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Gloria Steinem — the iconic feminist journalist who revolutionized work for generations of women to come — has died. She was 92.Steinem passed away in her New York City home on Wednesday, surrounded by those who loved her, The Gloria Steinem Foundation announced Thursday morning."Gloria’s greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard," the foundation stated. "Her words, actions, and example gave people permission to be their truest selves. Gloria lived true to her independent spirit, always with curiosity and a great sense of humor."The cause of death was not revealed.Steinem dedicated her life to causes such as reproductive freedom, domestic violence prevention and workplace gender inequalities.She became a household name in 1963, when she went undercover as a Playboy bunny and exposed the poor conditions workers faced in Hugh Hefner’s clubs.In her later years, Steinem hosted talking circles in her home and wrote a forthcoming book, "???????? ???????????????????????????????????????? ????????????????," according to the foundation."Gloria loved the tradition of lighting signal fires on hills to light the way to the other side of the mountain," they stated. "Lighting your own candle for Gloria makes you part of this global and celestial community circle."Read more about her life and work here.

Claim relating to 1960 attack on hundreds of protesters part of wave of litigation over apartheid crimes in South AfricaThe day dawned brightly on 21 March 1960, as residents of the South African township of Sharpeville gathered to protest against pass laws, which forced “Black, Indian and Coloured” South Africans to carry documents at all times specifying where they were allowed to be.Abraham Mofokeng joined the march, one of dozens organised nationwide by the Pan Africanist Congress (PAC), a breakaway group from the African National Congress (ANC). “The weather was very nice, the sun was out. You could not have suspected that the day would go so horribly,” said Mofokeng, who was then a 20-year-old factory worker. Continue reading...

Lawyer and journalist Katie Phang is questioning the timing of a private Oval Office meeting between President Donald Trump and a bribery-linked Brazilian billionaire.On August 20, Joesley Batista met with Trump, and the following day, the president announced the U.S. would allow up to 300,000 metric tons of imported beef product over the next 90 days, sold at 25 percent below market price, Phang explained in a Wednesday podcast episode. She noted that Batista's company, JBS, processes meat and is the world's largest meatpacker."I'm calling him the Brazilian billionaire beef bro of Donald Trump," Phang said.She characterized the Trump White House as a "pay-to-play kind of place" and noted that the two men reportedly discussed how additional supply from Brazil could help if Trump dropped a 26 percent import tax."It's like you can't even script it, right?" Phang said. "You can't even script it."The arrangement, which Trump framed as relief for "working American families," drew immediate pushback from cattle ranchers who say the move undercuts them, Phang explained."The timing stinks, does it not?" she asked. "Be mad. Farmers, ranchers, those of you that supported Donald Trump, be outraged. Be outraged that your bottom line is being impacted by corruption and grift and graft."Phang tied the deal to a broader pattern and pointed to Pilgrim's Pride — majority-controlled by JBS — as the single largest donor to Trump's inaugural committee at $5 million. The figure prompted a letter from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Phang noted."Its $5 million donation amounts to more than the contributions from Apple's CEO plus Amazon, Meta, and Google combined," Phang said.JBS admitted in 2017 to paying bribes to Brazilian politicians. Joesley and his brother Wesley later served jail time, Phang said."You think that just because they got caught in Brazil bribing politicians to get favorable deals, you think that would stop in Brazil?" Phang asked. "What's to stop them from doing the same thing in America?"The Justice Department is simultaneously running an antitrust probe into the major meatpackers, including Tyson Foods, Cargill, JBS and National Beef, after Trump blamed foreign-owned processors for high prices.

Oil consumption plummets and EV sales soar as analysts say demand may not fully return even if crude price fallsChina’s carbon dioxide emissions fell by 1% after the outbreak of the US-Israeli war on Iran, thanks to a sharp reduction in oil consumption and a steady rise in the use of electric vehicles and public transport, analysis shows.The report reveals the role of clean energy in cushioning the price shocks caused by the strait of Hormuz crisis to the world’s biggest oil importer. It also reinforces hopes that China, which is the world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter, may be nearing a turning point in decarbonising its economy. Continue reading...

Bangladeshi complainants allege Rampal power station’s pollution and climate risks threaten the Sunderbans, a world heritage siteBarclays Bank is facing a formal complaint over its financial links to a coal-fired power station near the Sundarbans, the world’s largest mangrove forest and home to millions of people in Bangladesh and India.Three complainants from the region have submitted a case to the UK government’s Office for Responsible Business Conduct, alleging that the British bank breached international guidelines by underwriting companies involved in the emission-heavy Maitree super thermal power project, also known as the Rampal power plant. Continue reading...

Referendum result means fewer seats in parliament and new rules on candidates, ahead of December electionsGuinea-Bissau voters have approved a new constitution, which critics say will undermine democracy, that significantly expands presidential powers ahead of elections due in December.According to provisional results, 70% of voters approved sweeping changes in the tiny west African state’s first constitutional amendment since revisions that ended the one-party socialist state more than three decades ago. Continue reading...

Speed limit dropped from 60km/h for around 70% of general roads in the hope of making narrow streets of crowded cities saferDrivers on residential roads in Japan have been forced to take their foot off the accelerator, after the speed limit was slashed from 60km/h (37mph) to 30km/h in an attempt to reduce deaths and injuries among pedestrians on narrow urban streets.The new limit, which went into effect on Tuesday, applies to residential roads with no centre line or maximum speed signs, media reports said. Continue reading...

Several missing Australians have been found since Tuesday morning, bringing the total citizens unaccounted for to 38Australians missing in the Nepal floods: what we know so farA total of five Australians missing after devastating floods ravaged the Nepal-Tibet border last week have been found.Of the five Australians confirmed safe, one was found in Nepal, one in Tibet, and three outside the crisis-hit area. The total number still missing is 38. Continue reading...