Stories about Weblog from January, 2022
Typhoon Rai aftermath highlights Duterte’s sluggish disaster response
Duterte and his officials have failed to respond to the crisis, deflecting blame with excuses such as depleted governmental funds, media underreporting, and impassable roads.
Excitement, misgivings over Japan's newest bullet train
The public is questioning the very utility of the new West Kyushu shinkansen line, which complicates travel in certain areas and remains only partially completed.
Syrian survivors of torture rejoice over German court indicting ex-intelligence officer
Raslan was found guilty of killing over 30 people, and torturing thousands between 2011 and 2012, when he was head of investigations in a notorious prison.
‘Our activism won't stop': The Oyan movement recounts the January protests in Kazakhstan
Accused of stirring up the protest by the president and political analysts, activists from Oyan, Qazaqstan! tell their version of the story of the protests and violence that shook Kazakhstan.
How e-bikes can promote cycling in Tbilisi
One factor that could soon change this is the increasing prevalence of e-bikes.
Death of a student sparks debate on religious community-run housing in Turkey
With Kara's death, controversy over private religious community-run housing has emerged, with critics calling on the AKP to abolish these dormitories and turn them into public student housing.
Typhoon Rai overwhelms the Philippines’ Queen City of the South
A month after Typhoon Rai rampaged through the Philippines, residents of Metro Cebu continue to struggle to overcome the devastation brought by the storm on December 16, 2021.
Heavy snowfall kills tourists at a hill station in Pakistan
At least 23 people, including women and children have died in cars that were stranded due to heavy snowfall in the Murree hill station area near the capital of Pakistan.
Iranians demand justice on anniversary of airplane downing
Protesters in Tehran and Toronto, where many of the victims lived, called for justice against those responsible, as April's court ruling did not reveal identities, ranks or punishments of those convicted.
Erdoğan and the AKP's war with art and culture
In the years since the ascent to power, President Erdoğan's, ruling, Justice and Development Party (AKP) has slowly taken under its control much of the country's art and culture scene.
The Soviet Union existed for 70 years, but don’t expect to find it as a location in the world of comic books
Only a handful of mainstream comics published during the existence of the Soviet Union actually take place within its borders, and those that did often promoted stereotypes.
China aims to wipe out Omicron ahead of Winter Olympics
China's Zero-COVID policy is threatened as cases of the Delta and Omicron variants were identified in the country in recent weeks, raising concerns about how Beijing can contain the outbreak.
Trinidad and Tobago residents’ response to proposed amendments to fireworks legislation? Enforce existing laws
"As it stands, the draft fireworks bill is unacceptable. According to one source, the draft sounds like it was written by the sellers of fireworks themselves."
As Turkey rolls out its own COVID-19 vaccine, questions loom over its efficacy
In December 2021, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan approved the Turkovac vaccine for emergency use. Experts say there is an absence of scientific data and evidence proving the efficiency of the vaccine.
‘I chase bad men!’ How the late Andrew Jennings changed investigative sport journalism
He had a way of stripping any matter down to its bare bones, its true essence. It was how he worked and how he lived.
The long-lasting conundrum in Tajikistan's Pamir region
A violent clash between the police and local protesters in the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region have deep roots in tense center–periphery relations in Tajikistan
How one birthday party sparked an outpouring of anger and resentment in Hong Kong
Dozens of Hong Kong government officials attended a birthday party with over 200 guests, in violation of the city's COVID-19 control rules. Now attendees are testing positive for Omicron.
Change of government in Chile: The return of (fragile) hope
The hope that Boric has sparked in his voters will soon have to face the difficult reality.
The paradox threatening Ukraine’s post-coal future
It is hard to imagine an energy transition in Ukraine, which frequently appears to be facing an energy crisis. But with a deadline looming, the discussion needs to begin today.
Bahamian-American actor Sidney Poitier, whose representation of Black people in film helped change racist perceptions, dies at 94
"So much is made of him being the first Black male actor to win the Oscar for Best Actor in 1963 [...] but his legacy is so much greater..."
Twitter turns white as people share images of snow in Kashmir
Snow-clad mountains, scenic valleys and houses draped in snow — these are glimpses of winter in India's Kashmir region, as shared by Twitter users.