Understanding the ‘loverboy method’ of human trafficking
Andrew Tate’s arrest highlights a tactic used to exploit young women into human trafficking known as the ‘loverboy method.’ To learn more, a survivor of human trafficking explains how it works and debunks popular common myths. Rebecca Bender was 18 when she thought she’d found someone to spend the rest...
Current in Change
Why feminism is more important than ever in 2023
Women have always been fighting for their rights, and the string of violence and crime over the past few years shows an even greater need for it. Sarah Everard’s murder by a Met Police officer sparked a movement around women’s public safety. Vigils and protests were held and two years...
Invasive blue crabs are taking over the Mediterranean Sea
Coastal towns near the Mediterranean are grappling with an invasive sea species brought to their waters by international shipping boats. Dealing with this new inhabitant might mean serving them up on thousands of plates across Europe – if only a local appetite for them will grow. International trade is causing...
Researchers suggest council tax discount for those who garden sustainably
Experts from the University of Sheffield say that British homeowners should be given financial incentives to preserve green spaces as it would be more beneficial to wildlife and the environment. UK scientists have recommended that eco-friendly gardeners should be given a cut in their council tax, following new research uncovering...
UK boosts domestic air travel as EU countries move to ban it
It’s no secret that air travel is awful for the environment. Why is the UK making domestic flights cheaper and more frequent when EU countries such as the Netherlands, Austria, France, and Belgium are phasing them out? When opting for a domestic flight instead of driving or taking the train,...
Air pollution causes premature death of 1,200 young Europeans annually
According to the EEA’s latest assessment, dirty air kills well over a thousand under 18s across the continent every year and significantly increases the risk of disease later in life. Despite improvements in recent years, ‘the level of key air pollutants in many European countries remains stubbornly above World Health...
The lucrative salmon industry is getting an overhaul
Lawmakers in key parts of the world are remodelling their approaches to salmon fishing. In one hotspot, higher taxes seek to better manage income from the salmon-farming capital of the world. On the other, a reform on fishing is looking vital to conservation as the consequences of climate change set in. If the salmon you ate for dinner last night didn’t come from Scotland, it likely came from Norway. The...
New research finds that stressed plants make noises
A six-year study has found tomato plants, grapevines, and tobacco and wheat crops make sounds when thirsty or when they have had their leaves and stems cut. Investigations are ongoing to find out exactly why. ‘If only my plants could talk to me!’ say struggling plant moms and dads around the world. As things turn out, they actually are – we just can’t hear them. Over a period of six years,...
UAE reportedly plots massive oil expansion despite hosting COP28
Despite its position as host of COP28 next November, the United Arab Emirates has the third-largest plans for expansion into gas and oil globally. Controversially, the CEO of its national fossil fuel company Adnoc has just been appointed as the UN summit’s president. Seven months before the talks even get underway, COP28 has gotten off to a frankly terrible start. Back in 2021, the announcement that the United Arab Emirates had...
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, and parts of Southern Africa, unleashing heavy rains and strong winds. The cyclone left a trail of destruction, resulting in widespread...
