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Fields of Ash: How Lebanon’s Environment Became a Casualty of Conflict

Smoke billows from Nabatieh district, following Israeli strikes, according to two Lebanese security sources, as seen from Marjayoun, in southern Lebanon. The recent escalation along the Israel–Lebanon border has left more than shattered buildings and displaced families. Across southern Lebanon, vast orchards, forests, and wildlife habitats have been reduced to scorched earth. Farmers who once relied on citrus, olives, and avocados now face barren fields, burned groves, and contaminated soil. Entire beekeeping operations have collapsed, taking with them a crucial part of the region’s agricultural economy. Environmental damage has extended far beyond farmland. Fires triggered by munitions have consumed woodlands and grasslands, destroying ecosystems that took decades to mature. Wildlife has been driven from its natural habitats, and unexploded ordnance now threatens both people and animals. These long‑term hazards complicate recovery and make large areas unsafe for cultivation or grazi...

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Stock Market Update: Stocks Find Footing as Powell Chills Rate Cut Hopes



US stocks rose on Friday after a stellar month, as investors awaited Fed Chair Powell’s remarks on monetary policy. The S&P 500, the Dow Jones and the Nasdaq all gained around 0.5% or more.

Powell warned that it would be “premature” to conclude that the Fed was done with rate hikes or to speculate when rate cuts could begin. He said the Fed would be guided by data and not by market expectations. He also said inflation had cooled to its lowest levels since 2021.

Oil prices steadied after falling on Thursday, when OPEC+ agreed to cut output by 1.2 million barrels per day. However, investors remained skeptical about the effectiveness of the deal to balance the oil market and support prices. WTI crude traded around $76 a barrel, while Brent was below $83.


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