Activism
Life as a White Helmet: The volunteer rescue workers saving civilian lives in Syria
“Every day is a new life” — Also known as The White Helmets, the Syrian Civil Defence is an unarmed, volunteer organisation which helps anyone in need - regardless of their religion or politics - in areas where public services no longer function. They have saved 60,000 lives across Syria and were recognised for their heroic work with a nomination for the 2016 Nobel Peace Prize. Syrian Civil Defence volunteer Mahmood Adam reflects on his work as a White Helmet and on rescuing civilians after the Douma massacre, one of the deadliest attacks of the war.
Written by: Mahmood Adam - as told to Alex King and Laila Kiki
UK government takes enormous step towards medical cannabis legalisation
Cross-party parliamentary enquiry calls for legalisation — Activists, politicians and international investors are piling on the pressure for legalisation and dismantling the barriers to reform. Is it finally time for the UK to catch up with the rest of the world?
Written by: Alex King
“I felt the terror of being completely helpless” - Brazil’s violent crackdown on protest
Police beat the shit out of peaceful protestors in São Paulo — Journalist Luciana Nanci watched anti-coup demonstrations brutally repressed by police with tear gas, stun grenades and water cannons. This is what she saw.
Written by: Luciana Nanci
Young Mexican-Americans talk Trump, the wall, and uncertain futures
Life on the border — Donald Trump is leading the Republican Party charge to the White House. Just yesterday he visited Mexico City, reaffirming his vow to build a wall along their shared border, paid for, his insists, by Mexico. The rhetoric might grab headlines, but how do young Mexican-Americans living on the border feel about the world they know changing? Photojournalist and professor Adriana Yvette Monsalve asked her students to find out.
Written by: Adriana Yvette Monsalve
Living off-grid: Five projects taking sustainability to a whole new level
Kick the carbon footprint — From a couple quitting city life to a completely off-grid eco-village, we take a look at some of the people pioneering a debt-free future that doesn't kill the planet.
Written by: Emily Casey
The housing activists trying to beat property developers at their own game
Taking on the housing crisis — A group of local residents in Haringey, North London, are defying private property developers by bidding for an old hospital site that's for sale. Does this signal a new direction for housing activism in the capital? One that looks at the needs of a community not simply the bottom line?
Written by: Emma Snaith
#WearWhatYouWant: Protest in London over French burkini ban
What happened to Liberté? — In response to the Islamophobic ban on burkini wearing in many parts of France, women protested at the French Embassy in London to call out the prejudice.
Written by: Michael Segalov
The Travel Diary: Smoking joints and shotguns in the 21st century Wild West
What you see along the way — Deep in an Oregon desert, a community seeking freedom and respite from the demands of 21st century American life gathered to smoke, to share, and to celebrate.
Written by: Sean Aaron Bowers
It’s time to stop using mental illness as a political insult
From Where I Stand — For those of us living with mental illness, stigma and prejudice can all too often permeate every part of our everyday lives. When Owen Smith labelled his Labour leadership rival a “lunatic” last night, he showed a complete disregard for some of society’s most vulnerable people.
Written by: Emily Reynolds
British trains are a disgrace, regardless of why Jeremy Corbyn sat on the floor
From Where I Stand — The summer might be slow for news, but it's still no excuse for #Traingate. Yesterday the headlines were filled with stories about why Jeremy Corbyn had sat on the floor of a Virgin train. Big business said it was a choice, Corbyn and his fellow passengers said the carriage was full. The real question is why are British trains so awful?
Written by: Jude Wanga