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  • The uncrowned mascot of the Qatar World Cup- “Metro Guy”

     

    A Kenyan man gets hired for a security job at the World Cup but instead has to give directions to tourists and fans. He goes viral on TikTok just for saying ‘Metro.’ ‘This Way.’

    By Nimra Ahmed 

    Abubakr Abbass, a 23-year-old from Mombasa Kenya, whose job is to direct World Cup fans in Doha, Qatar to a metro station, in the historic market of Souq Waqif has gone viral on social media. 

    He feels God had a greater purpose for him. He was excited about the World Cup and had always wanted to travel to a foreign country. So, Abbass applied for the advertised security job. He nearly missed the interview in Nairobi, Kenya because he was informed of the job a day before the deadline.

    As luck would have it, the job was his. However, when he reached Qatar, he was informed he would give fans directions to the metro station. Even though it wasn’t the job he had applied for, Abbass still decided to take it. 

    Abbass, in a reflector coat, sits in a tennis umpire chair and has a large purple foam finger. His job is to direct hundreds of people to the nearby metro station with the help of his megaphone. 

    Abubakr Abbass,“Metro Guy”- courtesy of mozzartsport

    He became an overnight social media sensation because he found an ingenious and interesting way to direct fans to the nearby metro station. His job was mundane, but he put a twist on it, and he caught the world’s attention. 

    A clip of him is even found on the FIFA World Cup’s Twitter page. Every time he says ‘Metro’, fans from different countries either repeat after him or chant, ‘This way!’.

    https://twitter.com/FIFAWorldCup/status/1595961490380828672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1595961490380828672%7Ctwgr%5E5894b02c4705bb498881ea45a374df967f3a7896%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fnewsroompost.com%2Fsports%2Ffifa-world-cup-2022-kenyan-man-goes-viral-for-showing-way-to-doha-metro-watch%2F5211861.html

    The way he says, ‘Metro’. ‘This way’. ‘Metro’. ‘This way,’ has now become a catchphrase. Fans are recording videos and posting them on social media platforms.

    @chappzz

    Meet the viral metro man 👨 #qatar🇶🇦 #fifaworldcup2022 #metro #thisway #viral #vedio #guy @metro_man001 ♥️😂

    ♬ original sound – Shafla Imthiyaz

    ‘Metro Guy’, as he is now referred to, has captivated audiences with his enthusiastic calls. TikTok videos were posted showing him in action. #metroguy and #metroman, as he is dubbed, has been viewed 12.4 million times on TikTok. He brings a smile to everyone’s face and cheers everyone in person and online. 

    “Qatar has managed to make us laugh!”

    Cindy Taylor, 19, a student from Dublin. 

    The TikTok account ‘metro_man001’ that he started on Monday 21st November 2022 (on the second day of work) already  has 46,100 followers in just three days and has made Kenya, a country in East Africa, popular. Tourists and football fans are even trying to mimic his catchphrase into his own megaphone.

    He made his TikTok account after gaining popularity. #Metro Guy is busy doing his job while a Brazilian fan copies his actions and records a video.

    https://www.tiktok.com/@metroguy00/video/7169317941433912582?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1

    His employers felt the need to award him for his efforts, as he was in the limelight of the world stage and had drawn attention to the area. He was presented with gifts – a pair of sneakers and World Cup merchandise. He is touched by this gesture and notes that he was never given a gift in his life.

    https://www.tiktok.com/@arsenal.champion/video/7169364482873969921?is_from_webapp=v1&item_id=7169364482873969921&lang=en

    Have you heard of the ‘Metro Guy’ in Qatar? 

    “Yeah, I have seen his TikToks. He is hilarious and he does a good job of lightening the mood. I want to go to Qatar just to feel the ambiance of the place and be a part of #metroman’s day! We all need some good old-fashioned laughs,” commented Steve Byrne, 22, a student from Dublin. 

    “Qatar has managed to make us laugh! In all the somber and serious allegations against Qatar about the bad treatment of workers, here is a simple man breathing fun into his job. In today’s fast-paced life, we just don’t have the time to appreciate the small things,” said Cindy Taylor, 19, a student from Dublin. 

    “There is a lot of controversy surrounding the World Cup. I can’t wrap my head around it. But there is, hope ‘Metro Guy’ lives.”, said Oliver Wilson, 28, a tourist in Dublin.

    The official mascot is La’eeb which means ‘super-skilled player’. It is a ghutra – the Arabic term for a headdress for men – popular in Arab countries. But Abbass is the uncrowned mascot of  the Qatar World Cup! 

    This can be motivating for young people to take their jobs seriously no matter how small and try to enjoy the task at hand and be innovative at the same time. Some amusement at the end of the day for tired tourists!

  • ‘Twitter Blue’ paused after large corporations net shares drop

    ‘Twitter Blue’ paused after large corporations net shares drop

    By Sadhbh McDonnell

    On the 9TH of November, Twitter launched its brand-new premium subscription service ‘Twitter Blue’.  Since its launch it has caused major controversy on twitter and big problems for large corporations.

    The new subscription service allows users to pay $8 (7.50 eur) per month in exchange for a verification blue tick beside their Twitter handle. The subscription is part of Elon Musk’s new vision for Twitter, after buying the platform for $44 billion (42 billion in eur) last year. 

    However, the subscription’s arrival has not only caused a stir on twitter but seems to have resulted in large corporation’s net worth plummeting.  According to Twitter user @rafael shimunov, pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly and Co’s net worth significantly dropped after a fake account with a similar handle to the company tweeted “We are excited to announce insulin is free now.”

    Graphical user interface, application Description automatically generated

    Via Twitter

    Due to the fake account’s subscription to twitter blue, the verified blue check allowed many to believe it was the official real Eli and Lilly twitter account.  The company has since apologised on their actual twitter account, “to those who have been served a misleading message from a fake Lilly account.” 

    Graphical user interface, text, application Description automatically generated

    Via Twitter

    The misleading posts have subsequently caused the pharmaceutical company to lose billions of dollars, as their net shares continue to plummet.  Several other accounts posing to be large corporations have been created since ‘Twitter Blue’ and many brands have filed complaints against Twitter, and Elon Musk personally. 

    Graphical user interface, text, application Description automatically generatedVia Twitter

    A Twitter spokesperson nor Elon Musk have come forward with a statement on the matter, however the subscription service has since been paused. 

    A person in a suit Description automatically generated with medium confidence

    Via Twitter

  • Ireland’s population has largest increase in 14 years

    Ireland has had its largest population increase since 2008 according to a report published by The Central Statistics Office (CSO). 

    By Sadhbh McDonnell

    The CSO reported an 88,000 increase in the population between April 2021 to April 2022. 

    Cathal O’Doherty, Statistician in Population Estimates and projections, stated on cso.ie that, “Ireland’s population was estimated to be 5.10 million, increasing by 88,800 persons in the year to April 2022. This was the largest 12-month population increase since 2008 when the population increased by 109,200.” 

    In the last 12 months, 60,700 babies were born whilst 33,000 people have died, creating a natural increase of 27,700 to the population of Ireland.  

    The CSO also stated that “there were 768,900 persons living in Ireland aged 65 and over in April 2022, those aged 65 and over had increased in population share between 2016 and 2022 increasing from 13.3% to 15.1% of the total volume increase of 139,100 persons.”

    Table Description automatically generated

    Via CSO.ie

    Immigration was the highest it’s been since 2007, with 120,700 immigrants arriving in Ireland in the last 12 months. 24,300 were other EU nationals, 4,500 were UK nationals and the other 63,000 came from other nations including 28,000 Ukrainians. This comes as no surprise since Putin declared war on Ukraine on February 24th 2022. 

    Chart, bar chart Description automatically generatedVia CSO.ie

    The CSO report also shows that more Irish people (approx. 27,600) returned to Ireland then left. Since the last annual report, 28,900 Irish natives returned to Ireland, however, this is less than the previous year, in which 30,200 Irish people returned.  

    A picture containing diagram Description automatically generatedVia CSO.ie

    Emigration has increased in 2022, with 59,600 people leaving Ireland, compared to 54,000 in 2021. These statistics align with a recent survey carried out by Red C in association with The National Youth Council of Ireland (NYCI). The survey found more than 7 in 10 young people across Ireland are considering moving abroad to find a better quality of life. 

    NYCI’s Paul Gordon, Director of Policy and Advocacy commented on the data collected from the survey, “There is a real fear from young people about what the future holds for them. Many say they’re struggling to make ends meet and quality-of-life considerations are driving them to consider a future outside of Ireland. Government must act to ensure young people aren’t overlooked in this crisis.”

    For more information on the population and migration report visit  https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-pme/populationandmigrationestimatesapril2022/keyfindings/.

  • Just three people in Dublin prescribed medicinal cannabis

    By Johnny Kelly

    Medicinal Cannabis- photo courtesy of BBC News

    There are currently only three people in the Dublin area receiving medicinal cannabis according to the Health Service Executive.

    The figure was confirmed to TheCity.ie  following a freedom of information request. 

    The Medical Cannabis Access Programme (MCAP) was launched in the summer of 2019 by then Health Minister Simon Harris as a pilot programme for five years. 

    Barry Fuchs (30) from Swords was diagnosed with an inflammatory disease called Ankylosing Spondylitis a few years ago. The condition is a type of arthritis that causes the vertebrae in the spine to fuse. 

    Speaking to thecity.ie he describes his pain.

    “My condition causes me to be very stiff and sore, especially in the mornings there before I move around and do my stretches,” he says.  

    Once simple tasks such as tying his shoelaces or putting on his jumper have now become ordeals. 

    “I asked my GP about the medical cannabis but he told me that he doesn’t think I’m at that stage yet, so, maybe if I get very bad he might let me,” he adds with optimism. “I just think medical cannabis could help just take your mind off it at certain points during the day and also help you sleep at night.”

    Currently the MCAP only applies to people with multiple sclerosis, people with severe epilepsy or patients suffering bad side effects from chemotherapy. Researchers don’t know for certain if cannabis can ease the symptoms of arthritis, but some studies suggest it helps with pain relieve and aids sleeping. 

    TD Gino Kenny told thecity.ie that “hopefully the MCAP will be expand to include other conditions. There is an ongoing review into the programme and early next year they will announce if the programme should include any other conditions.”

    The People before Profit TD has been a vocally prominent supporter of decriminalising cannabis and legalising medicinal marijuana. Last week he introduced a bill to amend the Misuse of Drugs Act 1977 that would legalise cannabis for personal use. “Seven grams would be personal use,” Mr Kenny tells thecity.ie, adding “this [would be] emulating what has happening in Malta and Luxemburg.” 

    The bill first needs to be approved by Government TDs before going for a vote. “Hopefully early next year we will have a debate and more crucially a vote to see if the bill should progress to the next stage of the process. Even if it does progress that doesn’t necessary mean it will become law,” Gino warned.

    According to Euronews.com, medicinal cannabis has been available in Germany since 2016. The German health minister unveiled plans this month to legalise it for recreational use. 

  • Sing for Vulnerable Society at Christmas

    By Injae Kang

    With shining Christmas lights across Dublin City Centre and colourful projections illuminating 16 City Centre locations, Christmas is just around the corner.

    While many people are revelling in Christmas, which is widely regarded as the season of giving and spending time with loved ones, there are volunteers for people who are sleeping rough on the streets, not just on Christmas day.

    As the number of people who are at the risk of homeless or at risk of homelessness has increased due to the cost of living crisis in Dublin, Dublin Simon Community provides essential services for those who need support. 

    A crowd of people in a city Description automatically generated with medium confidence

    The Christmas lights on Grafton Street have been switched on. Photo by Injae Kang

    “The number of elderly people experiencing homelessness in Dublin has increased by 28 per cent in the last 12 months. A record-breaking number of people will spend this Christmas in homelessness”, Roisin Coulter who is a community and events manager at Dublin Simon Community said.

    “As housing supply remains at an all-time low, these people will have no indication of how many more Christmases will be spent this way. Several more will spend their Christmas at home in fear that it may be their last as the cost-of-living crisis pushes more and more people below the breadline”, she said. 

    Number of People Homeless in Ireland. Source by Department of Housing, Planning and Local Government

    With over 200 volunteers, choirs, and artists who give up their time during the Christmas days, Dublin Simon Community will plan to hold upcoming Christmas events for the purpose of raising much-needed funds for those most vulnerable in Irish society who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

    The Sing For Simon event will take place on the 8th of December in the Powerscourt Townhouse Centre. Wild Youth, the Lucan Gospel Choir, Curtis Walsh, and others will be performing and showing their support for the event.

    Dublin Simon Community will also have a ‘Carolathon’ event, which is 24 hours of carolling on the streets of Dublin. Where Choirs will come together in a relay to raise vital funds for the events and services.

    Also, its Christmas events will round off with its traditional Christmas Eve Busk outside the Gaiety Theatre. In the busk, “For over 10 years, some of Ireland’s favourite artists have come down to show their support and raise vital funds for our work”, she said. 

    Students from Trinity and UCD founded the Dublin Simon Community in 1969 to provide soup and sandwiches to people sleeping rough in the City Centre.

    “Dublin Simon works to prevent and address homelessness in Dublin, Kildare, Wicklow, Meath, Louth, Cavan and Monaghan. We provide services at all stages of homelessness and enable people to move to a place they can call home”, she said.

    In addition to the Christmas events, Dublin Simon Community provides a variety of services for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. A variety of services are provided, including emergency accommodation, soup runs, health care, and treatment.

    She spoke about one of the charity events provided by the organization: “Next year will mark the 40th year of what was the Fun Run but is now the Home Run. Home Run is a fun and challenging, five-mile race through our capital’s beautiful Phoenix Park on the first Saturday in October.

    “This is more than just a run. Each year members of the public, the business community, students, teachers, Simon staff, volunteers and clients all take part in this fantastic event. They run, walk or jog through the park; coming together as a community to challenge themselves and show their support for those living through the nightmare of homelessness.”

  • The rise of sexual abuse in Ireland during the pandemic

     

    The number of people reaching out to sexual abuse services has almost tripled since before the Covid-19 pandemic. 

    By Aly McGrath

    In 2020, WomensAid.ie recorded that they had 29,717 contacts with the organisation. This is a rise of 10,628 from 2018.  

    WomensAid is an organisation that works to protect women and children from domestic violence. It offers support to those who have been affected by abuse and work towards receiving justice and social change. 

    The number of contacts dropped slightly since the climax of the pandemic with it currently standing at 26,906 according to the National and International Statistics on WomensAid.ie.  

    Covid-19 was found to be one of the busiest years for organisations such as WomensAid. In 2020, Safe Ireland found that within the first six months of the pandemic 3,500 women and 600 children contacted the domestic violence service for the first time. This equates to 19 women and 3 new children every day.  

    In a press release done by WomensAid on February 15th, 2021, the organisation said that “young women experiencing abuse risk are being left behind during the covid-19 pandemic. Reports from other jurisdictions indicate that instances of image-based sexual abuse have surged since last March.” 

    In the same press release CEO, Sarah Benson talks of the dangers of online and digital sexual abuse. “We need to remember that you do not need to be living with a partner for them to target and abuse you when you can be achieved through digital and online means. This abuse can disproportionately impact young adults.” 

    Sexual abuse online or in person can have disastrous effects on a person. 84% of young women have reported that they suffer anxiety, depression and low self-esteem whilst being isolated from family and friends as a result of the abuse. Other results have been reported, such as suicide ideation and hospitalisation due to physical injuries.  

    “We cannot continue to stand over a situation where such a significant number of young women, many minors, are deeply harmed and traumatised at the hands of current and former intimate partners,” Benson explains.  

    The organisation announced a new campaign early this year called the ‘Too Into You’ campaign. It provides a wide range of tools and resources for young people including a relationship health check quiz. This quiz checks for the signs of abuse in relationships and has information on legal protection and a guide to staying safe online. The organisation hopes that this campaign may help anyone affected by intimate relationship abuse or concerned about a friend or loved one who is at risk.  

    “We encourage anyone who is anxious or worried about their relationship to reach out for support and remember if it feels wrong, it probably is.” says Benson.  

    If you have been affected or know anyone at risk of any topic in this article, please call the WomensAid 24hr National Freephone Helpline on 1800 341 900 or contact their private chat rooms to receive support and advice.  

  • Where is Ireland’s Solar Panels Plan headed?

    Two African men install solar panels neatly on a residential roof of a house near the ocean. Sustainable living. Photo credit- Unsplash

    Solar panels, an option for combatting increasing energy bills

    By Nimra Ahmed

    There is a climate and biodiversity emergency across the world, yet Ireland has been slow in finding solutions to slash the rising costs of energy.

    An attractive system for household electricity generation could be solar photovoltaic (PV) panels.

    Most solar PV systems feed excess power back to the electricity grid where it is consumed by residential, commercial and industrial users. These solar panels would be an additional source of domestically generated energy and help reduce dependency on imported fossil fuels.

    According to a national study of domestic solar potential, if residents fitted solar panels it could reduce electricity bills by €900 per annum and produce 36 per cent of all residential demand. The solar PV system would pay for itself in seven years. Furthermore, the EU policy aspires to have rooftop panels for all new residences by 2029.


    The MaREI Research Centre at University College Cork used satellite data to look at every rooftop in Ireland and found there was enough roof space for 10 solar panels in more than one million homes. Furthermore, residents could also benefit from a substantial grant from the Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland. Developers also approached Irish landowners for potential solar farms. As of January 2012, farmers who want to install a solar PV system can claim back the VAT incurred on the purchase of the system.


    The review of Irish planning laws began in 2019 but it has taken an energy crisis to push the government into action three years later. The government has finally decided to amend its very restrictive planning rules. As of 2022, the Irish government has said that homeowners will be paid for the exported electricity they produce through their solar PV system to the grid by their energy supplier.

    However, the initial €200 million fund to provide grants to install these panels is not enough and should be increased. Households were given up to €2,400 to install solar panels, this should be doubled to up to €4,800 so that families who are eager to get the benefits but can’t afford the upfront payment can avail of the scheme.

    “The Climate Action Plan process outlines a series of actions that need to be taken by government, by sector and by citizens to meet the ambitious target of a 51 % reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2023.”

    Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine

    The government also has plans to put solar panels in every school in the country. Another step Ireland has taken towards sustainability is wind turbines. This has helped in cutting costs and increasing productivity for the future.

    Do you think the government will give more incentives to farmers to increase the number of wind turbines to make it 100% on all farms?

    “The government is fully committed to and recognises the benefits of the deployment of renewable technology at a farm level, as a cost-saving measure and a diversification opportunity as well as contributing in a positive way to the decarbonisation of the energy system. Under the Microgeneration Support scheme, micro-wind is one of four technologies included for support. More details on this scheme can be found here. Homes, farms, businesses and communities to benefit as Eamon Ryan, the Minister for the Environment, Climate and Communications, announces the Micro-generation Support Scheme,” said Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine.

    What can farmers in Ireland do on a small scale that would help increase sustainability on their farms?

    “At a farm scale, there are three ways in which farms can increase their sustainability by: reducing absolute emissions through activities such as reducing chemical fertiliser at farm level, using low emissions slurry spreading (LESS) technologies for spreading animal manures and adopting nutrient planning at a farm level.

    “Increasing carbon sequestration through forestry and better management of organic and mineral soils.”Increasing carbon sequestration through forestry and better management of organic and mineral soils.

    “Contributing to sustainable energy through adopting energy efficiency measures,
    deployment of renewables and the provision of bioenergy materials as a displacement for fossil fuels and energy-intensive materials. The Teagasc Signpost Farm Programme provides further details on the types of measures that can be taken at a farm level: Signpost Programme – Teagasc I Agriculture and Food Development Authority, said McConalogue.”

    Do you think rural Ireland is doing enough to meet the future demands of Carbon
    footprint?

    “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions will require an economy-wide and all-of -L approach where each member of society will have an important contribution to make, including rural Ireland. The Climate Action Plan process outlines a series of actions that need to be taken by government, by sector and by citizens to meet the ambitious target of a 51% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2023. Agriculture must and will play its part in meeting this objective to ensure that we have economically and environmentally sustainable rural and coastal communities, said McConalogue.”

               Charlie McConalogue, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine 
            Photo Courtesy of  Charlie McConalogue.

    “Systems cost roughly between €4,500 and €5,500 typically, to include the inverter, controls and meters. Solar users prioritize their energy, first on the fridge, then the cooker, lights, laptop and other devices, and directing any excess to hot water if they have a hot water diverter installed,” James Boland (48) a solar panel installation businessman.

    “Unwieldy planning processes are hindering Ireland’s transition to cleaner energy with unnecessary delays. But there has been an increase in domestic solar PV panels after the government’s incentives. Unfortunately, there aren’t enough trained workers to put in the panels, so even when homeowners are keen on it, they aren’t ready to wait for a long time for the installation, said Boland.”

  • Dublin’s bus services pay heavy fines

    Dublin’s bus services pay heavy fines

    Go-Ahead Ireland has reached their Minimum Performance Standard (MPS) regarding punctuality in just one period in the first half of this year.

    New data obtained via a Freedom of Information request shows that Go-Ahead Ireland reached their MPS of 80% in the first period of 2022, dated January 1st – January 30th. 

    Punctuality is a Key Performance Indicator of the performance of transport companies, as part of the terms of their Public Service Obligation (PSO) contract with the National Transport Authority. To measure punctuality and the MPS rate, Go-Ahead Ireland and Dublin Bus Routes use low-frequency routes only. 

    A low-frequency route is deemed a route “which operates less than 5 times per hour on a weekday, outside the peak periods” according to NTA reports.

    The report, made by the National Transport Authority, shows that Go-Ahead reached its target along the Outer Dublin Metropolitan Area (ODMA) corridor, while the Dublin Commuter Outer Metropolitan (DCOM) failed to reach its target once, with its highest score in the first half of this year hitting 79.5%. 

    This comes after Go-Ahead and Dublin Bus were heavily criticised by the Oireachtas Transport Committee last month. Both companies blamed staff shortages on their issues of punctuality, while the issue of ‘ghost’ buses was also discussed.

    Many bus users had reported a bus showing on Transport for Ireland’s Real-Time Passenger Information (RTPI), however, these buses never showed up. 

    The NTA, Dublin Bus and Go-Ahead chiefs blamed the ‘ghost’ buses on staffing issues, while also acknowledging technical issues as a major factor. 

    Dublin bus stated that they require an extra 150 drivers to accommodate their routes, while Go-Ahead was short by 45 drivers. 

    Speaking at the Oireachtas Transport Committee, Kildare North TD Réada Cronin said that the “job hadn’t been done” by Dublin Bus and Go-Ahead, labelling Go-Ahead’s 120 route as ‘appalling’, adding that she doesn’t think they should get the contract again.

    “It affects the economy, it affects your co-workers, it affects the service you’re delivering. It has a knock-on effect on absolutely everything, not to mention the stress it causes… You’re half an hour waiting for a bus if you’re ten minutes early. You’re standing in the rain for half an hour in Clane, or Prosperous, waiting for the bus. [If] the bus doesn’t show up, you’re another half hour waiting for the bus. You could be waiting an hour and ten minutes.”

    Go Ahead and Dublin Bus have paid heavy fines this year, with both companies paying just under €700,000 in punctuality deductions for their Dublin services. However, Dublin Bus also received over €100,000 in punctuality incentives, putting a small dent in their bill so far this year. 

    Both companies combined have paid over €2.5 million in fines, while Luas have also paid a similar amount for their cancellations and lack of punctuality. Irish Rail have paid just €15,000 in punctuality fines, while they have received €291,000 in incentive payments.

  • Biden administration pushes to grant Mohammed Bin Salman sovereign immunity: democrats split over the decision

    Biden administration pushes to grant Mohammed Bin Salman sovereign immunity: democrats split over the decision

    Mohammed Bin Salman in 2019 with Bolsonaro(not pictured) Photo: Alan Santos/PR

    The decision from the Joe Biden administration to push for immunity in the murder of Jamal Khashoggi has led to a split between lawmakers in the U.S.

    Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff said, “I think this is a tragic decision.” 

    Democratic Senator Ron Wyden urged Biden to hold Mohammed Bin Salman “accountable” for the murder of Khashoggi. 

    According to U.S Secretary of state Anthony Blinken, the relationship between Saudi Arabia and the U.S is “under review” after the Biden administration declared on the 17th of November that the high office held by Saudi Prince Mohammed Bin Salman should grant him sovereign immunity in the lawsuit over the killing of U.S.-based journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

    A court filing was made by U.S Justice Department lawyers because Bin Salman recently became the Prime Minister of the country. A role traditionally held by the King of Saudi Arabia, this grants Bin Salman immunity as a foreign head of government. 

    Hatice Cengiz Khashoggi’s fiancée, tweeted her reaction after learning about the filing by the U.S Justice Department, “Jamal died again today”. 

    This a direct turnaround from the 2018 intelligence report, released by the Biden administration in 2021, that stated the murder of The Washington Post journalist in 2018 by Saudi agents was “on behalf” of and “approved” by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

    While campaigning in 2020 to become President of the United States, Biden said he would make a “pariah” out of the rulers of Saudi Arabia over the 2018 killing of Khashoggi. Biden said in 2019, “I think it was a flat-out murder.” 

    The murder of Jamal Khashoggi 

    Khashoggi went into a self-imposed exile in June 2017, heading for the United States.

    In 2018 Khashoggi needed to obtain a certificate of marriage eligibility from the Saudi consulate to be able to marry his fiancée in her birth country of Turkey. 

    On September 28th 2018, Khashoggi and Cengiz went to the Saudi consulate in Istanbul. Khashoggi was told he would need to return on October 2nd, 2018.

    On October 2nd 2018, he was murdered, in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey, by Saudi agents. Khashoggi had been critical of the Saudi prince before his death in 2018. 

    The civil case 

    Khashoggi’s fiancée, Cengiz and DAWN (Democracy for the Arab world now) human rights organisation located in Washington, founded by Khashoggi before his death, brought the case against Bin Salman and 28 others on the 28th of October 2020, in the Washington DC, Federal district Court. Saudi Arabia has said the prince had no direct role in the killing of Khashoggi, a contradiction to the U.S intelligence report which says that Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman approved the operation to capture or kill the Saudi journalist.

    Alegging they “kidnapped, bounded, drugged, tortured and assassinated” Khashoggi, the remains of Khashoggi have never been found.

    After cancelling his first trip to Japan in 3 years, Bin Salman arrived in Doha Saturday for the Qatar World cup opening ceremony, a competition and country struggling with its own human rights controversies. This comes as the two countries are continuing to improve their relations after reopening their shared borders last year.

  • Illegal drug use escalating in Ireland

    Illegal drug use escalating in Ireland

     

    In 2021, cocaine was the second most common main problem drug. In 2021, for the first time, the National Drug Treatment Reporting System (NDTRS) recorded more cocaine than heroin cases among those treated for drugs as a main problem. Cannabis was the third most common reported drug problem.

    By Nimra Ahmed

    There has been an increase in illicit drug use in Ireland in both young people and adults. This could be due to unemployment, high population densities, poor facilities or just for recreational purposes.

    According to a Health Research Board (HRB) survey, one in four (23%) of the participants had used an illegal drug at some stage in their life. That means almost 900,000 adults of 15 years and above of the general public have used an illicit drug. Furthermore, one-in-fourteen (7%) revealed that they had used a prohibited drug in July 2021.

    The areas with the highest drug use in Ireland are: North Dublin, Southwest Dublin, Wicklow, Kildare, Southwest and East coast Regional Drug and Alcohol Task Force (RDTF) areas.

    Looking specifically at opioid use, there are an estimated 11,729 problematic opioid users in Dublin alone while the rest of Ireland has approximately 8,146 users.

    AreaKnownEstimateRate
    Co.  Dublin7,91611,72912.72
    Rest of Ireland4,3968,1463.97
    Total12,31219,8756.68
     

     Estimates of the number of problematic opioid users for Co Dublin and the rest of Ireland, and rates per 1,000 population aged 15 to 64 years (2019). Created by Nimra Ahmed using data sourced here.

    There has been an overall increase in the total number of reported cases of drug use in 2021. Statistics show that 10,769 cases were reported for treatment out of which 39.1% were new cases while previously treated cases were 56.6%. Moreover, 4.4% of the cases were of unknown status. 

    In 2020, cannabis was the substance for which treatment was most commonly received, with 1,229 cases. However, in 2021, for the first time in Ireland there were more cases of treatment for cocaine as a main problem drug. The HRB observed for 2021, 34% were treated for opioids, 30% were treated for cocaine, and 21% were treated for cannabis while 11% were treated for benzodiazepines. It was noted that 28% were females who were treated while 72% were males. 

    In 2020, cannabis was the substance for which treatment was most commonly received, with 1,229 cases. However, in 2021, for the first time in Ireland there were more cases of treatment for cocaine as a main problem drug. The HRB observed for 2021, 34% were treated for opioids, 30% were treated for cocaine, and 21% were treated for cannabis while 11% were treated for benzodiazepines. It was noted that 28% were females who were treated while 72% were males.

    Infographics for drug cases and cocaine cases in Ireland. Infographic created. by: Nimra Ahmed using data sourced here.

    At a glance, statistics show that the median age for drug use is 32 years. 13% are homeless even though 21% are employed and 21% have injected themselves at some stage. When we compare the shocking 3,248 cases of cocaine use to the overall drug use the median age is 31 years. 34% are employed and 25% of them are women.

    Infographics for drug cases and cocaine cases in Ireland. Infographic created. by: Nimra Ahmed using data sourced here.

    Since illegal drug use has increased overall, it is necessary to also observe Irish youngsters.   Another recent study on substance abuse in  Irish youngsters showed an increase in cocaine usage amongst 15 to 24-year-olds. This has led to a 170% increase in the treatment of young cocaine users. The Health Research Board’s report, revealed that  26.7% of young adults used illegal drugs in their lifetime, while 18.5% in the last year and 10.5% in the last month. 

    Created by Nimra Ahmed and data gathered here.

    Over one-half of the sample of third-level students participating in the Drug Use in Higher Education in Ireland (DUHEI) survey (N=11,592), in 2021 reported lifetime use of an illegal drug (55%) 

    Brian Pennie, author, speaker, PHD candidate, university lecturer, and life-change strategist, was a chronic heroin addict for 15 years. He believes trauma could lead to addiction. In his infancy he had a surgery without anesthesia which he thinks may be the root cause of  the uneasiness and anxiety he felt throughout his childhood and adulthood.

    These feelings of unrest, anxiety and worry led him to a dark path even though he was at school and held a job. Pennie turned his life around by replacing his addiction of drugs with the addiction of  learning.

    “I used to think I knew a lot. I didn’t. I believed my own lies, weaving an imaginary world full of delusion, denial, and deceit. Combined with chronic anxiety and an overactive mind, this warped view of reality steered me towards a life of addiction,” said Brian Pennie, author, speaker, PHD candidate, university lecturer, and life-change strategist.  

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    Brian Pennie- Photo Credit: Finne

    Philip Byrnes, 44, a General Practitioner (GP), voices his concerns, “substance use is a very real part of Irish society. Youngsters especially females are now using more than ever. 24% of females are lifetime users while males are 29% so, females are not so far behind statistically.”  

    “Nobody seems to know exactly why substance abuse is on the rise. Drug use affects people’s lives, their health both mental and physical, as well as impacting relationships with family and friends”, he added.  

    “One solution that Germany contemplates is to legalize the buying and owning of cannabis (up to 30g) for recreational use. The reason for this is to better protect young people who are already using black market cannabis. If this law passes, it could be a model for other European countries. The solution for the Irish nation is still unknown but we need to act fast if we want to save our society.”  

    Illegal drug use in Ireland had plateaued in 2014/2015 and further decreased in 2016 and 2017. However, since 2018 it has steadily been on an upward trend again. Today in Ireland, cannabis use has stabilised but there is an increase in cocaine use, and the prevalence of polydrug use. 

    Ecstasy and cocaine usage in Ireland is the second highest in the whole of Europe. It represents a huge challenge for policy makers, social workers and addiction counsellors fighting the issues day in, day out.