The decision to include the West Bank Site and the Lebanese castles on the World Heritage list was made on Friday during a meeting of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) held in South Korea. This deliberation occurred days after the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs requested the committee to reject the classification proposals for Sebastia, a small town in the West Bank, and the Lebanese castles.
During the meeting in Busan, UNESCO committee members opted to register Sebastia and the five castles in the Mount Amal area on both the World Heritage list and the World Heritage in Danger list. This choice was made after analyzing the urgent applications, considering the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
Sebastia, located northwest of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, is recognized by scholars as ancient Samaria, which served as the capital of the biblical Kingdom of Israel. Archaeological findings in the region cover periods from the Iron Age through the Roman, Byzantine, and Islamic eras. The Palestinian delegation first submitted the application for Sebastia to UNESCO in 2012, arguing that World Heritage status would be crucial for the site's preservation.
UNESCO justified its concern by stating that 'the integrity of the site is currently threatened by an expropriation project aimed at dividing the property and creating the 'Samaria' National Park.' Furthermore, the organization noted that due to threats related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and development pressures, the site's integrity could be considered extremely vulnerable.
The five castles in the Mount Amal region are valued for their rich architectural heritage, reflecting diverse cultural influences. Among the designated sites is the Beaufort Castle, built by the Crusaders and also known as Al-Shaqif, which was taken by Israeli forces in May. UNESCO explained that the 'constituent elements' of these 12th-century fortifications 'have suffered damage' and face 'threats serious enough to warrant recourse to an emergency procedure.'
Adel Naim Daoud Atieh, a member of the Palestinian delegation to UNESCO, stated that the World Heritage designation serves as recognition of the persistence of Sebastia's residents, who have managed to protect this notable place for generations, despite occupation, restrictions, and repeated attempts to separate them from their heritage.
In contrast, Israel withdrew from UNESCO in 2019, alleging the organization's bias against the country and the minimization of its historical ties to the Holy Land. A representative of the Israeli delegation, present in Busan as an observer, cited the Associated Press (AP) to say that it was 'a pity that politicization had ruined UNESCO and led to the ridicule of history.'
In a note issued on Tuesday, the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the Palestinian delegation of conducting a 'hostile and unilateral campaign' at UNESCO by falsely presenting Sebastia as an emergency area, characterizing this action as a political maneuver to 'erase the deep and well-documented Jewish and Christian history of the site.' The ministry also opposed the inclusion of the Beaufort Castle on the list, within the application covering the five Mount Amal castles.
Israel alleged that Hezbollah, with Iranian support, converted the castle into a military base, building tunnels beneath it and firing rockets from the area, accusing UNESCO of ignoring such events. When questioned about these Israeli accusations, UNESCO informed the Associated Press that all applications are evaluated following the same criteria, procedures, and technical requirements, and that the organization does not take sides in political disputes.
Sydney Sweeney has attracted the attention of fans with the launch of her bold lingerie line, SYRN. Her appearance in the news is regular, whether it's controversial jeans advertisements or rumors about her relationship with Scooter Braun.
Following criticism regarding a swimsuit she wore in the film 'Anyone But You,' the actress decided to focus on creating high-quality lingerie. She founded the company SYRN, pronounced as 'siren,' not 'cern.' In the new commercial role, Sydney Sweeney is depicted in bed, curved on a chair, removing layers of 'comfortable' lingerie.
The video, available on Instagram, shows Sydney slowly undressing, revealing the lingerie, while the ticking sound of a clock is heard in the background, creating a tense contrast. The creator notes that the use of the slogan 'Do What Makes You Naked' in the lingerie advertisement is an interesting move, although it raises questions about whether it encourages viewers to undress.
Sweeney is actively promoting her new collection. She released a video where, together with other people and a dog, they decorated the Hollywood sign with hundreds of SYRN bras. Although this stunt was successful in attracting press attention, it also created serious problems for the actress.
Jeff Zarinam, head of the Hollywood Sign Trust, stated that the team received permission to film in Griffith Park, but they did not have permission to use the sign itself in films or for commercial purposes. He also expressed doubt about the authenticity of the video, believing that computer graphics were used, especially in the final shot where the entire sign is covered in lingerie.
Despite the difficulties with the marketing campaign, Sydney Sweeney achieved the desired media coverage. Her involvement in launching the lingerie line and this large-scale marketing event highlights her high workload in acting projects. This year, she has released five films: 'Christy,' 'Echo Valley,' 'Eden,' and 'Americana.' Her latest film, 'The Housemaid,' achieved unprecedented box office success.
The actress continues to work on projects: she will return for the third season of 'Euphoria' on April 12th, and is also rumored to appear in 'The Devil Wears Prada 2,' scheduled for release on May 1st.
A new study, applying modern forensic methods to the remains of three children sacrificed during an Inca Empire ritual 500 years ago, has shown that their deaths occurred differently than previously assumed. These bodies were found in Chile and preserved due to natural mummification in the low temperatures and arid climate of the Andes.
Archaeologists re-examined the cases of a boy found on Cerro El Plomo mountain in 1954 and two girls discovered in Cerro Esmeralda in 1976. For a long time, it was believed that the boy died from hypothermia at the summit, and the girls from suffocation. However, new analyses published in the journal Science Advances refute these assumptions.
According to the new findings, the boy was killed by blunt force trauma to the head. Regarding the girls from Cerro Esmeralda, the situation is more complex: the research team claims that the presumed signs of suffocation were actually caused by clothing post-mortem. This is supported by the fact that their neck bones showed no signs of fractures or dislocations typical of most strangulation cases. Currently, the cause of death for the girls is considered 'undetermined.'
These cases are known examples of the ancient Inca ritual known as capacocha. This practice involved long pilgrimages to sacred mountain peaks and remote sanctuaries where human sacrifices were performed. As preparation, the individuals chosen for the ceremony traveled thousands of kilometers through sacred Inca communities for months before death.
Veronica Silva-Pinto, an archaeologist from the National Museum of Natural History of Chile and author of the article, emphasizes that studying mummies must take into account the beliefs of the Andean peoples, who did not view death as the end of existence. The Inca sacrifice did not only involve children; young men and women were selected to appease the gods and sacred spirits of the mountains. Being chosen was considered a great honor for both the victims and their families. Silva-Pinto noted that 'the proposed individuals acquired a new ritual status and could become intermediaries between communities, mountains, deities, and the state.'
The study's results align with data from another article published in early 2026, which also studied Inca children's mummies and concluded that their deaths were violent. The boy from El Plomo, known as 'Niño de El Plomo', was sacrificed around 1480 when he was about 8 or 9 years old, near the summit of Cerro El Plomo in central Chile. The two girls, one about 9 years old and the other 18, were sacrificed approximately 30 years earlier, near the summit of the current Cerro Esmeralda in the Atacama Desert, northern Chile.
Archaeologists reached these conclusions through isotopic analysis of hair, teeth, and bones. Isotopes, being variations of a single atom, contain information about a person's diet. The proportions of different isotopes provide clues about where these children lived. Thus, specialists were able to reconstruct the movements of the victims for months before the sacrifice. The isotopes showed that the children traveled long distances between 'ecologically diverse regions.' It is estimated that Niño de El Plomo traveled between 2600 and 2800 kilometers over the last nine months, likely departing from Cusco, the Inca capital. The girls from Cerro Esmeralda presumably traveled between 900 and 1200 km over the last three months.
Silva-Pinto explains that 'local communities accepted pilgrims along the routes and participated in ceremonies related to the exchange of food and drink.' Nevertheless, bioarchaeologist Dagmar Socha from the University of Warsaw in Poland, who was not involved in the study, cautions against hasty conclusions. She notes that 'isotopic analysis itself does not allow for the precise reconstruction of a potential travel route.' According to her, isotopic variations are often not statistically significant and may only reflect seasonal changes in diet.
The Reggia di Rivalta Park was inaugurated in June 2025, representing a significant change at the historic site.
The initiative involved collaboration between Openfabric, caarpa, and FM Ingegneria, as described by the project team. This event marks the conversion of a site with historical value into modern infrastructure that combines ecological and cultural aspects.
