Analysis Iran’s mismanagement in focus as fires ravage 25-million-year-old forests Prolonged wildfires are raging across Iran's northern Hyrcanian forests, highlighting mismanagement, insufficient resources and climate stress, and forcing volunteers and foreign aid to intervene. By A correspondent in Tehran In Tehran, reporting on politics
Syria attends Brazil’s COP30 as most Middle East leaders skip talks Two years after the UAE and Egypt hosted back-to-back climate conferences, global headwinds are threatening climate action as talks begin in Belem amid notable absences. United Arab Emirates
Over 200 hospitalized in Tunisia’s Gabes as anger over pollution crisis grows President Kais Saied is facing one of his biggest challenges yet as demands for the closure of the city’s phosphate processing plant increase. Tunisia
Drought-stricken Iraq sends delegation to Turkey to discuss water cooperation Turkey recently agreed to release more water to Iraq amid the drought in the country, indicating improving coordination on resource management after years of tensions over Turkish dams. Iraq
Why Turkey's rappers can no longer stay silent In a 15-minute-long song aptly titled "#ICannotBeSilent," Turkish rappers take turns expressing their woes on issues such as justice, freedom, environment, abuse and exile. Turkey
Why Lebanon's largest artificial lake is turning green Lake Qaraoun suffers from industrial pollution from the factories on its banks and agricultural pesticides and no project, local or international, seems to stop it. Lebanon
Lebanon's green turtles threatened by new resort The Orange House Project, an environmental NGO, has been trying to ensure that turtles reach the sea after their eggs are hatched, but its job gets more difficult every year. Lebanon
Environmental problems provoke protests on all fronts in Turkey The Justice and Development Party government’s policy of ignoring environmental concerns cause tensions in Turkey. Turkey
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
