Embracing the opportunities of the technological revolution

Scotland’s Northern Isles, Orkney and Shetland, have long benefited from North Sea oil revenues. But with reserves declining, and climate change forcing a transformation of energy policy around the world, the islands have become a hotbed of renewable energy innovation. As Scotland prepares to host the COP26 UN climate summit in November, the Northern Isles could serve as an example for other nations, both of cutting edge technologies, and of difficult political choices.

It has been two and half years since Sudanese protesters peacefully overthrew their dictator Omar al-Bashir in a jubilant moment for Sudan. But the path to democracy has not run smoothly. Infighting has plagued the country's joint military-civilian coalition and steep price rises have shaken people's faith in their leaders. For weeks, rumours had swirled of a coup d'état. This Monday morning, it happened: Prime Minister Abdallah Hamdok was arrested and military chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan appeared on television, declaring a state of emergency and dissolving the country's ruling body. Is this the death knell for Sudan's revolution? Or will the military's actions breathe new life into the protest movement?

Though discussions at COP26 are usually among national governments, the US state of California sent its own delegation to the UN climate conference in Glasgow. California is already feeling the effects of climate change and in recent years it has taken aggressive action to reduce greenhouse gases, with a target of 100 percent clean electricity by 2045. Our correspondents Valérie Defert, Pierrick Leurent and Ryan Thompson report from the Golden State.

How to make the military go back to barracks when it's held the reins of power for so long? In Sudan, Saturday's use of live ammunition to quell protests against last month's coup shows the determination of a junta which never went away after the ouster of longtime strongman Omar al-Bashir, agreeing at best to sharing power with civilians during the transition. So what response to Saturday and its aftermath? What next for Sudan's unfinished revolution?

A Cairo court has sentenced Egypt's revolution activist Alaa Abdel Fattah to 5 years behind bars for spreading “fake news”. Rights groups slammed the trial as a “sham”. Meanwhile, anti-crime protests in Goma turned deadly. Congolese police fired tear gas and live rounds while civilians set up road blocks and burnt tires. Finally, our reporters in Cote d’Ivoire meet with a standup comedian determined to use humour to break down stereotypes. He pokes fun at clichés about his notorious hometown, Abobo.

Swarnalatha Reddi moved to Chennai, India’s automotive hub, to work in Mahindra’s R&D division. The young engineer is hoping to help Mahindra make the move to electromobility.

The exiled Iranian is one of the world's most important artists, whose works also cover women's rights in Iran. She speaks about her new film "Land of Dreams" and the situation in Iran.

In Cuba, the socialist project begun by revolutionary hero and former president Fidel Castro is teetering on the verge of failure.

Talking Europe speaks to Eamon Ryan, the leader of the Irish Green Party and minister for the Environment, Climate, Communications and Transport in the current coalition government in Dublin. We caught up with him after he attended a signing ceremony for the Celtic Interconnector, a project that will link the electricity grids of Ireland and France for the first time.

The EU is picking up speed with climate protection regulations. For imports from abroad, a carbon tax will soon be introduced. But poorer countries could be unfairly disadvantaged by this.

FRANCE 24 spoke to Hamed Esmaeilion as to why he believes the Iranian authorities intentionally “sacrificed” the 176 passengers of Ukraine International Airlines Flight PS752 shot down on January 8, 2020. Esmaeilion told Marc Perelman why the ongoing protests in Iran “can't be silenced and will continue until the end of the Islamic regime”.

Award-winning French journalist Samuel Forey joins us for Perspective to discuss his newly-released book, which retraces six years of reporting from the Middle East. He tells us more about why he decided to become a war reporter and also reacts to the devastating twin earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.