Iraq is grappling with one of the worst droughts in its history. Water levels in Turkish dams feeding Iraq’s rivers remain critically low, and this year’s winter rains have failed to provide enough water for drinking or farming.

Baghdad

Iraq is facing an unprecedented drought, with water reserves at critically low levels and insufficient rainfall to replenish supplies. The shortage has drastically reduced the cultivation of amber rice, a crop with deep cultural roots, and forced many farmers to switch to less water-intensive crops or abandon agriculture altogether. Irrigation canals have been closed, and water resources are being redirected to meet basic drinking needs.

The drought is also endangering the UNESCO World Heritage marshlands in southern Iraq, where evaporation and salinity are causing ecological disruption and loss of biodiversity. Residents and livestock are leaving the area as resources dwindle, and internal climate migration is on the rise. The ongoing crisis highlights the vulnerability of Iraq's environmental heritage to climate change.

Drought threatens water supply, ancient heritage in Iraq

A rice field this year around the village of Mishkhab, 200 kilometers south of Baghdad. It was once known for the sweet, woody smell of its amber rice fields, cultivated here for centuries, but water reserves are extremely low and flood irrigation is no longer possible. I planted wheat instead of rice because it grows better in rainwater. We are deeply connected to our history and traditionally our life revolves around the cultivation of amber rice. The population depended on it for income and as a main food source. But now, where can you still find that amber rice smell? There's no more water. Iraq is going through one of the most severe droughts in its history. Emergency measures have been taken to conserve water. Only 500 hectares of amber rice have been planted, 30 times less than last year. Irrigation canals for the crops have been closed, with all resources redirected to the drinking water network. It's been four months now that the canal has been dry. We thought if we can no longer have rice, at least let's have water. This is the fourth year that we've been unable to cultivate rice. We haven't been compensated. We haven't received any reimbursement for the rice nor for the livestock. Where are we supposed to go? Some of us have emigrated. The same issues are being faced further south. These UNESCO World Heritage marshes are facing obliteration. Under the heat, they've been evaporating at a rate of three centimetres per day. A foul smell comes from this closed sluice gate, which is intended to prevent the waters of the Euphrates from entering the marshes. Those are turtles migrating from the marshes to the Euphrates. That's because the water in the marshes is very salty and the Euphrates is a bit better. You can see a large number of dead animals all around the marshes. It's clearly an extremely serious disruption of Iraq's ecological balance. The flora of these ancient marshes has also been changing. Desert shrubs have replaced aquatic plants in some areas. Water buffalo herders must now buy resources for their animals that are themselves beginning to run out. For some, the burden becomes too great and they leave the marshlands. The trees and vegetation have almost disappeared. The livestock have died. The residents have suffered a lot. We can no longer live here, but even if the water goes, the culture of the marshlands will endure. We won't change. Some will return here during milder seasons to carry on their traditions, but in recent years the phenomenon of internal climate migration has become a reality in Iraq. The country's historic environmental heritage appears increasingly fragile in the face of climate disruption.

Two laptops and hard drives containing watermarked and unreleased music by Beyoncé were stolen from her choreographer’s rental car in Atlanta, according to police.

Atlanta

Unreleased Beyoncé music stolen from choreographer’s rental car

The House Committee on Education and Workforce is holding its ninth hearing in 18 months on antisemitism on college campuses. CBS News' Shanelle Kaul has more details.

Washington

Anger at House committee hearing on antisemitism in college campuses

An Air India Boeing airplane crashed in northwestern India in June, killing all people on board but one passenger. India's aviation regulator has now ordered airlines to examine fuel control switches on several Boeing models.

New Delhi

India orders airlines to inspect Boeing airplane models after crash

Controversy on Capitol Hill over the so-called Epstein Files is seemingly not going away anytime soon.

House Republicans block Democratic push to release Epstein documents

An Israeli scheme to move hundreds of thousands of already uprooted Palestinians to a so-called "humanitarian city" in Gaza has led politicians to spar with the defense establishment. Critics inside and outside Israel have denounced the proposal.

Jerusalem

Middle East Conflict

Critics slam Israeli scheme to move Gazans to 'humanitarian city'

At least two people were killed in a New Jersey flash flooding event, Gov. Phil Murphy said Tuesday morning as heavy rains are expected to continue battering the Northeast. CBS News' Rob Marciano has more details.

New Jersey

Two killed in New Jersey flash flooding

After over a week of negotiations in Doha, a truce in Gaza remains elusive, despite intensified efforts by mediators. The stalemate continues as both Hamas and Israel trade blame over ongoing strikes.

Doha

Gaza truce still out of reach after Doha talks

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday cleared the way for President Donald Trump's administration to resume dismantling the Department of Education, part of his bid to shrink the federal government's role in education in favor of more control by the states.

U.S. Supreme Court clears way for Trump to gut Education Department

Syria's government troops entered the Sweida region following deadly clashes on Tuesday, while Israel carried out strikes against them, saying it was acting to protect the Druze minority.

As Suwayda

Syrian forces enter Sweida city following deadly clashes

Heavy rains slammed the Northeast and caused flash floods in the New York City subway system. CBS News' Rob Marciano has the latest.

New York

Flash flooding pummels NYC and slams subway lines

US President Donald Trump told Russia to end its war in Ukraine within 50 days or face massive new economic sanctions, as he laid out plans for infusions of weaponry for Kyiv via NATO. "We're going to be doing very severe tariffs if we don't have a deal in 50 days, tariffs at about 100 percent," Trump said.

Global Tariffs

Trump gives Moscow 50-day ultimatum over Ukraine war

A Gaza-bound boat carrying pro-Palestinian activists and humanitarian aid left Sicily, over a month after Israel detained and deported people aboard a previous vessel.

Sicily

New Gaza-bound aid boat leaves Italy

The U.S. will manufacture more weapons to help Ukraine in its fight against Russia's invasion. President Trump said European nations will be footing the bill.

Ukraine Invasion

U.S. to send more weapons to Ukraine

Christian leaders have accused Israeli settlers of attacking sacred sites in the West Bank. The Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, Theophilos III - visiting the Christian town of Taybeh with other clerics - said settlers had started a fire near a cemetery and a 5th century church there last week.

Clerics accuse West Bank settlers of attacking Christian sites

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is in Beijing ahead of talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping. He's there to broaden economic cooperation with China, which is Australia's top trade partner, while taking into account security concerns.

Beijing

Australia's Albanese pushes Aussie exports in China visit

In an Oval Office meeting, President Trump announced that the US will sell weapons to European nations, who will then send them to Ukraine. The president also threatened new trade consequences if no peace deal is reached with Ukraine within 50 days.

Trump gives Russia new deadline for Ukraine peace deal

Astronauts from India, Poland, Hungary and the U.S. are returning from the International Space Station following the historic Axiom Mission 4 trip. CBS News' consultant Bill Harwood joins with more details.

Cape Canaveral

Axiom Mission 4 crew returns from historic trip to I.S.S.

Hundreds of Palestinians on Sunday (July 13) mourned two men who were killed in overnight clashes by settlers in the West Bank. One of the deceased is 20-year-old Sayafollah Musallet, a U.S. citizen.

Mourners bury U.S. citizen killed in West Bank settler attack

Search efforts resumed for the more than 160 people still missing from the deadly July 4 floods in Central Texas after being halted Sunday morning due to renewed flood threats. CBS News' Karen Hua has the latest.

Kerrville

Heavy rains halt recovery efforts in central Texas

Following his recent criticism of Russian President Vladimir Putin, U.S. President Donald Trump said he plans to send Patriot missiles to Ukraine. Trump, for the first time since he took office in January, is also considering authorizing new funding for Ukraine.

Trump considers new funding for Ukraine

Two women were killed and two people were injured in a church shooting in Lexington, Kentucky, after the suspect initially shot a state trooper, police said. CBS News correspondent Nicole Valdes has the latest.

Lexington

Two women killed in Kentucky church shooting

The European Union said it would extend its suspension of countermeasures to U.S. tariffs until early August and continue to press for a negotiated settlement, after U.S. President Donald Trump ratcheted up his trade war on the bloc.

Brussels

EU holds off on U.S. tariff countermeasures for now to pursue talks

One year ago, Thomas Crooks, a recent community college graduate, opened fire on then-candidate Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. A year later, there's still no answers to why Crooks did it. Scott MacFarlane reports.

Butler

Motive still a mystery a year after Trump assassination attempt

Several European leaders and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum have expressed disappointment at the 30% tariffs US President Donald Trump has announced, but maintained openness to reach a negotiated solution.

Leaders of EU and Mexico slam Trump's 30% tariffs

A preliminary report depicted confusion in the cockpit shortly before an Air India jetliner crashed and killed 260 people last month, after the plane's engine fuel cutoff switches flipped almost simultaneously and starved the engines of fuel.

Ahmedabad

Air India crash report shows pilot confusion over fuel cutoff

Iran’s foreign minister says his country is ready to resume nuclear talks with the United States but will need assurances that there will be no more attacks against it. Abbas Araghchi made the comments on Saturday, during a meeting with foreign diplomats in Tehran.

Tehran

Iran willing to resume nuclear talks with U.S. if given assurances

Australia will not commit troops in advance to any conflict, Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said on Sunday (July 13), responding to a report that the Pentagon has pressed its ally to clarify what role it would play if the U.S. and China went to war over Taiwan.

Council of the City of Sydney

Australia to 'support status quo' on Taiwan amid U.S. defense push

The Pentagon is urging Japan and Australia to clarify what role they would play if the U.S. and China went to war over Taiwan, the Financial Times is reporting. According to the newspaper, the reported request caught Japan and Australia 'off-guard'.

Taipei

Australia caught 'off guard' by U.S demands over Taiwan

A federal judge in California temporarily halted the Trump administration from making indiscriminate arrests based on race and denying detainees access to lawyers.

Los Angeles

Judge orders Trump to stop Californian immigration raids

President Trump issued new threats in his global trade war, aiming at two more of America's biggest trading partners. The E.U. and Mexico responded by calling the tariffs unfair and disruptive.

Breakdown