International
6.4-Magnitude Earthquake Kills at Least 18 in Albania
Published
1 year agoon

- Albania was hit by a 6.4 magnitude earthquake early Tuesday, one of the strongest it has seen in two decades.
- By the early afternoon, officials said at least 18 people were found dead, while over 600 others were treated for injuries.
- Nearby counties, as well as the U.S. and the EU, have offered to provide support amid ongoing rescue efforts.
Earthquake Causes Widespread Damage
At least 18 people died and more than 600 others were injured after a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck in the Balkan nation of Albania early Tuesday.
The quake, one of the strongest to hit Albania in two decades, struck just before 4:00 a.m local time and was recorded about 19 miles west of the capital of Tirana. The early morning shake was also followed by three aftershocks, with magnitudes between 5.1 and 5.4.
Another video showing the power of an #earthquake in a market in #Durrës, #Albania. – @LastQuake #PrayForAlbania pic.twitter.com/0nns61DV4D
— Xhildinho Z (@xhildinho) November 26, 2019
Videos posted on social media show the widespread destruction the tremor left behind, with collapsed buildings, crushed cars, and deep cracks in streets and sidewalks. Rescue teams are on the ground actively working to help anyone who may still be trapped under the rubble. Meanwhile, others who have been recovered are being transported to local hospitals for medical attention.
Albania has seen a higher than usual bout of earthquakes recently. Today's 6.4-magnitude earthquake near Durres @ ~4AM local time is the strongest quake to hit the country in decades.pic.twitter.com/Ml7B0ZitVg
— 🌲Puns N' Roses 🏙️ (@gthanku) November 26, 2019
#Durres #Albania after the today earthquake with magnitude 6.4 – at least till now 6 victims and 325 injuried! Stay safe Albania! #earthquake @LastQuake #europe #tirana pic.twitter.com/ywSiv5uGtj
— Ardit Toca (@Ardit_Toca) November 26, 2019
Health Minister Ogerta Manastirliu said that of hundreds who received medical attention for their injuries, nine are in life-threatening conditions.
As far as the death toll, Albania’s Defense Ministry initially reported that 13 people had died. Seven of the deceased were said to have been pulled from the rubble in the city of Durrës, a coastal port city. Five others died in a collapsed apartment in the northern village of Thumanë. Another person died in the town of Kurbin after jumping from a building in an attempt to escape.
But by the afternoon, the death toll rose to 18 after four more bodies were found in Durrës inside collapsed buildings.
Rescue Efforts Continue
Emergency teams are working quickly to prevent that number from rising, but the damage from the quake is immense.
While visiting Thumane, the town closest to the epicenter, President Ilir Meta described the situation as “dramatic” adding, “We hope to overcome it with the least loss. We must do every attempt to save the people stuck under the ruins!”
A dramatic situation in Thumana!
— Ilir Meta (@ilirmetazyrtar) November 26, 2019
We hope to overcome it with the least loss!
We must do every attempt to save the people stuck under the ruins!
Solidarity and help to anyone in need! pic.twitter.com/7VYUtE0x0g
After later visiting Durrës, he added that many residents can no longer take refuge in their homes.“The consequences of the earthquake in Durrës are dramatic and require extraordinary organization, not only by the state, but nationwide!”
— Ilir Meta (@ilirmetazyrtar) November 26, 2019
Nearby countries like Italy, Greece, Germany, Hungary, Turkey, and others have offered their help. The European Union and the United States also offered immediate support.
“Our country was hit by a wave of earthquakes like never before in the darkness of the early hours of today!” President Meta said in an official statement to residents. “It is important to work with dedication and professionalism to save every human life under the rubble of buildings and to help the injured. It is important to identify residents who cannot return to their homes and who need housing.”
Tuesday’s disastrous shake comes just two months after the country was hit by another significant earthquake. The previous quake, a 5.6 magnitude tremor, struck on September 21, causing dozens of injuries and damaging hundreds of homes.
See what others are saying: (The New York Times) (Al Jazeera) (AP News)
International
Social Media Sites Block Calls for Protests in Russia
Published
45 mins agoon
January 22, 2021
- Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and several of his allies have been arrested by local authorities since his return to the country.
- Shortly after his arrest, Navalny called for protests to take place on Jan. 23 and was met with a wave of support online.
- In response, the government ordered tech giants like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and Russian-centric VK to “block all publications with calls to demonstrate on the 23rd.”
- TikTok has already deleted 38% of posts with such calls while VK and YouTube have deleted 50%, and Instagram has removed 17%.
Navalny Calls for Protests
Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny’s return to Russia and subsequent arrest earlier this week has set off a chain of events in the country.
Since his arrest, Navalny has called for protests to occur on Jan. 23. Now, Russian authorities are taking precautions and arresting his allies in an effort to slow down the momentum of the looming demonstrations. Among their many demands are that Navalny be released.
Throughout the week, thousands of posts shared by younger Russians have raged across social media asking that people partake in the protests. The reach of those posts, however, have been curtailed by the government.
Social media tech giants like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, and the Russian-centric VK were ordered by the Russian government to “block all publications with calls to demonstrate on the 23rd.”
Roskomnadzor, the Russian communications watchdog, later stated, “Internet sites will be brought to administrative responsibility in connection with the dissemination of information prohibited by law and aimed at attracting minors to participate in unauthorized mass public events.”
“Participation in such events is in violation of the established procedure, including in a pandemic, and carries risks of harm to life and health,” it added.
Censorship Payoff Unknown
For many of the sites, which are often seen as a way to promote free speech in regimes that are far more restrictive, the order puts them in an awkward position. Still, many have already complied, at least to some extend.
According to Roskomnadzor, Tiktok has deleted 38% of videos calling for minors to attend the protests. VK and YouTube have both deleted 50% of similar posts, while Instagram has removed 17% of posts that violate the regulations.
It’s unclear to what extent this censorship will have on stopping Russians from attending tomorrow’s protests; however, some of the nation’s largest protests in modern history have been organized by Navalny.
See what others are saying: (Moscow Times) (Associated Press) (Reuters)
International
Accusations Against Chinese Actress Shine Light on the Nation’s Surrogacy Laws
Published
1 day agoon
January 21, 2021
- Chinese actress Zheng Shuang is facing major backlash after her former partner, Zhang Heng, accused her of abandoning her two children born through U.S.-based surrogates.
- Beyond public outcry and losing brand deals, Zheng is likely facing legal consequences after a Chinese government agency said that using a legal loophole to obtain a surrogate from abroad was “definitely not innocent.”
- Zheng denies the claims and hasn’t confirmed if the children are actually hers, although she’s listed as their mother on their birth certificates.
- As for the children in question, Zhang has been taking care of them in the U.S.
American-Based Surrogacy Cause Controversy
Chinese social media users have launched into debates surrounding how the rich and elite circumvent domestic laws in order to obtain surrogate services.
The latest controversy is surrounding actress Zheng Shuang. Though she has never confirmed this publicly, Zheng allegedly went to the U.S. with her-now-ex Zhang Heng and had two children with the help of American surrogates. However, on Monday, Zhang accused Zheng of abandoning the children and leaving him to take care of them in the U.S. The couple reportedly broke up before the babies were born due to Zhang’s alleged infidelity.
According to the South China Morning Post, Zhang’s friend released a voice recording on the Chinese platform NetEase Entertainment. In it, Zhang and Zheng are allegedly having a discussion with their parents over what to do with the then-unborn children. Zheng’s father suggested that they abandon the children at the hospital, while Zheng reportedly expressed annoyance that they could not be aborted so late in pregnancy.
Legal Grey Zone Likely Won’t Help
Beyond public outcries, Zheng lost a recent brand deal with Prada that she signed just eight days before the accusations were made. Additionally, other brand partners, such as Aussie, have distanced themselves from the actress. She also faces multiple awards she has won being revoked as well as potential legal consequences.
Currently, surrogacy is illegal in China; however, the laws have a legal grey zone. Technically, providing surrogacy is what is illegal, but obtaining one from abroad is not explicitly mentioned, even if it goes against the spirit of the law.
The Central Political and Legal Affairs Commission of the Communist Party commented on the situation in a Weibo video post, saying that using this legal loophole to get a surrogacy was “definitely not innocent.”
“Surrogacy is banned in China as it uses women’s uteruses as a tool and sells life as a commercial product.,” it continued. “As a Chinese citizen, the act of traveling to the US on a legal loophole is not abiding the law.”
Following the post, companies like Blued, a gay dating app in China, took down sections of their apps that helped users set up services with surrogacy firms overseas.
Surrogacy is a controversial subject in China, with many actors and actresses obtaining them overseas, but many social media users across the country are against the practice. Officially, the government claims that it “overlooks life” and “tramples the bottom line [of human morality].“
Zheng has denied claims that she abandoned any children, and has never confirmed whether or not she actually has any, although she is listed as the mother on the children’s birth certificates.
As for the children in question, even though Zheng’s father suggested abandoning them in the hospital, her ex has been taking care of them in the U.S.
See What Others Are Saying: (South China Morning Post) (Straits Times) (New York Times)
International
American Influencer Kristen Gray To Be Deported From Bali
Published
2 days agoon
January 20, 2021
- In a viral Twitter thread, influencer Kristen Gray encouraged people to move to Bali like she did while promoting her eBook and other resources on how to do so amid COVID-19 restrictions.
- Many criticized her for encouraging an influx of travelers during the pandemic. She also sparked conversations about gentrification and was slammed for falsely characterizing Indonesia as queer-friendly.
- The local government promised to deport her Tuesday, arguing that selling her book and offering paid consultations on traveling to Bali violated the purpose of her visitor stay permit. They also say she was “spreading information that could unsettle the public.”
- “I am not guilty. I have not overstayed my visa. I have not made money in Indonesian rupiah in Indonesia,” Gray told reporters. “I put out a statement about LGBT and I am being deported because of LGBT.”
Kristen Gray Goes Viral
Officials in Indonesia said Tuesday that they will deport Kristen Gray, an American influencer who has caused international outrage in the last week.
Gray moved to Bali with her girlfriend in 2019 with plans to stay for six months. In reality, the couple ended up staying much longer because of the coronavirus pandemic, and in a viral Twitter thread, Gray shared how positive their experience has been.
For anyone curious about the deleted/hidden Bali thread pic.twitter.com/FYA3mRcMNf
— Salt chip (@gastricslut) January 17, 2021
Gray pointed to several benefits of moving to Bali in her posts, like its safety, low cost of living, luxury lifestyle, as well as its queer-friendly and Black communities.
She also encouraged others to make the same move and promoted their $30 eBook “Our Bali Life Is Yours” for tips on how to do it. “We include direct links to our visa agents and how to go about getting to Indonesia during COVID,” she even wrote in one post.
Backlash
The thread sparked outrage for encouraging an influx of travelers to a country that has closed its borders over the worsening pandemic. On top of that, it sparked conversations about the gentrification of neighborhoods there.
Bali is a major tourist destination for Americans, Europeans, and Australians in particular, and like areas all over the world, it has suffered from the loss in visitors this year.
However, many online noted that locals have been steadily priced out of certain areas of the island as foreigners open businesses to cater to tourists. Others argue that poorly regulated development is also destroying industries that Balinese people have historically relied on.
Aside from those criticisms, many people also took issue with Gray characterizing Bali as a queer-friendly when the reality for locals is far different.
“It well may be the case for you. However, please recognize that it is because a) you’re a foreigner and b) you have economic leverage since the Indonesian local community is financially dependent on keeping you happy so they don’t mess with you,” a user named Kai Mata said in a viral TikTok.
“Please realize for the rest of us Indonesians on the island, this is not a queer-friendly place. Our gay communities are often shut down and raided by authorities and Indonesia at large has tried to mandate conversion therapy for us the LGBTQ+ Community.“
For those averse to reading, here is a succinct video regarding this for your heart’s desires. pic.twitter.com/fEgspkHyJY
— Kai Mata🏳️🌈 (@kaimatamusic) January 18, 2021
Government Responds
The local government responded to the public outrage over Gray’s thread Tuesday. In a statement, it said selling her book and also offering paid consultations on traveling to Bali violated the purpose of her visitor stay permit, which was valid until January 24.
Gray was also accused of “spreading information that could unsettle the public” by saying Bali is queer-friendly and suggesting foreigners travel there during the pandemic.
According to Reuters, she was being held at an immigration detention facility Tuesday and was to be deported as soon as a flight was available.
In a brief statement to the Balinese press, Gray defended herself. “I am not guilty. I have not overstayed my visa. I have not made money in Indonesian rupiah in Indonesia. I put out a statement about LGBT and I am being deported because of LGBT,” she explained.
Many of her fans believe her and also argue that she is seeing this level of criticism because she is a Black woman.
See what others are saying: (New York Times) (Reuters) (Vulture)

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