Cyclone Freddy causes havoc in Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar
Malawi, Mozambique, and Madagascar experienced heavy rains from early February to mid-March caused by Cyclone Freddy killing close to 600 people, and leaving more than 500,000 displaced. According to UNICEF, more than half of the affected population are children. At the beginning of this year, Cyclone Lindiwe struck Malawi, Mozambique,...
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Unpacking the ongoing protests in France
After two months of peaceful demonstrations sparked by a proposed pension reform in France, the message is clear: President Macron remains unmoved by his citizens’ clear opposition to the policy. As frustration increases without any sign of a U-turn, the national mood has started to turn sour. Protests. They’re the...
This volcanic microbe could be the next frontier in carbon capture tech
Scientists have recently discovered an organism in hot springs that eats CO2 ‘astonishingly quickly.’ They hope to utilise it as an efficient means of removing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. When it comes to the most efficient ecosystems for carbon capture, mangroves, the Amazon rainforest, and peat swamps are what...
Nuud calls out chewing gum giants’ plastic problem
Working to ignite a conversation around the ‘food industry’s dirtiest secret,’ the plastic-free chewing gum manufacturer has called out its rivals in a bold new campaign. Did you know that gum - which millions of us chew every year - contains an ingredient derived from plastic? ‘Chewing gum is basically plastic...
World’s ocean surface temperature hits record high
According to data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the global average has been at 21.1°C since the start of April. Climate experts warn this could lead to an increased risk of extreme weather and marine storms. According to US government data incorporating observations from satellites, ships, and buoys,...
The ICC issues arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin over war crimes
A little over a year has passed since Russia first invaded Ukraine. Now the International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for Vladimir Putin for his alleged war crimes. The international criminal court has just issued arrest warrants for Vladimir Putin and his children’s rights commissioner, Maria Alekseyevna Lvova-Belova. Both...
Honduras lifts ban on emergency contraception pill
In a major win for reproductive rights, Honduras’ first female president has just lifted the country’s near-total ban on the morning-after pill. Last November, President Xiomara Castro relaxed Honduras’ complete prohibition- the only country in the world with a blanket ban- however only in cases of rape. The executive order was signed in time to celebrate International Women’s Day and reversed a ban that had been in place since 2009 in...
Colombia was the deadliest country in the world for activists last year
Almost half of all human rights defenders murdered in 2022 were from the Latin American nation, accounting for 186 killings – or 46% – of the global total registered during that period. Last year was the deadliest on record for human rights activists in Colombia. According to a new report by non-profit Front Line Defenders, of the 401 people promoting environmental, racial, and gender justice killed in 2022,...
Growing concern in Seychelles over heroin abuse
Heroin abuse is causing widespread concern in Seychelles. Due to high unemployment and limited opportunities for young people, drug use is on the rise. Seychelles is the least populated sovereign African country with only 99,000 citizens, half of which are below 25 years old. Despite its low population, it has the highest per capita rate of heroin abuse in the world according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and...
Cows in the UK could be given ‘methane blockers’ to cut emissions
As part of the British government’s net-zero plans, farmers will be forced to give livestock cattle feeds containing flatulence suppressants in an attempt to reduce their digestive gas. Methane is a colourless and odourless gas expelled by cattle which is approximately 84 times more potent than carbon dioxide when it comes to warming the planet. The second-largest cause of global heating, livestock contribute an estimated 32% of emissions generated from human...
