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World News

Fresh news brought to you daily from around the world. Hot news, breaking stories as they happen.

UK MPs Demand Stronger Laws to Control AI Risks

A cross-party group of MPs and peers has urged the UK to introduce new legislation to address human rights risks linked to artificial intelligence, saying existing laws are not designed for the technology’s scale and speed.

The Joint Committee on Human Rights (JCHR) published a report calling for an AI bill that would tackle what it described as serious and potentially wide-ranging threats. The committee said the current regulatory approach is not fit for purpose and leaves gaps in protections.
Labour MP and committee chair Alex Sobel said there is no legislative and regulatory framework, including in the UK, that is adequate for AI. He warned that the technology is advancing with such speed and complexity that its impacts are difficult to anticipate, while the country remains unprepared for the consequences.
Risk-Based Regulation and Statutory Oversight
The JCHR said it wants a single, independent AI oversight body established on a statutory basis. It argued that the legal framework governing AI is fragmented and difficult to navigate, leaving some areas insufficiently covered.
The committee recommended that the proposed AI bill set up a regulatory regime that categorises different levels of risk. It said higher-risk AI systems and models should face more demanding obligations, covering responsibilities across the full AI lifecycle.
The report also called for obligations to be placed on those involved in designing, amending and using AI systems. It said responsibilities should be clear for participants in the supply chain and should ensure those duties are effectively addressed.
Concerns Including Bias and Misinformation
The committee highlighted concerns raised in recent years, including the potential for AI to develop bias against particular groups. It said systems trained on large datasets scraped from the internet could reflect racist, sexist and other harmful material.
It also pointed to the risk that AI could be used to create and spread misinformation.
In its 100-page report summary, the JCHR said AI has already been linked to abuses of human rights, giving examples including the creation of sexualised images of women and girls and the scanning of people’s faces without consent.
The committee said some uses of AI should be prohibited because they are incompatible with human rights. It cited areas for action including subliminal techniques, as well as inappropriate use of profiling and biometric data.
Government Position and US Proposals
Responding to the report, a government spokesperson said AI is advancing at an extraordinary pace and is creating both opportunities and risks. The spokesperson said the UK is working to test and understand AI, citing a security institute involved in developing standards and safeguards intended to keep people safe.
The JCHR’s publication comes as debate about AI regulation is intensifying internationally. On Saturday, the chief of US AI company Anthropic, Dario Amodei, set out a plan calling for regulation that he said should apply globally, include industry-wide rules, and involve independent monitoring of AI models as they are developed.
Amodei also urged development to be slowed down. He said the proposals had support from Sam Altman of OpenAI and Elon Musk, who described their alignment with the plan.
The report also references wider anxiety about AI. Jacob Coxon, an AI researcher who said he quit Anthropic, told the BBC that staff developing the systems were “genuinely frightened” about the future of humanity. An Anthropic spokesperson told BBC News the company is building models with what it described as some of the strongest safeguards in the industry.

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14 September 2026
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Trump tells Ukraine to halt strikes on Russian refineries

President Trump called on Ukraine to stop striking Russian refineries and other parts of the oil and gas sector, arguing the attacks were creating a diesel shortage. He made the remarks on Sunday while in Ireland, watching the Irish Open at one of his golf courses for the weekend.

Asked by a reporter whether he had spoken with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy following his recent conversation with Russia’s Vladimir Putin, Trump said Zelenskyy should take action to prevent further damage to Russian diesel supplies. He added that Ukraine could still target other sites, but should not focus on diesel fuel, according to what he told reporters.
Ukraine’s long-range attacks in recent weeks have focused on Russia’s energy industry, which Kyiv says helps both fund and directly sustain Russia’s war effort. The Ukrainian drone campaign has contributed to fuel rationing in Russia, despite the country being a major oil and gas exporter. Some strikes have also hit consumer-focused targets, including major online retailers, bringing the impact of the war closer to the public.
Drone Attacks across Regions
The comments came as Russia and Ukraine continued exchanging overnight waves of drone attacks.
In Russia, local officials said two people were killed in the republic of Tatarstan. Ukrainian authorities reported Russian drone strikes on the Black Sea port of Odesa and a fire near a border crossing with Poland.
Russia has increased its air campaign in recent weeks, using ballistic missiles and jet-powered drones to push through Ukrainian defences and exploit what Moscow says are dwindling stocks of missile interceptors. Russian strikes have also targeted Ukraine’s electricity infrastructure ahead of winter, with Ukrainian and allied officials saying the aim is to weaken civilian morale and resilience.
Drone Hits Train Near Polish Border
Ukraine’s rail operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, said a Russian drone struck a train near the Ukraine-Poland border shortly after a diplomatic train carrying senior Western figures passed along the same line.
Ukrzaliznytsia said the drone hit the train’s engine near the town of Yahodyn, and that there were no casualties because passengers were evacuated. Russia later said it struck “railway infrastructure” in western Ukraine.
The operator said the drone may have targeted the diplomatic train, which departed the station earlier than planned due to timetable changes made because of repeated threats of Russian strikes. CBS News partner BBC News reported that Boris Johnson, ex-CIA director David Petraeus and other European security advisers had travelled on the same train route on their way back from a conference in Kyiv.
Johnson condemned the attack in a social media post, describing it as random and senseless, and called for air defences to better protect Ukraine.
Russia’s defence ministry said Sunday that strikes continued on railway infrastructure used to transport military cargo from European countries, in a statement carried by Agence France-Presse.
Kremlin open to Autumn Talks
Separately, the Kremlin said on Sunday that Moscow is open to restarting peace talks in the autumn involving Russia, Ukraine and the United States.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the option remained under consideration and that October could not be ruled out. He said the discussions would take place in the foreseeable future.
Last weekend, US envoys Jared Kushner and Steve Witkoff met Putin in Moscow, before travelling to Kyiv to meet Zelenskyy. Despite the renewed diplomatic push, both sides’ core demands remain difficult to reconcile, particularly over territorial arrangements.
Kushner said the question of territory would be central, adding that the mediator’s role was to find a solution that meets Ukraine’s aims while persuading Russia to end the conflict.

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14 September 2026
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Osborne Says Britain Should Rejoin EU Customs Union

George Osborne has urged the UK to rejoin the EU customs union, arguing that Britain’s economy has worsened since Brexit and that closer trade ties with Europe would help drive recovery.

Speaking to The Independent, the former Tory chancellor said the post-referendum period has damaged growth, adding that the economy is poorer than it would have been without leaving the EU. Osborne, who was later dismissed as chancellor by Theresa May and previously served in David Cameron’s cabinet at the time of the 2016 vote, said rebuilding links with the EU remains important.
‘Fallen Off A Cliff’ Since Brexit
Osborne said Brexit has had a significant negative effect on the British economy, describing it as a sharp downturn. He pointed to the need for the government to focus on restoring trading relationships with the EU as a route to stabilising performance.
He also acknowledged that restarting UK–EU arrangements a decade after the referendum would not be straightforward. However, he argued that tightening ties with Europe could still improve the wider outlook for the economy.
Rejoining The customs union
Osborne said he would rejoin the EU customs union, presenting it as the quickest option to reverse the damage to trade. He argued that the issue was not addressed during the Brexit debate, saying that leaving the customs union was not widely anticipated and that it has had a “devastating” impact on trade.
He linked this to what he described as Brexiteers’ expectations during the campaign. Osborne said the opposition to staying in the customs union was based on claims about major trade deals with the United States, but that he now views those promises as unrealistic.
Trade, Investment And Free Movement
Osborne said Britain cannot address its growth challenge without considering how to revive trade with the European continent and attract investment. He also suggested that a customs union return would be easier to sell politically than a full return to the single market.
In that context, he referenced Labour’s Andy Burnham, saying he did not see why Burnham would not support rejoining the customs union. Osborne argued that, unlike rejoining the single market, coming back to the customs union would not require accepting the EU’s free movement of people, which he said is a difficult issue to persuade people about in Britain.

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14 September 2026
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Israeli Minister Seeks To Strip Film-Makers’ Citizenship

Israel’s culture minister has called for the Oscar-winning Israeli directors behind NAZA, a documentary about the killing of civilians in Gaza, to have their Israeli citizenship revoked, accusing them of “treason against the state”.

The film’s directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, were among the winners at major international events this year, including an Oscar for their earlier work, and the latest campaign against them has been voiced by senior figures in Israel’s government.
NAZA, Produced By The Guardian, Wins At Venice
NAZA was produced by the Guardian and takes its name from an acronym used by Israel’s intelligence service to indicate the number of civilians an airstrike is expected to kill in Gaza.
In the 80-minute documentary, Abraham and Szor speak to 24 Israeli military or intelligence whistleblowers who describe AI-powered targeting systems they say have been used in bombardments of Gaza. The film says those witnesses outline how targeting decisions are made, and includes a claim in one interview that approval had been given to kill 500 people identified as “NAZA” in order to kill one Hamas member.
The documentary received a special jury prize at the Venice film festival on Saturday, after a 25-minute standing ovation. The festival said the ovation was a record.
Culture Minister Calls For Citizenship Revocation
On Sunday, Miki Zohar, Israel’s culture minister, posted on X that the directors should be stripped of citizenship. He accused them of being willing to “harm their homeland in order to receive applause from antisemites around the world”.
“I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for treason against the state,” Zohar wrote.
Other ministers also attacked the film-makers online. Itamar Ben-Gvir, a far-right national security minister, said on X that they were “a disgrace and an embarrassment to the entire people of Israel” and told them to “Go away”. He added that he expected Hamas to “welcome you with open arms”.
Legal Basis And Previous Attacks
Revoking nationality is legally possible in Israel, but it is rarely used. In 2022, Israel’s supreme court confirmed that the state may strip a person of nationality if they fail to demonstrate “loyalty”, including through acts such as espionage or treason.
The legal framework was widened in 2023 to also apply to people convicted of “terrorism”. Under the law, the interior minister must submit a request, the justice minister must approve it, and judges must validate the decision.
Abraham’s family home was targeted by a rightwing mob after the world premiere in 2024 of No Other Land, another documentary made by the same pair. That film focused on Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank.
Speaking to the Guardian, Abraham said he and his team were taking risks in a system that he described as privileging Jewish-Israeli supremacy, and he argued that Palestinian journalists would face far greater danger for attempting similar outreach.
Military Rejects Allegations As War Death Toll Rises
The Israeli military said it “categorically rejects” the allegations made in NAZA. It criticised the documentary’s use of anonymous testimonies, saying the identities of the whistleblowers “cannot be verified”.
The campaign unfolds after Hamas launched an attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, leaving 1,221 people dead, according to an Agence France-Presse tally based on official Israeli figures. Hamas militants also took 251 hostages to Gaza.
In the years since, Gaza’s health ministry has reported more than 73,000 deaths during the ensuing Israeli bombardment, the vast majority of them described as civilians.

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14 September 2026
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Russians Leave Amid Fears of New Mobilisation

Some Russians have continued leaving the country this year, citing fears of another mobilisation for the war in Ukraine, alongside a crackdown on civil liberties and shrinking room for everyday life online.

This summer, a 28-year-old digital content marketer left Russia for Georgia after packing up in Krasnodar and travelling towards the border. Speaking to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity for security reasons, he said he was driven by “the political situation” and by problems caused by authorities restricting access to the internet. He said he would not have gone for more than a few months if not for the wider climate in Russia.
The departures come as parts of Ukraine have carried out drone attacks inside Russia, including this summer. The attacks triggered an unprecedented fuel crisis and hit the fast-growing e-commerce sector, and the government has since used the incidents to justify tightening controls on internet access.
Departure Wave Not Like 2022, Aid Group Says
The overall scale of the exodus appears smaller than in 2022, when hundreds of thousands fled following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. A group that helps people move abroad, Kovcheg, said it received nearly eight times more enquiries in the past month than it did in May.
Anastasia Burakova, the founder of Kovcheg, said the figures did not necessarily point to a large crowd at borders, but suggested people were preparing to emigrate and exploring options. She said current numbers are difficult to verify because, unlike 2022, there were no visible scenes at border crossings and no clear shortages of flights to visa-free destinations such as Armenia, Georgia, Kazakhstan and Turkey.
AP also found numerous videos posted on social media from across Russia in which people said they had decided to leave for war-related reasons. Others cited worries about economic decline, uncertainty about the future, and reduced freedoms.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other officials in Kyiv have said Russia plans another mobilisation after the State Duma election, which ends on Sunday. The Kremlin has repeatedly rejected such claims.
Kovcheg coordinator Yan Slovitsky said there had been “a panicked wave” of people leaving since mid-July, linking it to mobilisation fears as well as the fuel crisis and internet restrictions. A Moscow-based diplomat told AP there had been a “palpable rise in public anxiety” over the summer, and cited anecdotal evidence of more Russians appearing in Georgia and Armenia, possibly after concerns that another mobilisation could follow the Duma elections.
Armenia Signals Help, Moscow Rejects It
Armenia’s Security Council secretary Alen Simonyan told an independent Russian channel last month that Armenia “will not interfere in any way” and would help Russians who move there to avoid being drafted. The Russian Foreign Ministry responded with a rebuke, calling the remark “provocative”.
Russian lawmaker Viktor Sobolev, speaking on RTVI, said Russia did not need people who “leave because of rumours” and added that they should go.
Fears Behind Individual Decisions
The digital content marketer said he had tried to leave before. He moved abroad in 2022 to avoid the partial call-up of 300,000 new troops announced by President Vladimir Putin. He said he is not technically eligible for military service in peacetime due to a hip condition, but felt it was safer to leave because he did not know how authorities would act. In 2025, he returned to his hometown of Ulyanovsk and worked remotely for clients abroad, but said Russia’s ongoing clampdown on thousands of online platforms and services made his work harder, requiring him to switch virtual private network servers to maintain access.
From Tbilisi, he said the rumours of mobilisation also weighed on him because, as he put it, people cannot know what will happen next.
AP heard similar accounts from others. A 23-year-old Muscovite who left last month said mobilisation rumours and fears about her husband’s situation prompted her departure. She said her father narrowly avoided being drafted in 2022 by fleeing, and that this year her husband’s deferment ended after he finished a master’s degree. Another man, Ivan Nazarov, moved to Yerevan and said he was acting for “survival” after hearing reports that conscripts thought to be protected from deployment to Ukraine were being forced to sign contracts.
Queer activist Daniil Neonov said he left after a sequence of detentions and a 10-day jail term over charges related to an extremist symbol after he posted a photo of a rainbow-coloured T-shirt. He said Russian authorities treat the “international LGBT movement” as extremist, and that people carrying rainbow items have faced charges. He also said he knew others who left after being detained for supporting the opposition Yabloko party following a court decision to remove it from the election ballot.
A 35-year-old man preparing to leave told AP he wanted to avoid living without free speech, where he said the economy is sliding and where schoolchildren receive propaganda about the war.

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14 September 2026
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Carney Seeks EU-Canada Alliance Without Full Membership

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada is looking to build a “unique alliance” with the European Union, without seeking membership of the bloc, as a trade dispute with the United States continues to escalate.

Carney told reporters in Toronto on Sunday that the Canadian government would begin discussions on the arrangement, describing it as “a unique alliance with the European Union”. He said he was not pursuing formal membership.
Talks Target Deeper EU Ties
Carney said Canada and the EU share the same values and priorities, and that their strengths are “very complementary”. He added: “We’re stronger together”, saying the move comes as the world is “more dangerous and divided” and countries that share close relationships need to “stick together”.
His remarks were made as a US trade conflict between Canada and Washington has widened in recent weeks. Carney’s comments also followed a report by The Wall Street Journal that EU officials were receptive to an idea raised by Carney, under which Canada could become an “associate member” of the bloc, according to officials cited by the paper.
The Journal said Carney had instructed a special envoy to Europe to “scope out the most ambitious possibilities short of full membership”.
At the Toronto International Film Festival, Carney denied Canada was seeking a formal role inside the EU. “We share the same values. We have the same priorities, and we have very complementary strengths,” he said.
EU Parliament Visit Planned
Carney is due to travel this week to the United Kingdom and France. In France, he is scheduled to address the European Parliament in Strasbourg.
While in Europe, Carney will attend European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen’s State of the European Union address. He is also due to travel to Liverpool to meet UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham.
The trip comes as Carney continues to promote a strategy aimed at achieving a “more independent, more resilient economy”, in response to what he described as increasingly hostile policy towards Canada from the Trump administration.
Trade War Escalates With US Tariffs
In late August, trade negotiations between Canada and the United States broke down, triggering an escalating trade war between the two countries.
The US has imposed tariffs on key Canadian industries, including steel, aluminium and lumber, and it has also introduced an additional 50% levy on roughly C$28bn (US$20bn; £15bn) of Canadian goods.
Ottawa responded by placing levies of up to 50% on about C$28bn of American products, covering sectors including steel, furniture and cotton T-shirts.

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14 September 2026
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Ukraine Train Hit After Boris Johnson Leaves Station

A Russian drone struck a train near the Ukraine-Poland border shortly after former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other European security advisers had passed through the same area on a different service, Ukrainian officials said.

The attack hit an engine on the train at Yahodyn, a station near the border, according to Ukraine’s state railway company, Ukrzaliznytsia. No casualties were reported. Ukrainian authorities said all passengers were evacuated after the strike.
Strike Near Yahodyn
Ukrzaliznytsia said the drone attack affected “railway infrastructure” in western Ukraine. The company added that the target “could have been the diplomatic train”, citing information that a train had departed the station earlier than expected.
In a statement, Ukrzaliznytsia said the change was linked to a revised timetable made in response to constant threats of Russian missile and drone strikes. It also said passengers on the train that was hit were ordered to evacuate “just 15 minutes” before the drone attack, after which they were taken to safety.
Both Ukrainian and Polish authorities said the drone struck about 2km from the Polish border.
Officials Travelled Through Same Line
Johnson and other national security advisers, including the UK’s Jonathan Powell, travelled along the same railway line on a different train as they returned from Kyiv following the Yalta European Strategy (YES) conference.
Former CIA director David Petraeus was reported to have been on board another train at Yahodyn station at the time of the drone strike, Ukrzaliznytsia said.
Former Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt, who attended the YES conference in Kyiv, told the BBC that passengers on his train were instructed to prepare for evacuation after the service stopped. He said that after several minutes, they were told it was safe to continue.
Bildt’s train then reached Dorohusk, a border station in Poland, without incident.
Some reports suggested Bildt was on the same train as Johnson, but Johnson did not confirm any details.
Johnson Warns of Need for Air Defences
Johnson condemned the strike in a post on X, saying it reflected attacks he said President Vladimir Putin was carrying out on Ukrainian civilian rail services. He said it showed how Ukrainians were enduring daily attacks and urged Kyiv’s allies to provide air defences.
Ukraine has repeatedly asked partners, particularly the United States, to supply more interceptors to counter Russian strikes that increasingly use fast-moving ballistic missiles and jet-propelled drones.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said the strike at Yahodyn was a “barbaric” attack and described it as a message aimed at the EU and Nato. He renewed calls for additional sanctions on Moscow.


Graphic courtesy of BBC
Poland Holds Emergency Talks
Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk held an emergency meeting to discuss the latest developments after authorities said the drone hit close to the border.
Tusk said in a statement that escalation from the Russian side was becoming a reality and that actions were getting closer to Poland.
Ukraine and European countries have said Russia is widening attacks on transport and infrastructure, including trains, depots, petrol stations and border crossings.
Earlier this week, Zelensky said two people were killed when Russian drones hit a border crossing between Ukraine and Moldova. He also said a female conductor died in a drone attack on a passenger train in southern Ukraine, and that six Ukrzaliznytsia employees were killed when a depot was struck in Kyiv earlier this month. In January, Zelensky condemned a Russian strike on a crowded passenger train in the north-eastern Kharkiv region as “terrorism”, after it killed five people.
Russia’s attacks have significantly damaged Ukraine’s rail network, which remains the main mode of transport for millions inside the country. Air travel has been suspended since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in 2022.
European governments have also blamed Russia for alleged incidents on their territory. Germany said Russia was behind an August drone attack at Leipzig’s airport, which Moscow rejected as “absurd”. Several suspicious fires at defence sites from Italy to Estonia have also been attributed to Russia by affected countries.


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14 September 2026
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Criticising Charlie Kirk Cost Hundreds Their Jobs

In September 2025, Gerald Bourguet said he believed he had finally reached the life he wanted. He and his wife had bought a house with a pool, had welcomed a baby boy and Bourguet was writing about professional men’s basketball full time.

That changed after he made a series of online posts criticising Charlie Kirk, the conservative activist, within hours of Kirk’s death on 10 September. Kirk was fatally shot while speaking on the campus of Utah Valley University.
In the posts, Bourguet called Kirk an “evil man” and argued that he had devoted his life to hateful causes. He also criticised Kirk’s supporters, saying they had not spoken out strongly about school shootings.
“I had seen the way that people were talking about this person - kind of eulogising him and lionising him and it bothered me,” Bourguet told the BBC.
Kirk, who founded the Christian youth organisation Turning Point USA, was a highly divisive figure in US politics. Supporters on the right praised him for his charisma and for shaping conservative arguments for younger audiences. Opponents said his views on issues including race, immigration, gun control and gender identity were offensive.
Online Backlash Triggers Job Loss And Safety Fears
Screenshots of Bourguet’s comments spread quickly. He said he was dismissed from his job, that his home address was shared online and that he began receiving threatening messages.
Concerned for their safety, Bourguet and his family left the state with their four-month-old child. They returned months later to sell the house and then permanently relocated.
A year on, Bourguet said he does not regret what he posted. However, he acknowledged the impact on his life. “My life will never be the same after this,” he said, adding: “At age 35, I am having to start over in a lot of respects… I wouldn’t wish this on my worst enemy.”
Bourguet spoke to the BBC from a new location that the broadcaster agreed not to name. His former employer, PHNX Sports, did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment.
Bourguet was one of hundreds of people who were fired or disciplined after making critical comments about Kirk following his killing. While some were later reinstated or received compensation running into millions of dollars, others said they had to rebuild their careers from scratch.
Across the US, employers including both private and public organisations acted quickly in response to social media pressure. Reliable national figures are hard to compile, but a Reuters tally published last November found more than 600 cases of firings or discipline. Reuters said the true figure is likely higher because not all incidents were reported in regional or national outlets.
Firings Follow Comments, Reposts And Satire
Disciplinary action varied widely, ranging from remarks about Kirk’s death to reposts of older content. In Tennessee, anthropology professor Tamar Shirinian was suspended and later fired for a Facebook comment saying “the world is better off” after Kirk’s killing.
In another case, a Delta Air Lines flight attendant was dismissed after posting “good riddance” in response to Kirk’s death. Office Depot fired an employee who refused to serve a customer seeking to print flyers for a Kirk vigil. Delta declined to comment and Office Depot did not respond to a request for comment.
Some cases also targeted indirect posts. Darren Michael, a theatre professor in Tennessee, was fired after he shared a screenshot of a 2023 news article covering Kirk’s comments on gun control, including a quote suggesting gun ownership rights were worth it even if it led to some gun deaths each year.
Florida’s Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission fired biologist Brittney Brown after she reposted a meme that satirised Kirk’s position on gun violence in light of his own shooting. Brown told the BBC she was “absolutely gutted”, describing it as if “the entire world just completely flipped on its head”.
Lawsuits Yield Payments, But Not For All
Since Kirk’s killing, dozens of lawsuits have been filed nationwide by people dismissed for their posts, arguing that terminations breached free speech rights. Some cases ended in substantial settlements. Brown agreed to a financial payout of $485,000 (£355,000), about 12 times her annual salary.
Michael was reinstated by Austin Peay State University, and in January the school agreed to pay him $500,000 to settle his claims. The University of Tennessee reached a $1.9m settlement with Shirinian to resolve her lawsuit over the “better off” comment. Under the agreement, she would not be reinstated and she agreed not to apply again for roles at the university. The BBC said the University of Tennessee did not respond to its request for comment.
An arbitrator ordered the Washington Post to rehire opinion journalist Karen Attiah, who was dismissed for online posts that included criticism of “performative mourning” for a white man associated with violence. Several other cases remained pending, the BBC found.
Legal Wins, But Little Satisfaction
But legal wins did not necessarily leave employees feeling satisfied. Brown said she wanted her job back and questioned the cost to public finances after her firing. “How much taxpayer money did they waste on this when I barely made $40,000 a year?” she said.
Shirinian said she had wanted to return to her job but took a settlement to avoid a drawn-out legal process. She apologised to the university days after her suspension and told the BBC her comment was an “emotional outburst” that she had not intended to go public, though she said she did not regret the underlying sentiment.
Private Workers Face Greater Risks
For those in private employment, the position is often harder. In the US, many private-sector workers are on “at-will” contracts, allowing dismissal without a stated reason.
Bourguet said he is unlikely to succeed in a lawsuit challenging his termination because of that framework. He said he has struggled to find work since then, and although he started a podcast, he doubts it can provide enough income. He said leaving the country is now on the table.
No Regrets Over Speaking Out
Despite the consequences, people who spoke to the BBC said they had reflected and still did not regret speaking out. Brown said her former employer should have regrets, while Bourguet said he stands by his criticism of Kirk’s message.
He added: “I don’t regret that line of thinking… I don’t regret what I said. I don’t regret the way that I said it. I do regret the ripple effects that came from it and the way that they impacted me, my career, my family, and my son.”

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13 September 2026
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AI Expert Warns Humanity Could Die In 'Immediate Future'

An ex-Anthropic artificial intelligence researcher has told the BBC that people working on AI systems were “genuinely frightened” by how quickly the technology is advancing and what it could mean for humanity.

Jacob Coxon, 27, who previously worked at OpenAI before joining Anthropic, made the comments after posting a resignation statement that urged the industry to slow down. Speaking to BBC journalist Laura Kuenssberg, he said the pace of progress posed an urgent risk.
“If we don't slow down at the current rate of progress, there is a strong chance that we could all die in the immediate future,” Coxon said in the interview.
Coxon's Resignation And Warning
Coxon’s resignation comes as safety concerns have intensified across the AI sector, including from senior figures inside the industry.
Anthropic chief Dario Amodei published an essay arguing that companies should slow development and take steps to reduce risk. Coxon said the proposal for a slowdown had support because many researchers see themselves trapped in a competitive race.
“The people who work at these companies are completely serious when they ask for regulation because they find themselves trapped in a race,” he said. “And they're scared of the outcomes of that race.”
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He added that any slowdown would need to be co-ordinated internationally, naming China as a key part of avoiding what he described as an “international scale” race.
Coxon also said he believed staff were struggling to understand what an “AI apocalypse” would look like, and pointed to scenarios raised by Amodei, including the risk of coordinated bots operating like a supercomputer that could take control of the internet.
Asked about how quickly such dangers could emerge, Coxon said the scenario could be realistic within six months to a year.
Industry Moves Toward Slower, Regulated Development
Amodei said the technology itself would continue to be developed, but argued that the risks were “serious” and that companies and governments needed time to address them.
The idea has found backing from bosses of two rival firms. Sam Altman, head of OpenAI, and Elon Musk, who runs xAI, both said they agreed with Amodei’s call for industry-wide deceleration, regulation, and independent monitoring of model development.
Altman later cautioned against what he called an “ill-advised moment” for a new initial public offering, citing safety issues, in an interview with Fortune published on Friday.
Anthropic, which is reportedly preparing for a potentially record-setting IPO, said it would not comment on the wider debate over Coxon’s departure. Instead, the firm responded to the criticism of its safety posture and its pace of progress.
Responses From Anthropic, Rival Executives And Critics
In a statement to BBC News, an Anthropic spokesperson said the company had long acknowledged that AI could deliver “enormous benefits” alongside “unprecedented risks”. The spokesperson said Anthropic continued to build models with strong safeguards.
The company also said it had pioneered research into how AI models work, describing itself as the first to publish a framework for mitigating risks linked to development. It said it “aggressively” tests its models and publishes the findings to aid scrutiny and prevent incidents of “AI misalignment”.
Anthropic added that it believed the world would benefit from a “lawful, verifiable” approach that would allow the industry to pace releases of powerful models.
Outside the industry, Coxon’s warnings drew scepticism as well. Clement Delangue, chief executive of Hugging Face, questioned the framing of Coxon’s claims, posting on X that asking about AI extinction risk was like asking an air-conditioning technician about climate change.
Delangue later said after Amodei’s essay was published on Saturday that he was willing to help with solutions linked to the slowdown proposal.
Jensen Huang, CEO of Nvidia, also discussed Coxon’s comments at a conference hosted by Goldman Sachs last week, multiple people present told the BBC. They said Huang dismissed the claims as untrue. Huang has previously said that warnings that AI would end humanity were “complete nonsense”.
Industry figures have also suggested that some dire warnings could be intended to generate publicity or prompt regulation that could entrench existing players. Others have argued Anthropic may be seeking regulatory pressure that would reduce competition, potentially leaving it and OpenAI as a dominant pair.
Wider Safety Alarm In AI Research
Coxon said fears among peers could extend to the next two years. He said some researchers were “planning what to do with their lives” and that some were considering buying land because of instability driven by rapid progress.
At the same time, he said he remained optimistic that AI could improve lives, pointing to benefits such as solving diseases.
Coxon’s comments have been shared widely online, including by Anthropic scientist Evan Hubinger, who wrote on X that he agreed and said he personally thought there was more than a 10% chance of AI killing all humans within the next decade.
Leading AI figures have raised concerns for years, including in 2023 when the heads of OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Anthropic warned about safety threats. The warnings have intensified in recent weeks as new models have demonstrated stronger capabilities that creators may struggle to control.
In April, Anthropic said it was withholding its Mythos model from public use because it could independently escape a testing environment known as a sandbox. OpenAI has said it paused parts of its Astra model’s development, citing cybersecurity concerns.

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13 September 2026
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‘Shoot Democrats’ Calls Go Unchallenged at GOP Convention

Republican Senator Ted Cruz did not challenge repeated calls from the public for a sitting Senate candidate to be shot during a speech at a Republican convention in Dallas, according to video and comments from those targeted.

The incident took place on Thursday night at the American Airlines Centre during Cruz’s address at the party’s irregular midterm gathering. It came as Republican speakers marked the first anniversary of the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk and warned against the risks of violent political language, while Cruz appeared at the podium without denouncing the outbursts or even referring to them.
Shouts Heard During Cruz’s Address
During Cruz’s remarks, he named several Democrats whom he accused of holding extreme views. Footage shows an audience member shouting “He should be shot!” after Cruz mentioned New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani.
The same chant was heard again when Cruz named Michigan Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed, and once more after he mentioned Texas Senate candidate James Talarico. Cruz did not pause his speech or respond to the interruptions, and it was unclear whether he heard the remarks from the stage.
Cruz did not respond to a request for comment.
Cruz’s Claims And El-Sayed’s Response
In his speech, Cruz accused Mamdani of wanting to seize the means of production. He said El-Sayed had an “obligation” to follow Sharia law, and claimed Talarico wanted to dismantle capitalism.
El-Sayed said on CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins that such rhetoric had become dangerously normalised and should unsettle listeners. He urged Republicans to describe the chant accurately, saying it amounted to incitement that both parties should reject, and called for a return to politics centred on people’s basic needs and dignity.
El-Sayed said he hoped his daughters would be able to grow up and live with him, adding that the moment had reflected what he described as violence becoming “literally” part of normal political discourse.
A spokesperson for Mike Rogers, the Republican former congressman running against El-Sayed for Michigan’s open Senate seat and who was in Dallas for the convention, said Rogers condemned the remarks and “all political violence”.
Cruz’s characterisations of the Democrats were described as going beyond what the three men had previously said in other contexts.
Convention Marks Charlie Kirk Anniversary
The convention fell on the first anniversary of Kirk’s assassination. Republican figures repeatedly referenced the killing during their remarks, including Vice-President JD Vance, who spoke about his friendship with Kirk in a headline address.
Close Race For Michigan’s Seat
El-Sayed is competing in one of the most closely watched Senate contests in the election cycle. A CNN poll released on Wednesday showed El-Sayed leading Rogers 47% to 44% in the race to succeed retiring Democratic Senator Gary Peters, with both parties seeking control of the chamber.


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13 September 2026
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Trump Says He Would 'Love To See' A United Ireland

US President Donald Trump said he would “love” to see a united Ireland and believes the goal will be achieved eventually, while speaking to reporters during a weekend trip to Dublin and to his Irish golf course.

During remarks after meeting Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin, Trump described Irish reunification as “a fantastic thing” and said he did not want to cause problems. He said he believes it is “going to happen eventually”, adding that the UK would also have a role in any outcome.
He made the comments after holding talks in Dublin on Saturday with Ireland’s largely ceremonial head of state, President Catherine Connolly.
Meetings With Martin And President Connolly
Trump’s remarks came following his meeting with Martin, the taoiseach, in Dublin after talks with Connolly earlier in the visit.
Connolly is a left-wing politician who was among those who protested during Trump’s visit to Ireland in 2019, when he was in his first term as US president. She is now Ireland’s elected, largely ceremonial head of state. Connolly has previously supported the Palestinian cause and has criticised US policy in the Middle East, including calling Trump a “bully” in the past.
At Connolly’s official residence, Áras an Uachtaráin, Trump was greeted by the Irish president at the end of a red carpet. They shook hands and spoke briefly before both went inside. Trump then emerged alone as an Irish Defence Forces band played the US national anthem, and he inspected an Irish Army honour guard.
Connolly later joined Trump outdoors to introduce the US and Irish delegations before the leaders returned inside for closed-door discussions.
Golf Focus, Security Cordons And Local Friction
The visit is centred largely on a major golf tournament hosted on a course Trump owns on Ireland’s Atlantic coast. After his engagements in Dublin, Trump is due to address US and Irish business leaders at the US ambassador’s official residence before travelling across the country to Doonbeg to watch the Irish Open.
Local disruption has drawn criticism. Police placed a cordon around Phoenix Park, a 1,750-acre (700-hectare) area where Trump met Connolly. Some residents said the arrangements caused inconvenience.
Taxi driver Christopher Fox said the city had been disrupted and argued that Trump’s plans to travel to Doonbeg for golf were behind the disruption.
Eric Trump Says The Family Has Support
Trump’s son, Eric Trump, said the Trump family is well regarded in Ireland despite planned protests during his father’s trip.
Speaking to Irish broadcaster RTE on Friday from Doonbeg—home to the Trump International resort—Eric Trump said the golf course is the largest employer in the local area. He also urged viewers to speak to people in Doonbeg about whether they like the president and the Trump family, saying local feedback would reflect what the family has invested in the country.
Sept 11 Anniversary And Planned US-Ireland Talks
Trump flew overnight to Ireland after marking the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, which killed nearly 3,000 people in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania. Ahead of the solemn observance on Friday, the Republican president spent two nights in Dallas delivering lengthy speeches at a political rally.
Martin invited Trump to visit Ireland after meeting at the White House on St Patrick’s Day earlier this year. Ireland’s political leaders are expected to see the visit as an opportunity to maintain close trans-Atlantic ties, even as differences remain over trade and foreign policy, issues the White House said Trump intends to discuss.
Before Trump arrived, Martin said he looked forward to discussions on matters of mutual interest and to reaffirming the strong economic, cultural and people-to-people links between Ireland and the United States.


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12 September 2026
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Reform UK Gets Record £36m Donation From Crypto Tycoon

Reform UK has received a £36m donation from British cryptocurrency entrepreneur Ben Delo, the party said, in what it described as the largest single payment to a UK political party.

The cash pledge is a record for a UK political party and comes as Reform faces growing scrutiny over its finances and as the Labour government pursues limits on donations from British citizens living abroad.
Record Sum From Ben Delo
Nigel Farage, the Reform leader, said he was “honoured and humbled” by the donation.
Delo said in a letter published by the Daily Telegraph that he was making the move because he wanted “a fair fight and a level playing field”. The entrepreneur, who is Sheffield-born and based in Hong Kong, said he had concluded that Reform should spend less time raising funds to compete and more time preparing for government.
Reform said Delo had already donated £4m to the party. He previously said he would move back to the UK from Hong Kong to continue his support.
Under current rules, there are no limits on the amount that UK-based donors can give to political parties. However, Labour has previously introduced a £100,000 cap on donations from British citizens who live overseas or have recently returned to the UK.
Delo said he planned to donate £1m a month between now and the latest date by which Labour could call a general election in 2029. He added that he would give the money upfront if the government attempted to restrict large donations in the future.
Scrutiny Over Foreign Funding Claims
Reform’s fundraising has been under scrutiny after police announced an investigation on Thursday into allegations the party may have breached foreign funding laws.
The probe followed a broadcast by Channel 4 News last week, in which an undercover reporter recorded two senior Reform aides appearing to discuss ways to secure foreign party donations in line with electoral rules.
The party denied any wrongdoing and said it would co-operate with the investigation.
Separate inquiries also involve Farage and Reform-linked payments. The parliamentary standards commissioner is examining whether Farage should have declared a £5m cash gift he received from Thailand-based cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne ahead of the 2024 election.
Farage has argued he had no obligation to register what he described as a “purely private” gift that was not linked to his parliamentary or political activities.
The Metropolitan Police is also investigating whether payments made to Reform in the weeks before the last election complied with donation laws. The inquiry includes donations made directly to the party by Fiona Cottrell, the mother of George Cottrell, a long-standing Farage ally.
Police are also looking at payments from a company controlled by Reform deputy leader Richard Tice, which received £1m from Fiona Cottrell in June 2024.
Wider Row Over Limits For Expats
The government is seeking to restrict donations further through the Representation of the People Bill, which has its second reading in the House of Lords on Monday. The bill would prevent expats who return to the UK from donating more than £100,000 for a year after their arrival.
Restrictions on donations from Britons abroad have prompted conflict with Reform and key donors, who have accused Labour of seeking to stifle their progress. A cabinet minister said British democracy was “not for sale”.
The donation also follows Delo’s US pardon. Last year, Donald Trump granted him an unconditional pardon after a breach of anti-money laundering laws linked to Delo’s crypto trading platform, BitMEX. Delo had pleaded guilty in 2022.
Labour and Liberal Democrats responded to Delo’s donation. A Labour Party spokesperson said Farage was “still up to his neck in scandal” and that the party could not “buy their way out of questions about sleaze, criminal mates and dodgy finances”. Liberal Democrat Cabinet Office spokeswoman Lisa Smart said Farage was trying to “bring Trump’s America to our shores by buying his way into power” and called for a cap on political donations.

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12 September 2026
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Pool Contractor Blames Installation Errors, Not Vandals

The contractor hired to renovate the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has blamed errors in the repair work for the failure of the pool’s new blue liner, according to a report reviewed by The New York Times.

Atlantic Industrial Coatings said that mistakes during installation led to sections of the liner peeling and blistering. It pointed to inadequate application of primer in some areas and said two materials used for the liner were not compatible, the documents reviewed by the newspaper showed.
Findings Cited On Liner Peeling
Atlantic Industrial Coatings said one of the materials became too hot for the layer beneath it during installation. The company said that overheating caused parts of the liner to bubble, then loosen.
The report described the problems as the result of an oversight during the repair rather than damage from outside forces.
Work Continues Under Warranty
Atlantic is now repairing the pool, which remains drained while the work is carried out. The company said the repairs are covered under warranty.
The liner failure and subsequent dispute emerged months after the Trump administration awarded Atlantic a $14.7 million no-bid contract to renovate the pool ahead of July 4 celebrations marking the country’s 250th anniversary.
Vandalism Claims Versus Installation Errors
The contractor’s account contrasts with claims made by President Donald Trump, who repeatedly blamed vandals for damage to the liner. Trump has said people used knives or other sharp objects to cut the liner.
Federal prosecutors initially brought vandalism charges against Olympic canoeist David Hearn and others accused of damaging the liner. The Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped the cases in July after documents showed the damage occurred during installation.
In acknowledging that some contractor error had played a role, Trump also maintained that vandalism had occurred.
Damage Found Elsewhere, Company Says
Atlantic Industrial Coatings did find cuts to caulking around the edge of the pool that the company attributed to vandalism, The Times reported. However, it said it did not connect those edge cuts to the peeling and blistering of the liner covering the bottom of the pool.
The contractor’s report therefore distinguishes between damage at the pool’s edge and the broader liner failure, which it attributes to problems with materials and workmanship during the renovation.

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12 September 2026
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Nebraska Republican Don Bacon Weighs 2028 White House Bid

Rep. Don Bacon said he is considering a bid for the White House in 2028 as he prepares to leave Congress next year.

The Nebraska Republican, who has previously floated interest in a presidential run, told an interview scheduled to be released in full on Saturday that he would “love” to seek the Republican nomination.
“I won’t lie. Yes, I would love to,” Bacon said on the “Our Republican Legacy” podcast. He added that he would also be open to serving as a running mate or in a supporting role if the ticket offered an alignment with his priorities. “But I would also be happy to be the right-hand man or left-hand man to someone else that has the same values.”
Leaving Congress And Keeping Options Open
Bacon is set to depart the House of Representatives in January after deciding not to seek re-election in Nebraska’s 2nd Congressional District, a seat he had held since 2017.
With his departure approaching, he said he wanted to remain involved in national politics, regardless of whether he is the leading candidate. He indicated that he is looking to join a wider team effort, arguing that the United States requires what he described as the “values” he believes should guide the country.
“I do definitely want to be on a team, whether I’m the lead or part of the team, fighting for these values for our country,” Bacon said. He added that he believes those values are needed and are still being sought by the electorate.
Christian Values And A Call For Decency
In discussing what he would want from the next Republican presidential nominee, Bacon said he expects a focus on decency and what he described as Christian principles.
Bacon said he wanted leadership that sets an example of decency and “humanity,” and that reflects Christian values found in the Gospels, including how people should conduct themselves.
His remarks framed the issue as one of character and conduct, rather than policy specifics, while signalling the kind of candidate he thinks could appeal to voters within his party.
Previous Interest In A White House Bid
Bacon indicated that his interest in a White House campaign has been present for some time. He said he would like to keep serving if an opening arises.
Shortly after announcing his retirement last year, Bacon told NBC News that if an opportunity presented itself and he believed he could make a meaningful contribution, he would consider it.
At the time, his comments suggested a willingness to return to politics at the national level if a race aligned with his goals.
Early Attention On 2028 Contenders
The exchange comes as early attention has begun to turn toward the 2028 Republican presidential field.
Vice President J.D. Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have been discussed as possible top contenders, according to wider speculation following the latest political developments.
Bacon has also been known to break with President Donald Trump at times, particularly on foreign policy and national security issues, despite belonging to the Republican Party.

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12 September 2026
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Poland Warns Russia Could Intensify Border Provocations

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said two incidents involving Ukraine’s border areas this week indicate Russia may step up provocative actions at crossing points with Europe.

Speaking in Bratislava, Slovakia, during a meeting of central European leaders and Ireland, Tusk said the first incident occurred on Tuesday night at the Starokozache crossing between Ukraine and Moldova, where he said Russian drones killed two people. He added that a separate threat to a Polish-Ukrainian crossing point on Wednesday night was averted through cooperation between Warsaw and Kyiv, though he gave no further specifics.
He also said he had not presented evidence linking Russia to the Wednesday incident, and did not provide additional details about either case.
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Poland Warns Russia Could Intensify Border Provocations
CIA Briefing Raises Fears for Coming Months
Tusk said he received a briefing on Thursday from CIA director Jim Ratcliffe, who had recently visited Moscow, about risks posed by Russia across the region in the months ahead.
According to Tusk, the pattern already includes provocative attacks at border points in Moldova. He said he expects similar actions involving crossings with Ukraine in other countries, including Poland, and that Poland and other European states should prepare for different scenarios on the eastern edge of the European Union.
Ukraine shares borders with Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Moldova, as well as Russia and Belarus.
Moldova’s Border Incidents Follow Drone And Strike Reports
Tusk’s warning comes as Moldova has faced repeated incidents near its southern border crossings with Ukraine in recent weeks.
On 20 August, an explosion in a parking lot on Ukrainian territory, about 150 metres from Moldova’s southern Giurgiulesti crossing, sparked a vegetation fire that spread to Moldovan land. The same day, Moldova’s border police reported finding a crater on Moldovan territory around one kilometre from the border, where they said debris from a drone type used by Russia in Ukraine was recovered.
The following day, Moldova temporarily closed its Mirnoe border after strikes hit areas in Ukraine near the crossing. On 25 August, Moldova suspended activities at its Vulcanesti border crossing after what it described as an Iranian-made Shahed drone struck the Ukrainian side. Moldova’s border police later urged citizens to remain calm and shelter if they heard drone noises or explosions.
After the Tuesday night incident at Starokozache, Moldova’s pro-Western president, Maia Sandu, condemned Russia, saying Moscow’s war was reaching Moldova’s border and that drones and missiles were bringing danger closer to the country.
Romania Reports Rising Drone Incursions, Zelenskyy Cites Damage
Tusk also referred to wider effects across the region. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said a border crossing with NATO-member Romania, in eastern Ukraine along the Danube River, had been deliberately damaged, along with export infrastructure. The report drew on Ukraine’s account that Moscow has repeatedly targeted river ports throughout the war.
Romania has said it has seen nearly a threefold increase in drone incursions so far this year compared with the entirety of 2025, and that it has found more than double the number of drones and drone debris on its territory.
US Intelligence Talks And Poland’s Base Plans
Tusk said his warnings build on months of warnings that Russia could carry out either a limited military action or a hybrid provocation against Poland or the Baltic states—Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania—in the near future.
He said the latest CIA briefing matched what he had been raising publicly. In late August, Ratcliffe visited Moscow and held talks with Russian intelligence officials, while Polish politicians said possible NATO-related risks could have been among the topics.
On Tuesday, Tomasz Siemoniak, the Polish minister overseeing intelligence services, met Ratcliffe at CIA headquarters in Virginia to discuss Poland’s security and cooperation with the United States.
Meanwhile, an American delegation, including William Cappelletti Jr. of the US Department of Defense and Thomas DiNanno of the Department of State was due to visit Poland on Thursday and Friday to examine potential locations for a permanent US military base there.
Poland has sought for years to host such a base as a guarantee of security amid rising concerns about Russia. Tusk said Poland’s high defence spending and large US arms purchases have persuaded the Trump administration to consider a permanent presence in Poland even as it reorganises and reduces its broader military footprint in Europe.
META: Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk says recent border incidents and a CIA briefing point to a risk of Russia increasing provocations at European crossing points linked to Ukraine.

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12 September 2026
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Trump Holds Back Direct Strikes on Houthis

The Trump administration has told Saudi Arabia it will provide major intelligence and targeting support but is not planning at present to carry out direct military strikes against the Houthis, two US officials told ABC News.

The officials said the position could shift if the risk to Red Sea shipping lanes escalates further. They added that the administration is continuing to monitor developments in Yemen closely, where fighting continues despite recent gains by the Houthis.
Intelligence and Targeting backing
One US official said the administration is offering “significant” intelligence and targeting assistance as part of its support for Saudi Arabia. The officials said the approach is aimed at reinforcing Saudi capabilities rather than launching immediate US attacks.
They cautioned that White House thinking could change quickly, particularly if Houthis expand actions that threaten the passage of vessels through the Red Sea area.
Visits and White House calls
As part of the support for Riyadh, the commander of US Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, travelled to Saudi Arabia for meetings on Thursday, one of the officials said. Central Command did not respond to requests for comment.
The Crown Prince, Mohammad bin Salman, spoke with President Donald Trump about the situation twice on Thursday, according to one of the officials. The official said the Saudi leadership was seeking US military intervention but did not suggest it was absolutely necessary.
A senior Trump administration official said in response that the US was focused on protecting its core national security interests, including freedom of navigation in the Red Sea, while enabling regional partners to take the lead in dealing with regional security challenges. The official said the administration is in continuous dialogue with Saudi Arabia and the Republic of Yemen government regarding regional stability.
Yemen, escalation risks and US monitoring
Another official said Saudi authorities had communicated in recent days a willingness to conduct a major operation against the Houthis even if it means acting without US backing, but that Riyadh had not yet made a final decision.
Both officials said earlier assessments on Friday indicated the Houthis had taken control of Yemen’s west coast. They said, however, that Yemeni government forces and aligned militias were still fighting back, leaving open the possibility that the situation could change rapidly without outside intervention.
Analysts cited by the officials said the Houthis and their Iranian backers know that attempts to restrict traffic in the Strait of Bab al-Mandeb would likely lead to a stronger response from Saudi Arabia, the US and potentially other countries. The Houthis have issued statements saying the strait remains open to commercial traffic, but analysts said attacks on Saudi-linked ships have increased the risk level for vessels.

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12 September 2026
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Saudi Arabia Shuts Key Oil Pipeline After Drone Strikes

Saudi Arabia shut down a key oil pipeline system on Thursday after strikes hit pumping stations, according to two US officials and the kingdom’s Ministry of Energy.

The ministry said in a statement posted on Friday that the pipeline had been attacked and that it was “shut down as a precautionary measure”. It said an early assessment found that pump stations located next to the pipeline were struck.

Satellite imagery taken on Friday appeared to show extensive fire damage at one pumping station, while an image of another station taken on Thursday showed a small fire with plumes of thick black smoke, the US officials said.

A spokesperson for the Saudi Foreign Affairs Ministry later said the attack targeted the East-West Pipeline in the Riyadh and Madinah regions. In its statement, the ministry said the drones came from Iraq, and that the strikes resulted in injuries and some damage being addressed.
Pipeline Shutdown And Damage
The Saudi energy ministry said the pipeline was subjected to multiple attacks on Thursday and that they caused injuries. It added that teams were securing the system and assessing safety.
One of the US officials said it was not immediately clear whether drones or other projectiles damaged sections of the pipeline itself. The same official said the system was hit by drones originating from Iraq.
It was also unclear how long repairs would take, according to sources familiar with the assessment.
Saudi Response And Diplomatic Stance
The Foreign Affairs Ministry said it condemned the “attack on the East-West Pipeline” by several drones coming from Iraq. It said the kingdom chose not to respond at that stage, after receiving a request from the Iraqi prime minister for Iraq to take measures to prevent attacks launched from its territory against Saudi Arabia and other neighbouring countries, in support of Iraq’s efforts.
The US officials said American authorities were working to collect intelligence on the incident.
Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state oil company, did not respond to a request for comment, while the State Department and the White House did not immediately respond. US Central Command declined to comment.
Regional Context And Oil Routes
The strikes come as Middle East tensions continue. The pipeline attack was described as occurring while Iran War-related risks rise for the kingdom’s oil assets and export routes.
The report also noted that the attacks on the pipeline followed days after an Iranian-aligned militia seized a strategic port city on the Red Sea in Yemen, which could affect energy shipping in the region.
Satellites detected nine large fires burning close to the East-West pipeline on Thursday. At least six of the fire locations appeared to match flare pits, which are used to burn off oil and gas in an emergency, according to the account cited in the reporting.
Several analysts and officials cited in the report have pointed to the importance of the pipeline route to Saudi exports. Since the outbreak of the US-Iran conflict, Saudi Arabia has rerouted about 5 million barrels of oil per day that would otherwise have been waiting for tankers in the Persian Gulf. The rerouted supply has instead travelled through the East-West pipeline to the port of Yanbu on the Red Sea, as Iran curtailed shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.
With Houthi fighters stating they would target Saudi ships passing through Bab al-Mandeb into the Red Sea, the Red Sea outlet for Saudi exports was also described as facing risk.
Oil Prices And Production Data
Oil prices surged above $100 a barrel during the week, moving sharply in response to developments in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia also reported to OPEC that its crude oil production fell sharply last month to its lowest level since 1990, according to the report.

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12 September 2026
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GOP Looks Beyond Trump As 2028 Succession Looms

Republicans gathered in Dallas this week to boost their midterm hopes, banking on an unusually dominant national convention experience led by President Donald Trump to energise voters before November.

Supporters had marketed the two-day meeting at the American Airlines Center as a “Trump-a-palooza” event. But behind the cheers, some attendees left with concerns about the party’s prospects for 2026 and with questions about what the Republican agenda may look like once Trump steps away from the presidency.
Trump Takes Centre Stage In Midterm Push
The gathering was organised as the first midterm convention ever held by the party. It borrowed the feel of a presidential-year showpiece, despite being shorter than the traditional four-day events, with signs handed out to delegates and a balloon drop at the end as live music played.
During the week, Republican House and Senate candidates publicly praised Trump in speeches, while supporters wore red “MAGA” hats associated with his movement. For the president, the immediate political message was tied to November, even as succession talk hovered over the proceedings.
In his speech on Wednesday, Trump pledged to make a payment of $5,000 to all American adults if Republicans keep control of Congress.
Battle Over Message And Timing
Not all activists agreed with the strategy of holding a campaign convention featuring a president who has record-low approval ratings, especially amid frustration among voters about the economy and the war with Iran.
Jeff Ryer, chair of the Virginia Republican Party, told the BBC that the event could help test the campaign message in front of a large audience. Others argued Trump’s nearly two-hour address was unlikely to move undecided voters deciding whether to keep Republicans in power in Congress.
Polls indicate Democrats have a strong chance of retaking the House, while control of the Senate is also in play, although Republicans view it as more uncertain. One Republican operative, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Trump’s long speech would not alter voters’ calculations and added that Trump’s appeal to supporters to “pretend” he was on the ballot would not land.
Successor Talk Shifts To 2028
Vice-President JD Vance, widely seen as a leading contender to succeed Trump, used his keynote address on Thursday to outline the party’s focus. “We’ve got to take care of business this November,” he told the crowd, adding, “Then we’ll worry about what comes next.”
At one point, chants of “48” broke out, referencing Trump’s successor, who would become the 48th US president if elected in 2028. Vance allowed the chant briefly before dismissing it.
Even as he urged voters to concentrate on the election, many delegates appeared ready to look beyond November. Aiden Buzzetti, president of the pro-Trump Bull Moose Project, said he was concerned about the next 10, 15 and 20 years, while also crediting Trump with reshaping Republican politics. Buzzetti, who is 26, said he was looking forward to a “new generation of conservative leaders”.
In BBC interviews, attendees most often named Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio as top contenders. Sandy Money, a Republican from Arizona, said she backed Vance but would prefer Rubio if he ran in 2028. Rubio was not among the small number of cabinet officials present in Dallas because he was on a diplomatic trip to Ecuador.
Vance said the Trump administration delivered a “great record of achievement”, citing improving the economy, strengthening border security and lowering the cost of prescription drugs. He contrasted that with a Democratic Party he said has shifted sharply to the left and become the “party of crazy”, while also appealing directly to undecided voters.
Trump returned to the stage after Vance to close out the convention on Thursday, focusing on turnout. “You know what happens if you don’t vote?” he asked. “You go to hell.”

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12 September 2026
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Modi Hosts Putin And Xi As Brics Weighs Trump

Leaders from 11 Brics nations meet in Delhi this weekend for talks expected to span economics, development finance and wider geopolitical questions. The summit’s agenda, however, will be heavily shaped by the policies of US President Donald Trump, despite the United States not being a member of the bloc.

India, the host, is joined by China, Russia, Brazil, South Africa and other participants, including the United Arab Emirates and Iran. Saudi Arabia is attending as an invited member. The grouping’s expanded membership increases the range of views around the table, but also makes agreement on a common line more difficult.
Trump Policies Set The Tone
Central to the summit’s backdrop is the impact of US policy on global markets. The war in Iran and concerns over the reach of White House tariff plans have unsettled energy markets and left economies uncertain about the future.
Analysts say Brics is unlikely to issue a statement that directly confronts Washington or sets out a coordinated strategy aimed at countering Trump’s approach to geopolitics and trade. Instead, any references to the United States are expected to be cautious.
Michael Kugelman, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, said India would struggle to back a joint statement that openly targets Washington. He expected criticism, if it appeared at all, to be general rather than explicit, reflecting sharply differing interests within Brics.
Divisions Over Challenging Washington
The bloc is split over how far it should go in challenging the US. Russia and Iran may favour a firmer stance, but internal realities are likely to limit what Brics can agree.
India, which is reported to be in the final stages of a trade deal with the US, is said to be reluctant to risk upsetting the White House. China, too, may avoid wording that could be seen as turning Brics into a vehicle for a direct campaign against Washington.
The UAE faces a further constraint. It has been targeted during Tehran’s retaliatory actions linked to strikes involving the US and Israel, and it hosts US military bases. Those factors are expected to weigh against a statement that might be read as supporting Iran’s position.
Brics has also become more prominent as it expanded, with Kugelman noting that larger membership has made consensus harder because countries now include more states that do not share the same views on the global order.
De-Dollarisation And Tariff Threats
Trump has been outspoken about Brics and has warned against moves seen as reducing reliance on the US dollar, sometimes described as de-dollarisation. In November 2024, Trump said Brics countries would face “100% tariffs” if they supported another currency to replace the dollar’s role in global trade.
Against that backdrop, leaders are expected to focus on what they can deliver without provoking open confrontation. Brics’ economic and demographic weight has grown over the past decade, and it now accounts for 49% of the world’s population, 40% of global GDP and 26% of international trade, according to BBC Monitoring analysis.
One of the bloc’s most tangible achievements remains the New Development Bank, which has approved billions of dollars for infrastructure and development projects, including in countries in the global south. Brics has also created a $100bn contingency reserve arrangement to help members facing financial crises, though it has not yet been tested.
Leaders are also expected to discuss steps to make cross-border payments in local currencies easier, an area of particular interest to Moscow and Tehran, both of which face US sanctions.
Developing-Nation Agenda And Summit Test
Brics is likely to continue presenting itself as a platform for developing countries, with collective calls for reform to institutions such as the United Nations, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.
For India, the summit is seen as an opportunity to strengthen its claim to leadership among global-south countries. Delhi’s priorities—multilateralism, a more multipolar world, more representation for developing nations and freer global trade—overlap with Brics’ stated direction. But India’s challenge is also how to navigate China’s influence within the grouping and its stronger presence across much of Africa and Latin America, Kugelman said.
The host’s diplomatic success will often be judged by whether Brics can reach a consensus statement. Differences over the Iran war have already hampered cooperation, and in May Brics foreign ministers failed to agree on a joint statement, prompting India to issue a chair’s summary instead.
Delhi is also expected to seek substantive outcomes beyond messaging, including highlighting progress already made by Brics. Leaders are likely to explore ways to deepen financial cooperation and may issue announcements on that front, alongside careful language on major geopolitical developments, including the US.
Bilateral Meetings In Delhi
The summit will also be the setting for key bilateral meetings. Chinese President Xi Jinping is due to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, with both sides seeking to rebuild ties after slower-than-expected progress.
Modi is also scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin, with the war in Ukraine likely to feature prominently. Modi recently made a public appeal for peace when he met Putin on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Bishkek, and Russia said it welcomed the message.
India’s trade deficits with Russia and China are also expected to come up in the bilateral talks.
For Brics, leaders are aiming for a successful summit that further strengthens the bloc’s influence. For India, organisers and analysts say the event is also a chance to reassert its international role at a time when Delhi is seeking greater sway abroad.

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12 September 2026
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Trump, Hegseth Link Iran War To 9/11 Legacy

Donald Trump and his defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, used remarks at the Pentagon during the 25th anniversary memorial for the 9/11 attacks to argue that the US-Israel war against Iran is connected to the legacy of the worst terrorist incident in American history.

While ceremonies on September 11 typically focus on those killed in 2001, the president and Mr Hegseth instead pointed to the war launched more than six months ago, which has no stated end date.
Pentagon Remarks
Speaking at the Pentagon, which was hit by a hijacked airliner on 9/11 and where 64 people died on the aircraft and 125 in the building, Mr Trump said the United States remained engaged in the conflict started after the attacks.
He said the country “salute[s] every member of the United States military who served in the ‘war on terror’”, and added that troops currently deployed were helping ensure Iran, which he described as the Islamic Republic, could not obtain a nuclear weapon.
Mr Trump also faced criticism for staying in Washington rather than travelling to New York for the main memorial at Ground Zero, where the World Trade Center was destroyed. His vice-president, JD Vance, attended the ceremony.
Campaign Framed As Oath
Closing his speech, Mr Trump sought to link his administration’s Iran campaign with the commemorations for the 9/11 victims.
“Today we renew the sacred oath that we first swore in their names a quarter of a century ago. We will never, ever forget,” he said, before adding: “That’s why we fight today. We don’t have a choice. There can only be victory. We fight hard. We fight to win.”
He presented the Iran war as a continuation of obligations he said were set out at the time of the 9/11 attacks, describing the campaign as a requirement rather than a political decision.
Hegseth Warns On Iran And Home Threats
Earlier, Mr Hegseth delivered a more forceful address at the memorial, portraying the Iran war as part of a long-running struggle against what he characterised as an “Islamic theocracy” that, he said, had tried to harm the United States for nearly half a century.
He claimed Iran’s military defences “are gone”, although the article notes that there is evidence suggesting the opposite. Mr Hegseth said US forces would keep striking, adding: “we’re still sending terrorists where they belong”, and said the US also aimed to target shipping and disrupt Iran’s support networks.
“The economic pressure tightens every day,” he said, presenting sanctions and other measures as part of the ongoing campaign.
Mr Hegseth also warned that threats were not limited overseas, telling the audience that “enemies plot to curb our power and kill our citizens”, including through Islamic terrorists both abroad and inside the United States. He credited Mr Trump with dismantling Iran’s military capabilities and called for a new generation of “strong, brave warriors”, saying they would respond decisively when required, using the phrase: “send me”.
Widow Urges Accountability For Saudi Role
At a separate memorial in New York City, Terry Strada, the widow of a victim of the attacks, appealed to the Trump administration to hold Saudi Arabia accountable for what she said was alleged support for the terrorists responsible for 9/11.
“It has been one betrayal after another. President Trump can still change that,” she said. “Tell the Saudis to stop lying. Tell them that if they want to be friends with the USA, they cannot continue to deny all of this – all of the pain, all of the destruction that we have all been suffering through.”

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12 September 2026
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Anthropic Blocks AI Use That Could Aid Bioweapons

Artificial intelligence company Anthropic said it has blocked multiple attempts to use its technology in ways that could support the development of biological weapons, according to a report it published.

The company behind the Claude assistant said it disrupted dozens of instances of potentially malicious use of its AI models from December 2025 onwards. Anthropic said some of the examples involved what it described as “biological misuse”.
The report sets out five case studies in which Anthropic’s models were used in ways the company said “could support biological weapons development”. It said it took action such as banning accounts linked to the cases, while adding that it could not establish the users’ intentions.
Blocking Suspected Misuse
Anthropic said it identified and disrupted activity it judged as high risk. The company did not provide details on how many accounts it banned in total, but said the cases involved different forms of engagement with its models.
Across the case studies, Anthropic characterised the potential harm as lying in how information generated through the system could be used to assist biological research linked to weapons development.
Case Studies Involving Biological Research
In one example, Anthropic said a researcher outside the United States accessed Claude from a region where the assistant is not supported. The company said the person used the model while working on highly pathogenic avian influenza, also known as bird flu.
Anthropic said the research focused in part on how the virus adapts to mammals. It said the topic was dual-use, explaining that knowledge about viral adaptation could help scientists detect naturally emerging variants with pandemic potential, but could also produce information that might be used to make a virus more dangerous.
In the other case studies, Anthropic described additional uses it said could support biological weapons development, based on the way the model’s outputs were being sought and applied.
Limits On Determining Intent
Anthropic said it banned accounts associated with the reported cases. The company stressed that it could not determine whether the researchers intended to cause harm.
“We do not assert that they intended harm,” the company said in its report.
The latest publication follows earlier efforts by Anthropic to outline risks. The company said it has previously issued three threat assessments describing malicious uses of AI.
Reaction After Coxon Warnings
The new report was released days after former Anthropic and OpenAI researcher Jacob Coxon spoke publicly about risks from more capable AI systems.
Coxon told CNN that, if capabilities expand, the systems could cause “extreme havoc”, including through hacking critical infrastructure and supporting the creation of “extinction-level bioweapons”.
His comments come as lawmakers in Washington have increasingly urged stronger government oversight and new safety rules for AI development.

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11 September 2026
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Assisted Dying Bill Faces Fresh Commons Vote

MPs in England and Wales are set to hold a vote on Friday on a bill that would legalise assisted dying, as the measure seeks to pass through the Commons again after stalling in the House of Lords earlier this year.

The proposal would allow adults who have been assessed as having fewer than six months to live to apply for help to end their own life, subject to safeguards.
Key Safeguards And Criticisms
Labour MP Lauren Edwards, who is sponsoring the bill, said there is a “real human cost” to delaying changes to the law.
Under the bill, a person would need approval from two doctors and an expert panel before assisted dying could be authorised. Edwards said the legislation is ready to be scrutinised and improved further through the legislative process.
Opponents, however, argue that the bill does not include enough protections, particularly for vulnerable people. Labour MP Ashley Dalton said the bill “remains deeply flawed and unsafe”, warning that people could be pressured into requesting an assisted death.
Veteran broadcaster Dame Esther Rantzen, a high-profile campaigner, urged MPs to back the bill, describing her terminal cancer diagnosis as “unbearable”. She said she had planned to travel to an assisted suicide clinic in Switzerland but was unable to do so because she was “too frail”, adding that events had turned out differently from what she wanted.
Some medical organisations have also raised concerns, including the Royal College of Psychiatrists and the Royal College of Physicians, which said they have worries about the guardrails in the bill. Others, including hospice and end-of-life care charities, have said the case for assisted dying should be considered alongside access to quality care, arguing that palliative support is too inconsistent and that the sector lacks funding.
Hospice UK chief executive Toby Porter said choice at the end of life should mean access to good palliative care, warning that too many people are denied it.
House Of Lords Route
The bill’s last attempt at legal change cleared the House of Commons but stalled in the Lords. Earlier this year, peers tabled more than 1,200 amendments, leaving the legislation unfinished.
Edwards said she wants MPs to send an identical law “back to the House of Lords so that they can finish what they started”. She argued that the Lords plays an “important role in scrutinising, refining and often improving legislation”, and said the chamber should be able to amend the bill and return it for a final decision in the Commons.
If an identical bill passes the Commons, peers could still suggest changes but would not be able to halt its progress. Edwards said this would follow the approach under the Parliament Acts, where the Lords cannot block an identical bill from being passed a second time through two successive parliamentary sessions.
A letter to MPs about the risks of the Parliament Acts procedure has been co-signed by Labour MPs Gareth Snell and Dame Meg Hillier, a prominent opponent of assisted dying. They warned MPs may be facing a “this or nothing” ultimatum on Friday.
Debate Timing And Next Steps
Friday’s second reading debate will focus on the main principles of the bill, with MPs required to begin voting before 14:30 BST. A vote in favour at this stage would clear the bill’s first major hurdle, but support could still change later. Backers note that the third reading could determine whether the bill ultimately progresses.
If MPs vote against the bill on Friday, it will fall. Supporters have said they would make another attempt to pass similar legislation as soon as possible.
The outcome is expected to be close, with the result potentially depending on how many MPs attend on a day when they would normally expect to be in their constituencies.
During the last parliamentary session, the bill was brought forward by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater and cleared the Commons on 20 June 2025 with a majority of 23, before support weakened and it stalled in the Lords.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham said he would not vote on Friday’s bill, describing it as “a matter for Parliament to decide” and saying the government would remain neutral.

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11 September 2026
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Sweden Confirms 458 Britons Deported Since Brexit

Sweden has confirmed that 458 British citizens have been deported or forcibly removed by police since the UK left the EU.

The figure, made public for the first time, relates to people who did not secure residency in Sweden after Brexit. It has been published as criticism grows over the way British nationals have been treated, with rights groups and activists pointing to cases involving long-term residents and vulnerable people.
Deportations Made Public For The First Time
Sweden’s Migration Agency, known as Migrationsverket, told the Guardian that the number of deportation decisions linked to residence refusals since Brexit totals 458.
In comments to Sverige Radio, Susanna Fonsell, a unit manager and legal expert at the Swedish Migration Agency, said a rejection of an application does not automatically lead to deportation. She added that agency statistics show deportation decisions following a refusal of residence status in only “approximately 400 cases”.
Critics say the headline number does not make clear which situations it covers. David Milstead, who leads the 9,000-strong activist group Brits in Sweden, said full figures and clearer context were needed.
He asked whether the 458 includes people who left after concluding their withdrawal agreement application was unlikely to succeed, or those refused withdrawal agreement status but later obtained permission under Swedish national rules before being ordered to leave.
Milstead also said the figure does not cover British citizens who were still allowed to remain in Sweden on temporary permits, with uncertain long-term prospects.
Deportations Continue In Ongoing Cases
Multiple individual cases described in reporting show removals are continuing. This week, a British woman said her husband, a former business director from Cambridge, was detained in Stockholm on Tuesday ahead of a forced removal. She said they have been trying to overturn the migration authorities’ decision for five years.
Earlier, the Guardian reported that John Sellers, a 34-year-old British man who has lived in Sweden since the age of 10, was deported from Gothenburg, separating him from his wife, Caroline. Another case involves Joyce Thomas, a 78-year-old British widow, who has been told to leave Sweden before next Wednesday. Friends of Thomas said they were seeking an injunction and had appealed to the European Commission.
They also said Sweden’s court of appeal had indicated she could face a re-entry ban and be placed on a watchlist preventing entry to a Schengen country, including Sweden, while the ban remains in effect.
The Swedish Migration Agency told the Guardian it had no indication that it interpreted the withdrawal agreement in an extreme way or differently from other member states. It said it applied the applicable law and that rejection decisions could be appealed.
Numbers For Applications, Refusals And Late Requests
Figures cited from Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office analysis show that, according to the latest available data, there were 14,233 applications for post-Brexit residence, including family members joining British citizens after the deadline up to 2024. Just under 4,000 were rejected. The refusal rate, the FCDO said, was about three times higher than in any other member state and higher than an EU average estimated at between 3% and 4%.
Late applications are allowed under the Brexit withdrawal agreement in both the UK and the EU, but applicants must demonstrate “reasonable grounds” for missing the deadline. The FCDO said that, in practice, late applicants in Sweden are not likely to have their reasonable grounds accepted.
Government Says Rules Followed, Opposition Pushes Changes
Sweden’s migration minister, Johan Forssell, said the government had followed the rules while indicating it was willing to review the issue. He said the relationship with the UK was important and that the government was investigating whether further measures could facilitate the process in future.
A UK government spokesperson said the FCDO continued to raise the matter with Swedish authorities and welcomed Sweden’s statement that it would look at the issue. The spokesperson said the UK was ready to support the review.
Niels Paarup-Petersen, the migration spokesperson for Sweden’s opposition Centre party, said the government should do more. He pledged to introduce new laws if his party wins the next general election to allow British nationals to reapply for post-Brexit residence, arguing that “a touch of humanity” was needed.

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11 September 2026
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Trump’s $5,000 Dividend Plan Faces GOP Backlash

President Trump’s pledge to give every US adult $5,000 if Republicans win the midterm elections is facing blowback from politicians across the spectrum, with allies also having to explain how the plan would work.

The proposal has drawn criticism from fiscal conservatives inside the Republican Party as well as Democrats, who have questioned whether the payment amounts to a form of political bribery. Some supporters have defended it as a push to put more money in people’s pockets, though debate has centred on affordability and how any bill would be funded.
Promise Draws Pushback
Republican lawmakers raised concerns over the government’s ability to pay for the dividend for the country’s estimated 270 million adults. Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the House Freedom Caucus, argued that the scale of the payment was unrealistic and criticised what he described as the broader impact of fostering dependency.
Former Rep. Bob Good, who previously chaired the House Freedom Caucus, said Trump’s proposal was intended to buy votes rather than deliver lasting economic benefit.
RELATED
Trump Offers Every American $5,000 for Republican Victory
The backlash also extended to Trump critics within his own party. Former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene attacked the plan as a cash offer linked to voting Republican, while arguing that other proposed funding mechanisms were tied to the election outcome.
Cost And Previous Proposals
It remains unclear how Trump would implement the payment at the proposed scale. Based on the adult population figure cited, the total cost would be about $1.35tn.
The latest dividend offer is not Trump’s first attempt at similar ideas. He has previously floated a $2,000 dividend funded through tariffs and also suggested a $5,000 payment connected to a Department of Government Efficiency, though neither proposal has been carried out.
Marc Short, who served as Trump’s legislative director during his first administration, said the pledge reflected a departure from fiscal responsibility and conservative economic principles. Short, who now chairs a think tank founded by former Vice President Mike Pence, said Trump often introduces ideas as part of a wider political performance.
Tariff Funding Debate
When asked about the proposal on Fox News, Vice President Vance defended it as a dividend for American workers, saying it would be financed using tariff revenue. He argued the US is taking in more revenue by confronting foreign companies and governments that, in his view, have exploited American workers.
Short rejected that framing, arguing that the policy represents redistribution rather than a net gain from new economic activity.
Other supporters have pointed to the election as the key test for the plan. Sen. Bernie Moreno, an Ohio Republican, said he would prepare legislation so that a “Trump Dividend” measure could be enacted immediately after the midterms.
Supporters And Doubts From Both Sides
Not all reactions have been negative. Andrew Yang, a former Democratic presidential candidate who previously proposed giving each adult $1,000 per month, said he had long supported dividend-style payments to the public.
A Republican operative, speaking to The Hill, said Trump’s announcement was surprising but argued that the right faces scrutiny for government handouts more often than it does for similar proposals promoted by Democrats. The operative said the dividend concept is meant to put money into the US economy and into Americans’ households, rather than to fund what they described as political wish lists.

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11 September 2026
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Switzerland Releases File On Nazi Doctor Josef Mengele

Swiss federal intelligence has published a 200-page dossier on Nazi war criminal Josef Mengele, the German doctor known for conducting experiments on prisoners at Auschwitz.

The Swiss authorities released the file on Thursday, saying it was compiled by a predecessor unit to today’s federal intelligence services and later transferred to the Federal Archives in 2001. The dossier has been requested for years by historians seeking to determine whether Mengele spent time in Switzerland while evading investigators after the Second World War.
Mengele’s Auschwitz Role
During the war, Mengele served at the Auschwitz extermination camp in Nazi-occupied Poland. The camp led to the deaths of about 1.1 million people, including roughly one million Jews.
Mengele became notorious for medical experiments carried out on inmates, including children, which were conducted under the pretext of scientific research.
Postwar Escape And International Pursuit
After the war, Mengele obtained a Red Cross travel document using a false identity, which helped him leave Europe. He then went into hiding in Latin America as he was pursued internationally for his crimes. He died in 1979 after drowning while swimming off the coast of Brazil.
Documents released by Swiss authorities include material provided to police suggesting that Mengele may have returned to Switzerland after initially fleeing Germany, or that he may have been preparing to enter the country under another assumed name, according to German news agency dpa.
File Opened After Legal Challenge
Swiss authorities had previously said the documents should remain sealed until 2071, citing security reasons and the need to protect people named in the material. They also argued that releasing the full content could affect the safety of individuals mentioned in the records.
A historian, Gérard Wettstein, challenged the restrictions and won access to the file through proceedings before the Federal Administrative Court. After that ruling, sections of the dossier were made available online, with some parts redacted to protect sources and third parties’ personal data, the authorities said.
The dossier itself was assembled by the police service of Switzerland’s federal prosecutor’s office, described as a predecessor of the federal intelligence services. It was later passed to the Federal Archives in 2001, where it was kept under the secrecy framework that kept it closed for decades.

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11 September 2026
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