Oil & Gas
'Limit overshoot, peak, decline': A new global goal for climate change?
The signing of the Paris Agreement by 200 countries in 2015 was a rare moment of global unity, and the euphoria was real. To cheers and tears, the international climate treaty was approved by nearly every country in the world. Fundamental to the agreement was a commitment to keeping temperatures from rising beyond 1.5C (2.7F) above the pre-industrial levels of the mid 19th-century. But 11 years on, it is evident that the Earth is soon going to exceed that threshold because of the continued record burning of fossil fuels. A report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in Nairobi, Kenya - called Limiting Overshoot - has found that even under the most optimistic scenario, the Earth will heat up by 1.8C (3.2F) above pre-industrial levels.
Russia's jet-powered drones overwhelm Ukraine, killing dozens
Is the war entering a new phase? Russia's jet-powered drones overwhelm Ukraine, killing dozens Share Russia's jet-powered drones overwhelm Ukraine, killing dozens on social media As the war drags on in Ukraine, its civilians are again suffering. Thirty-eight people were killed in the village of Myla on August 29, when a Russian drone attack struck an ammunition depot. Another 12 were killed in attacks across the country on September 1. Jet-powered drones numbered about 2,800 in August, said Ukraine Air Force spokesman Yurii Ihnat, compared with about 1,500 in July, several times the number launched in June. Ukraine has an interception rate of more than 90 percent against propeller-powered drones, but only 60 percent against the jet-powered variant, Ihnat said.
The Download: rethinking child safety and fossil-fueled farming
Plus: New York City has banned AI in elementary and middle schools. Digital harms have become the defining fear of American parents. In response, they're increasingly turning to content-monitoring apps that scan their children's texts, photos, emails, and chats, issuing alerts whenever an algorithm flags something it deems dangerous. These tools have had genuine successes, preventing suicide attempts, intercepting predators, and averting school shootings. But they can also cause harm themselves, from false alarms and unnecessary interventions to damaged trust and anxiety. Child-safety researchers say better approaches exist.
Vance says Trump 'sending a message' to Iran with AI-generated video
What is Iran's Pickaxe Mountain? Vance says Trump'sending a message' to Iran with AI-generated video Share Vance says Trump'sending a message' to Iran with AI-generated video on social media An AI-generated video depicting missiles raining down on a key Iranian island to destroy what appears to be oil-processing infrastructure is meant as a warning to Iran, United States Vice President JD Vance says. President Donald Trump posted the video on his Truth Social account on Sunday night and on Monday followed up with a post saying Iran was "dead" and a "failed nation". "We know that they continue to shoot at commercial shipping. We continue to have a lot of tools at our disposal to prevent them from doing so or at least cut down on them from doing so, and that's what the president is saying," Vance told reporters at an Air Force base in Maryland.
Who are the economic winners and losers of the US-Israel war on Iran?
Who are the economic winners and losers of the US-Israel war on Iran? Share Who are the economic winners and losers of the US-Israel war on Iran? on social media Six months since the United States and Israel launched their war on Iran, triggering turmoil in world energy markets, the fallout continues to reverberate through many areas of the global economy. While the war has strained many sectors of the economy, it has also been a boon for some industries. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, alongside Iranian strikes on energy infrastructure in Gulf countries, has sent the price of oil soaring since the start of the war. That has boosted the bottom lines of some of the world's biggest energy companies.
Russia's gasoline output drops to 70% of domestic demand
Cars wait to refuel at a gas station in Russia. A series of Ukrainian drone attacks have forced major refineries to suspend operations, causing a fuel shortage. Russia's gasoline production fell to about 70% of domestic consumption levels by the end of August after a series of drone attacks forced major refineries to suspend operations, according to two industry sources. Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russia's energy infrastructure in a bid to curb Moscow's revenues, creating a fuel crisis that has forced Russia to import petroleum products and maintain sales restrictions across the country. After a brief respite at the end of July, when some local authorities began easing or lifting restrictions on fuel sales, shortages returned to Russian regions in August. Gasoline production at the end of August dropped to roughly the same level seen in early July, at the peak of the first wave of a fuel crisis that had been building since May, according to sources.