Today’s Lead News Stories

Senate Republicans block Democratic effort to end US war with Iran

GOP stymies House-passed war powers resolution as conflict passes 200-day mark with 19 US service members killed

The Guardian - US · Sep 24

Florida woman stole cop car from the station and drove it more than 100 miles before being caught

The weapons charge that the woman faces stems from a department rifle inside the cruiser, not on her person, Florida authorities said

The Independent UK · Sep 24

California sheriff ordered to return ballots he confiscated in voter ‘fraud’ inquiry

Court says Chad Bianco’s conduct unlawful and seizure of ballots ‘creates substantial risk to election integrity’

The Guardian - US · Sep 24

Australia offers $1 million reward for missing 4-year-old boy Gus Lamont nearly a year after disappearance

A 1 million Australian dollar reward has been announced for information that helps solve the disappearance of four-year-old Gus Lamont, nearly a year after he vanished from his family’s remote property in South Australia.

The Times of India · Sep 24

Deaths of students at the University of Mississippi cast spotlight on kratom

A drug task force in Mississippi is urging people to avoid kratom after authorities found packages of the substance while investigating the deaths of two University of Mississippi students

The Independent UK · Sep 24

A Tennessee 1st Amendment Auditor Is Suing After Videos of Police Led to a Predawn Arrest Raid

Joshua Gibbons says his embarrassing videos of police officers in Kingsport, Tennessee, were a motivating factor in their decision to arrest him on minor charges that were thrown out of court.

Reason · Sep 24

Trump’s FDA nominee says MMR shot is ‘safe and effective’ at Senate hearing

Dr Heidi Overton faces confirmation hearing weeks after standing behind Trump as he suggested shot could be ‘quite lethal’

The Guardian - US · Sep 24

Three more people emerge from New York manhole, as UN general assembly ongoing

The incident is the latest in a series of recent cases involving people entering or departing the US city’s sewer network

The Guardian - US · Sep 24

Russia could attack a Nato country within months, Danish intelligence says

Warning comes hours after Poland says fire at Starlink satellite station was ‘act of sabotage’

The Guardian - UK · Sep 24

At least 900 Flock cameras have been unplugged in Texas since state funding was cut

Fourteen cities and counties have dropped Flock contracts or cut their number of cameras, but three cities have rejected calls to pull down the devices despite a state funding freeze.

The Texas Tribune · Sep 24