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A tale of two coffee farmers: how they are surviving the pandemic in Honduras
Nothing to roast about. Quiony Navarro I am a third-generation member of a farming family in Honduras. I fondly remember getting up before dawn every day and riding several miles on the back of a mule to join in the family coffee harvest. You get involved in everything from tastingContinue Reading
Freedom of expression in Kazakhstan still a distant prospect, says prosecuted activist · Global Voices
The political activist Aynur Ilyashev was arrested in April Activist Alnur Ilyashev. Photo used with permission. On the surface, there have been many changes in Kazakhstan in recent years. On March 19, longtime President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who had ruled the country since independence in 1991, stepped down. His successor, Kassym-JomartContinue Reading
Black Lives Matter: decentralised leadership and the problems of online organising
Black Lives Matter doesn't believe in hierarchal structures allowing anyone to take on leadership tasks. Nikal Hallen/EPA In the UK, one of the leading Black Lives Matter groups is BlackLivesMatterUK. But while it is a leading voice, it is at pains to stress that it is not the movement’s “leader”.Continue Reading
Does cannabis really affect memory? Here’s what research currently says
THC and CBD, both cannabis compounds, have very different effects on the brain. Dmytro Tyshchenko/ Shutterstock Cannabis use has long been associated with memory loss. But until now, this notion was largely anecdotal. As researchers begin to look into cannabis and the effect that it has on human health, they’reContinue Reading
Coronavirus: England’s R number is creeping up – does that mean a second wave is on the way?
Since the UK government began lifting pandemic lockdown restrictions, there have been warnings that going too fast would allow the coronavirus to start spreading again. And ever since, there have been reports about parts of the country that have seen the R number – a key measure of the spreadContinue Reading
Government policy has left Muslim students feeling unable to speak up on campus
University students and staff alike reported feeling like they cannot speak their mind due to concerns about the government's Prevent strategy. Amir Ridhwan/Shutterstocl When he first arrived at his university campus, Tom found his roommate was Muslim. He had never met a Muslim and was concerned about living with one.Continue Reading
Why we need to stay alert to the terror threat as the UK reopens
The UK has faced a persistent threat from terrorism over the past decade, with recent attacks focusing on busy public spaces. In June 2020, this threat was highlighted once again by an attack in a public park in Reading. This was the first reported terrorist event in the UK sinceContinue Reading
Fruit picking in a pandemic: Europe’s precarious migrant workers · Global Voices
There’s an exception to Europe’s closed borders: precarious seasonal labour from Romania and Bulgaria “Germany, choke on your asparagus” reads this graffiti in Wedding, Berlin. Photo (c): Maxim Edwards, May 2020. In late June, more than 1,500 workers at a meat processing plant in western Germany contracted COVID-19. Once theContinue Reading
Legal expert: forced birth control of Uighur women is genocide – can China be put on trial?
Uighurs protest outside the Chinese embassy in London in 2019. Karl Nesh/Shutterstock Uighur women in China’s Xinjiang province who have more than the approved number of children are being forcibly sterilised, forced to have abortions or having intra-uterine contraceptive devices (IUDs) inserted without their consent, according to reports that haveContinue Reading
Five activities that can protect your mental and physical health as you age
Exercising with friends is one way of protecting your health as you age. Jenny Sturm/ Shutterstock No one is immune to developing chronic illnesses such as heart disease, cancer or arthritis as they get older. But research shows social activities, like joining clubs, interest groups or volunteering, are linked toContinue Reading