JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<div class="pagination ">
    <span class="previous"></span>
    <span class="current">1</span>
    <a href="/article/the-hub?i=&amp;page=2">2</a>
    <a href="/article/the-hub?i=&amp;page=2" class="next">NEXT</a>
</div>

JavaScript

var $ul = $("<ul>");
$(".pagination").children().each(function()
{
    var $li = $("<li>").append($(this));
    $ul.append($li);
});
$(".pagination").append($ul);