September 2026
All columns and Brief analyses.
10 results
Rentosertib looked younger on six protein clocks, but disease effects remain inseparable
Blood samples from rentosertib-treated groups registered lower biological ages than placebo across six proteomic aging clocks. But the analysis reused a 12-week phase 2a trial involving 42 people with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Because the clocks cannot separate disease-related protein shifts from aging-related ones, the result does not demonstrate rejuvenation or an effect in healthy people.
Report of Atoms robotaxi plans meets a narrow company denial
Reports originating with the Financial Times say Travis Kalanick's Atoms is preparing hiring and acquisitions in autonomous driving and has discussed robotaxi technology with Uber. Atoms says it has no plan to enter the saturated robotaxi market. Three publications cover the same development through the distinction between supplying technology and operating a ride-hailing service.
Revolut and Visa test an AI-initiated payment in France
Revolut and Visa completed a controlled French trial in which an AI agent initiated a real purchase and carried it to payment. Cleverbridge was the merchant and Visa Payment Passkey provided biometric authentication, while tokenisation, identity controls and fraud monitoring stayed within existing payment infrastructure. The companies describe it as a test preserving customer authorisation, not a generally available product.
Roman amphorae recovered from 1,400 metres below the sea off Formentera
The research vessel Miguel Oliver accidentally recovered about 26 Roman amphorae and 17 boxes of ceramic fragments from roughly 1,400 metres south of Formentera. The finds were taken to the Archaeological Museum of Ibiza and Formentera for desalination. Most are provisionally identified as Dressel 20 vessels used in the Roman olive-oil trade, while their stamps and markings await detailed study.
Russia and North Korea open their first road bridge
Russia and North Korea opened their first road bridge across the Tumen River after months of delays. The one-kilometre, two-lane crossing links Khasan with Tumangang and is designed to handle as many as 300 vehicles a day. Prime ministers Mikhail Mishustin and Pak Thae Song joined the ceremony by video link, while vehicle convoys crossed from both countries.
Samsung Life will train consultants with virtual customers
Samsung Life plans a mid-September rollout of AI consultation training developed with Cleon. Consultants will choose customer types and scenarios, practise conversations with virtual customers, and receive preparation material beforehand and individual feedback afterward. The mobile service is intended for new and experienced consultants. A demonstration is scheduled for September 9–10 at Try Everything 2026 in Seoul.
Thailand's inflation rises to 2.53 per cent in August
Thailand's annual consumer price increase accelerated from 1.95 per cent in July to 2.53 per cent in August. Fuel, prepared meals and fresh food became more expensive. Core inflation, excluding energy and fresh food, reached 1.44 per cent. Despite the acceleration, the commerce ministry kept its forecast for average inflation this year at 1.5–2.5 per cent.
Volker Türk calls for binding red lines on advanced AI
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk said advanced AI could pose an existential risk and called for binding international red lines. He sought independent verification instead of company self-reporting, cast-iron safety guarantees and assessments of effects on employment, democracy and the environment. His appeal rests on a warning that control over the technology is concentrated among a handful of companies.
Wildfire smoke and extreme heat erode clean-air gains, WMO finds
The World Meteorological Organization’s Air Quality and Climate Bulletin No. 6 says wildfire smoke is eroding reductions in industrial and transport PM2.5 emissions in Europe and North America. Heatwaves are also increasing ground-level ozone. In 2025, fine-particle concentrations remained above the long-term average in northern Canada, parts of Russia, western-central Africa and north-western Spain because of fire activity.
Yen breaks through 155 to a seven-month high
The yen strengthened as much as 1.4% on Monday, pushing the dollar down to 154.05-154.06 yen, its weakest since February. The move extended a sharp reversal from above 160 the previous week and broke the 155 level that had acted as a floor after earlier interventions. Expectations of faster Bank of Japan tightening formed the backdrop.