Stories from Quick Reads from June, 2022
Turkey's former mayor claims officials discovered hidden jellybean reserves
The former mayor was answering questions about recently discovered oil reserves when he made the comment about a major jellybean discovery.
A corny TV exorcism possesses Turkish social media
In Turkey, a woman named Pelin Hürman who describes herself as metaphysics expert, performed an exorcism on a TV show and quickly became a laughing stock on social media.
Istanbul police violently break up PRIDE March and arrest over 300 people
This year marks the 30th anniversary of Istanbul LGBT+ Pride Week. While local authorities banned all PRIDE events, protestors still took to the streets, marched, and chanted slogans.
In Tbilisi, thousands attend the ‘march for Europe’ to support Georgia's EU bid
The march comes days after Georgia's bid for EU membership was deferred by the European Commission.
Baku residents brace for higher costs, annoyances, and logistical issues ahead of Formula 1 race
As Baku is once again hosting the Formula 1 race between June 10–12, residents are in disagreement about whether the race is worth the cost, annoyances, and logistical issues.
Azerbaijan rocked by a new wave of politically motivated arrests
Civil society and rights advocates and state critics have for years faced targeted harassment, intimidation, and arrests. The most recent wave of crackdowns attests to the standing tradition.