Is the Trump administration planning to ban contraception?
Presidential plans to destroy $10m worth of hormonal contraception have left the fate of birth control in America unclear. Earlier in the summer, the Trump administration reportedly planned to destroy (specifically burn) almost $10m worth of birth control pills, IUDs and hormonal implants. All of the medication had been...
Current in People
How an all-woman unit is tackling elephant poaching in Zimbabwe
The Akashinga rangers are Africa’s first all-women, entirely plant-based anti-poaching unit. And they’re operating with astounding success. According to their website, the Akashinga Rangers are a community-led organisation that serves to protect wildlife conservation across Africa. The group, whose name means ‘the Brave Ones’ in Shona language, is made...
Unpacking Trump’s NATO ultimatum to end Russian militancy
Somehow, it involves China, and to make it worse, the alliance’s member states are not keen on pursuing this ultimatum. Despite countless summits and discussions, the war in Ukraine persists. In most instances, whether he truly helped or not, we find President Donald Trump at the centre of these negotiations....
Opinion – London’s ‘Unite the Kingdom’ rally was hypocritical all around
If it wasn’t so disgusting to see tens of thousands of people (mainly white men) respond to far-right activist Tommy Robinson’s call to ‘demand our country back’ on the streets of London, the way protestors acted and the response from police might almost be laughable. This weekend, far-right activist Tommy...
Housing priorities are depriving UK children of green space
With urban planners racing to meet housing demands, a generation of UK children – particularly in deprived areas – faces growing up without safe, accessible spaces to play. In towns and cities across the UK, children are increasingly missing out on safe outdoor spaces. New research published by Cities and...
Gen Z protesters cause carnage in Nepal’s capital
Public outrage has ensued in Nepal after 22 people were killed during police clashes at anti-corruption protests. The youth-led movement is rooted in demands for an end to political corruption and social inequality, and came to a head after a government-enforced social media ban. Nepal's Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli...
Burkina Faso’s new anti-LGBTQ+ law is a dangerous step backwards
Intimately caught up in the constant tussle for domination, Burkina Faso seems to be moving backward in time. Earlier this month, the West African nation enthroned a law criminalising promotion of homosexuality, for which people may be imprisoned for two-to-five years. Burkina Faso has long been considered comparatively safe for the LGBTQ+ people vis-a-vis its neighbours Mali and Ghana, but that couldn’t be further from the truth now. Not only does...
Inside August’s Kashmir-Gaza solidarity protests
On 5th August, hundreds of protestors marched from 10 Downing Street to the Indian High Commission against India and Israel’s occupation of Kashmir and Palestine respectively. Here’s my experience and thoughts on reflection. Under the blazing London sun, the crowd moved as a single unit with placards held high, visuals of injured civilians, the flags of Azad Kashmir or Pakistan-administered Kashmir and Palestine waving side by side, and slogans calling...
Why the Irish Presidential Election is more important than you might think
A major event is to be held in Ireland later this year, the Irish Presidential Elections. Its implications spread beyond the nation, and the way future campaigns may play out. Here's why. How does the Irish presidency work? An election that doesn’t perhaps grab as much traction as some of its other international counterparts, is the Irish Presidential elections. Although Ireland is more famously known for their General Elections, the president...
Is social media demonising female contraception?
The wellness narrative on apps like TikTok is driving a distrust of the contraceptive pill. Is this a regression of modern feminism, or a valid stance against medical intervention into women' s bodies? Speaking about her role as a school sex educator, Maya Walsh-Little told Polyester readers that the most frequent question she hears from students is ‘I heard on TikTok it will completely mess up your hormones if...
