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Continue reading →: “We Had a Home:” Assad’s Fall Brings Bittersweet Hope for Syrian Refugees
Ahmad is originally from Palmyra, Syria. He fled the country during the brutal years of the Syrian civil war and now lives in Azraq refugee camp in northern Jordan. When the Bashar al-Assad regime finally fell, Ahmad was overwhelmed with emotion – relief, disbelief, even joy. But the moment was…
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Continue reading →: Life After Assad: Syrian Refugees in Jordan Torn Between Return and Life in Exile
Six months after the fall of Bashar Al Assad, Syrian refugees in Jordan are grappling with a complex and emotional decision: whether to return home or remain in exile. While around 50,000 have gone back, the majority are still in limbo — caught between hope and uncertainty. Syria remains unstable,…
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Continue reading →: Christians in Jerusalem Face Restrictions, Violence Amid Holy Celebrations
In a tense and divided Jerusalem, the shrinking space for Palestinian Christians is becoming more visible—and more alarming. During this year’s Holy Fire celebration at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Hani, a Palestinian Christian from the West Bank, was stopped at multiple Israeli checkpoints despite having a permit. His…
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Continue reading →: Unbound Podcast: Voices of Italian Journalists
“Unbound,” a podcast miniseries produced for Podium.me, is now available on Spotify. I came up with this idea in November 2024, shortly after moving to Jordan to report on the Middle East for English-language outlets. Fresh out of Columbia Journalism School, I found myself reflecting on the limitations I had…
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Continue reading →: Middle East Tensions: Israel Intensifies Operations in the West Bank, Displacing Thousands of Palestinians – CGTN
Israel has intensified demolitions in the northern West Bank as part of its ongoing military campaign, Operation Iron Wall, which it says is aimed at targeting armed groups. In Tulkarm, the military operation has escalated, resulting in a sharp increase in home demolitions. Local residents increasingly warn that conditions in…
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Continue reading →: Who are Palestine’s Overlooked Refugees? Investigating Stateless Palestinians in Jordan
Palestinian refugees from Gaza in Jordan—displaced primarily after the 1967 Six-Day War—remain in legal limbo, denied citizenship and excluded from many rights granted to other Palestinian refugees. Unlike West Bank Palestinians, ex-Gazans were never granted Jordanian nationality and are effectively stateless. They rely heavily on the UN Relief and Works…
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Continue reading →: Jordan is for Jordanians, Palestine is for Palestinians
As rain poured over downtown Amman, the imam’s voice echoed outside the Grand Husseini Mosque during Friday prayer. Moments later, the crowd erupted—Palestinian and Jordanian flags waved high, and chants filled the streets.“My family is in Palestine and Jordan!” one man cried out to the crowd. “They are martyrs!” On…
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Continue reading →: Bishop Iyad Twal ordained, highlighting Jordan’s role in regional Christian identity
The ordination of Bishop Iyad Twal on Feb. 28, 2025, at the Church of the Baptism of Christ in Jordan marked a historic and symbolic moment, as he became the first patriarchal vicar of Jordan to be ordained on Jordanian soil. Appointed by Pope Francis during a time of regional…
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Continue reading →: Two Countries in One: Some States are Increasing Bans on Insurance for Gender-Affirming Care, Negatively Affecting Trans Patients
Stevie Singleton, 33, went through two attempts and more than three months of waiting to get his hysterectomy approved for insurance in Pocatello, Id. The first time Singleton sent the request, insurers did not provide any insight into the reasons for the rejection, so his doctor recommended making another attempt.…
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 