West Bank agriculture & settlements: The US House backed more funding for Israel-linked agricultural research via BARD, but critics say the money flows into institutions tied to settlement expansion while Palestinians face tighter limits on land and water. Documenting settler violence: Russian-born Israeli citizen Andrey X says settler attacks in the occupied West Bank are “structural,” often carried out alongside military presence, and he’s pushing for accountability beyond one-off incidents. Lebanon strikes & environmental stakes: Israeli air strikes intensified around Tyre and Nabatieh, with reports of damage near a hospital and an environmental activist hit; the area includes coastal nesting habitat for endangered sea turtles. Energy pressure & resilience: Iraqis facing chronic blackouts are increasingly turning to rooftop solar as generator use grows costly and unreliable. Food vs fuel risk: A new analysis warns biofuel targets—boosted by high oil prices—could worsen food and fertilizer shortages, driving up prices and harming the environment. Climate science note: Research suggests plants may be absorbing more carbon than expected, but not for the reasons scientists assumed. Privacy & AI governance: Israeli startup Mine hired a former Tinder privacy executive to strengthen privacy, risk and AI governance as it expands globally.