A rare step forward for a US pumped hydro project

Published on January 26, 2026

Rye Development secured a federal license to build a massive new pumped hydro energy storage facility in Washington state. The company could become the first to construct this type of grid megaproject in the U.S. since 1995. Long before lithium-ion batteries reshaped the power sector, utilities stored electricity by…

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‘No country is immune from water bankruptcy’

January 26, 2026
A new UN University report argues the world is not facing a temporary water crisis but a chronic state of “water bankruptcy” – a systemic overuse of water resources that demands deep cuts in consumption, equity and long-term adaptation.

From deepfakes to grooming: UN warns of escalating AI threats to children

January 26, 2026
The staggering amount of harmful AI-generated online content has prompted an urgent call from across the UN system for a raft of measures to protect children from abuse, exploitation and mental trauma.