Al Majalla rolled out its cover story Lebanon: The Third Republic, analysing the prospects for the country following a ceasefire with Israel and after Hezbollah suffered a string of setbacks in the past few months. We ask the question: Will stakeholders be able to breathe new life into the Lebanese state, or will we see the birth of an entirely new one? For his part, Paul Salem underscores the importance of the next phase, stressing, “Putting Lebanon back on the path of statehood and economic recovery is not only an urgent necessity for the Lebanese but also a step toward building a more peaceful and prosperous Middle East.”

Meanwhile, Ibrahim Hamidi pens a piece titled As Lebanon’s battlefield closes, Syria’s reignites. In his piece, he says, “A surprise offensive by the Turkish-backed HTS came after Israel warned Damascus it would pay a 'heavy price' if it keeps arming Hezbollah. How might Syria's stakeholders respond?  Read the article to find out. For his part, Haid Haid explains the underlying factors behind the Syrian opposition's success and why Syrian forces were caught so off-guard.

And Houssam Itani shares his post-ceasefire reflections in his piece titled As Lebanon’s war ends, hard truths emerge. In it, he says, “In Lebanon, foreign powers have been used to resolve domestic rivalries for at least 150 years. In all that time, this strategy has never been successful.”

For his part, Amr Emam pens an article titled With Hezbollah on the back burner, Netanyahu shifts focus back to Gaza. In it, he says, “Netanyahu will not let Hamas rule post-war Gaza. In parts of the Strip, his army seems to be digging in for what could be a longer stay from the ‘day after’ the war ends.” Meanwhile, Nathan J. Robinson explains why he believes US President Joe Biden was never really interested in ending the war in Gaza, characterising US-led diplomatic talks as “a performance, doomed from the outset.” Read the article to find out his reasoning.

And Tarek Rashed profiles Tulsi Gabbard: Trump’s curveball National Intelligence pick. In his piece, he says, “Loved in Russia but distrusted by the establishment, the next potential overseer of US intelligence agencies could very well clean house, which could explain the outrage over Trump’s choice by many in Washington.

Meanwhile, Ahmed Maher speaks to Russian political philosopher Aleksander Dugin, who says Russia has lost the West but has rediscovered the world. In an exclusive interview with Al Majalla, the man known as “Putin’s brain” explains Moscow’s pivot to the Global South and why nothing will change its edge on the Ukrainian battlefield.

In Business, Toufic Chanbour profiles Germany’s economic evolution in his piece titled Germany’s economic crossroads: From miracle to malaise. In it, he says, “Once Europe’s economic powerhouse, Germany faces a perfect storm of stalled growth, industrial decline, and structural hurdles. What should it do? Read the article to find out.

And Marco Mossad immerses readers into the colourful world of emojis. In the piece, he explains how the tiny symbols have transcended language and cultural barriers while detailing the complicated process of creating them—from ideation until they are finally at users’ fingertips.

In Culture, Samer Abou Hawwach reviews The Substance, a new film that “lays bare the dangers of obsession with youth and beauty”. He says, “Coralie Fargeat’s award-winning and stark commentary on Hollywood is a unique blend of grace, introspection and horror, starring Demi Moore in one of her finest roles.”

And finally, Khodr Al Agha pens his fortnightly Al Majalla Book Watch, giving his round-up of the latest Arabic books covering a wide range of topics, reflecting some of the trends and thinking in the Arab world.