Renewables Now

Reporting highlights that a smuggled natural resource is providing financing for the ongoing civil war in Sudan, where fighting between rival armed factions has created a vast illicit trade. The country's mineral wealth is being moved across borders and sold to sustain combatants on both sides, prolonging a conflict that has displaced millions and caused one of the world's worst humanitarian crises.

Toxic haze from wildfires in Indonesia is spreading across Singapore, Malaysia and the Philippines, worsening air quality across the region. A strong El Niño and land-clearing practices, including burning for agriculture, have created tinderbox conditions that are fuelling the fires and pushing smoke over neighbouring countries, prompting renewed concern over health impacts and regional responses.

A survivor of Iran's mass killings addressed the UN Human Rights Council, directly denouncing the Iranian regime to the faces of its diplomats. The speech drew a large online audience, with reports that Iranian representatives attempted to interrupt or silence him. Supporters are sharing the moment as a rare public condemnation of Tehran inside the UN, renewing attention to the massacre and calls for accountability.

Russian forces launched a heavy bombardment of Kyiv, following a deadly strike that hit Ukraine's Academy of Sciences in the capital. The attack caused casualties and damage to a major scientific institution, adding to a pattern of intensified Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities. The escalation has drawn international attention and renewed condemnation of attacks targeting civilian and scientific infrastructure.

Russian forces are accused of forcing Ukrainian civilians through a gas pipeline to serve as human shields, in what is being described as another war crime. A video circulating online reportedly shows troops marching the civilians through the pipeline during fighting. The claim has drawn condemnation from observers following the war.

New satellite imagery shows widespread destruction across the Gaza Strip as the war between Israel and Hamas passes the three-year mark. The images document collapsed buildings, flattened neighbourhoods and damaged infrastructure across the territory. Al Jazeera's coverage describes the conflict as genocidal, framing the devastation as the result of Israel's military campaign, while international debate over the war's conduct and humanitarian toll continues.

President Trump issued a stark warning that the US could 'annihilate' Iran, and footage of an Iranian delegate's reaction at the United Nations is drawing wide attention. The delegate's visibly grim response as the threat was delivered has become a talking point, highlighting rising US-Iran tensions at the General Assembly and fears of a renewed confrontation between the two countries.

Reports from Sudan indicate a rise in cases of sexual violence, prompting alarm from regional media and rights observers. The country's ongoing conflict has left civilians, particularly women and girls, increasingly exposed to abuse amid weakened protection services and displacement. Observers are calling for urgent attention to the safety of vulnerable populations.

A CNN investigation reports that a deadly U.S. strike on a school in Iran seven months ago was based on outdated intelligence. The report examines how stale or inaccurate information contributed to the strike and its civilian casualties, raising questions about the military's targeting review processes and accountability in the aftermath.

Myanmar's military carried out an air strike on a market in Rakhine state, killing at least 33 people, according to Al Jazeera. The attack adds to a worsening pattern of aerial bombardments against civilian areas as the junta struggles against armed resistance across the country.

Ukrainian officials are discussing possible winter evacuations of Kyiv, with Prime Minister Koretskyi describing city evacuations as a last resort. Commentary online argues Europe risks a mass refugee crisis of its own making because of its reluctance to defend Ukraine. The prospect of another winter of Russian strikes on Ukrainian cities is renewing debate over European support for the war effort.

Hurricane Polo is prompting scientists to discuss whether a hypothetical Category 6 level should be added to the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale, which currently tops out at Category 5. The storm's intensity has renewed debate among researchers about whether the existing classification system adequately captures the strongest hurricanes in a warming climate, with many calling the prospect of such storms deeply concerning.

US stock futures dropped and oil prices spiked after President Donald Trump rejected a peace proposal from Iran, according to Reuters. Traders are weighing the risk of a wider Middle East conflict pushing crude higher, with energy markets and equities moving together as investors seek safer ground.

A Russian strike hit the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, the country's largest scientific research institution. French President Emmanuel Macron condemned the attack, saying it illustrates the Russian regime's hostile contempt for science and truth, and adds to what he called the barbarity of Russia's ongoing strikes against Ukraine.

A Russian attack hit a public market near Kyiv, killing civilians and leaving nearly ten people injured, according to reports shared widely on social media. Commentators are condemning the strike as another war crime against Ukrainian civilians and calling for increased international attention and pressure on Russia over ongoing attacks on populated areas.

Health authorities report that more than 8,000 confirmed Ebola cases have now been recorded in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, marking a grim milestone in the ongoing outbreak. The tally underlines the scale of the epidemic and the continued pressure on medical teams working to contain the virus and treat patients in affected areas.

Stock markets declined as investors weighed higher oil prices and rising US Treasury yields. The combination raised concerns about inflationary pressure and borrowing costs, prompting selling across major indices. Traders are watching energy prices and bond markets closely for signals on the direction of monetary policy and the broader economic outlook.

The UN arms embargo covering Darfur is due to expire on Saturday and would have to be renewed by the Security Council to remain in force. Commentators highlight the role of the United Arab Emirates and the Rapid Support Forces in the Sudan war, with debate touching on regional actors from Colombia to Libya and Puntland as pressure builds over the embargo's future.

The U.S. Federal Communications Commission can approve massive spaceflight projects on its own, including satellite constellations that astronomers and the public warn could permanently change how the night sky looks for everyone on Earth. Space law experts note there is very little other regulatory oversight of these launches, meaning objections from scientists or foreign governments carry little formal weight in the approval process.

Crypto exchange Bitget has reportedly been hit by a hack worth roughly $388 million, with investigators saying North Korea is likely behind the theft. If confirmed, it would add to the large hauls attributed to North Korean state-linked hacking groups, which are believed to fund the regime through stolen cryptocurrency. The scale of the loss has renewed attention on exchange security and on efforts to trace and freeze stolen funds.