Between heat and war, Saudi Arabia seeks incident-free Hajj Mecca's temperature reached a high of 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.5 degrees Celsius) on Tuesday and is expected to hit 108 degrees Fahrenheit (42 Celsius) on Wednesday. Saudi Arabia
Interview As Sudan war drags on, US-Iran conflict compounds humanitarian crisis in Darfur Save the Children US President and CEO Janti Soeripto said delivering aid in Sudan remains extremely difficult, with supply trucks often delayed for weeks or months even after entering the country. Janti Soeripto President and CEO of Save the Children US
Kuwait blacklists eight Lebanon hospitals over alleged Hezbollah ties: What to know The affected hospitals, located in areas where Hezbollah has a heavy presence, are believed to be run by Hezbollah-affiliated institutions. Lebanon
Culture Why Lebanon now leads the world in rising cancer rates A recent study found that Lebanon has the world’s fastest-rising cases of cancer and cancer-related deaths. Ali Mokdad, co-author of the study, says tobacco is the main culprit. Lebanon
Interview International Red Cross chief says Gaza conflict goes beyond anything he has ever seen Pierre Krahenbuhl Director-General of the International Committee
As Idlib fighting intensifies, Syrians abroad suffer mentally As the Russian-backed Syrian regime steps up the offensive against the country’s last rebel stronghold, displaced Syrians with relatives in Idlib are suffering mentally — not to mention the monumental health issues faced by the Idlib residents themselves. Syria
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
Beirut lights candle for HIV awareness A memorial event in solidarity with people living with HIV/AIDS and to raise public awareness was held for the seventh year in Lebanon, where the rate of HIV infection continues to rise. Lebanon
The genesis of a Palestinian medical boycott While the decision to stop new Palestinian referrals to Israeli hospitals will save the government $100 million a year, the call was a middle-ground agreement and will not be easy on the most vulnerable. Palestine
Qatari women link miscarriages to evil eye, jinns When Qatari women miscarry, they have to deal with their grief and psychological scars on their own, often accepting their misfortune as "God's will." Qatar
Iraq takes action to reduce suicide rate in the country Iraq's Interior Ministry wants to build fences around bridges to prevent suicide attempts. Iraq
Yemen's cholera survivors get oral vaccines in Sanaa The World Health Organization and Yemeni health officials are offering an oral cholera vaccine in Yemen, but some Yemenis are suspicious of the vaccine. Yemen
Aid groups act to stop Yemen's next major cholera epidemic Al-Monitor visits a cholera treatment center in Yemen, where a three-year war has intensified the spread of the contagious illness. Yemen
What's next for Lebanon's blood shortage? Donner Sang Compter, a Lebanese nongovernmental group, has staged hundreds of blood donation events to take some of the pressure off patients who need blood. Lebanon
Hospital-acquired infection kills 15 infants in Tunisia Outrage flared in Tunisia when 15 infants died at a state-run hospital after they were given formula later found to contain bacteria. Tunisia
Veganism wins hearts, minds in meat-loving Istanbul Vegan shops are springing up across Istanbul, and many curious Turks are learning to make revamp their traditional meat, egg and dairy-based dishes. Turkey
Israel’s cannabis revolution Israel has authorized the sale of medical cannibas in pharmacies and is experimenting with fines and community service in lieu of jail time for recreational users. Israel
