Damascus National Museum Partly Reopened after 7-Year Shutdown

Damascus National Museum reopening to visitors. AFP
Damascus National Museum reopening to visitors. AFP
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Damascus National Museum Partly Reopened after 7-Year Shutdown

Damascus National Museum reopening to visitors. AFP
Damascus National Museum reopening to visitors. AFP

The Damascus National Museum opened its doors, for the first time in almost seven years, after it had closed to protect antiquities from the repercussions of the conflict ravaging Syria since 2011.

Last year, the Directorate General of Antiquities and Museums announced retrieving over 78 missing artifacts found in Lebanon, in addition to about 20 Maaloula mosaic plates that will be put on display at the museum.

Maaloula is known as one of three remaining villages where Western Neo-Aramaic is spoken and is home to two important monasteries: the Eastern Catholic Mar Sarkis and Greek Orthodox Mar Thecla.

Only a single wing of the museum was opened, but it displayed archaeological artifacts dating to several historical periods that were hidden during the past years.

The Damascus National Museum, which was founded in early 1920 and moved to its current building in 1936, consists of several sections, including prehistoric monuments, ancient Syrian monuments, classical monuments, Islamic monuments and modern art.

During the years of the war, the Syrian archaeological sites were subjected to vandalism and looting despite The International Council of Museums (ICOM) publishing an “Emergency Red List of Syrian Cultural Objects at Risk” that could turn up on the international art market.

For its part, the Directorate undertook emergency measures, including the transfer of valuable artifacts and rare pieces from Damascus and Aleppo museums to a safe area, and provided security insurance for the remaining pieces at warehouses.

Syria was inhabited by many civilizations from the Canaanites to the Ottomans, and has treasures of Roman, Mamluk and Byzantine ruins, with mosques, churches and Crusader castles.

Since the conflict in 2011, archeological sites have not escaped destruction, vandalism and robbery.

The most prominent of these is the Aleppo Citadel and the ruins of Palmyra, such as the Temple of Bell, the Arc de Triomphe and the Lion of Latt.

The number of stolen and smuggled artifacts was estimated at 25,000, which were listed by ICOM.

According to the information, most of these pieces are registered and known to the Directorate of Antiquities, and can be retrieved. But a challenge rises when dealing with unregistered artifacts stolen for depots. Most unlisted pieces were illegally excavated in untouched archaeological sites throughout Syria.



Many US Ice Cream Producers to Phase Out Artificial Food Dyes by 2028

Volunteers scoop ice cream before a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
Volunteers scoop ice cream before a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
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Many US Ice Cream Producers to Phase Out Artificial Food Dyes by 2028

Volunteers scoop ice cream before a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)
Volunteers scoop ice cream before a press conference on the steps of the United States Department of Agriculture on July 14, 2025, in Washington, DC. (Getty Images/AFP)

Dozens of US ice cream producers are planning to remove artificial colors from their products by 2028, a dairy industry group and government officials said on Monday.

The producers, which together represent more than 90% of ice cream sold in the US, are the latest food companies to take voluntary steps to remove dyes since Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in April said the US aimed to phase out many synthetic dyes from the country's food supply.

Several major food manufacturers, including General Mills, Kraft Heinz, J.M. Smucker, Hershey and Nestle USA, have previously announced their plans to phase out synthetic food coloring.

The 40 ice cream companies will remove Red 3, Red 40, Green 3, Blue 1, Blue 2, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 from their retail products, excluding non-dairy products, according to the International Dairy Foods Association.

The IDFA announced the plan at an event at the US Department of Agriculture headquarters on Monday with Kennedy, FDA Commissioner Marty Makary and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

"We know that our current health outcomes, especially for our children, are unsustainable and that American agriculture is at the heart of the solution to make America healthy again," Rollins said at the event, referencing a slogan aligned with Kennedy.

Rollins and Kennedy have worked closely together on food sector efforts like encouraging states to ban soda from the nation's largest food aid program.

Kennedy has blamed food dyes for rising rates of ADHD and cancer, an area many scientists say requires more research.

The IDFA said artificial dyes are safe, but that ice cream makers are taking the step in part to avoid disruption to sales from state efforts to phase out dyes from school foods and West Virginia's recent food dye ban.