September 2026
All columns and Brief analyses.
10 results
Brent crude passes 100 dollars as Hormuz flow restrictions persist
Brent November contracts rose 2.7 per cent to 100.57 dollars a barrel while WTI reached about 95 dollars. ABC News reported that reciprocal strikes in the Gulf continued to restrict flows through the Strait of Hormuz. The US Energy Information Administration also expects the constraints to persist through year-end and raised its second-half 2026 Brent forecast from 84 dollars to around 90 dollars.
California puts AI auditors on a state register
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed two laws creating a state register and independence rules for outside auditors of AI systems. The measures also require criteria for testing the credentials of independent verification organisations. Evaluators hired by model developers will therefore answer not only to a company contract but also to a public framework for competence, transparency and ethics.
Chariklo's two rings changed in opposite directions
A stellar occultation planned specifically for the James Webb Space Telescope indicates that Chariklo's inner ring became more opaque while its outer ring became less opaque. Comparison with measurements from the past decade suggests rings around small bodies may be more changeable than assumed. The contrast could reflect physical evolution, differences between observational filters, or both.
Deep-foam photolithography formed ink-free printing at 20,000 dots per inch
A peer-reviewed study introduced deep-foam photolithography, which forms pores throughout photosensitive polymers. UV-A light, a solvent and controlled collapse formed white and greyscale structures without pigment or ink at resolutions reaching 20,000 dots per inch. The method worked on films and fibres and was also adapted to water-repellent surfaces and microfluidic structures.
DeepSeek releases V4.1 Flash and begins retiring V4 Pro
DeepSeek released V4.1 Flash, the first and smallest model in a new architecture family, with native visual understanding and asymmetric activation for input and output. The company will route V4 Pro requests to Flash from September 14 until a successor arrives, making the faster model the temporary default rather than merely adding another option.
ECB raises its deposit rate to 2.50 per cent as energy pressure persists
The European Central Bank raised all three key rates by 25 basis points, taking the deposit rate to 2.50 per cent from 16 September. It linked the move to inflation pressure from the Middle East conflict. New projections put 2027 headline inflation at 2.5 per cent and core inflation at 2.6 per cent, while Associated Press reported that economic resilience supported the decision.
Eight mutational footprints emerge across 959 prostate cancer genomes
The Pan Prostate Cancer Group jointly analysed several kinds of genomic change in tumours from 959 donors and identified eight integrated mutational footprints. The footprints covered processes operating in 85% of primary prostate cancer genomes. Four were associated with a shorter time to metastasis. The retrospective genomic patterns do not constitute a validated clinical test that predicts metastatic timing for an individual patient.
Eight states back Britain's settlement trade ban
Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates welcomed Britain's ban on imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory. Their joint statement urged other states to take comparable steps. Britain's government defended the ban in parliament as Israel narrowed channels of contact.
Enbridge buys Tallgrass crude business for 2.55 billion dollars
Enbridge signed a definitive agreement to acquire Tallgrass Energy's US crude-transportation business for 2.55 billion dollars in cash. The portfolio includes 75 per cent of the Pony Express Pipeline, 51 per cent of Powder River Gateway and about 8.4 million barrels of storage across nine terminals. Reuters reported that completion was expected later in 2026, subject to regulatory clearance.
European Commission proposes a European preference in public procurement
The European Commission proposed legislation that would let public buyers favour European companies in services including energy, water and transport. A foreign firm's eligibility could be denied when its home country keeps the corresponding procurement market closed to European companies. In a market worth 2 trillion euros a year, quality rather than price would determine no less than 30 per cent of a supply bid's score.