Biden postpones Germany, Angola trips over Hurricane Milton The White House cited the need to prepare for the "projected trajectory and strength of Hurricane Milton" as well as deal with the impacts of Hurricane Helene. United States
Analysis Climate change, overreliance on Israeli gas add to Egypt's power crisis For a year now, load-shedding linked to falling gas production, rising demand and a shortage of foreign currency has led to scheduled two-hour daily power cuts in most parts of the country. By Jack Dutton , Rosaleen Carroll
Wildfires in Turkey: 11 dead, 78 injured as heat soars to 50 degrees Celsius Turkey has been grappling with wildfires across the country since last week due to hot temperatures soaring up to 50 C (122 F) above the seasonal average. Turkey
14 Jordanian, 5 Iranian pilgrims die at Saudi Hajj from extreme heat Last month was the hottest May on record, according to scientists, and rising temperatures are particularly concerning for the Gulf. Saudi Arabia
Business & Tech Briefing: Dubai gears up for COP28 By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Lebanon’s air pollution nears alarming level Under new austerity measures and budget cuts, Lebanon’s Ministry of Environment was forced to close its air monitoring stations across the country, raising the concerns of experts amid high levels of pollution. Lebanon
Tel Aviv’s got scooter mania The Tel Aviv municipality is trying to bring order to the chaos unleashed across the urban landscape by the electric scooter craze. Israel
Cappadocia victim of Turkish ruling party's love of concrete A new law claiming to protect the natural beauty of Cappadocia strips municipal governments of decision-making powers and oversight, handing authority over the future of the region to a panel whose leader is appointed by the president. Turkey
Fears over safety of nuclear plant flare up in Turkey The safety of a controversial nuclear power plant that Turkey is building in collaboration with Russia has fueled fresh worries amid reports of cracks in the foundation of the facility. Turkey
Cancer hits residents of Iraqi oil city of Basra The cancer rate has been on the rise in the Iraqi oil-rich province of Basra, and many blame this on increasing pollution and on depleted uranium dust from weapons used in the 1991 Gulf War. Iraq
Is cleaning Lebanon’s shores enough to solve waste crisis? Hundreds of volunteers took part in a campaign launched by the Ministry of Environment to clean Lebanon's shoreline, but some say this is a cosmetic move that will not come close to solving the country's endemic waste problem. Lebanon
Cigarette surfboard shames Lebanese smokers Environmental activists have built a stand-up-paddle board from used cigarette butts to show the cost of trash to Lebanon’s coast and culture. Lebanon
Turkey becomes new dump for global plastic waste Due to lax regulations, plastic scrap imports to Turkey have skyrocketed since 2018; why is the AKP letting the country turn into a global wastebasket? Turkey
Lebanese mountaineer speaks up for women, children from Everest summit Joyce Azzam became the first Lebanese woman to complete the Seven Summits challenge by climbing Mount Everest, and now she's going back to clean it up and set an example for others. Lebanon
Can a new project keep Sinai orchards in bloom? The history of the orchards in the High Mountains of South Sinai runs deep, but new generations appear increasingly reluctant to continue the tradition. A new initiative to preserve the heritage and tradition of the groves and gardens might help change their minds. Egypt
New urban forest planted to save Beirut's river Local and international civil groups came together in Beirut to create an urban forest as part of a larger project to restore the heavily polluted Beirut River. Lebanon
Who cares about Israel’s polluted air? According to environmental groups, one is more likely to die from pollution in Israel rather than by a rocket, terror attack and road accident combined. Israel
