UN warns of war crime as Damascus water crisis worsens

A man was shot dead during protests that started in several cities in Iran over ongoing water shortages. Iranian authorities blamed his death on "rioters."

A Syrian war monitor said the Israeli attack allegedly had targeted sites housing arms depots linked to the Lebanese Hezbollah movement and pro-Iran militias.

A Syrian war monitor said the Israeli attack allegedly had targeted sites housing arms depots linked to the Lebanese Hezbollah movement and pro-Iran militias.

On January 13, in the first European trial against a high-ranking Syrian regime official, a former senior intelligence officer was sentenced to life in prison in Germany for crimes against humanity. Former head of interrogation at a detention centre in Damascus, Anwar Raslan was found guilty on 4,000 counts of torture and the murder of 27 detainees, less than a year after one of his subordinates was convicted by the same German court. It’s been a long road to justice for victims and their lawyers tracking down former torturers who have settled in Europe since 2013.

Starting on November 6, Egypt will host the COP27 climate change conference. Nearly 100 heads of state are expected in the Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh. Egypt itself has been experiencing first-hand the effects of climate change, as a lack of water threatens agriculture. The waters of the Nile, a symbol of prosperity in Egypt since ancient times, are no longer enough to support the needs of a growing population. Our correspondents Edouard Dropsy, Justine Babin and Matthew Thompson report.

The health of millions of people in Lebanon — especially children — is at risk because of a limited supply of safe water, Unicef has warned. The water crisis, which is largely because of a severe lack of electricity, is also affecting hospitals, health centres and schools.

The Syrian military said Israel fired missiles toward the Damascus International Airport, killing two soldiers and putting it out of service for a few hours. Tel Aviv has not yet commented on the incident.

The defendant has been sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in prison over an attack that killed four people. Germany's rule of universal jurisdiction allows it to try people for crimes committed abroad.

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry's visit comes after a deadly earthquake rocked Syria, killing thousands. Damascus has been politically isolated in the region since the start of the Syrian Civil War 12 years ago.

People residing in and around the Sundarbans — the world's largest mangrove forest — are being forced to spend their meager incomes on buying drinking water as climate change and local policies exhaust their options.

The UN has released the World Water Development Report 2023, which paints a grim picture of rising global water scarcity. The report says that seasonal scarcity will continue to increase due to climate change.

Coucouron has been receiving its drinking water by road. The surrounding region was previously not thought to be at risk of drought. The French government has announced a national plan to use water more efficiently.