TODAY'S NEWS, September 15-16, 2026

IN POLITICAL NEWSTrump assassination attempt: An anonymous donor reportedly paid to have Thomas Crooks cremated soon after the attempted assassination of President Trump, raising further questions about preservation of evidence. Trump has characterized the shooting as a Democratic plot to kill him, while Fox's Bret Baier reported that Crooks had 27 devices.FBI investigation: Jeff Childers argues that former FBI Director Christopher Wray repeatedly misled Congress about whether the FBI possessed Crooks's phones and ladder. Crooks also reportedly had an extended interaction with an unidentified person at a shooting range the day before the attack.Transparency concerns: Childers argues that virtually every aspect of the investigation raises questions about incompetence, selective disclosure, or a possible cover-up, saying the investigation has not provided the transparency needed to resolve conspiracy theories.Mail-in ballots: The Supreme Court left a lower-court ruling in place preventing Trump's proposed mail-in-ballot rules from taking effect for the midterms because of insufficient implementation time. Supporters of the rules expect a broader case could eventually reach the Court.Brennan subpoena: Former CIA Director John Brennan has reportedly been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury as part of a DOJ investigation into alleged efforts against Trump.Republican momentum: The roundup points to improving Republican polling numbers in states including New Hampshire, Minnesota and Oregon, while noting that Republican candidates are performing competitively in several races. It also cites polling-miss analysis and claims that more than half of registered voters watched the GOP convention.SNAP: Millions have reportedly been removed from SNAP rolls. The roundup argues that reforms should preserve assistance for genuinely needy people while reducing fraud and spending on items such as lottery tickets and unhealthy foods.2028 Democratic field: Another Democrat has reportedly endorsed Kamala Harris for 2028. The roundup argues that progressive Democrats may prefer Zohran Mamdani but questions whether he will ultimately be the nominee.Jewish security: Jewish organizations are reportedly spending more than $1 billion on security amid increased concerns about antisemitic threats.Smithsonian: Trump directed the Smithsonian to replace a modernist sculpture outside one of its facilities with a statue of a Founding Father within 90 days.Impeachment: Eighteen House Democrats reportedly joined Republicans in rejecting the latest attempt to impeach Trump.Child exploitation: FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau has identified more than 11,000 child victims, which the roundup describes as a substantial increase over figures from the Biden administration.Ilhan Omar: ICE is reportedly investigating the immigration status of Rep. Ilhan Omar.Weapons in space: The Air Force secretary said the United States already has weapons deployed in space. He also said Golden Dome installations are being developed, with 20 contracts worth $3.2 billion involving 12 companies and demonstrations planned for 2028.Voter-fraud investigations: The New York Times is criticized for focusing on whether federal investigators examining voter fraud may have violated state laws.Jonathan Cahn incident: The passenger who allegedly attacked Christian evangelist Jonathan Cahn on an American Airlines flight reportedly claims not to remember the incident.Philadelphia prosecutors: The roundup highlights allegations that six prosecutors in Philadelphia DA Larry Krasner's office conspired to allow a mass murderer to escape prosecution.Accenture: The DOJ reportedly reached a $25 million settlement with federal-services contractor Accenture over alleged DEI-related hiring practices.IN AI NEWSChina/Anthropic data pipeline: The roundup highlights claims that Chinese users inadvertently provided login information and other data through a secret pipeline connected to the United States, portraying it as an unexpected intelligence advantage.Anthropic and government regulation: Anthropic reportedly faced restrictions from the Department of War earlier this year, while the roundup argues that calls for government AI oversight could create regulatory barriers that favor established companies over startups.Anthropic finances: The company reportedly faces a major audit involving questions about revenue commitmen