Trump asks Smithsonian to install ‘Colossus statue’ of George Washington with exhibit 12. September 2026 (21:32) Trump, again trying to curate museum, says exhibit would stay until 2032 for 300th anniversary of Washington’s birthDonald Trump asked the Smithsonian Institution to install a 30ft “Colossus statue” of George Washington outside the National Museum of American History, and a special exhibit honoring the nation’s first president, in a social media post late on Friday.The president requested that the exhibit continue through February 2032, the 300th anniversary of Washington’s birth. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Former US detention officer charged with 20 counts of felony forgery 12. September 2026 (20:56) Michael Diehl allegedly forged magistrates’ signatures in North Carolina to allow enough time for ICE to take custody of prisonersA former Guilford county detention officer in North Carolina faces forgery charges in connection to 20 alleged forged Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detainment documents, according to a Guilford county sheriff’s office (GCSO) news release.Guilford county’s sheriff, Danny H Rogers, reported that on Friday the Guilford county magistrate’s office notified the GCSO of a potentially forged court document submitted by GCSO detention officer Michael Diehl, 40. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Portsmouth experiences second weekend of anti-immigration protests 12. September 2026 (19:41) Rightwing activists faced a heavy police presence and counter-demonstrations to their march against small boat crossingsTwo men and a teenage boy have been arrested in Portsmouth at a far-right protest against immigration.Far-right activists have gathered in Portsmouth for a second weekend after a small boat with 140 people seeking asylum on board was intercepted last Sunday while heading towards the city. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Mississippi police say more arrests to come in death of woman found hanging from tree 12. September 2026 (19:16) Officials still investigating death of Tasia Fortune, a Black woman, a day after man’s arrest in relation to killingMississippi police said on Saturday they were still investigating the death of Tasia Fortune, a Black woman found hanging from a tree last month, a day after a man was arrested in connection with the killing.Loved ones also painted a picture of Fortune as a mother, athlete and woman of faith who they hoped would not solely be remembered for her horrific death. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Number of UK anti-migrant vigilante groups surges in last 18 months 12. September 2026 (18:00) Exclusive: Many ‘use community protection as a cover for racist thuggery’, raising concerns about fresh disorderAt least 28 anti-migrant vigilante groups have formed in the UK in the last 18 months, ranging from unauthorised street patrols claiming to protect women and children to groups harassing migrants in France and blocking ports.From Belfast to the south coast of England, the number of active groups has surged since the summer of 2025, according to analysis by the Guardian, amid widespread concerns over fresh disorder after black-clad vigilantes, many of them wearing balaclavas, blocked roads in Portsmouth and Dover last weekend. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘We must slow the pace’: CEO of Anthropic calls for an AI slowdown 12. September 2026 (17:46) In a social media post, Dario Amodei proposed a plan including third-party evaluations of AI systemsThe CEO of the artificial intelligence company Anthropic issued a new appeal on Saturday for the AI industry to “slow down” and offered a three-part plan for doing so, saying that his company would “unilaterally” commit to the first of the steps.In a post on social media, Dario Amodei shared a link to an essay titled We Must Pace the Frontier in which he lays out how Anthropic would provide “third-party evaluators with permanent, employee-level access to our systems, so that they can verify adherence to our safety measures, report on incidents, and assess models’ alignment during training”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Burial of King Oyo takes place in Uganda as news anchor prepares for throne 12. September 2026 (17:09) Royal guards carry casket through streets of Fort Portal amid row over appointment of Edward Rukidi KijanangomaUganda’s King Oyo Nyimba Kabamba Iguru Rukidi IV, long the world’s youngest monarch, has been buried among the tombs of his royal forebears as his Tooro kingdom looked to put a bitter succession battle behind it.Oyo’s appointed successor, the news anchor Edward Rukidi Kijanangoma, cast nine coffee berries into the grave at the Karambi Royal Tombs, marking the formal handover of power in the western Ugandan kingdom. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Donations of £72m make Reform’s prospects both rosier and riskier 12. September 2026 (16:53) Party can boost its campaign power with funds from billionaire backers, but it can also lose support from ordinary BritonsAll things being equal, pretty much any political strategist would welcome a £72m war chest; a sum higher than the combined spending of every major party at the 2024 general election. But all things are not equal, and with such a huge amount comes risk.Reform UK has been vocal in its arguments that two sudden £36m windfalls from billionaires Ben Delo and Christopher Harborne merely “levels the playing field” with the bigger parties when it comes to funding. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Taxes wouldn’t fund $5,000 Trump ‘dividend’ if Republicans win midterms, says commerce secretary 12. September 2026 (16:38) Lutnick said $500bn of estimated $1tn needed to fund checks to all US adults could come from new visa programDonald Trump’s controversial proposal to give a $5,000 “dividend” to all US adults if Republicans maintain control of Congress in November’s elections would not be paid out from US tax revenues, according to the US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick.“It’s not tax money,” Lutnick said in an interview with NBC News, adding that the administration could “earn the money that Donald Trump wants to pay out, not from the deficit and not from taxpayers”. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Six Nigerians extradited to US over $6M online romance scam 12. September 2026 (16:05) Alleged members of Black Axe criminal network that swindled US women out of $6m flown from South AfricaSix Nigerian nationals linked to an organized criminal network that allegedly swindled American women out of more than $6m through online romance scams were extradited to the United States on Friday.South African police confirmed they were to be extradited earlier on Friday, while local news in Africa confirmed that the Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, known as the Hawks, facilitated their handover to officials from the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Secret Service at Cape Town international airport, in collaboration with Interpol South Africa. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
