Spending our days on the interwebs has its advantages, one being that we come across lots of excellent pieces of journalism. Every week, we'll bring you our favorite online reads that didn't appear on our site. Disagree with the selection? Leave your suggestions in the comments or tweet #bestreads at @HuffPostWorld.
Demonizing Edward Snowdon: Which Side Are You OnThe New Yorker -- John Cassidy "On its side, the Obama Administration has the courts, the intelligence services, Congress, the diplomatic service, much of the media, and most of the American public. Snowden’s got Greenwald, a woman from Wikileaks, and a dodgy travel document from Ecuador," John Cassidy writes in The New Yorker. "Which side are you on?"
You Can't Eat ShariaForeign Policy -- Mohammed ElBaradeiIn an opinion piece from Foreign Policy, former head of the UN's nuclear agency and ex-presidential candidate Mohammed ElBaradei warns of the dire state of Egypt's economy and the country's lack of state authority. "Most of our challenges are a byproduct of the old dictatorship. We still have an open wound and need to get a lot of the pus out. We need to clean that wound -- you cannot just place a Band-Aid on it," ElBaradei says.
The Origins Of War In The DRCThe Atlantic -- Armin RosenYears of violence in Congo have killed between 3.5 million and 5.4 million people, with millions more displaced. For the Atlantic, Armin Rosin delves into the roots of the conflicts and examines the meager prospects for the future. "Violence isn't a means to a higher end in DRC, but the expression of a deeper social, political and historical rot," he writes. "Here, it's possible to witness how war can become systemic and normal, even in the absence of some broader, national-level struggle -- how a region can become trapped in violent tension and mistrust."
Enter India's Amazing World Of Frugal InnovationsCNN -- Arion McNicollA motorbike-mounted crop sprayer, a device for climbing trees, an amphibious bicycle and a wind-powered irrigation system are some of India's "frugal innovations," a term for low-cost innovations conceptualized by inventors to combat local problems.
Syria's Oilfields Create Surreal Battle Lines Amid Chaos And Tribal LoyaltiesThe Guardian -- Ghaith Abdul-AhadSix months ago, Abu Zayed left his home in the Gulf to join the Syrian uprising. Yet as he grew increasingly disappointed with the rebel leadership, the young tribal leader decided to turn his attention elsewhere. His tribe, just like many others, started to sell oil and gas to both the Syrian government and rebel fighters.