Controversy surrounding Riyadh’s comedy festival says more about its critics than it does the Saudis, writes @kshaheen.bsky.social, revealing “a superiority complex steeped in stereotypes about Arab societies and their political structures.”

Man all these people upset about the Riyadh comedy fest should campaign for their comedians to boycott American venues because of everything their government is up to including abetting Israel’s genocide.

Dear @support.blizzard.com , your new Brewfest mount in the game is called the Barrel Bomber, which is a weapon used extensively in the Syrian war, and its use has been deemed a war crime. Would you consider changing it?

If you weren't raptured today feel free to send us story pitches @newlinesmag.bsky.social

This is honestly one of the most extraordinary pieces of journalism I've had the pleasure of editing

A Syrian air force colonel who once dropped barrel bombs across the country now hides in Baghdad with multiple fake IDs. In a confessional profile, he recalls missions, bribery and betrayals. Kamal Shahin reports for @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/reportage/co...

Man if you told me 2-3 years ago Dembele would be a contender let alone win the Ballon d'Or I'd never have believed it. Not sure it's even a comeback story, just one of extraordinary perseverence.

I tried to write a tribute for Anas al-Sharif, but my words failed me and I was left with just this. Never forget. The Murder of Gaza’s Mockingbird @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/spotlight/th...

How do you rebuild an economy soaked in blood? In post-Assad Syria, a committee is striking quiet deals with oligarchs. Billions are at stake, and so is justice. @kshaheen.bsky.social and @hhassan.bsky.social report for @newlinesmag.bsky.social. newlinesmag.com/spotlight/ba...

We spoke to the Syrian government about Reuters’ recent investigation about reported deals with Assad-era business cronies & tycoons. New, exclusive details by @kshaheen.bsky.social and me in @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/spotlight/ba...

Why is Saudi Arabia hosting the Esports World Cup, with its $70 million prize pool, next month? @kshaheen.bsky.social writes in @newlinesmag.bsky.social about the kingdom’s quiet takeover of the gaming industry—and what it means for the Saudi government’s soft power.

NEW: Missiles are still falling over Tehran and Tel Aviv. They have shattered long-standing taboos in the Middle East, write @kshaheen.bsky.social and Rasha Elass for @newlinesmag.bsky.social. newlinesmag.com/argument/the...

NEW: Why is Saudi Arabia hosting the Esports World Cup, with its $70 million prize pool, next month? @kshaheen.bsky.social writes in @newlinesmag.bsky.social about the kingdom’s quiet takeover of the gaming industry and what it means for the government’s soft power. newlinesmag.com/spotlight/sa...

HAVE THEY EVEN SAID THANK YOU ONCE

In Iraq’s Basra, age is a luxury. Residents live under a constant cloud of pollution from oil flares, leading to a surge in cancer cases, while the government colludes with oil companies to dismiss the crisis @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/reportage/bi...

A spyware app distributed among thousands of Syrian military officers last year may have compromised Assad's military, gathering reams of sensitive data on deployments and military ranks. Open q who built it. Fascinating investigation in @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/reportage/ho...

Fascinating investigative piece: A hidden cyberattack involving spyware distributed among Syrian officers may have played a critical role in the sudden collapse of the Assad regime, reports Kamal Shahin for @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/reportage/ho...

We have a couple of really incredible reporting stories out of Syria, including a fascinating investigation into the use of spyware against the army ahead of Assad's collapse on Monday, and this excellent investigation into the violence against the Druze: newlinesmag.com/spotlight/sy...

The opening music of Clair Obscur evoked such emotional turmoil in me it made me want to start a videogame newsletter to talk about the art form and how we interact with it.

I’ll tolerate many things in this life but not Bruce Springsteen abuse

Voted today in my first free election. So proud and lucky to be able to cast my vote. Also #never51

This is a nice place

How do you know if someone doesn’t like Dragon Age Veilguard? Don’t worry, they’ll tell you.

What's next in #Syria. As @kshaheen.bsky.social said to me, "The tools of the War on Terror ... don’t fit this moment." Thanks for his insights & Aimen Dean (on the "Conflicted" podcast). A short @thestar.com column:

A powerful article by @kshaheen.bsky.social @newlinesmag.bsky.social

“What are words anyway? They are supposed to convey meaning, but how do you distill the meaning of what happened in the last 10 days….How do you capture the emotional resonance of watching church bells ring in Christian Sahnaya to the tune of ‘One, one, one, the Syrian people are one?’”

This piece in @newlinesmag.bsky.social by @kshaheen.bsky.social is such a beautiful piece of writing. newlinesmag.com/spotlight/da...

A beautiful thoughtful story about journalism in a dictatorship 👏 👇🏿

"The very prospect that justice is conceivable, that the arc of the moral universe endures, that there is a light that was always there at the end of the tunnel, if only you squinted amid the enveloping dark? I cannot quite conceive of the words." On the enormity of this moment for Syria:

“‘Forever is over,’ Syrians chanted over and over” - lovely stuff from the great @kshaheen.bsky.social as he tries to find the words to capture the significance of what just happened in Damascus newlinesmag.com/spotlight/da...

Amazing and a delight, when so many are wordless in the face of the genocide in Gaza, when so many berate ourselves for being unable to capture in language horror escaping meaning or representation, to read of wordlessness from the morning that flows from Damascus today.

"My eyes are on you, O Damascus, for it is from you that the morning flows" A brilliant piece of writing from @kshaheen.bsky.social — Stand tall! newlinesmag.com/spotlight/da...

Beautiful & heartfelt on Syria from @kshaheen.bsky.social "The very prospect that justice is conceivable, that the arc of the moral universe endures, that there is a light that was always there at the end of the tunnel, if only you squinted amid the enveloping dark?" newlinesmag.com/spotlight/da...

"Now, though? Now? The very prospect that justice is conceivable, that the arc of the moral universe endures, that there is a light that was always there at the end of the tunnel, if only you squinted amid the enveloping dark?" Reading this by @kshaheen.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/spotlight/da...

"I keep reaching, myself, to find the words, and they fail me. Nothing seems to capture the moment. I wrestle with the recesses of my mind for the words, and then I see a photo of a detainee and I break down and start over." Beautiful by @kshaheen.bsky.social

"Describe to me the Syrians..." Egyptian responds: "Do you know the honey they add on top of kunafa?" www.instagram.com/reel/C8HmlSt...

I’m not really worthy to write anything about beautiful Syria today but they asked me to and so I tried through tears to write some words that are inadequate but here they are anyway: Dawn in Damascus @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/spotlight/da...

You really should read this piece by @kshaheen.bsky.social if you haven’t

“I wrestle with the recesses of my mind for the words, and then I see a photo of a detainee and I break down and start over. I’m not even Syrian. Just someone who was fortunate to take part briefly in their journey.” @kshaheen.bsky.social @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/spotlight/da...

Unbelievably powerful writing about the fall of Assad and what it means to Syrians and Syrian-lovers around the world. Thank you @kshaheen.bsky.social for expressing so much emotion that so many are feeling right now. For @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/spotlight/da...

“How do you distill the meaning of what happened in the last 10 days, as Syria’s rebels staged the greatest insurgent comeback in history to depose 60 years of Baathist rule?” writes @kshaheen.bsky.social for @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/spotlight/da...

NEW: “How do you distill the meaning of what happened in the last 10 days, as Syria’s rebels staged the greatest insurgent comeback in history to depose 60 years of Baathist rule?” writes @kshaheen.bsky.social for @newlinesmag.bsky.social. newlinesmag.com/spotlight/da...

Hah! "Bashar al-Assad is now a Syrian refugee" via @kshaheen.bsky.social

@kshaheen.bsky.social: "Look man I get the tendency to skepticism bred by the internet but these guys are fucking live overthrowing one of the worst totalitarian police states to ever be conceived by humanity & that’s a fantastic fucking thing regardless of what comes next so it’s okay to be happy"

My wife is from Aleppo but only today with the news from Hama did the emotional dam she's built over the past 10 years break down. This is a moment of unbelievable symbolic significance, a symbol of the fall of this regime's brutal impunity for decades, an edifice crumbling.

This is genuinely one of the most powerful pieces of longform journalism I've read this year, let alone from Syria. These voices from the country itself are absolutely essential.

"What does true freedom mean? I’m not sure, having never experienced it in its purest form — where thought is unrestricted and uninhibited." A powerful reflection on freedom, repression and journalism in Syria by Kamal Shahin in @newlinesmag. newlinesmag.com/first-person...

This nails my family’s sentiments. She brings up exactly why my family stays in Turkey. As my husband and daughter are indigenous Orthodox Armenians. I have to say we are also a minority in our community. Most hide their identities as well. A wonderful piece.

We have 2 fascinating stories today, both first person accounts, by Aleppine Christians talking about Aleppo's rebel takeover and how the community is responding to it.