By Jeff Zhou Source: Technology Magazine Introduction The Middle East has long been a prominent force in the global oil market, controlling a sizable portion of the world’s proven oil reserves. However, President Trump’s recent four-day trip  to the Gulf signals a shift in focus from an oil-dependent economy to one increasingly driven by technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI).  The implications of this shift are wide-ranging, as the US and China compete to ha

By Aquila Bergstrom Source: Unesco Every two weeks, the world loses its last fluent speaker of a language. With that final voice vanishes not only a method of communication, but a sophisticated knowledge system of understanding; an entire epistemology shaped by land, survival, spirit, and the passage of time. The loss is quiet. There is no obituary. No ceremony. And yet, what disappears is irreplaceable. According to UNESCO, nearly half of the world’s approximately 7,000 la

By Jeff Zhou Source: The Guardian Introduction The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region is the most water-scarce territory  in the world. Over 60% of its population lives in areas experiencing high water stress. Additionally, droughts and floods pose a major threat, as in 2021, rising temperatures led to desertification, impacting water supplies and food production processes. Over 12 million people were affected in Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Iran.  With climate change ex