Lebanon
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.
War Returns to Lebanon
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.
Replanting Syria’s Lost Heritage
Across the fields and ruins of Idlib, a farmers’ initiative is taking root: to restore Syria’s agricultural autonomy by reviving the ancient practice of saving and replanting traditional “baladi” seeds — a practice nearly erased by war, displacement and industrial seed giants.
The Arab World’s First Indie Record Label
The rise and fall of the Baidaphon music label is a story of entrepreneurship and inventiveness, spanning countries at a time of global upheaval, and of love and friendship among Arabs and Jews amid growing racism and antisemitism. But above all, it is the story of the Baida family.
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.
Riding Lebanon’s Purple Buses, From Tyre to Tripoli
In Lebanon, amid ongoing war and economic collapse, a surprising new public bus network is connecting the capital Beirut with distant Tyre, Tripoli and beyond.
Four Decades After His Imprisonment, France Can’t Stop Fighting Over Georges Abdallah
“Once a terrorist, always a terrorist?” The question has hovered over Georges Abdallah during his four decades in prison — not least because many do not believe he ever was one. With his release, France is once again fiercely debating what his incarceration means.