Excavation work on Trump’s towering, gilded arch to begin over next two weeks

• Kyrgyzstan is hosting a pivotal Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit, bringing together global heavyweights involved in current geopolitical conflicts. • The host nation is strategically balancing its diplomatic ties with major global powers to leverage its geographic position for political and economic gain.

• The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit 2026 took place in Bishkek from August 31 to September 1, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the organization. • Discussions focused on regional cooperation, security, trade, energy, and connectivity, while addressing major geopolitical issues including the Russia-Ukraine war.

• The Harvard Kennedy School is launching a new program dedicated to diplomacy, focusing on negotiation scholarship and the management of international ties. • Co-led by Simcock and Nick, the initiative aims to build a professional "bench" capable of addressing emerging geopolitical issues and managing disputes.

• Prof Michel Chossudovsky and Drago Bosnic released a video on September 2, 2026, alleging that Pfizer Inc. has a criminal record with the U.S. Department of Justice. • The report highlights a previous $2.3 billion health care fraud settlement mandated by former U.S. Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr., citing it as the largest of its kind.

• Experts from the Brookings Institution are analyzing the long-term global implications and policy requirements resulting from the war in Iran. • The conflict has highlighted a "jarring reckoning" regarding the fragility of economic security across Asia within a degraded geopolitical landscape.

• This daily news roundup from September 2, 2026, highlights several critical global issues, including Ukrainian President Zelensky's threats regarding civilian aircraft. • The collection features reports on the widespread deployment of AI, the potential appointment of an IDF fanatic to a top U.S. Army position, and the environmental impact of extreme heat.

• Iran has claimed responsibility for new attacks targeting military bases used by U.S. troops in Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates, ignoring previous warnings from Donald Trump. • Simultaneously, the Pentagon is investigating reports that a separate U.S. military strike may have accidentally hit a wedding party.

Organ kept Tim Andrews off dialysis and acted as a ‘bridge’ while he waited for a human transplant in the USA genetically modified kidney from a pig called Wilma has kept a 66-year-old man with kidney failure alive for a record nine months and successfully acted as a “bridge” to a human transplant in a world first.Tim Andrews was seriously ill with end-stage kidney disease caused by type 2 diabetes and had only a 9% chance of receiving a human kidney within five years, against a more than 40% risk of dying or being removed from the waiting list. Continue reading...

Firefighters hollowed out a dumpster truck and lifted a man from trash and debris after bystanders alerted driver to screamsSan Francisco fire officials manually hollowed out a garbage truck early on Wednesday to rescue a man trapped inside.Firefighters were dispatched around 4.11am after receiving a report of an individual stuck inside a Recology dumpster truck, authorities said. Continue reading...

US tech company has sued London mayor after he prevented it from working with Metropolitan policeSadiq Khan has agreed for his text messages and emails to be searched as part of a legal battle with Palantir, the high court has been told, after he prevented the US technology company from working with the Metropolitan police.The London mayor stepped in to block a £50m deal between Palantir and the Met in May, with the artificial intelligence developer suing Khan’s office over the decision. Continue reading...

Under-pressure carmaker will shed 15% of workforce and halve its product line in sector’s biggest ever restructureThe car company Volkswagen has confirmed that it will shed 100,000 jobs by the end of the decade after being hit by US tariffs and fierce competition from Chinese rivals.The German manufacturer said management and unions had agreed as part of a sweeping cost-cutting plan to cut a further 50,000 positions by 2030, bringing total job losses in the pipeline to 100,000. Continue reading...