Christmas
Food & Drink
Christmas Was Never ‘Pure’ Even Before Culture Wars
An "anti-woke" Christmas party tries to reclaim tradition, yet the holiday itself has always been a quiet collage of borrowed customs, foreign gods and local habits.
WORLD
Protests in Syria Over the Burning of a Christmas Tree
Protests erupted across Syria after a Christmas tree was burned in Suqaylabiyah, raising doubts about the ability of the Islamist-led Hayat Tahrir al-Sham to protect minorities as they transition from a Islamist group to the halls of power in post-Assad Syria.
Food & Drink
Christmas in all Forms: Traditions & Trials
Christmas celebrations in the MENA region showcase a blend of joy and adversity, with some countries embracing the holiday with multicultural flair, while others, like Gaza and Bethlehem, face the challenges of conflict, highlighting the resilience of communities amidst difficult circumstances.
Popular
Lithuania: Small States and the Price of Acting Alone
Some small states tried to champion democratic values on the world stage but found that moral stands are often too hard to maintain without an economic shield.
Ronaldo Boycott Exposes Saudi Football’s Fault Lines
One player refused to play. An entire model began to crack.
Trade, Not Tribes: Phoenician Culture Spread by Contact, Not Conquest
As a study published in Nature on 23 April 2025 analysed DNA from 210 individuals across 14 Mediterranean sites, researchers discovered that Phoenician ideas travelled further than Phoenician bodies, challenging centuries of assumptions about ancient expansion.
News Room No More: Bezos Cuts Washington Post by One-Third
One-third of staff gone. Democracy dies in spreadsheets.
Youthful Economic Leverage: Africa’s Coming Negotiating Power
At a point at which wealthy states grey and workforces shrink, Africa prepares to use its youthful population as a powerful tool for global negotiation.
