Page 4 – Green Prophet

Grow a unibrow for Januhairy and embrace your body hair

Beauty

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January 7, 2026

Sophia Hadjipanteli unibrow odel — Model Sophia Hadjipanteli sports a unibrow year round

Body hair is a big issue especially for those who have it. Some cultures adore body hair on women and men, others deny that women actually grow body hair on their arms, legs, face, and even chest. Muslims have a haram and halal guide to body hair, and Jewish women remove theirs every month before they go to the mikva when relations with their husband can resume.

Januhairy, grow a unibrow, remove a unbrow, long armpit hair, janu hairy, black woman chest hair — Women’s chest hair, armpits, legs and bikini areas. Let it grow!

Middle Eastern women can be hairy and those not wanting it use threading and sugar wax or sugaring to remove it. Removing hair, as men who shave daily, know, is a big hassle. Some get it removed permanently but that could be a big mistake as Januhairy and a new body hair trend is coming back stronger than Brooke Shield’s eyebrows in the 80s.

Sophia Hadjipanteli — Sophia-Hadjipanteli

What’s a woman to do? Like Movember when men started growing moustaches for a cause, a new movement called Januhairy is encouraging women to stop removing their body hair. Look at Cypriot-American model Sophia Hadjipanteli and her unibrow. And the TikToker Unibrow Girl. Will you join the movement?

Unibrow Girl Tiktok — The Unibrow Girl on Tiktok

If you look to Takijistan a woman’s beauty is measured by the size of eyebrows. Traditional Tajikistan songs including Bukaran songs by Jewish Tajikis extol women and their large eyebrows. Tajikistan women paint their eyebrows a la Frida Kahlo to appear more attractive.

A unibrow is a sign of beauty in Tajikistan and among Bukaran Jewish culture — A unibrow is a sign of beauty in Tajikistan and among Bukharan Jewish culture. Image via El-Len

Egyptians are credited with inventing sugaring, believed to predate shaving. It’s similar to waxing, but uses a sugar-syrup paste that gets spread onto skin. When the mixture cools, it’s quickly peeled off, yanking hair out at the roots. You can eat the sweet pre-product if you use our recipe.

But why bother shaving? Women leading the Januhairy movement like Queen Esie believe that body hair can help a woman reclaim her body and redefine what is beautiful.

She offers some tips, “Most women have shaved and removed their body hair all their life that they don’t know what they look like natural, and feel shame when they body hair slowly starts growing back. If you want to stop be afraid or ashamed of your body hair and slowly start embracing it, here are a few tips:

Tip 1: Accept that you’re a hairy woman & that’s ok ?
Tip 2: Wear clothes that reveal your body hair in the comfort of your home?
Tip 3: Compliment your hairy body in the mirror ☀️
Tip 4: Let your body hair grow during the winter

“Once you get use to seeing body hair on your body you will slowly stop feeling shame.”

If you lived past the 90s and notice some women have bald eyebrows, that’s because women over-removed their eyebrows and they never grew back. Some women, already back then and it’s always been more common in Europe, have stopped removing armpit hair, leg hair, nipple hair and all hair down there.

Say no to a Brazil body wax

What is a Brazilian wax? In a Brazilian wax common in the west pubic hair is removed from around the external genitals, between the upper thighs, and around the anus. Some women can choose to remove all hair in the area or leave a small strip of hair in the front.

For the last 15 years or the Brazil body wax has made it common for women to remove their pubic hair as though they are pre-pubescent women. The Januhairy movement is encouraging women to keep all their growth, personal and down their intact and to embrace one’s body as it is: hairy and beautiful. It starts with a few women but if women of the world unite, you can stop shaving forever. The other option: get married and save yourself the hassle.

“Female body hair challenges not only the world’s status quo on a superficial, visual level but also our deeper stigmas and beliefs surrounding female pleasure and sex,” says Caley Draws, who discusses sex and hair.

Thinking about growing out your hair?

Follow the Januhairy movement.

Thinking, no way, help me out. I got to this page for the wrong reasons: Start here with a simple sugar wax DIY recipe.

Female Genital Mutilation still happens — quietly, at home, and across borders in Canada

Julie Steinbeck

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January 5, 2026

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Canada criminalized female genital mutilation/cutting (FGM/C) in 1997, defining it as aggravated assault. Get caught doing it to a child or woman of any age, and expect 14 years in jail. We’d think the clinics from Toronto had shut down years ago after demonstrations against them in the 90s (it’s still happening in London), and in Islam in general – read here, yet a recent report by Islamic Relief Canada makes the uncomfortable point plain: the law exists, the practice persists, and the systems meant to protect girls and support survivors are still not ready.

Get the PDF report: Documenting and Responding to Female Genital Mutilation in Canada

There are no reliable national prevalence statistics for Canada — a gap so visible that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau publicly called for better data. That absence of measurement is not neutral. It creates the conditions for denial, and for harm to continue in private. It can happen from infancy to about age

The report released in 2025 documents what many Canadians prefer to believe cannot happen “here”: FGM/C can be arranged and performed inside Canada, including in private homes with no medical oversight. One participant recalls being told: “We must carry our culture with us wherever we are.”

Another Canadian Muslim describes the reality of secrecy and confusion when it happens on Canadian soil: “It happened in Canada… It was done in secret, at home.” And the damning detail: “The woman who did it wasn’t even a medical professional.”

In one case, the cutting was effectively imported to Canada: “My grandmother visited us… She purposely travelled to have me circumcised.”

“Vacation cutting”: taken abroad — and brought back

The report is explicit that Canada also faces the cross-border version. It is a criminal offense to remove a child from Canada for the purpose of FGM/C, yet families may still send daughters abroad. This is the most documented pathway internationally: the procedure is done during a “family trip” and returns to Canada with the harm already inflicted — and often undisclosed and most of the scars healed over.

Some of the data shows the greatest amount of cases in Alberta.

What may be most disturbing is not only that FGM/C can happen — but that Canada’s healthcare system is still too often unprepared to recognize it, document it, or support survivors with competence and dignity. From the healthcare practitioner survey cited in the report:

Only 9% rated their knowledge as “Excellent,” while 57% rated it “Fair” or “Poor.”
48% said they were unfamiliar with the four types of FGM/C.
60% reported no formal education on FGM/C.

Stigma compounds the gap. A service provider explains that women may choose midwives from within their community to keep their status private. Another line cuts to the core: “There’s a lack of understanding… especially psychologically.”

Here is the part Canadians and new immigrants to Canada should understand clearly: aggravated assault in Canada carries a maximum penalty of up to 14 years in prison. Yet the report warns that punitive law alone does not necessarily stop the practice — and can drive it deeper underground through fear of consequences for family members.

That is why the authors emphasize a coordinated approach: training, culturally competent care, community leadership, and survivor-centered support — not just criminal statutes.

If you suspect risk or harm: who you can report to in Canada

Types of FGM cutting via Kids New to Canada

If a child is at risk, act as if it is an emergency. According to Canada’s Department of Justice, FGM is child abuse and should be reported. If you suspect risk, contact the police. END FGM believes there are 100,000 women in Canada who are victims to FGM. To date there are zero cases of prosecution. In July 2017, a leaked internal report by the Canada Border Services Agency acknowledged that FGM/C practitioners were “almost certainly entering Canada” to engage in the practice.

Watch a video of what they found coming to Canada.

FGM by country

If you or someone you know is a victim of FGM or could be taken abroad for the procedure, you can call the

Police / Emergency services: Justice Canada guidance on FGM. Call 9-1-1.
Provincial or territorial child protection services (police can direct you if unsure)
School safeguarding channels (principals or designated safeguarding leads)
Hospital safeguarding teams or professional regulatory bodies

If travel is imminent and there is concern a child may be taken abroad for FGM/C, report urgently to the police. It is also illegal to remove a child from Canada for this purpose under the Criminal Code.

Let the lüften in — and be healthier for it

Kelly Milone

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January 3, 2026

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Let the lüften in — and be healthier for it

I was in Munich, Germany, settling into my new temporary digs when my Couchsurfing host flung open the living room windows. “Lüften!” he exclaimed ardently.

The breeze felt nice, if not a bit chilly, on that late winter afternoon. But in a land where the people love cold plunging, I made like a local and embraced the briskness.

Although it was March 2020, finding fresh air had nothing to do with the impending Covid-19 pandemic. In fact, as my host explained, lüften is a German cultural tradition practiced multiple times daily.

Simply the practice of opening windows for natural ventilation, it is considered essential for well-being and doesn’t cost a dime. Even a short burst of air has a powerful impact, with the typical session lasting from five to thirty minutes.

In the modern era, Germans have emerged as trailblazers in health and social care, but they have been practicing lüften for centuries to rid living spaces of stale air, odors, and even mold by regulating humidity. For these benefits, many landlords write lüften into their rental contracts.

Physically, lüften is a tried and true remedy for improving respiratory function, energy levels, and mood. We refresh our spaces with plants with much of the same motivation; lüften makes greenification a more immersive experience.

Lüften must invigorate a primal understanding that we are connected to the elements. When, for whatever modern reasons, we are stuck inside, we can swiftly invite in the great outdoors. Easy, breezy, beautiful.

I’ve never been a big fan of air conditioning, much preferring air that hasn’t been tampered with. It has always been a no-brainer for me to let fresh air flow inside during warmer weather, but now I happily crack the windows during the colder months too, actively recalling my old friend and the wisdom of his ancestors.

I brought lüften back with me from Germany, an unseen souvenir — often the best kind of memento.

Why Digital Privacy Matters for Environmental Activists

Act

Bhok Thompson

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December 31, 2025

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visiting cleantech operations, finland — A group of international bloggers from cleantech media, Grist, Treehugger and Green Prophet visiting a power plant in Finland.

Environmental activists are finding themselves in a constant tug-of-war between advancing their causes and protecting their privacy. You might not think that your online activity could jeopardize your work, but the reality is that sensitive information can easily be accessed by the wrong people.

Consider using a free VPN for iPhone to mask your location or encrypt your communication, ensuring that your activism stays out of the wrong hands. Digital privacy is about preserving the integrity of your work in a world full of surveillance.

Environmental Activism in a Surveillance-Heavy World

Big tech companies and government agencies constantly track our online movements. While this is a concern for everyone, it’s especially critical for activists. Environmental groups often oppose powerful corporations, sometimes with controversial agendas. You might find yourself organizing a protest, sharing strategic insights with fellow activists, or researching sensitive topics – all of which could put you in the crosshairs of those who wish to silence or intimidate you. Without secure communication, your movements and plans become vulnerable to interception, which can lead to real-world consequences. This is why it’s important to encrypt emails and rely on privacy-conscious tools like a free VPN for iOS. The less information there is to steal, the harder it becomes for others to monitor or disrupt your work.

Why Public Wi-Fi and Mobile Data Aren’t Always Safe

We all love the convenience of free public Wi-Fi, especially when we’re out in nature trying to organize campaigns or connect with others remotely. But this convenience can come at a steep price. Public networks are notoriously insecure, and hackers can easily intercept your data.

Additionally, mobile data isn’t much better. While it might feel safer than a public Wi-Fi connection, mobile networks can still expose you to tracking via your device’s unique identifiers. To avoid this, always use encryption tools, such as a VPN. A VPN hides your IP address and encrypts your internet traffic, making it much harder for anyone to spy on you.

Ethical Technology Choices Matter

Many big tech companies have been called out for their lack of transparency in how they handle user data, and this can create a conflict for those of you who are trying to build a better world. Choosing ethical, privacy-focused alternatives is just as important as opting for eco-friendly products. For instance, using privacy-centric browsers helps you reduce your digital footprint. The choices you make today can push back against the surveillance ecosystem and offer a more sustainable digital future.

Digital Privacy as Part of Sustainable Living

The environmental movement often champions sustainability, and digital privacy is no exception. By reducing your reliance on centralized, data-hungry platforms, you help break the cycle of overconsumption. Instead of feeding the machine, you protect your privacy and limit the resources wasted on tracking you. Think of it like this: every time you use a privacy tool, you make a conscious decision to limit your environmental footprint in the digital realm.

Is It Safe to Be Around Artificial Snow?

Lifestyle

Karin Kloosterman

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December 31, 2025

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Climate change is causing a number on ski hills around the world, with some shutting down for lack of predictable seasonal snow. But what people don’t know is that snow machines, using a chemical called Snowmax, or Snomax, may not be as innocuous as you think. One would imagine that snow machines just freeze water and push it out as snow, but it’s not the case with technical snow. One study even linked artificial snow, Snowmax, to increased numbers of a deadly nerve disease in this French ski village.

This shift to fake snow has raised a reasonable public question: is artificial snow safe for people who ski on it, work with it, or live nearby?

The short answer from current science is: there is no strong evidence that artificial snow is dangerous to the general public, but there are documented environmental and occupational concerns that continue to be studied.

What artificial snow is made from

Artificial snow is made from a bacteria and used in Snowmax, or Snomax to create technical snow

Artificial snow is produced by spraying pressurized water and air into cold conditions so that droplets freeze before reaching the ground. In most cases, the snow is simply frozen water. In some regions and time periods, ski operators have used snowmaking additives, most notably Snomax, which contains ice-nucleating proteins derived from the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae. These proteins allow water to freeze at slightly warmer temperatures.

The bacterium used in Snomax is non-viable (it is killed first) and it cannot grow at human body temperature. Regulatory reviews in Europe and North America have not found evidence that it causes infectious disease in humans. But not a lot of studies have been done.

Studies indexed in PubMed have examined potential health effects of artificial snow exposure. These include occupational studies of snowmaking workers and environmental monitoring of snow, air, and water. No evidence of acute illness in skiers or nearby residents linked to artificial snow.

Occupational exposure to bacterial endotoxins has been measured among snowmaking workers, particularly when handling additives in powdered form. Short-term studies, including a U.S. NIOSH health hazard evaluation, did not find clear respiratory disease in exposed workers, though sample sizes were limited.

Montchavin is a ski village in the Alps that has a surge of ALS and researchers suggest mushrooms and possibly artificial snow machines might be the link

Because endotoxins are known to cause airway irritation in some contexts, researchers consider snowmaking staff — not the recreational skiers — the group most relevant for ongoing monitoring.

Recent European studies have examined artificial snow for antibiotics, bacteria, and antibiotic-resistance genes. These studies found that contaminants in artificial snow largely reflect upstream water pollution, especially from municipal wastewater treatment plants and medical facilities — not from the snowmaking process itself.

In some cases, artificial snowmaking reduced bacterial concentrations compared with intake water. Researchers also found that water storage reservoirs may help lower the transfer of pollutants into technical snow.

Despite limited evidence of direct harm, some countries and regions have restricted or banned snowmaking additives under the precautionary principle. These decisions reflect uncertainty, public concern, and environmental protection priorities rather than confirmed health hazards.

Based on current evidence artificial snow is considered safe for the general public. But as artificial snow use expands with climate change, scientists continue to study long-term environmental and health effects.

Why this French ski village is being stalked by a nerve disease

Health

Karin Kloosterman

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December 31, 2025

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Montchavin, a small alpine village in Savoie, in the French Alps

Researchers found that this French ski village was known for eating this one thing

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is often described as a cruel mystery: it’s a neurodegenerative disease that appears without warning, progresses relentlessly, and in most cases has no clear genetic cause. But research over the past decade has increasingly suggested that ALS may be shaped as much by environment as much or maybe even more than biology.

Investigations identified 14 cases by 2021, with some reports extending this to 16 people affected by ALS in the area between 1990 and 2019. These numbers are too high to be a coincidence.

One of the most compelling examples comes from a small mountainous village in the French Alps, where scientists documented an unusually high number of ALS cases concentrated within a single community. A 2024 study published in eNeurologicalSci revisits this cluster and offers new insight into what may have contributed to it: the long-term consumption of certain wild mushrooms.

The researchers examined medical histories, dietary habits, preserved mushroom specimens, and metabolic genetics of people diagnosed with ALS in the village. A consistent pattern emerged. Many of those affected had regularly eaten foraged wild fungi known as false morels collected locally over many years.

At the time, the mushrooms had been identified as a relatively less toxic species. But when mycologists re-examined dried samples using modern techniques, they discovered the fungi were actually members of the Gyromitra esculenta group, including species known to contain far higher concentrations of gyromitrin.

Why false morels raise concern

Gyromitrin is not just a cause of acute mushroom poisoning. Once metabolized in the body, it breaks down into monomethylhydrazine, a compound with well-documented neurotoxic and genotoxic effects. Monomethylhydrazine can damage DNA and interfere with cellular repair processes, mechanisms increasingly suspected to play a role in neurodegenerative disease.

In this Alpine village, which is home to a ski resort, false morels were not eaten once or twice. They were consumed seasonally, often year after year, prepared according to traditional methods believed to reduce toxicity but not fully eliminate it. The study suggests that this pattern of repeated low-dose exposure may be particularly relevant.

One of the most important conclusions of the research is what it does not support. ALS in this community does not appear to be primarily genetic.

The vast majority of ALS cases worldwide are classified as sporadic, meaning they are not caused by inherited mutations. This study reinforces that understanding. However, genetics still played a role in how individuals responded to environmental toxins.

Many ALS patients in the village were found to have slow- or intermediate-acetylator profiles, linked to variations in the NAT2 gene. People with these metabolic traits process certain toxins more slowly, allowing harmful byproducts to persist longer in the body. This helps explain why some individuals became ill while others, exposed to similar environments, did not.

Rather than genetics causing ALS directly, the findings point to a gene–environment interaction, where biology influences vulnerability to external exposures.

A pattern beyond one village

The French findings are not isolated. Similar concerns about hydrazine-containing mushrooms have been documented in North America, including a recent long-term assessment of mushroom poisonings in Michigan. Earlier studies in France also identified ALS clusters linked to genotoxic fungi, reinforcing the idea that repeated dietary exposure deserves serious attention.

Researchers are careful not to claim that false morels alone cause ALS. Toxin levels vary widely between species and even within individual mushrooms. Still, the accumulating evidence suggests that some traditional foraging practices may carry neurological risks that were previously underestimated.

Other factors that could have contributed to the onset of disease is high levels of athleticism, tobacco smoking, and exposure to chemicals (like Snomax used for snowmaking) were mentioned in the study.

Public discussion of ALS often centers on genetics or well-known figures living with the disease, including Israeli-American entrepreneur Jon Medved, who has spoken openly about his diagnosis. Like most ALS cases, Medved’s is not genetic, underscoring how urgently researchers need to understand environmental contributors. Some of the companies he’s help find as an early stage investor might help solve the questions.

Recent studies increasingly frame ALS as an exposome-related disease, shaped by a lifetime of interactions with chemicals, pollutants, dietary compounds, and naturally occurring toxins. These influences may accumulate silently for decades before symptoms appear. That’s why we need to avoid pesticides and microplastics as much as possible from an early age.

What the Alpine village teaches us

The French Alpine study does not offer a simple explanation or a single culprit. What it offers instead is something more valuable: a realistic picture of how everyday exposures, cultural practices, and biological vulnerability can intersect.

ALS may not arise from one dramatic event, but from many small ones over time. In that sense, the story of this village is less about mushrooms alone, and more about how closely human health is tied to the environments we inhabit, harvest from, and trust.

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In the scientific literature the French village is often referred to as Montchavin (Tarentaise Valley) rather than being named prominently in headlines, but this is the community where researchers identified the ALS cluster linked to repeated consumption of false morels (Gyromitra species) in multiple studies by Lagrange, Vernoux, Camu, and colleagues.

Health Insurance for Family With Wellness Benefits: Gym, Steps, and Health Rewards Explained

Act

Bhok Thompson

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December 29, 2025

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Wellness benefits are changing how people evaluate coverage. Along with protection against hospital bills, many now want support for healthier daily habits. If you are considering health insurance for family, wellness features can be a helpful extra, but only when the medical coverage is solid.

This guide explains gym-linked perks, step-based rewards, and health rewards in simple terms, so you know what you are getting.

What Wellness Benefits Mean in Health Insurance

The core of health insurance mainly covers eligible medical and hospitalisation expenses. It may also include pre- and post-hospitalisation costs, day care procedures, and preventive check-ups, as per the plan. Wellness benefits are add-ons that reward healthy habits, helping families stay consistent with prevention before illness starts.

Gym, Steps, and Health Rewards Explained

Wellness features are usually offered through a programme linked to your policy, often via an app or partner services. Some plans also mention fitness-linked discounts or benefit enhancements as part of the offering. The value depends on how easy it is to use and how meaningful the reward is for your routine.

Step Tracking and Activity Rewards

Step rewards typically work on consistency. Activity is tracked through a phone app or wearable device, and rewards unlock when you meet regular movement goals. Benefits may appear as vouchers, discounts, wellness credits, or access to services, based on programme rules.

Gym Access and Fitness Partnerships

Gym benefits are often delivered through tie-ups rather than reimbursements. The programme may provide discounted access to gyms, fitness centres, yoga classes, or guided routines. For working couples, this reduces friction and helps maintain consistency.

Health Rewards Linked to Preventive Care

Many health insurance plans highlight preventive check-ups as part of staying fit and active. Wellness rewards can be linked to completing screenings or maintaining basic health monitoring, which helps adults avoid delaying early care.

Where Wellness Benefits Add Real Value

Wellness benefits tend to help most when they keep families moving consistently and make preventive screening easier to complete. They can also make the plan feel relevant throughout the year, rather than only during emergencies.

Where Wellness Benefits Do not Replace Medical Cover

Wellness rewards are not a substitute for strong protection during hospitalisation. Continually evaluate claim-facing terms first, including coverage for hospital stays and related expenses around treatment.

Making Wellness Benefits Work for the Whole Household

Wellness benefits create value only if they fit your family’s lifestyle.

For couples, step challenges and gym access can support shared routines.
For children, the benefit is indirect, but active parents often create healthier household habits.
For seniors, wellness should stay realistic. Many elderly parents may not want app tracking or targets. In such cases, keeping parents health insurance separate can be practical, while the rest of the household uses wellness programmes.
Parents-focused cover often highlights hospitalisation support and may include expenses around hospital stays and day care procedures, depending on the policy.

How to Choose Health Insurance Plans for a Family With Wellness Benefits

When comparing health insurance plans for family, treat wellness as a bonus, not the foundation.

Start With Medical Strength

Select a plan that offers strong hospitalisation cover and supportive features around treatment, such as pre- and post-hospitalisation expenses and day care procedures, based on the policy wording. A good medical base is what protects savings during a serious event, which is a key reason people choose family health insurance.

Then Evaluate Wellness

Use a simple filter:

Ease of use for the members who will participate.
Clear rules on how rewards are earned and redeemed.
Rewards that match your routine.
Comfort with data sharing and app permissions.

Also check whether rewards apply at renewal, whether they can be shared across members, and whether benefits lapse if activity drops. Keep expectations modest. Wellness is designed to support routines, while the hospitalisation cover remains the primary financial safeguard.

Final Thoughts

Wellness benefits can make health insurance for family feel relevant on ordinary days. Choose medical protection first, then pick wellness features that fit your lifestyle. If parents need a different approach, separate parents health insurance can keep usage practical while your main plan stays focused on your household.

The Line’s 15 minute city failure and the limits of green futurism

Architecture

Karin Kloosterman

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December 29, 2025

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The Line, Neom, rendering, vertical city — Rending of The Line, near the Red Sea

Dreaming big is good. It gives us something to strive for. But calling failed projects sustainable from the outset is pitfall that architects should avoid. For years, Saudi Arabia’s vision for The Line — a 120-mile mirrored city slicing through the desert — was marketed as the future of sustainable urban living. No cars. No emissions. Everything within five minutes. A climate-friendly city built from scratch.

But as a sweeping investigation by the Financial Times now documents, The Line has collided head-on with something no amount of ambition can override: physics, finance, and ecological reality.

According to the FT’s reporting, based on interviews with more than 20 former architects, engineers, and executives, the project unravelled under the weight of its own contradictions. They spoke anonymously for fears of lawsuits. A quick digging into PR and you can find which ones readily took the money and tried to make the idiotic project come to life. Costs for the “eco” city ballooned into the trillions, engineering assumptions failed the most basic stress tests, and foreign investment never arrived at the scale Saudi planners expected.

A section from The Line, Saudi Arabia, a 15 minute-city, rendering shown in Riyadh — The Line, a rendering of a 15 minute city

One former architect recalled warning leadership that suspending a 30-storey structure upside-down above a marina could turn it into a “pendulum” — swaying, accelerating, and eventually failing by dropping into the marina. Another described sewage systems that required hundreds of shuttle cars to move waste uphill because gravity no longer worked in a vertical fantasy city. Even flushing a toilet became a design problem. That’s what happens at Burj in the UAE where poop trucks need to unload the sewage daily.

At the center of The Line and the Neom project stood Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, whose vision for Neom was intended to catapult the kingdom beyond oil and into a post-carbon future. Yet the investigation shows how dissent was discouraged, timelines were politically fixed, and feasibility studies were often replaced by renderings.

Green on the Surface, Fragile Underneath

Children look at model of The Line, a 15-minute city part of Neom, Saudi Arabia — A 15 minute city, 120 miles long

From a climate perspective, the cracks run deeper. The FT reports that building just the first 20 modules of The Line would have required more cement annually than France produces, and up to 60% of global green steel capacity — a sobering reminder that “green” materials are not infinite. Cement is definitely not a sustainable building material. When a single project distorts global supply chains, sustainability claims begin to ring hollow.

Urban planners have long warned that megaprojects often fail not because of lack of technology, but because they ignore human behavior and ecological limits. The late urbanist Jane Jacobs famously argued that cities thrive through incremental complexity, not total control. The Line attempted the opposite: a sealed, pre-engineered world with no room for organic growth.

Ecologists raised additional alarms. Bird migration experts cited by BirdLife International flagged the mirrored wall as a potential mass-collision hazard for millions of birds moving along the East Africa–West Asia flyway — an issue that design tweaks like dotted glass could not realistically solve.

A Pattern We’ve Seen Before

Masdar Incubator Building, Foster & Partners, clean tech, free economic zone, green design, Masdar City, Abu Dhabi — Masdar City was supposed to be the world’s first zero waste city. It’s basically offices and show-room now.

This is not the first time a futuristic desert city promised sustainability and delivered disruption instead. From Egypt’s stalled administrative capital to past “eco-cities” in China that never filled with people, the lesson repeats: cities are living systems, not machines.

It’s a useful contrast to projects like Masdar’s eco-city experiment in Abu Dhabi, which has evolved in fits and starts over time—more incremental, less totalizing than a single, 120 mile gesture. Green Prophet covered Masdar early on, including its first 500 homes. We’ve been there, we’ve seen the spectacle.

The world needs more sustainable architects like Ronak Roshan who sees the location, the land, and the people.

The FT notes that Saudi Arabia has already spent over $50 billion, with much of the construction now slowed or paused. People already living in villages nearby have been killed, arrested for life, with a few on death row. What remains are colossal foundations, excavated deserts, displaced communities, and a scaled-down ambition that bears little resemblance to the original vision.

The Line construction from space in 2023

The failure of The Line is not a failure of imagination. It is a failure of restraint by western architects and planners who go along with the charade. Who is holding these firms accountable? This is actually a reasonable kind of project for the UN to take on and challenge.

Climate-resilient futures will not be built by single, monumental gestures, but by repairing existing cities, restoring ecosystems, and working with land rather than against it. The most sustainable city is rarely the one that looks most radical in a rendering.

As one urban expert quoted by the FT put it bluntly: “As a thought experiment, great. But don’t build thought experiments.

Mandi, Fragrant Yemenite Chicken With Golden Rice

Food

Miriam Kresh

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December 28, 2025

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Mandi, Fragrant Yemenite Chicken With Golden Rice

This is a luxurious recipe that requires a taste for exotic flavors, and willingness to see it through its stages. It’s based on the dark meat of chicken, not an expensive ingredient, yet makes a luscious, aromatic, festive dish. With fried onions, almonds and raisins to garnish, it’s divine; a savory feast with little pops of sweetness from the raisins, piled onto a platter of golden rice.

Mandi expresses the sensuous craft of Middle Eastern cooks who take traditional ingredients to their fullest delicious potential. For the adventurous Western cook, it’s worth buying the spices needed here, not only for this one recipe, but because once you’ve savored them, you’ll want to cook with them again and again.

Start by assembling the spices for the Hawaij spice blend (ingredients listed below). Toast them briefly in a dry skillet, then crush them to a powder in a coffee or spice grinder. Marinate the chicken pieces in a paste of Hawaij, turmeric, salt and olive oil. Leave the well-massaged chicken in the fridge overnight optimally – although in a pinch, 1 hour will do.

About 2 hours before you intend to serve, proceed to the next stages. Don’t be intimidated by the length of the instructions: they’re all simple steps. Follow the recipe in the order laid out below for greatest ease.

You will need an electric spice grinder; if none available, use powdered spices (not traditional but more realistic ); a skillet, a large pot, and a rack that fits into the pot for steaming the chicken. The author suggest using a wire trivet such as those that come with instant pots, if no other rack available. You’ll also need a baking tray and if possible, a rack to fit over it.

Mandi, Spiced Yemenite Chicken on Golden Rice

For the Hawaij Spice Blend

2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds (or 1 teaspoon ground)
1 teaspoon whole cloves (or 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves)
6 green cardamom pods (or 1 teaspoon ground cardamom)
1.5 teaspoons cumin seeds (or 1 teaspoon ground cumin)
1 cinnamon stick (or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon)
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

For the Chicken

4 whole chicken thigh and drumstick pieces (skin on, bone in)
Hawaij spice mix
2 tablespoons olive oil for marinade
1.5 teaspoons kosher salt or 1 teaspoon table salt

For the Rice

3 cups basmati rice
3 bay leaves
2 teaspoons spice mix (from the Hawaij spice blend)
5 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon saffron strands (plus 2 tablespoons hot water (optional))
3 dried limes (optional)
1 teaspoon salt
4.5 cups water and broth (see instructions below)
1 cup vegetable oil for frying onions

For the Garnish

4 small onions or 2 large onions
1/4 cup slivered almonds or cashew nut halves
1/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon olive oil
Optional: 1/2 cup chopped parsley

The Day Before:

Make the Hawaij spice blend Using whole spices
Place all the spices except for the turmeric in a small skillet. Toast on medium heat for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Remove them from the heat as soon as the fragrance rises.
Allow the spices a few minutes to cool, then grind until powdered.
If using ground spices, reduce the quantities as indicated in the recipe.
Set aside 2 teaspoons from the spice mix in a separate small bowl or jar; this will flavor the rice later.
Stir in 1/4 teaspoon turmeric to the remainder of the spice mix, with 1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil and stir well to make a paste. This is the marinade for the chicken.
Massage the oily spice blend onto the chicken pieces thoroughly.
Place the marinated chicken in an airtight container and marinate overnight, or 1 hour in a pinch.

The Next Day

Fry the Onions
Slice the onions thinly.
Heat 1 cup of vegetable oil in a large pot.
Fry the onions over medium heat, stirring often, 10-15 minutes. Remove them from the heat when they’re golden; don’t let them frizzle.
Leave the oil and about 3 tablespoons of the fried onions in the pot for steaming the chicken later.
Drain the remaining fried onions on paper towels. Set aside to garnish the finished dish.
Cook the Chicken
To the pot with the fried onions and oil inside, add the Hawaij spice mix that was set aside for the rice.
Carefully pierce the optional dry limes a couple of times using a sharp knife. Add them to the pot. Add the bay leaves.
Stir everything in the oil on medium heat for a few minutes.
Add 2 cups of water.
Place the rack or trivet in the pot. Place the marinated chicken pieces on the rack.
Close the pot lid and steam the chicken for 50 minutes on medium heat. Check it every 10 minutes to ensure there is enough water. Add more if it looks like it’s drying up.
There will be a certain amount of broth in the pot. Reserve the broth.
Remove the chicken to a baking tray; if possible on a wire rack.
Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil and bake for 20 minutes at 400F.
Put the chicken aside, covered. There will be one more step with the chicken 5 minutes before serving.

Time-Saving Steps

Prep the rice and the garnish while the chicken steams.
Wash the rice until the water runs clear. Cover with water and soak for 10 minutes
Optional (and delicious) saffron: In a mortar and pestle, grind the saffron to a fine powder. Lacking mortar and pestle, coarsely crush the saffron threads with a rolling pin on top of a chopping block or other surface that can take the blows.
Soak the saffron in 2 tablespoons of hot water and let it bloom 5 minutes.
Prepare the almond/raisin Garnish:
Fry the almonds on medium heat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Stir continuously to avoid scorching. Remove to a bowl when golden.
Add the raisins to the skillet and toast for 2 minutes. Combine with the almonds.

Now Cook the Rice:

When the chicken has steamed and cooked through, strain the broth remaining from the steaming.
Use a measuring cup to measure out how much broth you have. Add water to get exactly 4-1/2 cups of liquid.
Pour the liquid back into the same pot. Add to it the 1-1/2 teaspoons turmeric, the salt and the bloomed saffron in its water. Taste for salt; adjust if needed. Allow the liquid to come to a boil.
Add the rice to the broth/water and stir a few times to combine. Allow it to come to a boil again, uncovered, for a few minutes. Keep the heat at medium.
Place a paper towel on top of the pot and then cover it with the lid. The paper towel absorbs some of the steam, the result being rice cooked through with separate grains. Lower the heat to minimum. Cook for 20 minutes, undisturbed.
After 20 minutes, turn the heat off and fluff the rice with a fork. Put the lid back on the pot, minus the paper towel. Let it to stand 10 minutes.

Last Step For the Chicken:

Broil the chicken for 5 minutes until golden brown. Remove and keep warm.

To Assemble:

Spread the yellow rice on a large platter.
Over the rice spread half the fried onions, almonds and raisins.
Place the the chicken on top, then add the remaining fried onions, raisins and almonds. Garnish with chopped parsley if desired.

Dry limes and saffron are optional, but highly recommended for the full traditional flavor.

Main Course

Middle Eastern

chicken, rice

Now serve this luscious dish to people you love.

Turkey named as climate change COP31 home in 2026

Climate

Karin Kloosterman

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December 28, 2025

0

The announcement of Murat Kurum as President-Designate of COP31 marks a pivotal moment for global climate diplomacy and for Turkey’s evolving role on the international climate stage.

With COP31 expected to be held in Antalya, climate negotiations move into the Mediterranean basin—one of the fastest-warming regions on Earth. Turkey is already confronting the front-line impacts of climate change: prolonged droughts stressing water systems, intensifying wildfires, severe flooding from extreme rainfall, coastal erosion, and growing pressure on food, energy, and urban infrastructure. Hosting COP31 places these lived realities at the center of global decision-making.

Turkey occupies a unique geopolitical and economic position. As a G20 economy and a bridge between Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, it sits at the intersection of climate vulnerability and climate opportunity. It is both an emerging economy still expanding its energy and industrial base, and a country increasingly aware that resilience, adaptation, and sustainability are no longer optional—they are economic and social imperatives. It has also been a rising threat to global stability as it’s given refuge to the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas militants. Every hotel and many restaurants in Turkey require you to go through weapons detections devices.

In recent years, Turkey has made tangible contributions to climate action. The country has rapidly scaled renewable energy capacity, particularly in solar, wind, and geothermal power, while reducing reliance on imported fossil fuels. It has launched nationwide zero-waste initiatives, invested in climate-resilient urban transformation, and prioritized disaster preparedness following increasingly frequent climate-linked extreme events.

Under Murat Kurum’s leadership, urban resilience, energy-efficient buildings, and sustainable land use have become core elements of environmental policy. But they still killed 4 million dogs this past year. Like it’s always been, Turkey is between the old and the new, the east and the west.

COP31 in Antalya offers an opportunity to re-center global climate talks on implementation. The road from COP30 to COP31 will be defined by delivery—turning national commitments into real emissions reductions, adaptation projects, and financing mechanisms that reach vulnerable communities. Turkey is well positioned to help bridge long-standing divides between developed and developing countries, between ambition and affordability, and between mitigation and adaptation.

As COP31 President-Designate, Murat Kurum’s role will be to help shift the global climate agenda from negotiation fatigue to measurable progress. For Turkey, hosting COP31 is a chance to demonstrate leadership grounded in pragmatism, regional solidarity, and real-world solutions—showing that climate action can strengthen economies, protect communities, and accelerate a fairer, more resilient development path.The world’s journalists will be there and hopefully with a watchful eye.

Dubai developer uproots ancient Italian olive trees, $270,000 USD each for “eco” project

Karin Kloosterman

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December 28, 2025

0

Olive trees are uprooted from Europe to be planted in treeless Dubai

In another case of dubious Dubai, a UAE developer is making an ecological housing project and is advertising that they are uprooting ancient olive trees from the Mediterranean to plant in Dubai. We see what happens to trees planted in Dubai and then neglected. There is something deeply wrong with calling the uprooting of ancient olive trees “eco,” no matter how many studies are cited or how softly the word wellness is whispered into the sales brochure.

When Mediterranean olive trees—some said to be up to 2,500 years old—are lifted from their ancestral soil in Spain and Italy and shipped to Dubai to decorate a luxury development, this is not sustainability. It is ecological displacement dressed up as design. East tree is reported to have cost about $270,000 USD. So who is selling them?

Water turned off in Abu Dhabi desert tree experiment (photo)

These trees are not ornaments but are living archives. Many took root around the time of Ancient Greece, long before real estate prospectuses and infinity pools. Olive trees anchor soil, sustain biodiversity, and hold cultural memory. They belong to landscapes shaped by centuries of climate, wind, microbes, and human care. Their value is not measured in dirhams.

The idea that a tree costing AED 1 million somehow justifies its relocation is the logic of extraction, not regeneration.

Developments like MAG’s Keturah Reserve—rising in Mohammed Bin Rashid City—lean heavily on the language of biophilic design and mental wellbeing, and even point to a study on how trees are good for people. Yes, people thrive when connected to nature. But whose nature? And at what cost?

The developers say that they are going to bring the trees to their project Keturah Reserve, an apartment complex of the 533 low-rise apartments, 93 townhouses and 90 villas.

Uprooted olive trees to be planted in the sky

Flying centuries-old trees across continents via specialized cargo burns enormous fossil fuels. Replanting them in a desert climate—no matter how advanced the irrigation or “heritage preservation techniques”—places immense stress on organisms that evolved for Mediterranean seasons, soils, and rainfall patterns. And we’ve seen that the UAE is not capable of taking care of trees so survival rates are uncertain. Long-term ecological function is compromised. And the original landscapes are left poorer, stripped of irreplaceable elders.

“Every element enhances sustainability and harmony with the environment, so residents will thrive,” said Talal M. Al Gaddah, CEO and Founder of the Keturah luxury brand. “They bring history, calm, and a sense of permanence,” said Talal, who has conceived to build a natural gallery (Joni Mitchell called it a Tree Museum), where a forest of trees from around the world blend with art installations and sculptural dry gardens, just a short drive from Downtown Dubai.

This is not harmony with the environment but ecological laundering.

True biophilic design does not begin with removal. It begins with respect. If developers genuinely care about wellbeing, they would invest in native desert ecologies—ghaf trees, indigenous shrubs, living shade systems—species adapted to place, water scarcity, and heat. They would restore land rather than import symbolism.

Ancient olive trees should remain where they stand, rooted among the communities, farmers, birds, fungi, and histories that shaped them. They are not transferable assets. They are not centerpieces. They are elders.

“Money can buy old things, But it cannot give you a history and culture that was never yours to begin with.

People have rotted in prisons for smuggling antiquities less than half the age of those trees,” says Michael James, a fruit tree grafting expert in the US.

Brigitte Bardot dies but her legacy of animal rights lives on

Animals
Art

Green Prophet

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December 28, 2025

0

Brdigette Bardot and her dogs — Bridgette Bardot and her dogs

Brigitte Bardot, who died today at the age of 91, will be remembered not only as one of the most recognizable film stars of the 20th century, but the chain-smoking French actress was also a tireless advocate for animals. Long after she stepped away from cinema, Bardot devoted her life, resources, and public voice to protecting animals—especially pets and vulnerable wildlife—at a time when few public figures were willing to do so.

Bardot retired from acting in 1973, at the height of her fame, and redirected her energy toward animal welfare. In 1986, she founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, which became the central vehicle for her work. The foundation focused on preventing cruelty to animals, supporting shelters, rescuing abused pets, and campaigning against practices that caused unnecessary suffering.

Bridgette Bardot championed animal rights — Brigitte Bardot and her book

Much of Bardot’s activism centered on companion animals. She was a vegetarian and repeatedly spoke out against the abandonment and mistreatment of dogs and cats, supported spay-and-neuter programs, and funded shelters across France and abroad.

Related: Turkey kills millions of dogs

At a time when pet welfare was often treated as a private issue rather than a social responsibility, Bardot helped push it into the public conversation.

Her celebrity played a crucial role. Bardot used her global recognition to draw attention to issues that were easy to ignore, giving animal protection visibility it had rarely enjoyed before. Media coverage of her campaigns brought animal welfare into living rooms around the world, influencing public attitudes and helping normalize the idea that animals deserve care, protection, and dignity.

While Bardot was not an environmentalist in the modern sense, her work helped shape the ethical foundation on which today’s environmental and sustainability movements stand. Caring for animals—especially pets—created an emotional bridge between people and the natural world, reinforcing the idea that human responsibility extends beyond ourselves.

For millions, Brigitte Bardot’s most enduring legacy may not be on film, but in the lives of animals who were seen, protected, and cared for because she refused to look away.

Brigette Bardot protesting the seal hunt

10 Proven Israeli Technologies to Help Somaliland Build Food, Water, and Energy Security

Karin Kloosterman

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December 28, 2025

0

Karin Kloosterman, entrepreneur, founder of flux, and Green Prophet — Growing food on a rooftop using Israeli greenhouse technology: Karin Kloosterman

Israel’s water and agricultural technologies didn’t emerge from ideal conditions. They were developed under pressure: low rainfall, saline water, political isolation, lack of energy resources, and the constant need to feed a growing population with limited land. Over the years, I’ve written about many of these companies not as miracle-makers, but as problem-solvers. That’s what makes them relevant to places like Somaliland. Israel was the first country in the world to recognize Somaliland as an independent state although Ethiopia has been treating the nation as such for decades.

Below are 10 technologies, and the Israeli companies behind them, that could realistically support Somaliland’s long-term food, water, and energy resilience.

drip irrigation technology, stockholm international water institute, industry water award, agriculture, water scarcity, Middle East, Israel, Netafim — Netafim pipes snake through farmer’s fields and deliver water and nutrients right at the root base

The first is drip irrigation, pioneered by Netafim, founded in the 1960s on Kibbutz Hatzerim after engineer Simcha Blass noticed that slow, targeted watering produced healthier plants. Netafim’s systems are now used worldwide to cut water use while increasing yields, especially in dry regions.

Closely related is low-pressure irrigation and fertigation, advanced by companies like NaanDanJain and Rivulis. These systems work well for smallholder farmers, allowing nutrients and water to be delivered together with minimal waste.

For water supply, desalination technology developed by IDE Technologies has transformed Israel’s water security. While IDE is best known for large plants, the company has also developed smaller-scale systems suitable for coastal communities, which could be relevant for Somaliland’s long shoreline.

In parallel, solar-powered water pumping systems—used widely in Israel’s peripheral regions—can replace diesel pumps. While not a single-company solution, Israeli integrators often combine solar technology from firms like SolarEdge with water systems to power wells, treatment units, and irrigation without fuel imports.

solaredge, solar energy, Israel hightech, cleantech — SolarEdge under the hood

Another promising approach is wastewater reuse, an area where Israel leads globally. Municipal-scale treatment combined with agricultural reuse has been refined through decades of practice, with engineering firms and public utilities supporting reuse rates that reach nearly 90 percent. Scaled-down versions of these systems could help Somaliland’s towns reuse water safely rather than losing it entirely.

In agriculture, greenhouse and net-house farming has been advanced by Israeli companies such as Hishtil, which supplies seedlings and controlled-growing solutions designed for heat and water stress. These systems allow year-round production of vegetables with far less water than open-field farming.

Precision agriculture has also become more accessible through Israeli startups like CropX and Phytech, which use soil sensors and plant data to tell farmers exactly when to irrigate. Even basic versions of these tools can significantly reduce water waste.

Cropx irrigation — An early version of the CropX irrigation hardware controller in the field

On the seed side, Israeli breeders such as Hazera and Zeraim Gedera (now part of Syngenta) have developed heat- and drought-tolerant vegetable varieties suited for semi-arid climates. Crop genetics matter as much as irrigation in a warming world.

Food loss after harvest is another overlooked challenge. Israeli cold-chain innovations, including solar-powered cold rooms used across Africa, help reduce spoilage and increase farmer incomes. These systems don’t require a national grid and can be deployed at cooperative or village scale.

Finally, there is knowledge transfer, often the most underestimated technology of all. Israel’s international development agency MASHAV has trained tens of thousands of farmers and water managers worldwide through hands-on programs focused on dryland agriculture, water reuse, and cooperative farming. Technology adoption succeeds when training is local, practical, and gradual.

None of these tools promise instant prosperity. But together, they form a practical toolkit shaped by environments not unlike Somaliland’s own. In a region too often discussed only through politics or security, focusing on water, food, and energy systems offers a quieter, more durable path forward.

Dragon fruit health benefits

Food

Karin Kloosterman

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December 28, 2025

0

Dragon fruit used to feel like a traveler’s fruit, something you’d find in a far east market that sells Pad Thai and bags of pickled grasshoppers, eaten with a stick. Now it’s turning up everywhere. I see it stacked neatly in Canadian and American supermarkets, tucked into smoothies in California cafés, and increasingly in Eastern Mediterranean markets where it once felt exotic and rare. It has been turning up in our weekly CSA box and my daughter asks for them now as much as my son wants apples.

It looks beautiful, with tiny kiwi-like seeds on the inside, its taste somewhat bland in comparison. You’ll find the insides in a shocking hot pink, white or yellow. So yeah –– part of its appeal is visual. Dragon fruit looks like it was designed by a poet with a sense of humor. But it’s the inside that matters, and that’s where this fruit earns its place as a superfruit.

Dragon fruit is also known by several other names depending on where you encounter it. In much of the US and Latin America it’s commonly called pitaya or pitahaya, terms you’ll often see used interchangeably with dragon fruit on market labels. Botanically, the fruit comes from a cactus sometimes referred to as night-blooming cereus, a nod to the plant’s dramatic flowers that open after dark. Older or poetic names like strawberry pear, belle of the night, or queen of the night still appear occasionally, though today dragon fruit and pitaya are the names most shoppers recognize.

Dragon fruit is rich in antioxidants, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, while staying low in calories. It’s one of those foods that manages to feel indulgent while doing something genuinely useful for the body. Like cucumbers.

The deep red and pink varieties contain healthful betalains and flavonoids, compounds that help neutralize free radicals and reduce inflammation. These antioxidants are linked to lower risks of chronic diseases, including heart disease and certain cancers. Vitamin C adds another layer of immune support, especially welcome in winter months when fresh fruit choices can feel limited.

Fiber is where dragon fruit really shines. It contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, which means it helps digestion in more than one way. Insoluble fiber keeps things moving, while soluble fiber feeds beneficial gut bacteria, strengthening digestion and immunity from the inside out. People watching blood sugar levels often appreciate dragon fruit for the same reason; fiber slows sugar absorption and may help reduce insulin resistance over time.

There’s also a quiet mineral richness here. Magnesium supports muscle function and sleep. Calcium and phosphorus contribute to bone health. Iron, especially when paired with vitamin C, supports oxygen flow in the body. None of this is flashy, but together it makes dragon fruit feel like a thoughtful food, one that supports the body without demanding attention.

I like dragon fruit most when it’s not overworked. Fresh slices in half with a squeeze of lime and a spoon to dig it out are enough. But one recipe surprised me, and it’s now become a favorite way to serve it to guests who think they already know this fruit.

Can you cook dragon fruit?

Take ripe red dragon fruit and cut it into thick cubes. Toss gently with a drizzle of olive oil, a pinch of flaky salt, and a squeeze of lemon. Roast it briefly in a hot oven, just until the edges caramelize slightly. Let it cool, then scatter over labneh or thick Greek yogurt. Finish with cracked black pepper, fresh mint, and a few toasted pumpkin seeds. The heat deepens the fruit’s sweetness, the salt pulls it into savory territory, and suddenly dragon fruit feels less like a smoothie ingredient and more like a grown-up dish.

Perhaps that’s why it’s showing up more often now. As markets globalize and palates mature, we’re learning to see familiar foods in new ways. Dragon fruit no longer feels like a novelty.

Ethiopians are Looking to Somaliland for Red Sea Access as Global Powers Move In

Politics

Karin Kloosterman

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December 28, 2025

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Ethiopians are Looking to Somaliland for Red Sea Access as Global Powers Move In

Israel was the first to recognize Somaliland, something that Ethiopia has been quietly supporting for eyears — Israel was the first to recognize Somaliland, something that Ethiopia has been quietly supporting for years. Image from Crea

When we traveled through Ethiopia last year (see our article on Wenchi Lake ecoreserve), this question came up again and again: Ethiopia is landlocked.

What surprised me wasn’t the frustration. It was how many Ethiopians openly welcomed closer ties with Somaliland as a practical way forward. This matters more now as Qatar, a state sponsor of terror, and China expand their influence across Ethiopia, investing in infrastructure, finance, and political relationships. With that growing presence you can see everywhere from Al Jazeera playing at every hotel to hundreds of unfinished Chinese infrastructure projects, the question of trade routes, ports, and national leverage has become more urgent, and more public.

In January 2024, Ethiopia and Somaliland signed a Memorandum of Understanding that could reshape the Horn of Africa. Under the MoU, Ethiopia would gain access to Somaliland’s coastline for commercial shipping and possibly a naval facility, in return for Ethiopia agreeing to consider formal recognition of Somaliland’s independence. It’s not finalized, and it’s not without controversy, but it’s real. Yemen’s Houthis have been destabilizing the region since the 90s. They fire on passing oil tankers and they celebrate when Somali pirates capture ships passing through the Red Sea to the Suez Canal, a manmade shipping lane that cuts through Egypt.

Ethiopia has been landlocked since Eritrea’s independence in the early 1990s. Since then, nearly all imports and exports have flowed through Djibouti, creating vulnerability and cost. Over the past decade, Ethiopia has quietly increased its use of Berbera Port, the commercial capital of Somaliland, which has expanded and modernized enough to handle serious trade volumes. Ethiopia has also inflamed tensions with Egypt since building the GERD, a hydro-electric power plant at the source of the Nile river.

Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, GERD Ethiopia, Blue Nile hydroelectric project, Ethiopia Nile River dam, Africa’s largest dam, Ethiopian hydropower, GERD water security, Nile River dispute, Ethiopia Egypt Sudan water conflict, renewable energy Ethiopia — Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile — Africa’s largest hydroelectric project reshaping East Africa’s power supply and sparking regional water security debates.

Somaliland, for its part, has operated as a de facto independent state since 1991. It has its own government, elections, currency, and security forces. It’s often described as one of the more stable and democratic political systems in the region, despite never being formally recognized internationally.

The MoU builds on years of trade and security cooperation. Ethiopia already relies on Somaliland’s ports. Formalizing that relationship makes economic sense, especially as regional competition intensifies and Red Sea access becomes more strategic for global shipping, energy, and exports. Having more Ethiopian presence in Somaliland, and now Israel, will help fight terror forces such as Al Shabaab, a Sunni Islamist religious extremist group based in Somalia.

Somalia, itself a lawless nation on the verge of becoming a terror state, has strongly opposed the deal, calling it a violation of its territorial integrity. Tensions flared quickly after the MoU was announced, and Ethiopia has since been careful to say that recognition is not immediate and that diplomacy is ongoing. Ethiopia, a predominantly Christian country, has to walk a fine line in order to keep the balance against insurgencies out of its

That caution reflects how complicated this is. Ethiopia wants access to the Red Sea. Somaliland wants recognition. Somalia wants to preserve its territorial claims. And outside actors, including Gulf states and China, are watching closely, each with their own interests.

What stood out during our visit was how openly Ethiopians discussed these tradeoffs. There was no sense of romantic nationalism, just a clear-eyed understanding that ports matter, trade matters, and sovereignty today is tied as much to supply chains as to borders drawn decades ago.

Whether the MoU leads to formal recognition remains uncertain. Regional politics move slowly, and sometimes sideways. But the direction is clear. Ethiopia is looking for options, and Somaliland is no longer viewed simply as a political question, but as a logistical one.

In a world shaped by climate stress, shipping disruptions, and global power competition, access to the sea is not a luxury. It’s infrastructure. And for many Ethiopians we met, working with Somaliland feels less like a provocation, and more like common sense.

Why Israel recognized Somaliland before Ethiopia

A Somaliland woman wearing a hijab with Israel flag

From conversations we had on the ground last year in Addis, what came through wasn’t uncertainty so much as a careful weighing of risks. Many Ethiopians we spoke with were openly supportive of deeper ties with Somaliland, yet they were equally clear-eyed about why formal recognition hasn’t happened. Ethiopia’s long and sensitive border with Somalia looms large, and recognizing Somaliland would be read in Mogadishu as a direct challenge to Somalia’s territorial integrity.

Every time we left the city our driver needed to check security along the roads as violent insurgencies are common in Ethiopia.

After decades spent trying to prevent further instability along that frontier—while coordinating on security and counter-militancy—few in Addis Ababa see value in provoking a diplomatic rupture at an already fragile moment. But Israel, on the other hand, can do it. Ethiopians already wave the flag of Israel in admiration and see an ancient thread of connection between their two sovereign nations –– back from when their Queen Sheba went to Jerusalem to meet the Jewish King Solomon.

Ethiopians also pointed to a more internal calculation. Ethiopia is a multi-ethnic federation still navigating its own political strains, and formally recognizing a breakaway state elsewhere in Africa risks opening doors Addis Ababa would rather keep closed.

As host of the African Union in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia is also steeped in the long-standing norm of preserving colonial-era borders, however imperfect they may be. For now, the country secures most of what it needs without crossing that line: port access, security cooperation, and deepening trade.

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