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Scientists at the University of California, Davis, have successfully developed new varieties of wheat capable of producing natural fertilizer autonomously, paving the way for reducing air and water pollution globally.The university explained in a statement Saturday that researchers used genetic modification techniques to stimulate the plants to produce additional amounts of certain chemicals, which interact with the soil to form natural fertilizer.The statement pointed out that this innovation could help reduce the costs borne by farmers, in addition to minimizing the negative environmental impacts caused by nitrogen pollution.In this context, Professor in the Department of Plant Sciences at the university Eduardo Blumwald said that this discovery could significantly contribute to ensuring food security by increasing productivity in small farms, especially in regions such as Africa, which face major challenges in this field.Wheat production uses about 18% of the total nitrogen fertilizers produced globally, while plants absorb only between 35%-50% of the nitrogen, with the remainder ending up in water bodies and the atmosphere, causing significant environmental damage.

The United Nations expressed hope that the United States will lift its ban on Palestinian representatives attending the UN General Assembly session scheduled for next month.UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said during a press briefing that it is important for all member states and permanent observers to be represented in the Assembly's work, particularly as France and Saudi Arabia are preparing to host a meeting on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. He added that the UN hopes the issue of visas for the Palestinian delegation will be resolved so they can participate.He noted that the matter will be discussed with the US State Department under the terms of the UN Headquarters Agreement, noting that the UN's position is that all diplomats and delegates entitled to attend should be able to travel freely to New York.These remarks came only hours after the US State Department announced the cancellation of visas for members of the Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority officials, preventing them from entering the United States to attend the General Assembly.This decision comes despite the Headquarters Agreement between the UN and the United States, which states that US security agencies are not permitted to operate inside the UN compound in Manhattan and that UN members have the right to travel freely through the US to the UN headquarters.

All US nonimmigrant visa applicants, including applicants under the age of 14 and over the age of 79, will be required to appear for an in-person interview with a consular officer, the US embassy in Qatar Monday said in an update published on the embassy website.Applicants seeking to apply for a US visa are encouraged to use the Embassy’s Visas Navigator, an online tool designed to answer frequently asked questions and provide step-by-step guidance throughout the application process.The US Embassy also reminded applicants and the public to rely only on official Embassy resources for accurate and up-to-date information. The Embassy’s official website and social media accounts may be monitored for further updates.