NPR News: 09-15-2026 9AM EDT

0:00Live from NPR News in Washington, on Corva Coleman, the Pentagon's Inspector General says that the U.S. spent at least $33 billion on the war with Iran through the month of June. But Ampere's Aya Batrawi tells us the report does not include all U.S. damage costs. The report to Congress by the Pentagon's watchdog does not include estimated costs of damage to bases across the Gulf, where U.S. troops have been attacked by Iran. A public estimate has not been provided by the Pentagon under Secretary Pete Hexeth. But the Inspector General's report says U.S. Central Command has reported Iranian strikes damaging and destroying hundreds of buildings and structures at U.S. bases across eight countries. And that dozens of U.S. aircraft were destroyed or damaged during the war. Iran's revolutionary guard says it attacked bases that U.S. forces were using during the past seven months of conflict. The report also assessed $184 million in damages from Iran's attacks on U.S. embassies and consulates in Iraq, Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia.

1:00Aya Batrawi and Pair News, Dubai. Officials in Lithuania say NATO jets shot down a drone today about 60 miles west of the Lithuanian capital. It's not yet clear who controlled the drone. Voting advocates are cheering a new U.S. Supreme Court ruling. And Piers Hansi LaWong reports it rejects President Trump's push for new restrictions on mail-in voting ballots. The U.S. Postal Service is expected to continue delivering balance as usual for the midterm general election. That's because the Supreme Court is keeping a block on new ballot requirements that U.S. PS tried to impose on states following executive order from President Trump. We should note U.S. PS is a financial support of NPR. Voting by mail has already started in some states, including Alabama, North Carolina, and Wisconsin. In a concurring opinion, conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote that he voted to keep the U.S. PS plan blocked because there was not enough time to carry it out for the midterms without violating federal law. But Kavanaugh noted he believes there is, quote, at least a fair prospect that U.S. PS has the legal authority to implement this plan.

2:02The Trump administration is continuing to appeal a lower court ruling to defend the possibility of using the plan for future federal elections. Hansi LaWong and Piers News. The Board of Directors for the Kennedy Center says the performing arts center is on the verge of bankruptcy. That's according to court documents. NPR has obtained a separate memo telling a federal judge the center could shut down today. And Piers Anastasia Sialkas says the Kennedy Center's Board is already being challenged in a lawsuit for putting President Trump's name on the memorial to President Kennedy. The judge in the suit Christopher Cooper had already scheduled a status hearing for later this morning, which essentially is a meeting to set more deadlines and court dates. But the Board is also scheduled to meet early this afternoon. And late last night they told the judge that the sole item on their agenda today is, quote, the necessary closure of the center. And Piers Anastasia Sialkas reporting. This is NPR. For the first time the U.S. has acknowledged it has deployed weapons in space.

3:06U.S. Air Force Secretary Troy Mink disclosed this at a cyber conference in Maryland yesterday. He did not say what the weapons were or how they work. In 2024 the Biden administration had said Russia was developing an anti-satellite weapon, but officials said then it could not cause destruction on Earth. There was a big winner during last night's Emmy Awards for the best in television. NPR's Mandelite Del Barco says the horror comedy Widow's Bay picked up 14 trophies. Matthew Reese was crowned best lead actor in a comedy for his role as the mayor of Widow's Bay, the haunted New England island. It's filled with eccentric characters like his assistant Patricia, played by Kate O'Flynn, and a grizzled fisherman, played by Stephen Root. They both won supporting actor awards. When Reese picked up his Emmy, he joked about the show's creator. This is purely because of the depraved and twisted mind of Katie Dippold. Her genius really does live in the recesses of her disturbed brain.

4:08Reese also made history by winning two lead actor Emmys at the same ceremony. The Welsh actor also won for playing a rich real estate magnet and prime murder suspect in the series The Beast in Me. Mandelite Del Barco and PR News Los Angeles. In other Emmy wins, Jean Smart picked up her fifth Emmy award in a row for best comedy actors in the show Hacks. The best male dramatic actor was Noah Wiley for his star role in the show The Pit. This is NPR. Up first from NPR News is your way to slow down a fast moving world and make sense of it, which is just what tech leaders say they need right now. One of the big stories this week is that tech leaders say they want to slow down AI development. Also, the latest fighting in the Middle East could push oil prices even higher. Start your day with what you need to know on up first. Listen, on the NPR app or wherever you get your podcasts.