Sufism Endures in Lebanon’s Marginalized North
While Sufi practices in Lebanon’s cities have dwindled under pressure from Salafists, rural Akkar remains a bastion of mysticism. Across its villages, Sufi congregations host centuries-old “zikr” prayer ceremonies that center on music, dance and joy.
Inside Ukraine’s Plan To Build a Self-Sufficient Defense Force
With Western security guarantees uncertain, Kyiv is turning to its elite, battle-hardened units as the core of a remodeled military, and attempting to leave behind Soviet-era doctrines that continue to cast a long shadow.
Europe’s Trans Community Reckons With Decades of Sterilization Requirements
At least 11,000 people across six European Union countries were subjected to compulsory sterilization between 1972 and 2025 as a prerequisite for legal gender recognition, an investigation by New Lines and Investigate Europe reveals.
The Disputes Over African Leaders’ Funerals
Over two months after his death, former Zambian President Edgar Lungu’s body remains unburied, as his family and the Zambian state fight over his final resting place. Similar disputes across Africa have shown that leaders’ burials are rarely just about graves; they are about who gets to define history.
Gaza’s Wood Supplies Are Dwindling
Cooking gas has been unavailable in Gaza for over five months, while electricity has been gone for two years. Now, wood is the only way to cook. But even that has become a daily struggle, a heavy burden on every family.