We have collected the 10-most read articles of this year:
Iran’s Tale Of Two Revolutions, 1979 & 2022 — And What To Look For Now
KAYHAN-LONDON
The revolt in Iran began in protest of police brutality and the Islamic Republic’s rotten structures, but quickly became a “revolution of minds,” hastening the rise of a national community united in its resolve to live in a free and lawful state.
How China Fell In Love With Syria’s First Lady
THE INITIUM
Asma al-Assad fits China’s traditional, nationalist, and sexist stereotype of the ‘perfect woman’. Her image has also helped distract from her husband’s oppressive regime.
Want To Help Gaza? Boycott Whoever Backs Israel — Even Starbucks And Seinfeld
MADA MASR
In Egypt and elsewhere in the region and the world, families and movements are mobilizing against companies that support Israel’s war on Gaza. The power of the people lies in their control as consumers — and the list of companies and brands to boycott grows longer.
It’s Us Not Them: A French Philosopher Takes On The Paris Bed Bug Hysteria
LES ECHOS
Despite the panic on social media, at home and abroad, there is absolutely no evidence of a “bed bug invasion” in the City of Lights. French philosopher Gaspard Koenig explores why Paris (and the world) get sucked in to a bunker mentality of always fearing the worst.
Have No Doubt: Bolsonaro’s Fingerprints Are All Over The Brasilia Assault
EL ESPECTADOR
Emulating the Trump-inspired attack on the U.S. Capitol, the assault of a right-wing mob on government buildings in Brasilia took its cue from former president Bolsonaro’s longstanding contempt for democratic institutions.
Where Conversion Therapy Is Banned, And Where Its Practices Are Ever More Extreme
WORLDCRUNCH
After almost five years of promises, the UK government says it will again introduce legislation to ban conversion therapy — and in a policy shift, the proposed law would include therapies designed for transgender people.
France And North Africa: The Whiff Of Neo-Colonialism Has Returned
FRANCE INTER
Whether it’s in Tunis, Algiers or Rabat, France is faced with the near-impossible task of finding its diplomatic footing in countries that were under its colonial rule last century.
How Crimea Was Carved Up And Sold At Auction To Putin’s Oligarch Pals
IMPORTANT STORIES
After the annexation of Crimea, the peninsula’s prized resources were identified and distributed among Russian oligarchs with connections to the Russian President, handing out everything from wine vineyards to hockey clubs to steelworks.
Feminists Infiltrate The “Incelosphere” — Where Toxic Content Warps Modern Masculinity
GAZETA WYBORCZA
An increasing number of male teens and young adults who’ve experienced feelings of rejection wind up in what’s been dubbed the “incelosphere,” a place where they can find mutual understanding in a world they think is against them. Two women Polish journalists spent two years on the online servers these “beta males” are flocking to in ever greater numbers.
Every Step, Every Swipe: Inside China’s System Of Total Surveillance Of Uyghurs
THE INITIUM
Research by anthropologist Darren Byler provides a rare look inside the surveillance state China has created to control the Uyghur population of Xinjiang province, where every move is tracked, people are forced to carry cell phones, and “re-education camps” await anyone suspected of trying to break free.
