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February is LGBT history month and that means that it’s the perfect time to look back at how the community has fought for its right to exist. There have been many tales of hardship and resilience in years gone by, which have all contributed to forming a society where it is now safer than ever to exist outside of the heterosexual norm.  That said, the global fight for equality and acceptance is still far from over. Even this month, younger generations have been fighting for their identity across Europe.  In Turkey, for example, four students from Bogazici University were arrested for publicly displaying artwork that depicted the LGBT rainbow symbol alongside the sacred Islamic site, the Kaaba in Mecca.  The act was in response to the installation of a new university...

The rise of COVID-19 in 2020 saw a revival of attention paid to healthcare, global health, and cases of emergency medicine that the pandemic pressured.  Amidst this global rise, attention on the resurgence of EVD (Ebola Virus Disease) and the strain COVID-19 placed upon this outbreak has not yet gained this level of traction, which is likely because of the current disparity in scale between the two viruses.  But what now needs to be noted are the possible implications of a dual-virus presence in areas affected in the Dominican Republic of Congo (DRC), and a need to research how virus management will be maintained.  What COVID-19 has brought to light within public and political debate is the policy emphasis on military preparedness, preserving security against the t...

The death of Captain Sir Thomas Moore, commonly known as Captain Tom, earlier this month was really thought provoking for me personally. During the Second World War, he fought in Myanmar; the same place that my own Grandfather was mobilised, who's life was irreversibly changed by Dengue fever, the same disease Captain Tom caught during the conflict. Whilst hearing about that definitely made me think, the thing that interested me was the extensive coverage that Captain Tom garnered over the last 10 months since he began his walk to raise money for the NHS. During the early stages of lockdown here in the UK, and as Captain Tom approached his 100th birthday, he began walking 100 lengths of his 125 metre long garden to raise money for the NHS, aiming to raise £1000 before he became a cente...

The month of February is very much a month of celebration; the UK celebrates it as LGBTQ+ month, the Americans celebrate it as Black History Month and within all that the whole world celebrates it as the month of love. What this year’s February is not celebrating is the impeachment of Donald Trump; it is hard to feel the love in the air when he has successfully avoided the consequences of his actions.  What we can celebrate is the fact that he was held accountable for his actions, that his pedestal is not as high anymore within the Republican party and mainly that he is no longer the President of the United States; so maybe there is still a reason to celebrate this month. Aside from Donald Trump other events need to be acknowledged and celebrated. In the UK it is officially LGBTQ+...

“This is not America, they’re shooting at us. They’re supposed to shoot BLM, but they’re shooting the patriots." On January 6, 2021, the United States Congress was evacuated for the first time since the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, and it was the first time the Capitol has been breached by American citizens. After marching throughout DC in the morning, and listening to Trump's incendiary speech to the mask-less thousands, the angry pack of men and women converged towards the Capitol, a supposed beacon of democracy around the world. The crowds were a mix of MAGA enthusiasts who were dressed head to toe in stars and stripes, or Trump paraphernalia; and those who were more obviously there for the fight, wearing helmets, flak jackets, military gear; holding makeshift shie...

January 6th 2021 will go down in history, not only because it was the first week of a new year after a disastrous 2020, not only because it was one of the deadliest days in American history as white supremacists, those white ‘terrorists’ stormed the Capitol building further demonstrating their white privilege to the whole world. But what has now been overlooked is the success the Democrats had in the special run-off elections in Georgia. The run-off elections in Georgia were due to the fact that there was not enough of a majority in the General Election back in November with neither candidate gaining over 50% of the vote and therefore not clearing the state mandate to be able to claim victory. In this case it was the two Democrats Jon Ossoff and Rev. Raphael Warnock; for the Republican...

Let’s face it, 2020 was a write-off of a year. A global pandemic combined with historic societal tremors has left our world in a state of disrepair, so it’s no wonder that people were so keen to see the back of it.  Admittedly, both of those problems still exist. Unfortunately, when the clock struck midnight and the new year arrived, there was no magic switch to get rid of all our woes. But nevertheless, the new year gives us collective hope. It’s a milestone which points us in the right direction. Yes, the pandemic is still here, and yes there is still much work to do to remedy the systemic inequalities that exist in human society, but 2021 is a sign of progression.  Although Covid-19 is still rife in the United Kingdom, we can take solace from the advancements of vaccine...

2020 was a challenging year for us all. During the lockdown, we spent countless hours with our loved ones. However, for some, they experienced not only domestic violence but also emotional and mental abuse.  Being locked up with family members for an extended period is hard to deal with. However, for some, it was a lot harder. During the lockdown, many lost their job, which caused stress and pressure. As well as this, many were irritated as the lockdown meant that you were not allowed to go out. All of the frustration created from the lockdown triggered an outburst on loved ones. Even though some might not have meant to, it caused a strain in their relationship and the victim’s well-being.  The police recorded 206,492 violence against the person offences flagged as domesti...

During 2020 it became easier to focus on the negatives and to become lost among global pandemic news consuming media, government and public attention.  It was also the year that saw ‘Black Lives Matter’ (BLM) protests gain international media traction, another increase in reporting on the continued repression of Uighur Muslims in Xinjang China, and a refocus on the achievability of the upcoming Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s). These are few of many important human rights discussions taking place across the global stage, and some of which caused a subsequent surge in the use of social media for activism.  What this transcended into was an increased attention on human rights campaigns and organisations facilitating them, including Amnesty International and the Unite...