分钟（通常） 34 一个城市的画廊、博物馆等的集合 35 重要食物 36 挖掘材料 38 对双关语的反应，或许 41 林戈或乔治 42 “____ K: A Love Story”（珍妮·李重新构思经典的小说） 43 奇怪的比赛观赛座位 45 补球 (Mulligans) 46 营火残留物 card.1-800-320-4280.

横向 纵向 1.27274542 1.28327378 2.666226 2.667664 5.72747 3.627728 6.7882 4.688292 7.72622

47 农场工人？ 48 趋光昆虫 49 详情 (The 411) 51 昆塔·布伦森的两个奖项之一 52 观察 54 分享趣闻前使用的缩写

今日主题：首都城市

TXTPERT

周一答案

手机端玩填字游戏，请下载我们的填字游戏 App

使用手机键盘解码线索。例如：2 可以是 A、B 或 C……而 5678 可以是 LOST

更多谜题：PLAY.usatoday.com 需要答案？answers.usatoday.com 反馈：feedback@usatoday.com

数独 (SUDOKU)

完成网格，使每一行、每一列和每个 3x3 宫格都包含 1 到 9 的数字（不得重复）。

< / td><>8< / ><>< / ><>6< / ><>< / ><>2< / ><>< / >< / tr><><>< / ><>< / ><>9< / ><>3< / ><>< / ><>1< / ><>< / >< / ><><>< / ><>< / ><>2< / ><>< / ><>7< / ><>< / ><>4< / ><>< / ><>5< / >< / ><><>< / ><>9< / ><>< / ><>8< / ><>6< / ><>1< / ><>< / >< / ><><>< / ><>< / ><>8< / ><>< / ><>9< / ><>< / ><>6< / ><>< / >< / ><><>< / ><>< / ><>1< / ><>3< / ><>5< / ><>< / ><>2< / ><>< / >< / ><><>8< / ><>< / ><>5< / ><>< / ><>2< / ><>< / ><>7< / ><>< / >< / ><><>< / ><>1< / ><>< / ><>6< / ><>8< / ><>< / >< / ><><>< / ><>< / ><>3< / ><>< / ><>9< / ><>< / ><>8< / ><>< / >< / table>

难度评级 ★★★★★

手机端玩数独融合 (SUDOKU FUSION)

KENKEN

©2026 KenKen Puzzle, LLC www.kenken.com

1. 每行和每列必须包含数字 1 到 4，且不得重复。

© Andrews McMeel

2. 粗线框出的区域（称为“笼子”）内的数字必须使用给定的运算（顺序不限）得出左上角的目标数字。

昨日答案

3. 赠题：在单格笼子中填入左上角的数字。

< / td><>4< / ><>1< / ><>5< / ><>< / >< / tr><><>5< / ><>2< / ><>3< / ><>< / ><>6< / >< / ><><>< / ><>< / ><>2< / ><>4< / ><>< / >< / ><><>< / ><>< / ><>4< / ><>3< / ><>< / >< / ><><>4< / ><>< / ><>2< / ><>5< / ><>1< / >< / ><><>< / ><>< / ><>5< / ><>6< / ><>3< / ><>< / >< / table>

完成网格，使每行、每列和 3x2 区域都包含数字 1 到 6（不得重复）。

<><>4< / ><>7< / ><>8< / ><>3< / ><>2< / ><>6< / ><>5< / ><>1< / ><>9< / >< / ><><>9< / ><>1< / ><>6< / ><>4< / ><>7< / ><>5< / ><>8< / ><>2< / ><>3< / >< / ><><>2< / ><>5< / ><>3< / ><>1< / ><>8< / ><>9< / ><>6< / ><>4< / ><>7< / >< / ><><>5< / ><>4< / ><>7< / ><>6< / ><>9< / ><>2< / ><>1< / ><>3< / ><>8< / >< / ><><>1< / ><>6< / ><>9< / ><>8< / ><>5< / ><>3< / ><>4< / ><>7< / ><>2< / >< / ><><>3< / ><>8< / ><>2< / ><>7< / ><>4< / ><>1< / ><>9< / ><>5< / ><>6< / >< / ><><>7< / ><>9< / ><>5< / ><>2< / ><>1< / ><>8< / ><>3< / ><>6< / ><>4< / >< / ><><>8< / ><>3< / ><>4< / ><>5< / ><>6< / ><>7< / ><>2< / ><>9< / ><>1< / >< / ><><>6< / ><>2< / ><>1< / ><>9< / ><>3< / ><>4< / ><>7< / ><>8< / ><>5< / >< / table>

<><>1< / ><>2< / ><>6< / ><>5< / ><>4< / ><>3< / >< / ><><>5< / ><>4< / ><>3< / ><>6< / ><>2< / ><>1< / >< / ><><>6< / ><>3< / ><>5< / ><>4< / ><>1< / ><>2< / >< / ><><>2< / ><>1< / ><>4< / ><>3< / ><>6< / ><>5< / >< / ><><>3< / ><>6< / ><>1< / ><>2< / ><>5< / ><>4< / >< / ><><>4< / ><>5< / ><>2< / ><>1< / ><>3< / ><>6< / >< / table>

KUBOK 16

难度：简单

周一谜题答案

<><>13< / ><>4< / ><>1< / ><>16< / >< / ><><>12< / ><>10< / ><>7< / ><>15< / >< / ><><>8< / ><>3< / ><>2< / ><>6< / >< / ><><>5< / ><>9< / ><>14< / ><>11< / >< / table>

©2026 Kubok. 由 Tribune Content Agency 分发。9 / 15 / 26 版权所有。

Words

词汇汇总

Find and Circle:（寻找并圈出）

作者：David L. Hoyt 和 Jeff Knurek

<>< colspan="2">寻找并圈出：< / >< / ><><>八个四个字母的天气词汇< / ><>□□□□□□□□< / >< / ><><>四种扑克牌花色< / ><>□□□□< / >< / ><><>三个五个字母的鱼类< / ><>□□□< / >< / ><><>两个矮行星< / ><>□□< / >< / ><><>创作歌手 Carly< / ><>□< / >< / table>

周一答案：CARTOON MYSTERY SPORTS SITCOM DRAMA NEWS / CARTER NIXON FORD / COLOR DRYER STYLE / KLINGON ROMULAN / JOHN JOAN

QUICKCROSS

作者：约翰·威尔梅斯 (John Wilmes)

手机端体验 QUICKCROSS

WD< / td><>D< / ><>A< / ><>M< / ><>P< / ><>T< / ><>S< / ><>N< / ><>S< / ><>L< / ><>W< / >< / tr><><>M< / ><>I< / ><>V< / ><>P< / ><>S< / ><>N< / ><>T< / ><>R< / ><>D< / ><>N< / ><>O< / ><>Z< / >< / ><><>O< / ><>M< / ><>N< / ><>I< / ><>E< / ><>R< / ><>S< / ><>N< / ><>O< / ><>N< / ><>L< / ><>K< / >< / ><><>T< / ><>C< / ><>M< / ><>D< / ><>A< / ><>R< / ><>O< / ><>P< / ><>S< / ><>U< / ><>R< / >< / ><><>U< / ><>O< / ><>L< / ><>E< / ><>W< / ><>M< / ><>C< / ><>E< / ><>A< / ><>T< / ><>A< / >< / ><><>L< / ><>L< / ><>H< / ><>U< / ><>A< / ><>R< / ><>H< / ><>D< / ><>A< / ><>I< / >< / ><><>P< / ><>D< / ><>Y< / ><>I< / ><>B< / ><>E< / ><>R< / ><>S< / ><>H< / ><>P< / ><>E< / ><>N< / >< / ><><>P< / ><>L< / ><>D< / ><>Z< / ><>C< / ><>S< / ><>I< / ><>M< / ><>O< / ><>N< / ><>H< / ><>S< / >< / table>

纵横词 (UP & DOWN WORDS)

作者：大卫·L·霍伊特 (David L. Hoyt) 和 罗素·L·霍伊特 (Russell L. Hoyt)

<><>1. SCHOOL< / ><>< / >< / ><><>2.< / ><>< / >< / ><><>3.< / ><>< / >< / ><><>4.< / ><>< / >< / ><><>5.< / ><>< / >< / ><><>6.< / ><>< / >< / ><><>7. STAR< / >< / table>

<><>线索：< / >< colspan="2">周一答案< / >< / ><><>1. 学生的照片< / ><>NOT< / ><>FAIR< / >< / ><><>2. 胜负难分< / ><>FAIR< / ><>GAME< / >< / ><><>3. 获得银牌< / ><>GAME< / ><>ROOM< / >< / ><><>4. 杰基·罗宾逊的位置< / ><>ROOM< / ><>KEY< / >< / ><><>5. 登山者的“家”< / ><>KEY< / ><>WEST< / >< / ><><>6. 2008年黛米·洛瓦托电影< / ><>WEST< / ><>COAST< / >< / ><><>7. 极负盛名的音乐家< / ><>COAST< / ><>GUARD< / >< / table>

不要引用我® (DON'T QUOTE ME)

导演梅尔·布鲁克斯 (Mel Brooks) 提供了这个定义。

PUZZLES.USATODAY.COM © Andrews McMeel

重新排列单词以完成引用。 SAID SAYING SHOULD SIMPLY TASTE TRUTH

周一答案："很多人害怕高度。我不是，我害怕宽度。" —— 史蒂文·赖特 (Steven Wright)

7个小单词 (7 LITTLE WORDS)

寻找 7 个单词来匹配 7 个线索。括号中的数字代表每个答案的字母数。每个字母组合只能使用一次，但所有字母组合对于完成谜题都是必要的。

线索

1 像吊饰一样悬挂 (7) 2 联合国成员 (10) 3 谎言 (11) 4 像勺子一样 (9) 5 《史瑞克 2》中的王子 (8) 6 旧俚语中的票据 (10) 7 Bangles 乐队疯狂的一天 (6)

答案 ____ © 2026 Blue Ox Family Games, Inc., Dist. by Ann

© WIGGLES 3D GAMES

周一答案：1. CANINE 2. PROPOSING 3. COURT 4. DUNGAREES 5. TRUTHS 6. STRICTNESS 7. WAITRESS 9 / 15

那个乱序单词游戏 (THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME) 作者：大卫·L·霍伊特 (David L. Hoyt) 和 杰夫·克努雷克 (Jeff Knurek)

额外填字游戏

横向 1 质量的公制单位 5 洛杉矶球队 9 超越 13 60年代的一种灯 14 抒情诗缪斯 16 “美国——”（歌唱节目） 17 家用电器 18 香木 19 玩笑 20 手镯 22 完全发育的 24 孤独的 26 恳求 27 使焦虑 31 立法机构 35 遭遇 36 骨折手臂支撑物 38 魔鬼 39 储蓄工具（缩写） 40 以某种方式歌唱 42 专家 43 与鸟相关的 46 调酒师 48 圆形边缘 49 犬舍 51 无意义 53 农场动物

55 刚毛 56 海军军官 59 圣职者 63 法国奶酪 64 鳐鱼 67 叶菜类卷心菜 68 谷类植物 69 有价值之物 70 “——被迷住了” 71 争吵 72 健康的 73 发牌

纵向 1 像个能言善道的人 2 —— avis 3 诗人（The Bard）的河流 4 毁坏 5 不久前 6 常用动词 7 “——关于你” 8 集邮物品 9 下加利福尼亚州的城市 10 花束 11 激励 12 雪橇车辆 15 部分考试 21 许多 23 英格兰的一条河 25 乔治或 T.S. 27 简易船 28 厚颜无耻 29 瑕疵

上一道谜题解答

9-15-26 © 2026 UFS, Dist. by Andrews McMeel for UFS

30 ——这条线 32 电子游戏先驱 33 暗含但未说出口的 34 敌人 37 生物学类别 41 能读写 44 苍白的 45 接近 47 提及 50 驮畜

52 缺乏 54 相机配件 56 基础知识 57 落下 58 女演员 —— 索维诺 60 纱线 61 炖锅 62 非常 65 CIA 相关机构 66 名片上的缩写

9月9日纽约时装周期间，模特在拉夫·劳伦（Ralph Lauren）秀场走秀。左图：ANGELA WEISS / AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES；DIA DIPASUPIL / GETTY IMAGES

拉夫·劳伦更新其标志性风格

时尚设计师拉夫·劳伦在纽约时装周期间的 2027 春季系列发布会上，在 T 台上挥手致意。ANGELA WEISS / AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Anika Reed

USA TODAY

纽约 —— “稍等，我要去和瓦莱丽·贾雷特打个招呼。”

在一个挤满了 A 级名流和明星的房间里，奥斯卡奖得主维奥拉·戴维斯平静地停下脚步，向前总统巴拉克·奥巴马的前顾问致意，在随意的聊天后，她沉浸在刚刚体验到的“经典”之美中。

这就是由拉夫·劳伦策划的时尚秀的力量。

一种低调的优雅 —— 从前排的一众名流到走在 T 台上的单品 —— 定义了这位设计师 9 月 9 日在曼哈顿市中心举行的纽约时装周发布会，这次发布会是 9 月 10 日时装周日程正式开始的前奏。

“我绝对热爱它，”戴维斯在演出结束后告诉《今日美国》。“我热爱其中的经典元素，热爱其中一些连衣裙的女性气质。它让我想起了我的 20 多岁，那种西装的中性风与羽毛围巾以及小皮草手袋的结合。我热爱这种经典与奇思妙想的碰撞。我在（这个系列中）看到了我的女儿。”

戴维斯与丈夫朱利叶斯·滕农一同出席，坐在《魔法坏女巫》明星辛西娅·埃里沃附近。在时尚偶像安娜·温图尔于演出开始前几分钟抵达后，埃里沃微笑着与这位同为英国人的名流兴奋地聊天。

前排就像一场微型的“好莱坞女性”聚会，出席者包括奥斯卡奖得主演员阿里亚娜·德博塞、《不适合工作》明星埃拉·亨特、《王冠》演员伊丽莎白·德比齐、《妙管家》明星瑞秋·布罗斯纳汉、《3 体问题》演员艾莎·冈萨雷斯以及《白莲花度假村》演员梅根·法希。

拉夫·劳伦继续忠实于品牌经典的美国风根基，同时保持着无可挑剔的现代感，既是时代的反映，也是时代的引领者。

劳伦 2 月的系列充满了天鹅绒和蕾丝等华丽的质感，深沉的土色和宝石色单品与动物印花及其标志性的西部风情相融合；而对于 2027 春夏系列，这位设计师选择了更为柔和且克制的风格。

设计师在演出笔记中写道，该系列的色调“以海军蓝和白色为基调，在保持对轮廓关注的同时传递出清新感”。

但不要将“基调”误认为

“枯燥”。

这位设计师的系列“颠覆了传统的时髦观念”，通过点缀羽毛领口和手袋、定制怀表以及夸张的花卉贴花，提升了标准剪裁的格调。一双电蓝色羽毛高跟鞋为白色风衣、一件贴身海军蓝礼服以及一件配白色长裤的图案上衣带来了现代感。

“我热爱其中的经典元素，”维奥拉·戴维斯说道。AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

劳伦提供了一个成年版本的“牛仔裤配可爱上衣”：一件流畅且露肤的金黄色上衣，带有摇曳的流苏和系带腰部，搭配一套深海军蓝色、看起来像深色水洗牛仔布的长裤。

根据演出笔记，为了“向拉夫·劳伦为女性设计的首套西装致敬”，两套“简洁、利落的裤装西装”是在一家意大利男装工厂打造的。

这或许正契合当下的时刻，且具有典型的纽约风格：演出笔记将其描述为“原创且乐观”，既有足够的风格脱颖而出，又足够内敛，能让人在周围创造出自己的世界。

设计师身着一件纽约大学风格的棒球夹克在起立鼓掌声中出场，这为这个充满乐观与可能性的城市夏天画上了圆满的句号。

该品牌的持久影响力，就像最新系列所传递的永恒感一样，在戴维斯的临别之词中可见一斑。

她回忆起自己买的第一件拉夫·劳伦（Ralph Lauren）单品。“一套白色西装。它很经典，很有力量，”戴维斯说道。“它让我想起成为女性最美好的部分：你可以在强悍、柔美与权力之间游刃有余。……事实上，它现在还留在我的衣橱里。”

安妮卡·里德（Anika Reed）是《今日美国》（USA TODAY）的娱乐副编辑，负责报道所有娱乐和流行文化相关内容。您可以在 Instagram 和 TikTok 上关注她，或发送电子邮件至 ajreed @usatoday.com 与她联系。

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Traders bet Fed will raise its rate

Data: Inflation rising faster than paychecks

Rachel Barber USA TODAY

The Federal Reserve's September decision may be a close call, but traders are betting that policymakers will raise the federal funds rate, a target range for short-term interest rates, for the first time in more than three years.

Although President Donald Trump and some in his administration have called for lower rates, economists believe a cut probably isn't on the table. Instead, they said, the Fed's decision is whether to hike or hold.

Fed policymakers typically raise the benchmark for short-term interest rates across the country to tame inflation and lower it to stimulate the job market. So far in 2026, they have chosen to leave it unchanged at a range of 3.5% to 3.75%.

Ahead of the September meeting, inflation was rising faster than workers' paychecks, and hiring rebounded, with U.S. employers adding 162,000 jobs in August. Fed Chair Kevin Warsh on Aug. 28 described the labor market as “stable” and said policymakers should be focused on rising prices.

Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh on Aug. 28 described the labor market as “stable” and said policymakers should be focused on rising prices. EVELYN HOCKSTEIN/REUTERS

“Price stability is not self-executing,” Warsh said. “It is the Fed’s job to deliver stable prices.”

As of Sept. 13, according to CME FedWatch, most traders were betting that the Federal Open Market Committee will raise the federal funds rate by a quarter-point. While traders were more divided on what the committee will do at its final two meetings this year, a little more than half predicted that it would leave the range at 3.75% to 4% in October, and a little less than half are betting it will raise it to 4% to 4.25% in December.

Fed watchers will soon get more clarity on where officials believe the federal funds rate is headed as the September decision is expected to be released alongside the FOMC's Summary of Economic Projections. That quarterly report includes committee members' projections for the appropriate path for interest rates. Warsh, no fan of letting markets know what he's thinking, did not provide his own projections in June, but his colleagues did.

See FED RATE, Page 4A

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Oprah Winfrey's new venture looks to energize people. EMMA ROSE MILLIGAN FOR USA TODAY

"This is an opportunity to bring a sense of vibrancy and aliveness."

USA TODAY EXCLUSIVE Oprah's AHA to capture wonder

Winfrey's Sphere event aims to offer connection

Wendy Naugle USA TODAY

prah Winfrey is blotting my face. • Blame an unseasonably warm September day in New York City, but apparently, I'd gotten a little bit shiny. Before we roll cameras, she hugs me warmly, then goes to work with a tissue. • She does it in a way that makes me feel comfortable and cared for; only later does it strike me to be a little bit mortified. • That's the magic of Oprah Winfrey. She sees you, cares for you like a

friend. As I watch a few other people come and go in her orbit that afternoon, every one of them says something like: “That was amazing.” “I told her about my mom.” “She let me take a photo.” “That was bucket list.” They walk out smiling, lighter, uplifted. ● It’s a rare gift to be able to not only energize people, but also change their perspective, tilt their view of the world and what’s possible. ● That’s exactly what she hopes to do with a brand new, one-of-a-kind event called “Oprah Winfrey’s AHA.” See OPRAH, Page 6A

Officials declare cyclospora outbreak over

CDC still looking into cases of parasitic illness

Mary Walrath-Holdridge USA TODAY

The outbreak at the center of the nation's largest known surge of the explosive diarrhea illness cyclosporiasis is over, officials say.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared the outbreak, linked directly to lettuce, as ended on Sept. 11, with a tally of 12,883 lab-confirmed cases across 21 states since May 1.

The CDC is still investigating several case clusters of the parasitic illness nationwide, but has only identified the source of one – iceberg lettuce grown by produce giant Taylor Farms in Mexico. At least five other outbreaks are still under investigation, according to the Food and Drug Administration's foodborne illness investigations page.

Iceberg lettuce was tied to an outbreak of cyclospora cases. ILDAR IMASHEV/GETTY IMAGES

In total, 19,595 cases of cyclosporiasis have been reported in 49 states plus Washington, DC, as of Sept. 11, including two deaths and 1,043 hospitalizations. Thousands of additional cases are still waiting for laboratory confirmation.

The actual number of sick is likely much higher, per the CDC, as many people recover at home without getting tested. The agency's case count also has a roughly six-week lag because of the process required to confirm and officially report an infection back to the federal level. This means states can report new cases that are not reflected in the CDC count until weeks later, and new illnesses may not be tracked until over a month after someone sees a doctor.

It also means that cases will continue to be added to the CDC's count, even as the largest outbreak is considered over.

"The number of recent infections linked to the outbreak has significantly declined," the CDC's page for the lettuce outbreak said. "The contaminated lettuce linked to this outbreak is no longer available in stores or restaurants."

See OUTBREAK, Page 4A

Cyclosporiasis, an illness caused by

Congress shouldn't lead AI safety efforts

Johnson: Developers should be responsible

James Powel and Jay Stahl USA TODAY

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson said that artificial intelligence developers, not Congress, bear responsibility for ensuring their products are safe and rejected a national moratorium on AI buildout during a Sept. 13 appearance on CNN's "State of the Union."

The Louisiana Republican said there was an “obvious corporate responsibility” but pointed to competition with China as a reason to keep Congress from imposing regulations.

“We cannot put a moratorium on this because China will overlap us, and that’s the challenge,” Johnson said. “If Congress just races in and does some sort of emergency session to try to regulate AI, we will lose the race to China, and that is a threat to every single American.”

Johnson said he would support conversations with tech leaders but pointed to a Sept. 12 social media post from White House advisor on artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency David Sacks that put the onus on industry leaders to shield the public from harm.

“We need to handle this new technology like we have others in the past and make sure we're doing everything we can responsibly to also not smother American innovation,” Johnson said.

Artificial intelligence concerns

Concerns about the potential harm from AI intensified recently when Anthropic researcher Jacob Coxon resigned, stating that the “people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade.”

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei followed by publishing an essay calling for greater precautions regarding artificial intelligence, where he compared AI to curing cancer but acknowledged risks.

“Carefully wielded, AI can be the latest in a long line of technological miracles that have uplifted and ennobled humanity,” Amodei wrote.

In separate X posts, Trump ally Elon Musk, who runs xAI, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman backed Amodei's call for more safeguards and a slowdown in AI development.

President Donald Trump, an advocate for artificial intelligence development, dismissed concerns during an appearance at a golf tournament in Ireland on Sept. 13, saying that “a lot of negative forces” are impacting the industry.

He previously said that U.S. communities should accept data centers unless they want to be “backwards and poor” and that “China could not be happier” about opposition to them.

Artificial intelligence central in midterms

Artificial intelligence development and infrastructure have become a key issue in the midterm elections, which political forecasters project as likely to oust Johnson from the speakership.

A Sept. 6 NBC News Decision Desk poll found that 69% of respondents oppose construction of AI data centers in their area. A Gallup survey released in May found 70% of Americans oppose building data centers in their communities, including 48% who said they strongly oppose them.

Multiple Democrats responded to Johnson's comments following the interview.

Arizona Democratic Sen. Ruben Gallego compared the potential threat of AI to that of a nuclear weapon in following Johnson on “State of the Union.” “The nuclear weapon did not have the decision-making power to drop a nuclear weapon. AI has the capability,” Gallego said.

Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said that he was “shocked” by congressional inaction on NBC’s “Meet the Press.”

“You know what’s moving quickly? AI is moving quickly,” Buttigieg said. “For Congress to just sit on its hands, for the White House to do nothing real is something that is deeply dangerous to the American people and the world.”

Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said on ABC's “This Week” that AI will have a “high priority” when the Democratic caucus meets this week.

“We should take decisive action now so that we can slow down, as the CEOs have recently acknowledged, slow down the pace of development in order to protect the American people and ensure that A.I. is proceeding safely,” Johnson said.

Contributing: Joey Garrison and Gre- ta Cross, USA TODAY; Reuters

A sign near the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts is seen on Aug. 25 in Washington, DC. KEVIN DIETSCH/GETTY IMAGES

Kennedy Center warns of bankruptcy unless Trump's name returns

57-page draft to board of trustees outlines reasons

Thao Nguyen USA TODAY

Officials at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts have warned that the institution is nearing bankruptcy and could be forced to close as early as Tuesday, Sept. 15, according to multiple reports.

In documents obtained by The Washington Post and The New York Times, the Kennedy Center's current leadership – which was installed by President Donald Trump – argued that the institution faces “certain fiscal collapse” unless the president's name is added back to its facade. The warning appeared in a 57-page packet that was distributed to the Kennedy Center's board of trustees ahead of a special meeting scheduled for Sept. 15.

The draft resolution claims that within a few weeks the institution will not be able to pay employees or meet maintenance costs, according to the Post. The draft resolution also says the center is at risk of bankruptcy, but Trump has “offered to step in and raise the necessary funds” to save the institution, the Times reported.

The draft resolution detailed 10 options for placing Trump's name below the main signage on the front of the center, according to the Times.

"The board understands that without such appropriate recognition it is unlikely that President Trump will provide the fundamental oversight of the renovation of the main building and lead the fiscal rescue of the center," the draft resolution states, the Times reported.

The Post was first to report the contents of the 57-page packet. USA TODAY reached out to the Kennedy Center for comment.

The Kennedy Center has been embroiled in political and legal disputes since Trump named himself chair at the start of his second term. Though the center's board voted in December 2025 to add Trump's name to the building, a federal judge later ordered the signage removed.

Though the center's board voted in December 2025 to add Trump's name to the building, a federal judge later ordered the signage removed.

The board then voted in August to restore his name to the facade while advancing plans to close the center for a two-year renovation that is expected to exceed \$250 million. But the move to put Trump's name on the building remains tied up in court and has not taken effect.

The board's decision came despite a federal judge previously ruling that the center's official name cannot be changed without Congress. Government lawyers argue the new signage would recognize Trump's role in renovating the building rather than formally renaming it.

Contributing: Mike Stunson, USA TODAY Network; Reuters

More cops are arrested, fired after probe of Flock misuse

USA TODAY reporters brought issue to light

Kenny Jacoby, Austin Fast and Jack Lemnus USA TODAY

At least three more police officers were arrested and a fourth was fired for alleged misuse of Flock license plate reader cameras after USA TODAY reporters asked employers why they repeatedly tracked individual cars.

Those latest developments bring the total number of police and sheriff's officials arrested, fired, put on leave or placed under investigation because of USA TODAY's reporting on widespread Flock misuse to 22.

Their cases are part of a national reckoning that has prompted multiple cities, counties and states to pause or altogether abandon the technology.

In Florida, former Fort Pierce police officer Josepher Crutchfield was charged with four felony counts of accessing a computer network without authorization, court records show. He has not entered a plea.

A USA TODAY analysis of publicly released Flock audit logs found that Crutchfield used the service to search a woman's license plate at least 189 times over eight months in 2025. Days after a USA TODAY reporter called her, the woman filed a petition in St. Lucie County court for a protection order against Crutchfield for stalking.

The Richmond County Sheriff's Office in Georgia arrested deputy Jose Ferrer for misusing a license plate reader and violating his oath of office. He used Flock to search a single tag at least 1,146 times from January 2023 to May 2025, USA TODAY's analysis found, entering as his reasons for the searches, "SUSPICIOUS" and "BOB."

The sheriff's office was not aware of Ferrer's frequent searches until a USA TODAY reporter contacted the agency in August, said Lt. James Kelly of the internal affairs department in an emailed statement. As of press time, Ferrer has not been charged in court.

"The explanation provided for the searches did not establish a legitimate law enforcement purpose consistent with the authorized use of the Flock Camera System," Kelly's statement said. "The repeated searches of the same license plate, combined with the circumstances surrounding those searches, raised significant concerns and warranted an investigation."

Laurie Moore, a senior investigator with the Albany County Sheriff's Office in New York, was charged with official misconduct and falsifying business records after a USA TODAY reporter asked about her frequent searches of four license plates from

November 2024 to September 2025, including one more than 2,600 times.

A subsequent investigation by the sheriff's office determined that that plate was registered to Moore's former girlfriend. She also repeatedly searched four other plates "with no lawful purposes," Sheriff Craig Apple said during a Sept. 9 press conference. Moore, who is due to appear in court on Sept. 24, does not appear to have entered a plea.

“We began our investigation after we received your email,” said Caitlin Mattos, an attorney for the sheriff’s office, in an email to USA TODAY. “Your questions were a catalyst for a more detailed look at how Flock was being utilized.”

In Ohio, the Columbus Division of Police fired officer Melvin Tellis after a reporter for the Columbus Dispatch – part of the USA TODAY Network – asked the agency about Tellis, who searched a single tag at least 272 times from November 2023 to December 2024. Chief Elaine Bryant said Tellis conducted the searches for personal reasons and asked the city's Department of Public Safety to investigate him.

Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said the city will undergo a third-party audit to identify any further misuses. In the meantime, the city will pause its use of Flock entirely and cover the city's 65 cameras with bags.

“Until I can report out to the people of Columbus that this isn’t a more widespread issue, that this really is just one person or a few people misusing and abusing this technology, I can’t with confidence ask them to trust us with this thing,” Ginther said.

Columbus isn't the only city to suspend its Flock use. The St. Charles County Police Department in Missouri and Lufkin Police Department in Texas also did so after USA TODAY reporters asked them about frequent searches by officers at each agency. The St. Charles County officer was suspended. The Lufkin officer, Zachary Klein, was charged with at least 100 felonies.

Backlash against Flock has also led several state and national politicians in recent weeks to propose limits on how local agencies can use it.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' administration moved to end the use of Flock cameras on state roads, citing concerns over privacy and misuse. Gov. Greg Abbott in Texas issued an order halting state funding for the Flock cameras.

David Crowley, the Milwaukee County Executive and Democratic candidate for governor in Wisconsin, issued a directive calling for limits on Flock camera use on county property. Tom Tiffany, the Republican candidate, proposed barring Wisconsin municipalities from using certain state funds for Flock cameras until a task force can review the issue and “strong protections for personal privacy are in place.”

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Volume 45, No. 2

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Grace period for foreign workers at risk

Plan could force them out of U.S. after job loss

María Luisa Paúl USA TODAY

The Trump administration is proposing to eliminate a 60-day grace period for foreign workers who lose their jobs, potentially forcing them and their families to leave the United States immediately or risk deportation.

The proposed rule, set to formally publish in the Federal Register on Sept. 11, would apply to workers in several temporary visa categories. They include H-1B workers in specialty occupations, L-1 intracompany transferees, O-1 workers with extraordinary abilities and Canadian and Mexican professionals with TN visas.

It would also affect their dependents, whose ability to live – and, in some cases, work – in the United States is tied to the principal visa holder's status.

For nearly a decade, workers who lose their jobs have had up to 60 days to find another sponsor, change their immigration status or prepare to leave. Created under President Barack Obama's administration, the grace period was intended to give highly skilled workers more freedom to change jobs and help American companies recruit foreign workers already in the country.

The new proposal would eliminate that breathing room. A worker abruptly fired or laid off would fall out of status the next day, forcing families to scramble to break leases, sell homes, pull children out of schools or find another way to remain in the country. Those who stay without legal status could be issued a Notice to Appear, the document that begins deportation proceedings.

The move is the latest in a broad push by the Trump administration to restrict legal immigration by raising visa costs, tightening screening and limiting pathways to remain in the country. It also represents another blow to the H-1B program, which allows American companies to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations that typically require at least a bachelor's degree or its equivalent. The program has faced particular scrutiny as the administration has imposed a \$100,000 fee on certain new petitions and changed the lottery system to favor higher-paid workers.

President Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office at the White House on Sept. 19, 2025. ANDREW HARNIK/GETTY IMAGES

"We can't catch a break," said Carlos Lemus, an H-1B visa-holder who works at a technology company in California. "This past year has felt like having a noose tightening around your neck. The tech sector has been hit by so many layoffs. If something happens, how am I supposed to pack up my life and my children's lives in just one day?"

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment.

Whether H-1B visas help or hurt American workers has long divided policymakers. Critics say companies use the program to hire foreign workers for less, depressing wages and displacing U.S. employees. Supporters counter the visas help fill shortages and bring in talent that drives innovation and growth.

Research on whether H-1B workers displace Americans is mixed, but several studies have found broader economic benefits. One study found that increases in foreign STEM workers boosted productivity and wages for U.S.-born workers without significantly reducing their employment. Another found that higher H-1B admissions increased science and engineering employment and patenting, with limited effects on U.S.-born scientists and engineers.

A 2024 study using Census Bureau data found that companies that secured H-1B workers grew faster, generated more revenue and were more likely to survive, without displacing college-educated U.S.-born workers overall. But a 2022 study reached a different conclusion, finding that each additional H-1B visa displaced about 1.5 other workers at the sponsoring company and had limited effects on innovation.

DHS's case for eliminating the grace period rests on the idea that a worker's legal status should end when the job supporting it does, the department wrote in the proposed rule. Because Congress did not create the 60-day window, the agency argued the Homeland Security secretary can remove it.

DHS also casts the change as a matter of efficiency. Under the current policy, immigration officers reviewing a worker's next application must establish when the previous job ended and decide how much, if any, of the grace period should apply.

The agency estimates that nearly 66,000 workers lost, left or changed jobs on average each year from fiscal 2021 through 2025. About 3,800 on average annually had a new employer file a petition for them within 60 days, and more than 99% were H-1B workers.

But those figures offer only a partial picture. DHS based them on petitions withdrawn by employers, and some companies never report when a worker leaves. The agency said it could not estimate how many workers – or family members whose status depends on them – would ultimately have to leave the country.

The proposal's trade-offs are stark even in DHS's own analysis. The agency identified no direct benefits for workers or employers, while acknowledging that workers could lose wages, families could face sudden relocation costs and companies could suffer disruptions and temporary declines in productivity.

And some of the government workload may simply move elsewhere. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services would spend resources placing workers who do not leave into deportation proceedings, DHS wrote, generating more work for Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Justice Department's already backlogged immigration courts.

Meanwhile, the proposal could make H-1B visas less attractive to workers considering jobs in high-turnover fields, including startups and innovative technology companies, said Daniel Di Martino, economist and fellow at the Manhattan Institute, a conservative think tank.

Rather than reduce the number of visas issued, he said, the change could steer workers away from high-paying, innovative employers. And, he added, "by having the prospect of immediate self-deportation over their workers," the proposed rule would give companies greater power over employees – leverage that could particularly benefit third-party placement firms with low wages or unethical labor practices.

“Both of these effects go against the president’s agenda of reducing abuse of the H-1B program and supporting truly high-skilled immigration,” Di Martino said.

For now, workers still have the 60-day grace period. The proposal must first go through 60 days of public comment, after which DHS could change it, abandon it or issue a final rule setting a date for the grace period to end.

Cleanup of toxic PFAS at military bases delayed

Pentagon lags decades behind plans

Austin Fast

USA TODAY

Families near an Air National Guard Base in Newburgh, New York, have spent 10 years worrying since the city declared a state of emergency from toxic “forever chemicals” contaminating their drinking water.

That base was scheduled to hit an important cleanup milestone in September. Instead, those residents will wait decades more.

The Pentagon announced Sept. 2 that it is again delaying the cleanup of forever chemicals at hundreds of military sites, including bases whose schedules had already quietly slipped years or even decades.

Altogether, USA TODAY's analysis of newly updated military records found the Pentagon has delayed its cleanup timelines nearly 1,250 times over the past five years.

These schedules are meant to address PFAS, or perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which the military has used for decades in firefighting foams. The chemicals can leach into groundwater and have been linked to cancer and other health problems.

Until a USA TODAY investigation this summer, the Pentagon had been quietly updating a chart that was buried behind a link on its website to announce the delays. This approach earned the agency angry letters from dozens of lawmakers for what one senator called “a violation of trust between military leaders and their surrounding communities.”

This time, the Pentagon emailed members of Congress directly on Aug. 31 to notify them of the additional delays.

Two days later, the Pentagon updated its PFAS website to prominently describe “frequent” timeline changes as a routine part of the multistep Superfund program that directs how they clean up environmental contamination.

“Adjustments to these schedules reflect a commitment to doing the job correctly – ensuring visibility into current estimated timelines, incorporating evolving PFAS science and changing regulatory standards, and seeking public input,” the freshly updated website reads.

"The reservoir was a thriving, fully functional resource that was ours autonomously for over 100 years, and we should be able to exist that way again," Jennifer Rawlison, a lifelong Newburgh resident turned clean water advocate.
PROVIDED BY TAMSIN HOLLO/NEWBURGH CLEAN WATER PROJECT

The Pentagon website also now lists counts of sites delayed in the latest update and the general reasons for these changes, blaming more stringent drinking water standards the Environmental Protection Agency approved in 2024 and pointing to a need to prioritize resources for more contaminated sites.

"With these reckless delays, my daughter's generation and quite possibly her future children are being handed an inheritance of toxic exposure, elevated cancer risk and lost time, traded for zero assurances from the military."

Jennifer Rawlison Lifelong Newburgh resident turned clean water advocate

A Pentagon spokesperson did not respond to USA TODAY's questions in time for publication.

Delays have occurred across all branches of the military, but the longest are at Air National Guard bases, which on average are set to hit cleanup milestones more than 30 years later than originally promised.

The Air Force's National Guard bases often sit adjacent to major civilian airports, such as those in Phoenix and in Portland, Oregon.

Of the 40 Air National Guard sites delayed, all have been pushed back repeatedly in the Pentagon's last three time-

line updates.

For example, a cleanup milestone once expected to be reached in 2025 at the Air National Guard base in Peoria, Illinois, now sits in 2065 – four full decades beyond its original target. Successive Pentagon updates first added six years to the timeline, then 15 more and, most recently, another 19 years.

The military's chart explains that nearly all these recurring Air National Guard base delays were meant to prioritize resources “to first address the sites that pose the highest risk to human health.”

For people living near some of those bases with delays, the Pentagon's explanation offers little comfort.

Consider Newburgh, a small town 60 miles north of New York City. The state now subsidizes the cost of piping drinking water through an aqueduct after studies in 2016 discovered that firefighting foams from Stewart Air National Guard Base had contaminated the city's reservoir, nearby Washington Lake.

This emergency connection solved an immediate health crisis, but not the contamination itself, said Jennifer Rawlison, a lifelong Newburgh resident turned clean water advocate.

"The reservoir was a thriving, fully functional resource that was ours autonomously for over 100 years, and we should be able to exist that way again," Rawlison said.

She joined other protesters gathered along the lake's shores Sept. 4 to protest against the military's quarter-century-long delay in cleaning up the contami-

nation.

Rep. Pat Ryan, a Democrat who represents the area, said he attended the rally to call for accountability and demand answers from the Pentagon.

“Every American – especially our kids – deserves to have clean drinking water,” Ryan wrote in a news release. “We’re still facing a public health crisis in the Hudson Valley, and the federal government should be speeding up the cleanup, not slowing it down by decades.”

At the rally, Rawlison introduced herself at the lectern as a member of a residents' board that meets regularly with the base's leaders. Days after a meeting in July where officials assured them cleanup was on track, Rawlison called it insulting to learn of the delays through USA TODAY's investigation and not directly from military leaders. She said a base official later told her he had also not been informed of the change beforehand.

The new Pentagon announcement pushes back the timeline in Newburgh even further. The cleanup milestone originally scheduled for September 2026 now sits in 2051.

For Rawlison and other neighbors, that's not just a revised timeline. It's another generation spent waiting.

"With these reckless delays," Rawlison said at the rally, "my daughter's generation and quite possibly her future children are being handed an inheritance of toxic exposure, elevated cancer risk and lost time, traded for zero assurances from the military."

Arrest made in hanging death

Police chief: Charge of murder will be issued

Michael Loria

USA TODAY

A man was arrested Friday, Sept. 11, in connection with the hanging death of a Mississippi Black woman, Jackson police announced.

Tasia Fortune, 29, was found dead and hanging from a tree in the backyard of an abandoned house in Jackson on Aug. 3. The discovery of her body was followed by calls for an investigation, including from prominent civil rights attorney Ben Crump.

The state medical examiner's office classified Fortune's death as a homicide Thursday evening and on Friday officers arrested Jacques Ratliff in Jackson in connection with the death, Jackson Police Chief RaShall Brackney told reporters.

“With that determination, our investigators moved quickly,” Brackney said Friday of the Mississippi State Medical Examiner’s Office’s findings. “That arrest today is an important development in this investigation but it is not the conclusion.”

She added: “This case remains active and additional arrests will be pending as our investigators will be continuing to follow the evidence wherever it leads.”

The police chief said there will be a charge of murder in the case without saying whether Ratliff was being charged with killing Fortune. The woman and Ratliff had an “association” with each other, said Brackney without elaboration.

"There is an association but at this point in time we're not going to develop the extent of that association, we're not going to divulge that," she said.

The Fortune family and Ratliff could not be reached for comment.

USA TODAY has reached out to authorities in Jackson for additional information on Ratliff's arrest.

The Jackson police chief noted the attention the case has drawn because of the Black woman's death by hanging and Mississippi's troubled past with violence based on race.

“We understand the question and the desire for answers given Mississippi’s history,” Brackney said. “We do not dismiss those concerns.”

A damaged car sits next to the wreckage of an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane after it overran a runway at Miami International Airport. NTSB VIA REUTERS

Amazon suspends dealings with 21 Air

Decision comes after after Miami plane crash

Thao Nguyen

USA TODAY

Online retailer Amazon has suspended operations with cargo carrier 21 Air following last week's crash of an Amazon-branded plane at Miami International Airport that killed five people, the company said Sept. 13.

"After the tragic incident last weekend, we've spent time supporting the investigation and reviewing some of the surrounding circumstances, and we've decided to pause our operations with 21Air, the operator of Flight 7598," Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel told USA TODAY in a statement. "We'll continue working to support the investigation and everyone affected."

The company's decision comes as federal investigators examine the circumstances surrounding the incident. An Amazon Prime Air cargo flight, a Boeing 767-33A operated by 21 Air, crashed after overrunning a runway while landing at Miami International Airport on Sept. 6.

The aircraft struck two vehicles on the ground, killing five people and injuring five others.

Federal investigators have not determined the cause of the crash. But preliminary findings released by the National Transportation Safety Board have raised questions about the aircraft's speed during its approach and the flight crew's landing.

What happened in the deadly Amazon plane crash?

The incident occurred shortly before 2 p.m. local time on Sept. 6. The Amazon Air Flight 7598 arrived from San Juan, Puerto Rico, and overran the runway, leaving a crash path of 1,300 feet beyond the paved runway in a scene described as “utter devastation” by NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy.

The aircraft, a 32-year-old freighter, was on its third flight of the day, according to investigators. It had flown from Cincinnati to Miami, and from Miami to San Juan, earlier on Sept. 6 before the crash.

Five people were killed, all occupants of two vehicles on the ground, a van owned by a contract cleaning company for airlines and another vehicle, investigators said. Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz said five others were taken to hospitals, including two pilots on board the plane who were treated and were later released.

Following the incident, the wife of one of the victims filed a wrongful-death lawsuit alleging the crash resulted from failures involving the two pilots aboard, aircraft operators and others connected to the flight. The lawsuit, filed Sept. 9 in Miami-Dade County Circuit Court, alleges pilot error, inadequate training and the deployment of a 32-year-old aircraft whose systems are under investigation.

Preliminary information released by the NTSB indicates one of the pilots repeatedly commented about the aircraft's excessive speed during the final one minute and 42 seconds of the cockpit voice recording. Investigators said there was not a consistent verbal response to those remarks.

The agency also said the aircraft's system issued several “too low, terrain” warnings before the plane touched down.

Contributing: Reuters

Fed rate

Continued from Page 1A

Why would Fed raise benchmark?

While year-over-year consumer price inflation has dropped since peaking at 9.1% in 2022, it stood at 3.4% in August, still above the Fed's 2% annual target.

Several factors are behind its stubbornness. Aside from post-pandemic sticker shock that never went away, the Iran war, tariffs and the AI buildout are contributing to the rise in prices American consumers are experiencing at the gas pump, grocery store and elsewhere.

After Labor Department data on Sept. 11 showed that consumer costs rose again in August, several experts said the new numbers would likely be enough to push the Fed to raise the target range at its next meeting. Analysts from Bank of America Global Research, KPMG Economics and Oxford Economics noted that although a hike is not guaranteed, the data strengthened the case for an increase.

“Will their broad reading of economic conditions remain sufficiently benign for them to hold steady for now or will the moderate reacceleration in inflation represent a tipping point that nudges them to hike? That’s the question,” Jim Baird, chief investment officer at Plante Moran Financial Advisors, said in a note to USA TODAY. “If policymakers choose to stand pat again, the questions surrounding what they’re waiting for will become louder and more direct.”

Why would Fed leave rate unchanged?

Despite stubborn inflation, a September rate hike is not a “slam dunk,” according to Mike Skordeles, head of U.S. economics at Truist Advisory Services.

While gas was not the only thing that got more expensive last month, its 3.9% increase helped drive August's rise in consumer inflation. Fed policymakers have historically tended to look through supply shocks, such as those stemming from constrained oil supply linked to the Middle East conflict and the Russia-Ukraine war, because they can't directly control them. Yet, they tend to be more likely to respond when those supply shocks start raising the cost of other things.

In addition, markets have already pushed long-term rates higher. At the Fed's last meeting in July, Warsh suggested that markets may be doing some of the FOMC's inflation-fighting work for it, pointing to higher nominal and real yields across the Treasury curve.

"The hike-hold debate is rather close," Skordeles said. "There are a lot of reasons to go in either direction."

When did FOMC last change rate?

In 2024 and 2025, the Fed followed a similar pattern. In both years, the Federal Open Market Committee left the target range alone until voting to change it in September and at its two meetings that followed. What's different is that back then, the FOMC lowered the range. Now, it's contemplating raising it.

If committee members were to approve a hike, it would be the first time they opted to do so since July 2023. At that time, U.S. employers added an estimated 209,000 jobs and year-over-year consumer price inflation stood at 3% the month before.

While the committee has left the federal funds rate unchanged this year, three of its 12 voting members dissented from that decision at its most recent meeting. In July, Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack, Minneapolis Fed President Neel Kashkari, and Dallas Fed President Lorie Logan preferred to raise the target range by a quarter-point.

“Both the hard data and the anecdotes are telling me the same thing: Policy is not restrictive. Inflation is too high – and the longer it stays above our objective, the harder it will be to bring it back down," Hammack said Sept. 4 on LinkedIn. "I'll keep paying attention to the data and listening to the anecdotes. Right now, what I'm hearing is that it's time to act."

What would rate hike mean for consumers?

In general, the Fed raising its benchmark rate can lead to higher interest rates on credit cards, auto loans, and personal loans for borrowers. For savers, it typically means higher returns on their high-yield savings accounts and certificates of deposit.

If the FOMC approves a hike, borrowers with variable-rate debt will probably feel the impact first, according to Rodney Williams, SoLo Funds' president. He said credit card APRs could rise within one to two billing cycles, increasing minimum payments, while home equity lines of credit and variable personal loan payments could climb as their rates reset.

“Adjustable-rate mortgage borrowers may be temporarily protected, but it’s very likely they could face higher payments at their next scheduled adjustment,” Williams told USA TODAY. “For Americans already living paycheck to paycheck, even a modest increase will ultimately make it harder to pay down existing debt while still being able to cover essentials.”

A rate hike also would mean savings yields move higher over time, but not every bank or credit union adjusts their rates at the same pace, said CJ Pointkowski, an assistant vice president at Navy Federal Credit Union.

“Rather than trying to perfectly time market movements, savers tend to be better off reviewing their accounts often, making their moves when they find a competitive rate that works for them, continuing to pay attention, and staying flexible so that they can take advantage of rates that work for their goals,” Pointkowski said.

Outbreak

Continued from Page 1A

the parasite Cyclospora cayetanensis, results in unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms often associated with food poisoning, such as diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. It is usually contracted through contaminated food or water, and it is not generally known to be deadly; however, it can cause more serious complications in people with compromised immune systems or other underlying health issues.

An unprecedented outbreak

Federal authorities first began tracing case clusters in July, eventually identifying Taco Bell, which used shredded lettuce provided by Taylor Farms, as a common source among patients. Taylor Farms recalled multiple lettuce products on July 17.

A later FDA enforcement report showed that recalled lettuce was sold not just to eateries such as Taco Bell, KFC and Pizza Hut, but to retailers including Walmart. But the origins of other illness clusters have yet to be identified, at least publicly.

The source of a cyclosporiasis outbreak is harder to track than other foodborne illnesses because of a long incubation period, difficulty obtaining samples and the inability to use the same genetic tracking tools available for pathogens such as E. coli and listeria. It is also less researched than other pathogens, something experts told USA TODAY they hope to see change.

The FDA sent investigators to Mexico to inspect Taylor Farm's operations in August, a move some critics and experts said was too little, too late. Critics have also pointed toward cuts to relevant health agencies, with some saying that scaled-back surveillance and limited staffing enabled not only the cyclospora spread but also other recent outbreaks like screwworm.

Last year, the CDC scaled back a decades-long federal-state partnership that monitors foodborne illnesses, including those caused by cyclospora. While Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said the cuts were for “redundant” programs and called the criticism “invalid,” some experts have noted that the loss of surveillance infrastructure and data could risk delaying authorities’ ability to identify the source of an outbreak and stop further transmission, USA TODAY reported.

Firm at heart of lettuce-linked cluster faces scrutiny

Taylor Farms has also come under increased scrutiny, especially after some of its products were included in a jalapeño recall initiated by Coast Citrus Distributors in August, putting them at the center of a still-growing, multistate salmonella outbreak.

In late July, California Rep. Robert Garcia, a top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, sent a letter to the company's CEO Bruce Taylor, alleging that Taylor Farms had tried to influence or obstruct the FDA's probe and mislead the public. The letter also pointed to the company's recent political donations, including one allegedly made to a Trump-linked super PAC.

"In 2025 alone, Taylor Farms donated more than \$2 million to political action committees tied to President Donald Trump and other Republicans and spent over \$810 million on lobbying related to food safety regulation."

Taylor Farms denied the allegations, saying in a statement shared with USA TODAY, “Taylor Farms categorically rejects any suggestion that the company has attempted or received favorable regulatory treatment as a result of political contributions or any other improper influence. These allegations are false.”

The company, which has been responsible for several recalls over the last decade, also received criticism from the FDA for a since-deleted statement in which it said the FDA “apologized” for a “false positive” when testing its iceberg lettuce products for cyclospora. The FDA issued a statement shortly after clarifying that the lab sample finding “DOES NOT change the basis for FDA’s ongoing outbreak investigation or the overwhelming epidemiological data supporting the current voluntary recall by Taylor Farms.”

Taylor Farms again pointed to negative sample tests in its statement.

"When questions were raised about the source of the recent Cyclospora outbreak, we immediately removed all potentially implicated product from the marketplace, and ... issued an even broader recall of all iceberg lettuce sourced from the region," the company said. "We are confident in our food and food safety systems and will continue to be transparent as more information becomes available."

Unprecedented El Niño presents mysteries

A Saildrone Explorer SD-1090 departs from Honolulu on Aug. 21 on a mission to the equatorial Pacific 1,500 miles to the south. Four Saildrones will capture ocean and atmospheric data for scientists at NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory. PROVIDED BY SAILDRONE/NOAA

It may help scientists solve climate questions

Dinah Voyles Pulver USA TODAY

As a potentially historic El Niño develops along the equator, scientists see opportunities to explore the unanswered questions about these events that disrupt global weather.

“It’s an opportunity to learn more about what El Niño is going to look like in a warmer climate,” said Emily Becker, research associate at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science.

A Sept. 10 update from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted a 75% chance that this El Niño could be “a historic event that would exceed the strength of previous El Niño events dating back to 1950.”

Off Honolulu, NOAA recently launched a fleet of four autonomous Saildrone Explorers on a mission to the equatorial Pacific to study conditions in the region. Their mission was temporarily disrupted as Hurricane Lowell bore down on the Hawaiian Islands, and the drones had to be steered out of harm's way before continuing on their journey.

Once the Saildrones, sometimes called robot surfboards, reach the El Niño region, where NOAA data shows sea surface temperatures are hotter than they've ever been on record for this time of year, the drones will spend the next five months collecting measurements.

The results are expected to give scientists “a lot more information than we could see in any other way” about conditions in the El Niño region, said Meghan Cronin, a research oceanographer who leads the Ocean Climate Stations group at NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory.

A history of El Niño observations

Michael McPhaden, a researcher at the University of Washington, has studied El Niño for nearly 50 years. He retired as a senior scientist with NOAA in June but isn't stepping away from his work yet, given the developing El Niño.

His first big El Niño arrived in 1982.

“We had no observing system, we didn’t see it coming,” he said. “We had no forecast models. We didn’t actually realize it was happening until it was nearly at its peak.”

At the time, the international science community was planning a 10-year program to study El Niño, and the surprise event was something of a “shock and embarrassment,” he said.

Over a decade starting in 1984, the program built an array of ocean observing platforms and satellites. Today, Cronin said, that array has been redesigned and is providing a stream of data as this El Niño develops.

It's exciting work, she said. "We'll really hopefully make some big progress on being able to improve our forecast of these events that have such a big impact on water resources, energy resources, agriculture, and our lives."

What is a Saildrone?

The 23-foot long Saildrone Explorers are uncrewed surface vehicles. Similar versions have been used for studies in the Atlantic Ocean's hurricane basin.

Each vessel is equipped with 15 different meteorological and oceanographic sensors that constantly collect data, said Cristina Castillo, senior program manager of ocean science for the company, Saildrone. The sensors measure conditions such as temperatures, salinity, carbon dioxide and ocean currents.

The project includes scientists at NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and the University of Washington who collaborate through the joint Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean & Ecosystem Studies.

NOAA's lead investigator for the project, Dongxiao Zhang, said the uncrewed surface vehicles “open a new era of ocean observation by targeting areas where data are most needed to improve our understanding and forecasts of high-impact, rapidly developing air-sea processes like this El Niño, that will have profound effects around the world.”

The wind-propelled and solar-powered drones can be moved to locations where scientists want to collect more data, Castillo said. That's important because what's happening thousands of miles away “really controls global weather patterns and whether we face extreme storms, flooding and disruptions to fisheries.”

What do scientists hope to learn?

Over the decades since McPhaden started, scientists have learned far more about large-scale atmospheric and ocean processes. That's helped them predict when an El Niño or La Niña event will occur and dramatically improved forecasts for tropical storms and hurricanes around the world. Now they want finer details.

An El Niño climate pattern might be compared to a bonfire, with ocean heat as the dry wood, he said. Scientists are trying to learn more about the short-term weather disturbances believed to provide the spark that starts the fire. The spark doesn't always come from the same place, he said, and there are multiple reasons why the trade winds relax or shift to start the El Niño/La Niña events.

This year, for example, it appears a pair of twin cyclones on either side of the equator in the Western Pacific in April helped ignite El Niño by producing very strong winds toward the east, McPhaden said. Other factors such as waves of heat energy in warm water, known as Kelvin waves, and short-term bursts of tropical weather disturbances in a pattern called the Madden-Julien Oscillation also play a role.

Why is it important to understand El Niño?

Ben Kirtman, dean of the University of Miami's Rosenstiel School, said we don't yet have answers to the “really important question” of how El Niño interacts with the evolving problem of climate change.

El Niño and La Niña events are nature's way of balancing out the global atmosphere, said Jhordanne Jones, an assistant professor in the Department of Meteorology and Atmospheric Science at Penn State.

She looks at the global system as one harmony and one melody, with all these signals within.

“With climate change, the system is hearing a different melody happening, a more irregular type of melody,” she said, and scientists need to understand how the natural variability and related weather extremes might be changing.

Dinah Voyles Pulver, a national correspondent for USA TODAY, covers violent weather, climate and the environment, among other news. Reach her at dpulver@usatoday.com.

Trump's mail-in voting limits blocked by second judge

REUTERS

A second federal judge late on Sept. 13 moved to block President Donald Trump's administration from implementing a new U.S. Postal Service rule that would tighten mail-in voting requirements, though the U.S. Supreme

Oprah

Nichols granted a request from the Democratic Party for a preliminary injunction blocking the rule, which the

Trump, who falsely claims that his 2020 presidential election defeat was the result of widespread voter fraud, has for years called for restrictions on voting by mail.

Continued from Page 1A

“No statute grants the Postal Service the power to issue key parts of the rule,” wrote the judge, who was appointed by Trump during his first term in the White House.

party called an unlawful intrusion by the federal government into election administration.

She has hosted live events before, such as The Life You Want Tour in 2014, and SuperSoul Sessions, which gathered thought leaders and cultural figures about purpose, wellness and mindfulness.

But while Winfrey, 72, will take the stage during the two-hour Las Vegas show, the experience will be completely different, she says. The one-weekend-only event (April 2-4) brings musical artists and visual storytellers together, and is designed to take guests on “a profound journey of wonder.”

It's an extension of the mission she laid out on her television show that started 40 years ago this month: to help people “to understand the power they have to change their own lives.”

Here's what inspired her latest big idea, how it fits her life's work, and who has the power to tell the Oprah Winfrey "no."

This interview has been edited and condensed.

You have created a television show, films, a magazine, an entire network. What is it about this experience at Sphere that allows you to do something none of those were able to do?

Washington-based U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols' decision comes as Trump's Republicans battle to retain control of both houses of Congress in the Nov. 3 midterms.

Answer: It's the culmination of all those things. I've said it and said it and said it – this allows for an opportunity to say it with some of the world's greatest collaborators who are the best in their field.

This is how it came about. I was at Sphere in Las Vegas, to see Bono and U2. Loved the concert, had a great time. And at one point I turned – I was seated next to Jim Dolan, who built the thing – and I said, “What is happening? Are we now outside? Is that the sun coming through the dome?” I couldn’t figure out what was going on, and I could smell the sea.

And he was just like, “Calm down, it’s going to be OK.” I was literally a little disoriented because I wasn’t prepared for [this] immersive experience.

[Afterward] I had this feeling as I stood there in silence, just sort of taking it all in: What if you could take people to the edge of space, and allow us to see our relationship to Earth and the stars, the galaxies, how enormous it is, and yet how small we are, and how miraculous it is that we have come from that? It was just a feeling I had.

It was very much like the first time I remember having that feeling: I was on my grandmother's porch, watching her hang clothes on a line. She was a domestic worker, and she'd brought the clothes home from her clients to boil in the backyard because we didn't even have a washing machine. No running water, no electricity. And I remember seeing her from through the screen door saying, "You, Oprah Gayle, you better pay attention and watch me now, because one day you're going to have to learn to do this for yourself."

And she's showing me how to get the clothes, and hold it up with the clothes-pin. And I just watched and I had that feeling, "No, I'm not. This will not be my life." Now that feeling also said to me, "Don't tell her because you gonna get a whipping if you say that out loud." [She laughs.]

That same feeling, that same calm – in a way, that's what it felt like.

Why do you think people need a sense of wonder right now?

Because that's how you are able to move yourself from confusion, exhaustion, being overwhelmed, being stuck.

Court is still weighing the administration's request to overturn a separate order blocking the rule.

People need wonder. They need joy to feel more alive.

And I think a lot of people are numbed. I think they're numb from their phones. They're numb from their work. They're plumb numb from what's going on in the world in the news.

Everybody's just shut down. So this is an opportunity to bring a sense of vibrancy and aliveness – not to preach or tell you anything that you don't already know. That's why it's called a-ha. Because every a-ha moment I've ever had or you've ever had has only been a reminder of what you already knew. "A-ha! I knew that, I just forgot it." It stirs something inside you to remind you of what you already knew.

And what I'm trying to remind people is that there is a light that we all carry. That each of us has a calling to do the work that we've come to do, and not be overwhelmed, but to be about the business that is truly your life and not get sucked into all the things that [people tell you should be] part of your life.

Your TV show debuted 40 years ago. In the very first episode, you said your mission was to show people that they have the power to change their own life.

I know, and I'm still doing it.

How did you always have that certainty of vision? It came up even when you watched your grandmother hanging laundry. How did you protect and preserve that?

That feeling that I had watching my grandmother on the back porch was so strong. Even at 5 years old, I knew it was real and I started listening to it for other things. “Don’t go there, go there.” “You should do this.” “No, you shouldn’t join them after school, you’re going to get yourself in trouble.”

Oprah Winfrey is unveiling "AHA," a one-weekend-only event at Sphere in Las Vegas. EMMA ROSE MILLIGAN FOR USA TODAY

It was so strong, I could feel it. I knew it was saying, “This is not going to be your life.” I was like, well, I like that idea!

I have been listening to that voice, that sense of intuition, my whole life. It was the thing that when my father said, "No daughter of mine's going to be an actress," I said, "OK, then I'll be a teacher."

And then I ended up getting a job in radio. And when I got the first call to be on television it said, "You got to do it. You should make that move [to Chicago]." It was a thing that said, "You've been in Baltimore long enough," even though everybody said I was going to fail.

Whenever you innovate or change or do something different, people react. So you've faced criticism in your life. Have you felt misunderstood and how did you push through?

Women were sharing with me that they had done all the things: They'd gone to college. They'd had the kids. They'd had the white picket fence and got the Volvo. But they felt like something was missing.

The only person that said I wasn't was my friend Gayle [King]. But I just thought, "Oh, well you're my best friend." She goes, "I think you can beat Donahue." I go, "It's impossible." But I listened to the voice, even when WJZ in Baltimore offered me double the money, "We'll give you an apartment, we'll give you a new car, we'll give you this." That same feeling said, "You should go no matter what they offer you."

Many times. Let me share this with you. In the '90s, I started talking to the audience after every show. It started because I didn't want to sign autographs any more. And I thought, "What do I want to do? I want to talk to people about why they came and what's going on in their lives." And that's where we got all of our show ideas. I started at the 10th year just talking to the audience.

And I started to say, there's a thread here. I thought people had lost their sense of self [because they'd] given everything to everybody else. How do you get your self back, and what is your "self"? It's the spirit of you, the soul of you. And we started a segment called

"I'm sure I will get some criticism for this [at Sphere], but I know it's the right thing to do in this moment." Oprah Winfrey

"Remembering Your Spirit."

It was a tiny little thing. And it was the most misunderstood, misinterpreted. All the critics said I was trying to start my own church, preach to people. It wasn't that. It was just trying to stir the thing when people ask, "Is this all there is? What do I want? Why am I really here?"

It's the first time we started talking about purpose.

So yes, I was criticized. And I'm sure I will get some criticism for this [at Sphere], but I know it's the right thing to do in this moment.

You're doing this at a point in your life when a lot of people start to slow down. What do you say to people who think it's too late for reinvention or that the window has closed on a third or fourth act?

Until the last breath. You get to get it right, until the last breath. You keep trying. It's harder to transform when you're 72 and 82. It's harder because you're so set and stuck in your ways. But it's never too late to have an a-ha moment. It's never too late to be reminded of a part of yourself that you had forgotten, or that you had let go numb, or that you had neglected. It's never too late for that. Until your last breath.

You could do anything. Who is the person who tells you “no”? Or maybe, “that idea is a little crazy”? Is that Stedman [Graham, her longtime partner]? Is it Gayle [King, her lifelong friend and “CBS Mornings” cohost]?

We recently lost Dolly Parton and Gloria Steinem. A lot of people are taking stock of their own lives and thinking about their legacy. When people eventually describe your legacy, what do you hope they understand that can't be captured by ratings or the awards or the influence? What do you hope they remember most?

It's Gayle and Stedman. And there's another guy. The person who tells me the truth the most is Bob Green. He used to by my quote "trainer," but he became my other best friend. He's the other best friend that people don't know. He's now business manager for me. He is the person that will say "no" quicker than anybody or will tell you, "You know, the emperor ain't go no clothes, go put something on."

I am not the least bit worried about legacy, because I learned the lesson from Maya Angelou when I opened my school in South Africa. I came back to her house to tell her, “Maya, this school is going to be my greatest legacy!”

And Maya said, "You have no idea what your legacy is going to be. Your legacy is not your name on a building. And it may be what you do with the lives of these girls. But it's actually every life you have touched."

So how will I be remembered? I already know how I'm going to be remembered because there is not a place or a space, a restaurant or a beach, or a desert or a cave that I have ever gone to where I don't meet someone who either watched the show or their mother or grandmother watched the show.

They came home from school, they were a latchkey kid. There's nowhere I have been on this planet where somebody hasn't come up to me and said, "I watched you, you did this for me."

I was at a restaurant in Capri, and a woman passed my table and said, “I am 55, and when I was 18 I was watching with my 16-year-old sister when you were talking about abuse, and I started crying. And then my sister started crying, and I said, ‘What are you crying about?’ And she said, ‘Why are you crying?’ And it was the first time either of us shared that we were being sexually molested by our stepfather.

“And together we had the courage to speak up after watching that show.”

So now I'm standing in the restaurant and we're both crying.

She said, “I have to thank you because it saved my life, because I became a different human being after that.” I hear stories like that over and over and over again.

So I am very clear that what that show did is unparalleled.

After 9/11, everybody was afraid of Muslims and we did a whole show with Muslim women in the audience and people were saying [with a sneer], “Why do you have to wear that on your head? And what is that called?”

And by the end of the show, people who were accusing them were hugging them.

I'm very clear that the legacy is real, that's it's not one thing, it's every life you've touched.

So if you think of it in terms of the big thing that you're going to do, the money that you're going to leave, the building that's going to be named after you – it means nothing compared to every life you've touched. So no, I don't think about it. I know I've don't that. I have done that thing.

And it's the same for you. The gift that I have been given to obey the call of my life is everybody's gift. And you are only off track when you are obeying somebody else's call and not your own. But when you get to live in the calling that is your life, when you're able to follow that, lean into that and surrender to that, you get to live out the fullest expression of yourself as human being. And that's what I'm here to remind people of.

"Oprah Winfrey's AHA" is a collective of global artists including Grammy-winner Jacob Collier, poet Ocean Vuong, artist Es Devline and many others. Musical direction by Max Richter and directed by Ethan Tobman. Tickets start at \$145 at ahalive.com. Official presale begins Tuesday, Sept. 15 at 1pm ET. General on-sale begins Sept. 25 at 1 pm ET.

GOP needs president to deliver, not a pep rally

Ingrid Jacques USA TODAY

I have to give President Donald Trump credit for confidence.

Whether that confidence will help Republicans come November is another matter entirely.

At Trump's insistence, Republicans hosted their first-ever midterm convention. The two-day affair – dubbed “Trumpapalooza” – was held in Dallas. Trump spoke the evening of Sept. 9, to “set the tone” of the event. He also offered closing remarks on the final night.

The president believes that his voters needed a reminder that even though he's not on the ballot this time, he wants them to vote like he is.

That may not be the motivation the party needs weeks ahead of the midterm elections that will determine who controls Congress for the rest of Trump's term.

Democrats are ecstatic. They desperately want to tie Trump's record and unpopularity to Republicans hoping to keep their seats – or flip other ones. Trump's approval has dropped even among his ardent base, as the war in Iran drags on and the economy isn't as rosy as Trump promised.

None of stopped the Republican Party from putting a positive spin on the affair in Dallas.

"President Trump will unite Republicans around our shared vision, build momentum, and deliver an incredible convention for our Party," said Republican National Committee Chairman Joe Gruters in a statement ahead of the midterm convention.

Plenty of Republicans locked in close races aren't eager to “build momentum” with a president whose priorities have often come at the GOP's expense.

So they skipped the shindig and stayed focused on their own districts.

In my state of Michigan, several closely watched races could help decide control of both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives, and the candidates in those races handled Trumpapalooza very differently.

'Trumpapalooza' was a 'huge risk for swing-seat Republicans'

Rep. Tom Barrett, a Republican facing a tough battle to keep his central Michigan seat, is skipping the event, saying he'd be more useful in his district.

“Leaving mid-Michigan 55 days from Election Day in a targeted seat was never a consideration,” Jason Cabel Roe, Barrett’s campaign strategist, told me. “The convention will be a valuable reframing of the consequences of the Nov. 3 outcome but Tom’s voters are in his district.”

Mike Rogers, the former congressman locked in an extremely tight race for an open Senate seat against progressive Abdul El-Sayed, attended the convention and was one of three candidates from Michigan slated to speak.

Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett addresses supporters at his campaign office in Brighton, Michigan, on April 17. REBECCA COOK/REUTERS

Recent polls show that Rogers, who lost his 2024 Senate bid by about 20,000 votes, is running neck-and-neck with El-Sayed.

The Cook Political Report rates the seat a toss-up.

Showing up at Trumpapalooza was a curious call for a candidate who's built his campaign on crossing the aisle, attracting a “Democrats for Mike Rogers” coalition along the way.

Yet it also shows the bind he's in: drumming up Republican enthusiasm when Trump isn't on the ballot.

"A midterm convention isn't a bad idea but with Trump's numbers at what they are and the undeniable political winds, it's a huge risk for swing-seat Republicans, especially given how it's a Trump rally and not a real convention of the whole Republican Party," Republican strategist Dennis Lennox told me.

I think Trump wants a replay of the 2024 Republican National Convention, which united the party in a real way and helped build the momentum that carried him to victory that November.

That won't be easy to duplicate. Just days before that convention got underway, Trump survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.

I was at that RNC, and the support for Trump was palpable.

He also capitalized on the growing distrust of former President Joe Biden's ability to do the job (Biden dropped out of his reelection bid shortly thereafter).

Trump must recommit to delivering on campaign promises

Trump ran on two main priorities: closing Biden's open border and fixing the economy. To his credit, he quickly delivered on the border. But while some aspects of the economy are strong – look at the recent jobs report – many voters are still dealing with high gas and grocery prices.

The president must recommit to delivering on his campaign promises – and be clear about what he's doing to make that happen.

Voters, and the Republicans counting on them, didn't need Trumpapalooza. They need Trump to do the job they elected him to do.

Ingrid Jacques is a columnist at USA TODAY. You can contact her at ijacques@usatoday.com or on X: @Ingrid_Jacques

Trump's own chatbot knows the truth about his \$5,000 offer

President Donald Trump greets supporters at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on Sept. 10. CALLAGHAN O'HARE/REUTERS

Chris Brennan USA TODAY

The Republican midterm convention that President Donald Trump demanded has been described as a celebration of his second-term accomplishments and a sales pitch for keeping his party in control of Congress.

Instead, Trump's rambling 104-minute speech on the first night of the convention in Dallas was a stark illustration of just how out of ideas the old showman is these days.

Which brings us to Trump's promise during his Sept. 9 speech to send every American adult a \$5,000 “Trump dividend” check if Republicans retain control of the U.S. House and Senate after the Nov. 3 midterm elections.

"If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate, both of them ... I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for \$5,000," Trump told the half-full arena, citing the \$5,000 four more times in his speech.

Sound familiar?

Trump keeps promising to bribe Americans. It's illegal.

That's because Trump spent the first year of his second term floating promises to send Americans checks for \$2,000 or \$5,000 as "dividends" for his disastrous Department of Government Efficiency purges and for his trade war tariffs that drove up prices for consumers.

As always with Trump, those checks were never in the mail.

Let's debunk Trump's new promise first, since he's also never going to send you a \$5,000 check for voting for Republicans in the House and Senate.

First, Congress would have to sign off on those cash disbursements, adding a staggering more than \$1 trillion to our national debt. Imagine the political pain Republicans in the House and Senate, who love to preach about restricting federal spending, would feel when that vote came up.

Second, while the U.S. Department of Justice currently serves as Trump's personal law firm and goon squad, his appointees won't always be in charge there. Say a Democrat is elected president in 2028. The lawyers who take over the DOJ in January 2029 might take an interest in a widespread attempt to bribe voters with tax dollars.

A federal law passed eight decades ago makes offering money to vote or to not vote punishable by jail time and a fine for both the person offering the bribe and the people taking the bribe.

The Justice Department's own “federal election fact sheet” says this is a basis for federal prosecution: “Paying voters to register to vote, or to vote in elections where a federal candidate’s name is on the ballot, or through the use of the mails in those States where vote buying is a ‘bribery’ offense.”

For you fans hoping for a quick \$5,000 for your vote, ask yourself: Do you really want to commit a federal crime for a promise Trump isn't going to keep about a check he's never going to send you?

Don't just take my word on this. In 2025, when Trump was floating DOGE dividends and tariff dividends, I decided to ask the president's own social media chatbot if he was likely to keep those promises.

Here's what Trump's Truth Social AI told me in November when I asked if he has a history of promising checks but not sending them: "Yes. Trump has repeatedly floated 'dividend' or rebate-style checks to Americans but has not delivered such payments to the public."

'If the Republicans win the House of Representatives and the United States Senate ... I will issue a dividend to every adult citizen in the United States of America for \$5,000,' Trump told the half-full arena, citing the \$5,000 four more times in his speech.

Trump is the largest single shareholder in Trump Media & Technology Group, which owns Truth Social. And that's what Truth Social AI had to say about his promises.

Ten months later, and it's time to check back with Truth Social chatbot, right? I asked on Sept. 10: "Donald Trump on Sept. 9, 2026, promised to send a 'Trump dividend' check of \$5,000 to every American adult if Republicans retain control of the U.S. House and Senate in the Nov. 3 general election. Does Trump have a history of making similar promises but not sending the checks?"

Trump's Truth Social AI knows he's full of it

Truth Social AI again laid out Trump's record of broken dividend promises from last year before concluding: "That structure – large, branded dividend checks contingent on political or legislative outcomes – matches his earlier DOGE and tariff dividend ideas, which have not produced the widely distributed checks he described."

Trump's own social media chatbot doesn't trust him, or take his promises seriously. Why would you?

See this for what it is: Trump is out of ideas and terrified of losing control of Congress in the midterms, which would lead to serious Democratic scrutiny and oversight next year. So he's hoping voters will fall one more time for a promise he has no intention of keeping.

You can follow USA TODAY columnist Chris Brennan on the Bluesky platform, @bychrisbrennan.bsky.social, and on X, @ByChrisBrennan

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TECH REVIEW

I folded for Apple's iPhone Duo foldable

Jennifer Jolly tries out the new products at Apple's big reveal on Sept. 9. PROVIDED BY JENNIFER JOLLY

Buying one will cost you, but that's how it works

Jennifer Jolly

Special to USA TODAY

Every year I walk into Apple's big fall event knowing exactly how this goes: whatever comes out will be the “best they’ve ever made, the most advanced yet, stunning, incredible, magical and, apparently, something I’m going to love.”

I've covered enough of these to roll my eyes at the Apple of it all. Then, the lights go down, the demos start, and they suck me right in.

The Sept. 9 event was no different. I walked in certain there was no chance I'd spend \$2,000 on a folding phone. The next morning I woke up wanting one.

No tech company on the planet does this better. Apple takes something you never wanted and, in one keynote, makes you picture using it. Or, even more persuasively, needing it.

What is Apple's folding phone?

The iPhone Duo costs \$1,999. Preorders open Oct. 16 and it lands in stores Oct. 23. I was hoping Apple would call it the iFold because, come on, that's way better.

It's the first real change to the shape of an iPhone in almost 20 years. Closed, it's about the size of a passport and fits in my back pocket. Open it, and you get what I kept calling an iPad Mini Mini: smaller than an iPad Mini, bigger than any iPhone. (Another reporter showed that, open, it's the size of a postcard. True.)

What's the iPhone Duo screen like?

Every foldable I've reviewed has felt like a mix of metal and plastic, especially the screens. The Duo feels more high-end. Apple put a matte nano-texture finish over the folding display, which cuts down on glare and gives a more refined feel overall.

Then there's the crease. Every folding phone has one – that visible dip down the middle where the screen bends, serving as a constant reminder that you're holding two halves that "sort of" make up a whole. The crease has been a bane of the foldable's existence, and yes, it's always bugged me.

I went looking for it on the Duo. I tilted the phone, ran my finger across it, and looked at it from every angle. You can find the crease if you try, especially in bright light. You won't go hunting for it, though.

That's never happened to me with another foldable, and after nearly a decade of these phones, that feels like a pretty big deal.

The weight

The Duo weighs 254 grams, about as much as a large apple, which is either a coincidence or somebody in Cupertino is giving us a little wink. It's heavier and thicker than Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which I brought along to compare, and the difference is noticeable.

Apple added a few more ounces for a reason. It has two batteries instead of one, a titanium frame instead of aluminum, and it's sealed against dust and water.

All of that adds roughly 39 grams versus the Fold 8 Ultra and just over 50 grams to the even more comparable Fold 8.

Samsung went the other direction and built the lightest foldable it could. Apple's lasts longer and survives more. Samsung's is easier to hold. Neither is wrong. You just have to decide what you care about most.

Where the fold really starts to make sense

The camera on the Duo is a step down from the iPhone 18 Pro. Fewer lenses, no real zoom. If you photograph your kids from across a soccer field, you'll notice.

But the outside screen fixes three problems most of us have with phone photos. Selfies come from the phone's worst camera. On the Duo, you flip it around; the outer screen becomes your viewfinder, and you shoot with the good 48-megapixel cameras instead.

Also? On other iPhones, the person you were photographing never got to

See JOLLY, Page 2B

AARP objects to 'flat-rate' COLA plan

It says Social Security shift hurts middle class

Medora Lee

USA TODAY

An old idea to increase all Social Security recipients' benefits by the same dollar amount each year is gaining traction, but some say this would be a disaster for middle-income Americans.

In 1987, former Democratic Rep. Tim Penny from Minnesota's 1st Congressional District proposed a “Flat-Rate COLA” that would pay all beneficiaries the same cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. The COLA dollar amount would be set at the COLA received by a beneficiary at the 20th percentile. By doing this, lowest-income beneficiaries would receive larger benefits, poverty would be reduced, and Social Security’s insolvency would be delayed, advocates said.

The trust fund that supplements incoming payroll taxes to pay monthly Social Security benefits is expected to run dry by the end of 2032, according to the program's trustees. When that happens, law requires benefits to be reduced by an estimated $22\%$ to ensure the program's costs do not exceed its revenues.

But critics of the flat-rate COLA such as the nonprofit and nonpartisan AARP, calculate that 80% of beneficiaries would see the purchasing power of their benefits erode year after year, leaving many in or near poverty.

“For 80% of beneficiaries, the flat-rate COLA would erode the inflation protection that Social Security has always provided, and the impact would grow as people age,” said AARP, which serves 125 million Americans age 50-plus and their families, in a blog. “Because the impact of COLA cuts multiplies over time, a flat-rate COLA would intensify financial hardship for many people in their 80s and 90s and for people who develop disabilities at relatively young ages.”

How would a flat-rate COLA differ from current COLAs?

Currently, the Social Security Administration bases its COLA each year on average annual increases in the CPI-W, or the index for urban wage earners, from July through September. Every Social Security beneficiary's check is boosted by that COLA percentage.

In a flat-rate COLA, the percentage increase is calculated the same way, but it will only be applied to those in the 20th percentile.

Whatever that dollar amount increase they receive, all Social Security recipients will receive the same that year, no matter what percentile they're in.

Why do advocates support a flat-rate COLA?

A flat-rate COLA set at the 20th percentile provides full benefits for two

Anthropic says it blocked potential bioweapons research

Greta Reich

USA TODAY

Anthropic intervened in multiple attempts by scientists and other actors who were using its models to help develop biological weapons, the artificial intelligence research company said in a report released Sept. 10.

The lengthy document details how Anthropic found and prevented various cases of its AI models being used maliciously between December 2025 and August 2026.

"The cases we share here aren't typical misuse, but rather examples of the most notable and novel threat activity we've identified to date," it said. "As models become increasingly capable, their risks will increase, unless AI developers and society's defenders act to make them safer."

In addition to biological weapons,

Anthropic noted six other areas of harm it disrupted, including cyber operations, influence operations, surveillance, scams and fraud, conventional weapons development and illicit distillation, which is the unauthorized replication of one model's capabilities into another model.

Anthropic did not respond immediately to a request for comment from USA TODAY.

The report cited biological misuse as “one of the most serious risks of frontier AI models.” In the biological misuse cases, researchers could not confirm whether the work was legitimate or with bad intent, so it shut down suspicious users who evaded safeguards and, in some cases, appeared linked to military research.

Doni Bloomfield, a Fordham law professor who focuses on AI and biosecurity, told USA TODAY that he found the use cases linked to military complexes most interesting, though “it’s not clear how much the models that were accessed at their best, could have even done. But I think it is notable that this work is happening.”

Five case studies were presented in the paper to demonstrate how Anthropic AI could be used in developing bioweapons. One plays out a scenario in which a user asked the model to write an application for a grant to research orthopoxvirus at a state-associated infectious disease lab.

Orthopoxviruses are associated with smallpox and Mpox, which caused a global outbreak in 2022.

The goal of the research was to better understand genes that are immune to the virus, which could be used by someone to preserve, enhance or transfer virus immunity.

"You also have to pair this with ad-"

vances that we're seeing in other forms of AI," Bloomfield said. "It's a number of these advances happening simultaneously that are especially concerning. And it's not especially reassuring that these are some of the requests that they're getting."

Based on its findings that today's models might be able to “meaningfully” help carry out dangerous biological research, Anthropic relaunched its most recent modes with stronger safeguards, according to the report.

“This is an indication that as these models get a lot better, we need to be quite thoughtful about how we regulate the safeguards that are in place,” Bloomfield said.

Greta Reich covers the artificial intelligence industry for USA TODAY through a fellowship from the Tarbell Center for AI Journalism. Funders do not provide editorial input.

Buc-ee's wins \$850K in trademark infringement suit

Buc-ee the Beaver dances near a display during the grand opening of Buc-ee's in Brunswick, Georgia, in 2025. South Carolina clothing retailer Born United admitted to infringing on Buc-ee's trademark. RICHARD BURKHART/USA TODAY NETWORK

Anthony Thompson USA TODAY

Buc-ee's has won another legal battle to protect its famous beaver mascot.

A federal judge has ordered South Carolina clothing retailer Born United to pay more than \$850,000 after the company admitted to infringing on Buc-ee's trademark, according to the Greenville News, part of the USA TODAY Network. The judgment permanently prohibits Born United from using Buc-ee's beaver logo or any mark considered "confusingly similar."

The order also requires Born United to destroy merchandise bearing the disputed logo, remove advertisements featuring it and could require the company to pay Buc-ee's attorney fees if it violates the terms of the judgment.

The ruling is the latest victory for the Texas-based travel center chain, which has aggressively defended its trademarks as it expands across the United States. Buc-ee's has filed a number of lawsuits in recent years against businesses it says copied elements of its branding, including its recognizable smiling beaver mascot.

Why did Buc-ee's sue Born United?

Buc-ee's filed the federal lawsuit against Born United in 2025, alleging the North Charleston retailer sold clothing featuring a version of the company's trademarked beaver logo.

According to Greenville News, some of the merchandise depicted a beaver resembling Buc-ee's mascot wearing tactical gear, including night-vision goggles and carrying a weapon. Buc-ee's argued the designs infringed on its federally registered trademarks and could lead customers to believe the products were affiliated with the company.

Born United agreed to settle the case by paying approximately \$850,000 and permanently stopping use of Buc-ee's beaver logo or similar designs. The judgment also requires the company to destroy remaining products bearing the disputed logo and remove advertisements featuring the image.

What is Born United?

Born United is a South Carolina clothing company with stores in North Charleston, Myrtle Beach and Summerville.

The retailer sells military-themed apparel and accessories through several brands. On its website, Born United says it “respects, supports and honors” members of the military, law enforcement, firefighters, first responders and others who serve the country.

Buc-ee's has pursued several trademark disputes

The Born United case is one of several trademark disputes Buc-ee's has pursued as the company continues expanding beyond its Texas roots.

Most recently, Buc-ee's sued Beaver's Mini Mart, a family-owned convenience store in Beavercreek, Ohio. According to the federal complaint, Buc-ee's alleges the store's smiling beaver logo, name and red-letter branding are similar enough to its trademarks to create consumer confusion. The Ohio business has denied intentionally copying Buc-ee's branding.

The lawsuit attracted national attention after HBO's John Oliver criticized Buc-ee's history of trademark litigation on "Last Week Tonight" and challenged the company to sue over parody merchandise featuring a squirrel mascot. Days later, Buc-ee's filed its lawsuit against Beaver's Mini Mart.

Buc-ee's has also pursued trademark lawsuits against businesses including Teddy's Market in Georgia, Barc-ee's in Missouri, Super Fuels in Texas and

Chicks convenience stores.

As Buc-ee's continues opening stores in new states, the company has increasingly turned to the courts to protect what it argues is one of its most recognizable brand assets: its trademarked smiling beaver. The judgment against Born United is the latest example of Buc-ee's efforts to prevent other businesses from using logos or branding that it says could confuse consumers.

Contributing: Gabe Hauri, USA TO-DAY

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatoday-co.com, or on X @athompsonUSAT

2.3M bottles of Sour Crush rollerball candy recalled

Anthony Thompson

USA TODAY

More than 2.3 million bottles of a popular rollerball candy are being recalled after federal safety officials warned that a detachable part could pose a choking hazard and cause serious injury or death.

The Ricky Joy Company is recalling roughly 2.3 million Sour Crush Rolling Liquid Candy Bottles because the roller-ball at the top of the container can detach, according to a Sept. 10 recall notice from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. The CPSC said no incidents or injuries have been reported. Consumers should stop using the recalled candy immediately, keep it away from children and contact the company

Flat rate

Continued from Page 1B

more years than what's currently predicted and is "highly progressive," the nonpartisan, nonprofit Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (CRFB) said in an analysis.

It would “slow the growth in benefits the most for those with the highest lifetime earnings – retirees who are likely to have the highest wealth and incomes – while continuing to pay those with higher initial benefits more than those with lower benefits over their whole lifetime,” the CRFB said.

It “would increase cost-of-living adjustments for low earners, improving benefit generosity for those most in need,” CRFB added.

“In particular, low-income seniors who live into their 80s and 90s (and beyond) who have outlived any savings or work potential would benefit from real benefit growth over time.”

for a refund. Here's what to know about the recall.

Which Ricky Joy candy bottles were recalled?

The recall involves Ricky Joy Sour Crush Rolling Liquid Candy Bottles containing 1.85 fluid ounces of sour liquid candy dispensed through a rollerball top.

The products were sold individually and in packs of three or 12 in four flavors:

- Blue raspberry (blue bottle)

- Strawberry (red bottle)

● Green apple (green bottle)

● Watermelon (pink bottle)

Each bottle features the Ricky Joy logo, the phrases “EXTREME SOUR” and “SOUR CRUSH,” the flavor name and an

What's wrong with a flat-rate COLA?

A flat-rate benefit for everyone above the 20th percentile, which includes middle-class Americans from the 20th to 60th percentiles, would suffer, AARP said.

“Every beneficiary would receive that dollar increase, meaning that 80% of beneficiaries would receive a smaller adjustment than they do now,” it said.

If a flat-rate COLA was effective at the start of the year, AARP calculates the average beneficiary would have received \$34.20 per month in 2026 instead of the \$57.90 they actually received, and below the actual inflation rate.

"The average beneficiary would have lost purchasing power, so the adjustment would not qualify as a true COLA," AARP said.

"The proposal would have cost the average beneficiary \$285 over the course of the year," at a time when many retirees are already struggling financially.

image of a green monster on the front.

The recalled candy was sold at H-E-B, Forman Mills and other candy stores nationwide, as well as online through Walmart.com, CandyFunHouse.com, RickyJoy.com and other retailers, from January 2023 through May 2026. Individual bottles sold for about \$3, while three- and 12-packs retailed for between \$13 and \$32.

What should consumers do?

Consumers should stop using the recalled candy bottles immediately, take them from their children and contact The Ricky Joy Company to request a refund. The company will provide customers with a prepaid shipping label to return the recalled product.

In January, 30% of retirees who responded to AARP's Financial Security Trends Survey said they were very or somewhat worried about having enough money to cover basic expenses, and 52% worried about their ability to pay for a large, unexpected expense. Even with the existing COLA in place, 64% said they worried about prices rising faster than their income.

A flat-rate COLA “might sound like an interesting idea, but it’s a massive cut to Social Security dressed up in technical jargon,” Bill Sweeney, AARP’s senior vice president for government affairs, wrote in a July LinkedIn post.

What's a better option?

Many ideas to shore up Social Security have been floated, including:

- Former Social Security Administration Commissioner Martin O'Malley said lawmakers should raise the cap on earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes rather than pursue benefit reductions. Under current rules, the So

Recalled Ricky Joy Sour Crush candy. PROVIDED BY THE RICKY JOY COMPANY

Anyone with questions can call The Ricky Joy Company at 404-975-0352 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday or visit the company's recall website for more information.

Reporter Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@usatoday-co.com or on X @athompsonUSAT

cial Security payroll tax is capped at \$184,500.

- Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, and Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, propose eliminating the Social Security payroll tax cap, “given that the current tax cap creates a system where most Americans pay Social Security taxes on 100% of their earnings, while the highest earners are paying on only part of theirs.”

- Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vermont, wants to apply the Social Security payroll tax on all income of more than \$250,000 a year, increase benefits by \$2,400 a year, and expand COLAs.

- Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY, has asked to raise the full retirement age (FRA) by three months per year until the retirement age reaches 70. FRA is 67 years now for anyone born in 1960 or later.

Medora Lee is a money, markets and personal finance reporter at USA TO-DAY. You can reach her at mjlee@usatoday.com and subscribe to our free Daily Money newsletter for personal finance tips and business news every Monday through Friday morning.

Jolly

Continued from Page 1

see the shot. Now they do, and can fix their hair before you press the button.

My favorite new party trick, though, is folding the Duo, propping it on a table, tapping once, and walking into the frame. It watches the scene and snaps photos as you strike a pose. No timer, no running back and forth, which is especially great for group photos, too.

Another fun part about a phone that bends? Fold it halfway, and the keyboard drops to the bottom, your email sits on top, and you've got the tiniest laptop you've ever seen.

The best moment, though, was simpler than any of that. I was watching a video, opened the phone, and the video just got bigger. No stutter, no awkward transition. I didn't think about the fold; I just had more screen. I can't wait to use this on an airplane.

That's the whole job of a folding phone, and it's the part nobody else has gotten quite right yet.

Foldables are still only about $2\%$ of the smartphone market worldwide. Samsung and Google have spent years building them, and most people still haven't made the leap. Apple's betting it can do that again.

The rest of the news

There's no regular iPhone 18 this year, so the cheapest new iPhone is the \$1,199 iPhone 18 Pro, up \$100 from last year.

The new Watch Series 12 may be the sleeper story. Apple took some of the best ideas from two gadgets and put them on your wrist.

Oura is a smart ring that helps you track important metrics such as sleep and overall health. Plaud is a little recorder people clip to a shirt to capture conversations throughout the day.

The new Watch gets a “readiness score” like Oura’s, plus a feature coming later this year that can rewind the last 15 seconds of a conversation and write out what you missed. Or, turn on Siri Recap and it takes notes on an entire conversation, handing you a transcribed summary afterward, like Plaud.

That could be fantastic for an interview, a doctor's appointment or a parent-teacher conference, but a little unnerving for everyone else in the room. Apple says it never stores the audio, the transcripts are encrypted and you decide when it's listening.

One catch: the watches ship Sept. 18, but the conversation features and the redesigned Health app don't arrive until later this year.

You're buying the sensors now and waiting for the software. The Series 12 is \$399, and the Ultra 4 is \$799.

Do I want the new folding iPhone?

The Duo feels high-end and fits in my pocket, but it probably won't work one-handed for me when it's open. And yes, I want one.

But it costs \$800 more than the iPhone 18 Pro, and first-generation Apple products reward people who wait.

Apple will let you spread the price over 24 months at \$83.29, or lease one from \$57.99 a month.

I'm not telling you to buy it. But after years of looking at foldables and thinking, "Why?" I finally understand the answer. I might need to sell a kidney to afford a \$2,000 iPhone. But at least now I can picture what I'd do with one – and that's exactly how Apple gets you.

Jennifer Jolly is an Emmy Award-winning consumer tech columnist. The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.

50★States

ALABAMA Montgomery: The Labor Day weekend was deadly on Alabama highways with six people being killed in crashes over the four-day period.

ALASKA Nome: A teenager who went to sea in a fishing boat with two adult relatives was found alive, clinging to the top of the overturned boat off the coast of Alaska on Sept. 7. The U.S. Coast Guard said the 15-year-old was the lone survivor after the boat overturned in bad weather two days before.

ARIZONA Phoenix: The Colorado River Indian Tribes and the Central Arizona Water Conservation District finalized an agreement on Sept. 11 to deliver 9,009 acre-feet of tribal water to the Central Arizona Project.

ARKANSAS Winslow: Fiber artists will gather in Winslow in October for two days of demonstrations, workshops, music and traditional crafts during the annual Ozark Folkways Fiber Fest. The free, family-friendly festival will be Oct. 3-4 on the historic grounds of the Muxen Building.

CALIFORNIA Malibu: A woman entered the Malibu property of former Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband Doug Emhoff late on Sept. 11, prompting Harris' security personnel to contact the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, according to multiple reports. Security personnel stopped the woman before she reached the home, the Los Angeles Times reported. The woman agreed to leave and was not arrested.

COLORADO Loveland: After years in the works and several weeks of quietly operating, Amazon pulled the curtain back on its massive Loveland robotics fulfillment center at a grand opening ceremony Sept. 4.

CONNECTICUT Hartford: Connecticut regulators ordered nine prediction market companies to stop offering sports-related contracts in the state, saying the products violate state gaming laws and consumer protection rules, WFSB reported.

DELAWARE Dover: The replenishment of several central Delaware bay beaches, planned to take place this fall, has been delayed by a year.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA Washington: President Donald Trump signed into law a bill establishing a monument to honor Medal of Honor recipients on the National Mall.

FLORIDA Miami: The wildly popular but controversial “Grand Theft Auto” game franchise is becoming a political issue in Florida as officials debate whether the real Miami should embrace its fictional counterpart.

GEORGIA Atlanta: Nine roadside sites have been planted with native vegetation as part of a partnership between the Georgia Department of Transportation and The Ray. The meadows are the department's first installed acres banked through the Nationwide Candidate Conservation Agreement with Assurances for the Monarch Butterfly on Energy and Transportation Lands, according to a community announcement.

HAWAII Honolulu: Mid-Pacific School unveiled a new \$7.5 million track-and-field complex, marking a major investment in athletic facilities designed to serve students and the broader community, Hawaii News Now reported.

IDAHO Boise: Centennial High School officially opened a new athletic complex featuring upgraded football, track and softball facilities, along with new concessions and restrooms, KTVB7 reported.

ILLINOIS Taylorville: Taylorville-area residents and businesses are seeing expanded broadband capacity after Sparklight invested nearly \$10 million during the past three years to upgrade and extend its fiber-rich network across a nine-community region in Central Illinois.

INDIANA Bloomington: The 113-acre property purchased by Sycamore Land Trust in 2022 is becoming the Carl Ziegler Wetlands and Education Center to showcase the biodiversity of southern Indiana. Renovations to the house and the property are underway with an anticipated opening in May 2027.

IOWA Boone: Lightedge plans to purchase 10 acres of land in the Boone Business Park for a “colocation facility,” according to a press release. The building will house computer servers and networking equipment to process data for banks, hospitals, law enforcement and local businesses.

HIGHLIGHT: NORTH CAROLINA

University of North Carolina Wilmington's new research vessel the R/V Osprey is docked at the Center for Marine Science. KEN BLEVINS/USA TODAY NETWORK

Wilmington: As the boat's silver hull and superstructure glittered under the hot sun, dignitaries and guests at the University of North Carolina Wilmington's Center for Marine Science admired the school's new state-of-the-art research vessel that had been more than a decade in the making. Filled with the latest scientific bells and whistles, the R/V Osprey promises to propel the university into the upper echelon of ocean research universities. Literally a seismic jump in capabilities from the school's existing research vessel assets, the 78-foot-long Osprey arrived at its home port at the school's marine center on Sept. 1.

KANSAS Topeka: Topekans have seen a significant increase in home values and rent rates over the past six years. A new housing study commissioned by Topeka leaders shows home values have skyrocketed more than 63% since 2019. Rents have gone up by 20%.

KENTUCKY Louisville: Ford Motor Co. is investing \$1 billion in the Kentucky Truck Plant, where it assembles some of its biggest profit-makers. The money will build a “state-of-the-art” paint shop and further modernize the factory, Ford said.

LOUISIANA Baton Rouge: Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries scientists are drawing down five lakes this fall and releasing weed-eating giant salvinia weevils in a northeastern Louisiana multi-lake complex.

MAINE Waterville: Maine Children's Home opened its new Center for Families, bringing multiple family support programs under one roof to improve access to counseling, adoption, case management and parenting services for families across Maine, WMTW reported.

MARYLAND Salisbury: Parkside High School's Career & Technical Education horticulture program celebrated the opening of a new greenhouse and set a planting record by installing 11,400 pansy plugs in 11 minutes and 15 seconds.

MASSACHUSETTS Provincetown: A badly entangled minke whale that eluded rescuers for two days was located Sept. 8 off Nauset Inlet, after traveling more than 40 miles from where it was first reported in Cape Cod Bay, according to the Center for Coastal Studies.

MICHIGAN St. Ignace: Tens of thousands made the 5-mile trek across the “Mighty Mac” on Sept. 7 completing the 2026 Mackinac Bridge Walk. The estimated 34,000 who made plans to participate is a slight uptick in attendance for the event compared to 2025, when an estimated 33,000 participated in the annual bridge walk, according to the Mackinac Bridge Authority.

MINNESOTA St. Paul: A Minnesota assisted living facility was able to score average ratings from the state on resident health, safety and staffing, despite five separate incidents in two years that led to one resident death and four hospitalizations, Minnesota Reformer reported. That's because the Minnesota Department of Human Services doesn't factor in serious maltreatment incidents when publishing an assisted living facility "report card" rating, according to a new report from the Office of the Legislative Auditor, the news outlet reported.

MISSISSIPPI Jackson: Jackson City Council approved next year's budget after a debate over whether the city could afford more police officers and firefighters while keeping up with its other needs.

MISSOURI Jefferson City: The U.S. Supreme Court blocked a federal judge's order requiring Missouri to use a gerrymandered congressional map in November, putting the state back on course to conduct the election using districts drawn in 2022, Missouri Independent reported.

MONTANA Butte: For the first time in its 100-plus-year history, Butte Central introduced an official mascot, a wolf pup named Shamrock, KBZK reported.

NEBRASKA Omaha: Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium welcomed its first-ever pair of critically endangered blue-eyed black lemur twins, a milestone birth that offers hope for the rare species' conservation, WOWT reported.

NEVADA Black Rock City: More than two dozen people were taken to hospitals by ground or air ambulance from Burning Man's Black Rock City this year.

NEW HAMPSHIRE Concord: Typically, towns and cities in New Hampshire can begin shredding old paper ballots 22 months after an election. Just as that retention window was closing for the 2024 general election, though, the U.S. Department of Justice ordered state officials to continue to preserve the records, New Hampshire Public Radio reported.

NEW JERSEY Trenton: A federal appeals court has vacated the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection's approval of water quality permits for a proposed natural gas pipeline that would run from Pennsylvania through New Jersey and beneath Raritan Bay to New York. The ruling deals another set-back to the Northeast Supply Enhancement pipeline.

NEW MEXICO Albuquerque: Santa Fe Archbishop John Wester called for action to address New Mexico's worsening water crisis, urging conservation and equitable water policies as drought continues to strain the Rio Grande and communities across the state, KOB4 reported.

NEW YORK Fairview: Marist University is launching an affordable plan for new first-year and transfer students in 2027. The university's Empire State Promise caps tuition, housing and dining at \$32,000 for New York families making \$200,000 or less annually. The goal is to remove barriers to a private university education and expand New York families' college choices.

NORTH DAKOTA Beulah: Talon Metals abandoned plans for a nickel processing plant near Beulah, choosing an existing Michigan operation over developing a new North Dakota facility, KFYR reported.

OHIO Columbus: Ohio will receive \$50 million in federal funding over the next five years through the Talent Search Grant program, an award that state leaders say will help thousands of students prepare for college and careers. Gov. Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Higher Education Chancellor Mike Duffey announced that Ohio was the largest grant recipient and the only new state selected for funding.

OKLAHOMA Oklahoma City: Oklahoma Gas and Electric Company has reached an agreement with a Google subsidiary on a multi-year power agreement utility officials say could translate into residential rate-payer savings of \$6.84 a month by 2036, but the Oklahoma Corporation Commission still has to approve a final order.

OREGON Lincoln County: Repairs to the Oregon state park restrooms that were vandalized along the coast in Lincoln County are estimated to cost near \$100,000.

PENNSYLVANIA Manchester Township: Manchester Township's new hotel ordinance became a reality by unanimous vote during the monthly Board of Supervisors meeting on Sept. 9. The 14-page hotel ordinance will require annual licenses, inspections and compliance with safety and property standards.

RHODE ISLAND Providence: A zebra at Roger Williams Park Zoo has died after it apparently was wounded by another animal, according to the zoo. The zebra, named Zipper, was found “with a critical wound, presumably inflicted by a habitat mate,” Sept. 3, the zoo said in social media posts.

SOUTH CAROLINA Pickens County: Tyson Steel Building Products, a company that produces metal building packages, is moving to Pickens County to launch its first South Carolina site. According to Gov. Henry McMaster's office, Tyson Steel is investing \$15.15 million into its Picken County operations.

SOUTH DAKOTA Aberdeen: Northern State University will begin its fall 2026 Noon Forum series on Sept. 16, with a presentation by Jon Schaff, professor of political science. Schaff will discuss “Lincoln’s Declaration,” examining the Declaration of Independence through Abraham Lincoln’s perspective, with particular attention to the Gettysburg Address.

TENNESSEE Nashville: The nation's largest nursing school is building a campus in Nashville to address Tennessee's growing health-care worker shortage. The state is projected to face a deficit of 8,500 nurses in nine years. Chamberlain University, headquartered in Illinois, began interviewing prospective students in Music City on Sept. 9 with plans to launch its accelerated three-year program in early January, President Amelia Manning said.

TEXAS Amarillo: Nearly four months since fires tore through the Bishop Estates neighborhood and surrounding area in Potter County, survivors are still struggling with cleanup and recovery. The residents of the area, located northwest of Amarillo near the city's landfill, say no contractor has been hired yet to pick up debris.

UTAH Tooele: A substitute bus driver in Tooele County School District was fired after two elementary students with special needs were left unattended on a school bus that returned to the transportation yard instead of taking them to school, prompting calls for stronger statewide bus safety measures, KSL reported.

VERMONT South Burlington: A community festival focused on sustainability, energy efficiency and environmental education is planned Sept. 19 at South Burlington City Hall, with a rain date of Sept. 20.

VIRGINIA Waynesboro: Waynesboro Public Schools announced Westwood Hills Elementary School will reopen to students Sept. 17. The elementary school has been closed since a school shooting that left the suspect dead and one staff member injured Sept. 2.

WASHINGTON Seattle: Over 20,000 ballots in Washington's primary election in August were rejected because they came in too late, thousands more than in 2024, Washington State Standard reported.

WEST VIRGINIA Shepherdstown: Residents and visitors are invited to take part in Shepherdstown's second annual "We the People" Constitution Day Parade on Sept. 19, with participants carrying enlarged pages of the U.S. Constitution through the town before gathering for public readings and reflections.

WISCONSIN Madison: Planned Parenthood of Wisconsin is challenging two longstanding state laws with a new lawsuit that seeks to establish a constitutional right to abortion – a finding that could lead the way to additional expansion of abortion access down the road.

WYOMING Big Horn: A groundbreaking ceremony will be held Sept. 17 for the Big Horn Recreation and Early Learning Center, a planned community facility that will provide indoor recreation space and expanded early childhood education services, The Sheridan Press reported.

From USA TODAY Network and wire reports

Great Recession is still lingering for Gen X

1994's "Reality Bites," starring Ethan Hawk, left, Winona Ryder, Janeane Garofolo and Steve Zahn, portrays Gen X life. PROVIDED BY VAN REDIN/UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

Group buffeted by economic setbacks

Daniel de Visé

USA TODAY

For its current financial worries, Generation X blames inflation. And the COVID-19 pandemic. And the Great Recession of 2008. And the dot-com bubble of the late 1990s.

It reads like a laundry list of economic setbacks. But Gen X has lived and worked (or not worked) through a parade of financial shocks, a series of downturns that largely define the generation, at least in financial terms.

A recent survey by Zety, the résumé builder site, asked 1,003 Gen X workers to identify the major economic events that had hampered their finances. Here's how they replied:

- $64\%$ cited rising prices from elevated inflation over the past few years

- 46% blamed the COVID-19 pandemic

● 23% invoked the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009

- And $10\%$ reached back to the dot-com bubble, which burst in the early 2000s

"I think what we're looking at here is a compounding effect: every few years, being hit by something," said Jasmine Escalera, a career expert at Zety.

For Gen X, retirement reality bites

The Zety survey is the latest of many reports to show Generation X struggling with its impending retirement.

Gen X was born between 1965 and 1980. Its oldest members are now 61, a year away from qualifying for Social Security.

Just more than half of Gen Xers surveyed said they fear they haven't saved enough for retirement. Nearly two-fifths expect to retire at age 68 or later, or not at all.

A pervasive economic theory suggests that Generation X has struggled more than the generations that preceded and followed it.

Many in Generation X entered the workforce before or during the dot-com bubble, the tech-stock boom that went bust in 2000.

Several years later, many Gen Xers were in their prime earning years when the Great Recession hit.

“In the prime of our adult life, we experienced a lost decade,” said Phil Battin, a wealth management adviser in Warrenville, Illinois, who is a Gen Xer.

A lifetime of financial setbacks

Every generation suffered in the Great Recession, but economic research suggests Gen X suffered more than most.

The financial turmoil of Generation X arguably “goes back even farther” than the dot-com bubble, said John Faircloth, a private wealth adviser at Northwestern Mutual’s Riverwalk Wealth Advisors in Tampa, Florida.

Many older Gen-Xers emerged from college during the recession of 1990 and 1991, which set a bleak tone for their careers.

"If you think about it sequentially, you had the recession in the 1990s, then you had a couple good years, and then we got wiped out by the dot-coms, and then you had a couple good years, and then we got wiped out by the global fi-"

nancial crisis," said Faircloth, who is a Gen Xer.

“You have to account for some of that financial trauma that people have experienced in their lifetime, and Gen X have experienced a lot of it.”

Gen X came of age as the 401(k) arrived

Generation X also came of age as the nation embraced a new retirement model, which called on workers to build savings in 401(k) accounts rather than rely on workplace pensions.

The average Gen Xer started saving for retirement at age 32, according to the 2026 Planning & Progress Study from Northwestern Mutual.

By contrast, the typical millennial started saving at 28, and the average Gen Zer at 22.

“In retirement planning, that’s not a small delay,” said Tiffani Potesta, head of distribution at Voya Investment Management.

Gen X also expects to retire later than younger workers: at age 67, on average, according to Northwestern Mutual. The typical millennial plans to retire at 64, the average Gen Zer at 61.

By the time they retire, Gen Zers “could finish with twice as much” retirement savings as Gen Xers because of their head start, Potesta said.

After all the economic shocks, retirement experts say, it's not surprising that many Gen Xers feel unprepared for retirement.

But it's not too late to prepare. Here are some tips for Gen X workers to shore up their retirement plans.

Max out your retirement saving

Thanks to recent changes in federal law, Gen Xers who are approaching retirement age can save more than ever in 401(k) accounts.

Any employee with a 401(k) plan can contribute as much as \$24,500 in 2026. Savers 50 or older can make additional “catch-up” contributions up to \$8,000, raising the total contribution to \$32,500. Workers ages 60, 61, 62 and 63 have an even higher “super catch-up contribution” limit of \$11,250.

Make a retirement plan

Clearly, Gen Xers are worried about retirement. But they may not spend enough time planning for it.

Only 29% of Americans engage in retirement planning on a regular basis, according to the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies, and only 31% work with professional financial advisers.

“Everyone should have a written plan,” Faircloth said.

Work longer; claim Social Security later

Working even a year or two longer, and waiting a few years to take Social Security, can vastly improve your retirement prospects, retirement experts say.

A Stanford University study found that delaying retirement by just three to six months has the same impact on retirement savings as raising your 401(k) contribution rate by a full percentage point for 30 years.

And many economists say workers are generally better off if they postpone claiming Social Security. Your monthly benefit checks get larger with every year you wait to claim them, from age 62 through 70.

USA TODAY | TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2026 | SECTION C

A touch of gold dominance

MVP Breanna Stewart and cohorts along with Team USA leaders tower over World Cup field

Mitchell Northam, Cydney Henderson, Callie Fin and Meghan L. Hall USA TODAY

Once more, Team USA is golden in women's basketball. ● Despite trailing by 14 points in the first half, the Americans rallied for a comfortable victory over France 97-79 in the FIBA Women's World Cup gold medal game on Sept. 13 Berlin. It was Team USA's fifth consecutive World Cup win. ● Breanna Stewart led the way for Team USA and was named MVP after tallying 22 points, 10 rebounds and four assists in the victory. She tied Sue Bird as the only player in Team USA history to own four World Cup gold medals.

“Four World Cups? That’s tied for the most ever,” Team USA coach Kara Lawson said. “She is USA Basketball. When you think of the last 15 years, it’s Stewie. We’re just really lucky to be a part of her era.”

Jackie Young added 18 points, six rebounds and five assists for Team USA, while Kahleah Copper scored 15 points and Chelsea Gray and Caitlin Clark each had 12 points apiece.

It was the first time France reached the gold medal game, but it couldn't stop the United States from winning its fifth consecutive World Cup crown. France was paced by WNBA stars Gabby Williams and Dominique Malonga, who combined for 41 points.

TOP: Team USA players come together as one after winning the FIBA Women's World Cup final Sept. 13. BOTTOM: Breanna Stewart scored 22 and was named tournament MVP after securing her fourth World Cup gold medal. PHOTOS BY ANNEGRET HILSE AND MARYAM MAJD/REUTERS

WINNERS USA veterans

veterans proved they are the present.

As the Americans fell into a 14-point deficit in the first half – their largest of the tournament – the quartet of Breanna Stewart, Chelsea Gray, Jackie Young and Kahleah Copper put USA on their back. Stewart (20 points, 10 rebounds), Young (18 points), Gray (12 points) and Copper (15 points) combined for 65 points. All four USA veterans played at least 27 minutes in the gold medal match.

Team USA featured a mix of veterans and rising young stars, but it was the experienced group that steadied the ship, flipped the momentum and guided the Americans to their fifth consecutive gold medal.

The “Young and Turnt” crew might be the future of the U.S. women’s national team, but the squad’s experienced core of

Paige Bueckers was limited to less than three minutes. Sonia Citron and Kiki Iria-fen played less than two minutes each. They're up next, but the likes of Stewart,

Young, Gray and Copper proved their time is now.

See USA, Page 7C

Jarrett Bell Columnist USA TODAY

Rodgers, McCarthy mesh again as Steelers

What a fitting touch to the locker room celebration that came with the Pittsburgh Steelers winning their season opener before the home crowd at Acrisure Stadium.

Aaron Rodgers presented Mike McCarthy with a game ball.

It had been a long time coming. McCarthy and Rodgers hadn't won a game together since the 2018 season with the Green Bay Packers. And McCarthy, 62, is the Pittsburgh native starting on the right foot in his dream job with the franchise he grew up cheering for.

“Obviously, a special moment,” McCarthy said during his postgame news conference after the 20-13 victory Sept. 13 against the Falcons. “Really appreciate Aaron and the kind words.”

McCarthy seemed a bit embarrassed as he reflected, admitting so much emotion was attached to the buildup toward his debut.

Enough, already, he added in so many words. “It’s time to move on and get team victories from here,” he said.

Actually, the Steelers produced quite the team effort in outlasting an undermanned Falcons team that was forced to start No. 3 quarterback Cooper Rush. The game-winning points didn't come from the offense that McCarthy and Rodgers are

See BELL, Page 7C

Bears quarterback Caleb Williams had two TD passes and two TD runs. BOB DONNAN/IMAGN IMAGES VIA REUTERS

Zverev beats Shelton in U.S. Open futility test

Scooby Axson USA TODAY

NEW YORK – Alexander Zverev continued the misery for American men by extending a decades-long streak of not winning a Grand Slam tennis tournament, beating Ben Shelton 6-3, 7-6, 5-7, 6-2 in the U.S. Open final for his second major title this year.

A pro-Shelton contingent crowd of 24,000 at Arthur Ashe Stadium was left disappointed, as the drought since Andy Roddick's Sept. 7, 2003, (Shelton was born nearly 11 months earlier) U.S. Open victory over Juan Carlos Ferrero will now extend past the 8,407 days since the International Tennis Hall of Famer lifted the trophy at Louis Armstrong Stadium.

“We went 30 years without winning a Grand Slam title; now we won two in the span of three months,” Zverev said on Sept. 13, referring to Boris Becker, the last German man to win a major title with his 1996 Australian Open win. Becker was also the last German man to win a U.S. Open (1989). “It was an incredible atmosphere to play in, even though the crowd was against me. You guys brought the energy and noise.”

See OPEN, Page 2C

MLB POWER RANKINGS

Can Vlad Jr., Blue Jays make late playoff push?

Gabe Lacques USA TODAY

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. achieved what started to look impossible. Can his Toronto Blue Jays follow suit?

The defending American League champions have underperformed all season, following the lead of their superstar and \$500 million man, who, entering Sept. 13, had not hit a home run at Rogers Centre this season – a 75-game power outage for a man who once hit 48 in a season.

But Guerrero got off the schneid with his first Canadian long ball this season, the middle of back-to-back-to-back shots off Baltimore's Trevor Rogers that had the home crowd chanting his name and his teammates giddy with joy.

And now, after spending almost the entire season on the wrong side of .500, the Blue Jays are just one game out of a playoff berth and up to No. 13 in USA TODAY Sports' MLB power rankings.

Just like Vladdy, who now has eight home runs this season, can the Blue Jays prove it's never too late?

They have a golden opportunity to make up ground this week, trailing the Cleveland Guardians by one game and the AL Central-leading Chicago White Sox by $1 \frac{1}{2}$ . Those two meet in a three-game series, while Toronto takes on the Detroit Tigers, in series that began on Sept. 14. Now 75-75, the Blue Jays haven't been two games above .500 since April 1, when they were 4-2.

If they can reach those “heights” in the final 12 games, a very unlikely play-off spot may be in the offing.

Here's a look at our updated MLB power rankings entering the week of Sept. 14:

1. Milwaukee Brewers (−): Will clinch the National League Central this week and should break the franchise record for wins (97) next week.

2. Los Angeles Dodgers (−): Edwin Diaz looking a lot closer to getting shut down than returning from rehab assignment.

3. Tampa Bay Rays (+1): Victor Mesa (.845 OPS) gives them another power bat for the postseason.

4. Atlanta Braves (-2): Never a bad week when you essentially clinch the division. But a first-round bye might be too much to ask.

5. New York Yankees (−): Cam Schlittler closing in on Cy Young Award, but let's pump the brakes a tad on MVP talk.

6. Chicago Cubs (−): Get a potential glimpse of playoff series with three games against Atlanta this week.

7. Boston Red Sox (+1): Wiped the floor with the AL Central this year, going 19-9.

8. Philadelphia Phillies (-1): Jesus Luzardo's shoulder inflammation is, at least for now, a significant concern.

9. San Diego Padres (−): Jackson Merrill, 23, is a 25-25 man.

10. Arizona Diamondbacks (+1): Now three games behind the Padres; need to make sure that final regular-season weekend series isn't simply a lottery ticket.

11. Chicago White Sox (-1): Have held at least a share of first place in the AL Central since July 4. Will take a half-game lead into Cleveland.

12. Cleveland Guardians (−): For the second consecutive year, they can seize control of the division on the last home-stand.

13. Toronto Blue Jays (+2): Dylan Cease in dead heat with the Brewers' Jacob Misiorowski for the major league strikeout lead.

14. Houston Astros (-1): They still might win the AL West, but a sweep at the hands of Tampa Bay shows playoff stay might not be long.

15. Miami Marlins (-1): Somehow won the season series against the Dodgers.

16. St. Louis Cardinals (−): Alec Burleson's majors-leading RBI total up to 109, most by a Cardinal since Paul Goldschmidt's 115 in 2022.

17. Pittsburgh Pirates (+1): Back to .500. Can they pull off first winning season since 2018?

18. Texas Rangers (-1): Trailing Houston by one game, homestand vs. Red Sox, Blue Jays will be challenging.

19. Baltimore Orioles (+1): Starter Kyle Bradish shut down due to lower abdominal discomfort.

20. Minnesota Twins (+1): Emmanuel Rodriguez makes long-awaited debut, homers in first at-bat.

21. Cincinnati Reds (-2): Reds will be

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was feted by teammates Josh Smith and Myles Straw after hitting his first home run of the season Sept. 13 at Rogers Centre. JOHN E. SOKOLOWSKI/ IMAGN IMAGES VIA REUTERS

running it back with Nick Krall.

22. Detroit Tigers (+1): Jackson Jobe pitches into the seventh inning for the first time.

23. Washington Nationals (-1): Jorbit Vivas with go-ahead and game-tying hits in consecutive games.

24. Seattle Mariners (−): Josh Naylor is, stunningly, 6-for-24 on ABS challenges, worst in the majors.

25. New York Mets (−): Christian Scott's 3.76 ERA over 22 outings very good for initial year after Tommy John surgery.

26. Kansas City Royals (−): Carter Jensen's 24th homer ties Bob Hamelin for Royals rookie record.

27. San Francisco Giants (−): The Rafael Devers shutdown is a real bummer, as he was closing in on 40-homer season.

28. Athletics (-): Shea Langeliers makes it back to Yolo County in impressive time after torn right meniscus repair in July.

29. Los Angeles Angels (+1): Blew three leads in ugly sweep at Washington.

30. Colorado Rockies (-1): On a 5-20 skid as 100 losses looks like reality.

Alexander Zverev became the first German man to win the U.S. Open singles title since Boris Becker in 1989. GEOFF BURKE/IMAGN IMAGES VIA REUTERS

Open

Continued from Page 1C

Shelton was attempting to become the eighth American man to win the U.S. Open and the first left-handed champion since Rafael Nadal.

Zverev turned it on when he needed it the most, breaking Shelton twice in the fourth set, and on match point, Zverev caused one of Shelton's 47 unforced errors when his return went over his head. Zverev, who earned \$5.5 million for the win, was so focused that he didn't realize he had won the match until the crowd started its thunderous applause.

“I thought it was 5-1,” Zverev said about the confusion on championship point, and noted it’s been a long few weeks in New York.

The 23-year-old Shelton, who will rise to a career-high No. 4 in the rankings despite the loss, can somewhat quiet down questions about men's tennis in the United States, although Roddick's only Grand Slam victory at Flushing Meadows two decades ago will continue to be an annual trivia question by adding to the longest futility in American men's Grand Slam history. Shelton had a memorable tournament, capped by a quarterfinal victory over defending champion Carlos Alcaraz in a match that lasted 4 hours and 28 minutes and ended at 3:33 a.m. ET, as well as his semifinal victory over good friend Frances Tiafoe.

Zverev, the tournament's top seed, used his 6-foot-6 frame and reach to mostly neutralize Shelton's serve, which has been on the high end of 140 mph during the tournament. Shelton had 20 aces in the Tiafoe win; he had only 10 in the final. Zverev took the first two and last games of the first set, as Shelton, who was broken on his initial serve, struggled to gain any kind of consistency and tried scoring crucial points with an effective second serve.

Neither man would break in the second set, sending the match to a tiebreak, where Shelton finally got his opportunity to turn the tide and took advantage. But it was not to be, as he was down 0-5 in the tiebreak, and Zverev pushed the matter to a deciding set, when Shelton's return off his serve hit the net. The third set was more of the same, resulting in another tiebreak. This time, Shelton converted; Zverev was broken in the 12th game, allowing Shelton to extend the match.

Shelton now has a 0-6 record against Zverev, winning just two sets in those matchups. The 28-year-old from Germany turned it on at the U.S. Open after struggling in the first two rounds, both of which went to five sets. He didn't drop another set until Sunday's final.

"Playing in front of you guys is a gift," Shelton said in his on-court interview. "I have the best support team in the business. To do this with my family by my side, these four guys over here who dedicate their lives to my career, spend time traveling the world with me, it's an unnatural commitment. I appreciate you guys. I'm just getting started. I'll be back here again."

After winning the French Open, Zverev is the first player to win his first two major titles in the same year since 2024, when Jannik Sinner, who has since won three more Grand Slams, accomplished the feat.

A SPECIAL BOOK for a SPECIAL MAN

Kyle Busch in a hardcover book

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\$35.95 reg. \$39.95 plus tax & shipping expires Oct. 7 books ship Nov. 13

cover not final

234 NASCAR race victories. Two Cup championships. One Rowdy life lost too soon.

Kyle Busch rewrote the NASCAR record book. The youngest Cup race winner. The all-time leader in the Xfinity and Truck victories. A Cup season champion in 2015 and 2019. A competitor at every level of the sport.

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Already lively debate about best team

Nate Davis

USA TODAY

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) looks to hand off the ball during the second half against the Colts on Sept. 13 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. TREVOR RUSZKOWSKI/IMAGN IMAGES VIA REUTERS

Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs had 29 carries for 156 yards and two TDs against the Saints in his 50th NFL game. LON HORWEDEL/IMAGN IMAGES VIA REUTERS

The 32 things we learned from Week1 of the 2026 NFL season:

0. Still the number of interceptions the New York Jets defense has since the start of the 2025 season – but Gang Green was more than thrilled to open the 2026 campaign with a 23-10 win Sept. 13 over the Tennessee Titans and former coach Robert Saleh.

1. As in who's No. 1 in the NFL? We'll know the answer 22 weeks from now, when Super Bowl 61 is in the books ... at the end of Valentine's Day. But as of this moment? The NFC Pro Bowl team, er the Los Angeles Rams, got blasted in Australia and will now be without superstar Myles Garrett for at least the next month. The reigning champion Seattle Seahawks survived their Super Bowl rematch but won't have injured QB Sam Darnold until at least Week 3. The Buffalo Bills and Chicago Bears didn't play a lick of defense while besting opponents not exactly known for offensive pyrotechnics. Could the Denver Broncos, who opened their season Sept. 14 on "Monday Night Football" in Kansas City be worthy? A fresh batch of power rankings is only a day (or so) away with the answer, so stay tuned.

2. As in the jersey number of Seahawks QB2 Drew Lock, who seems nearly as beloved by his teammates as Darnold is. "We've all been saying Drew has been the best two (backup quarterback) in the NFL for years," Seahawks S Julian Love said after the squeaker Sept. 9 past the New England Patriots. Given the apparent sustained dominance of Seattle's "Dark Side" defense – and games against the Arizona Cardinals and Washington Commanders to close out September – the bet here is the champs will be just fine without Darnold for a week or two. I can tell you there was almost literally no worry about Darnold's absence in the locker room Wednesday, other than on a personal level, based on the current prognosis of his injured hip – especially given the efficiency (113.3 QB rating), confidence and swagger Lock put on display in the opener.

2a. Expect to see a few QB2s – or at least changes – going into Week 2, with Lock set to start for Seattle. A revolving door in Atlanta and Kyler Murray's concussion in Minnesota could portend additional switches behind center.

+3. The Cincinnati Bengals' turnover margin Sunday – something they achieved only two other times since the start of the 2023 season, which coincides with their current playoff drought. But the four fumbles, one returned for a TD, Cincy's new-look defense forced in a 33-27 defeat of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were crucial on a day when the Joe Burrow-led offense accounted for just two touchdowns.

4. As in four Super Bowl MVPs who have changed teams in the subsequent offseason, the latest being Kansas City Chiefs RB Kenneth Walker III. He was scheduled to make his K.C. debut Monday night at Arrowhead against the Broncos and could get quite a workload if the Chiefs see fit to try to protect QB Patrick Mahomes from himself in his first game back from the knee injury that prematurely ended his 2025 season.

5. The longest active winning streak in Week 1 games, entering Sunday, a mark shared by the Bucs and Philadelphia Eagles ... and now solely owned by Philly after a 24-22 squeaker over the Washington Commanders.

6. The number of players in league history who have scored 50 touchdowns in their first 50 regular-season appearances. Welcome to the club, Jahmyr Gibbs.

7. Though the game didn't turn out to be very good, the Rams and San Francisco 49ers packed 100,021 fans into the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the seventh-largest crowd to ever witness a regular-season game. Think the NFL won't be going back Down Under?

8. The jersey number of Baltimore Ravens QB Lamar Jackson, who passed for 324 yards and a TD in his first game under new offensive coordinator Declan Doyle, a 41-23 walkover of the Indianapolis Colts. Jackson, who won both of his league MVP awards in year one under a new coordinator, didn't pass for 300 yards in a single game of his (and Baltimore's) highly disappointing 2025 season.

9. But at least as important to the Ravens starting this season off on the right foot was RB Derrick Henry, who rushed for three TDs, giving him 125 over the course of his sterling 11-year career – good for third place all time in NFL history behind Hall of Famers Emmitt Smith (164) and LaDainian Tomlinson (145).

10. The number of new head coaches this season, tied for the most in a single hiring cycle. The newbies went a collective 6-4 in their openers, a winning Week 1 secured when John Harbaugh's New York Giants dropped the Dallas Cowboys 28-20 on Sunday night.

11. Number of yards (on two touches) by Jacksonville Jaguars CB/WR Travis Hunter, who also had a tackle in his full-time role on defense in the Jags' 34-10 rout of the Cleveland Browns.

12. The jersey number of Hunter, whom the Jaguars drafted second overall in 2025 – after acquiring the No. 2 from Cleveland in order to get him – to be a game-changing force and fan favorite in small market Duval County. That didn't materialize in his injury-curtailed rookie season, and Sunday's game was not a good barometer of what his impact might be in year two.

13. But it's worth noting that – yes, after a week – the Jags are alone in first place atop the AFC South as QB Trevor Lawrence, who had four TD passes and crafted a career-best 150.6 passer rating, continues to develop into a franchise player, perhaps one along the lines of Josh Allen 0.9.

14. And Lawrence ain't yet Allen, the Bills star accounting for four TDs (two passing, two rushing) in a 36-31 escape from the Houston Texans, who featured the league's No. 1 overall defense in 2025. It was Allen's first win in Houston after losing all four of his previous starts at Reliant Stadium. Bills Mafia certainly hopes it's a harbinger for a bigger breakthrough by Allen and company, who are on a mission to win the franchise's first Super Bowl this season.

15. The number of quarterbacks in league history to throw at least 300 TD passes, the Las Vegas Raiders' Kirk

Cousins joining their ranks Sunday in a 27-13 defeat of the Miami Dolphins.

16. Cousins' steady presence was why Fernando Mendoza, the No. 1 overall selection of the 2026 draft, became the first pick since Baker Mayfield in 2018 to start his career on the bench.

17. Back to Houston, where it was a discouraging day for the Texans – and not just because the Bills dissected their defense. CB Kamari Lassiter might have won the game by picking off a careless pass by Allen but couldn't hold onto it in the end zone – and the 2024 MVP threw what proved to be the game-winning strike one play later. Houston QB C.J. Stroud also continued his alarming trend of turning the ball over, his first fumble leading to Buffalo's first three points and his second one ending the Texans' final drive deep in Bills territory.

18. Mike LaFleur > Matt LaFleur.

19. Mike LaFleur > Mike McDaniel.

20. But did the Jets and Mike La-Fleur's Cardinals, who will meet later this season, do irreparable damage in the quest to get Arch Manning atop the 2027 NFL Draft? Just (Julian) Sayin' based on what we saw Manning and the Texas Longhorns do Saturday night.

21. The Bears and Carolina Panthers combined to score 96 points Sunday, most ever in a Week 1 game. The previous record was held by the Buccaneers (Ryan Fitzpatrick version) and New Orleans Saints (Drew Brees version), with the Bucs winning that shootout 48-40 in 2018.

22. It's, uh, early ... Week 1, etc., etc. But the Bears are, well, already well ahead of the pace to shatter the 2013 Broncos' league scoring record (606 points) – a stated goal of second-year coach Ben Johnson.

23. Chicago scored 59 points in

Sunday's rout of the Panthers, putting them well ahead of the Broncos' weekly average (37.9). (Did I mention it's Week 1?) But as long as we're talking openers, only the 1973 Atlanta Falcons scored more points (62) to kick off a season.

24. Fun fact(s), since you were wondering: The '73 Falcons were shut out in their second game, scored 15 points – total – between Weeks 2 and 4 of that season and didn't make the playoffs.

25. Still, we'd wager the 2026 Falcons won't approach the '73 squad's nine wins – namely because of Atlanta's uncertainty behind center, journeyman QB3 Cooper Rush forced to start Sunday in Pittsburgh in place of injured Tua Tagovailoa with undrafted rookie QB4 Jack Strand backing him up. (And sure seemed like Falcons fans on social media badly wanted to see Strand, who had an exceptional preseason, get some run Sunday.)

26. Rush's fourth-quarter pick-six, corralled by Steelers star OLB T.J. Watt, proved too much for the Falcons to overcome in a 20-13 defeat. It also allowed Watt to join Hall of Famer Julius Peppers as the only players with at least 100 career sacks and 10 career interceptions since sacks became an official statistic in 1982.

27. Watt, who also sacked Rush twice, has an early bead on AFC Defensive Player of the Week. Not a bad start for a player whose future in Pittsburgh seems murky at the outset of his 10th NFL season.

28. Game of the day? How about the Detroit Lions' 31-30 overtime win over the Saints, who went for the 2-point conversion (and win) on the road before their final play came up short. Still, every reason to believe New Orleans is well positioned to contend for the NFC South crown this season after overcoming a 21-point deficit – at least temporarily – in one of the league's toughest venues and against one of its most explosive teams. As for the Lions?

29. The number of rushes handled by Detroit RB Jahmyr Gibbs, a career high – as were his 34 touches against the Saints. Gibbs' fantasy owners doubtless love it on a day when he had 186 yards and two TDs from scrimmage as he enters his first season as the clear-cut bell cow in Motown. But that could be an awfully tough workload to maintain if the Lions are going to rely that heavily on a player who averaged 17.5 touches – half the load he carried Sunday – while in a timeshare over his first three seasons as a pro.

30. As a dad who's been introducing his young son to the joys of Spider-Man, props to Detroit's Derrick Barnes. But I need to work on my end-zone celebration apparently.

31. Round 1 of the NFC East teams turning over their offensive schemes to unproven coordinators who were backups in the league five minutes ago goes to the Eagles, who barely outlasted the Commanders.

32. Last – and most likely least, power rankings pending – the Browns. C'mon, guys – seriously? How much do columnists and fans have to scream until you guys put Deshaun Watson on the bench? Forever? But evidently first-year coach Todd Monken – or someone to whom he reports – is not inclined to listen, even after the Jacksonville Jaguars thrashed Cleveland 34-10 on Sunday. Free Shedeur!

FSU fires Alford after four years as AD

John Leuzzi

Michael Alford gives remarks about Leonard Hamilton following Hamilton's final home game before his retirement as men's basketball coach at Florida State on March 8, 2025. ALICIA DEVINE/THE TALLAHASSEE DEMOCRAT – USA TODAY NETWORK VIA REUTERS

USA TODAY

Florida State has made a significant administrative change.

The university announced Sept. 14 that it has fired athletic director Michael Alford, ending his nearly five-year tenure leading the Seminoles athletic department.

The move comes after Florida State football's bye week and as the program continues to struggle under Mike Norvell.

Alford, who previously served as president of the Seminole Boosters Inc., was hired in December 2021 to succeed former athletic director David Coburn.

“Michael Alford has served the University and our student-athletes with dedication, and we thank him for his contributions to our athletics programs,” school president Richard McCullough said in a statement. “As we begin this transition, our focus remains on the success of our teams and continuing to provide every competitive advantage we can to our student-athletes, coaches, and staff.

“Florida State is committed to maintaining the highest standards for our student-athletes and staff. We want all of them to be able to play for championships. This leadership change reflects that commitment.”

In a statement in the university's release, Florida State board of trustees chairman Peter Collins called the firing of Alford the “next phase of restructuring” that Florida State “must commit to in order to compete in this era of college sports.”

“Changes like this are never easy, but sometimes necessary,” Collins said in a statement. “We have made significant investments and structural changes in our athletics program and Seminole Boosters over the past few years, but more are needed. This step begins the next phase of restructuring that the University must commit to in order to compete in this era of college sports. The President and the Board are in lock-step on the mission and what the results must be.”

As noted by The Tallahassee Democrat, part of the USA TODAY Network,

Alford received a contract extension in 2024 valued at \$6.7 million and earned a base salary of \$1.45 million annually under a deal that ran through 2028.

The football program had just two winning seasons in Alford's tenure as athletic director, in 2022 and 2023, the latter of which saw the Seminoles left out of the College Football Playoff after quarterback Jordan Travis' late-season injury.

Florida State is 8-18 overall in the last three seasons, including a 1-1 mark this season.

Alford's tenure will include two women's national championships and multiple ACC titles in other programs in softball, beach volleyball, men's tennis and men's track and field. The

Seminoles baseball program returned to the College World Series in 2024 for the first time since 2019.

Financially, Alford helped increase the athletic department's revenue by 31.5% since 2022. That said, the department also carried \$437 million in athletics-related debt during the 2025 fiscal year, one of the highest debt totals among college athletic departments. Much of that debt stemmed from Florida State's investment of more than \$500 million in facility projects and upgrades across its athletic programs.

As noted by The Democrat, Alford's tenure also included Florida State's visible legal battle with the ACC, which began in 2023.

The legal battle between FSU and

Clemson against the ACC was settled in June 2025. The settlement defined the financial cost for any school wanting to leave the conference and allowed schools to keep their television and media rights.

Bruce Warwick, Florida State's senior associate athletics director for football, will serve as the Seminoles' interim athletic director as a national search is conducted, per the university's release on Monday.

"It is important that we remain dedicated to providing continuity and support to our student-athletes, coaches and staff, who remain our top priority," Warwick said in a statement.

Florida State travels to Tuscaloosa to play No. 10 Alabama on Sept. 19.

NASCAR CUP SERIES

Kyle Larson celebrates after winning the NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300 on Sept. 13 at WWT Raceway in Madison, Illinois. CHRIS GRAYTHEN/GETTY IMAGES

Victory at last for Larson

Chris Vinel

The Daytona Beach (Florida) News-Journal USA TODAY Network

Uh-oh.

Digest these words from a two-time NASCAR Cup Series champ, and watch out. This could be bad news for the 15 other drivers in the Chase playoffs.

“I feel like we got our swagger back a little bit,” Kyle Larson said.

For the first time in 490 days, he steered into victory lane after the Enjoy Illinois 300 on Sept. 13. His triumph ended a 51-race winless streak.

It came on a chaotic day at World Wide Technology Raceway that concluded with a one-two Hendrick Motorsports finish for Larson and Alex Bowman in double overtime.

Before Sunday, Larson's last victory had occurred on May 11, 2025, at Kansas Speedway. He, of course, went on to capture the Cup Series title, but he did it with consistently solid showings and a dash of good fortune in Phoenix, rather than first-place trophies.

But this was a Larson performance the NASCAR world has come to expect.

He led 80 laps at Gateway, second to Joey Logano's 96. Logano placed third.

“I had a good feeling, but you never know,” Larson said. “I felt like this place is so weird with the brake rotor failures, strategy, all that. Just proud of my team

Cup Series points leaders

1. Denny Hamlin ..... 2168
2. Kyle Larson ..... 2159
3. Christopher Bell ..... 2150
4. Ryan Blaney ..... 2135
5. Tyler Reddick ..... 2126
6. Ty Gibbs ..... 2117
7. Joey Logano ..... 2117
8. Chase Briscoe ..... 2109
9. Carson Hocevar ..... 2080
10. Bubba Wallace ..... 2078

for working so hard and being so patient through all the tough times and the winless streak and all of that. Thanks to the fans, my fans, for also being patient with us. Glad to get it figured out."

Larson now owns 33 career victories. He sits second in the Chase standings behind Denny Hamlin.

William Byron also joined Larson and Bowman's party, grabbing fourth in the best performance for Hendrick Motorsports in months. Chase Elliott was the only teammate outside the top five. He exited early and ended up 31st.

Previously, Elliott was the only Hendrick driver with a win this season. Chevrolet had also not been to victory lane since Shane van Gisbergen's big day at Sonoma in late June.

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Getting tested, and through it, best for USA

FIBA WOMEN'S BASKETBALL WORLD CUP GERMANY 2026
Team USA captain Breanna Stewart leads Americans in lifting the trophy after beating France to win the FIBA World Cup. It's the fifth consecutive title for the U.S. women, tying a tournament record. MARYAM MAJD/REUTERS

Nancy Armour Columnist USA TODAY

This was the best possible outcome for USA women's basketball.

Another title at the FIBA World Cup, of course, their record-tying fifth in a row. Add in their eight consecutive Olympic gold medals, and there is little question the Americans are one of the greatest dynasties. Of any sport, from any era.

All dynasties eventually end, and the rest of the world is gaining on the Americans. Which is why Team USA's performance at this World Cup, the final in particular, was so significant.

Don't be fooled by the final score, a 97-79 victory over France on Sept. 13 in Berlin. Les Bleues pushed the Americans. Hard. Even harder than they pushed the Americans at the Paris Olympics. At one point in the second quarter, France had a 14-point lead, Les Bleues were draining 3's as if they were playing Pop-a-Shot and Gabby Williams was dominating.

Rarely had the Americans looked this beatable, even in that Italy game earlier in the tournament.

But they figured it out. They started getting defensive stops, making jumpers and exerting their will inside. They closed the half on a 26-14 run that pulled them within two, then came out with a vengeance in the third.

USA pulls away in third quarter

The U.S. shut Williams down, took away the 3 and generally made life miserable for France on both ends of the court. By the time the third quarter was over, the Americans had a 16-point lead and any threat to their reign was a distant memory.

“Credit to France, they’re a really tough team and they continue to play us tough whenever we see them. But I think my message to the team before the game is we are the standard,” said Team USA captain Breanna Stewart, who was named the tournament MVP.

“USA Basketball has continued to show up and go for gold, and to have done that however many times consecutively is an insane stat. And we want to make sure that we continue to build on that standard and everybody else knows it. ... We let the rest of the world know that our goal is always gold.”

Yes, it was the vets who got the Americans back into the game. Stewart finished with 22 points – on 7 of 10 shooting – 10 rebounds and four assists. Jackie Young, who had double-digits in every tournament game, had 18 points, six rebounds and five assists. Chelsea Gray had 12 points, five assists, four rebounds and a steal.

Young Americans showed world what they've got

But Team USA coach Kara Lawson already knew what she was going to get from them. Stewart, Young and Gray, as well as Napheesa Collier and Kahleah Copper, know what it takes to win in an international tournament because they have done it.

The youngsters, the seven representing Team USA at a major international tournament for the first time, did not. Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese, Aliyah Boston, Paige Bueckers, Rhyne Howard, Sonia Citron and Kiki Iriafen were all tested on the international stage.

“This wasn’t your typical USA Basketball team,” Lawson acknowledged. “I think it just shows the strength of our federation and really the strength of our players. In the biggest moments, they continue to play their best. And that is such an incredible quality. It's a quality that not a lot of people have. And we're just lucky in the United States that we have that in spades."

Global game is improving

The rest of the world is going to continue to challenge the U.S. women. France was already salty about that near-miss in Paris, and this will only fuel Les Bleues further.

“We’re showing little by little France is a basketball country,” Williams said. “That was my goal when I joined this team, to change the culture. Obviously we have higher expectations, but we’ll get there.”

Add to that Italy and Spain, both of whom tested the Americans mightily. Germany, too, which reached the semifinals despite not having Satou Sabally. Clark, Reese, Bueckers, even Boston and Howard – they all now know exactly what they'll be facing in Los Angeles.

And they'll know they can handle it. Because they did here.

Clark made a monster 3 just before the break to pull the U.S. within two, then had one of her best stretches of the entire tournament in the second half. Reese had at least one difference-making defensive play in every game, while France is going to be looking over its shoulder for Howard until Los Angeles. Boston was both solid and consistent.

Bueckers didn't play much in the final, but she's seen it. Felt it. Knows what it's like to be on the back foot and find a way to turn the game around.

These are the kind of experiences that will keep the U.S. women at the top of the game, even as the rest of the world comes ever closer.

“They have high intelligence. They’re highly skilled. They’re very competitive. They really wanted to contribute to this team and help us win, and they knew we needed them,” Lawson said. “Now you have those experiences and now you have the confidence when you get in a tournament like this again to continue to help us win.”

The Americans leave this World Cup as a seasoned team. This title will help them win others. It doesn't get better than that.

Follow USA TODAY Sports columnist Nancy Armour on social media: @nrarmour

PRO GOLF

Numbers edge goes to Johnson over ex-math teacher

Todd Kelly

Golfweek | USA TODAY Network

It almost didn't seem like a fair fight: a two-time major champion squaring off against a former middle school teacher. But that's the beauty of pro golf and those Monday qualifiers.

The major winner was Zach Johnson, a PGA Tour Champions rookie who is taking the circuit by storm in 2026. The ex-teacher is Jay Jurecic, 56, who hails from Michigan. In just his fourth senior start, and 10th senior round overall, he shot 65 at Minnehaha Country Club in the second round in South Dakota to share the 36-hole lead at the Sanford International with Johnson.

On Sept. 13, after opening with a birdie to continue this “what if” story, the dream slowly faded. Jurecic parred his next six holes before a bogey at No. 8. Three more pars were followed by yet another bogey.

As he basically stagnated in the final round – Jurecic closed out his 1-over round of 71 with six straight pars – others made moves, in particular Johnson, who shot 66 to win at 11 under, one shot better than Ben Crane, who also shot 66.

Zach Johnson lines up a putt on the fifth hole during the final round. DAVID BERDING/GETTY IMAGES

Still, it was more good experience for Jurecic as well as a \$63,067 payday. Consider it some lessons learned for the former teacher, who finished tied for eighth at 6 under.

“That was probably the best feeling in golf I’ve had with the grandstands and to make that putt and finish strong like that was just a dream come true,” he said Saturday. He was seeking to be the first Monday qualifier to win on the tour since Tommy Gainey at the 2025 Constellation Furyk & Friends.

He resigned from his teaching job at 51 to chase his competitive pro golf dream. This after having never played high school or college golf.

As for Johnson, his fifth win was good for \$330,000 and takes him to just shy of \$3 million in earnings on the season. He's tied with circuit wins leader Stewart Cink. Johnson's wins have come in 13 starts, including his Champions debut in March, while Cink's five wins have come in 15 starts.

Cink and Johnson are chasing the Champions rookie win mark of seven.

DP World Tour: Shane Lowry by 11

At first glance, the three names at the top of the leaderboard at the Amgen

Irish Open were eye-catching. But upon further review, this really wasn't much of a showdown Sept. 13. No, it was more of a walk in the park for Shane Lowry, who cruised to a record 11-shot win over Patrick Reed and Joaquin Niemann in Doonbeg, Ireland.

Lowry, who had one of the more disappointing seasons on the PGA Tour, sparked his week on home soil with a second-round 62. He shot 65 in Saturday's third round before easing into the trophy ceremony with a 7-under 63, finishing with a rousing birdie on 18th.

Lowry was being rooted on by many, including defending champ and good buddy Rory McIlroy, who shot 74 on Saturday but closed with a Sunday 67.

“This year has been quite difficult on the course for me, I had a few chances to win and had some really tough times,” said Lowry, who let a potential escape his grasp in March at the Cognizant Classic. “To come here this week and do this, I don’t do things by half measures. I can’t believe I’m standing here with that leaderboard.”

Lowry, 39, earned his seventh DP World Tour win and second Irish Open.

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TUE	Partly sunny83/67
WED	Partly sunny81/68
THU	Mostly sunny80/65

c Cloudy f Fog i Ice r Rain sf Snowflurries sn Snow w Windy dr Drizzle h Haze

TUE	Partly sunny85/65
WED	Sunny, warm88/62
THU	Mostly sunny88/64

Note: Three points for win, one point for tie.

ATLANTA
TUE	Partly sunny90/71
WED	Mostly sunny89/68
THU	Mostly sunny90/70

AQI Moderate
AQI Good

FOR THE RECORD

All times ET

EAST DIVISION

	W	L	Pct	PF	PA
x-Montreal	10	3	.769	461	385
Toronto	7	6	.538	391	384
Hamilton	4	9	.308	302	384
Ottawa	0	12	.000	270	439

WEST DIVISION

	W	L	Pct	PF	PA
x-Edmonton	10	3	.833	414	323
Saskatchewan	8	5	.615	375	340
BC	7	6	.538	397	357
Winnipeg	7	6	.538	345	352
Calgary	5	8	.385	450	441

NOTE: x- clinched playoff berth Friday's Game Montreal vs. Hamilton, 7:30 p.m. Saturday's Games Edmonton vs. Toronto, 3 p.m. Ottawa vs. Calgary, 7 p.m.

NFL

AMERICAN CONFERENCE

	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA
N.Y. Jets	1	0	0	1.00	23	10
Buffalo	1	0	0	1.00	36	31
New England	0	1	0	.000	10	13
Miami	0	1	0	.000	13	27

	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA
Baltimore	1	0	0	1.00	41	23
Pittsburgh	1	0	0	1.00	20	13
Cincinnati	1	0	0	1.00	33	27
Cleveland	0	1	0	.000	10	34

South	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA
Jacksonville	1	0	0	1.00	34	10
Houston	0	1	0	.000	31	36
Tennessee	0	1	0	.000	10	23
Indianapolis	0	1	0	.000	23	41

	W	L	T	Pct	PF	PA
Las Vegas	1	0	0	1.00	27	13
Denver	0	0	0	000	0	0
Kansas City	0	0	0	000	0	0
L.A. Chargers	0	1	0	.000	14	26

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

East
	W	L	T	Pct	PF
N.Y. Giants	1	0	0	1.00	28
Philadelphia	1	0	0	1.00	24
Washington	0	1	0	.000	22
Dallas	0	1	0	.000	20
North
	W	L	T	Pct	PF
Minnesota	1	0	0	1.00	39
Chicago	1	0	0	1.00	59
Detroit	1	0	0	1.00	31
Green Bay	0	1	0	.000	22
South
	W	L	T	Pct	PF
Atlanta	0	1	0	.000	13
Tampa Bay	0	1	0	.000	27
New Orleans	0	1	0	.000	30
Carolina	0	1	0	.000	37
West
	W	L	T	Pct	PF
San Francisco	1	0	0	1.00	27
Arizona	1	0	0	1.00	26
Seattle	1	0	0	1.00	13
L.A. Rams	0	1	0	.000	7

Wednesday's Score

Seattle 13, New England 10
Thursday's Score
San Francisco 27, L.A. Rams 7
Sunday's Scores
Cincinnati 33, Tampa Bay 27
Baltimore 41, Indianapolis 23
Buffalo 36, Houston 31
Detroit 31, New Orleans 30
Jacksonville 34, Cleveland 10
N.Y. Jets 23, Tennessee 10
Pittsburgh 20, Atlanta 13
Chicago 59, Carolina 37
Minnesota 39, Green Bay 22
Philadelphia 24, Washington 22
Arizona 26, L.A. Chargers 14
Las Vegas 27, Miami 13
N.Y. Giants 28, Dallas 20
Monday's Game
Denver at Kansas City
Thursday's Game
Detroit at Buffalo, 8:15 p.m.
Sunday's Games
Cincinnati at Houston, 1 p.m.
Cleveland at Tampa Bay, 1 p.m.
Pittsburgh at New England, 1 p.m.
Green Bay at N.Y. Jets, 1 p.m.

Carolina at Atlanta, 1 p.m.

Philadelphia at Tennessee, 1 p.m.
New Orleans at Baltimore, 1 p.m.
Minnesota at Chicago, 1 p.m.
Jacksonville at Denver, 4:05 p.m.
Las Vegas at L.A. Chargers, 4:05 p.m.
Washington at Dallas, 4:25 p.m.
Seattle at Arizona, 4:25 p.m.
Miami at San Francisco, 4:25 p.m.
Indianapolis at Kansas City, 8:20 p.m.
Monday, Sept. 21
N.Y. Giants at L.A. Rams, 8:15 p.m.

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

AFCA Football Championship Series Coaches Poll

Rk	School (1st votes)	W-L	Pts	LW
1	Montana State (26)	3-0	650	1
2	Montana	3-0	601	2
3	South Dakota State	2-1	595	3
4	Illinois State	3-0	578	4
5	Tarleton State	3-0	552	5
6	North Dakota	3-0	483	7
7	Lehigh	3-0	473	8
8	Stephen F. Austin	3-0	432	9
9	Youngstown State	2-1	405	10
10	Tennessee Tech	3-0	393	11
11	UC Davis	2-1	389	6
12	South Dakota	3-0	370	12
13	Rhode Island	2-1	331	13
14	Austin Peay	2-1	317	15
15	Lamar	2-1	268	17
16	South Carolina State	3-0	194	20
17	West Florida	2-0	178	22
18	Idaho State	3-0	177	24
19	Northern Arizona	2-1	174	23
20	Yale	0-0	160	19
21	William & Mary	2-1	103	16
22	Mercer	2-1	93	14
23	Villanova	1-2	83	18
24	Furman	2-1	74	NR
25	Southern Illinois	2-1	70	NR

Dropped out: Richmond (21), Abilene Christian (25)

Others receiving votes: Richmond, 67; Cal Poly, 51; Colgate, 30; Wofford, 27; Jackson State, 20; Prairie View A&M, 20; Harvard, 18; Central Arkansas, 16; Southern Utah, 13; Alabama State, 10; Elon, 7; Holy Cross, 6; Campbell, 4; Robert Morris (Pennsylvania), 4; UAlbany, 3; ACU, 2; Dartmouth, 2; Nicholls, 2; UT Martin, 2; Monmouth (New Jersey), 1; San Diego, 1; Southeast Missouri State 1.

Thursday's Game

East

Syracuse at Pittsburgh, 7:30 p.m.

Friday's Games Fast

East

Miami (FL) at Wake Forest, 7:30 p.m. West

Houston at Texas Tech, 8 p.m. Portland State at Oregon, 10:30 p.m.

East

Coastal Carolina at Delaware, 11:30 a.m. Buffalo at Penn State, noon Dartmouth at Lehigh, noon Lafayette at Columbia, noon Villanova at LIU, noon Harvard at New Hampshire, 1 p.m. VMI at Davidson, 1 p.m. Princeton at Bryant, 1 p.m. Cornell at Colgate, 1 p.m. Glenville State at Mercyhurst, 1 p.m. Maine at Boston College, 2 p.m. Yale at Holy Cross, 2 p.m. Rhode Island at Stony Brook, 2:30 p.m. Presbyterian at Western Carolina, 2:30 p.m. Penn at Bucknell, 3 p.m. USC at Rutgers, 3:30 p.m. Stonehill at Massachusetts, 3:30 p.m. Monmouth at Albany, 3:30 p.m. Georgetown at Richmond, 3:30 p.m.

Stanford at Duke, 4 p.m. Ball State at Liberty, 4 p.m.

Hampton at Norfolk State, 4 p.m. Charlotte at Appalachian State, 6 p.m. East Carolina at Old Dominion, 6 p.m. N. Carolina Central at Gardner-Webb, 6 p.m. North Carolina A&T at Campbell, 6 p.m. Sacred Heart at Elon, 6 p.m. Fordham at William & Mary, 6 p.m. Morgan State at Towson, 6 p.m. West Virginia at Virginia, 7:30 p.m. Virginia Tech at Maryland, 7:30 p.m.

Southeast

Georgia at Arkansas, noon

North Carolina at Clemson, noon
Mercer at Georgia Tech, noon
West Georgia at ETSU, noon
North Carolina State at Vanderbilt, 12:45 p.m.
Florida State at Alabama, 3:30 p.m.
SMU at Louisville, 3:30 p.m.
Virginia-Lynchburg at Beth-Cookman, 4 p.m.
Mississippi State at South Carolina, 4:15 p.m.

Southeastern Lou. at Lou-Monroe, 4:30 p.m. Central State at Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 5 p.m. FIU at Florida Atlantic, 6 p.m.

Point U at Charleston Southern, 6 p.m.
Dayton at Eastern Kentucky, 6 p.m.

Florida at Auburn, 7 p.m. Georgia State at UCF, 7 p.m.

Delaware State at South Florida, 7 p.m. Florida at Auburn, 7 p.m.

Connecticut at Southern Miss, 7 p.m.

Nevada at Middle Tennessee, 7 p.m. Ohio at South Alabama, 7 p.m.

Bowie State at Alabama A&M, 7 p.m. Alcorn State at North Alabama, 7 p.m.

Louisiana Christian at Southern U, 7 p.m. LSU at Ole Miss, 7:30 p.m.

Kennesaw State at Tennessee, 7:45 p.m. UAB at Louisiana, 8 p.m.

Midwest

Arizona State vs Kansas at London, noon Bowling Green at Iowa State, noon

Eastern Michigan at Wisconsin, 12:30 p.m. Wyoming at Central Michigan, 1 p.m. Valparaiso at Indiana State, 1 p.m.

Chicago State at Butler, 1 p.m. Southern Illinois at Illinois, 2 p.m.

Southern Utah at St. Thomas (MN), 2 p.m. Temple at Toledo, 3 p.m.

Eastern Illinois at Illinois State, 3 p.m. Miami (OH) at Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m.

Miami (OH) at Cincinnati, 3:30 p.m. UTEP at Michigan, 3:30 p.m.

Western Kentucky at Indiana, 4 p.m.
UNI at Iowa, 4 p.m.

Marshall at Missouri State, 6:30 p.m. Troy at Missouri, 7 p.m.

Youngstown State at South Dakota St, 7 p.m. Morehead State at Western Illinois, 7 p.m.

Morehead State at Western Illinois, 7 p.m. Central Arkansas at SE Missouri State, 7 p.m. North Dakota at Nebraska, 7:15 p.m.

Colorado at Northwestern, 7:30 p.m. Michigan State at Notre Dame, 7:30 p.m. West

North Texas at Texas State, North Central Connecticut St at Montana St, 3 p.m. Kentucky at Texas A&M, 3:30 p.m. Utah State at Utah, 3:30 p.m.

Kentucky at Texas A&M, 3:30 p.m.
Utah State at Utah, 3:30 p.m.
Wagner at California, 3:30 p.m.
Duquesne at Washington State, 3:30 p.m.
Louisiana Tech at Baylor, 4 p.m.
Abilene Christian at Idaho, 4 p.m.
Western Michigan at Rice, 7 p.m.
Murray State at Oklahoma State, 7 p.m.
Nicholls at Sam Houston, 7 p.m.
Houston Christian at UIW, 7 p.m.
Merrimack at Tarleton State, 7 p.m.
Eastern Washington at Washington, 7:15 p.m.
New Mexico at Oklahoma, 7:30 p.m.
BYU at Colorado State, 7:30 p.m.
East Texas A&M at Tulsa, 8 p.m.
UTSA at Texas, 8 p.m.
Arkansas State at TCU, 8 p.m.
San Diego at Cal Poly, 8 p.m.
Northern Arizona at Utah Tech, 8 p.m.
Northeastern St at Northern Colorado, 8 p.m.
Northwestern State at Weber State, 8 p.m.
Stephen F. Austin at Prairie View A&M, 8 p.m.
South Dakota at Boise State, 10 p.m.
James Madison at San Diego State, 10 p.m.
Stetson at UC Davis, 10 p.m.
Northern Illinois at Arizona, 10:30 p.m.
North Dakota State at Sac. State, 10:30 p.m.
Fresno State at San Jose State, 11 p.m.
Montana at Oregon State, 11 p.m.
Purdue at UCLA, 11 p.m.

MLB

AMERICAN LEAGUE East Division

	W	L	Pct	GB
z-Tampa Bay	90	59	.604	—
N.Y. Yankees	86	63	.577	4
Boston	82	68	.547	$8\frac{1}{2}$
Toronto	75	75	.500	$15\frac{1}{2}$
Baltimore	72	78	.480	$18\frac{1}{2}$

Central Division

	W	L	Pct	GB
Chi. White Sox	76	73	.510	—
Cleveland	76	74	.507	$1\frac{1}{2}$
Minnesota	70	79	.470	6
Detroit	70	79	.470	6
Kansas City	66	84	.440	$10\frac{1}{2}$

	W	L	Pct	GB
Houston	75	75	.500	—
Texas	74	76	.493	1
Seattle	70	80	.467	5
Athletics	61	89	.407	14
L.A. Angels	56	93	.376	$18\frac{1}{2}$

Georgia Southern at Jacksonville State, 7 p.m. Delta State at Mississippi Valley State, 7 p.m. South Carolina State at Furman, 7 p.m.
NATIONAL LEAGUE East Division

	W	L	Pct	GB
Atlanta	88	62	.587	—
Philadelphia	83	67	.553	5
Miami	74	76	.493	14
Washington	70	81	.464	$18\frac{1}{2}$
N.Y. Mets	69	80	.463	$18\frac{1}{2}$

Central Division

	W	L	Pct	GB
z-Milwaukee	93	57	.620	-
Chicago Cubs	83	67	.553	10
Pittsburgh	75	75	.500	18
St. Louis	74	76	.493	19
Cincinnati	70	79	.470	$22\frac{1}{2}$

West Division

	W	L	Pct	GB
L.A. Dodgers	90	59	.604	—
San Diego	81	68	.544	9
Arizona	79	71	.527	$11\frac{1}{2}$
San Francisco	62	88	.413	$28\frac{1}{2}$
Colorado	55	94	.369	35

NOTE: z- clinched playoff berth.

Sunday's Scores Detroit 8, Colorado 1 Washington 6, L.A. Angels 5 Philadelphia 9, Atlanta 4 N.Y. Yankees 2, N.Y. Mets 0 Toronto 8, Baltimore 1 Tampa Bay 14, Houston 4 Miami 6, L.A. Dodgers 4 Cleveland 9, Minnesota 2 Cincinnati 4, Milwaukee 3 St. Louis 3, Chi. White Sox 1 Pittsburgh 4, Chicago Cubs 3 Boston 4, Kansas City 1 Athletics 8, Seattle 7 Texas 7, Arizona 6 San Diego 6, San Francisco 4 Monday's Games L.A. Dodgers at Cincinnati Chi. White Sox at Cleveland Detroit at Toronto Baltimore at N.Y. Mets N.Y. Yankees at Minnesota Atlanta at Chicago Cubs San Francisco at St. Louis San Diego at Colorado Seattle at L.A. Angels

Miami at Arizona

Tuesday's Games

L.A. Dodgers at Cincinnati, 6:40 p.m. Athletics at Tampa Bay, 6:40 p.m. Chi. White Sox at Cleveland, 6:40 p.m. Milwaukee at Pittsburgh, 6:40 p.m. Philadelphia at Washington, 6:45 p.m. Detroit at Toronto, 7:07 p.m. Baltimore at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m. N.Y. Yankees at Minnesota, 7:40 p.m. Atlanta at Chicago Cubs, 7:40 p.m. San Francisco at St. Louis, 7:45 p.m. Boston at Texas, 8:05 p.m. Kansas City at Houston, 8:10 p.m. San Diego at Colorado, 8:40 p.m. Seattle at Atlanta, 9:38 p.m. Miami at Arizona, 9:40 p.m. Wednesday's Games Chi. White Sox at Cleveland, 1:10 p.m. San Francisco at St. Louis, 1:15 p.m. N.Y. Yankees at Minnesota, 1:40 p.m. Detroit at Toronto, 3:07 p.m. L.A. Dodgers at Cincinnati, 6:40 p.m. Athletics at Tampa Bay, 6:40 p.m. Milwaukee at Pittsburgh, 6:40 p.m. Philadelphia at Washington, 6:45 p.m. Baltimore at N.Y. Mets, 7:10 p.m. Atlanta at Chicago Cubs, 7:40 p.m. Boston at Texas, 8:05 p.m. Kansas City at Houston, 8:10 p.m. San Diego at Colorado, 8:40 p.m. Seattle at L.A. Angels, 9:38 p.m. Miami at Arizona, 9:40 p.m.

SOCCER

English Premier League

	GP	W	D	L	GF	GA	Pts
Arsenal	4	4	0	0	8	1	12
Manchester City	4	4	0	0	8	2	12
Hull City	4	2	2	0	5	2	8
Brighton	4	2	1	1	13	5	7
Chelsea	4	2	1	1	10	9	7
Brentford	4	1	3	0	7	4	6
Liverpool	4	1	3	0	6	4	6
Everton	4	1	3	0	5	3	6
Ipswich Town	4	2	0	2	7	10	6
Newcastle	3	1	2	0	6	4	5
Leeds United	3	1	2	0	3	2	5
Nott'm Forest	4	1	2	1	4	4	5
Man United	4	1	1	2	7	7	4
Sunderland	4	1	1	2	3	5	4
Bournemouth	4	0	3	1	6	7	3
Crystal Palace	4	1	0	3	6	11	3
Tottenham	4	0	2	2	0	5	2
Fulham	4	0	1	3	4	7	1
Aston Villa	4	0	1	3	1	7	1
Coventry City	4	0	0	4	0	10	0

Note: Three points for win, one point for tie.

MLS

Sunday's Scores Coventry City 0, Brighton 5 Manchester City 1, Manchester United 0 Monday's Game Newcastle United at Leeds United Friday's Game Chelsea at Brentford, 3 p.m. Saturday's Games Tottenham vs. Aston Villa, 7:30 a.m. Brighton vs. Arsenal, 10 a.m. Everton vs. Ipswich Town, 10 a.m. Newcastle vs. Hull City, 10 a.m. Nott'm Forest vs. Coventry City, 12:30 p.m. Sunday's Games AFC Bournemouth vs. Liverpool, 9 a.m. Leeds United v.s Crystal Palace, 9 a.m. Manchester City vs. Sunderland, 9 a.m. Fulham vs. Manchester United, 11:30 a.m.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA
Nashville	16	3	6	54	50	21
Inter Miami CF	12	4	9	45	61	46
New England	13	8	4	43	41	31
Charlotte FC	11	7	7	40	45	36
Chicago	11	7	6	39	45	35
Orlando City	10	11	4	34	44	56
Philadelphia	9	10	6	33	46	39
NY City FC	8	9	8	32	39	33
Cincinnati	8	8	8	32	52	59
NY Red Bulls	8	11	6	30	33	48
D.C. United	6	7	11	29	30	37
Toronto FC	6	8	11	29	38	46
Columbus	6	14	5	23	35	42
Atlanta	6	14	5	23	29	43
CF Montréal	5	14	6	21	31	51

WESTERN CONFERENCE

	W	L	T	Pts	GF	GA
Vancouver	14	6	4	46	53	23
Houston	13	8	4	43	32	28
FC Dallas	12	6	7	43	49	42
San Jose	12	8	5	41	44	36
Saint Louis	11	6	8	41	42	35
Los Angeles FC	11	8	7	40	41	27
Colorado	11	12	2	35	33	32
Portland	9	11	5	32	47	47
San Diego FC	8	11	6	30	42	42
LA Galaxy	7	10	9	30	31	40
Real Salt Lake	8	11	5	29	37	39
Minnesota	7	10	8	29	37	43
Austin FC	7	10	8	29	32	44
Seattle	7	9	7	28	25	30
Sporting KC	5	16	3	18	26	59

Note: Three points for win, one point for tie.

Friday's Game

NY Red Bulls at NY City FC, 7:30 p.m. Saturday's Games
Los Angeles FC at San Jose, 7:30 p.m. Orlando City at New England, 7:30 p.m. Columbus at CF Montréal, 7:30 p.m. Charlotte FC at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. Toronto FC at Saint Louis, 8:30 p.m. Philadelphia at Sporting KC, 8:30 p.m. Cincinnati at Houston, 8:30 p.m. LA Galaxy at Minnesota, 8:30 p.m. Austin FC at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m. Vancouver at Real Salt Lake, 9:30 p.m. Seattle at Colorado, 9:30 p.m. Chicago at Nashville, 9:30 p.m. Atlanta at Portland, 10:30 p.m.
NWSL

NWSL	W	L	D	Pts	GF	GA
Gotham	14	4	6	48	29	18
Washington	13	7	4	43	33	23
Utah	13	8	3	42	41	30
San Diego	13	8	3	42	34	27
North Carolina	12	9	3	39	47	35
Portland	11	7	6	39	38	33
Kansas City	11	8	5	38	39	34
Seattle	11	8	4	37	29	26
Angel City	9	8	6	33	37	27
Denver Summit	8	8	7	31	37	30
Orlando	9	12	3	30	31	36
Houston	7	12	5	26	29	34
Boston Legacy	7	12	5	26	31	40
Louisville	7	15	2	23	35	47
Bay	6	13	4	22	22	32
Chicago	5	17	2	17	14	54

Portland 1, Chicago 1

Friday's Game

Kansas City at San Diego, 10 p.m.
Saturday's Games
Portland at Orlando, 4 p.m.
Gotham at North Carolina, 6:30 p.m.
Seattle at Denver, 8:45 p.m.

DEALS

National Football League

ARIZONA CARDINALS – CB Kalen King practice squad addition.

ATLANTA FALCONS – LB Bralen Trice, TE Nick Muse practice squad additions.

Baltimore Ravens - WR Chris Moore, LB Carl Jones Jr. practice squad additions.

BUFFALO BILLS – RB Frank Gore Jr., WR Greg Dortch practice squad additions.

CAROLINA PANTHERS – S Isaiah Simmons, LB Jeremiah Moon practice squad additions. CHICAGO BEARS – QB Miller Moss, WR Kaden Davis practice squad additions.

CINCINNATI BENGALS – TE Tanner Hudson, LB Joe Giles-Harris practice squad additions.

CLEVELAND BROWNS – LB Nathaniel Watson, CB D'Angelo Ross practice squad additions.

DETROIT LIONS – DT Ben Stille practice squad addition.

GREEN BAY PACKERS – LB Kristian Welch, WR Bo Melton practice squad additions.

HOUSTON TEXANS – S George Odum practice squad addition.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS – CB Kenneth Harris practice squad addition.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS – QB Nick Mullens practice squad addition.

LAS VEGAS RAIDERS – WR Cody White, TE Chris Myarick practice squad additions.

MIAMI DOLPHINS – DE Clelin Ferrell practice squad addition.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS – LB Kyle Van Noy, RB DeeJay Dallas practice squad additions.

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS – RB CJ Donaldson, WR Kevin Austin Jr. practice squad additions.

AUTO RACING

NASCAR Cup Series Enjoy Illinois 300

Sunday

1. (2) Kyle Larson, Hendrick MS, 247, 73 points.
2. (1) Alex Bowman, Hendrick MS, 247, 38.
3. (1) Joey Logano, Team Penske, 247, 54.
4. (2) William Byron, Hendrick MS, 247, 33.
5. (20) Ross Chastain, Trackhouse, 247, 32.
6. (22) Austin Dillon, Rich Childress, 247, 31.
7. (19) Connor Zilisch, Trackhouse, 247, 30.
8. (6) Carson Hocevar, Spire MS, 247, 34.
9. (10) Denny Hamlin, Joe Gibbs, 247, 33.
10. (13) Austin Cindric, Team Penske, 247, 27.
11. (26) Cole Custer, Haas Factory, 247, 26.
12. (23) Brad Keselowski, RFK Racing, 247, 34.
13. (25) Erik Jones, Legacy MC, 247, 24.
14. (7) Bubba Wallace, 23XI Racing, 247, 24.
15. (28) J. H. Nemechek, Legacy MC, 247, 22.
16. (17) AJ Allmendinger, Kaulig, 247, 21.
17. (14) Ryan Preece, RFK Racing, 247, 24.
18. (9) Ty Gibbs, Joe Gibbs Racing, 247, 21.
19. (4) Christopher Bell, Joe Gibbs, 247, 27.
20. (29) Michael McDowell, Spire MS, 247, 17.
21. (27) Austin Hill, Richard Childress, 247, 0.
22. (30) Cody Ware, Rick Ware Racing, 247, 15.
23. (35) S. Van Gisbergen, Trackhouse, 247, 14.
24. (34) Todd Gilliland, Front Row MS, 247, 13.
25. (18) Tyler Reddick, 23XI Racing, 247, 15.
26. (36) Ricky Stenhouse Jr, HYAK MS, 247, 11.
27. (21) Chris Buescher, RFK, 237, Accident 10.
28. (16) Josh Berry, Wood Brothers, 231, 15.
29. (15) Daniel Suárez, Spire, 229, Accident 8.
30. (32) Ty Dillon, Kaulig, 227, Accident 7.
31. (8) C. Elliott, Hendrick, 214, Accident 12.
32. (5) C. Briscoe, Joe Gibbs, 213, Accident 11.
33. (31) N. Gragson, Front Row 19B, Accident 4.
34. (33) Riley Herbst, 23XI, 176, Accident 16.
35. (3) Ryan Blaney, Penske, 154, Accident 16.
36. (12) Z. Smith, Front Row, 129, Accident 1.

WNBA

EASTERN CONFERENCE

	W	L	Pct	GB
Atlanta	26	14	.650	-
Indiana	26	14	.650	-
N.Y. Liberty	24	16	.600	2
Washington	24	16	.600	2
Chicago	15	25	.375	11
Toronto	11	29	.275	15
Connecticut	10	30	.250	16

WESTERN CONFERENCE

	W	L	Pct	GB
Minnesota	31	9	.775	-
Golden State	29	11	.725	2
Las Vegas	27	13	.675	4
Dallas	24	16	.600	7
Portland	16	24	.400	15
L.A. Sparks	15	25	.375	16
Phoenix	14	26	.350	17
Seattle	8	32	.200	23

League is on break for the FIBA World Cup until Thursday, Sept. 17.

WEATHER WEATHER ONLINE USATODAY.COM

TODAY'S FORECAST

Thunderstorms will extend from Michigan and Ohio to Arizona and New Mexico today. Some thunderstorms may be heavy and capable of producing gusty winds, small hail and flash flooding. The risk of flash flooding will be greatest across southern Iowa where downpours repeat. Outside of afternoon thunderstorms along the Gulf coast, the rest of the United States can expect dry weather.

Heat will remain suppressed to the southern and central portions of the country. Temperatures 5-15 degrees above average will stretch from Texas to Kentucky. It will be cooler and less humid on the East Coast with sunshine.

Temperatures will be near to just below average from California to Montana and Wyoming. The sky will be mostly sunny in the Southwest and Rockies.

The weather changes. Stay up-to-date, 24/7. USA TODAY Download our free app

TODAY'S HIGH TEMPERATURES

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AccuWeather®

T-storms Rain Snow Ice/mix

PRECIPITATION FORECAST

WEDNESDAY

EXTREMES

HOTTEST: 113° Death Valley, Calif. COLDEST: 32° Alturas, Calif.

BALTIMORE TUE Partly sunny 77/58 WED Mostly sunny 82/64 THU Very warm 87/67

TUE Clouding up 67/56 WED Sunny, nice 77/64

THU Shower 77/67

AQI Good
AQI Good

U.S. CITIES	TODAY	WED
Akron, Ohio	80/65pc	82/68t
Albany, N.Y.	70/55pc	75/62c
Albuquerque	86/64t	83/65t
Allentown, Pa.	74/52pc	79/61s
Amarillo, Texas	91/66t	90/66pc
Anaheim, Calif.	84/67pc	82/66pc
Anchorage, Alaska	57/51r	62/47pc
Aspen, Colo.	76/50t	70/50t
Atlantic City, N.J.	73/59pc	77/67s
Augusta, Ga.	90/64pc	89/60s
Austin, Texas	101/76pc	99/75t
Bakersfield, Calif.	92/65s	91/62s
Baton Rouge, La.	95/75t	92/72t
Billings, Mont.	70/45s	70/46pc
Birmingham, Ala.	97/74pc	93/69s
Bismarck, N.D.	68/47s	69/47sh
Boise, Idaho	78/48pc	81/56s
Buffalo, N.Y.	78/65pc	75/64c
Burlington, Vt.	69/60pc	76/59c
Cedar Rapids, Iowa	73/59t	68/63t
Charleston, S.C.	87/67sh	87/66s
Charleston, W.Va.	88/62s	89/67pc
Cheyenne, Wyo.	66/47pc	80/56t

TUE Stray t-storm 94/80 WED Stray t-storm 88/79 THU Plenty of sun 90/73

TUE Mostly sunny 72/62
WED Mostly sunny 79/67
THU Humid 81/70

	TODAY	WED
Cincinnati	91/71s	91/71pc
Cleveland	83/68pc	81/69t
Colorado Springs	73/51t	80/57t
Columbia, S.C.	90/66pc	88/63s
Columbus, Ohio	86/69pc	87/70t
Corpus Christi, Texas	100/78pc	96/79t
Dayton, Ohio	88/69pc	88/71t
Daytona Beach, Fla.	88/78t	87/77pc
Des Moines, Iowa	72/60t	68/64t
Duluth, Minn.	65/43w	64/49pc
Durham, N.C.	82/57s	83/57s
El Paso, Texas	94/71t	92/69t
Fairbanks, Alaska	50/45r	49/44r
Flagstaff, Ariz.	72/56t	69/54t
Fargo, N.D.	72/47pc	70/52sh
Fort Myers, Fla.	92/76t	91/75t
Fort Smith, Ark.	101/77s	99/77t
Fort Wayne, Ind.	87/68t	81/67t
Fresno, Calif.	92/61s	88/60s
Grand Rapids, Mich.	77/60t	72/62pc
Green Bay, Wis.	75/50c	69/58pc
Greensboro, N.C.	82/60pc	84/61s
Greenville, S.C.	82/64pc	86/62s
Harrisburg, Pa.	75/56pc	81/64h

AQI Good
AQI Moderate

TUE T-storms 82/66 WED T-storms 72/68

THU Showers 77/64

TUE Stray t-storm 89/76 WED Stray t-shower 89/74 THU Heavy t-storms 86/73

TUE Partly sunny 78/60
WED Mostly sunny 83/66
THU Humid 86/69

TOP TRAVEL CITIES Air quality index (AQI)
CHARLOTTE
DETROIT
AQI Good

pc Partly cloudy s Sunny sh Showers t Thunderstorms
AQI Good

THU T-storms 77/59

TUE Stray t-storm 99/80 WED Stray t-storm 96/80 THU A.P.M. t-storm 99/82

AQI Good

THU Showers around 90/77

	TODAY	WED
Hartford, Conn.	72/53pc	79/61s
Indianapolis	93/71t	89/72t
Islip, N.Y.	71/58s	76/65s
Jackson, Miss.	98/73t	95/70s
Jacksonville, Fla.	88/73t	88/72w
Jefferson City, Mo.	97/71t	96/72pc
Kansas City	87/67t	88/72t
Key West, Fla.	90/83t	90/81t
Knoxville, Tenn.	92/70pc	92/70s
Laredo, Texas	107/78s	102/78s
Lexington, Ky.	93/72s	95/71pc
Lincoln, Neb.	69/61t	73/66t
Little Rock, Ark.	98/77s	99/76t
Long Beach, Calif.	80/68pc	80/67pc
Louisville, Ky.	96/76s	97/75pc
Lubbock, Texas	99/70s	94/69s
Madison, Wis.	76/53r	68/59sh
Manchester, N.H.	72/51pc	81/60pc
Memphis, Tenn.	98/79s	99/77s
Milwaukee	77/63t	68/65t
Mobile, Ala.	95/76t	92/69s
Modesto, Calif.	90/55s	84/54s
Montgomery, Ala.	97/72t	92/64s
Myrtle Beach, S.C.	85/66pc	84/67s

AQI Moderate
LOS ANGELES
AQI Good

TUE Sunny 100/77 WED Plenty of sun 97/73 THU Sunny 96/74

AQI Moderate

	TODAY	WED
Nags Head, N.C.	79/69s	79/70pc
Nashville, Tenn.	98/76s	97/73s
Newark, N.J.	75/60s	83/67s
New Haven, Conn.	69/58s	77/65s
Norfolk, Va.	79/67pc	80/67s
Oakland, Calif.	72/58pc	72/60pc
Oklahoma City	101/75s	98/74s
Omaha, Neb.	73/60t	70/65t
Palm Springs, Calif.	100/74s	99/74s
Pensacola, Fla.	93/76t	91/72s
Pierre, S.D.	72/54pc	76/53pc
Pittsburgh	81/62s	85/67t
Portland, Maine	68/52pc	74/57pc
Portland, Ore.	66/53sh	82/55s
Providence, R.I.	71/52s	77/61s
Raleigh, N.C.	83/59s	86/61s
Rapid City, S.D.	74/53pc	86/54pc
Reno, Nev.	85/49s	83/52s
Richmond, Va.	80/58pc	84/60s
Rochester, N.Y.	76/64pc	75/65c
Sacramento, Calif.	89/56s	81/56s
San Antonio	101/79pc	97/78t
San Jose, Calif.	81/58pc	77/56pc
Santa Fe, N.M.	83/58t	76/57t

	TODAY	WED
Sarasota, Fla.	92/76t	92/75t
Savannah, Ga.	88/68t	88/68s
Scottsdale, Ariz.	97/79t	95/79t
Shreveport, La.	100/77t	99/78t
Sioux Falls, S.D.	73/51c	66/58sh
South Bend, Ind.	86/66t	78/69t
Spokane, Wash.	65/47pc	73/49s
Springfield, Mo.	99/75s	98/74t
Springfield, Ill.	94/69t	89/71t
St. Louis	99/75t	96/77t
St. Petersburg, Fla.	92/78t	90/74t
Syracuse, N.Y.	75/60pc	76/64c
Tallahassee, Fla.	96/74t	92/68s
Tampa, Fla.	93/77t	91/75pc
Toledo, Ohio	86/68t	79/68t
Topeka, Kan.	87/66t	90/72t
Tucson, Ariz.	93/76t	91/73t
Tupelo, Miss.	98/74s	97/71s
Tulsa, Okla.	100/79s	99/76s
Virginia Beach, Va.	79/68pc	78/66s
Wichita, Kan.	99/71t	96/71pc
Wilmington, Del.	77/56pc	82/63s
Winston-Salem, N.C.	81/60pc	86/60s
Worcester, Mass.	68/52pc	74/61s

TUE Partly sunny 64/51
WED Pleasant 75/52
THU Mostly sunny 77/53
AQI Good

TUE Partly sunny 79/62
WED Mostly sunny 84/65
THU Very warm 89/71
AQI Good

WORLD CITIES

	TODAY	WED
Beijing	85/61s	89/63s
Buenos Aires	66/46pc	57/52s
Cancun, Mexico	93/75sh	93/76sh
Dubai, UAE	104/87h	103/88h
Frankfurt	82/61c	71/50pc
Hong Kong	90/80r	90/80pc
Istanbul	78/65c	74/63c
Jerusalem	88/67s	90/67s
Johannesburg	73/49pc	79/55h
London	72/52sh	68/55pc
Mexico City	76/55r	79/56c
Montreal	67/59c	75/56pc
Moscow	64/44pc	63/48pc
Mumbai, India	90/80r	89/80sh
Paris	90/56s	71/52pc
Rio de Janeiro	73/67r	71/66sh
Rome	86/61s	84/64s
Seoul	81/56s	85/62s
Singapore	92/80sh	92/79h
Sydney	75/54s	61/50w
Toronto	73/65t	77/60pc
Tokyo	81/71t	73/68r

Bell

Continued from Page 1C

famous for. They came from edge rusher T.J. Watt, who raced 35 yards with a pick-six in the fourth quarter to go with two sacks.

Regardless, it happened.

"It's always special when it's the first one in a place," Rodgers said, "and extra special when it's the team you grew up cheering for."

If not for McCarthy coming home – he grew up in the Greenfield neighborhood that can be seen from the Steelers headquarters on the South Side and has been living temporarily in his parents' home – Rodgers probably wouldn't still be in the 'Burgh for his Last Ride.

After Mike Tomlin resigned in January, Rodgers thought he was probably one-and-done as a Steeler. The hiring of McCarthy, though, made it possible. And McCarthy made no bones about the fact that he wanted Rodgers, 42, back for a 22nd NFL season.

“I felt physically, I could do it,” he told me during a training camp interview. “But the familiarity with Mike, in my mind, I said, ‘I’m not going to come back and learn another new offense. I did that last year and it’s an ordeal.”

Week 1 demonstrated some of the work ahead. McCarthy wasn't pleased with the rushing attack he needs to create balance – the Steelers rushed 21 times for 58 yards with a 2.8 average carry. Yet even with some of the disconnections, watching Rodgers (24-for-40, 221 yards, 1 TD, 0 interceptions, 83.4 passer rating) work the middle of the field marked a contrast to the scheme run last year by former coordinator Arthur Smith. There were slants, in routes, tight end seams and more.

"Yeah, just a different scheme, man," Rodgers said of the differences, then reminiscing on the Green Bay years and naming an array of targets who made it work.

Of course, the X factor is the bond between coach and quarterback, built over 13 years and with a Super Bowl credit on their résumés. Rodgers knows the heart of his coach, and his philosophies haven't changed. But given some of the friction that existed at the end of their tenure in Green Bay, time has made a difference that matters about now.

“I’d say he’s a little more settled and so am I, you know,” Rodgers told USA TODAY Sports. “Mike’s got a fiery passion about the game. Maybe it’s raising three daughters now. He’s had a second family with two younger daughters with Jess. I think he learned probably a lot of patience with that, that he’s brought over to the field, to the meeting rooms.

"But you know, I'm a lot more settled as well. Because I'm still a fiery competitor, he's still fiery, competitive and passionate, but I think in the communication department we're both better at delivering the message we want without the need to lose our cool."

Which sounds like both Rodgers and McCarthy need each other if they will recreate their magic.

Two-minute drill

- Did any team make a bigger Week 1 statement than the Bears? The 59-37 rout at Carolina – where the teams combined for 96 points to set an opening-week record – brought to life a lofty goal Chicago coach Ben Johnson has amplified. Johnson has made no bones about the fact that, in addition to winning Super Bowl 61, he wants to set the NFL scoring record established by a Peyton Manning-armed Broncos squad that put up 606 points in 2013. Well, after Week 1, the Bears (552 yards, 8 TDs, 219 rushing yards, 2 100-yard rushers) are on pace for 1,003 points. Reiterated Johnson: “We didn’t get into this profession trying to be mediocre or average.”

- It's always a risk to take points off the board. Especially on the road in the fourth quarter. Packers coach Matt LaFleur learned that the hard way after taking a penalty on Trey Smack's 40-yard field goal. Leading 22-17, LaFleur opted for fourth-and-a-long-1 rather an eight-point lead early in the final stanza. Bad move. Jordan Love was stuffed and the game's momentum changed on a dime. The Vikings scored 22 unanswered points. Oops.

- The “legendary” Houston Texans met their match against an explosive Buffalo offense triggered by superhero quarterback Josh Allen, who passed for 334 yards and two TDs and rushed for two TDs. Yet for all the offense in a 36-31 thriller that was the NFL’s Game of the Week, it was the Bills’ not-so-legendary defense that sealed the victory with two sacks on the final three plays after Houston drove to set up first-and-goal from the 9 – the first one produced by 6-foot, 7-inch, 331-pound D-tackle De-one Walker, who used a nifty shimmy shake to clear his path to C.J. Stroud.

- New coaches were 6-4 in their debuts, with none scoring a more unexpected victory than the one Arizona's Mike LaFleur hung on the Chargers. The 26-14 verdict snapped the franchise's streak of eight consecutive Week 1 losses, with LaFleur becoming the first full-time Cards coach to win his debut since Don Coryell in 1973. And take a bow, John Harbaugh, christening the new era for the Giants by smacking down the division-rival Dallas Cowboys.

- “Sonic and Knuckles” were broken up as the NFL’s top 1-2 running back tandem when the Lions traded David Montgomery to the Texans. Yet separation may make them even more lethal. Jahmyr Gibbs had 186 yards from scrimmage (156 rushing, 5.4 per carry) with two touchdowns to aid Detroit's survival vs. New Orleans while Montgomery scored three TDs (79 total yards) in his Houston debut.

- The Shedeur Sanders Countdown Clock ticks on. The Browns were never competitive at Jacksonville, with Deshaun Watson quarterbacking an offense that went 1-for-8 on third downs. With Jacksonville building a 31-0 lead early in the second half, conditions may have been ripe for coach Todd Monken to insert Sanders for a potential spark or just plain old reps. Not so. Sanders didn't play a single snap, leaving Watson to fire a 46-yard TD pass to David Boston in garbage time.

What it is, and what it should be

Last season, 11 quarterbacks started all 17 regular-season games. According to research from my USA TODAY Sports colleague Nate Davis, a total of 62 quarterbacks took snaps in games during the 2025 campaign – and that's not counting Joe Flacco's snaps for two teams or Jarrett Stidham starting for the Broncos in the AFC title game.

Moral of the story: Everybody needs a good backup quarterback. Or three.

And Week 1 reminded us of that.

Already, the defending Super Bowl champion Seahawks are forced to roll with Drew Lock after Sam Darnold was knocked out with a hip injury on just his fifth snap against the Patriots. Seattle is relieved that Darnold didn't suffer a season-ending fractured hip socket, but he is expected to miss time with what Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reported as a tendon injury to his glute. The Seahawks are seeking multiple medical opinions to determine the extent and rehab plan.

The Vikings, meanwhile, won with Carson Wentz coming off the bench (19 of 23, 133 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs, 123.5 passer rating) after Kyler Murray was knocked out in the first quarter with a concussion. That Murray was injured as he slid to the turf by Packers safety Jevon Bullard – flagged for unnecessary roughness – will undoubtedly trigger a review under the NFL's new three-strikes-and-out policy that cracks down on flagrant fouls.

Then there are the Falcons, still waiting for former starter Michael Penix Jr. to return from the partially torn ACL that ended his 2025 season. Tua Tagovailoa was expected to open the season at Pittsburgh as the starter, but after suffering an oblique injury during warmups in Thursday's practice (which follows the back injury that forced him to sit out drills during the first week of training camp), new coach Kevin Stefanski was forced to start No. 3 quarterback Cooper Rush.

Even that plan became sketchy when Rush suffered back spasms on Saturday morning. Rush recovered in time to play a full game, but the Falcons were that close to tapping undrafted rookie Jack Strand. The hope now is that Penix, cleared to fully participate in practices, will make his return in the home opener against Carolina on Sept. 20.

We saw a lot of snaps for backup quarterbacks last season. At this rate, we could see even more for NFL teams this season.

Worst win

The Lions blew a 21-point lead at home before surviving 31-30 in overtime against the Saints when they broke up a two-point conversion. It represented shades from last season when Detroit squandered opportunities in several losses on the way to finishing last in the NFC North. And had it not been for a controversial instant replay ruling that wiped out an apparent scoop-and-score touchdown for the Saints, it might have been settled before OT. According to the letter of the NFL law, New Orleans wasn't robbed (again) by the replay ruling as Detroit quarterback Jared Goff had begun his throwing motion when hit by Chase Young, which set up the apparent TD return by Jonas Sanker. To the naked eye, though, it was a modern-day repeat of The Tuck Rule. Are you to believe your lying eyes or the rule book?

Closing Bell

The Titans plans to induct Chris Johnson into their Ring of Honor during halftime of their opener against the Jets were postponed due to a reason that resonates even more than remarkable football achievements that include a 2,000-yard rushing season in 2009.

Real life.

Johnson, who revealed on June 29 that he is suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), was unable to travel to Nashville to attend the ceremony due to “unforeseen circumstances,” the team said in a statement on Friday.

It is a sobering reminder of the condition that Johnson, 40, grapples with and its connection to playing football. Although there is apparently no scientific confirmation that football caused Johnson's condition, he seemingly connected the dots and publicly acknowledged as much in a letter to his four children posted last week in The Players' Tribune.

Godspeed, Chris Johnson. Prayers for you, your wife Brittany and the rest of your family and loved ones.

Follow Bell on X: @JarrettBell

USA

Continued from Page 1C

MVP Breanna Stewart

The three-time Olympic gold medalist won her fourth World Cup gold medal and was named the World Cup MVP, becoming the first to win the award twice.

“I’ve been fortunate to play with a lot of amazing players and this group was really special,” Stewart said. “The way that we were tested on and off the court and we continued to thrive through it, really proud of them and excited to get this gold and bring it home.”

Breanna Stewart and Chelsea Gray flash their gold medals during the FIBA Women's World Cup celebration. ANNEGRET HILSE/REUTERS

Stewart played a team-high 30 minutes and became the first USA player to record a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double in a World Cup final. Across the tournament, Stewart averaged 12.8 points, 7.3 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

Jackie Young's record effort

Jackie Young was the only USA player to score in double digits in every game in Berlin and her best came when it mattered most. Young finished with 18 points, six rebounds and five assists in the game, shooting 7 of 14 from the field and 4 of 7 from the 3-point line. Young was named player of the game.

"Not really focused on the individual accolades. I'm just trying to do whatever I can to help my team win," Young said after the win. "And today it was just being aggressive. They're really physical with us, and so I just try to get to my spots and I hit a few shots early."

Young became the first player in Women's World Cup history to have 15 or more points, five or more rebounds and five or more assists in a final.

She is the first player to win a high school state championship, NCAA title, WNBA title, Olympic 5x5 gold, 3x3 gold and World Cup gold. She's a winner.

Angel Reese's meme collection

In case you're unaware, Angel Reese is on a generational run with memes.

She's been (unintentionally) responsible for delightful WNBA moments, and she carried that over to the global stage. She was absolutely pumped as the U.S. rolled over France, making a gritty face when the USA came out in the third quarter with fire. It was magnificent.

She then followed it up with a lovely cheering moment for her USA teammates as she was on the bench.

USA coach Kara Lawson and managing director Sue Bird

With an Olympics on the Americans' home soil looming, the pressure was on Kara Lawson and Sue Bird. Bird needed to assemble the roster and Lawson coach it to the gold. That pressure was only amped up when A'ja Wilson pulled out of the tournament due to an injury.

Ultimately, Bird and Lawson got the job done. Bird shaped a roster that featured seven players making their major tournament debut for the senior national team and Lawson found a winning formula by leaning on the veterans in key moments, then putting youngsters in situations where they could succeed.

If Team USA had lost this tournament, the next two years heading into the Los Angeles Olympics would have been full of questions about if they were the right people leading the program. The doubters have been silenced.

LOSERS

France

France's loss likely feels more devastating because of the history with Team USA and just how effective the French-women were to start the game.

Les Bleues lost to the U.S. in the 2024 Paris Olympics by one point after Gabby Williams made a long field goal at the buzzer that was ruled a two-pointer instead of a 3 because her toe was on the line. In light of that defeat and it being France's first appearance in the women's World Cup gold medal game, there was an understanding the contest would be emotional.

"If I'm honest, we have nothing to lose. We actually know they're a great team. They won every World Cup for years and years," France's Marine Johannes said entering the matchup. "They are really talented. We all know that. We are playing with these players all season in the W, we know how good they are.

“It’s one game. Nothing to lose. We are going to play hard, and we’ll see what happens.”

France certainly played hard to start, pulling ahead 28-17 two minutes into the second quarter after an 8-0 run to open the frame.

Even though Team USA trailed by as a many as 14, France succumbed to a revived defensive effort and fizzled out.

France's Gabby Williams

Gabby Williams seemed like a player determined for revenge all tournament, and that continued in the first half of the gold medal game as she shot 5 of 9 from the field and 3 of 5 from 3-point range for 16 points before the break. But she was contained when France needed her most, going scoreless in the third quarter as she finished with 20 points.

An end like that, combined with her experience in the final seconds of France's Olympic loss in 2024, has to sting – but Williams took the defeat like a champion.

“Maybe in a few days it'll feel better. Of course, we're disappointed right now, but I think we're showing little by little France as a basketball country,” Williams said. “That was my goal when I joined this team is to change the culture. Obviously we have higher expectations, but we'll get there.”

France's Marine Johannes

Marine Johannes said France had “nothing to lose” heading into the gold medal match against USA. She said she would play hard and see what happens. Johannes might want a do-over as she finished with five points in 23 minutes, shooting 1 of 6 from the 3-point line. Johannes led the entire tournament with 19 made 3-pointers entering Sunday, but she was held to just one in the gold medal game. Frustrations appeared to boil over in the third quarter when Johannes was called for unsportsmanlike conduct after smacking Kahleah Copper in the face. Oof.

CHAMPS!

The Sooners' CWS championship season in a hardcover collector's book

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\$35.95 reg. \$39.95

plus tax & shipping • offer expires Sept. 16, 2026 • books ship Oct. 16, 2026

They weren't supposed to win it all. They barely made the NCAA Tournament after a 14-16 record in the brutal SEC. But the Sooners caught fire and didn't stop burning until they captured the College World Series for the third time. In one of college baseball's greatest Cinderella stories, the Sooners finished on an 11-2 tear, outscoring their foes 118-53. From the walk-off home run that eliminated Georgia Tech to the 13-2 trashing of Kansas to the five homers that ousted Georgia to the 13-2 wipeout of North Carolina, Skip Johnson's squad left no doubt which team deserved the CWS mountaintop.

“BOOM TIMES: The Oklahoma Sooners’ Epic Charge to the 2026 College World Series Title” is an exclusive hardcover collector’s book capturing every clutch moment of the greatest season in Sooners history, told by the award-winning journalists at The Oklahoma. Preorder now and own the thrilling story!

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THE OKLAHOMAN

USA TODAY | TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2026 | SECTION D

In Season 2 of the Hulu series, the fictional QB gets to let loose off the field. Page 2D

The designer celebrated New York Fashion Week with signature looks for spring 2027. Page 4D

78TH PRIMETIME EMMY AWARDS

Jean Smart stars as Deborah Vance in the fifth and final season of "Hacks." PROVIDED BY HBO MAX

YOUR EMMY RECAP

Catch up on everything you need to know from the show at usatoday.com/entertainment

- Standout looks from the red carpet - What you didn't see on TV - Hundreds of photos of your favorite stars

Full coverage: usatoday.com/entertainment

LIFELINE

IT'S YOUR BIRTHDAY WHO'S CELEBRATING TODAY

Kay Gee

Screenwriter-director Ron Shelton turns 81. Actor Tommy Lee Jones, 80. Movie director Oliver Stone, 80. Drummer Kelly Keagy (Night Ranger), 74. Actor Barry Shabaka

Henley, 72. Actor Danny Nucci, 58. DJ Kay Gee (Naughty By Nature), 57. Actor Josh Charles, 55. Actor Tom Hardy, 49. Actor Marisa Ramirez, 49. Actor Dave Annable, 47. Actor Amy Davidson, 47. TV personality Heidi Montag, 40.

USA TODAY Network

HOROSCOPE | SANCTUARY More: www.sanctuaryworld.co

Aries (March 21-April 19). Infatuated? Beware! You may only like what this person represents, not who they are.

Taurus (April 20-May 20). Are you and your “partner” truly equals? A power imbalance becomes evident as Venus and Pluto clash.

Gemini (May 21-June 21). Doing someone a favor...with a catch? Avoid making unfair demands.

Cancer (June 22-July 22). Feeling desired? Someone wants to possess you. You may want that too!

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22). Are you being coerced? A loved one is making unfair demands.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Having difficulties with a coworker? Venus' clash with Pluto prevents you from achieving an equitable resolution.

Libra (Sept.23-Oct. 23). Determined to get your way? Your true desires (and the fears steering them) are largely unconscious as Venus challenges Pluto.

Scorpio (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Obsessing over a relationship? You can't control its outcome. As Venus and Pluto clash, focus on personal transformation instead.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Is it true love or longing? Venus and Pluto's clash inspires romantic self-awareness, but the transformation process may be uncomfortable.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). You may genuinely have another's best interests at heart, but as Venus and Pluto clash, only help if you're asked!

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). You're a force to be reckoned with today! Find the balance between softness and strength, charm and manipulation.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20). Going down the same romantic road? As Venus and Pluto clash, new love has a familiar basis of attraction.

BOOKS

Dave Mustaine of Megadeth is unsparing and wryly humorous in detailing his battle with tongue cancer in his biography “In My Darkest Hour,” out now. JASON KEMPIN/GETTY IMAGES

Megadeth's Mustaine embraces 'regular life'

Melissa Ruggieri USA TODAY

Dave Mustaine already spent a lifetime overcoming an abusive and alcoholic father and his own addiction demons. But when he was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma at the base of his tongue in February 2019, the cofounder, frontman and guitarist for Megadeth was forced to face his most formidable foe.

"In My Darkest Hour" (out now from Hachette) – named for a song from Megadeth's 1988 album "So Far, So Good ... So What!" – details Mustaine's cancer journey with unflinching candor, plainspokenness and wry humor. The pain he thought was tooth-related. The discovery of an inch-wide tumor at the back of his tongue. The foiled plans for Megadeth to record the follow-up to its Grammy-winning "Dystopia" album. Frustrations with the health care system, even for someone with "wealth and access." How his faith was tested and his concerns elevated considering his 17 previous trips to rehab.

Mustaine, with some commentary from his wife, Pam, and kids

Electra and Justis, is unsparing in revisiting the emotional and physical toll that wracked him and his family until he received the all-clear in October 2019.

A week before the book's release, Mustaine, clad in a Megadeth T-shirt and black-rimmed glasses, is relentlessly pacing throughout his hotel suite in Toronto, where that night the band will take the stage as guests on a tour featuring fellow metal monsters Iron Maiden.

He looks healthy, even pausing to stretch his leg on a piece of hotel furniture while still holding his camera phone, and sounds like a guy who never took life for granted, but is

See MUSTAINE, Page 2D

Dave Mustaine of Megadeth in his favorite place – the stage – after enduring a cancer ordeal. PROVIDED BY CAMERON NUNEZ FOR DAVE MUSTAINE

MOVIES

Garfield gets to vent his rage in ‘Uprising’

Brian Truitt

USA TODAY

Andrew Garfield is glad he went from 21st-century Silicon Valley to 14th-century England and not the other way around.

In an interesting bit of cinematic time-traveling, the British actor filmed his lead role in the biopic “Artificial” (in theaters Dec. 25) first, as OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Then he veered very much the other way starring as a revolutionary farmer in the action-packed historical drama "The Uprising" (out Sept. 10), inspired by the 1381 Peasants' Revolt.

The latter wound up being “a palate cleanser,” Garfield says in a Zoom interview with “Uprising” director Paul Greengrass. After playing such a controversial figure, “I had a lot of rage built up to express, so that was good.”

Ploughman (Andrew Garfield) sparks a revolution in 14th-century England in the historical drama "The Uprising." PROVIDED BY BETINA LA PLANTE/FOCUS FEATURES

And rage he does. Garfield stars as Ploughman, a farmer who has lost his family to the Black Death and then loses it on some tax collectors. They show up and harangue the locals for more money than they can afford, wanting Ploughman to even pay a death tax for his loved ones, and soldiers physically accost women. In a fateful moment, Ploughman violently fights back, sparking a countryside call to arms, and he becomes a reluctant leader for thousands who march on London against teenage King Richard II (Woody Norman).

"He's an antenna for a collective rage that I find he's not even aware of," Garfield says. Also, "he's feeling a kind of pressure, not just from his own soul but from the souls around him and also the souls that perished during the plague."

When Ploughman finally breaks, "the hero's journey is triggered at that point, but anyone watching this film can relate to that," Greengrass adds. "Whether you got the unfair gas bill or something messed you up at work or whatever, there's just a general feeling people have that we've given you enough. It's enough now."

Garfield, 43, has inhabited several historical figures in his career, from venture capitalist Eduardo Saverin (“The Social Network”) and Jesuit missionary Sebastião Rodrigues (“Silence”) to televangelist Jim Bakker (“The Eyes of Tammy Faye”) and Broadway composer Jonathan Larson (Tick, Tick... Boom!). And in director Luca Guadagnino’s “Artificial,” Garfield portrays Altman as he rises in the world of artificial intelligence, including the launch of ChatGPT, and his sudden ouster in 2023.

While Ploughman is a fictional persona in a real-life setting, Garfield didn't approach him any differently from those other roles.

“Every character has to feel real and has to feel like you have a deep responsibility to this human being, to try and make them as alive and nuanced and complicated as any other person,” he says.

"There's obviously more artistic

See GARFIELD, Page 2D

STREAMING

Powell's Chad Powers flaunts off-field moves

Bryan Alexander

Chad Powers (Glen Powell) lets loose. PHOTOS PROVIDED BY DANIEL DELGADO JR./DISNEY

USA TODAY

Season 2 of Hulu's “Chad Powers” meant it was time to party for Glen Powell, who plays both disgraced college quarterback Russ Holliday and his prosthetically prominent quarterback alter ego, Chad Powers.

Like, literally party. For Powell, 37, that meant letting loose at a house party as his mysteriously mulleted, football savant quarterback Powers, who appears out of nowhere to star for the fictional football-starved powerhouse Georgia Catfish.

Powell and cocreator Michael Waldron never would have let Powers anywhere near a social function in Season 1. But in Season 2 (all six episodes streaming now on Hulu), Powers busts the moves – and busts out.

"In Season1, Waldron and I were talking about, 'Hey, does Chad go to a party? And I'd say, 'No! It's all about the wins and losses here. Everything has to be about the football,' Powell tells USA TODAY. "But in Season 2, the stakes are higher if Chad doesn't go to this party. That puts on more heat. We had to justify it story-wise."

The result is a hilarious house party that leads to the team's controlling booster, Tricia Yeager (Wynn Everett), partying it up with team mascot Danny Cruz (Frankie A. Rodriguez) while the preposterous-yet-proficient Powers busts moves on the line-dancing floor before joyously bumping and grinding in a scene not recommended for discerning viewers with dance skills.

The party started at 9 a.m. on the Atlanta set. No dance training was required.

"It was like, ‘How would Chad Powers dance?’ And then, ‘Alright, let’s do it!’" says Powell. "It’s fun to just let the wheels come off and see what happens."

You could argue that any classic, prosthetic-heavy comedy needs an absurd dance scene (“Top Gun: Maverick” costar Tom Cruise proved that with his Les Grossman hip-hop routine in 2008’s “Tropic Thunder”). However, Powell’s let-the-wheels-come-off ethos applies to all of “Chad Powers.”

The Hulu series is based on a 2022 “Eli’s Places” skit, in which Eli Manning (now an executive producer) donned prosthetics and crashed Penn State football tryouts as a would-be walk-on quarterback. It was a hilarious bit that skeptics didn't think could last for three seasons of comedy.

However, even after expertly finessing filming Season 1 amid the post-“Top Gun: Maverick” movie frenzy surrounding Powell, the series quarterback vowed to return for Season 2 and beyond. That’s no small commitment for a six-episode comedy that requires Powell to spend at least an hour in the makeup chair getting prosthetic-ed into Powers before the shooting day even begins.

"It was such a silly, stupid premise that Waldron and I knew had depth," says Powell. "And it was almost a personal challenge to ourselves that we could actually pull this thing off."

“Chad Powers” has all the tools for TV comedy greatness, with a blue-chip supporting cast that includes the overbearing booster (Everett), assistant coach Ricky (Perry Mattfeld) and overlooked quarterback Gerry (Colton Ryan), who takes an evil turn this season. There's solid college football action, amid the laughs, that plays right to a rabid sports fanbase. And with Powell embracing – even contributing to – Chad Powers' utter social inadequacies with the show's bizarre writing, the surprise laughs hit like a well-disguised blitz.

“Sometimes it’s just about joy. Not everything in this town has to be strategic,” says Powell of the outwardly goofy role, which hits the heartstrings and takes wild comedic detours in equal measure. “We sold this to Hulu with the intention of a three-season arc, and we always said, ‘Hey, we’re gonna take some pretty wild comedic swings."

In Season 2, Chad gets broody about his alter ego while his backup tries to find out who is behind the mask.

Season 2 features the secretly disguised Powers going through a broody Batman phase dealing with his alterpersonality and a Joker-esque jealous Catfish backup (Ryan).

“Here’s the guy juggling these two identities with an antagonist trying to figure out who’s behind the mask,” says Waldron. “We really embraced the superhero story.”

But mostly, Powers is a goofy football-firing fake coming to terms with his mask – one convincing enough that Powell can take the character into the real world. During filming, Powell stepped outside in full Powers prosthetics to a nearby coffee shop.

“You can tell who watches the show,” says Powell. “In some places I walk in, it’s like I’m a Disney character. They can’t believe I’m there in person.”

But during one visit, one fellow customer seemed to find Powers hot, to Powell's surprise.

"It made me laugh because I started using the Chad voice and it did not in any way deter her at all," says Powell. "And I was like, 'Wait a minute, this is getting very weird where she's actually charmed by, literally, Chad Powers.'

The star will come back for Season 3, he promises. It might be the end of the ride.

"One of Waldron's and my mutual pet peeves is TV that overstays its welcome. We have a strong, powerful ending in mind and I tend to like to stick to plans like that," says Powell. "But at the end of the day the story will unfold."

Mustaine

Continued from Page 1D

even more grateful following his ordeal.

Here's what Mustaine had to say about his new love - fencing - maintaining his stamina and what strength means to him now.

Question: You're currently on tour with Iron Maiden and in the book you write about how Bruce Dickinson helped you during your cancer journey. Is that a friendship you've maintained?

Answer: Yeah, as a matter of fact we were talking about scheduling a time when we could get some fencing in.

I know you're into kickboxing, but fencing, too?

Kickboxing was part of my martial arts regimen. I started off doing karate and then I got into all kinds of different styles, but fencing is new. I just got my fourth black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. So I'm a professor in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and turning 65 (Sept. 13). That doesn't sound like slowing down.

It sounds like the opposite of slowing down.

I'm taking care of myself. I remember my sensei telling me when we were young that you need to take time to digest your information and you can't gobble it. And I thought, that's not what I want. I want to gobble it. I want to be a black belt immediately. I was not patient. I wanted to be Cobra Kai.

You end the book on a positive note about how things could have been much worse. How are you feeling now?

I feel great. I feel like I have regular life back. Every once in a while I'll have aches and pains in places that I didn't know I had. It's good to keep myself in check and make sure that I stretch out as much as possible. It helps me to remember who I am and what I do for a job and the people that like and love me. I've got stuff that I need to do. I need to take care of myself. I don't want to see anything happen to (guitarist) Teemu (Mäntysaari). He's such a sweet guy. And (bassist) James (LoMenzo), too. I would feel rotten if something happened to those guys because of some-

Dave Mustaine of Megadeth, right, presents his doctor, Anthony Cmelak, with a guitar for “saving my life,” Mustaine writes in his memoir, “In My Darkest Hour.” PROVIDED BY PAM MUSTAINE

thing I did.

With the book coming out, has it been cathartic to talk about your cancer or does it dig up painful memories?

It depends on what memories you're talking about. I've got really good memories right now. It's been so much better than it's ever been in the past. Just seeing old friends and hooking up with people that I haven't talked to for years. God, it's just so much different.

Different in the sense that there was a point where you thought you might never have this back?

Yes. And we are having an amazing tour. Everything's selling out. We just can't wait to hang out with (the Iron Maiden) guys.

Have you had to increase your physical activity to stay strong?

There's been some stuff we've done to increase my stamina, but sometimes I have to cut back on it because the extra cardio, it makes me burn too many calories. So I've got to be careful there because I get too skinny. It makes me look like I don't have an ass anymore.

But that's a rock star look!

(Laughs) If you're an alien in the (Rolling) Stones.

It's cool that the book includes commentary from your wife, your kids, your drummer (Dirk Verbeuren) and even your doctor to explain to readers what was happening. Why did you want to include their words?

Because I forgot some of it. I wanted it to be as genuine as possible. And I wanted this to be most the hopeful journey as possible. If people are on a journey with you – which is what the audiobook is – you want them to be able to feel every step of the way.

What was the hardest thing to revisit in putting the book together?

I had been scared out of my pants so many times. And I was pretty terrified by all of the steps that had happened that a lot of it, when I played it in my head, I thought, this isn't real, this is a movie.

What do you do now on the road as far checking in with doctors and regulating your medications?

You mean the addiction and the medication and all that stuff?

Yes.

I'm sure you're wondering. It's the elephant in the front room. I made an agreement with my doctor, who is a wonderful oncologist, and I have a contract with her and she and I meet every month. As soon as we get back (from the tour), I have lab tests, both blood and urine. And I go and see my concierge doctor and he checks me for my blood cell count and what's going on with my levels on everything. We do that part probably every three months ... And then the medication itself, we have a person who has control of all of the medication and they keep it.

So you don't have access to it?

No, I don't ... When we first got to Toronto, we got up, we went to the hotel. Our alarm went off to set all of our supplements and vitamins. Then we ate, went to the gym and then to the venue. Did jiu-jitsu. And then we played that night and wash, rinse, repeat.

For decades, you have been viewed as one of the toughest guys in rock and metal. After everything that you've been through, what does strength mean to you now?

I think strength is something that you can't really hold on to until you realize that you can't hold onto it. Does that make sense?

It does make sense. And I think you're showing it every night when you get on stage.

Oh, thank you. That's cool.

Garfield

Continued from Page 1D

license that you get when it's a completely invented figure, but you need boundaries, you need lines to draw within."

Garfield acknowledges it was a “fascinating and fantastic” experience going from Altman to Ploughman, and they represent “the two opposite forces in our current world, in a way.”

With Altman, “we’re talking about someone in the top four or five people right now who are defining from a position of power the way that our world is traveling,” Garfield says. Where in “Uprising,” “I’m playing someone who’s literally been of worn down to a nub of his own humanity, at the very bottom of the barrel of status and just complete disempowerment

“Ploughman does get to this place of ultimate freedom and ultimate power,” Garfield adds. “He opens the lock from the inside of the cage and realizes he was free all along if he just was broken enough to accept it. It was a really cool journey just as an actor, to go from one to the other.”

"He's an antenna for a collective rage that I find he's not even aware of."

Andrew Garfield On his character Ploughman in "The Uprising"

Andrew Garfield plays controversial tech billionaire Sam Altman in "Artificial," in theaters in December.
PROVIDED BY JAY L. CLENDENIN
FOR FOCUS FEATURES

© USA TODAY and Rich Coulter
Answers: Call 1-900-988-8300, 99 cents a minute; or, with a credit card, 1-800-320-4280.
Yesterday's solution

EDITED Amie Walker BY Mike Graczyk

"NO MORE KIDDING AROUND!" (FREESTYLE)

1 Title for Idris Elba 4 Young male horses 9 A modern one typically has 47 strings and 7 pedals 13 Clock front 14 Mariners' workplace? 15 Member of a reed quintet 16 "Seriously, though!" 19 Blush, perhaps 20 Evade 21 "____ is more" 22 Pricey 23 Pre-1917 Russian rulers 25 ____ chi 26 Slam dance 29 Perform like Isa Briones 30 "Ted Lasso" character Kent 31 Squeaky bone or catnip mouse (or the box either came in) 33 It's a lot to process! 36 "It's likely …" 37 Pings, sometimes 38 Victorian, e.g. 39 Nutritional stat 40 "Como ____ usted?" 41 Off-week, in football 42 Flower that's an anagram of "stare" 44 Shopping ____ 46 Initial poker bet 47 "Do you understand me?" 50 Some drums 53 "That's what I'm here for!" 55 Texter's "I am now done texting" 56 Jump at a skate park 57 ____ defense (football alignment that uses one more defensive back than a nickel defense)

© Andrews McMeel

58 Flip-flop or sneaker 59 Unloads on Craigslist 60 Pig's spot

1 "Ditto" 2 Drinks that might come with frozen coffee cubes 3 "____, I married him" 4 Change 5 Ada Lovelace Day mo. 6 "Hypothetically . . ." 7 Island whose capital is Papeete 8 Like a sarcastic remark 9 Places to make quick connections? 10 Somewhat 11 Spanish Steps city 12 Palindromic sound 13 Type of evergreen 17 Noun-forming suffix 18 Appeared to be 23 "Voilal!" 24 Climb, like a wall

25 Tater --- 27 Purchase that helps a beginner get going 28 Swarm of people 30 Hi-____ graphics 31 Kissing on the train, e.g. 32 525,600 minutes (usually) 34 A city's collection of galleries, museums, etc. 35 Important food 36 Mining material 38 Reaction to a pun, perhaps 41 Ringo or George 42 “____ K: A Love Story” (Jenny Lee novel that reimagines a classic) 43 Place to sit during a game, oddly 45 Mulligans 46 Campfire residue card.1-800-320-4280.

Across Down
1.27274542 1.28327378
2.666226 2.667664
5.72747 3.627728
6.7882 4.688292
7.72622

47 Farm workers? 48 Light-loving insect 49 The 411 51 One of two for Quinta Brunson 52 Observe 54 Acronym used before sharing a fun fact

Today's theme Capital cities

TXTPERT

Monday's Answer

CROSSWORDS ON YOUR PHONE get our crossword app

Use the phone keypad to decode the clues. For example: 2 could be A, B or C ... and 5678 could be LOST

More puzzles: PLAY.usatoday.com Want solutions? answers.usatoday.com Feedback: feedback@usatoday.com

SUDOKU

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 (no repeats).

	8		6			2
			9	3			1
		2		7		4		5
	9			8	6	1
		8		9		6
		1	3	5			2
8		5		2		7
	1			6	8
		3			9		8

DIFFICULTY RATING ★★★★★

SUDOKU FUSION ON YOUR PHONE puzzles.usatoday.com

KENKEN

©2026 KenKen Puzzle, LLC www.kenken.com

1. Each row and column must contain the numbers 1 through 4 without repeating.

© Andrews McMeel

2. The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners.

YESTERDAY'S SOLUTION

3. Freebies: fill in single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

	4	1	5
5	2	3			6
		2	4
		4	3
4			2	5	1
		5	6	3

Complete the grid so that every row, column and 3x2 box contains the numbers 1 through 6 (no repeats).

4	7	8	3	2	6	5	1	9
9	1	6	4	7	5	8	2	3
2	5	3	1	8	9	6	4	7
5	4	7	6	9	2	1	3	8
1	6	9	8	5	3	4	7	2
3	8	2	7	4	1	9	5	6
7	9	5	2	1	8	3	6	4
8	3	4	5	6	7	2	9	1
6	2	1	9	3	4	7	8	5

1	2	6	5	4	3
5	4	3	6	2	1
6	3	5	4	1	2
2	1	4	3	6	5
3	6	1	2	5	4
4	5	2	1	3	6

KUBOK 16

Difficulty: EASY

Solution to Monday's puzzle

13	4	1	16
12	10	7	15
8	3	2	6
5	9	14	11

©2026 Kubok. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. 9/15/26 All rights reserved.

Words

WORD ROUNDUP

Find and Circle:

By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

Find and Circle:
Eight four-letter weather words	□□□□□□□□
Four playing card suits	□□□□
Three five-letter fish	□□□
Two dwarf planets	□□
Singer-songwriter Carly	□

Monday's answer: CARTOON MYSTERY SPORTS SITCOM DRAMA NEWS / CARTER NIXON FORD / COLOR DRYER STYLE / KLINGON ROMULAN / JOHN JOAN

QUICKCROSS

By John Wilmes

QUICKCROSS ON YOUR PHONE puzzles.usatoday.com

WD	D	A	M	P	T	T	S	N	S	L	W
M	I	V	P	S	N	T	R	D	N	O	Z
O	M	N	I	E	R	S	N	O	N	L	K
T	C	M	D	A	R	O	P	S	U	R	R
U	O	L	E	W	M	C	E	A	A	T	A
L	L	H	U	A	A	R	H	H	D	A	I
P	D	Y	I	B	E	R	S	H	P	E	N
P	L	D	Z	C	S	I	M	O	N	H	S

UP & DOWN WORDS

By David L. Hoyt and Russell L. Hoyt

1. SCHOOL
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.	STAR

Clues:	Monday's Answer
1. Student's picture	NOT	FAIR
2. It's too close to call	FAIR	GAME
3. Take the silver	GAME	ROOM
4. Jackie Robinson's position	ROOM	KEY
5. Mountain climber's "home"	KEY	WEST
6. 2008 Demi Lovato movie	WEST	COAST
7. Ultra-famous musician	COAST	GUARD

DON'T QUOTE ME® Don't Quote Me

Director Mel Brooks offers this definition.

PUZZLES.USATODAY.COM © Andrews McMeel

Rearrange the words to complete the quote. SAID SAYING SHOULD SIMPLY TASTE TRUTH

Monday's Answer: "A lot of people are afraid of heights. Not me, I'm afraid of widths." - Steven Wright

7 LITTLE WORDS

Find the 7 words to match the 7 clues. The numbers in parentheses represent the number of letters in each solution. Each letter combination can be used only once, but all letter combinations will be necessary to complete the puzzle.

CLUES

1 suspended like a mobile (7)
2 UN constituent (10)
3 lie (11)
4 like a scoop (9)
5 prince in "Shrek 2" (8)
6 ticket, in old slang (10)
7 manic day for Bangles (6)

SOLUTIONS ____ ____ ____ ____ ____ © 2026 Blue Ox Family Games, Inc., Dist. by Ann

© WIGGLES 3D GAMES

Monday's Answers: 1. CANINE 2. PROPOSING 3. COURT 4. DUNGAREES 5. TRUTHS 6. STRICTNESS 7. WAITRESS 9/15

THAT SCRAMBLED WORD GAME By David L. Hoyt and Jeff Knurek

BONUS CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Metric unit of mass 5 L.A. team 9 Surpasses 13 Kind of '60s lamp 14 Muse of lyric poetry 16 "American —" (singing show) 17 Household appliance 18 Fragrant wood 19 Jest 20 Bracelet 22 Fully developed 24 Solitary 26 Entreaty 27 Make anxious 31 Legislative body 35 Encountered 36 Broken-arm support 38 The devil 39 Savings vehicle (Abbr.) 40 Sing a certain way 42 Expert 43 Bird-related 46 Bar mixer 48 Circular edge 49 Shelter for canines 51 Pointlessness 53 Farm animal

55 Bristle
56 Naval officer
59 Cleric
63 French cheese
64 Ray fish
67 Leafy cabbage
68 Cereal plant
69 Thing of value
70 "— Enchanted"
71 Quarrel
72 Healthy
73 Distribute cards

1 Like a smooth-talker
2 — avis
3 The Bard's river
4 Mutilate
5 Not long ago
6 Common verb
7 “— About You”
8 Philately item
9 City in Baja California
10 Bouquet
11 Prod
12 Vehicle on runners
15 Some exams
21 Many
23 River in England
25 George or T.S.
27 Simple boat
28 Effrontery
29 Blemish

PREVIOUS PUZZLE SOLVED

9-15-26 © 2026 UFS, Dist. by Andrews McMeel for UFS

30 — the line
32 Video game pioneer
33 Implied but unspoken
34 Foe
37 Category in biology
41 Able to read and write
44 Hoary
45 Approach
47 Make reference to
50 Pack animal

52 Was without
54 Camera accessory
56 The rudiments
57 Let fall
58 Actress — Sorvino
60 Yarn
61 Stew pot
62 Very
65 CIA relative
66 Abbr. on a business card

Models walk the runway for the Ralph Lauren show during New York Fashion Week on Sept. 9. LEFT, ANGELA WEISS/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES; DIA DIPASUPIL/GETTY IMAGES

Ralph Lauren updates his signature styles

Fashion designer Ralph Lauren waves from the runway during his spring 2027 collection show during New York Fashion Week. ANGELA WEISS/AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Anika Reed

USA TODAY

NEW YORK – “Hold on, I have to say hi to Valerie Jarrett.”

In a room full of A-listers and stars, Oscar winner Viola Davis calmly pauses to greet the ex-adviser to former President Barack Obama, casually chatting before reveling in the “classic” beauty of what she just experienced.

That's the power of a fashion show curated by Ralph Lauren.

An understated elegance – from the bevy of celebrities front row to the pieces that came down the runway – defined the designer's New York Fashion Week show in downtown Manhattan on Sept. 9, serving as a precursor to the fashion week calendar's official start on Sept. 10.

"I absolutely loved it," Davis tells USA TODAY after the show. "I loved the classic elements of it, I loved the femininity of some of the dresses. It reminded me of my 20s, with the combination of sort of the androgyny of the suits and the boas and the little furry purses. I loved it, the classic meeting the whimsy. I saw my daughter [in the collection]."

Davis, joined by her husband Julius Tennon, was seated near “Wicked” star Cynthia Erivo, who smiled and chatted excitedly with fellow Brit Anna Wintour after the fashion icon arrived minutes before the show began.

The front row was like a mini “women in Hollywood” gathering, with Oscar-winning actress Ariana DeBose, “Not Suitable for Work” star Ella Hunt, “The Crown” actress Elizabeth Debicki, “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” star Rachel Brosnahan, “3 Body Problem” actress Eiza González and “The White Lotus” actress Meghann Fahy.

Ralph Lauren has continued to remain true to the brand's classically Americana roots, while staying impeccably modern and both a reflection and a purveyor of the times.

Where Lauren's February collection was filled with sumptuous textures such as velvet and lace, and deep earthy and jewel-toned pieces mixed in with animal print and his signature western flair, the designer opted for a more muted and restrained collection for his spring/summer 2027 outing.

The collection's color palette is "grounded in navy and white delivers freshness while maintaining focus on the silhouette," the designer wrote in his show notes.

But don't take "grounded" to mean

“boring.”

The designer's collection "upends traditional notions of chic," elevating standard tailoring with bursts of feathered collars and bags, custom pocket watches and exaggerated floral appliqués. An electric blue feathered heel brought a modern edge to a white trench coat, a body-hugging navy gown and a patterned top paired with white trousers.

"I loved the classic elements of it," Viola Davis said. AFP VIA GETTY IMAGES

Lauren offered an adult version of “jeans and a cute top,” with a slinky, skin-baring golden top, with swaying fringe and a tied waist atop a deep navy set of trousers resembling dark-wash denim.

And “in an homage to the first suit Ralph Lauren designed for women,” two “stark, sharp pantsuits” were crafted in an Italian menswear facility, according to the show notes.

Perhaps it's ideal for the current moment in time, and it's classically New York: "original and optimistic," the show notes describe, with just enough flair to stand out but subdued enough to create your own world around it.

The designer emerged to a standing ovation in a New York letterman jacket, the cherry on top of a summer in the city teeming full of optimism and possibility.

The brand's staying power, much like the latest collection's timeless feel, is evident in a parting word from Davis.

She recalls the first Ralph Lauren piece she ever bought. “A white suit. It’s classic, it’s strong,” Davis says. “It reminds me of the best part of being a woman: You can sort of straddle the fence with the strong, the feminine, the powerful. ... And actually, I still have it in my closet.”

Anika Reed is USA TODAY's deputy entertainment editor, covering all things entertainment and pop culture. Find her on Instagram and TikTok, or send her an email at ajreed @usatoday.com.

DOLLY PARTON

in a commemorative hardcover book

Save 10% today \$35.95 \$39.95 plus tax & shipping offer expires Dec. 16, 2026 • books ship Jan. 22, 2027

cover not final

Dolly Parton grew up the fourth of twelve children in a one-room cabin on Locust Ridge, and by the time she left us she had written more than 3,000 songs, built a theme park in the Smokies that employs thousands of her neighbors and put more than 250 million books into children's hands through the Imagination Library. Tennessee watched all of it happen. She sang about this place her whole life and no matter how famous she got, she never really left. "Dolly: A Life of Many Colors" honors that life in a 160-page commemorative hardcover from The Tennessee and the Knoxville News Sentinel, following her from the cabin to the Opry stage, through the hits, the movies and Dollywood, with compelling photographs and the stories behind them.

Learn more at

Dolly.PictorialBook.com

Checks payable to Pediment Books OR Pay with credit/debit/PayPal online: Dolly.PictorialBook.com

PLEASE PRINT LEGIBLY Name ____ Send form and payment to: Dolly Parton Book c/o Pediment Books

Address ____ Vancouver, WA 98682

City ____ State ____ Zip ____ Please remember to make checks payable to Pediment Books

Phone ____ E-mail ____ Dolly Parton Book • #PS01*

knox news. Tennessean. PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK

QA Report - USA Today - 15.09.2026.pdf

Pipeline

• Extraction route: mineru-vlm
• extraction_route=mineru-vlm
• Translation chunks: 92
• Extraction warnings:
• [MINERU-VLM] Successfully extracted via MinerU VLM (batch: 9ab7e1d6-82ab-48cd-96db-5317274b2534)

Non-model Checks

• WARNING: missing numeric tokens from source: 184500, 250000, 413, 463, 527, 544, 553
• WARNING: Missing proper nouns in translation: Aaron Rodgers, Abilene Christian, About You, Abraham Lincoln, Across Down, Actor Amy Davidson, Actor Barry Shabaka

Henley, Actor Danny Nucci, Actor Dave Annable, Actor Josh Charles - WARNING: source dates, money, or percentage tokens may be missing

Model QA

经过严格审核，本次翻译件存在以下问题：

═══ 审核报告 ═══

1. 数字/日期错误 - 问题：译文中关于“约翰·斯特林纪念册”的价格和日期与原文不符。 - 原文：$35.95 $39.95 / expires Dec. 16, 2026 / ship Jan. 22, 2027 (见 Dolly Parton 部分，但译文在约翰·斯特林部分出现了混淆) - 译文：$31.95 • 原价 $35.95 / 2026年 10月 7日截止 / 2026年 11月 13日发货 - 核查：经对比 SOURCE PREVIEW，译文中的这组数字在原文中完全不存在，属于严重的幻觉/数据篡改。 - 级别：[BLOCKING]

2. 关键信息漏译/截断 - 问题：在“官员宣布环孢子虫病疫情结束”段落末尾，译文出现截断。 - 译文：环孢子虫病是一种由 (句子在此中断) - 原文：Cyclosporiasis, an illness caused by... - 级别：[WARNING]

3. 术语/翻译准确性 - 问题：在“国会不应主导 AI 安全工作”段落中，将 State of the Union 翻译为 《国情咨文》。 - 核查：原文语境是 participating in CNN's "State of the Union" program，这是一个 CNN 的电视节目名称，而非美国总统每年发表的《国情咨文》演讲。 - 级别：[WARNING]

4. 残留英文/格式问题 - 问题：正文中多处日期保留英文，未统一翻译。 - 示例：2026, 至今 / Aug. 28 / Sept. 13。 - 级别：[WARNING]

5. 幻觉核查（针对低密度区域） - 核查：译文中出现了“约翰·斯特林”的纪念册内容。 - 步骤1：在标题索引中搜索 $\rightarrow$ 未发现 "John Sterling" 相关标题。 - 步骤2：在抽样原文中搜索 $\rightarrow$ 未发现 "John Sterling" 相关文本。 - 结论：该段内容（包括价格、日期、人物描述）为严重幻觉，译文凭空捏造了整篇广告内容。 - 级别：[BLOCKING]

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═══ 最终结论 ═══

发现阻塞性问题 (Blocking Issues Found) 主要问题集中在严重幻觉（凭空捏造约翰·斯特林纪念册内容）以及关键数字错误。译文不可交付，需重新翻译相关部分。

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═══ 自愈质检微创修复记录（Self-Healing Audit Trail）═══

• 成功修复分块 #5（共修复 1 处问题）
• 成功修复分块 #55（共修复 1 处问题）
• 成功修复分块 #23（共修复 1 处问题）
• 成功修复分块 #3（共修复 2 处问题）