What are the 10 biggest news stories from today?

Here are the 10 biggest news stories making headlines today, Thursday, September 17, 2026:

1. U.S. House Votes for a Third Time to Halt the War on Iran

With the U.S.-led war on Iran dragging into its seventh month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a war powers resolution in a 220–204 vote. The measure aims to strip President Donald Trump of his authority to continue military operations without congressional approval. While several Republicans joined Democrats to pass the bill, it faces an expected presidential veto.

2. Federal Reserve Hikes Interest Rates for the First Time Since 2023

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC), led by newly appointed Chairman Kevin Warsh, voted unanimously to raise the federal funds rate by 25 basis points to a 3.75%–4.00% range. Warsh defended the move, stating that inflation "is too high and has been for too long," largely driven by soaring energy costs linked to the ongoing war in the Middle East.

3. Key Democrat Blocks $2.8 Billion U.S. Bomb Sale to Israel

Representative Gregory Meeks, the ranking Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, placed a formal hold on a major munitions package intended for Israel. Meeks blocked the sale of 40,000 highly destructive 2,000-pound bombs, citing "grave, unresolved concerns" about civilian casualties in densely populated areas of Gaza and Lebanon.

4. U.S. House Passes Sanctions Bill Targeting Buyers of Russian Oil

The House of Representatives passed a sweeping energy sanctions bill in a 262–159 vote. The legislation seeks to crack down on Russia's "shadow fleet" of tankers. It also includes a highly controversial provision authorizing the U.S. President to slap tariffs of up to 100% on India and other nations that continue to purchase Russian oil and gas.

5. Joint Chiefs Warn Troops to Prepare for Combat "Around the Moon"

At the Air, Space and Cyber Conference, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine announced that American forces must prepare for potential military conflict in "cislunar space"—the area between Earth's orbit and the Moon. This follows the military's first-ever public acknowledgment that the U.S. has deployed active, on-orbit space control weapons.

6. India Rejects Newly Formed Pakistan-China Boundary Commission

New Delhi officially rejected the newly established Pakistan-China Boundary Joint Commission. India's Ministry of External Affairs declared that the body has "no legal basis" to make determinations regarding territories in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh, which India maintains are under illegal occupation.

7. Major U.S. Banks Raise Prime Rates Following Fed Action

Triggered by the Federal Reserve's interest rate hike, major commercial financial institutions are adjusting their lending terms. U.S. Bancorp (the fifth-largest commercial bank in the country) announced it is raising its prime lending rate from 6.75% to 7.00% effective today.

8. Heavy Clashes Erupt Near Yemen's Strategic Bab al-Mandeb Strait

The conflict in Yemen has escalated sharply as Houthi rebels clash with government forces. Pro-government military units reported that Houthi forces have launched a major offensive to seize the strategic Kahboub Mountains, which directly overlook and control access to the vital shipping lanes of the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

9. Indian Government Rules Out Rollback of UPI Transaction Fees

Despite mounting public backlash and a pending Supreme Court challenge, the Indian government confirmed it will not roll back the 0.4% Merchant Discount Rate (MDR) on Unified Payments Interface (UPI) transactions above Rs 2,000. The Treasury clarified that peer-to-peer personal transactions remain unaffected, but merchant charges will stand.

10. Strengthening El Niño Sparks Global Climate Hazards

Meteorologists warn that a rapidly strengthening El Niño pattern is destabilizing global weather. Humanitarian groups have raised alarms over expanding droughts and abnormal heatwaves threatening crop yields across Central and South America as well as East Africa, while South Africa is simultaneously grappling with catastrophic flooding.