Bipartisan Midterm Concerns, News Chopper Crash & Viral Snoopy Cup - Wednesday, September 16, 2026

Erica Mandy (0:00)

Today is Wednesday, September 16th. We'll tell you what's known so far about a deadly news helicopter crash, as details are still coming out. Also, how election officials in both red and blue states are preparing for possible government interference at the polls. And what could be a new way to help some families pay for childcare? Plus, why Ed Sheeran's entire tour could now be in trouble? How news outlets are interviewing an AI-generated actress? And what latest viral product got people lining up before dawn? 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.

A local NBC news helicopter that was sent to the scene of a Los Angeles bus crash ended up getting into a crash itself just a few blocks away. The chopper burst into flames. Sadly, a reporter and pilot on board were killed, as well as another person on the ground. Two other people were taken to the hospital. The earlier crash involving an SUV and a city bus also killed three people. Several news helicopters were in the area covering the story. So at first, crews didn't know which chopper was involved. But eventually, NBC 4's anchor broke the news to viewers live. She briefly paused the broadcast, saying the newsroom needed a few minutes to process what had happened and regroup. Soon after, reporters who were already on the scene of the first crash found themselves reporting on the deaths of their own colleagues. So far, it's not clear what caused the helicopter to go down, but the FAA and NTSB are investigating. And on a quick personal note, as a former local TV news reporter in Los Angeles, I'm thinking of everyone in that newsroom and the broader journalism community affected by this tragedy.

Election officials across the country are preparing for something they say they've never had to plan for before. What if the federal government tries to interfere with the midterm elections? A new Reuters investigation found officials in both Republican and Democratic areas are gaming out scenarios involving federal agents at polls, demands for voting equipment or records, legal battles over ballots, or even threats of violence. And most said they're working to fill gaps left by recent cuts to programs that help safeguard elections from cyber attacks and physical security threats. As part of this investigation, Reuters interviewed more than 50 state and local election officials from both parties. And nearly all said they're taking new steps to prepare for a political interference, misinformation and cyber attacks ahead of November.

FBI Director Cash Patel was grilled on Capitol Hill yesterday. During a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, Democratic senators asked Patel to guarantee the FBI would not send agents into polling places on election day. Patel would not make that promise. Instead, he said the FBI would follow the law and not shy away from election integrity work. The law generally prevents armed federal officers or military personnel from being deployed at places where an election is being held. But the FBI has said it has a duty to respond to potential election crimes. By the way, Patel was also grilled on how he's managing the FBI overall. For example, the fact that experienced agents have been fired and hiring rules have been relaxed. So now there's no longer a ban on applicants who have engaged in prostitution or bestiality, among other things. Patel explained that the change was made out of consideration for people who may have been forced to participate. He also defended his overall record saying the FBI has become more effective and less bureaucratic under his leadership. Just last month, the FBI released data showing the homicide rate had dropped to the lowest level in decades.

More than two years after the assassination attempt on President Trump, we're getting new details about the man who opened fire at his Pennsylvania rally. News outlets who reviewed the documents report the shooter took three paid firearms training forces in the seven weeks before the shooting. He bought ammunition and gun accessories online. And he used the name Bob Dole to have packages delivered to him. But people who knew the suspect say he never expressed any intense political views. And at this point, investigators still have not identified a motive. Still yesterday, President Trump said the attack was a Democrat plot to get him out of the 2024 election. Trump also accused former FBI Director Christopher Wray of mishandling the investigation. But, there's no evidence presented in these new documents that there was any broader conspiracy.

President Trump approved the largest arms sale to Israel in years, and it includes some of the most powerful bombs in the American arsenal. The package is reportedly worth $2.8 billion, and it comes just six months after the last $2.7 billion weapon sale to Israel. This deal includes 40,000 bombs weighing 2,000 pounds each, along with thousands of other warheads. The large bombs have been controversial worldwide, with human rights groups and some foreign governments condemning Israel for dropping giant munitions like that in densely populated areas, sometimes killing dozens of civilians in strikes targeting just one person. Israel insists it never targets civilians, but that it sometimes needs very powerful munitions to get to the tunnel networks and underground command centers that house terrorists. Of course, this comes as the US-brokered ceasefire in Gaza is still fragile, with Israeli strikes and militant attacks continuing. For now, the deal is not final. Congress now has an opportunity to weigh in, though lawmakers don't actually need to approve it for it to go through. If it does happen, as expected, the deal will be largely paid for it with US military aid to Israel, so American tax dollars would help fund the purchase. The War with Iran The war with Iran has already cost the US tens of billions of dollars, and the costs aren't just showing up in the Pentagon's budget. That's according to the new report from the Nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. Specifically, it estimates that the US has spent about $38 billion on the war through August 1st. That doesn't include the costs of rebuilding American bases damaged in the war. Plus, the CBO says the Pentagon will also need about five years to replace the missile interceptors used during the war, which the report says are part of a larger munitions problem. On top of that, the war is affecting the American economy. The CBO says the war accounted for more than 40 percent of the increase in inflation during the second quarter of this year. The agency says that's largely because the war has disrupted oil and natural gas shipments through the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea. They lead to higher fuel prices and could mean higher borrowing costs as interest rates respond to the inflation. The Federal Reserve is expected to announce its next interest rate decision today.