Honduras locks in permanent ban on abortion
The country's government has approved a constitutional reform that will make it virtually impossible to legalise abortion in Honduras. Less than a month after the historic moment for women’s rights in Argentina, whereby the country became just the third in Latin America to legalise abortion, Honduras has moved to permanently...
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The 9-year-old activist leading a campaign against plastic waste
At just 9 years of age, a British girl is spearheading a campaign to stop unsorted plastic waste being dumped in developing countries. A new year may have just begun, but it’s safe to say we’ve already got a contender for most inspiring story of 2021. If you were to ask,...
Joe Biden restores US to the Paris climate accord
After only being in office for a few hours, US president Joe Biden has already rolled out numerous executive orders to undo Trump’s policies. First up – the climate crisis. No matter which side of the Trump fence (or border wall) you sat on during his time in office,...
NGOs demand EU ban on destructive fishing method ‘bottom trawling’
‘Bottom trawling’ is destroying delicate marine ecosystems that are ‘protected’ by the EU. Now, a coalition of NGOs is demanding accountability and increased action. A group of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) are pressuring the EU to ban the common commercial fishing method known as ‘bottom trawling’. For those unfamiliar, ‘bottom trawling’ involves...
Apple backing new equality initiatives with $100 million pledge
Last summer Apple announced it would be putting $100 million into a new Equity and Justice Initiative and has now finally revealed how it’ll be spending the cash. In response to the Black Lives Matter protests in mid-2020, Apple committed $100 million to a new Racial Equity and Justice...
Trans-Amazon highway project threatens Brazil’s biodiversity
Plans to bulldoze a 94-mile highway through a biodiverse corner of the Amazon have been backed by President Bolsonaro, despite fears it could have catastrophic consequences for Brazil's environment. Researchers are warning of severe climate repercussions if the Brazilian government proceeds with plans to pave a 94-mile highway through Serra...
Chinese embassy’s ‘emancipation’ tweet rebuked online
A tweet from Beijing's embassy in the US claiming detained Uighur women are no longer 'baby-making machines' has been condemned for misrepresenting genocide and forced sterilisation. Twitter has deleted a ‘dehumanising’ post from Beijing’s embassy in Washington DC claiming that Uighur women held in internment camps in China’s north-western Xinjiang province had been ‘emancipated’ and were no longer ‘baby making machines.’ Taken down on Saturday morning for violating the platform’s rules...
Global warming could stabilise if we reach zero emissions
If net zero goals are reached by 2050 then global temperature increases could stabilise within a few decades, giving renewed hope for future control of the climate crisis. New research suggests that global warming could be steadied within a few decades if we reach zero carbon emissions. It’s long been thought that planetary shifts in temperature would be ‘locked in’ and continue for generations, even if we successfully lowered emission rates...
Human Rights Watch urges Biden to scrap ‘Remain in Mexico’ programme
According to a recent report published by the organisation, the US migration programme has needlessly exposed tens of thousands of asylum seekers in Mexico to crimes such as rape, kidnapping, and extortion. Following President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in November, Latin American politicians and activists from Mexico to Argentina were quick to show their relief, praising the democracy of the American people and congratulating Biden on social media. ‘Some are talking the...
The legal state of abortion worldwide in 2021
Attitudes towards the ever contentious pro-choice/pro-birth debate have shifted varyingly over the last 25 years across the globe. In 2021, here’s where different regions currently stand on the legality. A week after Argentina secured a huge milestone for pro-choice campaigners by becoming the largest Latin American country – and only the third one in the region – to legalise abortion, consumer data mogul Statista has released a definitive record...
