September 2026
All columns and Brief analyses.
10 results
More than 50 arrested at Liverpool protest against Palestine Action ban
Protesters gathered near Labour’s conference in Liverpool to demand that the British government lift its ban on Palestine Action. Merseyside Police later reported more than 50 arrests on suspicion of displaying material supporting a proscribed organisation. The Independent had documented the first two arrests earlier in the same demonstration. The figures mark different moments of the police response, as the dispute over the ban reached the conference.
NaiveAI releases open weights for Naive-N0.5-Flash
NaiveAI released downloadable weights and inference code for Naive-N0.5-Flash on September 27 under an MIT license. The large model can be run on suitable local hardware, while a hosted API remains a later promise. CellCog independently confirms the release but its benchmark discussion relies on NaiveAI’s figures, so comparative performance remains unverified.
Northern Star rejects Gold Fields’ share-heavy takeover proposal
Northern Star rejected a conditional, nonbinding takeover approach from Gold Fields. The initial A$38.7 billion valuation relied heavily on Gold Fields shares, whose decline reduced the offer’s implied value. Northern Star’s board argues that the proposal undervalues its mines and would expose its shareholders to a different set of risks. No merger agreement was signed, and the proposal has not become a completed transaction.
Nor’easter floods US Northeast coastal towns again on Sunday
A slow-moving nor’easter brought renewed rain and tidal flooding to coastal communities in the US Northeast on Sunday, September 27. Coastal communities experienced another round of flooding. The National Weather Service said the low-pressure center reached the New Jersey coast that day and was weakening, while further heavy rain remained possible in parts of southern New England and the northern Mid-Atlantic. A Saturday death is earlier context, not Sunday’s new development.
NVIDIA’s remaining buyback authority rises to $235 billion
NVIDIA’s board added $150 billion to its existing share repurchase authority, lifting the amount still available to $235 billion. The company expects to carry out the program through fiscal 2028. Authorization does not mean those shares have already been purchased: the volume and timing of actual buybacks depend on later decisions. The move expands capacity for shareholder returns while NVIDIA continues investing in AI.
Older adults favor teacher-led AI lessons despite privacy worries
A poll involving 532 adults between 60 and 74 found strong interest in learning AI, with 55.8 percent choosing teacher-led lessons at a welfare or community center. Concern about personal information remained high: 62.9 percent worried about leaks. The findings describe expectations and preferred learning settings, rather than the reliability of any AI product.
OpenAI expands support for AI engineers in local newsrooms
OpenAI has committed new support to the Lenfest Institute’s program placing full-time AI engineers inside local news organizations. The program began at 11 US outlets; its next phase will admit more organizations and share tools developed by participants. Earlier projects included archive search and lead monitoring. The expansion matters for whether smaller newsrooms can maintain and adapt those tools with their own staff.
OpenShell enforces AI agent permissions outside the running task
NVIDIA announced OpenShell 0.1.0, an open-source runtime that limits an AI agent’s access to files, processes, networks and credentials while it works. A control outside the agent can allow reads but block writes to the same service. The software is available on GitHub as part of a wider safety platform. No independent results establish how it performs against real attacks.
Rachel strengthens as Mexico puts southwest coast under storm watch
Tropical Depression 18-E strengthened into Tropical Storm Rachel south of Mexico on September 27. Mexico then issued a tropical storm watch from Punta San Telmo to Playa Pérula. The watch means storm conditions are possible within 48 hours; it does not report or forecast landfall. The US National Hurricane Center expects the core to remain offshore while warning that swells could bring dangerous surf and rip currents to parts of the coast.
Rome court gives three Egyptian officials ten years each over Regeni abduction
A Rome court sentenced three Egyptian security officials to ten years each for the 2016 abduction of researcher Giulio Regeni in Cairo. A fourth defendant was acquitted. No murder conviction followed. The ruling in the trial held in absentia resolves part of a case that has strained relations between Italy and Egypt for years; it does not mean the convicted men are in Italian custody.