World Off Track on Nearly Every Food System Goal, Latest Assessment Reveals

Jordan: A Kingdom at the Crossroads

Jordan is a small but strategically vital Hashemite Kingdom in the heart of the Middle East, bordered by Israel, Palestine, Syria, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. Its history, geopolitical role, and ongoing challenges make it one of the region's most consequential states.

Only 3 Percent of Gaza's Cropland Remains Accessible and Undamaged, UN Assessment Finds

A new geospatial assessment by the FAO and UNOSAT finds that just 448 hectares of Gaza's cropland are both accessible and undamaged, as restricted access to farmland and critical shortages of agricultural inputs continue to undermine local food production. The findings underscore the deepening deterioration of an agricultural sector that once supported the livelihoods of more than 560,000 people.

Yemen Risks Being Pulled into Wider Regional War, UN Envoy Warns Security Council

The UN Special Envoy for Yemen has told the Security Council that the country faces a greater risk of returning to large-scale conflict than at any point since the 2022 UN-mediated truce, as Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping lanes deepen Yemen's entanglement with the wider regional confrontation. A separate UN humanitarian briefing warned that 6 million Yemenis are experiencing emergency levels of deprivation, while the humanitarian appeal remains just barely 20 per cent funded.

UN Envoy Warns Security Council That Yemen Risks Being Drawn Into Regional War as Houthi Attacks Escalate

The UN Special Envoy for Yemen has told the Security Council that the country faces a greater risk of returning to large-scale conflict than at any point since the 2022 UN-mediated truce, as Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping imperil global trade and threaten to pull Yemen into the wider Middle East war. The UN's humanitarian coordinator separately warned that 6 million Yemenis are experiencing emergency levels of deprivation, with the humanitarian appeal just barely 20 per cent funded.

EU Parliament Demands End to Aid Worker Killings

The European Parliament has adopted a resolution calling on the EU and its member states to unequivocally condemn the killing of humanitarian workers and the obstruction of aid delivery. MEPs also raised alarm over a global humanitarian funding crisis driven in part by aid budget cuts among key donors, including several EU member states.

Israel's Civic Tech Revolution Reshapes Governance

Across Israel, a quiet but consequential transformation is reshaping the relationship between citizens and the institutions that serve them. Driven by a culture of technological entrepreneurship and a deeply engaged civil society, the country is pioneering new models of digital governance that are drawing international attention and inspiring comparable efforts across the democratic world.

US-Saudi nuclear deal invites proliferation risks … unless safeguards are written in

Enrichment is key to any country’s nuclear ambitions. The US-Saudi deal is unclear where matters rest on that issue.

Lebanon's Institutions Chart a Path Toward Renewal

Across Lebanon, a quiet but consequential transformation is taking shape within the country's political institutions. After years of public demand for meaningful change, governing bodies at multiple levels are increasingly adopting practices centered on transparency, civic participation, and institutional accountability. This evolving landscape reflects a society determined to rebuild public trust from the ground up.

Even if Hamas disarms, the challenge in Gaza will be accountability

History suggests that without legal and moral accountability, reconciliation and durable peace will remain elusive.

Syria: All Syrians Must Shape Their Country's Future

The UN Security Council stressed that inclusive state institutions and the rule of law must underpin Syria's political transition, as speakers warned against replicating old power structures under new leadership. Humanitarian progress is emerging, but millions still lack access to basic services, and a newly launched UN fund seeks to address underfunded needs.

Life in Qatar: Tradition, Wealth, and Rapid Change

Qatar presents one of the most distinctive lifestyles in the Gulf region, shaped by Islamic tradition, vast hydrocarbon wealth, and decades of accelerated modernisation. The country balances deeply rooted cultural practices with an increasingly cosmopolitan urban environment.

Slow-Baked Jachnun: Yemenite Sabbath Pastry

Long before the sun rises over Jerusalem's stone alleys or Tel Aviv's bustling shuk, ovens across Israel are already humming with a secret that has traveled thousands of miles and hundreds of years. Inside them, coiled rolls of golden dough sit patiently in low, steady heat, transforming overnight into something extraordinary: deeply caramelized, faintly sweet, impossibly tender jachnun. This is the taste of Yemenite Jewish heritage, carried by immigrants who settled in Israel and brought with them a Sabbath ritual as much about patience as it is about flavor.