ICYMI | #128

Our weekly roundup of stories you may have missed.

Berlin's dwindling social housing

The amount of social housing is rapidly declining in Berlin according to new statistics. The number of subsidised housing units in Berlin fell by 4519 in 2022.

In an attempt to combat the city's worsening housing crisis, the Senate had previously announced its intention to build 5,000 new subsidised units per year. In reality, only 2000 were approved in 2022, and the social housing stock continues to fall as rental caps, which are set on new apartments for a set number of years, expire. The revelation has drawn widespread criticism – according to Die Linke housing policy spokesperson Niklas Schenker, “private investors have practically boycotted the construction of new social housing.”

Niger coup

Niger’s military have declared a coup against President Mohamed Bazoum, who has been overthrown and replaced by the leader of his own presidential guard, General Abdourahamane Tiani. The coup follows other recent regime changes in neighbouring Burikina Faso and Mali, and has been condemned by the African Union and West African ECOWAS bloc, who have threatened military intervention if Bazoum is not reinstated.

Turkey gives unregistered Syrians two months to leave Istanbul

The Turkish government has announced that unregistered Syrians living in Istanbul have only two months to leave the city and return to provinces in which they were originally registered. The latest ruling comes amid a sharp increase in xenophobia and racism towards Syrians in Turkey and follows a spike in deportations since the reelection of Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in May. 

Ghana abolishes death penalty

Ghana’s parliament has voted to abolish the death penalty. 176 prisoners currently awaiting execution will now have their sentences changed to life imprisonment. Ghana becomes the 29th nation in Africa and 124th worldwide to abolish capital punishment. But worldwide, the number of executions is on the rise, reaching its highest figure in five years in 2022.

RIP Sinéad O’Connor

Sinead O’Connor, Irish singer and activist, has died aged 56. Releasing 10 studio albums, O’Connor was a prolific artist, with a discography ranging from iconic classics like her cover of ‘Nothing Compares To You’, to experimental albums exploring folk and classical music. She was also known for her tireless political activism, including her anti-racism, her support for refugees and people living with HIV, and her protests against sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.

Upcoming Events

On 4 August find us at Gärten der Welt for Expressions: In The Garden, an open-air music and performance art showcase, featuring artists Kelvyn Colt, LARY, Lyra Pramuk, Moses Yoofee Trio and Noah Slee. The event is directed by Refuge resident Dhanesh Jayaselan, and will feature a daytime DJ programme curated by us, featuring Ghostpoet & Marylou b2b No Plastic.

Our Panorama Bar residency continues on Friday 11 August. We’ve invited All Night Passion, dreamcastmoe, Eliza Rose, Maryisonacid & Tornado Wallace to join us for an extended opening time of 22:00-10:00. Come early stay late.

Oona

This week on Weserstraße:

Tuesday: Ani Innocent, neelie., cut.ya

Wednesday: Killa, Tina & KeyClef, Ezgi

Thursday: Nick Höppner, Camilla Rae, Bece

Friday: Jokkoo, Dos Cinco, Deniz Arslan

Saturday: Fiestuki Mexa

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Header image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.