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Workers are diligently restoring the renowned rabbi’s temple in a busy district of Baghdad in an effort to revive the country’s long-faded Jewish community’s history.

The tomb of Rabbi Isaac Gaon was filled with garbage just a few months ago. Its windows and doors were rusted, and the walls had been neglected for a long time.

A large tombstone with a verse, the rabbi’s name, and the year of his death, 688, is now covered in marble tiles, and the former small grave has been adorned with one. The wall behind it has a silver menorah hung.

The 62-year-old head of Iraq’s Jewish community, Khalida Elyahu, remarked, “We were not allowed to restore it because it was a garbage dump.”

The Jewish community in Iraq once had one of the largest populations in the Middle East, but it has since slowed to a paltry ten.

There are no rabbis in Baghdad, but there is still only one synagogue left.

The Jewish community is providing the estimated $150, 000 for the restoration of the shrine.

Elyahu predicted that the project will “revive our community, both internally and internationally.”

She hoped to restore further neglected sites with the assistance of Iraqi officials.

Rabbi Isaac is not well known. Iraq’s National Security Advisor, Qasim al-Araji, claimed the rabbi was a financial official when he visited the tomb earlier this year.

During the Gaonic era, also known as the time of the Babylonian rabbis’ academies, Rabbi Isaac was a well-known figure.

His role as the head of one such academy is likely to be referenced by the title “Gaon.”

According to Professor Simcha Gross of the University of Pennsylvania, his name was quoted in the 10th century by another rabbi who told a tale that is unknown from any other sources.

During one of his conquests in central Iraq, Rabbi Isaac led 90,000 Jews to meet Ali ibn Abi Talib, the fourth Islamic caliph and a relative of the Prophet Muhammad, who was revered as the first imam.

There are reasons to be skeptical about this event, according to Gross, who claims that we don’t have any other proof for it.

Rabbi Isaac has no other known religious beliefs, not even his.

Jews were imprisoned by the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar II, in 586 BC after Solomon’s Temple was destroyed in Jerusalem, according to biblical tradition.

The Babylonian Talmud was compiling in Iraq.

Jews made up 40% of Baghdad’s population thousands of years later, under Ottoman rule.

After the founding of Israel in 1948 and the Palestinian Nakba, which means “catastrophe,” in other Arab countries, the Jewish population of Iraq changed dramatically. Nearly all of Iraq’s 135,000 Jews went into exile soon afterward.

The community was further diminished by decades of conflict and insecurities, including Saddam Hussein’s rule, the US-led invasion of 2003, and subsequent violence.

The Hajj pilgrimage began on Wednesday. Some 1.8 million Muslims from across the globe are expected to gather in the Saudi holy city of Mecca for the annual gathering that will conclude on June 8.

Hajj is a once-in-a-lifetime obligation for all adult Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the journey.

Throughout the sacred pilgrimage, pilgrims drink from Zamzam, a wellspring believed to have been flowing for more than 4,000 years, nourishing them to this day.

But where does this water come from, and why does it hold such deep significance?

Where is the Zamzam well located?

Zamzam water comes from a well, located within the Grand Mosque of Mecca (Masjid al-Haram), some 21 metres (69 feet) east of the Kaaba.

The Zamzam well is beneath the Mataf area, which is the white marble-tiled space surrounding the Kaaba where pilgrims perform Tawaf.

In 1962, King Saud commissioned the expansion of the Mataf area to better accommodate the growing number of pilgrims. As part of this project, the opening of the Zamzam well was lowered and enclosed in a basement approximately 2.7 metres (9 feet) deep beneath the Mataf.

In 2003, the basement entrances were closed, and drinking fountains were relocated to the sides of the Mataf to allow for further expansion.

Today, pilgrims access Zamzam water through dispensers and fountains spread throughout the Grand Mosque.

Why is Zamzam important to Hajj and Umrah?

Zamzam water is deeply connected to the origins of Mecca and the story of Prophet Abraham (Ibrahim), his wife Hagar (Hajar), and their son Ishmael (Ismail).

According to Islamic tradition, Prophet Abraham left Hagar and baby Ishmael in the desert valley of Mecca by God’s command as a test of faith.

When their provisions ran out, Hagar ran back and forth seven times between the two small hills of Safa and Marwa searching for water.

God responded to her faith and struggle with a miracle: water began to gush from the ground near baby Ishmael’s feet – this became the Zamzam well.

This spring saved their lives and led to the settlement of Mecca, which today has a population of about 2.2 million.

During Hajj and Umrah, pilgrims re-enact Hagar’s search for water by walking seven times between the hills of Safa and Marwa in the ritual of Sa’i and drink Zamzam water following the tradition of the Prophet Muhammad, who praised its purity and healing qualities.

What does Zamzam mean?

According to Islamic tradition, when the Zamzam spring miraculously gushed forth near baby Ishmael’s feet, Hagar tried to contain the water, fearing it would run out.

She is said to have exclaimed “Zamzam”, which is often understood to mean “stop! stop!” or “hold! hold!” as she tried to stop the water from flowing away by gathering it around the spring.

What is the source of the Zamzam aquifer?

Zamzam water comes from a natural underground source beneath the Grand Mosque in Mecca. The well draws water from an aquifer, a layer of rock and sand that holds water, which is refilled by rainwater that seeps in from the surrounding Ibrahim Valley (Wadi Ibrahim) and nearby hills.

The Zamzam well is about 31 metres (101 feet) deep and was originally hand-dug. Water enters the well through loose sand and gravel in the top part, and also from cracks in the solid rock below.

Today, electric pumps bring the water up instead of the old rope-and-bucket method. The well itself is now closed to the public, but the water is available through fountains and dispensers around the Grand Mosque.

The Zamzam well is considered to have flowed uninterrupted for more than 4,000 years. The continuous flow of water and its central role in Hajj and Umrah have been well-documented for centuries.

According to the General Authority for the Care & Management of the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque, extraction and consumption of Zamzam vary by season:

• On regular days:
  Water supply: At least 950,400 litres (251,000 US gallons) daily
  Consumption: About 700,000 litres (185,000 US gallons) daily
• During peak seasons (Hajj and Ramadan):
  Water supply: Up to 1.6 million litres (423,000 US gallons) daily
  Consumption: Can reach 2 million litres (528,000 US gallons) daily due to the surge in pilgrims

According to the Saudi visa office, ​​Mecca is expecting to welcome 15 million Umrah pilgrims in 2025.

To manage this demand, the Zamzam well is monitored in real time using digital sensors that track water level, pH (potential of hydrogen; a measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a liquid), temperature, and conductivity. Additional monitoring wells across Wadi Ibrahim help assess how the entire aquifer responds to water use and rainfall.

The Zamzam Studies and Research Centre (ZSRC) estimates how much water can be safely extracted and advises the Grand Mosque authority on sustainable pumping levels. Each year, the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) issues a pumping schedule, with peak demand during Ramadan and Dhul-Hijjah and the lowest in Muharram.

If water levels fall below a set threshold, pumping is paused to allow the well to recover, ensuring a stable, long-term supply.

How is Zamzam different from tap water?

Zamzam water is clear and odourless, but it has a distinct taste due to its rich mineral content. It is slightly alkaline, with a pH between 7.9 and 8.0, higher than regular drinking water.

A study by King Saud University found no biological contamination or algae in Zamzam water, which are common in other wells and can affect taste and safety.

The minerals in Zamzam water offer several health benefits:

• Fluoride: Helps prevent tooth decay, especially important in hot climates.
• Calcium and magnesium: Present in higher amounts. Calcium is in an ionic form, making it easier for the body to absorb.
• Sodium and potassium: Support hydration, nerve function and muscle health.

Overall, the total mineral count for Zamzam is 835mg/litre compared with Riyadh’s tap water at 350mg/litre.

How is Zamzam distributed?

The Saudi government prohibits the sale of Zamzam water for commercial purposes and strictly regulates its distribution to ensure it is provided as a sacred gift to pilgrims and not exploited for profit.

Pilgrims returning from Hajj or Umrah often bring back a 5-litre bottle of Zamzam water to share with family and friends back home. Because Zamzam water is considered a special gift, airlines typically do not include it in the regular luggage allowance, so pilgrims often carry it separately or follow specific guidelines when transporting it home.

Shipping Zamzam water through Saudi airports is simple and convenient—just follow the guidelines and use the designated containers for a smooth and hassle-free journey.#Makkah_And_Madinah_Eagerly_Await_You#Ease_And_Tranquility pic.twitter.com/de4PLGlo18

Saudi authorities have established a sophisticated, multistage system to store and distribute Zamzam water, ensuring it remains clean, safe and easily accessible. Electric pumps transport Zamzam water 5km (3 miles) south to the King Abdullah Zamzam Water Project in Kudai. There, the water is purified and then bottled.

After treatment, the water is stored in two main reservoirs:

• Kudai reservoir: holds 10,000 cubic metres (10 million litres)
• King Abdulaziz Sabeel reservoir in Madinah: holds 16,000 cubic metres (16 million litres)

The family of Kumanjayi White are asking for CCTV footage and an independent investigation a week after the 24-year-old died in police custody at a supermarket in Alice Springs, Central Australia.

“The young Warlpiri man who died in police custody in Coles [supermarket] in Alice Springs on Tuesday May 27 is my Jaja [grandson],” White’s grandfather, Warlpiri leader Ned Hargraves, said in a statement on Tuesday.

“We know that he was held down by two police until he lost consciousness and perished. But at the moment we are in the dark about what really happened,” Hargraves added.

“Family representatives need to see all available footage of this incident immediately – both CCTV and body cam so we can understand what happened to my Jaja,” he said.

“But so far they are refusing to grant this.”

While details are still emerging of the circumstances surrounding the death, Hargraves said his grandson had been living in supported accommodation because of disabilities.

“He needed support and not to be criminalised because of his disability,” Hargraves said.

Gene Hill, who previously worked at the supermarket, told public broadcaster ABC that he knew the victim.

“One glance at him and you can see he’s got special needs,” said Hill, adding that the supermarket should have interpreters and Indigenous security guards to help with the language barrier between English and local Indigenous languages.

Calls for independent investigation

The Northern Territory Police Force (NTPF) said last week that White “stopped breathing” after he was “restrained” by two plainclothes police officers.

The “police will now investigate this matter on behalf of the coroner”, the NTPF added, in a statement.

Independent federal senator Lidia Thorpe, Northern Territory community group Justice Not Jails, and human rights organisation Amnesty International are among those supporting the family’s calls for an independent investigation.

Northern Territory Senator and federal Australian minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy last week acknowledged the “many traumas” the Warlpiri community in the remote Yuendumu area, where White hailed from, had experienced and said “calls for an independent investigation may be warranted”.

“It may be important to do that, given that there is such tension,” McCarthy, from the centre-left Labor federal government said, according to the ABC.

But Northern Territory (NT) Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro told ABC Radio Darwin “it is entirely appropriate” for the NT police to investigate.

“This is exactly what happens for all deaths in custody,” Finocchiaro, from the conservative Country Liberal Party (CLP), said.

Finocchiaro dismissed McCarthy’s comments as “really unhelpful” and “uneducated”.

“If she wants to support the people of Yuendumu and people concerned about this, then the best thing she can do is use her powerful voice to call for calm and confidence in the NT Police Force,” Finocchiaro said.

The Justice Not Jails advocacy group said the Country Liberal Party’s “tough on crime” approach in the Northern Territory had contributed to increased policing of Aboriginal people like White, in the lead up to his death.

“Kumanjayi White’s death has occurred in the context of the CLP’s relentless and racist attacks on Aboriginal families and communities,” Justice Not Jails said in a statement.

“These attacks include reforms to bail and sentencing that have significantly increased the number of Aboriginal people in prison, increasing the risk of further deaths in custody,” the group said.

A candlelight vigil was held for White in Sydney on Sunday, with more protests planned around Australia in the coming days.

Kumanjayi White’s death comes six years after nineteen year old Kumanjayi Walker was shot by Northern Territory police officer Zachary Rolfe.

The two deaths at the hands of police have left the small community of Yuendumu, which has a population of about 870 people and is located some 293 km (182 miles) from Alice Springs, reeling.

Northern Territory coroner Elisabeth Armitage was due to deliver the findings of the inquest into Walker’s 2019 death next week, however, at the request of the family this has been deferred.

The Northern Territory Courts said the findings will “now be handed down on July 7 in either Yuendumu or Alice Springs”.

The inquest into Walker’s death began after a jury found former soldier-turned police officer Zachary Rolfe was “not guilty” of murdering Walker in March 2022.

Walker’s death prompted widespread protests around Australia, as one of 595 Indigenous people to have died in police custody since a 1991 Royal Commission.

White’s grandfather Hargraves pointed out that his grandson died on the fifth anniversary of the death of George Floyd, whose death in the United States prompted worldwide Black Lives Matter protests.

White’s death also occurred during Reconciliation Week in Australia, he added.

“I am angry and frustrated that yet another one of our young men has lost his life at the hands of the police,” Hargraves said.

“Has our community not gone through enough?”

Yazan Musleh, 13, has a large white bandage on his thin torso and is lying in a hospital bed set up in a tent on the grounds of Nasser Hospital.

His father, Ihab, is agitated by the bloody dawn his sons and he and his sons experienced on Sunday when Israeli forces opened fire on a crowd of people gathering for aid from the Israeli-conceived and US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF).

Yazan and his 15-year-old brother Yazid had been transported by Ihab, 40, to the Rafah distribution point where the GHF operates from their shelter in al-Mawasi, Khan Younis.

They made the journey to the al-Alam Roundabout in Rafah, which is close to the distribution point, before dawn, and spent about an hour and a half walking there.

Ihab told his sons to wait for him on an elevation close to the GHF gates because they were concerned about the size of the crowded, hungry crowd.

He claims that as I looked behind the hill, I noticed several tanks close by. “I started to feel fear.” What if something went wrong or they started shooting? I prayed for protection from God.

Heavy gunfire erupted from all directions as the crowd gathered near the gates.

“I was terrified,” he said. He recalls that I saw Yazan get shot and collapse as I turned to my sons on the hill right away.

Yazid, who is also by his brother’s bedside, describes the traumatic events.

Our father said, “We were standing on the hill when the tanks suddenly started to fire.” He asserts. “My brother was immediately struck in the stomach.”

“It was horrifying to see his intestines pour out.” Then, in a donkey cart, he was rushed to the hospital.

Ihab was trying to fight the crowd while avoiding the shots that were still ringing out by the gates while attempting to reach his sons.

“Shooting was coming from quadcopters and tanks in every direction.”

I observed people assisting my son before dragging him away.

Ihab ran toward Nasser Hospital in hopes that Yazan had been taken there when he was able to escape the crowd. He claims it lasted more than an hour.

He discovered Yazan had undergone surgery at Nasser Hospital.

I finally took a breath. I thanked God that he was still alive. He claims that I had lost all hope.

Yazan’s intestines and spleen were torn up, and doctors now recommend lengthy, intensive treatment for him.

Iman, his mother, sits next to him and ponders why anyone would shoot at people who are trying to get food. The youngest of the five children, who is seven months old, is a girl, is from her and Ihab’s family.

I went to my children’s school to get food. Ihab claims that human habitation is killing us.

We are desperate because these aid distributions are well known and humiliating, but we are aware of this. My children are starving, and I’m desperate, but we are still shot at, right?

He claims that he had previously tried to get aid, but both times he ended up empty-handed.

There was a deadly stampede the first time. We hardly managed to escape. My son was hurt once more and did nothing, he claims.

He is aware that he can’t give up trying.

I’ll take my family’s safety. Either I survive or I pass away. I need help desperately. We are being killed by hunger.

The organization giving aid

The GHF, which was first introduced in early 2025 and is intended to “secure the distribution points,” is operated by private US military contractors.

Jake Wood, the GHF’s director, resigned two days before the distribution began, citing concerns that the organization would not adhere to humanitarian law or be impartial.

The Boston Consulting Group, which had been involved in the foundation’s planning and execution, withdrew its team and canceled its partnership with GHF five days later, on May 30.

The GHF and its methods have received unanimous criticism from international aid organizations.

We searched for food for our hungry kids.

Mohammed al-Homs, a 40-year-old father of five, is stumbling in the tent ward.

He also left early on Sunday for his family so he could get some food, but he claimed he had been shot twice in the leg and the mouth, causing my front teeth to break.

There were so many injured and dead people around me when I collapsed. Everyone was running and screaming. Gunfire was emitted by tanks and drones all over. The world seemed to be at its end, in my opinion.

Because medical personnel couldn’t reach the injured, he lay bleeding on the ground for what appeared to be an hour.

Then, word spread that the distribution gates had opened, and people began to travel to the center.

The only time it was possible to move the injured to a nearby medical facility was when.

Muhammad declares, “This was my first attempt at getting aid, and it will be my last.”

I didn’t anticipate surviving. We were met with tanks and drones as we searched for food for our afflicted children.

I never imagined that a box of food would cause me to die.

Khaled al-Lahham, 36, is another person who managed to get an aid package on the first day of distribution, on May 27 and who also volunteered to do it on Sunday.

Al-Lahham is caring for seven siblings who have been displaced in al-Mawasi’s tents, including his parents, an aunt, and seven siblings.

He was able to travel as close as he could to the al-Alam Roundabout roundabout with five friends that morning.

The six friends started kicking out of the car as the distribution period approached.

“Suddenly, there was screams and loud gunfire all around.” Khaled, who was unable to get out of the car, claims that he felt a sharp pain in his leg as a bullet had penetrated my thigh.

As people ran and screamed at me, I was screaming and bleeding. He adds that the shooting was irrational. “There were tanks, quadcopters, and fire from all directions,” the statement read.

Khaled was injured and huddled in the back seat until a friend drove him to the hospital and returned.

Khaled says, “I never imagined I’d be put to death for a box of food.”

Why do they lie to people and kill them in this manner if they don’t want to distribute the aid?

Two Chinese nationals have been accused of bringing a deadly fungus into the country, according to US federal prosecutors. Authorities claim the fungus could be used as a “potential agroterrorism weapon.”

The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Michigan released the charges against Jian Yunqing, 33, and Liu Zunyong, 34, two Chinese researchers, on Tuesday. Additional charges are brought against the pair, including conspiracy, visa fraud, and making false statements to investigators.

According to the prosecution, Liu allegedly brought the fungus Fusarium graminearum into the US to conduct research at his girlfriend’s job, a University of Michigan laboratory.

According to the allegations, Fusarium graminearum causes “head blight,” a disease that affects crops like wheat, barley, maize, and rice, and is “responsible for billions of dollars in economic losses worldwide every year.”

The pathogen can cause “vomiting, liver damage, and reproductive defects” and is also dangerous for people and livestock.

US Customs and Border Protection and the FBI, whose responsibilities include investigating international and economic espionage as well as counterterrorism, conducted the investigation.

Jian’s ties to the Chinese government are also being investigated as a result of the FBI’s earlier arrests and subsequent federal court appearances this week.

According to the allegations, Jian allegedly received funding from the Chinese government to conduct research on the same toxic fungus there.

According to the Associated Press news agency, Liu was returned to China from Detroit in July 2024 after airport customs officials discovered the fungus in his backpack. According to the AP, he later admitted to bringing the material into the US to conduct research at the University of Michigan, where he had previously collaborated with his girlfriend.

The FBI discovered a book titled “Plant-Pathogen Warfare under Changing Climate Conditions” on Liu’s phone during their investigation. Jian later lied to investigators about knowing about the smuggling scheme after receiving messages on the couple’s phones that read, “We knew.”

Due to the absence of a treaty between the US and China, it is unlikely that Liu will face extradition.

On X, FBI Director Kash Patel claimed on X that China was “working around the clock to deploy operatives and researchers to infiltrate American institutions and target our food supply, which would have serious consequences.”

New: I can confirm that the FBI has detained a Chinese national who is accused of entering the country through a smuggling a dangerous biological pathogen.

Yunqing Jian is alleged to have smuggled a dangerous fungus called “Fusarium graminearum,” which is…

A request for comment was not immediately addressed by the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC.

On Tuesday, the University of Michigan released a concise statement condemning “any actions that seek to harm, threaten national security, or undermine the university’s essential public mission.”

The case comes a week after Marco Rubio, the secretary of state for national security, announced that he would start “aggressively” revoke Chinese student visas in the US on national security grounds.

Chinese nationals affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), a group of about 100 million people, are among the students who are being targeted. While some Chinese may join for ideological reasons, having access to better jobs and educational opportunities comes with being a member of the CCP.

Students from prestigious backgrounds, like those studying in the US, are frequently also members of the CCP.