By Billie Frenkel

The emblem of Israel is a Menorah with two olive branches. A recent study done at the Hebrew University has shown that the iconic olive tree may also be part of the solution to a burning global issue – desertification.

Popular navigation app Waze has introduced a new feature that tells users whether a lakes, or rivers they are trekking through are clean, to drink or to swim in. The developers hope that the app will encourage the Israeli government to further protect Israel's lakes, rivers and streams.