Author: space4knews

September 7, Kathmandu – A fuel tanker caught fire on the Sanandaj-Hamedan highway in Iran, resulting in the deaths of 11 people and injuring seven others. According to the IRNA news agency, the incident occurred around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday near the entrance of Sanandaj city. The tanker, carrying 20,000 liters of gasoline, collided from behind with a minibus. The collision triggered an explosion that killed the drivers of both vehicles.

Following the accident, the governor of Kurdistan province declared two days of public mourning throughout the region. Mohammad Jabbari, the chief justice of Kurdistan, confirmed that a legal case has been registered to investigate the cause of the incident. Preliminary investigations indicate that a technical fault caused problems with the fuel tanker’s brakes.

Kathmandu, September 7 – Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has claimed that the United States and its allies have reached a state of desperation following a powerful response from the Iranian military. He made this assertion during a parliamentary address on Sunday.

“After the Iranian military launched strong attacks on US bases, the United States and its allied countries have become completely desperate,” Ghalibaf stated.

He accused the opposing side of using artificial intelligence to create battlefield images and videos based solely on slogans. Speaker Ghalibaf urged the US to understand that the time for limited responses has ended. He emphasized that the recent Iranian attacks carried out in these operations are only the beginning.

“If the United States has not yet understood the situation, it must realize—before it is too late—that the rules of the game have changed,” he warned. Ghalibaf further claimed that Iran’s upcoming retaliatory actions would be even more intense. On Saturday, the US and Iran conducted retaliatory strikes against each other’s vessels.

September 7, Kathmandu – For the first time since Russia’s full-scale invasion, special envoys from the US President have arrived in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky welcomed US representatives Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Kyiv. The two sides held talks at St. Sophia Cathedral. Ahead of the meeting, President Zelensky expressed readiness for discussions aimed at bringing the war to a close, emphasizing that security guarantees are essential for sustainable peace after the conflict.

Earlier on Saturday, these American envoys visited Moscow and held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin described the Moscow discussions as “open” and “constructive.” Due to the inability to land flights, the envoys traveled by train from Poland to Kyiv. During the ongoing talks, both Russia and Ukraine agreed not to attack each other’s capitals while discussions continue.

On Sunday, Zelensky wrote on social media, “Ukraine has always been and will remain constructive.” He added, “We are eager to bring the end of the war closer.” Despite approaching talks, attacks between Russia and Ukraine continued. The Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia launched attacks using 108 drones and small cruise missiles, while Ukraine claimed to have shot down 82 drones and six missiles. Ukraine also confirmed that it targeted Russian oil refineries and airports.

The Israeli military initiated retaliatory strikes in southern Lebanon on Sunday after a Hezbollah drone attack, warning residents of Arab Salim to evacuate the area. According to the military, two drones launched by Hezbollah targeted Israeli soldiers stationed in the security zone of southern Lebanon, but no Israeli personnel were reported injured.

Lebanese officials reported that four individuals were killed in Israeli counterstrikes conducted Saturday across southern and eastern regions. The Israeli military began its operations after Hezbollah targeted its troops with drone attacks, urging residents of Arab Salim to move to safer locations.

“A terrorist organization named Hezbollah launched two drone attacks targeting Israeli Defense Forces soldiers deployed in the security zone of southern Lebanon,” the Israeli military stated in a press release. It confirmed that no Israeli soldiers were harmed.

As a precondition for further military action, the Israeli military warned residents of Arab Salim to evacuate the area. “You are located near Hezbollah terrorist bases or infrastructure, against which the IDF is conducting operations,” the statement posted on Telegram in Arabic read. Following this Iran-backed attack by Hezbollah, Lebanon is once again embroiled in the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict.

The eruption of the Anak Krakatau volcano on Sunday morning has led to the temporary cancellation of flights at Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Jakarta, from 5:30 AM to 9:30 AM. The airport closure affected approximately 209 flights and around 22,800 passengers. Additionally, flights bound for Hong Kong, Sydney, Amsterdam, Seoul, Doha, and Kuala Lumpur also experienced disruptions. There have been no reports of human casualties from the eruption, but volcanic ash has spread over Jakarta, Banten, West Java, and areas of Lampung in Sumatra. (September 7, Jakarta, RASAS/AP)

The Indonesian vulcanology and geological agency reported that Anak Krakatau, located in the Sunda Strait, erupted at 3:53 AM for about 30 seconds. Monitoring cameras captured lava flames emerging simultaneously with the explosion. Although no casualties have been reported so far, authorities have not ordered evacuations. However, local residents and tourists have been advised to maintain a minimum distance of three kilometers from the active volcanic crater.

Soekarno-Hatta International Airport announced the temporary suspension of flight operations between 5:30 AM and 9:30 AM on Sunday morning. This led to flight cancellations and delays, contributing to increased passenger congestion at the airport. According to officials, around 209 flights and 22,800 passengers were affected. The most impacted routes include busy domestic flights to Makassar in South Sulawesi and international flights to Singapore. There were also cancellations, delays, and schedule changes affecting flights to Hong Kong, Sydney, Amsterdam, Seoul, Doha, and Kuala Lumpur.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation of Indonesia stated that it is closely monitoring the situation in coordination with the airport, airlines, air navigation services, and meteorological agencies. Around 170 aircraft remained parked overnight on the apron due to the suspension. Civil Aviation Director-General Lukman F. Lais emphasized that passenger safety remains the top priority in all operational decisions. Airlines are attempting to resume services, but additional delays or schedule adjustments may occur. Authorities urge passengers to check the latest flight status with their airlines before heading to the airport and to avoid traveling to the airport unless necessary.

Indonesia’s volcanic agency and Australia’s Darwin Volcanic Ash Advisory Center identified two ash clouds in satellite images. One ash cloud moved northeast, reaching approximately 20,000 feet (6,100 meters), which has affected parts of Jakarta, Banten, and West Java. The other ash cloud rose to about 50,000 feet (15,200 meters) and spread westward and northwestward, impacting Banten, Lampung, Bengkulu provinces, southern Sunda Strait, and the western Indian Ocean region of Sumatra. Anak Krakatau means ‘Child of Krakatau’ and is a volcanic island formed after the catastrophic 1883 Krakatau eruption. In 2018, an eruption at Anak Krakatau triggered a landslide underwater that caused a tsunami, resulting in at least 430 deaths in Java and Sumatra. Scientists explained that a large portion of the volcano’s southwest flank collapsed into the sea, displacing massive volumes of water. Currently, Anak Krakatau remains on the second-highest alert level in the four-tier warning system. Experts note that continued eruption activity has reduced the volcano island to about one-quarter of its original size.

Pakistani military operations conducted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from September 3 to 5 resulted in the elimination of 21 terrorists. These operations took place in the districts of North Waziristan, Kohat, and Dera Ismail Khan, according to a statement from the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) on Sunday. The military noted that ‘sanitization operations’ continue in the affected areas to remove remaining security threats.

September 7, Islamabad (RASS/Xinhua): Security forces operating in Pakistan’s northwest recently carried out multiple military actions leading to the death of 21 terrorists, the Pakistani military reported. The ISPR released information on Sunday confirming that from September 3 to 5, security sweep operations were conducted across several districts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

During clashes between security personnel and militants, a total of 21 terrorists were killed. The operations in North Waziristan were focused primarily on the border area adjoining Afghanistan, a region historically marked by militant activity and attacks on security forces. The military identified those killed as terrorists involved in such hostile activities.

Engagements also took place in Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan, resulting in further militant casualties, the military stated. Pakistani security agencies regularly conduct search and combat operations in various parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to control terrorist activity. According to the army, the objective of the recent campaign is to completely eliminate remaining security risks and further strengthen safety conditions in the region.

Editorial Review: Following significant damage to Sudan’s electrical infrastructure due to ongoing conflict, civilians have increasingly turned to solar energy to mitigate prolonged power outages. The conflict, which ignited in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), has resulted in at least 59,000 fatalities and displaced approximately 13 million people. According to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the war has inflicted damages on Sudan’s power system estimated at around $88.3 billion, with production capacity plummeting from 4,400 megawatts to just 1,100 megawatts. However, as noted by Randa Al-Mansour from Omdurman, the high costs of solar system installations remain prohibitive for many families. Additionally, power shortages in the healthcare sector have jeopardized treatments, such as insulin storage, posing serious risks to patients with chronic conditions like kidney disease.

September 6, Omdurman: As Sudan’s electrical grid faces severe strain of late due to the conflict, civilians are increasingly embracing solar energy as a viable solution to enduring blackouts. Yet, the upfront expenses of installing solar panels, batteries, and inverters continue to restrict accessibility for large segments of the population. Thirty-one-year-old housewife Randa Al-Mansour, living with her three children near the capital Khartoum in Omdurman, has been utilizing a rooftop solar system for the past year.

“We are enduring great hardship,” she says, “When there is no electricity in the morning, the children cannot attend school and have to return home. Without power at home, studying in the intense heat becomes extremely difficult for them.”

The fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, ongoing since April 2023, has severely exacerbated damage to the already fragile power infrastructure. At least 59,000 people have died and about 13 million displaced in this conflict, with aid organizations warning that actual casualty figures could be higher.

Major Decline in Electricity Production

According to the UNDP, the war has caused approximately $88.3 billion in damage to Sudan’s electrical systems. Officials from the electricity department report that generation capacity has dropped sharply from around 4,400 megawatts prior to the conflict to approximately 1,100 megawatts now. Numerous power plants have suffered drone attacks by the RSF, and the conflict has also triggered a shortage of skilled technicians. Nearly half of qualified students and technicians have left the country since 2023, resulting in routine blackouts lasting up to 16 hours daily in some areas.

Increasing Demand for Solar Solutions

Amid deepening electrical shortages, advertisements and billboards for companies selling solar panels, batteries, and inverters have proliferated along streets in the capital. Mohe Edin Abu-Berk, who installs solar systems in Khartoum, observes that while installation costs impose a heavy financial burden on low-income households, solar energy has become an indispensable alternative for many.

“Installing a solar system with about 10 kilowatt capacity for an average home can cost around $5,000,” Abu-Berk explains. “This represents a significant sacrifice for families with limited income, but it is an unavoidable option. However, many families cannot afford this expense.”

Randa Al-Mansour, whose husband works in Saudi Arabia and sends remittances to cover household expenses, acknowledges that although her family chose solar energy, most Sudanese families remain unable to install such systems.

Healthcare Sector Faces Severe Electricity Crisis

The power crisis extends beyond households, severely impacting healthcare. Forty-three-year-old government employee and diabetic patient Manhel Madani requires continuous electricity to store insulin safely. Frequent outages force her to discard spoiled medication repeatedly.

“Every three to four days, due to heat and power cuts, I have to throw out my entire stock of insulin,” she shares. Living with her mother and sisters in a two-bedroom home in Omdurman, Madani struggles to cope with heat inside the house during blackouts, often sleeping in the courtyard to avoid the extreme temperatures. She notes that many pharmacies lack the solar systems essential for proper medication storage, affecting the availability of critical drugs.

The Sudan Doctors Network has warned that ongoing power interruptions threaten patients in hospitals, especially those requiring continuous treatment and specialized equipment, such as kidney patients.

Challenges to Wide Solar Adoption

According to the World Bank, at least 30 percent of Sudan’s population lacks access to electricity, with rural areas disproportionately affected. The United Nations highlights Sudan’s high solar potential, receiving over 4,000 hours of sunlight annually. Despite this, the steep initial costs of imported solar systems combined with the continuous devaluation of the local currency create significant barriers to widespread adoption of solar energy among ordinary citizens.