25 Years Since 9/11, Landmark Social Media Laws & 'Revenge Dress' Auction - Friday, September 11, 2026

Erica Mandy (0:00)

Today is Friday, September 11th, 25 years since the 9-11 terror attacks. We'll tell you how the nation is remembering the thousands of people who died and the heroes who risked their lives to save others. Also, what the latest Supreme Court decision means for the midterm elections. And could AI help develop a biological weapon? Anthropic says it's already seeing warning signs. Plus, what could be the end of the cyclospora outbreak? How one state's new laws could change kids' experiences online and where an unlikely group of donors helped families with thousands of dollars in school lunch debt? Those stories and even more news to know coming up.

Welcome to The NewsWorthy, all the day's news in less than 15 minutes. I'm Erica Mandy. Thanks so much for being here. Let's do this.

Today marks 25 years since the September 11th attacks. And across the country, Americans are remembering the nearly 3,000 people who were killed. The 9-Eleven Memorial and Museum in New York will hold its annual commemoration this morning. There will also be moments of silence marking the key moments of that day, including when each tower was hit and when they collapsed, the attack on the Pentagon and the crash of Flight 93 in Pennsylvania. And for the first time this year, there will be a seventh moment of silence to honor people who later died from 9-Eleven-related illnesses. This day also serves as a reminder of how many people responded to the tragedy by helping others. From first responders who ran toward the danger, to the volunteers who spent weeks helping with recovery, and the people from all walks of life who later found ways to help others in memory of those who were lost. That's why the 9-Eleven Memorial and Museum has a new exhibition about those who turn their grief into a life of service, and that opens tomorrow. The Smithsonian is also putting rare 9-Eleven artifacts on display, including seat belts from Flight 93, a damaged American flag recovered from the World Trade Center, and more. The museum says most of those objects are so fragile, they may never be displayed again. And in New York this week, nearly 3,000 drones were used in a tribute to the people killed in the attacks, with the lights forming the shape of the Twin Towers. That's just to name a few of the ways America is remembering. There are many more vigils, ceremonies, memorials and tributes happening around the country.

Today, President Trump will join the nation in remembering 9-Eleven. He's scheduled to speak at a ceremony at the Pentagon. Well, all four living former presidents are expected to attend the main 9-Eleven commemoration at Ground Zero. Of course, George W. Bush was president when the terror attacks happened, and this week he reflected on the impact they had. Bush spoke about all the actions he took that day and the days that followed when he often thought about the message he wanted to give Americans. As he put it, quote, As we defended our freedoms, I wanted people to remember how precious they are. Now, he says, he hopes people will never forget the importance, the service, and the sacrifice that came out of that moment in history.

Republicans spent another day in Dallas working to energize their base ahead of the midterms. But when the GOP midterm convention wrapped up last night, a lot of the talk was about what comes next. Vice President JD. Vance delivered the keynote address on the second day of the event. His speech focused on conservative values like the importance of the nuclear family and national pride. And he basically said that even if Republicans don't agree with everything the Trump administration is doing, that it's better than what they'd be getting from Democrats painting them as radical and anti-American. Analysts say this moment in the spotlight fueled talk of Vance's political future. Some people in the crowd even chanted JD. 48 in reference to Vance becoming the 48th president. But for now, the vice president is telling Republicans to stay focused on November. President Trump also praised Vance after the speech before talking about what he considers to be the accomplishments of his administration, which he also spoke about the night before.

Meanwhile, some House Democrats went to Dallas in an effort to keep attention on Trump's controversies, like allegations of corruption and the Epstein files. Unlike Republicans, the Dems are not holding their own midterm convention.

It's now official. Missouri is heading into the midterm election with a congressional map that's different from the one it used in the primary. Yesterday, the US. Supreme Court rejected the state's attempt to use a new Republican friendly map in November. That means Missouri will go back to the congressional map and change the districts it used in 2022 and 2024, even though a new map was already used for last month's primary. It's a very unusual situation because the candidates who won the primary are now running in districts that could look very different in November. The AP estimates that could change the candidate choices for more than a million voters, nearly one in four statewide. Remember, the new map was pushed by President Trump and other Republicans who wanted to give the GOP a better shot at flipping another seat in the US. House, but opponents argued lawmakers should not have gone ahead with a new map without voters weighing in first. After a lot of back and forth in the courts, the Missouri Supreme Court sided with the opponents, and this week the highest court left that ruling in place. So with that, Missouri officials confirmed they'll use old districts for the general election. But voters will also see another question on the midterm ballots asking whether the new map should take effect for next time.