Dehorning rhinos tips the balance against poaching – new study: Black and white rhino populations in the Greater Kruger (Kruger National Park and surrounding reserves) in South Africa have plummeted from over 10,000 rhinos in 2010 to around 2,600 in 2023. Hundreds of rhinos are killed each year by poachers for their horns. These are …
One lawsuit just helped melt the fossil fuel industry’s defence against being held accountable for climate change: There was a time when oil and gas companies happily linked themselves to the idea of planet-wide environmental changes. “Each day Humble supplies enough energy to melt 7 million tons of glacier!” boasts the headline from a 1962 …
Birkin vs Wirkin: the backlash against the global elite and their luxury bags – podcast: Tony Neil Thompson/Shutterstock The Birkin bag made by French luxury retailer Hermès has become a status symbol for the global elite. Notoriously difficult to obtain, the world’s rich obsess over how to get their hands on one. But when US …
Former Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte arrested for crimes against humanity – a blow against impunity: The arrest of Rodrigo Duterte, who served as president of the Philippines between 2016 and 2022, for crimes against humanity for his part in the country’s violent “war on drugs” is a welcome blow against impunity. Duterte was arrested on March …
German party leaders are united against immigration – but there is little evidence for a key part of their argument: As Germany elects its next Bundestag, migration remains one of the most important issues to voters. But politicians are not debating how to attract the 288,000 migrants the country needs every year to maintain its …
Experts have challenged the medical case against Lucy Letby. What about the statistical evidence?: An international panel of medical experts have thrust Lucy Letby back into the spotlight. At a press conference convened by Letby’s legal team, the experts cast doubt over the former nurse’s conviction. Letby was given 15 whole-life sentences for murdering seven …
Child support in South Africa: mothers speak about the struggle to get fathers to pay in a system rigged against women: Child maintenance – the duty to support a child – is more than a right. It ensures children have their basic needs met. It also means single mothers don’t have to shoulder the responsibility …
How education in the US has been weaponised against Native Americans: Sioux boys as they arrived at the Indian Training School at Carlisle Barracks, 1879. Miscellaneous Items in High Demand, PPOC, Library of Congress, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons November is National Native American Heritage Month in the US. This should be an opportunity for …
Africa’s making progress against HIV, but donor funds are drying up – what must change: Remarkable progress has been made against the HIV epidemic in the last two decades. However, a loss of momentum in fighting HIV across the globe threatens to undermine the strides that have been made. There is a crisis in sustainability …
The Moana effect: how small island developing states are bringing their struggle against climate change to the world: Walking through the delegation pavilion at the UN climate summit, Cop29, in Baku, Azerbaijan, the Moana blue Pacific pavilion grabbed my attention more than any other. This pavilion is named after the spirited young girl from the …
South Africa’s fight against extreme poverty needs a new strategy – model shows how social grants could work: South Africa has been struggling for decades to reduce poverty, inequality and unemployment and raise the rate of economic growth. Economic growth has been slow since a recession in 2008. The annual growth rate averaged 1.1% between …
Just Stop Oil’s harsh sentences are the logical outcome of Britain’s authoritarian turn against protest: Lengthy prison sentences have been imposed on five Just Stop Oil activists for coordinating direct action on the M25, the main ring road around London. For a non-violent protest, there is no equivalent in modern times. The five years for …
Khorasan: why many Afghanistan citizens are pushing back against the term’s association with terrorism: The Mausoleum of Ali, which is located in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan, is a site of cultural significance for Khorasan. Mushtaq B/Shutterstock Gunmen attacked Moscow’s Crocus City Hall concert venue in March, killing 137 people. The four suspects were purportedly aligned to the …
Students on the frontline: South Africa and the US share a history of protest against white supremacy: Every year on 16 June, South Africa commemorates the revolt of black school children against the inferior “bantu education” system on that day in 1976. The horror of police shooting and killing unarmed children caused a global uproar. …
‘It’s between us and gangs’: teachers are on the front line against youth violence: chronicler/Shutterstock Gang violence and knife crime threaten the lives and future of young people. Figures from the Office of National Statistics show that in London, knife crime increased by 22% in the year up to September 2023. County line gangs have …
Scrapping FA Cup replays has upset smaller clubs, but they could still win from being matched against the top sides: Newport County took on Manchester City in the 2019 FA Cup. Jacek Wojnarowski/Shutterstock Football fans delight in historic moments enjoyed by their club. Exeter City supporters for example, will have fond memories of the FA …
How Sicilians are resetting their social norms to strengthen future generations against mafia influence: Bearing witness to the profound consequences of violence and injustice for a long period of time can deeply fracture communities, resulting in collective trauma. But, where there is oppression, a determined resistance will always rise to challenge it. One such example …
African countries can’t resolve their debt crisis under a system rigged against them: The debt situation in many African countries has escalated again to a critical juncture. Twenty are in, or at risk of, debt distress. Three pivotal elements significantly contribute to this. Firstly, the rules governing the international banking system favour developed countries and …