2.  Iraqi Drought Called Worst Since "Earliest Days of Civilization"

Water levels in the Euphrates River have dropped dramatically over the past three weeks, halving the electricity resources in Nasiriyah, the country's fourth-largest city and forcing some towns to evacuate entirely. Experts predict that if levels drop another 8 inches—which they are expected to over the next two weeks—the turbines currently powering Nasiriyah will shut down, and the city will experience a total blackout. The drought has had serious consequences on the country's agricultural industry, leaving a region once called the "world’s bread basket" barren and dry. "This year we cannot begin to cover even 40% of Iraq's fruit and vegetable demand," agricultural official Salah Aziz stated. In addition to low levels of rainfall, the drought was caused by the construction of dams and reservoirs in neighboring countries. Iraq's water minister has claimed that because of these projects, available water resources have declined precipitously over the past three years.

Read original story in Guardian UK | Friday, Aug. 28, 2009