Ashley Westerman
The Philippines is among the most dangerous places in the world for environmental activists
The international nonprofit Global Witness has ranked the Philippines at the top of its list of deadliest countries to be an eco-activist. Dozens of environmentalists and land defenders also die each year or end up on government watch lists.
The return of Chinese tourists restores hope in the Philippines’ tourism industry
When the Chinese government made the decision to relax its pandemic restrictions and allow for travel abroad again, tourism professionals in the Philippines welcomed the news, but concerns linger about the expected increase in mass tourism.
Philadelphia’s Ukrainian diaspora puts a unique spin on holiday classic in solidarity with Ukraine
The Ukrainian community in Philadelphia is the second-largest in the United States. As members of the diaspora celebrated the holidays with a special Ukrainian version of “The Nutcracker,” they reflected on a year of worry and solidarity.
Ukraine’s zoos struggle to stay afloat during war, with traumatized animals and dwindling resources
Due to depleted money reserves and uncertainty on when Russia’s war in Ukraine may end, zoo staffers at Zoo XII Months say they’re in worse shape than ever before. The animals remain distressed and, with virtually no visitors, the privately owned zoo isn’t making money.
Modular housing in Ukraine provides shelter — and hope — for internally displaced people
Hundreds of thousands of displaced people have ended up in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv, near the Polish border, where prefabricated homes have become a fast and affordable way for the city to house refugees.