At Damascus opera house, hopes for a better future

Farmer Hadi Saheb in Iraq has turned to groundwater to cultivate his wheat fields in the Najaf desert, a response to worsening drought and desertification. This government initiative allows farmers to lease desert land at a low cost and provides subsidized irrigation, leading to a significant increase in harvests. However, experts warn that the reliance on groundwater, which is depleting faster than it can be replenished, poses a risk to long-term agricultural sustainability, indicating a...

Footage has emerged showing an Israeli airstrike striking a building in a residential area of Beit Lahia, as Israel's air campaign in Gaza continues following the breakdown of its ceasefire with Hamas last month. Recent reports indicate that new information regarding the deaths of paramedics in Gaza contradicts the Israeli Defense Forces’ narrative. Additionally, Israel has ceased references to humanitarian zones amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza. Full Article

The Palestinian leadership has approved the creation of a vice president position for Mahmoud Abbas, potentially paving the way for a successor, aimed at addressing international concerns about Palestinian leadership. In a vote by 170 members of the Palestinian Central Council, only one voted against while another abstained; however, no appointment has been made yet. Abbas, who has led the PLO and PA since 2004, retains the authority to assign and dismiss the deputy, amid...

(JTA) — NEW YORK — Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel's national security minister, proposed encouraging Palestinians to leave Gaza while dismissing fears of arrest abroad for international law violations, quipping about his limited travel. His visit to the U.S. sparked protests, including demonstrations at Yale University and in Manhattan, where critics labeled him a racist and compared him to a Nazi. Despite the backlash, Ben-Gvir defended his hardline policies and expressed a more nuanced view of his...

A recent blast near a UNESCO world heritage site in Yemen's capital, Sana, was attributed to a Houthi missile rather than a U.S. airstrike, according to a U.S. Central Command spokesman. The Houthi-led government previously claimed the explosion resulted from an American attack that killed 12 and injured 30, but the U.S. asserted its operations were over three miles away. The Houthis have been launching attacks amid a broader conflict, targeting ships and asserting their...

The Mycetoma Research Centre (MRC) in Sudan, the only research facility dedicated to mycetoma, has been destroyed amid the ongoing conflict between the army and paramilitary forces, according to its director, Ahmed Fahal. Mycetoma, a neglected tropical disease that severely affects manual laborers, was the focus of this center, which had treated thousands of patients and stored over 40 years of vital research data. The destruction of the MRC marks a significant setback for Sudan's...