Persian Herb and Bean Stew (Ash Reshteh)

World

• Türkiye and seven nations condemn Israel’s settlement policies Türkiye, Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE jointly denounced Israel’s continued expansion of settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, specifically rejecting the E1 plan east of East Jerusalem as illegal under international law. Source: Anadolu Agency.
• Trump says Iran is “still not ready” for the “right deal” amid tightening sanctions US President Donald Trump asserted that while Iran might want a deal, it is not prepared to make the correct one, as additional economic pressures are being applied. Source: Anadolu Agency.

United States

• AI agents become active control systems at Cloudflare Cloudflare is integrating AI into its software development lifecycle (SDLC), enforcing internal engineering standards through an AI-based control plane and agent tracing to manage code, configuration, and deployment. Source: The Art of CTO.
• Drone and missile attacks escalate in Ukraine Russian forces conducted a double-tap drone strike on a shopping mall, killing at least 15, and separate missile attacks near Kyiv killed 17. The UN warned that armed drones are escalating battlefield risks, including to aid workers. Source: The Art of CTO.

Technology

• Apple cuts over 200 roles in Siri and Vision Pro teams Bloomberg reports that Apple is reducing staff in immersive video, 3D video, and gaming teams as it shifts resources toward AI and new devices. Source: SpikePanel via Bloomberg.
• NVIDIA’s Vera Rubin systems reach Microsoft data centers Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed arrival of first production Vera Rubin units at Microsoft DCs, signaling accelerated AI infrastructure deployment. Source: SpikePanel via Microsoft/NVIDIA posts.

Science

• Colorado River water cuts announced Federal officials declared sharp water reductions over the next two years for three Western U.S. states, as supplies from the Colorado River continue to dwindle. Source: LA Post.
• Alfalfa sprout outbreak sickens 15 U.S. states Health authorities report a food-poisoning outbreak linked to alfalfa sprouts has impacted individuals across 15 states. Source: LA Post.
• NASA sidesteps LINK mission extension Due to a commercial spacecraft attitude control issue, NASA and Katalyst Space announced that the LINK spacecraft will not boost or capture the agency’s satellite as originally planned. Source: NASA Science.

Entertainment

• ‘The Odyssey’ becomes highest-grossing R-rated film ever Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster has surpassed $1.35 billion globally, overtaking *Deadpool & Wolverine* as the top-grossing R-rated movie. Source: The Guardian.
• ‘Insidious’ franchise returns with new entry The long-dormant *Insidious* series is back with a new film titled *Insidious: Out of the Further* just three years after its last installment. Source: Us Weekly via News & Observer.
• Austrian film ‘Everytime’ wins top prize at Sarajevo Festival Director Sandra Wollner’s *Everytime*, previously honored at Cannes, earned the Heart of Sarajevo award for best narrative feature. Source: Daily Mail via Variety.

Persian Herb and Bean Stew (Ash Reshteh)

Ash Reshteh is a delicious and hearty Persian soup filled with herbs, spinach, noodles, and beans. Perfect for a warming meal, it's not only nourishing but packed with flavor.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight
• 1 cup kidney beans, soaked overnight
• 8 cups vegetable stock
• 2 cups fresh spinach, chopped
• 1 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup fresh dill, chopped
• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 150g reshteh or linguine pasta
• 1 cup sour cream or kashk (fermented whey)
• 2 tbsp olive oil

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and garlic, sauté until golden brown.
2. Add turmeric, cumin, salt, and pepper, and continue to sauté for another minute.
3. Add the soaked chickpeas and kidney beans along with the vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour until the beans are tender.
4. Stir in spinach, parsley, cilantro, and dill. Let the herbs cook for another 15 minutes.
5. Add the noodles and cook until they are tender, about 10 minutes.
6. Adjust the seasoning as needed. Ladle into bowls and garnish with a dollop of sour cream or kashk.

Enjoy this vibrant and aromatic stew that's perfect for any time of the year!