'The proudly backward were validated by self-loathing Western intellectuals'
Opinion, comment and editorials of the day


'Iran's war on women must be stopped'
Mariam Memarsadeghi at Newsweek
Never in "history have the women of a nation suffered so profound a reversal of their rights and status as the women of Iran did in 1979," says Mariam Memarsadeghi. This "became symbolic of the Islamic Republic's power and control. In 46 years, nothing has changed." Any "telling of modern Iranian history that does not begin with how the 1979 revolution decimated the dignity of Iranian women and girls is not rooted in truth."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
'We must move fast to avert a national electricity crisis'
Mario Loyola at The Hill
Years of "misguided climate policy have pushed America to the brink of an electricity crisis," says Mario Loyola. The "new administration will have to move fast to avert what could be years of soaring prices and dangerous blackouts." America "will need hundreds of new gas and nuclear plants. Yet investment in such plants has virtually vanished." Regulators "should also require grid operators to prioritize reliability, for example by requiring renewable plants to provide for dispatchable backup."
'The gratitude we owe to Joseph R. Biden'
Jonathan Capehart at The Washington Post
President Joe Biden "isn't perfect," but "as the nation evolved, so did he," says Jonathan Capehart. Low expectations "caught up with Biden," but he is a "good man who brought his entire imperfect self to the world's most unforgiving job, and his faith in the American people was unshakable." He was "determined to defy the low expectations that hounded him his entire political life." Biden "loves the job because of the power it gives him to solve problems."
'Just the facts? Facebook, Instagram throw in the towel on fact-checking.'
The Boston Globe editorial board
The "much ballyhooed fact-checking system on a global scale was designed to save face for Facebook and restore some of its credibility," says The Boston Globe editorial board. But it's "back to a virtually unfettered 'town square,' where propaganda, whether about candidates or Covid-19, will go largely unchecked." Gone are the "days like after the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection when Trump was at least temporarily banned from Facebook for inciting violence," which is a "win-win-win for Zuckerberg."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Justin Klawans has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022. He began his career covering local news before joining Newsweek as a breaking news reporter, where he wrote about politics, national and global affairs, business, crime, sports, film, television and other news. Justin has also freelanced for outlets including Collider and United Press International.
-
Trump uses tariffs to upend Brazil's domestic politics
IN THE SPOTLIGHT By slapping a 50% tariff on Brazil for its criminal investigation into Bolsonaro, the Trump administration is brazenly putting its fingers on the scales of a key foreign election
-
3 questions to ask when deciding whether to repair or replace your broken appliance
the explainer There may be merit to fixing what you already have, but sometimes buying new is even more cost-effective
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
'Trump's authoritarian manipulation of language'
Instant Opinion Vienna has become a 'convenient target for populists' | Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
'Alaska has the resources, but America needs the will'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
'The risk to educational media for children has seemingly been lost'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
'The way AI is discussed makes it seem like this is a necessary outcome'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Iran: Is regime change possible?
Feature The U.S.-Israeli attack exposed cracks in Iran's regime
-
'It's America that refuses to listen and learn'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
'We know these services are needed'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
'There are compelling arguments for and against homework'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day