Good morning. It’s Friday, Oct. 16. Let’s get straight to the news.
Three children and a teacher were killed in a shooting at an Oregon elementary school.
Community members grieve during a candlelight vigil in Bend, Oregon. (Mathieu Lewis-Rolland/Getty)
What happened? A 16-year-old opened fire at Silver Rail Elementary in Bend, police said, before the assailant was shot dead by a “community member” who followed them into the school.
The victims: The three children who were killed were ages 5, 8 and 11, authorities said. The shooting marks the 21st mass killing with a gun in the U.S. in 2026, according to a Post analysis.
A power struggle has erupted inside President Donald Trump’s White House.
As officials brace for midterm losses: They are jostling for position, with some expecting Chief of Staff Susie Wiles to depart. One Trump ally compared the scene to the Wild West.
One cause of the unrest: Trump’s decision to hire Katie Zacharia as press secretary. Yesterday, after days of scrutiny, Zacharia confirmed she didn’t pass the bar exam in California.
Secret documents reveal the donors behind $330 million for Trump’s ballroom.
Executives are shown with donation amounts from their companies. Donations are rounded to the nearest $100,000. (Leslie Shapiro/The Post)
The details: A list obtained by The Post shows all 67 donations above $10,000 filed as of late last month. It includes previously undisclosed contributors who have benefited from Trump policies.
As the ballroom project continues: The White House Historical Association, founded by Jacqueline Kennedy, is trying not to offend Trump. Some of its donors are feeling frustrated.
Trump canceled plans to live-stream the Fort Hood shooter’s execution.
In a Truth Social post: Trump said Nidal Malik Hasan will still be put to death by firing squad, but “this event will not be streamed.” The decision is a rebuke of Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Our columnist’s take: Monica Hesse writes that the alternative to an on-screen execution is an off-screen execution. And, in the wake of the Christa Pike case, it’s not clear that’s any better.
Trump officials scrutinized Rep. Ilhan Omar in 2019 and found no citizenship issues.
Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota) is facing an inquiry over some of the same allegations investigators looked at previously. (Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty)
This week: Federal agents searched Omar’s D.C. home as part of an inquiry focusing on whether she or her late father lied on immigration papers, which Omar denies.
Seven years ago: An earlier review of the Minnesota Democrat’s records looked at many of the same questions. Investigators deemed the case not worth pursuing.
Today: Experts assessed the effectiveness of five common knee pain treatments. One thing almost every doctor agrees upon is that walking is extremely beneficial.
Cynical people can be seen as smarter, but science suggests they aren’t.
If you’re feeling despair about the state of the world, you’re not alone. Americans trust one another less than they did decades ago. (Post illustration; iStock)
According to some studies: People tend to believe cynics have “cognitive superiority” over others. But other research warns that cynicism is bad for physical and mental health.
In his book: Psychologist Jamil Zaki argues for “hopeful skepticism,” or approaching the world like a scientist, not a lawyer. Want to be more hopeful? Find three expert tips here.