Water Stress Watch: Moldova’s Environment Ministry says Lake Novodnistrovsk is still bleeding reserves—down another meter in August so far—forcing heavy releases to keep downstream Lake Dubasari stable, a warning that upstream inflows are hitting new lows. Climate Policy & Power: An analysis argues Trump-era moves could double U.S. power-sector emissions by 2035 while wiping out hundreds of billions in clean energy investment, with higher bills and slower wind/solar/storage buildout. Grid Security Upgrade: India’s CEA committee backs a roadmap for indigenous SCADA/EMS—testing platforms, cybersecurity checks, and pilot work at SLDC/RLDC/NLDC sites—to strengthen power-grid resilience. Recycling Tech Push: BCC Research reports AI is accelerating optical sorter adoption, with big recycling investment and EU rules driving deployment. Indigenous Knowledge for Minerals: Ghana, Chile and Australia join a project exploring how indigenous knowledge can shape critical-minerals governance for the energy transition. Drought Resilience: UNCCD COP17 remarks from India’s environment minister push a shift from reactive drought relief to tech-enabled, forest-and-water restoration. AI for STEM Access: NSF awards $2M to KU-led SMART-STEM scholarships and mentoring to grow responsible AI and autonomous-systems talent.