🗺️ Picks of the Week — Jan. 8
🗺️ Picks of the Week — Jan. 8
Giant Hillside Vagina Irks Brazil's Far-Right, Argentina Legalizes Abortion, Pineapples Turned Into Drones, Australia Amends Anthem, Caribbean Volcanic Activity, China Raids Hong Kong Opposition
Happy Friday folks! Welcome to the first Picks of the Week of the year, where we dissect the most important news from the world. I would say I hope you’ve all seamlessly transitioned back into work after the holidays, but the Trump mob who stormed the U.S. Capitol this week royally fucked that. So instead, we’ll try to distract you with some pretty weird news from around the globe.
This week we’ll travel to Brazil where a 108-foot art installation of a vagina has sparked ire from Brazil’s far-right; Argentina who legalized abortion over the holidays; to the Caribbean where a pair of volcanoes are expected to erupt at any minute; Malaysia where researchers are turning pineapple leaves into drones; Australia who amended its national anthem to pay tribute to its Indigenous peoples; and to Hong Kong where police conducted one of its largest crackdowns yet, arresting 53 activists and political opponents.
Thanks again for reading and enjoy the weekend. Sophie, over to you!
Job Corner
The job board currently has 1,128 jobs across the U.S., UK and Canada. We’ll be driving that number up to 2,000 in the coming weeks. Until then, here’s a preview of some of this week's new jobs… 👇
Data Corner
Indigenous People: The Indigenous World 2020 report, from IWGIA
Abortion Laws: Country-by-country guide on abortion laws, from the Center for Reproductive Rights
Volcanoes: Real-time volcano data, from USGS
Australia Amends National Anthem to Honor Indigenous People
We begin this week in Australia who made a resolution to alter a line in its national anthem that will recognize the long history of its Indigenous people. The lyrics to Advance Australia Fair have changed from “for we are young and free” to “for we are one and free”. It's the first amendment since 1984 when the anthem was adopted to replace God Save the Queen, the UK’s national anthem that’s still used by a number of commonwealth territories.
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the change took nothing away from the country’s identity, and now reflects who the country’s people are. As a nation, Australia continues to grapple with reconciliation with its 800,000 Indigenous population, who have long suffered discrimination and inequality, after inhabiting the land for more than 50,000 years before British colonists arrived. It’s unclear whether Indigenous peoples were consulted about the amendment.
Malaysian Researchers Turn Pineapple Leaves into Drones
Moving north to Malaysia next where a research team from Putra University have found a way to turn discarded pineapple leaves into strong and durable drones. Professor Mohamed Thariq Hameed Sultan said the fibre in pineapple leaves gives the drones a higher strength-to-weight ratio, and meant the drones are lighter, cheaper and easier to dispose of — if a drone is damaged, its frame could be buried and degrade within two weeks.
Prior to the technological breakthrough, many farmers threw away or burned the leaves, causing significant amounts of carbon emissions to be emitted. While the new technology will curb much of the air pollution, farmers will also gain a much needed income boost, who are experiencing the effects of the country’s pandemic-induced economic downturn.
Previous Picks of the Week 👀
🔎 Picks of the Week — December 18
🔎 Picks of the Week — December 11
🔎 Picks of the Week — December 4
🔎 Picks of the Week — November 27
Caribbean Volcanoes Rumble After Decades of Inactivity
We head to the Caribbean islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines next, where scientists have issued orange-level eruption warnings after noting gas, steam, and a volcanic dome over the La Soufrière volcano for the first time since 1979. The orange alert level means the volcano could erupt with less than 24 hours notice, and the government has warned residents to prepare to evacuate from their homes if necessary. La Soufrière’s deadliest volcanic eruption occurred in 1902, killing more than 1,000 people.
Meanwhile, on the neighboring island of Martinique, Mt. Pelee — another volcano known for a much more deadly 1933 eruption that killed 30,000 — also registered seismic activity in December. The two volcanoes coincidentally erupted within hours of each other in May 1902, and volcanologists confirmed that the recent stirring of the two volcanoes is once again a coincidence.
A history of the La Soufriere volcano
China Raids Dozens of Hong Kong Activists
Moving further north next to Hong Kong, where around 1,000 police officers conducted raids that led to the arrest of 53 government opponents, in the largest crackdown since last year’s new national security law that made it easier to criminalize dissent. Those arrested, including American human rights lawyer John Clancey, were rounded up over their organization and participation of unofficial primaries for the postponed council elections last year, which drew 600,000 people.
Several human rights groups condemned the arrests, with Amnesty International claiming the raids were “a blatant attack” on the right to peaceful expression. And incoming U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken called the arrests an “assault on those bravely advocating for universal rights,” and pledged support from the Biden-Harris administration due to take office on January 20. There are serious fears that the arrests are Beijing’s latest move to dismantle its promise to the UK to protect and maintain Hong Kong’s political system until 2047.
Hong Kong police arrest dozens of pro-democracy activists
Argentina Legalizes Abortion
We switch to Latin America now where Argentina ended 2020 on a high when senators passed a historic bill legalizing abortion up until the 14th week of pregnancy. With President Alberto Fernandez’s support already secured, the country’s congress — which previously rejected a 2018 bill to decriminalize abortion — approved it this time after a 12-hour debate. The bill passed 38 to 28, with one abstention. The Catholic country — home to Pope Francis — previously only allowed abortions in cases of rape or if the mother’s health was at risk, and since 1983 illegal abortions have claimed over 3,000 lives.
Tens of thousands of pro-choice and pro-life supporters gathered to watch the vote in Buenos Aires, where it was broadcast on screens outside its congress building. The milestone represents a resounding victory for Argentina’s grassroots feminist movement, which could now inspire neighboring Latin American countries to change their own conservative reproductive laws. Argentina is only the third country in South America to allow elective abortions.
Giant Vagina Sparks Ire of Brazil Far-Right
We end the first Picks of the Week of 2021 in Brazil, where a 108-foot sculpture of a vagina has sparked the ire of Brazil’s far-right. Juliana Notari, the visual artist behind “Diva”, spent 11 months designing and building the piece, and said she wanted the artwork to spark urgent debate over the problematization of gender issues under far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.
Since he was elected, Bolsonaro has been fighting a culture war against Brazil’s left-wing artist community — many of whom oppose his government — in line with his conservative standpoints on nationalism, family, and religion. The country’s president has also made infamously misogynistic comments in the past, having accused a congresswoman of being “worthy of rape.” There are currently only two female ministers in Bolsonaro’s 22-person cabinet.
Said vagina… 👇
That's all for today, see you next week for more job postings and global fun! 👋