Illegal mining sites are threatening the Mekong River
The global demand for rare earth minerals is starting to overwhelm Southeast Asia’s largest river system, with an increase in illegal mining sites tallying with reports of mutated fish in the Mekong River. The Mekong Basin, located in Southeast Asia, is the region’s longest river system. While the river itself...
Current in Change
Should we all be working less in December?
It’s time to embrace a slower pace – at least until January. December is a funny month. Things are usually amping up in your personal life and winding down in your professional one – and this imbalance strikes up a range of issues. It can be hard to focus; you might...
Opinion – Japan’s ‘carnivorous women’ talk is oppressive
In Japan, ‘carnivorous women’ and ‘herbivorous men’ are less to do with what’s on people’s plates, and more about what the different genders can bring to the table. Is this a reclamation of women’s right to consume in a free market, or is it yet another iteration of patriarchal...
Should ‘work-life harmony’ replace ‘work-life balance’ as a lifestyle goal?
A modern twist on work-life balance encourages a more ‘realistic’ and fluid approach to juggling our daily commitments. From the moment we start working, the question of balancing that work with our personal commitments becomes a lifelong fixation. And as modern capitalism demands more labour, time, and skills for comparatively...
IAEA confirms damages to Chernobyl’s containment unit post-Russian strikes
Strikes from Russia early this year resulted in a breach in the Chernobyl’s radioactive containment unit. Now exposed, the IAEA is putting in a rush on repairs to prevent a new radioactive fallout. 39 years ago, a disaster occurred that would for the years to come be known as...
Forever chemicals have been found in cereal
Your humble bowl of cornflakes might carry more risk than you know. We can all admit cereal isn’t the healthiest breakfast option – but it’s convenient and relatively inoffensive. Most simple options like cornflakes and shredded wheat provide a source of fortified carbohydrates and natural occurring nutrients. And if you avoid the...
Lemurs are being eaten and it’s causing biodiversity breakdowns
Madagascar's lemurs have little time left. The animals are facing a new danger from the urban elite of the country who are paying handsomely for their meat. How is this impacting biodiversity and ecosystems in the region and beyond? A new study published in the Conservation Letters says that wealthy urban residents of Madagascar are eating the flesh of one of the world's most endangered primates. Eating lemurs has gained...
Financial abuse has been declared a ‘national emergency’ in the UK
A new report reveals millions of mums and children face quietly pervasive economic coercion – with family budgets being used as tools for domestic abuse. Abuse isn’t always obvious – least not when it takes place in the domestic sphere. But new figures from the charity Surviving Economic Abuse (SEA) show that financial coercion is quietly affecting a staggering number of women and children. It’s a form of violence that remains underreported...
Women are bearing the fertility burden with invasive treatments
Lack of research and misdiagnosis is forcing couples, disproportionately women, into gruelling fertility treatment. When a couple struggles to conceive, you would expect both partners to be treated equally during the process of diagnosis. But fertility care still leans heavily toward invasive focus on the woman and little attention on the man. Not only does this imbalance place the onus of fertility struggles onto women, who then face an isolating sense...
How did Gen Z influence Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory in NYC?
On November 4, 2025, 34-year-old Zohran Mamdani was elected as the first Muslim mayor in New York City. And this is largely due to the influence of Gen Z. After four long years of subpar mayoral leadership, New Yorkers, especially Gen Z, are ready for a change. As of November 4, 2025, Zohran Mamdani is the change New York so desperately needed. The significance of the 34-year-old's mayoral win extends beyond...
