While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Sept 19, 2026
CNN's broadcast booth is seen in the press area of the White House in Washington DC, on Sept 18.
US President Donald Trump said on Sept 18 he was banning three major news outlets – CNN, MS NOW and Politico – from the White House, in his latest move to crack down on the independent press.
He wrote that he was banning the outlets for allegedly “reporting FAKE NEWS” in a move that is likely to be challenged as conflicting with the US Constitution’s First Amendment guarantees of free speech and a free press.
“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America,” he wrote. “Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.”
CNN, MS NOW, Politico and the National Press Club did not immediately respond to requests for comment. CNN’s team remains at the White House working as if it were a normal Friday afternoon, CNN reporter Brian Stelter said on air.
OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman will brief the United Nations Security Council next week during the annual gathering of world leaders in New York for the UN General Assembly, an OpenAI spokesperson said on Sept 18.
The 15-member Security Council is due to meet on Sept 23 on artificial intelligence and international security, just weeks after several AI industry leaders called for a coordinated slowdown of the development of the increasingly powerful technology, warning that it could soon improve on its own and slip beyond human control.
“Sam Altman will brief an open UN Security Council meeting in person next week,” an OpenAI spokesperson told Reuters. “His remarks are expected to focus on the steps OpenAI is taking to ensure AI is safe and benefits people globally, along with the need for international coordination and shared safety standards.”
The Russian authorities have seized the businesses and assets of Swiss food giant Nestle and three French groups, a move the Kremlin defended on Sept 18 as a justified measure against firms representing “unfriendly countries” that back Ukraine.
A decree signed by President Vladimir Putin transferred the Russian operations of Nestle, French retailer Auchan and the former Leroy Merlin DIY chain, now known as Lemana Pro, to a company called LEV Management.
The decree, issued late Sept 17, also covers the Russian subsidiaries of French logistics group FM Logistic.
Disney on Sept 18 named the CEO of artificial intelligence startup Character.AI as its first chief technology officer, a year after sending the company a cease-and-desist letter over unauthorised use of Disney characters.
Karandeep Anand will join Disney on Oct 2 as senior executive vice-president and CTO, reporting directly to chief executive Josh D’Amaro.
Anand will oversee enterprise technology, infrastructure, data management and AI platforms, product and engineering, Disney said in a statement.
Harry Kane scored twice in Bayern Munich’s 7-0 demolition of Union Berlin on Sept 18, becoming the fastest player to reach 100 Bundesliga goals.
Kane scored his 100th and 101st goals in just 98 domestic games, obliterating the previous record set by Cologne’s Dieter Mueller in 1977 by 31 games.
It’s the latest record that the England captain has torn up during his time in Munich, having already become the fastest Bayern player to reach 75, 100 and 150 goals in all competitions.
