The Coastal Research Laboratory, which, utilizing the equipment installed in the port of Heraklion in cooperation with the Heraklion Port Authority (OLI), proceeded to the analytical processing of the

Mediterranean restaurant chain Cava has projected annual sales that exceed market estimates, signaling a positive outlook for the company.

This year has seen 606 migrants dead or missing in the Mediterranean, marking the deadliest start to a year since IOM began tracking data in 2014.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that 606 migrants have died in the Mediterranean since January, with the first two months of the year surpassing previous records, including a shipwreck off Crete that killed at least 30.

Recep Tayyip Erdogan referred to the recent visit of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to Ankara in his statements after the cabinet meeting, today Monday. The Turkish Prime Minister...

The International Organization for Migration and migrant aid NGOs simultaneously record deaths at sea in the Mediterranean and Atlantic, but often come up with very different figures. Why?

After a month of heavy rainfall and floods in the Iberian Peninsula and Mediterranean, a heat dome is forming over Europe, expected to bring spring-like temperatures.

Pope Leo XIV (likely a fictional Pope or typo for Francis) will spend July 4th visiting a Mediterranean island known for migrant crossings, a decision that underscores strained relations between the Vatican and the Trump administration.

A detailed reconstruction plan for Gaza was presented to members of US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace by Israeli-Cypriot billionaire Yakir Gabay at the group’s first meeting in Washington on Thursday. “The Gaza coastline is 26 miles long. It can be developed as a new Mediterranean Riviera with 200 hotels and potential islands. The […]

In the summer of 1959, Sir Winston Churchill took a Mediterranean cruise aboard Aristotle Onassis' yacht, the Christina O.

Riyadh Seeks To Replace Israel With Syria For EU Fiber-Optic Cable Route Via Middle East Eye Saudi Arabia wants to replace Israel with Syria as the transit country for a fiber-optic cable designed to connect the kingdom to Greece through the Mediterranean Sea, two regional officials familiar with the project told Middle East Eye. Saudi Arabia's insistence that it be connected to Greece through Syria, and not Israel, as previously discussed, underscores how regional alignments ar...

(ANSA) - ROMA, 20 FEB - "Today is a particularly significant and solemn day: I presented my credentials to the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Christodoulides, at the presidential palace in Nicosia," Ambassador Antonella Cavallari wrote in a note. "The ceremony marks the formal start of my term as Italian Ambassador to Cyprus," she said. Deeply proud to represent our country, for which the President had words of sincere recognition and appreciation, I will make every effort to further strengthen the already excellent Italian-Cypriot relations in strategic areas of shared interest. Together to promote stability and growth in a Mediterranean that is strategic for Europe and for common security." Read article...

The Mediterranean Maritime Hub (MMH) projects a return to profitability in 2025, despite auditors previously raising 'significant doubt' about its ability to repay a €15 million bond.

Window Closing On Iran Diplomacy: IAEA's Grossi Issues Pessimistic Outlook Oil prices climbed early Thursday as markets zeroed in on the prospect of US action against Iran, lifting energy shares alongside crude - with West Texas Intermediate above $66 a barrel. The US military build-up in the Middle East means Iran's window to reach a diplomatic agreement over its atomic activities - which Tehran insists is for peaceful domestic energy purposes - is at risk of closing fast, according to the head of the United Nations nuclear watchdog speaking to Bloomberg Television.  At this moment the Trump-assembled armada threatening Iran includes two aircraft carriers, a dozen warships, hundreds of jets, and advanced air defenses. Over 150 US military cargo flights have delivered weapons to the Middle East this month, with a surge of aircraft still headed to the region. Some say the build-up is already nearing Iraq war levels. Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi underscored the clock is ticking. "There is not much time but we are working on something concrete," said Grossi, in reference to meetings in Geneva with Iranian diplomats. "There are a couple of solutions the IAEA has proposed. IAEA inspectors haven't verified the state of Iran's stockpile of near-bomb-grade uranium or assessed the scope of damage dealt to enrichment facilities for more than eight months. Ironically enough, it was the unprovoked surprise Israeli and US attacks which shut the door on such inspections, also after the White House itself insisted on several occasions that the Islamic Republic's nuclear program was "obliterated" in the series of US bunker-buster bomb attacks on Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan. Which is it? Bloomberg and various analysts have speculated that before the Israeli attacks in June, Iran had enough highly-enriched material to quickly craft about a dozen warheads, assuming the scenario Tehran issued the order to weaponize its nuclear program. Grossi said he also met with Trump’s envoys on Tuesday in Geneva, alongside the IAEA's some six hours of meetings with Iranian diplomats. He asserted that an IAEA return to the damaged facilities in Fordow, Isfahan and Natanz "hinges on the possibility of a wider type of agreement." "We are conscious of the fact that there is this political negotiation," Grossi added. However, the Iranians are likely going to remain deeply distrustful of the UN watchdog and Grossi himself, given that the surprise June attack resulted in Iranian officials accusing the IAEA team of leaking sensitive data on Iranian facilities to Israel. This is perhaps why Grossi himself appears pessimistic when commenting on the potential the forge a new deal before US military action ensues.  "There cannot be a deal if the IAEA isn’t able to verify," said Grossi, who described to Bloomberg he's seeking a solution by threading the red lines set by both sides. "It’s not impossible," he said. "There are certain things that Iran understands cannot be pursued. We have to provide the watertight verification there is no deviation." Some reports say a US attack on Iran could come as early as this weekend... Major US naval, air buildup in the Middle East sets stage for potential Iran war. CNN and CBS reported Wednesday that the US military will be ready to launch strikes against Iran as early as this weekend, though Trump has reportedly not made a final decision yet… pic.twitter.com/cRJOwP2PY8 February 19, 2026 As the second US carrier, the USS Gerald R. Ford, is about to enter the Mediterranean while headed toward the CENTCOM area of responsibility, regional analyst Levent Kemal observes, "The US military buildup in the Middle East is going beyond dialogue or gunboat diplomacy. This is clearly an important preparation for a war aimed at removing the Iranian regime from the regional power balance equation." Tyler Durden Thu, 02/19/2026 - 09:15

James Deering's 1916 winter home is located less than 10 minutes away from the heart of Miami. Robin Hill/Courtesy of Vizcaya Museums and Gardens Vizcaya, built by James Deering more than a century ago, might be Miami's most valuable real estate. The 45,000-square-foot mansion has a total of 54 rooms, with the main house open to the public. Citadel CEO Ken Griffin began assembling a waterfront compound next to the historic mansion in 2022. The exorbitant price tags on Miami's luxury real estate are not a secret to anyone, least of all the flock of billionaires moving to the city. But unlike the high-rise apartments in the financial center of Brickell or exclusive mansions in Indian Creek — where you might be neighbors with Jeff Bezos or Ivanka Trump — the city's potentially most valuable piece of real estate is decorated with limestone, mangroves, and tiles salvaged from Cuban estates. Built between 1914 and 1922 by International Harvester heir and Gilded Age millionaire James Deering as a winter home, Villa Vizcaya sits fewer than 10 minutes from downtown Miami, in a waterfront neighborhood that's quickly becoming a magnet for the city's new billionaire residents. While built in the years following the Gilded Age, it is notable for its Gilded Age-era extravagance, technologies, and collection of fine art. Vizcaya Museum & Gardens estimates the mansion cost $26 million to build, which is more than $800 million in today's money, per the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Florida International University estimates that the mansion is worth over $1 billion today. In 1962, Miami-Dade County bought the property for $1 million, and today, the 45,000-square-foot mansion and its surrounding gardens operate as a museum open to the public. Shortly after announcing that Citadel would move its headquarters from Chicago to Miami, CEO Ken Griffin bought up a waterfront compound less than a half-mile from Vizcaya, in the neighborhood of Coconut Grove. The $106.9 million sale set a country record for the most expensive residential property purchase at the time. Since then, the hedge fund magnate has proposed relocating the historic Villa Serena mansion, located on his estate, to Vizcaya's campus after he donated $20 million to Vizcaya Museum and Gardens. Take a look inside James Deering's historic mansion and see how its new neighbor could alter the surrounding landscape. Vizcaya was James Deering's winter home from 1916 until his death in 1925. Robin Hill Photography/Courtesy of Vizcaya Museum & Gardens Struggling with illness toward the end of his life, James Deering came to Miami, then a small city surrounded by mangrove forests and wetlands, looking for tropical warmth, which was believed to help improve health. By the turn of the century, the Deering family had begun to develop estates around South Florida, with patriarch William Deering purchasing a home in Coconut Grove in 1900. By the time James Deering began building Vizcaya, his brother, Charles Deering, was also developing a winter home in the south of Miami. The property, known today as Deering Estate, also operates as a museum and is open to the public. The main house features 54 rooms, including 34 rooms decorated with their original furniture. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Spanning over 45,225 square feet, Vizcaya's main house features the living spaces of James Deering himself, his guests, and the house staff. Envisioned by interior designer Paul Chalfin, Vizcaya drew inspiration from the Italian Renaissance, adapted to South Florida's subtropical climate, and showcases furniture, artworks, and artifacts purchased by Chalfin and Deering on their travels to Europe. Although Miami's population was estimated to be only 10,000 in 1916, the construction of the Vizcaya estate employed an estimated 1,000 workers, many of whom were Black immigrants from the Bahamas. Apart from the main house, Vizcaya is also home to the Vizcaya Village, the historic quarters of the mansion's workers and farmers that allowed Vizcaya to serve as a self-sufficient farm-to-table estate. The Village expands over 12 acres and includes 11 "architecturally significant" buildings, according to the museum's website. The tour begins in the courtyard, which is adorned with tropical plants. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Lined with tropical plants such as palms and philodendrons, the courtyard highlights South Florida's natural beauty while reflecting the mansion's European inspirations. While today the courtyard is covered by a glass canopy that allows for the estate's air conditioning, it was originally open to the elements, allowing the tropical climate to seep into the main house. Meant to be used as Vizcaya's main entrance, the East Loggia opens up to the Biscayne Bay. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Featuring marble floors and columns and decorated ceilings, the East Loggia was meant to serve as Vizcaya's main entrance for guests arriving by sea, which was Deering's intended — and preferred — way of entering the mansion. It was used as an entrance for guests who arrived by boat, while the current main entrance of the museum was used as a back entrance for guests arriving by car. The room also features a model boat hanging from its ceiling in honor of the explorers who inspired Deering's interpretation of Vizcaya. Although he began living in Vizcaya during his retirement, Deering included multiple working spaces in the property. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider James Deering was heir to the International Harvester manufacturing firm, which produced tractors and other agricultural machinery, and he worked as its vice president from 1902 until 1909. Deering might have been one of the first prominent Florida "snowbirds," retirees who travel South during the colder months. His downstairs library, located in the northwest corner of the main house, is steps from the entrance hall that welcomes guests. It features Deering's personal book collection, desks for him and a secretary, and seats for business guests. When closed, the door leading to the next room — a reception room meant for entertaining guests — is concealed within the book-lined walls. The reception room features a ceiling imported from Venice, which had to be resized to fit. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider The reception room is lined with tropical-inspired silk panels showing palm trees. Our tour guide brought our attention to the ceiling, which is decorated with sculpted panels that extend to the sides of the room. The ceiling was imported from Venice and purchased before construction on the property was finished. By the time workers were putting up the decorations in the mansion, they realized that the ceiling panel did not fit the room dimensions, leading to the restructuring of the panel, which curved into the walls. "We should remember that this house was built during the First World War," curator Flaminia Gennari said in the audio tour. "So to import large quantities from Italy in the middle of the war was very complicated." Vizcaya's telephone line was one of the first in Miami. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Wired throughout the house, Vizcaya features a highly innovative telephone system for the time. Only 17 years before the start of Vizcaya's construction, the Miami Telephone Company began providing telephone service to the city. Vizcaya's telephones also featured automatic electric exchange, allowing users to connect directly to the number they dialed without going through a human operator. The telephone room, located between two of Vizcaya's main entertainment rooms, was meant for guests to communicate privately without disturbing the flow of the entertainment. The living room showcased Deering's most impressive collections. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider The living room, with its 1600s limestone fireplace, features some of Vizcaya's most impressive items, including an "admiral carpet" originally commissioned in the 1450s by the grandfather of King Ferdinand II of Spain, the Spanish king who sponsored Christopher Columbus' exploration of the Americas. The room also features throne-like armchairs where US President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II sat in 1987 during the Pope's visit to America. A centerpiece of the room is the Welte Philharmonic Organ, designed to fill the house with music through elaborate sound systems. Designed for guests rather than full-time professional players, the organ uses perforated paper rolls to aid the musicians' performance by adjusting notes and volume. Concealing the organ pipes is an oil painting, which was cut in half to cover wooden doors. "Chalfin had the idea of cutting it in half and using it as the doors of the organs, which is not a very respectful thing to do for a representation of the Virgin Mary, the child, and the saints, but it somehow testifies to the freedom and positive carelessness that they had around old objects," Gennari said in the audio tour. The mansion's formal dining room features the house's oldest artifacts, although it was rarely used. Robin Hill Photography/Courtesy of Vizcaya Museum & Gardens While Deering himself didn't often eat in the formal dining room, he made sure it was impressively decorated for his guests. Sitting to the side is the room's most awe-inspiring feature: a marble tabletop on carved bases resembling mythical creatures, historical artifacts unearthed near Pompeii, dating back to the times before Mount Vesuvius' eruption. Next to the dining room, on the south side of the mansion, the enclosed loggia gave guests a view of the gardens. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider The colorful glass panels, designed for Vizcaya, feature the estate's main symbols: the seahorse and the caravan. Providing a view of the garden through the glass panels and double doors, the enclosed loggia allowed guests to take in the garden views while staying cool from the Florida sun. The loggia also connects the gardens to the main house through sculpted iron gates. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Aside from giving guests an inside view of the gardens from the ground level, the room also connects the outdoors to the rest of the mansion. Downstairs, the kitchen worked as a serving space for staff to plate food and bring it to guests. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider When designing Vizcaya, Deering asked for the main kitchen to be built upstairs as he didn't want the smell of food to flood the main entertaining rooms on the first floor. To facilitate the transportation of meals and the serving of guests to the dining room, the entertaining rooms, and the loggia, he built a downstairs serving pantry. Today, the serving pantry cabinets display one set of Deering's fine dining china, the one designated for his 80-foot-long luxury yacht, Nepenthe. Commissioned in 1912 to be shipped from Europe, the original set of china purchased by Deering was transported to America as cargo aboard the Titanic. After the ship sank, a replacement set was ordered and is now displayed. The kitchens feature state-of-the-art Gilded Age technology. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Throughout the house, Deering incorporated cutting-edge technology, including annunciators with bells connected throughout the house that Deering or guests could ring at any time to get the house staff's attention. Another then-advanced feature of the serving kitchen were its refrigerators, which were rare at the time. The kitchen also featured a warming oven that helped keep food warm while guests were served. Connecting to the upstairs kitchen, which serves as the house's main cooking area, was a dumbwaiter: a food elevator meant to carry the food cooked upstairs to the downstairs plating area, where staff would then take it to the main entertaining rooms, like the dining and sitting rooms. Upstairs, 24 rooms housed guests, staff, and Deering himself. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Nine of the bedrooms were dedicated to guests and each was given a name and decorated uniquely, showcasing the artifacts and furniture purchased by Deering and Chalfin on trips to Europe. While not open to the public, an additional 14 rooms housed staff. Another then-advanced technological feature of Vizcaya was its elevator. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Deering was motivated to move to South Florida because of his illness, so accessibility features were built throughout the house, including an elevator he would use when using a wheelchair or to avoid walking upstairs. Today, the elevator isn't open to the public, and the museum's second floor is not wheelchair accessible. Deering's main office was inspired by the Napoleonic era. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Connected to Deering's bedroom and bathroom, the sitting room was his office where he would tend to business and personal matters, such as sorting his mail. The decoration style was inspired by Napoleonic France. Deering's bedroom was modest compared to some of his guest bedrooms. Robin Hill/Courtesy of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Unmarried all his life, Deering's room features a single bed rather than a larger size, and his room is furnished for practicality rather than aesthetics. His personal bathroom has one of the most breathtaking views of the property. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Opening onto a balcony, Deering's bathroom overlooks Biscayne Bay and offers one of the best views of the house, although it is not accessible to the public today. The closed-off balcony also leads to a secret door to the Espagnolette, the guest bedroom located next to his, usually reserved for Deering's dearest guests. Spiral staircases lead to the South tower. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider A set of spiral staircases leads up to the South tower, one of the two guest suites overlooking the estate. The tower bedroom has views of the bay and the gardens. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider The corner room atop the North tower was designed to transport guests to Europe. "Water reflects upwards to the ceiling and the sound of waves is audible in this room, precisely as upon the quay of this great canal of Venice," noted Chalfin about the room, according to the mansion's website. A central piece in the room is a large wardrobe assembled with 1700s Venetian panels, as well as antique painted closet doors. The breakfast room was Deering's preferred dining space. Robin Hill Photography/Courtesy of Vizcaya Museum & Gardens Back on the second floor, the breakfast room was the central entertaining spot. The room is lined with oil paintings depicting ocean scenes, and the windows slide into pocket doors, revealing views of the garden. It also features a sound system, with a piano hidden in a room off the spiral staircase next door and connected to the breakfast room through floor vents that allow sound to travel into the space. Most of the time, Deering opted to dine in this room rather than the formal dining space. Tucked next to the breakfast room is the main kitchen. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Designed to maximize staff efficiency, the main kitchen upstairs has different areas for different tasks, including separate sinks for washing dishes and produce. It also features ice boxes, or refrigerators of the time, powered by salt water. During Deering's time at the estate, Vizcaya employed two French chefs dedicated to food and pastries. Food served at the mansion was sourced from the staff village built across the street, where a farm provided vegetables, dairy, chicken, herbs, and citrus. "You and I could come down and drive into the farm area, stop and buy a dozen Deering eggs and take them home and have them for breakfast, and I think that was probably particularly important during World War I," historian Arva Moore Parks said in the audio tour. "He was able to supply not only himself but his workers also." Inspired by European designs, the gardens feature mazes, terraces, fountains, and more. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Inspired by 17th- and 18th-century Italian and French villas, the Vizcaya gardens feature a variety of scenes, from a garden theater to multiple paths and mazes, intended to highlight and enhance the native South Florida flora surrounding the estate. The original layout of Vizcaya featured over 180 acres of subtropical forests. Today, that number has gone down to 50 acres. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan hosted Pope John Paul II at the estate. Diana Walker/Getty Images On September 10, 1987, President Ronald Reagan welcomed Pope John Paul II at Vizcaya, where the two conversed while exploring the gardens and the estate. Atop a garden mount is the Casino, a focal point of the gardens. Robin Hill/Courtesy of Vizcaya Museums and Gardens Located at the top of garden mounds designed to block the reflection of water ponds into the main house, the garden casino — Italian for "little house" — was a space where Deering and his guests could take in the garden views or enjoy the subtropical weather without being in direct contact with the sun. Inside the building, a painted ceiling depicts heavenly images. Underneath, bathrooms and other now closed-off areas hide under decorated ceilings. Originally, the casino overlooked a water park part of the estate, where gondolas would be launched, a crucial part of Deering's vision for Vizcaya. Today, the water park no longer exists, and the land is instead taken up by a Catholic church, hospital, and schools after the Deering family sold part of the property to the Catholic Diocese of St. Augustine in 1946. The opposite side of the estate was once used for clandestine entertainment; now, it is a café. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider While today a café sits underneath the mansion, the space served as a leisure center during Deering's stay. The rooms were filled with billiard tables, bowling alleys, and leather chairs. Hidden underneath the billiards table was also a roulette table, which Deering often used when his college friends visited the estate. The mansion, which opened at the peak of the Prohibition era, also had a decent supply of liquor, which Deering smuggled into the estate and hid in secret bars and cellars. The swimming pool is half-covered, providing relief from South Florida's relentless sun. Robin Hill/Courtesy of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens Tucked next to the leisure rooms underneath the main house is the half-indoor swimming pool, in which Deering is said to have only swum once. Designed as the main entry point to the mansion, the east side of the mansion opens up to a stone barge in the Biscayne Bay. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider When he first moved into his winter home in December 1916, Deering arrived by sea on what he intended was the front entrance to Vizcaya. Opening up to the Biscayne Bay, the waterfront side of the property features a stone barge, a sculpted structure that acts as a breakwater and protects the main house from changing tides and waves. Today, the mansion hosts private events and has become a local staple for Quinceañera pictures. The mansion is often used for private events. Kristine Villarroel/Business Insider Purchased from the Deering family by Miami-Dade County for $1 million in 1962, Vizcaya today operates as a museum open to the public and for private reservations. The estate often serves as the backdrop for Quinceañera pictures among Miami's large Hispanic population. Walking around the gardens, I saw multiple young women dressed in extravagant gowns posing in the many stunning locations of the estate. Along with being a photographic hot spot, Vizcaya also hosts private events, from Miami Swim Week runway shows to floral-decorated weddings in the gardens. Today, the estate remains an icon of Miami, a city that many would often relate to modern luxury rather than the old and classic wealth on display in Gilded Age-style mansions like Vizcaya. The Vizcaya Village could be the future home of Ken Griffin's Villa Serena. Robin Hil Photography/Courtesy of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens After purchasing the historic Villa Serena estate in Coconut Grove in 2022, Citadel CEO Ken Griffin proposed relocating the 1913 Mediterranean Revival mansion to Vizcaya's Village campus. The home, designed by architect August Geiger for William Jennings Bryan, a three-time Democratic presidential candidate and former US secretary of state, is considered one of Miami's earliest grand waterfront residences. The proposal would move the century-old home from Griffin's property to Vizcaya's Village grounds, where it would be open to the public for the first time in its history and would benefit from an additional $5 million endowment provided by Griffin for its preservation. Any relocation would require extensive planning and government approvals, which have not yet been cleared. Skeptics have said that moving the structure would be an ambitious undertaking that wouldn't align with preservation goals. "Moving a historic structure is absolutely a last resort solution, to be done only if (there) is no other way possible to save a structure… It is not a preservation-minded alternative just because someone bought it and now doesn't want it," Kathleen Slesnick Kauffman, Miami's former historic preservation officer, told the Chicago Tribune in 2023. The Village originally served as Vizcaya's self-sufficient farm and the servants' quarters. Robin Hil Photography/Courtesy of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens The Vizcaya Village, which covers about 12 acres of agricultural fields and includes nearly a dozen buildings, was originally built as the quarters for the mansion's servants and farmers. Today, the campus houses a café and hosts a weekly farmers market, and is undergoing construction and expansions to transform the grounds into a cultural and community space. The Citadel CEO's $20 million donation will expand the village's role in the community. Robin Hil Photography/Courtesy of Vizcaya Museum and Gardens In November 2025, Vizcaya Museum and Gardens announced a $20 million capital donation from Griffin and said that the funds would be used toward building a brand new Center for Learning and Discovery in the village grounds. Once open, the center will offer educational programming like "hands-on artmaking and urban-agriculture experiences," the museum organization wrote in the announcement. The expansion will seek to expand Vizcaya's role in its community. Read the original article on Business Insider

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When planning a multigenerational trip to the Caribbean during the busy holiday season, our family settled on an ultra-luxury cruise. David Morris We booked the least expensive suite on a Seabourn ultra-luxury cruise for about $9,000. After crunching numbers and seeing high-end resort prices, this felt reasonable for a family trip. We loved getting to see lots of new places and not worry about having to plan our meals. I paid $9,000 for what was technically the cheapest room on an ultra-luxury cruise — a price that initially felt steep until I compared it with alternatives. My family had been planning a multigenerational trip to the Caribbean during the busy period between Christmas and New Year's Eve, which is also one of the most expensive travel weeks of the year. We wanted something that felt indulgent without becoming logistically exhausting or financially disproportionate once all the extras were added up. At first, we looked at high-end beach resorts, but they were commanding eye-watering rates. I saw a few in Barbados and St. Barts charging over $4,000 a night for a room, and that price doesn't even include food, drinks, and gratuities. The costs seemed like they could really add up. As we ran the numbers, an all-inclusive cruise began to make more sense. Plus, we liked the idea of exploring Caribbean destinations we hadn't visited before without having to deal with multiple hotel check-ins, flights, and transfers. A port-heavy itinerary could allow us to sample several places while unpacking just once. So, our group settled on a 12-night Caribbean cruise aboard the Seabourn Ovation. Our family booked two rooms and spent about $20,000 on the cruise. David Morris We traveled as a group of five: my mother, my brother and sister-in-law, their 7-year-old son, and me. In total, we booked two entry-level suites — one for my mother and me, and another for my brother, sister-in-law, and their son — bringing the combined cruise fare to just over $20,000 for five people across 12 nights. This figure includes accommodations, all meals, a selection of soft drinks and alcoholic beverages, and gratuities. We saved some money on my 7-year-old nephew's fare thanks to the cruise line's third-guest-at-half-price policy. By booking through a preferred travel advisor, I also received $400 in onboard credit, plus an additional $250 referral credit (which my brother's family also received). Our cabin felt like part of a boutique hotel. David Morris Our suite measured 302 square feet, plus a 68-square-foot balcony. Its decor was pretty minimal, but it felt a bit elevated with accents of marble, dark wood, and glass. Despite being the cheapest option on the ship, this room felt more like it was part of a boutique hotel than just a standard cruise cabin. The walk-in closet was a pleasant surprise. David Morris The base-category suite felt thoughtfully laid out, with a seating area, a couch, a table, two beds, and a generously sized walk-in closet. Our clothes and bags easily fit inside with space to spare. In the other suite, a sofa bed was set up as a dedicated sleeping space for my nephew. The bathroom had dual sinks, a tub, and a compact but functional shower. David Morris The bright-white bathroom featured dual vanities, a soaking tub, and a glass-enclosed shower. My only critique was the shower size, which felt slightly tight compared to ones in some newer ships we've sailed on. Our room's minibar was stocked exactly to our preferences. David Morris We were delighted to find our room's minibar stocked with complimentary ginger beer, juices, and the spirits we requested prior to our sailing. Twice-daily housekeeping kept everything meticulously refreshed. Room aside, we were pretty happy with the ship. David Morris Since all of our meals, standard beverages, and gratuities were included in the cost of the cruise fare, we didn't have to budget or crunch numbers during our trip. We had most of our dinners in the ship's main dining room, which was so easy. It felt quite formal, and the rotating menus kept things interesting across the 12-night itinerary. Passengers also had access to The Patio, a poolside eatery with laid-back fare, and The Colonnade, a more casual spot serving buffet breakfasts and lunches, plus seated themed dinners. We also enjoyed our opportunities for specialty dining. 12 David Morris Options for specialty dining included a sushi restaurant and a Mediterranean eatery called Solis, which was a standout for me. The menu featured steak, lobster, and whole grilled fish deboned tableside. I particularly loved its post-dinner affogatos Pools, hot tubs, and quieter outdoor spaces were easy to find. 13 David Morris The ship has a large main pool surrounded by lots of loungers, though we preferred the smaller hot tubs in other areas. Quieter spots, like the hot tub at the bow with incredible views of the ocean, quickly became our favorites. My favorite area on board was The Retreat. 14 The Retreat. David Morris Located on the top sundeck, The Retreat was my favorite area on the ship. The space offered shaded cabanas, a noticeably calmer atmosphere than the main pool deck, and attentive, unhurried service. To access it, passengers had to pay an additional $150 per day on port days or $250 on sea days. Booking it on sea days felt especially worthwhile. The quiet setting made it easy to relax or catch up on a bit of remote work on my laptop without feeling out of place. Excursions cost extra, but they felt well-organized and fairly priced. 15 David Morris We mostly booked excursions through the cruise line for peace of mind. Our favorite was in Saint Lucia, where a packed day included a catamaran ride, volcano hike, mud bath, and snorkeling. The excursion ran late, but the ship waited for us as it had been booked through them. Holiday surprises added to the experience. 16 David Morris On Saint Kitts, the crew arranged a private Christmas Day beach party with grilled lobster and drinks. Later, Santa Claus arrived by Jet Ski to serve caviar and Champagne in the surf. The cruise's overall cost felt reasonable considering everything it included. 17 David Morris Ultimately, our cruise averaged out to about $333 per person, per night. That felt surprisingly fair considering how much was included in our 12-night trip. We also really enjoyed the ship's intimate size. Compared to other mega-ships carrying thousands of people, this 600-passenger vessel felt calm, navigable, and personal. We never felt overwhelmed by crowds, even on sea days. Although children aren't typically the target audience for ultra-luxury cruises, my nephew genuinely had a great time alongside the mostly older guests. His sailing also felt like a great value, considering he was charged half price as a third guest and still had his own proper bed. For a multigenerational holiday trip that combined ease, variety, and consistent service, the value ultimately justified the price. All in all, we enjoyed the trip enough to book another Seabourn voyage (at a discounted price) before disembarking. Read the original article on Business Insider

Blue More Yachting Opens 2026 Mediterranean Charter Season with Curated Luxury Fleet Across Turkey, Croatia and Greece  The Globe and Mail

France stated that the European Commission lacked the mandate to represent member states at US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace meeting in Washington, after its Mediterranean commissioner attended alongside representatives from over 45 countries.

From mid-January until the end of carnival, mamuthones and issohadores take to the streets of Mamoiada, in the mountainous heartland of Sardinia. This is a time when herders and farmers across the Mediterranean turn to the power of masks to cast off winter and foster the coming of spring Continue reading...

I like to prep my meals for the Mediterranean diet in advance. George Arkley I've followed the Mediterranean diet for years, and I meal prep to save time and money. My favorite Chicken meatballs are versatile and packed with protein. I like to pair my prepped dishes with olive salad, which I can also make in advance. I have followed the Mediterranean diet for more than five years. It's long been considered the healthiest diet, and this way of eating emphasizes the consumption of unprocessed foods and healthy fats. Common ingredients people on the diet eat include vegetables, seafood, whole grains, and beans. While following it, I like to cook meals in advance in larger batches so I can enjoy them throughout the week or freeze them to eat at a later date. Some of my go-to Mediterranean-diet recipes stray slightly from more typical ones I've seen, but I try to stick with the core principles of this style of eating while keeping things interesting. Here are some of my favorite meals to make in advance and how I usually prepare them. I make chicken meatballs to pair with salads and pasta dishes. George Arkley Chicken meatballs are versatile and can be easily incorporated into pasta dishes, salads, wraps, and sandwiches. Plus, they freeze well. To make them, I usually combine ground chicken, chopped red onion, egg, breadcrumbs, and olive oil. Then, I mix in oregano, garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper and form my meatballs. I pop them in the air fryer or oven until brown, let them cool, then freeze them in individual portions for later. Stuffed peppers are a budget-friendly, easy-to-make dish that's perfect for freezing for later. George Arkley Stuffed peppers are easy to customize with different types of meat, rice, cheese, and vegetables. To start, I cut each bell pepper in half and remove the seeds. I drizzle the peppers in olive oil and bake them for a bit while I cook my preferred filling on my stovetop. I often stuff peppers with a mix of cooked ground turkey (be sure to drain any excess juice), diced onions, canned diced tomatoes, garlic, tomato puree, chicken stock, and herbs. Once I bake and cool the peppers, I freeze them. When I defrost them, I add grated cheese and heat them in the oven until they're hot and the cheese is golden. I whip up a big batch of beef stew for cold days. George Arkley Sometimes I spend a free afternoon cooking a large batch of beef stew I can fill my freezer with. To make it, I brown ground beef in olive oil on my stove and set it aside on a plate. Then, I add diced onion, rosemary, and garlic to the pan I was using. I cook them for a few minutes and then add red wine. I then pour in beef stock, canned chopped tomatoes, and jarred grilled peppers. I add the beef back in and cook my stew in the oven for two hours. Then, I stir in canned butterbeans and olives and cook for another 30 minutes. I make a slurry with cornstarch and cold water and stir it into my stew to help it thicken. I let it simmer until I like the consistency. Once it cools, I freeze individual serving sizes that I can thaw whenever I want them. Try these fishcakes even if you're not a fan of white fish. George Arkley Homemade fishcakes are a great way to incorporate seafood into your diet without spending a fortune at the fishmonger. To make them, I fry chopped leeks on the stove and set them aside in a bowl. Then, I grind up a few tilapia filets in a food processor and add them to the leeks, along with an egg, breadcrumbs, garlic, parsley, lemon juice, and cumin. I form my mixture into small cakes, then fry them in a pan for five minutes on each side until golden brown. I freeze the cakes individually and usually serve them with garlic mayo and salsa. My favorite chicken traybake works well as leftovers. George Arkley A one-pan chicken traybake is perfect to throw in the oven on a busy weeknight, particularly if you also need lunch prepped for the next day. For mine, I chop potatoes, onions, and lemons into medium-sized chunks and toss them in a pan with olive oil, capers, jarred peppers, sundried tomatoes, rosemary, oregano, salt, and pepper. I start roasting them in the oven while I season chicken thighs with olive oil, salt, and pepper. I fry the thighs skin-side down on the stove until the skin turns brown, then add them to the tray of things I began roasting. I cover the whole thing in foil for a bit, then keep baking and tossing everything around until my potatoes are crispy. Once finished, I serve myself a portion and keep the rest for lunch the next day. It's very tasty leftover. I cook Moroccan soup to use up any veggies that are on their way out. George Arkley Nothing says batch cooking like a cozy soup. Drizzle diced carrots, onion, celery, and leeks with olive oil and cook in a large pan on the stove. Season with turmeric, harissa, and red-pepper flakes before adding chopped tomatoes, fresh cilantro, vegetable stock, and water. Leave to simmer uncovered for at least 30 minutes, then add cans of green lentils and chickpeas. Simmer for another half an hour. Whisk a couple of eggs, a tablespoon of flour, and lemon juice into a couple of cups of water, then add that mixture to the soup. Let it simmer for a few more minutes before pouring yourself a serving and freezing the rest. Olive salad is the perfect side dish. George Arkley I prepare olive salad once or twice a week to keep in the fridge. To make it, I chop pitted olives, shallots, cherry tomatoes, carrots, and bell peppers into tiny chunks. I toss those in a dressing made with lemon juice, sweet paprika, extra-virgin olive oil, and chili flakes. Lastly, I top my salad with fresh parsley, mint, crumbled feta, and walnuts. It can be eaten on its own, but I usually serve a small portion of it with one of my batch-cooked recipes. This story was most recently updated on February 18, 2026. Read the original article on Business Insider

EXCLUSIVE: Tunisian actress and filmmaker Afef Ben Mahmoud has taken up the baton as director of the eighth edition of Tunisia’s Gabès Cinema Festival (Gabès Cinéma Fen), celebrating the moving image through cinema, video art and immersive works. Launched in 2019, the festival also taps into the ecological challenges facing the Mediterranean port city of […]

Actress Jane Seymour reveals her simple routine of a Mediterranean diet, light weights, and Pilates that has helped her maintain a size 4 figure for decades as she celebrates her 75th birthday.

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• Historian William Dalrymple criticises move, later says museum has not ‘cancelled’ the term wholesale • Legal challenges instituted against campaign by UK Lawyers for Israel LONDON: The British Museum has removed the word ‘Palestine’ from some of its gallery displays, revising maps and information panels in its ancient Middle East collections on the grounds that the term was used inaccurately and is no longer historically neutral. Reports in leading British papers, including The Guardian, said the changes affect displays in the museum’s ancient Levant and Egypt galleries, where parts of the eastern Mediterranean coast had previously been labelled as ‘Palestine’, and some individuals described as being of “Palestinian descent”. At least one panel in the Egypt galleries was amended to replace “Palestinian descent” with “Canaanite descent”. The revisions followed representations from UK Lawyers for Israel (LFI), a voluntary group of solicitors, which wrote to the museum’s director arguing that the retrospective application of the term ‘Palestine’ across thousands of years obscured historical change and erased the emergence of the kingdoms of Israel and Judah from around the first millennium BCE. In its response, the museum said that while ‘Palestine’ had been widely used in Western and Middle Eastern scholarship since the late nineteenth century as a geographical designation, it no longer carried a neutral meaning and is now often understood as referring to a modern political territory. The museum said it uses ‘Can­aan’ for the southern Levant in the later second millennium BCE, UN terminology for modern political boundaries, and ‘Palestinian’ as a cultural or ethnographic identifier where appropriate. The decision has prompted criticism from historians and members of the public, with more than 5,000 people signing a petition calling for the museum to reverse the changes and arguing that they contribute to the erasure of Palestinian presence from public memory. The Guardian also noted that while several displays have been updated, the museum claims these changes were made last year after feedback and audience research. Historian and author William Dalrymple criticised the move, calling it ridiculous to remove the word ‘Palestine’, when it has a greater antiquity than the word ‘British’. “The first reference to Palestine is on the Egyptian monument of Medinet Habu in 1186 BCE. The first reference to Britain is the 4th century BC when it appears in the work of the Greek traveller Pytheas of Massalia,” he wrote on X. In a subsequent post, Dalry­mple said that after speaking with the museum’s director, Nich­olas Cullinan, he had lear­ned that reports about the muse­um cancelling the name ‘Palestine’ altogether were inaccurate. Quoting Cullinan, Dalrymple wrote: “To reassure you we are not removing mention of Pales­tine from our labels. Indeed, we have a display on at the moment about Palestine and Gaza.” According to the historian, the director of the British Museum had said that only two panels in the ancient Levant gallery were amended last year during a routine gallery refresh, and that the director had not been aware of the issue until it became public. Cullinan was quoted as saying he had not seen the letter from UK Lawyers for Israel until recently and was “disgusted by the whole thing”. Criticism Academics who spoke to Middle East Eye defended the historical validity of the term. Marchella Ward, a lecturer in classical studies at the Open University, said “ancient Palestine” was a legitimate scholarly descriptor. “I use the term ‘ancient Palestine’ frequently in my own research and will continue to do so,” she said, adding that claims the term is illegitimate are aimed at “the erasure of Palestinians”. The campaign group Energy Embargo for Palestine accused the museum of hypocrisy, saying it claims to objectively communicate history while “preparing itself to rewrite history, to erase Palestine, and its millions of people, out of the history books”. Critics also argue that the museum’s decision fits into what they describe as a broader pattern of pressure exerted by UKLFI on public bodies. According to the European Legal Support Centre (ELSC), a forthcoming database documents hundreds of incidents of alleged anti-Palestinian repression in the UK between 2019 and 2025, with UKLFI appearing in a significant number of cases. Giovanni Fassina, executive director at ELSC told Middle East Eye that the targeting of the British Museum was part of a “very clear pattern” of letters threatening legal action or alleging breaches of UK law. ELSC and the Public Interest Law Centre have submitted a complaint to the Solicitors Regulation Authority over UKLFI’s alleged use of strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs). The UK Charity Commission has also confirmed it is investigating the group’s charitable wing following complaints by advocacy organisations. UKLFI had argued in its letter that describing ancient civilisations as Palestinian creates “a false impression of continuity”. Published in Dawn, February 17th, 2026

Museum revises labelling on maps and panels, saying term used inaccurately and no longer historically neutral The British Museum has removed the word “Palestine” from some of its displays, saying the term was used inaccurately and is no longer historically neutral. Maps and information panels in the museum’s ancient Middle East galleries had referred to the eastern Mediterranean coast as Palestine, with some people described as being “of Palestinian descent”. Continue reading...

Fifty-three people are dead or missing after a migrant boat capsized off the Libyan coast, with only two survivors rescued.