![A view of the South Pars gas field in the city of Kangan near the southern Iranian port of Assalouyeh, Iran [File: Abedin Taherkenareh/EPA]](https://kms.jadaliyya.com/Images/357x383xo/envipageroundup220702101745725~.png)
[This is a monthly roundup of news articles and other materials related to environmental issues in the Middle East. It does not reflect the views of the Environment Page of Jadaliyya.]
Regional News
Australia Relaxes Summer Ban on Live Sheep Exports to Middle East
The Guardian (7 April 2022)
The export of live sheep from Australia to the Middle East is typically banned from 1 June to 14 September because of livestock susceptibility to heatstroke. This summer, the ban will begin as early as 22 May to some ports in the Persian Gulf, but export will be allowed to Israel via the Red Sea until 14 June.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture
Sunscreen Chemicals Accumulating in Mediterranean Seagrass, Finds Study
The Guardian (12 April 2022)
Scientific studies off the coast of Mallorca have found chemicals from sunscreen in the stems native seagrass which has been attributed to recreational activity and tourism. There is concern that these chemicals could alter the photosynthetic potential of coastal ecosystems.
Keywords: Water, Pollution, Tourism
Saudi, Kuwait To Develop Gas Field Despite Iran Condemnation
Al Jazeera (13 April 2022)
Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have agreed to jointly develop the Arash/Dorra maritime gas field, a decision Iran has condemned as “illegal.”
Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources
How the MENA Region's Climate Regime Influences Its Water Resources
Middle East Institute (20 April 2022)
The Middle East is uniquely challenged in planning management of its water resources as much of the region relies on snowmelt to feed fresh water sources, as opposed to precipitation.
Keywords: Water, Natural Resources
Mada Masr (20 April, 2022)
Emissions data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has determined that greenhouse gas emissions are generally decreasing in developed countries and increasing in developing countries. It is important to remember that despite these trends, developing countries still produce only a fraction of the emissions of developed countries.
Keywords: Climate & Weather
Middle East Has 42 Percent COVID-19 Vaccination Rate, Says WHO
Middle East Eye (21 April 2022)
The Eastern Mediterranean region has a vaccination rate of forty-two percent against COVID-19. Local vaccination rates, however, vary greatly within this area.
Keywords: Health
Vaccine-Derived Polio Is on the Rise. A New Vaccine Aims To Stop the Spread
NPR (26 April 2022)
Vaccine-derived polio is increasing in areas that typically administer an oral vaccine made with a weakened form of the virus.
Keywords: Health
US Senate Committee Passes Bill Pressuring OPEC Oil Cartel
Middle East Monitor (5 May 2022)
The US Senate passed a bill to revoke immunity that has protected the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) from lawsuits, exposing them to the possibility of lawsuits for colluding on increasing crude oil prices.
Keywords: Energy
The Ripple Effects of Russia's War in Ukraine Are Changing the World
NPR (10 May 2022)
The Russian war in Ukraine is impacting global supply chains and geopolitics. In the Middle East there is increased strain on food supply and new incentives to replace Russian gas, particularly in the European market.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Energy, Natural Resources
Protecting Gulf Waters through Regional Cooperation
Middle East Institute (24 May 2022)
The Middle East Institute has developed a two-phase plan to protect the health of Gulf waters utilizing data acquisition tools to develop current knowledge of the water system and regional cooperation to address the problems that become visible through that data.
Keywords: Water
Algeria
Italy Signs Deal With Algeria To Increase Gas Imports
Al Jazeera (11 April 2022)
In an attempt to reduce dependency on Russian oil imports, Italy has signed a deal to import more gas from Algeria.
Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources
Algeria Threatens To Halt Gas Exports to Spain
Al Jazeera (28 April 2022)
Algeria has threatened to halt the export of natural gas to Spain due to talks promoting increasing partnership between Spain and Morocco.
Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources
Algeria Completes Oil Refinery Project
Middle East Monitor (28 April 2022)
Algeria has finished construction on a crude oil refinery in its largest oil city, Hassi Messaoud. The refinery has capacity to pump 60,000 barrels per day.
Keywords: Energy, Infrastructure
Algeria, China Sign Contract To Build Petrochemical Plant
Middle East Monitor (21 May 2022)
Sonatrach, the Algerian state-owned oil company, has entered a contract with a Chinese factory to construct a new petrochemical plant for ethyl tertbutyl ether production.
Keywords: Energy, Infrastructure
Italian Energy Giant Eni Signs Deal To Boost Algerian Gas Supply
Al Jazeera (26 May 2022)
Italian energy company Eni and Algerian state-owned Sonatrach have reached an agreement to increase gas exploration and green hydrogen development in Algeria following President Abdelmadjid Tebboune’s visit to Rome.
Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources
Egypt
Egypt Strengthens Ties with Rwanda Amid Nile Dam Crisis
Al Monitor (5 April 2022)
Following talks between Egyptian president Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and Rawandan president Paul Kagame, the leaders agreed on the need for Nile Basin countries to engage in more critical dialogue as the completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) has brought tension in the region.
Keywords: Water, Infrastructure
Egypt's Resources Are Not for Its People: Who Controls Them?
Assafir Arabi (14 April 2022)
Since 2014 factories run by the Egyptian army have gained an increasing competitive advantage for economic influence. This influence has also allowed the army to expand their control of natural resources.
Keywords: Natural Resources
Nile Linen Workers Suspend Strike To Protest Bonus Cuts Pending Negotiations
Mada Masr (17 April 2022)
Workers of the Nile Linen Group textile company are suspending their strike and plan to enter negotiations with management. The protest began when eid bonuses were cut in half by the company.
Keywords: Labor
Sources: Interior Ministry Building Prison Complex in Sinai, Holding up to 20,000 Detainees
Mada Masr (21 April 2022)
The Interior Ministry is constructing a new prison complex in Sinai which will have the capacity to house up to 20,000 prisoners, and will also include a hospital, a visitation and reception building, a mosque, and other working spaces such as a mechanics workshop, a slaughterhouse, and an industrial production unit.
Keywords: Infrastructure, Labor
German Bank To Fund Aswan Dam, Construction of Solar Plant in Egypt
Al-Monitor (22 April 2022)
The German KfW Development bank has offered financial assistance for the rehabilitation of hydroelectric stations at the Aswan Dam as well as for the solar fields in Zaafarana.
Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources, Water, Infrastructure
Demolishing City of the Dead Will Displace a Lively Quarter of Cairo
New York Times (24 April 2022)
More of the historic cemetery City of the Dead, Cairo’s oldest cemetery, is scheduled to be razed to clear space for a bridge that will connect Cairo to the New Administrative Capital.
Keywords: Historic Preservation & Urban Planning
مش هنحلّي"... مصريون يعودون إلى كعك العيد البيتي بعد ارتفاع أسعار الدقيق"
Raseef 22 (30 April 2022)
With increasing grain prices, Egyptians are no longer purchasing prepared baked goods from bakeries despite Ramadan.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture
Mada Masr (30 April 2022)
A street nicknamed “Nubia Street” is a lively gathering space for communal Suhoor during Ramadan.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Historic Preservation & Urban Planning
Middle East Institute (5 May 2022)
Egypt’s simultaneous development of natural gas alongside renewable energy sources exemplifies the possible synergy between natural gas development and the clean energy transition.
Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources
Egypt Arrests Freekeh Farmers amid Wheat Crisis
Middle East Monitor (17 May 2022)
Egyptian farmers have been arrested for “forging prices” after the Egyptian government has set strict controls on the production of wheat since the war in Ukraine.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture
Iraq
Iraq's Ancient Buildings Are Being Destroyed by Climate Change
The Guardian (15 April 2022)
Rising salt levels in soil and more frequent sandstorms are contributing to the degradation of historic brick buildings in Iraq.
Keywords: Historic Preservation & Urban Planning, Climate & Weather
Why Iraq Has Fuel Shortages Despite Being a Major Oil Producer
Foreign Policy (21 April 2022)
Iraq is the world’s sixth largest oil-producer, but suffers from fuel and electricity shortages. Reliance on diesel-run private generators and flaring of natural gas, a byproduct in oil fields, produces pollution.
Keywords: Energy
Iraq Engulfed by Dust Storm, Leaving Dozens Hospitalised and Flights Grounded
The Guardian (1 May 2022)
A dust storm caused poor visibility, air travel disruptions, and hospitalizations for respiratory problems in Baghdad and Najaf. Dust storms are increasing in frequency due to drought and decreased precipitation.
Keywords: Climate & Weather, Health, Air
Missile Attack Causes Fire in Iraqi Oil Refinery: Officials
Al Jazeera (2 May 2022)
Six missiles struck a key oil refinery in Erbil, only minor damage was reported.
Keywords: Energy
Iraq Dust Storm Leaves 5,000 People Needing Treatment
BBC (5 May 2022)
The seventh severe dust storm in Iraq in a month has left one dead and 5,000 hospitalized with breathing problems.
Keywords: Climate & Weather, Health, Air
Red Skies as Iraq Hit by Eighth Sandstorm in Weeks
BBC (16 May 2022)
Another sandstorm has passed through Iraq causing hundreds of hospitalizations and grounding flights.
Keywords: Climate & Weather, Health, Air
Ninth Sandstorm in Less Than Two Months Shuts Down Much of Iraq
The Guardian (23 May 2022)
More than 1,000 people have been hospitalized for respiratory issues and most public buildings have been closed due to a sandstorm in Iraq, the ninth storm in only a month. Sandstorms in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia have caused additional closures in the region.
Keywords: Climate & Weather, Health, Air
Climate Change Ravages Iraq as Palm Trees Make Way for Desert
Al Jazeera (26 May 2022)
Tree loss, desertification, salinization of water, and increasing temperatures are endangering Iraqi farms and orchards around Basra.
Keywords: Climate & Weather, Agriculture & Food, Water
Iran
Cities across Iran Engulfed in Thick Layers of Dust, Pollutants
Al Jazeera (9 April 2022)
Wind from the west on Friday 8 April and Saturday 9 April carried pollutants and dust into Tehran, measuring as the most polluted city in the world on Friday. The dust has been attributed to desertification and drought in neighboring Iraq.
Keywords: Air, Pollution, Climate & Weather
Gradual Death of Iran's Soil, Subsidence, an Irreversible Threat
Iran Focus (13 April 2022)
Urban land across Iran is subsiding because of groundwater withdrawals depleting aquifers. This shift is damaging the foundations of buildings and structures.
Keywords: Infrastructure, Water
Iran: Endangered Leopard Shot Dead, Brown Bear Beaten to Death
Middle East Monitor (25 April 2022)
An endangered leopard attacked a police officer in Qaem Shahr. The animal was shot to save the officer, but did not survive the wounds.
Keywords: Wildlife
Iranian Oil Minister Meets Venezuela's Maduro in Caracas
Al Jazeera (3 May 2022)
The Venezuelan president met with the Iranian oil minister to discuss the impact of US sanctions on both countries and “cooperation in energy.”
Keywords: Energy
Food Protests Continue Across Iran as One Person Reported Dead
The Guardian (14 May 2022)
Protests in Iran have emerged in response to reduction of state subsidies for imported wheat. One person has died in demonstrations in Dezful.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture
An Iranian Artist Focuses on Gardens under Siege
New York Times (17 May 2022)
Homa Delvaray is displaying her collection “The Garden of Desolation” at the international art fair Frieze New York. Delvaray’s work addresses themes of gardens, tranquility, private space, and urbanization.
Keywords: Art, Historic Preservation & Urban Planning, Food & Agriculture
Lebanon
Joyce Azzam Trekked across Lebanon Mountain Trail in the Icy Cold
L’Orient Today (1 April 2022)
Joyce Azzam, the new ambassador of the Lebanon Mountain Trail (LMT), hiked the country’s highest trails in March as part of the organization's mission to promote the preservation of cultural and natural heritage.
Keywords: Tourism
Ramadan 2022: Syrian Refugees Struggle in Cash-Strapped Lebanon
Al Jazeera (13 April 2022)
Food shortages, inflation, and rising fuel costs stress food supply during Ramadan.
Keywords: Food and Agriculture
Lebanon: Cabinet Approves Demolition of Beirut Blast Silos
Middle East Eye (14 April 2022)
The Lebanese government approves the demolition of grain silo remains at the Port of Beirut despite calls to preserve the structures as a memorial to the August 2020 explosion.
Keywords: Infrastructure, Historic Preservation & Urban Planning
Seed Banks: The Last Line of Defense against a Threatening Global Food Crisis
The Guardian (15 April 2022)
The Syrian war forced the closure of the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA) seed bank in Aleppo, but it has reestablished headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon and continues to preserve wild relatives of cereals and legumes.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Climate & Weather
L’Orient Today (20 April 2022)
Despite an uncharacteristically snowy winter, Lebanese winter resorts worry that customers cannot afford skiing.
Keywords: Tourism, Climate & Weather
Saudi Arabia, France Launch Humanitarian Projects in Lebanon
Al Jazeera (26 April 2022)
Saudi Arabia and France have committed $32 million to help launch programs focused on food security and healthcare in Lebanon.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Health
Libya
Protest Forces Libya's National Oil Firm to Close Al-Fil Field
Al Jazeera (17 April 2022)
An unidentified group forced the closure of the National Oil Corporation’s (NOC) Al-Fil oil field in protest of the current Libyan government.
Keywords: Energy
Libya's NOC Says Output Halted at Major Ports and Fields
Al Jazeera (18 April 2022)
Libya’s National Oil Corporation is closing operations at Zueitina terminal and Sharara, the company’s largest oil field, after declaring force majeure, freeing themselves of contractual obligations.
Keywords: Energy
Libya: Landmines, Other War Hazards, Killing Civilians
Human Rights Watch (27 April 2022)
Since the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) left the southern suburbs of Tripoli in June 2020, over 130 civilians have died from remaining landmines.
Keywords: Pollution
Libya Is Losing $60ma Day in Oil Shutdown: Oil Minister
Al Jazeera (29 April 2022)
The closure of Libyan oil facilities during record high global oil prices is resulting in the loss of $60 million daily.
Keywords: Energy
Morocco
“Phosphate and Two Seas”: Morocco's Depleted and Unspoken Resources
As-safir Al-arabi (5 April 2022)
Natural resources are frequently cited at Moroccan protests as people feel frustration that living conditions do not represent a country with more than $1 trillion in resources.
Keywords: Natural Resources
Emirati Firm To Build Solar Power Plants in Morocco
Al-Monitor (20 April 2022)
The Emirati energy company AMEA Power has gained permission to construct two solar plants in Morocco. Morocco currently imports the majority of its energy needs and is hoping to increase both its use of renewable energy and level of self sufficiency.
Keywords: Energy
Morocco: Huge Offshore Oil Field Discovered
Middle East Monitor (25 April 2022)
An oil field valued at €110 billion has been found off the coast of Morocco. Some Spanish news sites have claimed the field is within the borders of the Canary Islands of Spain.
Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources
في المغرب.. يُخرجن الضوء من العتمة
As-safir Al-arabi (1 May 2022)
Women work cooperatives in Morocco are an important tool for financial independence. One collective, ḍīā’ lilḥulūl al-shamsiyya, manufactures solar powered devices.
Keywords: Energy, Labor
Spain and Morocco Feel the Heat as Unseasonal Snow Falls on Colorado
The Guardian (27 May 2022)
Morocco experienced extremely hot conditions as Sidi Slimane city recorded its hottest day on record at 45.7C.
Keywords: Climate & Weather
Palestine, Israel, and Jordan:
Jerusalem's Last Agricultural Village Fights for Survival
Mondoweiss (1 April 2022)
A demolition freeze of thirty-eight homes in al-Walaja has been extended by Israel’s Supreme Court. Villagers hope the postponement has won them more time to generate a master plan for saving the ancient agricultural village.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Historic Preservation & Urban Planning
In Israel, It's the Only Golf Game in Town, and the Country
New York Times (1 April 2022)
Views of the Caesarea Golf Club are driving the demand and cost of real estate up in the coastal Israeli town.
Keywords: Historic Preservation & Urban Planning, Tourism
Lead Poisoning and Lost Livelihoods: How Israel's Ban on Battery Exports Hurts Gaza
Middle East Eye (10 April 2022)
Traders store batteries in Gaza despite a 2008 Israeli ban on battery exports in the hopes that the ban may be lifted in the future. A 2006 Israeli bombing of Gaza’s sole power plant has left residents dependent on alternative sources of power, now receiving just a few hours of electricity per day from the plant.
Keywords: Pollution, Energy
Restoring Wadi Gaza after Years of Neglect
Electronic Intifada (13 April 2022)
The UN has begun its project to clean up Wadi Gaza, a valley that passes through Gaza. The valley has been used for years as a garbage dump and a site of garbage burning, but this project aims to restore the land to a nature reserve.
Keywords: Pollution, Land Restoration, Wildlife
Rebuilding Nablus: The Family Bringing Life to Ancient Palestinian Streets
The Guardian (15 April 2022)
The Antique Cafe in Nablus has inspired the exploration and restoration of historic alleyways across the city. The cafe serves Palestinian history alongside food and drink.
Keywords: Historic Preservation & Urban Planning
Volvo Invests in Israeli Electric Car Battery Maker Storedot
Al-Monitor (20 April 2022)
Volvo has invested in the Israeli auto company StoreDot who produces electric batteries. This collaboration is part of increasing economic cooperation between Israel and China.
Keywords: Energy, Infrastructure
Earth Day: Jordan Farmers Frustrated over Shrinking Dead Sea
Al Jazeera (21 April 2022)
Farmers in southern Jordan are facing water scarcity and sinkholes due to decreasing water levels in the Dead Sea.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Water
The Israeli Army Is Making Millions by Seizing Palestinian Tractors
972 Magazine (1 May 2022)
The Israeli military has been seizing agricultural machinery from Palestinian villiagers and profitting off of the collection of release fees.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Infrastructure
Settlers Invade Nablus and Destroy Hundreds of Olive Saplings in Al-Khader
Middle East Monitor (5 May 2022)
Israeli settlers from Sde Boaz released a flock of sheep onto Palestinian cropland in Al-Khader, resulting in the loss of 300 olive saplings and 3.7 acres of chickpea crops.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture
Israel Threatens to Impose Six-Hour Long Power Cuts across West Bank
Middle East Monitor (10 May 2022)
The Israeli Electricity Company (IEC) has threatened new power cuts in the West Bank due to the Jerusalem District Electric Company (JDECO)’s debt.
Keywords: Energy, Infrastructure
Gaza Resident Keeps Palestine's Heritage Safe within His Home
Middle East Monitor (15 May 2022)
A man in Gaza preserves agricultural and life tools of life in Palestine before the occupation. He hopes to pass these down as witness to the historic presence on the land.
Keywords: Historic Preservation & Urban Planning, Food & Agriculture
Israel, Switzerland Report First Monkeypox Cases as Virus Spreads
Al Jazeera (21 May 2022)
Israel and Switzerland each recorded their first case of monkeypox. The case in Israel has been linked to travel in western Europe.
Keywords: Health
Israel Builds the Largest New West Bank Nature Reserve on Private Palestinian Land
Middle East Monitor (25 May 2022)
A new nature reserve south of Jericho is the largest established since 1993. The result was constructed by Israel on privately-owned Palestinian land.
Keywords: Land Restoration, Wildlife
Israel Settlers Burn 100 Trees South of Nablus
Middle East Monitor (31 May 2022)
Israeli settlers ignited cultivated land in Madama and Burin, destroying more than 100 trees.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture
Qatar
Low-Wage Workers Have Paid Dearly for Qatar's Glittering World Cup
The Guardian (1 April 2022)
As the 2022 Fifa World Cup in Qatar approaches, concerns have been raised about the conditions of migrant laborers who constructed the necessary infrastructure.
Keywords: Labor, Infrastructure
Workers Bear Brunt as Food Industry Flouts Labour Laws During Ramadan
Middle East Eye (18 April 2022)
Workers in the food industry are facing overwork despite rules for reduced working hours.
Keywords: Labor, Food & Agriculture
Qatar Becomes World's Top Natural Gas Exporter, Surpassing US
Middle East Eye (3 May 2022)
Qatar has surpassed the United States as the top natural gas exporter.
Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources
The West's Scramble for Gas Could Enrich and Empower Tiny Qatar
New York Times (16 May 2022)
Motivated in part by European and American countries reducing their purchase of oil and gas from Russia, Qatar plans to increase their oil and gas output by two-thirds by 2027.
Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources
Qatar, Germany Sign Energy Deal
Middle East Monitor (21 May 2022)
Qatar and Germany have entered a hydrogen and natural gas energy partnership to help diversify Germany’s gas supplies.
Keywords: Energy
Fifa World Cup Qatar 2022: New Report Discredits Carbon Neutrality Claim
BBC (31 May 2022)
A new report challenges the credibility of Fifa and Qatar’s claim to hosting the first carbon neutral Fifa World Cup later this year.
Keywords: Energy
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's International Natural Gas Aspirations
Middle East Institute (6 April 2022)
Aramco hopes to expand in the hydrogen and carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) sectors to help diversify its sources of revenue.
Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources
Saudi Arabia Will Allow a Million Hajj Pilgrims To Visit Mecca, with COVID Precautions
New York Times (9 April 2022)
Vaccinated Muslims under sixty-five with a negative COVID-19 test will be able to travel to Mecca in July for hajj.
Keywords: Health, Tourism
Saudi Fishermen Begin Strike against Market Price Hikes in Qatif
Middle East Eye (17 April 2022)
Fishermen in Qatif are striking against newly imposed fees by the city’s central market.
Keywords: Labor, Food & Agriculture
US Stops Asking Saudi Arabia To Pump More Oil, Report Says
Middle East Eye (20 April 2022)
The US has halted requests for Saudi Arabia to pump additional oil after being turned away multiple times. The relationship between the US and Saudi Arabia has become increasingly strained by security and human rights concerns.
Keywords: Energy, Natural Resources
Oil Propels Saudi GDP Growth to Near 10 Percent in First Quarter
Al Jazeera (1 May 2022)
Saudi Arabia has recorded the greatest economic growth rate in a decade thanks to the booming oil sector.
Keywords: Energy
World Energy Capacity in All Sectors Is Dwindling, Warns Saudi Oil Minister
Middle East Monitor (10 May 2022)
The Saudi oil minister warns that increased energy demand from the war in Ukraine is increasingly limiting the capacity of all sources of energy.
Keywords: Energy
Saudi Megacity NEOM Will Be Home to Millions of 'Neomians' by 2030, Says Project Tourism Head
Middle East Monitor (11 May 2022)
Saudi Arabia is constructing a new futuristic megacity, with plans to complete the project by 2030. There are many tourist projects underway in the area, and people are expected to move to the city beginning in 2024.
Keywords: Historic Preservation & Urban Planning, Tourism
Sudan
Egypt Steps up Support to Sudan ahead af Nile Dam Third Filling
Al Monitor (15 April 2022)
Egypt and Sudan have agreed to continue mutual coordination around Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam developments prior to the dam’s third filling this July.
Keywords: Water, Infrastructure
Instability and a Rentier Mentality Threaten Sudan's Resources
As-safir Al-arabi (15 April 2022)
Mismanagement of resources by the Sudanese ruling elite has driven the state into impoverishment and unrest, ultimately failing to feed its people and leading to revolution.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Natural Resources
Syria
'Trying To Survive': Syrian Fuel Smugglers Defy Deadly Crackdown
Al Jazeera (5 April 2022)
Some Syrian families rely on smuggling cheap fuel for meager profits to afford daily expenses like food.
Keywords: Energy, Labor
Impoverished Syrians Suffering a Ramadan of Scarce Food and Exorbitant Prices
Middle East Eye (9 April 2022)
Increasing food costs are changing food traditions during the month of Ramadan, impacting families’ social traditions and businesses’ finances.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture
Families Fearful as UN Reduces Food Aid to Northwest Syria
Al Jazeera (15 April 2022)
Starting in May The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) will be reducing food aid to northern Syria due to increasing costs and supply reduction.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture
A Palestinian-Syrian Chef's Cookbook Invites People To See Any Meal as a Celebration
NPR (29 April 2022)
Reem Assil's cookbook Arabiyya: Recipes From The Life Of An Arab In Diaspora celebrates connecting to her identity as a Palestinian-Syrian in California.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture
Scorched Earth: How a Decade of War Destroyed Syria's Farmlands
Middle East Eye (21 May 2022)
War damage has rendered agricultural land in northwest Syria uncultivable. Remnants of explosives pose a danger to farmers who work to restore the land.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Pollution
Russian Ship Carries 30,000 Tonnes of Grain Plundered from Ukraine to Syria, Satellite Images Show
Middle East Monitor (30 May 2022)
A Russian ship has delivered tens of thousands of tonnes of stolen Ukrainian wheat to Syria.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture
Tunisia
Natural Resources in Tunisia Between Scarcity, Abundance, and Waste
As-safir Al-arabi (9 April 2022)
While Tunisia has limited natural resources compared to its neighbors, the greater problem is leadership without the vision to exploit the resources that are available.
Keywords: Natural Resources
Diesel Tanker Sinks off Tunisia Risking Environmental Disaster
The Guardian (16 April 2022)
A diesel tanker in transit from Egypt to Malta with 750 tonnes of fuel onboard sank off the coast of Tunisia during bad weather conditions.
Keywords: Pollution, Energy, Water
No Leaks Detected So Far in Fuel-Laden Ship that Sank off Tunisia
Al Jazeera (17 April 2022)
Divers examined the hull of a sunken diesel tanker off the coast of Tunisia and determined that no leaks are yet apparent.
Keywords: Pollution, Energy, Water
Power and Natural Resources in Tunisia: On Corruption and Nepotism
As-Safir Al-arabi (20 April 2022)
The Tunisian State had long promoted the idea that Tunisia’s only abundant natural resource is the intelligence of its people. The revolution in 2011 began challenging this narrative, and a second opposing belief emerged that Tunisia has many natural resources but over which they possess no control.
Keywords: Natural Resources, Energy
The Gabes Shipwreck: Yet Another Disaster for the Local Fishermen
Inkyfada (5 May 2022)
The sinking of a diesel tanker last month reminds Tunisian fishermen of the everpresent risks of environmental degradation on their livelihoods.
Keywords: Food & Agriculture, Pollution, Water, Energy
Türkiye
Turkey Faces Worst Property Price Crisis on Record
Middle East Eye (22 April 2022)
Türkiye is facing its worst housing crisis on record, with prices increasing across the country. The crisis has sparked frustration against foreigners purchasing property and incoming refugees.
Keywords: Historic Preservation & Urban Planning
Ramadan: Hagia Sophia a Glimpse of Turkey's Modern Transformation
Al Jazeera (23 April 2022)
The Hagia Sophia will host tarawih prayers for Ramadan for the first time in 88 years. The Hagia Sophia was converted from a museum to a mosque in July 2020 in a decision by Türkiye’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Keywords: Historic Preservation & Urban Planning
Turkey Ready To Lift All COVID-19 Measures, Erdogan Says
Reuters (26 April 2022)
The Turkish president has declared the country ready to lift all measures against COVID-19 with exception for mask wearing on public transport and in medical institutions.
Keywords: Health
Al Jazeera (27 April 2022)
A minibus operates through the remote mountain villages of Türkiye in all weathers, connecting villagers to the nearest town of Senkaya. The drive also reveals recent local environmental change.
Keywords: Infrastructure, Climate & Weather
Turkey: Russia-Ukraine War May Have Caused Rising Dolphin Deaths in Black Sea
Middle East Eye (10 May 2022)
A major increase in the number of dolphin deaths in the Black Sea may be linked to the war in Ukraine.
Keywords: Wildlife, Water, Pollution
Turkiye Welcomes Arrival of Fourth Drillship
Middle East Monitor (20 May 2022)
A new drillship has arrived in Türkiye as the country aims to expand its gas resources.
Keywords: Energy, Infrastructure
UAE
UAE to Become First Arab Country to Send Astronaut on Six-Month Space Mission
Middle East Monitor (1 May 2022)
The United Arab Emirates will become the first Arab country to send an astronaut on a long-term mission to the International Space Station.
Keywords: Space
BP and Abu Dhabi Sign Two Green Hydrogen Projects
Middle East Monitor (24 May 2022)
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and Masdar are joining BP’s blue hydrogen project, H2Teesside, and BP’s green hydrogen project, HyGreen Teeside.
Keywords: Energy
Monkeypox: Cases Detected in Three More Countries for First Time
BBC (24 May 2022)
The UAE, along with The Czech Republic and Slovenia, recorded their first case of monkeypox after a traveler returned from west Africa.
Keywords: Health
Yemen
Meet Edris, the Big Yellow School Bus that Roams Yemen's Refugee Camps
The Guardian (21 April 2022)
The Edris bus is a mobile school bus bringing classes to displaced students in Yemen. The program is run by local NGO Al-Twasul for Human Development and funded by Kuwait’s Rahma International Association, and began its rounds at the Mafraq refugee camp.
Keywords: Infrastructure
UN Leads £65m Plan To Stop Huge Oil Spill off Yemen During First Ceasefire in Six Years
The Guardian (8 May 2022)
The UN is planning to gather funds to negotiate the offloading of an aging oil tanker off the coast of Yemen which poses a risk of explosion and environmental disaster.
Keywords: Energy, Infrastructure, Pollution
