Lax US gun laws are massively impacting its island territories
Mainland gun laws are seriously impacting offshore US territories, particularly Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. In both, homicide rates are astronomically high and growing, and the majority of cases are traced back to firearms trafficked from states like Florida and Texas. Despite having relatively strict firearm laws, US territories...
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Polish volunteers risk their lives to rescue animals from Ukraine
Various grassroots organisations have been sending their staff on potentially life-threatening trips across the border to save the pets of those forced to abandon them when fleeing the war zone. Months into Russia’s slow-moving buildup along the Ukrainian border, Putin announced that he was launching a ‘special military operation’ in Ukraine. This...
Somalia military court sentences four children to death
Six teenage boys have been sentenced by a military court over involvement with armed groups. Four of them were sentenced to death while two who are aged 16 have been sentenced to 30 and 20 years imprisonment. In October 2020, six teenage boys were arrested by Somali authorities in...
UK launches Homes for Ukraine refugee initiative
More than 130,000 Brits have registered interest in opening their homes to families fleeing the war zone. While the move has been welcomed by many, some are concerned about whether those arriving will get the support they need. Amid intense scrutiny towards the delay in governmental strategies to address the...
Seven diabetes myths debunked
While diabetes can be traced back to Egypt in 1550 BC, the condition is still deeply misunderstood nearly 4,000 years later. Here are a few common misconceptions, debunked. Technology and the internet are removing the mystery surrounding diabetes for both Type 1 and Type 2 patients. With information always available at...
The town welcoming and resettling climate refugees in Bangladesh
Globally, millions are displaced every year by worsening floods, wildfires, heatwaves, and droughts as a result of climate change. In a region where weather is particularly volatile, the Bangladeshi town of Mongla is welcoming refugees. A river town by the name of Mongla, Bangladesh, is not only welcoming climate refugees...
Russia’s invasion could hinder a global lithium drive
Prior to Russia’s invasion, Ukraine had been drawing attention from the likes of China and Australia for its vast untapped lithium reserves. Potentially crucial to achieving our clean energy transitions, this sustainable battery drive could begin to peter out. Eastern Europe was tipped to lead the global lithium drive, but it appears foreign nations will have to source their clean energy transitions elsewhere. Ukraine, under President Volodymyr Zelensky, had been positioning...
Guatemala passes ‘nefarious’ anti-human-rights laws
Campaigners are calling the country’s decision to triple jail sentences for abortions and issue an explicit ban on same-sex marriage ‘hate-fuelled policies’ that foment discrimination. Guatemalan lawmakers have passed a ‘nefarious’ new bill that punishes abortion with up to 25 years in prison, legalises homophobia, and explicitly prohibits same-sex marriage. It will additionally outlaw the teaching of both sexual diversity and gender ideology in schools, stipulating that no orientations other than...
South Africa looks to improve education in rural areas
In rural South Africa, education performance in science, technology, engineering and mathematics among girls has been a major problem despite efforts to create educational equality. Despite the government’s efforts in upgrading the learning conditions in South Africa rural areas, the country’s education system remains a major problem for students in remote areas. Rural schools face various challenges, including insufficient state funding and a lack of adequate learning resources. Some girls...
UN agrees landmark global treaty to end plastic waste
The UN Environmental Assembly has approved a resolution to create the world’s first global plastic pollution treaty by 2024. Described as the ‘most significant green deal’ since the Paris accord of 2015, 175 nations have reportedly opted in. There are a few inevitabilities in modern life; death, taxes, and mountains upon mountains of single-use plastic waste. For the first time this century, however, there’s genuine hope to create a world in...
