Spotlight
Reality Bites in Lebanon
For decades, Lebanese politicians survived by lying to everyone at once. Israel’s war has made that impossible. The country is facing a choice it can no longer defer: confront Hezbollah, or watch Israel do it for them, and then stay.
The Iran War and Its Gulf Discontents
A growing debate among Arab leaders and elites reflects deep divisions over the war with Iran, with some blaming the United States for dragging the region into conflict and others stressing the long-standing threat posed by Iran’s expansionism. Both groups agree that the region’s alliance with America is fraught.
An Airstrike Hit an Iranian Emergency Medical Base in Shiraz, Killing 20
A March 5 attack in Shiraz destroyed an emergency medical services base and killed 20 people, including three health workers. Satellite imagery shows a nearby military installation was not struck. Targeting and legal experts say the evidence raises serious questions about compliance with the laws of armed conflict.
Hezbollah’s Attack on Israel Drags Lebanon Back to War
After Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel to avenge the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, Israeli airstrikes resumed across Lebanon, killing civilians and displacing some 700,000 people.
Dance and Doves at Funerals Are Defying Iran’s Regime
As Iran's January crackdown killed thousands, grieving families abandoned traditional Shiite funerary rites, refusing prayers and instead releasing doves and dancing at gravesides. The shift reflects deepening rejection of the government’s grip on religious life and public grief, with secular terminology replacing the state’s language of martyrdom.
War, Emigration and the Search for Love in Lebanon
After years of war, economic collapse and mass emigration, Lebanon’s dating pool has shrunk and sectarian pressures remain deeply entrenched. Yet, from niche dating apps to blind dates, young Lebanese are finding new ways to look for love.
Saudi Arabia’s Coffee Renaissance
Coffee in Saudi Arabia has never been just a drink, and now a specialty cafe boom is renewing the tradition of coffeehouses as spaces for culture, conversation and community.