Lebanon
LIFESTYLE
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.
EUROPE
Italy’s Mediterranean Strategy: Why Troops Stay in LebanonÂ
Italy says troops stay south of Lebanon’s Litani after 2026, shifting from UN mandate to bilateral security for energy.
Ukraine War
Economic Diplomacy: Establishing Safety Zones in Ukraine and Lebanon
Negotiators propose turning the volatile front lines of Ukraine and Lebanon into safe commercial hubs, employing trade to secure peace where armies once stood.
EUROPE
The Pope’s Turkey Visit: Eastern Mediterranean as Christianity’s Foundation
Pope Leo XIV's first papal journey to Turkey from 27-30 November 2025 placed the eastern Mediterranean once again at the centre of Catholic imagination, inviting Europe to reconsider how geography shaped its tradition.
LIFESTYLE
Lebanon Deserves Headlines for Its Wonders, Not Wars
Ancient temples in Lebanon, from Baalbek to Byblos, stand as timeless symbols of beauty, resilience, and cultural heritage.
Popular
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, citing everything from screen fatigue to fast fashion guilt.
Too Many Captains, Too Few Ships: Britain’s New Right
The digital hype of millions of views on X could not mask the lack of a real foundation as competing leaders fought for control over a fragile Britain’s New Right.
Ireland’s Basic Income for Artists Becomes Permanent
As Ireland confirmed in February 2026 that its Basic Income for the Arts scheme would become permanent, creative work moved closer to public infrastructure than private risk.
How Rob Jetten Reclaimed the Dutch Centre
After a season of political chaos, the Netherlands' youngest premier has shown that the centre can hold when it offers real paths forward.
Rats Take Selfies: What One Art Project Says About Life Online
French artist Lignier trains rats to take photos, revealing how reward systems mirror social media conditioning and online performance


