NEWS - SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2026 - NEWS
Journalists, human rights advocates and dissidents who were persecuted in Nicaragua and sought safety in the U.S. are increasingly being targeted for deportation. LA Times
VOA VIEW: They should go back.
“We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry. Rather, we will cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows!" Trump wrote. New York Post
Google's Gemini AI model hacked into three companies during security tests in May, using guessed passwords and exposed credentials to gain access. New York Post
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President Trump has harnessed agencies across the government to curtail press freedoms, a sweeping campaign that free speech advocates say will have lasting effects. New York Times
Gov. Gavin Newsom of California signed legislation that would make it illegal to interfere with ballots or election records in response to efforts by the president to restrict voting. New York Times
VOA VIEW: It can't stick.
A third-party test company inadvertently gave internet access to Google’s Gemini and other artificial intelligence models during cybersecurity testing. New York Times
The Houthis, an Iranian-backed militia, said they had fired a wave of missiles and drones at Riyadh, where residents reported explosions, and on Saudi oil facilities. Saudi Arabia has not commented on the claims. New York Times
VOA VIEW: The US should retaliate.
India is trying to secure affordable energy while preserving a crucial relationship with Washington, a balancing act made harder by turmoil in global energy markets. New York Times
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has reached agreements with two of the largest health care systems in the country in which they will both cease providing transgender medical interventions to minors. OANN
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U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) has announced that more than 1 billion barrels of crude oil have passed through the Strait of Hormuz in the last couple of months, though Iran has exported none due to the United States’ naval blockade. OANN
The U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ’s) Office of Legal Counsel has determined that prohibiting licensed dealers from selling handguns to law-abiding adults ages 18 to 20 is unlawful under the U.S. Constitution. OANN
VOA VIEW: As it should be.
President Donald Trump revealed on Truth Social that the United States has finalized a strategic agreement with the Kingdom of Denmark and Greenland, granting Washington permanent authority over the Arctic island’s defense, security, and related operational needs. OANN
President Donald Trump has announced that all 50 states will be included in a deal to get “most favored nation” pricing for prescription drugs under Medicaid, which is projected to save state governments $27.6 billion. OANN
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The Trump administration has started building the border wall through a west Texas section of the Big Bend region, marking the first major construction in an area of the U.S.-Mexico border where the administration's plans have met heavy opposition. Washington Times
ICE said its pursuit of electrified shock gloves is meant to be a less violent option for officers and agents seeking to gain control of unruly individuals, reducing the need to use a Taser, baton or pepper spray. Washington Times
The U.S. military's price tag for the Iran war has grown to $43.6 billion as of Sept. 3, according to a new estimate provided this week to lawmakers. Washington Times
VOA VIEW: The US should be paid back in oil.
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President Trump said Friday that three outlets would be banned from the White House, "effective immediately." CBS
VOA VIEW: As they should be.
As runaway AI fears reach a crescendo, policymakers and tech leaders are weighing the effectiveness of a magic AI stop button known as a kill switch. CNBC
Smoke and flames were seen near Riyadh’s main airport after Saudi civil-defense alerts, while Pakistan urged Iran to protect energy supplies and shipping. CNBC
Warren Buffett steps down as Berkshire Hathaway's chairman, passing the job to his son, Howard. CNBC
A coalition of over 100 AI experts are urging independence and transparency from Anthropic, OpenAI and other foundation model labs to conduct evaluations. CNBC
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The chairman both explained this week's decision to raise interest rates, and raised vexing questions about what comes next CNBC
Greenland has maintained it is not for sale, and the European Union earlier this year united to rebuke Trump over his push to acquire the island. CNBC
Democratic Senate candidates entered summer with a cash edge, while Trump-linked groups now pour money into increasingly crowded and costly ad markets. CNBC
VOA VIEW: Hopefully the GOP will prevail.
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In the past week, Musk has agreed with the CEOs of Anthropic and OpenAI, while getting contradicted by President Trump and Nvidia's Jensen Huang. CNBC
Dimon and Fraser join OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Nvidia chief Jensen Huang and others who are reportedly planning to attend the Trump-Xi state dinner. CNBC
Michael P. Desronvil, the lone holdout juror in the Lindsay Clancy mistrial, has retained Edward Paltzik, a lawyer known for representing Trump. FOX News
VOA VIEW: He stands good with .most
Celebrity Michael Rapaport slammed New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during remarks at a Jewish gathering on Friday, calling him "Zohran the moron" FOX News
VOA VIEW: He is a mooron.
Judge Judy Sheindlin says there's a "danger" in not retrying Lindsay Clancy, the Massachusetts mother accused of killing her three children. FOX News
Bryan Kohberger's new legal team seeks more time for post-conviction relief, but Idaho prosecutors call the discovery request a "fishing expedition." FOX News
VOA VIEW: He is trying to get a better deal.
The NAACP and other civil rights organizations sued the Trump administration to prevent it from stationing federal agents at polling stations. UPI
VOA VIEW: To hell with the NAACP.
Sen. Josh Hawley on Friday invited the chief executives of four surveillance companies to testify about their industry's potential threats to privacy. UPI
Ecuador announced a partnership with the United Arab Emirates to strengthen security along its borders with Colombia and Peru by using AI. UPI
Former board members of the Institute of Peace filed an emergency petition to stop President Donald Trump from carving his name into the building. UPI
French President Emmanuel Macron warned that Russia has increased hybrid warfare against French and other European targets. UPI
VOA VIEW: Macron is an idiot.
The U.S. Department of State approved a possible sale of 48 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a deal worth $24.3 billion. UPI
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Gas prices have skyrocketed in the past week, rising more than 15 cents in that period, with the national average sitting at just over $4.31 per gallon, according to AAA. In another blow to American consumers, diesel prices are at the highest recorded average, standing at about $6.23 per gallon as of now. They are going up higher.
Though prices have been rising steadily in recent weeks, the past week has seen a significant jump. Just one week ago, the average price of gas was at $4.15 per gallon and diesel was at $5.90. Compared with the average prices one month ago, the last week reveals an unusually high leap as the conflict in the Middle East wears past the six-month mark. Despite diesel prices breaking records, gas still remains below the highest recorded national average of about $5.01 in June, 2022. However, averages by state show a different reality, with California maintaining its status as having the highest gas prices in the nation, at $6.00 per gallon.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that American forces destroyed five Iranian oil carriers — a strike aimed at retaliating against repeated Iranian ballistic missile attacks on U.S. Navy warships and crippling the illegal oil exports funding the IRGC. In response, media reports indicate that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) retaliated by launching strikes on several vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz region. The volatile situation in the strait, one of the world’s most consequential waterways for the transport of oil and liquefied natural gas, has significantly driven up the cost of oil since the conflict began in February.
Sitting in the $60 range before the advent of operations, crude oil surged to more than $110 per barrel in April, according to Trading Economics. A low was seen at the beginning of July, with prices back down under $70 per barrel. However, the reprieve was temporary, with costs shooting up again. Although they have fluctuated significantly since then, prices went back over $100 per barrel in the last week. As of Monday, costs sit at about $101 per barrel.
The closure of ’s EastSArabiaaudi -West pipeline following drone strikes — which the Kingdom and intelligence reports traced back to Iranian-backed militias in Iraq — further exacerbated the situation. The more than 700-mile-long pipeline served as an overland bypass, allowing Saudi Arabia to transport crude oil to its Red Sea terminals without using the Strait of Hormuz.
In the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, a chokepoint for the Red Sea, the Iran-backed terrorist group, the Houthis, made gains in recent days. As hostilities continue to intimidate commercial shipping, global energy supply chains are at risk of further disruption.
