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Continue reading →: Why We Kill History to Erase a People with Sophie Constantin
The targeted destruction of cultural heritage in conflict zones The museum halls of Sudan are filled with the echo of gunfire, a setting that might seem peculiar for a battlefield until you follow the paper trail. It isn’t just about territory; it is about the assets inside. As journalist and…
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Continue reading →: Pope Leo XIV in Lebanon
Pope Leo XIV visited Lebanon from November 30 to December 2 as part of his pastoral trip to the Middle East. This was the third papal visit to Lebanon, the Middle Eastern country with the largest Christian population, which accounts for roughly one third of its citizens. The trip provided…
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Continue reading →: Becoming Me
Aryn was thousands of miles from home when the panic began. Derek was in their bedroom in Texas, staring at a positive pregnancy test they never thought they’d see. Aryn and Derek didn’t know each other. They didn’t know anyone else like them. But their stories were more similar than…
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Continue reading →: Gaza Ceasefire: Jordan says truce is step toward peace
Jordan is watching closely after the new ceasefire in Gaza. Celebrations erupted across the country, home to one of the largest Palestinian communities in the world. Just days ago, Jordan welcomed U.S. President Donald Trump’s unexpected 20-point plan to end the war between Israel and Hamas. But key questions remain,…
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Continue reading →: When Protest Becomes a Deportable Offense
As pro-Palestinian protests sweep U.S. universities, the federal government is escalating its crackdown on student activism – testing the boundaries of free speech and immigration law. Beginning with the detention of Mahmoud Khalil, a Columbia University protest leader and legal permanent resident, the Trump administration has invoked national security and…
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Continue reading →: Caught in the Crossfire: Jordan’s Balancing Act in the Iran-Israel Conflict
With Israel’s June military strikes on Iran, resulting in 1,064 casualties including 45 children, shockwaves were sent throughout an already turbulent Middle East. Other than scuttling diplomacy between Iran and the United States, the attacks and the ensuing war also created instability in countries that were situated in the crossfire…
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Continue reading →: Israel to Occupy Gaza City: Hospitals in Gaza Are at Near-Total Collapse Under Israel Bombardment
Since March, the corridor has transferred hundreds of patients to Jordanian hospitals, many of them children carrying the physical and emotional scars of war. Among them is five-year-old Haneen, who survived an Israeli airstrike that set her home ablaze, killing her parents and younger sister. She arrived in Jordan with…
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Continue reading →: Airdrops Over Gaza: Lifeline From the Sky, But No Cure for Hunger
From the window of a Jordanian military aircraft, the devastation below is unmistakable. Neighborhoods lie in ruins. Schools, clinics, and farmland bear the scars of months of bombardment. In this fractured landscape, the challenge of getting aid to those who need it is immense. Since July 27, airdrops to Gaza…
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Continue reading →: ‘Gazafication’ of the West Bank as Israeli operations intensify
“Here is like Gaza.” These are the haunting words of Hajjar Sarham, a mother displaced from the Nur Shams refugee camp in the West Bank – where escalating military raids have turned once – thriving communities into war zones. Since October 7, 2023, violence in the West Bank has surged…
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Continue reading →: Palestine Takes Centre Stage at Amman International Film Festival
The sixth edition of the Amman International Film Festival concluded a few weeks ago, further cementing its reputation as a key cultural event in the region dedicated to showcasing first-time filmmakers and promoting Arab cinema. This year, Palestine took the spotlight with a powerful lineup of films from both Palestinian…
Hello,
I’m Francesca Maria
I am an international multimedia reporter and editor based in the Middle East. Here you can find all my work.
Francesca Maria Lorenzini 