Upon consider the past year, a assortment of exceptional long-form articles stands out. These accounts explore multifaceted themes ranging from political machinations and scientific revelations to profoundly human stories.
A Mysterious Author and the Moral Fabric of a Nation
A certain Russian novelist gained prominence in the 1990s with scathing satires on authoritarianism. Although many of his writer contemporaries have faced censorship or left the country, he continues to move millions of books. It raises a key query: Has he evolved into an defender for the establishment?
Survival and Collaboration in Syria's Brutal Civil War
The story of Mustafa, who at 18 was told that his sole path out of incarceration was to enlist in the government forces. After 14 years, his past as one of Assad's soldiers may now put him in mortal danger.
The Acrimonious Dispute Over Our Earliest Beginnings
The unearthing of ancient bones in the Djurab desert in 2001 was hailed as fundamentally changing the history of our species. However, a faction was in agreement. The subsequent intense scholarly debate has consumed the lives of scholars ever since.
The UK Sect That Operated in Plain Sight
One woman was only a child when her family joined the Jesus Fellowship. As an grown woman, she played a key role in uncover the shocking scale of exploitation it had perpetrated.
A Leader's Puzzling Stance on Human Rights
Many voters expected that the prime minister would reaffirm the the nation's commitment to human rights. However, the performance over the first year in office has been strikingly mixed.
Breaking a Country's Self-Image
A documentary following a remorseful master criminal as she records unscrupulous individuals with covert recording poses thorny questions: Is this person truly reformed, and what are the filmmaker's own methods?
The Person Who Decontaminates Britain's Most Traumatic Scenes
From murder scenes to biological waste, an extreme cleaner has witnessed – and dealt with – everything. In their stickiest times, people depend on him to bring back peace.
Will an Famous Institution Endure an "Multifaceted Crisis"?
Beset by colonial controversy, precarious finances and the exposure of an insider theft, Britain's number one museum is in serious difficulty. The question remains: Is it possible to restore its reputation?
More Than "Morning Sickness": A Agony of Severe Pregnancy
Called hyperemesis gravidarum and once labeled 'pernicious vomiting' by the 19th century, this condition has for centuries lacked an reliable treatment end – up until perhaps now.
The Spectre of Extremism in Modern Politics
A violent extremist and early advocate of hate, Meir Kahane died a marginalized pariah thirty-five years ago. In the present day, his ideas shape the uppermost echelons of the state.
The English Professional With a Fraudulent Side
With his keen mind and flawless reputation, it's no surprise that high-net-worth clients entrusted him with their fortunes. Then they started to get wary.
A Tiny Nation That Emerged as the World's Diplomatic Center
An astonishingly wealthy country has become a significant force on the international scene, attempting to mediate some of the most complex conflicts. What are fueling this ambitious endeavor?
A Inside View at a Leader Gearing Up for International Battle
Extremely disliked at domestically, President Macron relishes the international arena, where he positions himself as the statesman most equipped to handle a particular former US president. Seven years after their previous encounter, a writer joined him as he readied himself for the summit.
Inside the Court Case of a Heartbreaking Story
How did the daughter of an wealthy family end up at the a major court with her partner, facing charges with the death of their two-week-old baby?
An Dismantling of a Major Development Organization: Far From Universal Mourning
When actions were made to dismantle a prominent development organization, many around the world were taken aback. But on the ground in Sierra Leone, this most recent disappointment was far from unforeseen.
A Disturbing Mid-Century Experiment on Indian Mothers
When details about a medical experiment in the 1960s were revealed, there was widespread shock. But the full truth of the procedures is still somewhat shrouded.
The "Mozart" of the Attention Economy
He's endured 24 hours in slime, 48 hours buried alive – and showered enormous sums of cash to lucky contestants. But are these productions simply incredibly clever clickbait – or works of daring genius?
Life in a Country Endangered by the Encroaching Seas
With the ocean rising, much of Tuvalu's residents is facing the possibility that their homeland may in the near future cease to exist. The urgent issue is: Where are they going to go?
A Tragic Case of Youth Destitution
When I met Craig he was thirteen and homeless. I still believed his situation could turn around. That hope was devastatingly wrong.
A Global Artificial Intelligence Race and a Key Defection
In 2020, after living half his life in the US, a leading AI scientist took a permanent move to his home country. Now, he might hold the secret to who wins the worldwide AI race.
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