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Officials say that Islamic State-affiliated rebels killed 15 people in eastern Congo
Two officials said that Islamic State-linked militants have killed at least fifteen people in three villages of eastern Democratic Republic of Congo’s Lubero Territory, continuing a deadly pattern of attacks primarily targeting civilians. The Allied Democratic Forces started as an insurgent 'force' in Uganda, but have been based in Congo forests since the late 90s. They are recognised as an affiliate by the Islamic State. The ADF continues to conduct raids despite the efforts of the Congolese army and Ugandan troops. The latest attacks took place on Thursday night in Lubero. This is part of North Kivu Province. According to Macaire Sivikunula of the Bapere Locality, where the villages are situated, nine civilians died in Kilonge; two civilians in Katanga; and two civilians, along with two soldiers, in Maendeleo. He said that the ADF rebels exchanged fire with soldiers at Maendeleo but they killed the majority of victims with bladed weapons. Alain Kiwewa, Lubero’s military administrator, confirmed 16 deaths on Friday afternoon. A spokesperson for the army, Lieutenant Marc Elongo said that Congolese troops "pursued the enemy" without giving any details. Kakule Kagheni Sam, the head of civil societies groups in Bapere said that the militants had also burned down homes. MONUSCO (the U.N. mission for peacekeeping in Central Africa) reported in November that the ADF had killed 89 civilians over a period of a week in a series of attacks. In September, the ADF took responsibility for an attack in which more than 60 civilians were killed at a funeral held in eastern Congo. Sivikunula stated that local officials waited for soldiers to secure the area, before organising funerals to honor the victims of the overnight attacks. "The ADF is cunning and can ambush civilians who attempt to organise such a?activity." The ADF violence was separate from the conflict between Congo and Rwandan-backed M23 Rebels, which killed thousands and displaced hundreds and thousands last year. This led to mediation by U.S. president Donald Trump's Administration and Qatar. (Reporting and writing by Congo Newsroom; editing by Mark Heinrich).
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Weather service: UK to record hottest year and most sunny ever in 2025
The National Weather Service announced on Friday that Britain had its sunniest and hottest year ever in 2025. This was a record-breaking high, exceeding the previous one set in '2022. The?Met Office reported that the average annual temperature in 2018 was 10.09 degrees Celsius. This is higher than the previous average of 10.03 C. It's only the second time since 1884, when detailed records were first kept, that the annual average temperature has exceeded 10 C. Met Office first announced the possibility of setting a new record last month. The reading placed four of the five most recent years among the top five warmest since 1884. Mark McCarthy, the head of climate attribution for the Met Office, said: "Although not every year is going to be the warmest ever, it's?clear that global warming caused by humans is impacting on the UK's weather." Since the beginning of the 21st Century, the UK has set records for the annual mean temperature on six occasions - 2002, 2003, 2006. 2014, 2022, and 2025. The data is consistent with global trends. In 2025, the World Meteorological Organization will say that the last 10 year have been the 10 "warmest" since records began. As extreme weather hit many regions of the world last year, the European Union's Climate Change Service (C3S), predicted that 2025 would be the second or third warmest date in history. Europe, the fastest-warming continent on the planet, experienced the world's hottest year ever in 2024. (Reporting and editing by Paul Sandle, Sam Tabahriti and Muvija M)
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Gabon's Finance Minister is replaced as debt concerns mount
According to a decree issued by the President of Gabon, Brice Oligui Nguema, Henri-Claude Oyima was replaced as Finance Minister. The Central African oil-producing?country is grappling with a lack of liquidity and a rise in arrears. Fitch, the ratings agency, said that Gabon's long-term currency issuer default rating has been downgraded. Oyima was appointed finance minister after Nguema's victory in the first presidential elections since his coup in 2023. According to a presidential?decree issued late Thursday, technical adviser Thierry Minko will?take over as the "minister of finance, economy, debt, and shareholdings" responsible for fighting high living costs. According to the decree, Marc Abeghe will be a senior official in charge of budgets at the ministry. Fitch cited an increasing fiscal deficit and a lack of creditor funding as reasons for downgrading Gabon's foreign currency issuer default ratings. The agency stated that it expected the government debt to rise from 72.9% in 2024 to 80.4% by 2025, and then to 85.5% by 2026. By 2027, they expect the debt to reach 86.7%. The Gabon presidency announced in December that it planned to introduce a housing tax by 2026 in order to improve road maintenance, public lighting and city cleanliness. (Reporting and writing by Gerauds Wifried Obangome, Anait Miridzhanian, Editing by Robbie Corey Boulet and Gareth Jones).
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Nickel reaches 14-month high following Vale Indonesia's halt to mining
Nickel reached its highest level in over 14 months Friday, 'after Vale Indonesia suspended mining operations. Aluminium crossed the $3,000 barrier for the first time since 2022. The London Metal Exchange's three-month nickel rose as much as 1,8% to $16,945 per metric ton, its highest level since October 2024. By 1037 GMT, the metal used to make stainless steel and batteries had risen 1.4% to $16,875. PT Vale Indonesia Tbk said it was unable to?conduct mining operations due to a delay in the approval of its annual production plan. The company said that it believes this delay won't?disrupt the overall sustainability of operations and that they expect the approval to be given in the near term. Nickel, which had been in a rut due to an oversupply of nickel for?months, gained 12.3% after Indonesia announced that it would?cut its ore production by a third by 2026. Mining Minister Bahlil Lahadalia announced this week that government will reduce mining output quotas in order to support commodity price. Exchange data indicates that one entity owns between 30 and 40 percent of LME Nickel warrants (0#LMEWHL>), while the LME futures banding reports indicated a "significant long position" on the January nickel contract - equivalent to at least 40 percent of open interest. Aluminum climbed 0.3% to $3,000, surpassing $3,000 for the first time in over 3-1/2 years. This is due to the impending shutdown of the Mozal Smelter in Mozambique and the carbon tax on aluminium imported into Europe. Copper, which is expected to be the best performer in 2025 on 'the LME with a 42% gain per year, rose 0.6% to $12,497/ton after reaching a record high price of $12,960/ton on December 29. It was on track to finish the week with a 2.9% gain. Zinc rose by 0.4%, to $3,130 per ton. Lead fell 0.1%, to $2,009.50, and tin rose 1%, to $41,080. Shanghai Futures Exchange closed for the public holiday on Friday. (Reporting and editing by David Goodman. Additional reporting by Naveen Thkral in Singapore)
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Investors bet on earnings recovery to drive India's Nifty fifty to record high.
India's Nifty 50 index reached record highs in a broad rally on Friday, led by metals, financials and automobiles stocks, on the?prospects for a strong growth in earnings in the December quarter. The?Nifty50 reached a new record of 26,340, before closing at 26,328.55. This is a 0.7% increase. The BSE Sensex rose 0.67%, to 85,762.01. The indexes rose by 1.1% and respectively 0.9% for the week. India's stock exchange reached new heights in a day when European and U.K. shares also marked record levels, in a positive start to trading in the new year. The top 16 sectors all rose, with sub-indices of metals, automobiles, and banks also reaching record highs. The small-caps, mid-caps, and broader indexes rose by 0.8% and 1.7% respectively. We?saw benchmarks struggle in November and early December to maintain near record high levels. The quarterly earnings and Union Budget will determine if they can hold these levels. The heavyweight bank stocks gained 1.9% in the past week, on the back of optimism about strong loan growth and asset-quality. Metal stocks rose 5.7% in the past week. This was due to the government's safeguard duties on certain steel products, which is intended to limit cheap imports from China, and the rising prices of commodities. Stocks in the automobile industry rose?3.8% on strong December sales. Ashok Leyland, a maker of commercial vehicles, jumped by 8.1%. Two-wheeler manufacturers Hero MotoCorp, Bajaj Auto and TVS Motor also gained between 4.8%-5.9%. ITC dropped 3.8% for the day, and 13.4% over the week as investors were worried about the earnings pressure that higher taxes on cigarettes would cause. The stock pulled the fast-moving consumer good index down by 3.7% through Friday. Coal India gained 6.9% and was the highest gainer on the Nifty after it allowed foreign coal buyers to participate directly in its electronic auctions, despite a drop in the local demand for electricity generation.
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JSW Poland urges unions in Poland to accept cost reductions to secure state assistance
JSW, a state-controlled Polish mining company, warned employees on Friday that they would suffer irreversible consequences should unions not accept a rescue plan which includes cost-cutting in order to ensure government assistance. Union leaders said that the cuts would place 80% of the financial burden onto employees. Talks between the management board, and the unions, on Tuesday, ended in deadlock. JSW management wrote to unions on Friday to explain that a "temporary limit of the level?of labour costs", was intended to help the company return to profitability after financial losses were incurred in 2025 due to a drop in the price of coking coal and a low demand. The letter didn't specify if costs would be reduced?by cutting positions, by reducing salaries, or both. The unions claim that the cuts are unfair and punish workers for a problem they didn't create. Slawomir?Kozlowski, the head of the NSZZ Solidarnosc at JSW union, stated in a social media post on?Tuesday that the proposed deal would put 80% of financial burden on the employees. Slawomir Kozlowski, head of the NSZZ Solidarnosc union at JSW, said in a social?media post on Tuesday that the proposed deal would place 80% of financial burden on employees. The company said the government would provide assistance if "social partner" cooperation on a restructuring plan. The fragmented worker representation system, which includes dozens of unions at the company has complicated discussions.
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Dubai, the benchmark for Middle East crude oil, slips into discount for the first time since 2023
Data showed that the Middle East crude oil benchmark Dubai fell into a discount on Friday, for the first since December '2023. This was due to an excess of supply and low demand during 'the earliest day of trading for 2026. According to trade sources, the Dubai cash price for a barrel was $60.30, or a 13-cent discount to Dubai swaps. There were only two partials of March loading during the S&P Markets On Close price?assessment. Sources said that the immediate January-February Dubai crude price spread was converted into a contango on Friday of approximately 17-20 cents a barrel. In a market with a high level of supply, prompt?prices will be lower than future months. The 'price weakness' was attributed by traders to the unsold cargoes that were loaded in February, and to a lack of interest from traders to take bullish positions during this month. Cash Dubai's premium over swaps has been declining on the spot market since October, amid an abundance of supplies. In December, it averaged 62c, down from 88c in November and about half the average of October. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC+) and its partners have increased their output, as has the production of the U.S. Eight OPEC+ -members have halted their oil production increases for the first quarter 2026, after releasing 2.9 million 'barrels of crude per day to the market since April 20,25. The Middle East market was also affected by a 'flood of barrels sanctioned for Asia, which is the largest oil consumer in the world. India's stubborn imports of Russian oil at a low price also shattered hopes that it would buy more oil in the Middle East. Reporting by Siyi Liu in Singapore and Florence Tan; editing by David Goodman, Susan Fenton and Susan Fenton
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Rights groups claim that Indonesian government critics have received a Molotov Cocktail and dead chickens.
Rights campaigners warned on Friday that the threat to freedom of expression in Southeast Asia is growing. A Molotov Cocktail was thrown into the home of a?government? critic from Indonesia, and other people received intimidating messages. Campaigners have recently criticized the government's response to severe floods in northern Sumatra province that occurred in November and killed over 1,000 people. Acts of intimidation are "an attack on democratic values" The acts of intimidation "constitute an attack on democratic values" The Jakarta Police nor the Indonesian Presidential Office responded to requests for comment immediately. Indonesian President Prabowo Subito has said repeatedly that criticism is permitted, but must be constructive. MOLOTOV COCKTAIL FAILS to Erupt Ramond Donny Adam, a member of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle and a popular social media personality, revealed on Friday that a Molotov Cocktail was sent to his house early on December 31, Adam, also known as DJ Donny said that the bomb did not explode. However, the attack occurred two days after Adam received a printed image of his face, with a red mark on his neck and another note stating, "You'll end up like this bird...Don't mess around". "I've reported these two incidents to police, and the government should reveal who is behind it," said Donny. Donny has over a million Instagram followers and frequently posts messages critical of the government. The incident was not clear. Greenpeace Indonesia's Leonard Simanjuntak stated that a dead bird was found on the 30th of December in front of the home of a Greenpeace activist with a note attached to its leg reading, "Watch what you say if want to protect your family. Your mouth is your weapon." Simanjuntak believed the intimidation was connected?to Greenpeace’s criticism of the government policies around the Sumatra flooding and landslides. Greenpeace has criticised the government’s forestry management. This includes the issuance mining and palm oil plantation permits, which some critics claim have caused widespread deforestation. Influencer Sherly Annvita posted on her Instagram that her car had been spray-painted and rotten egg were thrown in her house. Annavita has over two million followers and recently wrote posts criticizing Jakarta's response to the Sumatra flooding. (Reporting and editing by Gayatri Sroyo, Sharon Singleton, and Ananda Teresia)
Oklahoma outperforms competing states in energy shift progress: Maguire
Oklahoma may be much better called a topfive manufacturer of oil and natural gas within the United States, however its energy sector is fast becoming a shining star in the renewables field also.
In between 2018 and 2023, Oklahoma enhanced tidy electrical power generation by 35%, more than twice the nationwide average and exceeding the development rate of clean energy huge California over that period, information from energy think tank Ash programs.
Oklahoma's power producers also cut total fossil fuel-powered generation by almost 12% since 2018, which once again was double the rate seen nationally and sharply went beyond fossil fuel usage cuts in Texas and California during the very same time frame.
Greater tidy power output in addition to cuts to fossil fuel use have actually assisted Oklahoma's power sector cut emissions by 20% since 2018, vastly going beyond the 7% emissions cut published by Texas over the same duration and the 14% drop in national emissions.
And thanks to ongoing growth in wind generation capability up until now in 2024, Oklahoma looks set to become a key driving force behind national energy shift efforts together with its better known tidy power manufacturers.
WIND POWER
Aggressive growths to wind generation capacity have been the primary chauffeur of Oklahoma's clean energy development, with wind's. share of the state's electrical power mix leaping from around 32% in. 2018 to 42% in 2023.
Oklahoma's electricity generation from wind farms leapt by. 38% over that five-year period, and in 2022 the state produced. more electrical power from wind than from any other source.
Natural gas has actually re-emerged as Oklahoma's main power. source from 2023, but continual growth in wind capacity looks. set to make sure clean power's share of the electricity mix. continues to broaden.
From 2020 through 2023, Oklahoma's wind capability grew by an. annual average of 1,049 megawatts (MW), which greatly went beyond. the development rates of all other states other than Texas during that. window, according to energy information portal Cleanview.
Throughout the very first quarter of 2024 Oklahoma added a further. 403 MW of wind capability, which was second only to Texas' 449 MW. and shows that Oklahoma might set a new state record for. wind capability additions in 2024.
CARBON INTENSITY CUTS
Oklahoma's tidy power drive has actually been a relatively current. development.
While Texas' power system has generated more than 10% of its. electrical energy from tidy sources given that 2000, Oklahoma's tidy. power share just crossed the 10% limit in 2012, Ember data. programs.
However since then, tidy power output has sped up quickly,. and has actually accounted for more than 40% of Oklahoma's annual. electrical energy supply given that 2021.
This retooling of Oklahoma's power system from mostly. fossil fuel based to greatly powered by clean sources has in. turn led to a quick decrease in the state's power sector carbon. intensity.
Given that 2018, the carbon strength of Oklahoma's electrical energy. generation has actually fallen from around 384 grams of co2. ( CO2) per kilowatt hour (KWh) to 297 grams of CO2 per KWh by. 2023.
That 23% fall in carbon strength is once again far greater than. the 14% fall in national power strength over the same duration,. and likewise exceeds the 10% fall in California and 18% drop in. Texas over the same duration.
Oklahoma's carbon intensity has actually likewise dropped from. signing up regularly above the national average through 2016. to being consistently below the nationwide average since then,. which has even more strengthened the state's track record as an. emerging tidy energy leader.
WIDENING SHIFT
Oklahoma's energy consumers have also made considerable. shifts to use patterns and sources.
Oklahoma's vehicle chauffeurs posted the biggest annual jump in. electricity use for electrical automobile (EV) charging of all U.S. states in 2023, according to the U.S. Energy Info. Administration (EIA).
The 74% jump in Oklahoma's electrical power need for EV. charging far exceeded the development rate in surrounding states and. the national average (45%) last year, and highlights how. households can likewise help drive power sector decarbonization.
But the state's power producers stay the most vital. source of clean energy development. If they can continue to roll. out brand-new tidy generation capability while suppressing fossil fuel usage,. the state could soon eclipse its larger rivals and emerge as a. new darling of nationwide energy transition efforts.
The viewpoints revealed here are those of the author, a writer. .
(source: Reuters)