‘Cost of housing’ crunch looms for low-income families, warns Resolution Foundation 19. September 2026 (07:00) Thinktank calls on chancellor to end housing allowance freeze with typical two-bedroom household facing £158 week shortfall amid rent risesMore than 1.1 million low-income families in rented homes face a “cost of housing” crunch without action from John Healey in next month’s budget, the Resolution Foundation thinktank has warned.Local housing allowance (LHA) has been frozen in cash terms since autumn 2024. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
From ovations in Venice to death threats in Israel: the extreme responses to NAZA documentary 19. September 2026 (07:00) As Gaza documentary wins cinematic acclaim, its directors face vitriol in Israel amid a febrile election campaignFirst there was a moment of stunned silence. Then, in the Sala Grande, the main screening hall of the Venice film festival within the Palazzo del Cinema, the audience stood almost as one and turned to applaud the film-makers for 25 minutes.The film the audience had watched for 80 harrowing minutes was the Gaza documentary NAZA, which has been produced by the Guardian. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
‘My fear was too great’: the Pussy Riot member recruited by Russian spies to inform on fellow activists 19. September 2026 (06:00) Exclusive: In her first media interview since fleeing Russia, Rita Flores describes her three years of being run by the FSBFirst came the blackmail and death threats to secure cooperation, then came a series of tasks, each more sinister than the last: to inform on fellow activists, to elicit personal information from protest-minded artists and – eventually – to help with a plot to kidnap and murder a Kremlin enemy.That is how Rita Flores, a 29-year-old Russian artist, activist and former member of the Pussy Riot collective, described her recruitment and three-year handling by officers from Russia’s FSB security service, a cooperation she only broke when she fled the country last month. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Thousands protest closure of the Kennedy Center amid fears Trump is set to demolish the institution 19. September 2026 (05:33) Demonstrators gathered outside the building in Washington, after the president was spotted holding a placard that read: ‘Kennedy Center DEMOLIS ...’On Friday evening thousands of protesters gathered outside the Kennedy Center in view of the marble facade that remained concealed by scaffolding and tarpaulins, to protest Donald Trump’s plans for the facility and express alarm that he might make good on his threat to tear down the institution.Crowding streets in the Foggy Bottom area of Washington and locking down traffic as they walked, many carried signs, as they joined in the “Hands Around the Kennedy Center” protest. Some wore costumes and booed when the president was mentioned during the program. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
New Scottish Labour leader to be announced 19. September 2026 (03:45) MSPs Joe Fagan and Michael Marra are both vying to succeed Anas Sarwar, who quit Holyrood to join Andy Burnham’s government.(London News)
More than 35 woman come forward in case against fake 49ers player accused of fraud 19. September 2026 (03:37) The FBI says Daejon Love and his alleged accomplice, Taylor Chan, defrauded women they met on dating apps out of $1.3mAt least 35 additional women have come forward with fraud allegations against Daejon Love, the man accused last month of masquerading as a San Francisco 49ers player and wealthy investor, the FBI announced on Friday. Federal authorities had previously said Love conned more than two dozen women, many of whom he met on dating apps, out of $1.3m.Love, 35, and alleged accomplice Taylor Chan, 18, who posed as his financial adviser, were arrested in August and have been charged with wire fraud. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Google says its Gemini AI model hacked three other companies 19. September 2026 (02:53) Disclosure comes after OpenAI and Anthropic hacks amid fears that tech firms unable to control powerful AI models In a first for Google, the company confirmed that its AI model, Gemini, breached the security of three other companies in May. The hacks occurred during a cybersecurity evaluation by AI-security firm Irregular.Irregular, an Israel-based startup that scrutinizes the security of advanced AI systems, was also at the center of some of the recent OpenAI and Anthropic hacks of third-party entities, including OpenAI’s breach of AI software company, Hugging Face. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
