Sánchez Says No to War. Washington Says Pay for It Anyway.
When Trump threatened to cut all trade with Spain this week for refusing to open its bases for strikes on Iran, Sánchez replied in three words: No to war....
Qatar’s LNG Shock: When Energy Security Meets Physical Reality
Iranian drones struck Ras Laffan last week, QatarEnergy halted a fifth of global LNG supply, and European gas prices jumped 52% by morning....
Baalbek Clans and the Return of the State
After Salam banned Hezbollah military activities this week, clans across Baalbek-Hermel backed the Lebanese state in terms Beirut rarely hears from that region....
Qatar’s Art Storage Signals Cultural Maturity
In November 2025, Qatar announced the Gulf's largest museum-grade art storage facility, marking a shift from spectacle to stewardship....
Davey, Dubai and the Price of a British Passport
Ed Davey told Parliament this week that British tax exiles in Dubai should pay UK taxes to fund the Armed Forces currently working to evacuate them....
Airports as Warning Signs, Theory into Practise
Over 2,000 flights were cancelled in a single day and Flightradar24 crashed from traffic following the strikes on Iran....
Calabria, Cuban Doctors and the Limits of U.S. Pressure
US envoy Mike Hammer flew to Calabria on 23 February to pressure Italy into dropping its Cuban doctors programme and left without the commitment he came for....
Berlinale and De Niro: Art Under Pressure from Both Sides
Germany moved to fire the Berlinale director and Trump threatened to deport De Niro in the same week, pressing on cultural speech from two opposite directions....
Israel: A One Way Ticket Out of the Holy Land
While the government focuses on immediate battles, a quieter and more permanent defeat is taking place at the boarding gates of Israel's main airport hub....
Gen Z Picks Up a Needle: Sewing’s Unlikely Digital-Age Revival
As sewing workshops filled up and repair videos accumulated millions of views on TikTok in late 2025, younger people began turning to analog craft in growing numbers,...
