Photo: Johan Mouchet/Unsplash (CC0)
In today’s edition, we’re exploring a first-of-its-kind legislation between Australia’s First Peoples and the Victorian parliament, Zohran Mamdani’s landslide win making him New York’s first Muslim mayor, and the EHRC’s new ruling to strengthen climate accountability for fossil fuel projects.
In a first for the nation, legislation to officially enshrine a democratically elected body for First Peoples has been passed in Victoria’s parliament. The now-permanent consultative body has already temporarily existed for five years, with data suggesting it’s already led to better relationships between the government and first peoples.
Source: ABC News
Zohran Mamdani is also the first person of South Asian descent to hold the position, as well the youngest in over a century. Campaign promises include making buses fare-free, freezing stabilised rents, providing universal childcare, increasing the minimum wage by 2030 and raising taxes on big corporations and the wealthiest 1%.
Source: NPR
The European Court of Human Rights has confirmed that states have a legal duty to consider the full climate consequences of new oil and gas projects before issuing production licences. The ruling builds on previous cases that have set new precedents: in July, the UN’s top court said that “a clean, healthy and sustainable environment” is a human right.
Source: Euronews
Often described as the biggest shake-up to rental rights in England for over three decades, new protections include the end of no-fault evictions, rolling rental contracts instead of fixed term agreements, and a ban on discriminating against prospective tenants who receive benefits or who have children, amongst many other changes.
Source: BBC News
Data suggests that those without stable housing are at a higher risk of diabetes-related complications and often lack the care they need. In Calgary, a diabetes bus brings care directly to places like The Alex Community Health Centre, where those who are homeless or who have lower incomes may visit.
Source: CBC
In warzones, downed cellular towers often make mobile phones useless, but messaging apps which use internet services are still able to operate. In modern warfare, crisis, and strife, services like WhatsApp have increasingly served as essential tools not just for refugees, but also for healthcare workers, aid workers, and all boots-on-the-ground personnel.
Source: Good Good Good
South California’s scorching climate can make everyday work a challenge, but for farm labourers, it’s also increasingly dangerous. A team from San Diego State University are working to better understand the consequences of heat stress on outdoor workers in order to protect them in the face of climate change.
Source: AP News
Facing a growing housing shortage and worsening floods, the Netherlands are turning to a novel solution: floating communities. Although this style of construction is common across the world, from Cambodia to the Maldives and beyond, they’ve yet to catch on in a big way in Western Europe.
Source: BBC News
Mahnoor Omer is challenging the country’s “period tax”, which sees only a small proportion of women in Pakistan able to buy sanitary pads thanks to high taxes and duties which, according to Unicef, can add up to 40% to the retail price.
Source: The Guardian
At the Superhumans centre in Ukraine, the EnterDJ music therapy programme teaches war-wounded soldiers how to mix, rehabilitating them with dance music and providing purpose and opportunities to perform.
Source: The Guardian
