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Traffic report
Call in the dogs of war, soldier of fortune
- This traffic report is adapted from the Top 25 Report, prepared with commentary by Igordebraga, Bkissin, CAWylie, and ValeskaTheLame.
A shot is fired, somewhere another war begins (March 1 to 7)
[edit]| Rank | Article | Class | Views | Image | Notes/about |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ali Khamenei |  |
7,087,329 | 
|
On February 28, Israel and the U.S. launched airstrikes into Iran, the first series of which (#7) killed Khamenei. The United Nations condemned both the joint attack and Iran's retaliatory strikes on the energy facilities along the Strait of Hormuz, which caused a global crisis. |
| 2 | 2026 Iran war | |
5,460,225 | 
| |
| 3 | Iran | |
2,199,946 | 
| |
| 4 | Markwayne Mullin |  |
1,843,737 | 
|
This United States Senator from Oklahoma (who almost got into a brawl with the leader of the Teamsters Union in a Senate hearing) was named as the new Secretary of Homeland Security, replacing #5. |
| 5 | Kristi Noem | |
1,719,613 | .jpg)
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The puppy killer and former Secretary of Homeland Security was "re-assigned" this week to the new position of Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas. Noem's tenure as Secretary of Homeland Security came under fire due to a number of issues, including the murders of several people by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and rumors of a possible extramarital affair with fellow Administration official Corey Lewandowski. Noem was replaced by #4 on March 5. |
| 6 | Ruhollah Khomeini | |
1,680,452 | 
|
Iran's first Supreme Leader (#8), who led the 1979 revolution against the Shah (#10) and prior to that was a Shia cleric. Known for among other things calling the United States "Great Satan" and Israel "Little Satan", Khomeini died ten years after rising to power, and was replaced by the similarly named Khamenei (#1). |
| 7 | Assassination of Ali Khamenei |  |
1,364,355 | 
|
Iran's Supreme Leader (see below) was killed in his house/office once Israeli bombs hit Tehran (#2). Given the regime was targeted by protests inside and outside the country, there was some celebration for his death along with the concerns for another war starting. |
| 8 | Supreme Leader of Iran | |
1,122,573 | 
|
Ever since Iran overthrew the Shah (#10), the country's head of state, with more authority than the president, is a high-ranking clergyman who earned the title Ayatollah. The first was #6, followed by #1, and ever since Khamenei's death (see above) it's his son. |
| 9 | Deaths in 2026 |  |
1,034,378 | 
|
Something's wrong 'cause my mind is fading And everywhere I look, there's a dead end waiting... |
| 10 | Mohammad Reza Pahlavi | |
1,009,711 | .jpg)
|
The former Shah of Iran, Pahlavi ran #3 from 1953 (following the 1953 US-backed coup d'état of Mohammad Mosaddegh) to 1979 (when he was overthrown in a different revolution). While he presided over an Authoritarian state with an infamous intelligence service/secret police, Pahlavi's rule is also known for modernizing the country, economic prosperity and (ironically) less political oppression. His son has been one of the key leaders of opposition to the current regime among the Iranian diaspora. |
We seem destined to live in fear, and some that would say armageddon is near (March 8 to 14)
[edit]| Rank | Article | Class | Views | Image | Notes/about |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2026 Iran war | |
2,505,559 | 
|
Fifteen years ago, former head of Mossad Meir Dagan said that war with Iran was a stupid idea, as it would not achieve all of Israel's strategic aims and would lead to a prolonged conflict. As the war between the United States and its Allies against Iran enters its third week, it now seems as if the conflict may drag on longer than expected. Funny how everything old is new again. |
| 2 | Mojtaba Khamenei | |
1,455,669 | 
|
Due to the strikes that opened the above, this Shia cleric with military experience lost his father, (#4) wife and one of his sisters. Given the first was the Supreme Leader of Iran, Khamenei was elected as his replacement, though his absence from the public view has been noted. |
| 3 | Deaths in 2026 | |
1,009,335 | 
|
Somethin's growin' I'd, for this that we can control Baby I am dyin'... |
| 4 | Ali Khamenei | |
896,165 | 
|
Not to be confused with his predecessor as Supreme Leader, Khomeini, who he replaced in 1989 until Israel sent airstrikes on his house/office on February 28. His son (#2) has taken over. |
| 5 | War Machine (2026 film) | |
818,321 | 
|
This Netflix film is not a Marvel movie about Iron Man's friend, nor is it the 2017 satirical comedy of the same name also released by Netflix. This version of War Machine, released on Netflix March 6, is about robots or something, and stars Jack Reacher portrayer Alan Ritchson (whose superhero forays were on DC – Aquaman in Smallville, Hank Hall in Titans – plus a Ninja Turtle!). So far, the movie has proven to be popular with audiences and critics, with a sequel already being talked about. |
| 6 | Jennifer Runyon | |
740,515 | 
|
This American actress got her start in the 1980s as a regular cast of member of the soap opera Another World. She gained even bigger notice by appearing in an early scene of the 1984 hit film Ghostbusters. Soon after that, she had a main role in the first season of the sitcom Charles in Charge, but she spent the remainder of her acting career in minor roles in television and film. Runyon died at the age of 65 on March 6. |
| 7 | Carolyn Bessette Kennedy | |
708,602 | 
|
Viewers are clearly still enthralled by Love Story (go figure why not American Love Story like Ryan Murphy's other shows), chronicling the relationship between this fashion publicist (played by the woman to the left, Sarah Pidgeon) and JFK's son before they died in a plane crash in 1999. |
| 8 | Iran | |
690,569 | 
|
The country historically known as Persia turned into an Islamic republic in the 1979 Iranian Revolution, and is considered a showcase of authoritarianism and poor human rights. Add bad relations with the United States, long-standing conflicts with Israel, and huge oil reserves, and it ultimately led to #1, clearly aiming to change Iran's government. |
| 9 | Men's T20 World Cup |  |
689,480 | 
|
India hosted a tournament of cricket's abbreviated version, and successfully defended their 2024 title in front of a huge crowd in Ahmedabad, with New Zealand's "Black Caps" being the adversary of the decision. |
| 10 | 2026 World Baseball Classic | |
662,274 | 
|
In a different "bats-and-balls" game than #9, this international competition in baseball took place this week, with the United States national baseball team beating Team Canada 5-3, South Korea being shut out by the Dominican Republic, Venezuela beating Japan and Italy beating Puerto Rico. The semi-finals and finals take place in Miami's LoanDepot Park on March 15–17. |
Terminators, Uzi makers, shootin' up Hollywood (March 15 to 21)
[edit]| Rank | Article | Class | Views | Image | Notes/about |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chuck Norris | |
5,067,522 | .jpg)
|
"Chuck Norris didn't die… death just finally got his permission." So, with one of the Chuck Norris facts out of the way, let's acknowledge how after 86 years arrived the time for Carlos Ray Norris, a martial arts expert and Air Force veteran that was one of the icons of 80s and 90s action starring in movies like Invasion U.S.A., Missing in Action and The Delta Force, plus the show Walker, Texas Ranger, leading to him being acknowledged as one of the ultimate badasses on the Internet, something acknowledged in his last movie, The Expendables 2 ("I heard another rumor. That you were bitten by a king cobra." "Yeah, I was. But after five days of agonizing pain, the cobra died."). The only things that could stop him were Bruce Lee in Chuck's first credited role, The Way of the Dragon, and a paddle. |
| 2 | Dhurandhar: The Revenge | |
2,604,717 | 
|
India's highest-grossing movie of last year, that also got some international fans through Netflix, returns through a sequel filmed simultaneously with the first, still featuring Ranveer Singh as a former death row inmate turned covert operative infiltrating terrorist organizations. It's a certainty this will wreck the box office all over again, as the ₹750 crore opening weekend of The Revenge was both half of what Dhurandhar earned and the second biggest ever behind Pushpa 2: The Rule (which coincidentally stands right above Dhurandhar in the box office list). |
| 3 | 98th Academy Awards | |
2,164,868 | .jpg)
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The Oscars were on Sunday, with the ceremony trying to go faster and avoid being overlong, though still making sure to include several opera and ballet-themed jabs at the star of Marty Supreme (which ended up losing all of its nine nominations). The entry below ended up becoming the big winner with six awards, including Best Picture and the new category, Best Casting (next year there's another introduction, Best Stunts). The other three multiple winners were #7 (4), Frankenstein (3) and KPop Demon Hunters (2). There was also Sentimental Value taking Best Foreign Picture, awards for #8, #10, the effects of Avatar: Fire and Ash and the sound of F1, and the unusual sight of a tie for Best Live-Action Short. |
| 4 | One Battle After Another | |
1,985,271 | .jpg)
|
Paul Thomas Anderson discussed political violence in the United States through Leonardo DiCaprio played a retired freedom fighter returning to arms to rescue his daughter, and won big at #3, with 6 awards: Best Picture, Best Director and Adapted Screenplay (though it only takes some inspiration from Vineland than outright adapt it), Best Supporting Actor for Sean Penn, Best Editing, and Best Casting. It has also become culturally ubiquitous, with some sources drawing comparisons between US officials and characters in the film. |
| 5 | 2026 Iran war | |
1,627,843 | 
|
The war continues, with each side attacking critical energy infrastructure and destabilising the global economy. The US president has shifted mercurially in his messaging about the conflict, both talking about an exit and end to the conflict, blaming allies for attacking particular areas, and continued Saber rattling for additional attacks on Iranian power plants. So things are about the same... |
| 6 | Michael B. Jordan | |
1,415,165 | .jpg)
|
Ryan Coogler made a movie where vampires crashed the opening of a juke joint, and the result had a record-breaking 16 nominations at #3, winning four of them: Best Cinematography, Best Score (worth noting Best Song nominee "I Lied to You" was one of two to earn a show-stopping performance at the ceremony, alongside winner "Golden"), Best Original Screenplay, and last but not least, Best Actor for Michael B. Jordan in a dual role, certainly making his accomplishments now comparable to the ones of the other Michael Jordan. |
| 7 | Sinners (2025 film) |  |
1,405,482 | ||
| 8 | Amy Madigan | |
1,243,309 | .jpg)
|
Jordan wasn't the only actor getting an Oscar for a horror movie, given the portrayer of the peculiar yet intimidating Aunt Gladys of Weapons (who #3's host Conan O'Brian dressed as in an opening sketch that didn't care about spoiling the movie's ending...) scored Best Supporting Actress, 40 years after her first nomination for Twice in a Lifetime (the longest gap between acting nominations for a woman, and second overall). With a funny speech that included a shout out to husband Ed Harris and an eye-catching jacket, Madigan only missed doing the film's trademark run like she did at the Actor Awards. |
| 9 | Benjamin Netanyahu | |
1,180,478 | 
|
Israelis will be going to the polls in October, and their prime minister is hoping that success in #5 will help distract people from numerous domestic scandals and continued international isolation. So far opinion polls still put his conservative/revisionist Zionist Likud party ahead with 28 projected seats, far from the 61 needed to form a government in the Knesset. Whether the opposition parties from the left to the right are able to unite against him remains to be seen. |
| 10 | Jessie Buckley | |
1,167,281 | _(Jessie_Buckley).jpg)
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After winning basically all Best Actress awards beforehand for Hamnet, this British actress also got it at #3 to no one's surprise, meaning that 13 years after Anne Hathaway got her Oscar it was time for someone to do so playing her namesake. And connected to the ceremony giving awards to Frankenstein, Buckley is currently in theaters with a quirky version of said story, The Bride! |
Exclusions
[edit]- These lists exclude the Wikipedia main page, non-article pages (such as redlinks), and anomalous entries (such as DDoS attacks or likely automated views). Since mobile view data became available to the Report in October 2014, we exclude articles that have almost no mobile views (5–6% or less) or almost all mobile views (94–95% or more) because they are very likely to be automated views based on our experience and research of the issue. Please feel free to discuss any removal on the Top 25 Report talk page if you wish.
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