Syria has been devastated by six days of wildfires, burning thousands hectares. The fires have mostly affected the forested mountains of Latakia, where long-term drought and extreme heat have created dangerously dry conditions. This year’s drought is considered the worst Syria has seen in decades. Thousands have been impacted, with many families forced to evacuate. The ongoing crisis adds to the challenges facing Syria’s leadership as the country continues to recover from over a decade of conflict. The White Helmets, once known for rescuing bombing victims, now assist in fire response.
BY: Ali M_arb - Syria/Latakia
July 9, 2025 at 9:00 p.m
تعرّضت سوريا لحرائق غابات مدمّرة استمرت ستة أيام، وأحرقت آلاف الهكتارات،. وتركزت الحرائق في جبال اللاذقية على الساحل المتوسطي، حيث أدّت درجات الحرارة المرتفعة وقلة الأمطار إلى جفاف شديد في الغابات. وتُعتبر موجة الجفاف الحالية من الأسوأ التي تشهدها سوريا منذ عقود. وقد تأثر آلاف السوريين بهذه الكارثة، فيما اضطرت مئات العائلات إلى مغادرة منازلها. وتُمثّل هذه الأزمة تحديًا جديدًا أمام القيادة السورية، في وقت لا تزال فيه البلاد تعاني من آثار حرب استمرت 13 عامًا. ويشارك الدفاع المدني (الخوذ البيضاء) في جهود إخماد الحرائق ومساعدة المتضررين.
A strong earthquake, measuring 8.7 in magnitude, struck off the eastern coast of Russia.
Hawaii & Japan took early safety measures due to the risk of potential waves reaching its shores.
Workers at the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan were temporarily evacuated on Wednesday after tsunami alerts were issued across the country.
For people living in Fukushima, the warning was a grim reminder of the disaster in 2011, when a 9.0-magnitude earthquake and massive tsunami struck the region. That event triggered a catastrophic failure at the Fukushima Daiichi plant, leading to radiation leaks and the evacuation of thousands of residents. Thousands lives were lost due to the earthquake and tsunami.
While the recent earthquake did not cause harm, it reignited anxiety in a region still marked by past trauma. The swift evacuation showed how seriously Japan continues to take natural disaster threats, especially around sensitive sites like nuclear facilities. Events like this reinforce the ongoing need for emergency preparedness in earthquake-prone areas.
BY: Ratiba T.Arb 7/30/2025 5:00 p.m
Wild animals around the world are increasingly in danger of disappearing due to the effects of climate change. Rising temperatures, changing weather patterns, and loss of habitat are putting stress on ecosystems that many species depend on. One group particularly affected is wild cats, including tigers, which already face major threats from poaching and habitat destruction.
The Snow Leopard are often thought of as endangered, but they are not a separate wild species. They are a rare color variation of Bengal tigers, with all living white tigers descended from a single male caught in India in the 1950s. Today, they only exist in captivity, mostly in zoos and animal parks, and are often the result of selective breeding. This has led to health issues due to inbreeding, and they are not part of official conservation efforts aimed at protecting wild tiger populations.
There is a common misconception that white tigers are endangered in places like New Zealand because of melting snow caused by high temperatures. In reality, white tigers are not native to New Zealand, nor do they live there in the wild. New Zealand does not have a natural snow-covered tiger habitat. The real concern lies in tiger-range countries such as India, Nepal, Russia, and parts of Southeast Asia, where climate change is making natural tiger habitats hotter and more unstable.
Tigers in the wild are already endangered due to human threats, and climate change adds another layer of pressure. Rising heat can reduce prey availability, dry out water sources, and force animals to move into human areas, increasing conflict. To protect wild animals from disappearing, conservation efforts must focus on preserving natural habitats, reducing carbon emissions, and ensuring wildlife corridors allow animals to move safely as their environments shift. Only global effort can help preserve these species for future generations.
