Winter Olympic Games 2022
The Winter Olympic Games 2022 are reaching just about halfway. The Games officially opened on the 4th of February with the early events beginning on the 2nd of February. Beijing has also become the first city ever to host both the Summer and Winter Olympics. The Winter Olympics is a sporting event that occurs every four years and this year Bing Dwen Dwen is the mascot for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
The list of sports at the Winter Olympics has not changed since the skeleton was part of it in 2022, which is a type of sport. Furthermore, seven new events are introduced: for women there is “mono bob”, for both men and women this is “big air”. There are also mixed team events in aerial skiing, ski jumping, short-track speed-skating, and snowboard-cross. There are 15 sports events in the Winter Olympics which are categorised into three main categories. These are: Ice sports, Alpine, and Nordic events. Figure skating is the oldest sport of the Olympics and the most searched for Winter Olympics sport. Almost all the snow in the Winter Olympics is artificially produced.
Human rights groups protested China’s hosting of the games because of claims of human rights abuses, particularly the country’s treatment of the Uyghurs, who are an ethnic minority in the country. This was led by the US and joined by the UK, Australia, and Canada. All the countries mentioned sent athletes however they did not send a government representative because of concerns over China’s human rights record. India also joined the boycott in response to the Olympic torch rally.
In addition, China is pursuing a zero Covid-19 policy. However, Olympics organisers have detected more than 100 cases in both athletes and other personnel. The Athletes participating in the games are not happy with the facilities provided to them. The official teams which include Germany, Belgium, and the Russian Olympic committee have brought many issues faced by their athletes in the quarantine hotels, among them low-quality food, no internet, insufficient facilities, and lack of training equipment. Athletes have also raised complaints about competing in unsafe weather conditions. Some athletes put tape on their faces and nose to protect themselves from the bitter cold because it’s hard to breathe.
Rayan: a tragedy and a lesson
A distinctive accident and tragedy, the ordeal took place on Tuesday, 3rd of February and has grasped Moroccans, alongside the millions of Arabs, Muslims, and others who followed the rescue operation for the 5-year-old child, Rayan Oram. Rayan was trapped for four days at the bottom of the well, which is more than 100ft below the ground. Huge crowds came to offer their support, singing and praying to encourage the rescuers. He was pulled out of the well after a tremendous effort of workers and experts.
The incident has sparked an outpouring of sympathy online on social media, with the Arabic hashtag #SaveRayan going viral. The four days were emotionally difficult not only for his family and relatives but also for those who followed Rayan’s story. As he was carried out in the stretcher a cheer went up, but it was short-lived: a few minutes later King Mohammed VI announced in a statement the boy had not survived and expressed his condolences to his family. The Government officials told Reuters he was already dead when a medical team reached him.
Tears flowed down the cheeks of everyone in the crowd attending, as the atmosphere became very solemn for his funeral. Rayan was gone but he revived the hearts of many and stirred the emotions of millions. His ordeal became a focal point for humanity. According to many Arabs, little Rayan is no longer the son of his parents alone, nor even of the Moroccan people, he has become the son of all the Arabs.
However, even in the most painful trauma, there is a lesson to be learned, that in the cruellest of adversities, a gift and God’s grace can be found. The most heartening thing to emerge out of these sad circumstances was the outpouring of sympathy and solidarity across the world.
Sources: The Guardian, The Times.
Crackdown in Kashmir
Fahad Shah is a 33-year-old who studied at London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) from 2013 to 2014. He works as a freelance journalist and his work is published widely. He is also an editor of the popular Srinagar-based news portal “The Kashmir Walla.” Fahad Shah was arrested on Friday, 4th of February by Jammu and Kashmir police, as the crackdown on freedom of the press continues in the Indian-occupied Kashmir. According to the police, Fahad Shah already had two cases against him at Safakadal police station in Srinagar and Imamsahib police station in Shopian. He was arrested in a fresh case lodged at the Pulwama police station. His crime was the uploading of “anti-national” content glorifying terrorist activities, spreading fake news, and instigating people on social media platforms.
A police spokesperson said that Fahad Shah was identified on Facebook and other portals uploading anti-national content, including photographs, videos, and posts with criminal intention to create fear among the public. The police said such content could provoke the public and disturb law and order.
Shah’s arrest is believed to be connected to a gunfight inside a civilian house between Kashmiri rebels and Indian troops in Pulwama on January 30. The Kashmir Walla website carried a series of reports on the gunfight and presented both sides. The police have questioned and detained Shah multiple times in recent years for his writing. His arrest has seen an increase in harassment, threats, and prosecutions of journalists and human rights activists in Jammu and Kashmir.
Dozens of journalists in Indian-controlled Kashmir have regularly been summoned by police and questioned for their work since 2019. The committee which aims to protect journalists also called for his release. “The Indian authorities in Kashmir should immediately release Fahad Shah and all journalists, activists, and critics jailed on politically motivated charges and stop harassing them with draconian laws”, the committee said. “When the government uses authoritarian tactics to silence journalists and activists, it only shows it has abuses to hide.”
Sources: NewsClick, The Guardian.
UK to be hit hard inflation
UK inflation rose to the highest level in almost 30 years at 5.4% and the average take-home pay is likely to fall as well over the coming year. Rising inflation affects all our living standards and especially those on low incomes. These are the people who will tend to find it hardest to support themselves in this period. According to the Bank of England, inflation in the year until April 2022 is expected to be around 6%.
Prices of gas and electricity increased dramatically during 2021. The post-pandemic economy recovery continued to pick up the pace while the European markets were struggling with the number of supply-side problems. In April, the lowest paid workers will see the national living wage rise by 6.6 to 9.5£ an hour which is higher than the current inflation rate. The prices of gas and electricity are expected to increase in April, which will affect the cost of living. Oil prices also made a large contribution to the increasing cost of living. The rise will affect 22 million households in April. That same month there is also a rise in Food prices, National Insurance; the payroll tax will also take effect, further shrinking take-home pay.
The Bank of England lifted interest rates on Thursday for the second time in two months. Interest rates make it cheaper or more expensive to borrow money, by making it more or less attractive to save. A higher interest rate lowers the rate of inflation and lower interest rates increase the rate of inflation.
A healthy economy needs to have a low and stable rate of inflation. The government sets a target for how much prices overall should go up each year in the UK. It’s the Bank of England’s job to keep inflation under control. A little bit of inflation is helpful but, high and unstable rates can be very harmful. If prices are unpredictable, it is difficult for people to plan how much they can spend, save or invest. In extreme cases, high and volatile inflation can cause an economy to fully collapse.