The White House is conducting a review of the Smithsonian Museum’s exhibits related to the United States’ 250th anniversary. This review, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, seeks to ensure the exhibits align with the administration’s interpretation of American history, encompassing exhibition text, online content, and curatorial processes. This initiative follows an executive order mandating exhibits be “accurate, patriotic, and enlightening.” Previously, the Smithsonian removed and then re-added references to Donald Trump’s impeachments, with modifications to the descriptions of events surrounding his second impeachment.
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A US court ordered the release of Prince Harry’s immigration records by Tuesday, following a Freedom of Information Act request by the Heritage Foundation. The Foundation alleges Prince Harry concealed past drug use, detailed in his memoir *Spare*, potentially violating US visa application requirements. This action follows an earlier court decision against releasing the records, which the Heritage Foundation successfully appealed. The Department of Homeland Security must now comply with the order to release the documents.
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A federal judge has ordered the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to release records to a nonprofit watchdog group, citing the agency’s “unusual secrecy” and “unprecedented” authority. Judge Christopher Cooper’s 37-page opinion mandates compliance with Freedom of Information Act requests detailing DOGE’s role in mass firings and federal program disruptions. The ruling, based partly on news reports and social media, addresses concerns about DOGE’s rapid, opaque actions affecting vast swaths of the federal government. While DOGE claims significant cost savings, the lack of transparency prompted the judge to order the immediate release of documents. The decision is appealable.
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A UK government AI system used to detect welfare fraud exhibits bias based on age, disability, marital status, and nationality, according to an internal assessment. This “statistically significant outcome disparity” was revealed in documents obtained via the Freedom of Information Act, despite earlier government assurances of no discriminatory impact. While human oversight remains, concerns remain regarding a “hurt first, fix later” approach and the lack of fairness analysis regarding other protected characteristics. The revelation fuels calls for greater transparency in government AI use, particularly given the numerous undisclosed applications across UK public authorities.
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John Q. Hosedrinker