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Islamabad has re‑emerged as a pivotal conduit between Washington and Tehran, delivering a U.S. 15‑point cease‑fire proposal on March 25, 2026, as the US‑Israeli campaign against Iran enters its second month. Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar confirmed that Pakistan is transmitting the proposal, with Turkey and Egypt offering additional diplomatic backing. Chief US negotiator Steve Witkoff later verified Pakistan’s role as a messenger, and President Donald Trump announced a 10‑day pause on planned strikes against Iranian power plants, citing a request from Tehran. Iran has denied direct talks, yet the pause marks the second deferment of Trump’s original threat, underscoring Pakistan’s function as a key diplomatic facilitator in a high‑stakes conflict. The pattern is not new. In August 1969, President Nixon tasked Pakistan’s military ruler Yahya Khan with opening a channel to Beijing. Two years later, a secret flight carried U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger from Islamabad to China, paving the way for Nixon’s historic 1972 visit and the eventual U.S. recognition of the People’s Republic of China. Analysts note that Pakistan’s unique position—maintaining working ties with both Washington and Beijing—made it the only trusted intermediary capable of handling such a sensitive mission, a view echoed by former ambassador Masood Khan. Beyond the Cold‑War episode, Pakistan has repeatedly leveraged its geography and Muslim‑world connections. It served as the primary conduit for U.S., Saudi and Chinese support to the Afghan mujahideen in the 1980s, helped broker the 1988 Geneva Accords that ended the Soviet occupation, and hosted the 2015 Murree talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government. During the 2020 Doha Agreement, Pakistani pressure on the Taliban was cited by U.S. envoy Zalmay Khalilzad as instrumental, though the rapid U.S. withdrawal and subsequent Taliban takeover left Pakistan’s long‑term interests ambiguous. Efforts to mediate Saudi‑Iran tensions have been less fruitful. In 2016, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s shuttle diplomacy failed to produce a formal agreement, and a 2019 outreach by Prime Minister Imran Khan, prompted by President Trump, yielded no concrete outcome. When China facilitated the 2023 Saudi‑Iran rapprochement, Pakistan’s foreign office claimed it had laid the groundwork, but analysts still view the result as a Chinese‑led success. Pakistan’s brief 2005 overture to Israel, led by Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmud Kasuri, similarly collapsed under domestic opposition, illustrating the limits of its diplomatic reach when internal politics intervene. Since the launch of Operation Epic Fury—the US‑Israeli air campaign that began in late February 2026 and resulted in the death of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei—Pakistan’s leadership has intensified back‑channel activity. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has held multiple calls with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, while Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir spoke directly with President Trump. Both officials have also visited Saudi Arabia, where Pakistan signed a mutual defence pact in September 2025. Former ambassador Naghmana Hashmi observes that Pakistan’s diplomatic narrative is often eclipsed by conflict, yet a “quieter, more consistent thread” persists: the state’s effort to turn its strategic location and Muslim‑world ties into a lever for peace. Whether the current cease‑fire talks will yield a durable settlement remains uncertain. What is clear, however, is that Pakistan enjoys a rare blend of trust from Washington, Tehran and Gulf capitals—a leverage few regional actors possess.

Israel has confirmed that it has struck a uranium processing facility in the central Iranian city of Yazd, in an escalatory move that comes as regional diplomats have been attempting to broker an agreement to halt the joint US-Israeli war on Iran.The Israeli Air Force said it hit a plant used to extract raw materials essential to the uranium enrichment process, describing it as a 'unique facility' in Iran's nuclear infrastructure. Iran's Atomic Energy Organization confirmed the strike, but said there were no casualties or radiation leaks.A projectile also hit near the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, Iran's Atomic Energy Organisation said. The attack caused 'no casualties, financial, or technical damage,' the organisation said.Friday marked day 28 of the conflict, and the assault by the Israeli army was part of a broad wave of attacks on sites across the country. The Khondab Heavy Water Complex in central Iran was hit, as well as two major steel plants: the Khuzestan Steel facility and the Mobarakeh Steel complex in Isfahan.Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran will 'exact heavy price' for Israeli attacks on several important infrastructure sites. 'Israel has hit 2 of Iran's largest steel factories, a power plant and civilian nuclear sites among other infrastructure,' said Araghchi in a post on X.Strikes also hit areas in and around Tehran, the city of Kashan and Ahwaz, while 18 people were killed in Qom. More than 1,900 people have been killed in US-Israeli attacks on Iran since the war began on February 28.Iranian officials said US-Israeli strikes have damaged at least 120 museums and historical sites across the country since hostilities began.Negar Mortazavi, a senior non-resident fellow at the Center for International Policy, told Al Jazeera that even Iranians who had been critical of their own government increasingly view the war as an assault on the Iranian people rather than its leadership, saying the targeting of water, electricity, gas, cultural heritage, schools and hospitals was 'unacceptable.'Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel would 'intensify' its campaign and expand the range of sites it targets, accusing Tehran of deliberately directing missiles at Israeli civilians.

The reintroduction of beavers in Dorset has shown promising results, with the animals building a 35-metre dam and creating a deep, wildlife-rich pool. By coppicing trees, they have allowed more light in and improved habitats for plants, insects, amphibians, birds, and bats.Trail cameras have captured footage of an otter fishing in the pond, as well as a barn owl hunting there. Volunteers have spotted birds including redpolls and water rails. The cameras also captured footage of two of the beavers mating, indicating they have settled in their new home and that there could be kits this summer.Despite some hitches, including the death of a male beaver and the relocation of a female, the western pair of beavers has been busy doing their engineering work. The National Trust, which is in charge of the project, said it was thrilled with the progress, highlighting the astonishing effect on the ecosystem in a relatively short time.Gen Crisford, the National Trust's wetlands project officer, said setbacks were inevitable but expressed hope for a 'happy ever after moment' with the western pair. The project allows for the release of 10 to 25 adult beavers, with the next release expected to take place this autumn.

The US and Israel are intensifying their military campaign against Iran, with Senator Marco Rubio stating that the operation is expected to conclude in 'weeks, not months'. The conflict escalated with a surprise strike on 28 February that killed Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.Despite Iran's defiance and denial of negotiations, the US and Israel continue to target Iran's nuclear facilities and military sites. Israel's defence minister, Israel Katz, warned that attacks against Iran will 'escalate and expand' to additional targets and areas that assist the regime in building and operating weapons against Israeli citizens.The conflict has significant economic implications, with the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world's oil is usually shipped, being a key point of contention. The US has ordered thousands of marines and elite airborne troops to the region, possibly in preparation for a military effort to forcibly reopen the waterway.Iran has threatened to attack Saudi Arabia's Red Sea port of Yanbu and the Fujairah oil complex in the United Arab Emirates if a ground invasion takes place. The US president, Donald Trump, has issued an ultimatum to Iran, demanding that it allow free passage of shipping through the strait by 6 April or face the destruction of its energy plants.The conflict has resulted in significant casualties, with over 1,900 people killed and 20,000 injured in Iran, and 19 people killed in Israel. The humanitarian crisis in Lebanon has worsened, with a fifth of the population displaced and nearly 1,100 people killed.The G7 foreign ministers have reiterated the need for safe and toll-free freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and called for an immediate cessation of attacks against civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Walking into Scisters Salon & Apothecary in southern California reveals what's immediately absent: no wall of plastic bottles, no chemical tang, and minimal waste. The salon's shelves feature large refill containers of shampoo and conditioner, houseplants adorn the space, and hair clippings are composted. The only trash can is a small basket mostly collecting clients' personal items, creating an environment that co-owner Melissa Parker notes clients immediately comment on: 'It smells good in here.' That never happens in a conventional salon.Opened 15 years ago by Parker and Easton Bajsec in La Mesa near San Diego, Scisters has evolved into one of the region's most prominent low-waste salons, diverting up to 99% of its refuse from landfills. Their business transformation addresses a significant industry problem: the beauty sector generates substantial waste, with North American salons sending an estimated 63,000lbs of hair to landfills daily, plus hundreds of tons of used foil and leftover hair dyes.The turning point came when Bajsec watched a documentary about the zero-waste movement while Parker developed health problems linked to prolonged exposure to salon chemicals. Studies have found that hairdressers' exposure to harmful chemicals such as formaldehyde, ammonia and sulfates puts them at higher risk of asthma, skin conditions, reproductive illnesses and cancer. Rather than leave the industry, they transformed their business.They eliminated perms due to formaldehyde exposure and moved away from big-name products despite green marketing claims. When existing alternatives didn't meet their standards for performance, ingredient transparency and waste reduction, they created their own line. Element, launched in 2019, is made in a California lab and sold in refillable glass and aluminum containers, featuring recognizable ingredients like organic aloe, wheat protein and castor oil.The salon's waste reduction strategies extend beyond product packaging. They implemented hair composting, foil recycling, and replaced waxing with sugaring—a compostable hair-removal technique. They switched to LED lighting, installed water-efficient showerheads, and use washable cloths instead of paper towels. Though they still offer hair bleaching (which releases ammonia), they mitigate risks with industrial air filtration and air-purifying plants.Bajsec acknowledges that 100% zero waste is impossible due to regulatory constraints on reusable gloves and plastic pump tops. The salon ships its minimal plastic waste to Green Circle Salons for specialized processing, paying $200 per box. Despite this cost, Parker notes the overall approach has been financially beneficial: 'Overall, it's actually less expensive. We're not outsourcing to other beauty brands. We're mindful about systems.'Their commitment to sustainability proved critical during the COVID-19 pandemic. When mandatory closures threatened their survival, they pivoted to refill sales, meeting clients in the parking lot. This refill model kept revenue flowing, allowing them to pay full rent while many neighboring tenants struggled. 'Going green has been the greatest thing we've done for our business financially,' Parker says. 'We accidentally created a point of differentiation.'Denise Baden, a professor of sustainable business at the University of Southampton, confirms that eco-friendly practices often reduce costs. 'It's a misunderstanding that to be eco-friendly, you have to spend more money. In fact, usually, it's the reverse,' she notes, adding that hairdressers are uniquely positioned to influence their communities.Now, Parker and Bajsec are helping other salons adopt similar practices through speaking engagements and an online guide. 'We get calls from other salons all the time,' Bajsec says. 'It's not sustainable if we're the only ones doing it.'

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a dire warning about a health crisis unfolding in real time across the Middle East, emphasizing the urgent need for a complete cessation of hostilities to mitigate the humanitarian catastrophe.Dr. Hanan Balkhy, the WHO's regional director for the Eastern Mediterranean, stressed that hospitals and healthcare facilities must be treated as safe havens to protect patients and healthcare workers. The region, encompassing 22 countries and territories including Iran, Gulf states, Gaza, Sudan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, is facing severe disruptions in healthcare services due to the ongoing conflicts.The violence has resulted in significant loss of life and displacement, with over 1,000 people killed in Lebanon, 1,500 in Iran, and 16 in Israel, alongside reports of numerous deaths in the West Bank and Gulf Arab states. Moreover, 3.2 million people have been displaced in Iran and over 1 million in Lebanon within a month, exacerbating the crisis.Balkhy expressed deep concern about the long-term impacts on maternal mortality, mental health, and the plight of orphaned children left without education. The WHO has verified dozens of attacks on healthcare facilities in Lebanon, Iran, and Israel since the conflict began, including a recent attack on a hospital in Sudan that killed at least 70 people.The organization is also preparing for potential attacks on nuclear sites and water desalination plants, which could have catastrophic health repercussions. Balkhy urged for a significant de-escalation or a permanent pause in hostilities to prevent further humanitarian disaster.

Solar panel sales have surged dramatically since the onset of the Iran war, according to Octopus Energy, with British households increasingly opting for larger rooftop installations to achieve energy independence.The company reported a 54% increase in sales this month compared to the same period last month, marking a significant shift in consumer behavior amid global energy uncertainty.Rebecca Dibb-Simkin, Octopus Energy's chief product officer, observed: "We are seeing a massive shift as people stop just asking and start acting. British families are tired of being held hostage by global fossil fuel prices. By switching to solar and heat pumps, they are becoming their own power stations, locking in low costs and protecting their wallets for the long term."Octopus noted that many customers are choosing "supersize" systems with 12 panels instead of the typical 10-panel arrays. Additionally, heat pump sales have increased by more than 50%, while electric vehicle charger systems have seen a 20% rise in sales.Greg Jackson, Octopus Energy's chief executive, described a "huge jolt" in solar sales compared to February. On March 17, the company reported a 27% increase in solar sales inquiries since the start of the Iran war.Good Energy, another green electricity supplier, confirmed this trend, reporting a doubling of interest in solar panels over the past three months.Nigel Pocklington, Good Energy's chief executive, emphasized: "The most effective way to bring bills down over the long term is to double down on renewables, alongside storage and flexibility, so more of our power comes from predictable, homegrown sources. We should be putting solar on any building that can take it. That's how we cut costs, strengthen energy security and give people real control over the energy they rely on every day."The market is poised for further growth with plug-in solar kits expected to become available from high street retailers and supermarkets in the coming months. The government recently announced that most new homes will likely have solar panels from 2028 and will lift a ban on sales of these kits.Andrew Dickinson, head of infrastructure at Heligan Group, explained: "Given the recent geopolitical events, the UK's reliance on global energy markets has become front and centre. The solution lies in a series of short-term initiatives to address the immediate impact of rising energy prices on homeowners. Plug-in solar is one of these solutions that is expected to lower the barriers to entry for homeowners. The previously lengthy process of roof assessment, design and installation by a specialist technician will no longer be necessary."A recent report from Electrify Britain, backed by Octopus, found that solar panels and heat pumps would significantly reduce vulnerability to fossil fuel price fluctuations. The report "Plug In, Pay Less" revealed that houses using these technologies would be almost immune to fossil fuel price rises: a 30% increase in wholesale gas and oil prices would translate into only a 1.7% rise in energy bills by 2035 for households using no gas or oil appliances.Energy bills are expected to rise by more than £300 this July, according to Cornwall Insight, a consultancy. Jess Ralston, head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, commented: "Predictions of energy bills rising by hundreds of pounds will feel like deja vu to hard-working families as yet another gas price crisis pushes up the cost of living. Many are still saddled with debt from the last gas crisis while Putin and the oil and gas companies stand to benefit."Ralston added: "These wars and the global gas market are clearly beyond the UK's control, so the only way we have to permanently stabilise bills is to cut our use of gas and that means switching to electric heat pumps and renewables that squeeze gas power plants off the grid."Octopus Energy also noted a one-third increase in inquiries about leasing electric vehicles, further indicating a broader shift toward renewable energy solutions among British consumers.

In a groundbreaking experiment conducted in Colorado's Rocky Mountain meadows, scientists heated a patch of land by 2C for 29 years. The results are alarming: the area transformed from a lush, diverse grassland into a desert-like scrubland dominated by sagebrush. This 'shrubification' process, driven by rising temperatures, threatens the very existence of alpine grasslands worldwide.The experiment, conducted at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory, involved warming five plots of 30 sq meters each by 2C using electric infrared radiators. The results showed a 150% increase in shrubs in warmed plots compared to those without heating. The surface soil dried by up to 20%, and shallow-rooted plants became stressed, leading to the extinction of some wildflowers.The implications extend far beyond Colorado. Alpine grasslands, which host 50% of European flora on just 3% of land, are particularly vulnerable. As temperatures rise, these ecosystems are likely to be irrevocably changed, leading to a loss of biodiversity. The phenomenon of 'shrubification' is not limited to mountain environments; it's also observed in Arctic landscapes, where shrub cover expanded by 2.2% each decade between 1984 and 2020.Conservation ecologists warn that while shrubs and trees bring benefits like shelter and carbon sequestration, their rapid expansion in cold environments is a symptom of climate change. The speed and scale of these changes are concerning, with potential knock-on impacts on the carbon cycle and ecosystem balance.As Lara Souza, lead researcher, notes, 'It's like flowers on steroids.' However, this vision of abundance is tinged with sadness at the prospect of irreversible changes to fragile landscapes. The future of these ecosystems, and many others like them, hangs in the balance as global temperatures continue to rise.

The Gran Chaco forest in Argentina, spanning across parts of Argentina, Bolivia, Paraguay, and Brazil, is facing a critical threat from deforestation. Small farmers, enticed by the promise of quick money from selling timber, often contribute to this environmental degradation. However, a collaborative effort between conservationists, NGOs, and international organizations is underway to support small-scale landowners and Indigenous communities in establishing alternative income sources. This initiative aims to enable them to resist the pressures of agribusiness and the timber market. Jorge Luna, a 55-year-old farmer, has taken a significant step towards preserving his 40-hectare land in Chaco province. He rejected an offer to cut down the trees and instead embarked on a second career as a forest tourist guide with Fundación Rewilding Argentina, a non-profit organization working to restore parts of the Gran Chaco forest. Luna now rents out a small campsite to visitors and takes tourists on kayak tours along the Bermejito River. "At first, you didn’t give the plants value. It was a lack of knowledge of what they meant. Now, every leaf that sprouts has an added value," he says. Created in 2010 by Tompkins Conservation, Rewilding aims to protect vast tracts of territory and create economic opportunities for local communities while preserving the biosphere. The organization worked with 15 other organizations to convince the government of Chaco province to turn 128,000 hectares into the El Impenetrable national park, officially designated in 2014. Since then, Rewilding has established a network to support a budding tourism industry. It offers riverside glamping stays while promoting local and ancestral knowledge as possible sources of income. Women have returned to weaving and artisanal production, as well as providing home-cooked meals for visitors. According to Greenpeace, Argentina lost nearly 7 million hectares of native forest between 1998 and 2024, with most of it in the Gran Chaco. An estimated almost 120,000 hectares of forest were lost in northern Argentina in 2024, a 10% increase from the previous year. The primary causes of forest loss are the expansion of agriculture, mainly for intensive cattle ranching and genetically modified soya, and forest fires. The Gran Chaco forest also feeds the timber industry, particularly with the quebracho tree, which produces a tannin used in leather products, and carob trees. Environmental lawyers warn that the Gran Chaco could disappear within two decades if deforestation continues at its current pace. "The Chaco does not receive the same attention as the Amazon – few people even know it exists," says Enrique Viale, an Argentine environmental lawyer and activist. For conservation efforts to succeed, projects must be co-designed with the community, ensuring their long-term objectives are considered. Community empowerment, equal distribution of benefits, and capacity building are crucial factors. Mabel Figueroa, a local weaver, has resumed her craft since the national park opened, selling scarves, blankets, and ponchos to tourists. She raises sheep and dyes their wool with tree bark and forest plants, reviving an ancestral tradition.