Matador Network's Blog, page 831

Prague converts unused ice vaults

Prague is making good use of all the space it has at its disposal by transforming old ice vaults along the Vltava River into cafes, clubs, studios, workshops, galleries, a library branch, space for neighborhood meetings, and public toilets. Previously used to store ice, the vaults will now be converted into multi-purpose spaces with large, round portholes that look out onto the water.

Photo: Petr Janda / brainwork/Facebook and BoysPlayNice

The $7.2 million redevelopment project started in 2009 as part of a riverfront revitalization. Over the past 10 years, the riverfront has slowly evolved into a cultural and social space. Now, 20 vaults have been renovated to make them suitable for their new tenants.

Photo: Petr Janda / brainwork/Facebook and BoysPlayNice

Photo: Petr Janda / brainwork/Facebook and BoysPlayNice

Petr Janda and Brainworks architects, who designed the project, told Lonely Planet, “The reaction from the public was the warmest we have ever received. We hope this realization will bring new standards to public space architecture that works with community activation. The main idea was to open the dark inner spaces in the riverfront walls to the sunlight and with them into contact with the river as much as possible.”

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US tariffs on European chocolate

There’s already a ban on travelers from the European Union entering the United States, but now European delicacies are also getting hit with restrictions. As part of a US-European dispute over government subsidies to aircraft makers, the US may introduce tariffs on European olives, chocolate, gin, beer made with malt, and more. The US Trade Representative announced a list of 30 products that could be hit with tariffs.

Even the World Trade Organization (WTO) is siding with the US on this one. In 2018, the WTO determined that the EU helped Airbus with unfair subsidies that hurt sales of Boeing jets. The WTO also found that Boeing had received unfair tax breaks from Washington state, but even though Washington removed the tax breaks, the EU is still threatening tariffs on US goods in response.

Of the new tariffs, the EU said in a statement, “It creates uncertainty for companies and inflicts unnecessary economic damage on both sides of the Atlantic. This is particularly the case as companies are now trying to overcome the economic difficulties in the aftermath of the Covid-19 crisis.”

According to the EU, the only way to settle this dispute is through negotiations, not more tariffs. It remains to be seen, however, if the two sides will come to an agreement before our favorite chocolates are taxed.

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Yemen humanitarian crisis

It’s been more than two years since the United Nations first called the situation in Yemen the worst humanitarian crisis in the world, and since then the situation has merely deteriorated. Enduring a civil war since 2015, millions of Yemenis have fled their homes or are on the brink of starvation. With coronavirus, an already desperate situation has become catastrophic.

“The armed conflict between the Saudi-led coalition and the Houthi armed group as well as the humanitarian crisis has contributed to creating unspeakable suffering for millions of civilians,” Afrah Nasser, a Yemen researcher for Human Rights Watch (HRW), tells Matador by email. “Now the pandemic is only another disaster within the already humanitarian disaster in the country.”

Yet just as Yemen needs the world’s help more than ever, it is getting less. At the end of March, as the pandemic tore into the country, the Trump Administration drastically cut humanitarian funding to Yemen to protest Houthi interference in the provision of assistance.

“USAID basically has decided to make a political point,” Scott Paul, humanitarian policy lead for Oxfam, says. “They want to demonstrate to the Houthis that no one should get in the way of, or intrude, or interfere in the work of humanitarian agencies. So they basically just cut off almost all of the assistance going to the north.”

Paul says that while both parties in the conflict have attempted to place “unacceptable” control over the delivery of humanitarian assistance, the move by USAID, the US’s international aid and development agency, has “given other parties the moral high ground to say it’s the US starving people for a political agenda and not them.”

He later adds that he thinks “there’s some truth to that. USAID is putting some of the world’s most vulnerable and at-risk people in the middle of a dispute, rather than trying to help where we can.”

Today, funding levels are plummeting when they’re needed more than ever. Just three weeks ago, a UN donor event co-hosted by Saudi Arabia raised only $1.35 billion of the $2.4 billion needed to keep the country from total collapse.

“The funding situation for humanitarian work in Yemen is, frankly speaking, dire,” says Riona Judge McCormack, Yemen spokesperson for the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). “Despite COVID-19 worsening the situation on every front, NGOs in Yemen actually have less money coming in than at any time in the last three years.”

Photo: anasalhajj/Shutterstock

Yemen was already the poorest country in the region and highly dependent on food imports when war broke out in 2014. That year, Houthi fighters, Zaydi Shia Muslims from the north, seized control of the capital Sana’a and demanded the resignation of President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi. Although the Houthi represent a unique type of Shia Islam, they were historically supported by Iran, which is a Shia Muslim nation that often finds itself at odds with the Sunni Muslim world.

Concerned about Iran’s involvement, Saudi Arabia and eight other countries with Sunni majority populations mounted an air offensive against the Houthi in mid-2015. The war is still dragging on. Although President Hadi was reinstated, he is in exile in Saudi Arabia. In the meantime, Al Qaeda and Islamic State militants have taken advantage of the chaos to seize territory of their own in Yemen.

The United States has provided material and logistical support to Saudi Arabia, which is the largest purchaser of US weapons. President Trump has boasted that those arms sales are massive job creators, but his numbers have been debunked.

President Trump has also vetoed efforts to end US support for a conflict that many observers say violates human rights. In fact, a UN Human Rights Commission report said the US, in its support of Saudi Arabia, may be complicit in war crimes in Yemen.

“For the past five years now, under two administrations, the US has been selling weapons to one side of the conflict,” Paul, from Oxfam, says.

Throughout all of this, it’s the Yemeni people who suffer. Of the country’s 28.5 million people, 24 million need humanitarian assistance and 3.6 million have been forced to leave their homes, according to the UNHCR. Moreover, both Saudi Arabia and the Houthi faction have bombed civilian targets and directly attacked hospitals and even physicians — adding to the suffering of ordinary Yemenis and destroying any hope of coping with the pandemic.

“The country cannot fight both a war and COVID-19.”

“Civilians in Yemen are facing the pandemic with no fully functioning healthcare system,” Nasser says. “More than half of Yemen’s health facilities are closed or partially functioning. Since 2015, parties to the conflict have targeted not only medical facilities but also medical personnel, as health workers have been threatened, injured, abducted, detained, and killed.

“Consequently, many medical professionals have fled Yemen, further damaging the ability of the healthcare system to respond to a pandemic,” Nasser adds. She said that although fewer than 1000 cases of COVID-19 were reported, the actual numbers are believed to be much higher.

The slashing of humanitarian aid has crippled efforts to slow the spread of the virus. Over a million displaced Yemenis are living in encampments with no running water. Simple supplies like soap are hard to find. Aid agencies already working to meet this need are now coping with a funding shortage.

“We’re particularly worried right now about water,” Judge McCormack says. “At NRC, we’re already seeing entire districts cut back to half their usual water volumes, because the funding to run generators or send water by truck has already dried up. At any time, this would be shocking, but in the middle of a pandemic which can only be fought by handwashing and good hygiene it is unconscionable.”

Although, in May, USAID did provide an additional $225 million in aid to Yemen, that remains well short of the funds needed. Aid organizations insist that they are able to work in Yemen, and that humanitarian aid should continue to flow even as they acknowledge the difficulties presented by the civil war.

“We are in a moment that requires truly global solidarity.”

“Due to the ongoing conflict and the sheer scale of the needs, Yemen is a highly complicated environment to work in, but humanitarian agencies like ourselves are continuing to reach those who most need our help,” Judge McCormack said.

UNICEF has called the conflict in Yemen, “A living hell for children.” Judge McCormack described the agony for families who have had to be uprooted from their ancestral homes and their livelihoods, as their villages and farms have been destroyed, and as their family members have been killed.

“The impact on children is particularly severe,” Judge McCormack says. “It’s children and their families we’re seeing every day, arriving in desert areas or muddy fields with almost no belongings, having fled everything they’ve ever known. Two million children are suffering from acute malnutrition — that’s the kind of malnutrition that quadruples their risk of dying.”

Judge McCormack adds that “there is a shocking discrepancy between the money spent fighting this war and what’s been provided to save innocent civilians from its effects. Now is not the time to cut funding. COVID-19 is hitting a country with few defences and a population already weakened by hunger and other diseases.”

As this is happening, the resilience of the Yemeni people cannot be forgotten. They have worked hard to help each other. Judge McCormack points to the fact that 92 percent of the people working for NRC to provide aid in Yemen are from Yemen itself. But the civil war has been relentless, and without a ceasefire, ending this living hell seems next to impossible.

“There is an urgent need for a ceasefire in Yemen,” Judge McCormack says. “The country cannot fight both a war and COVID-19. Even in the middle of the pandemic, with cases hitting a peak, we’re seeing airstrikes and fighting raging on. Thousands of civilians are still fleeing each week, and healthcare facilities are still being attacked.”

The overwhelming majority, 95 percent, of Yemenis want a ceasefire. Judge McCormack says that “all parties on the ground must immediately lay down their weapons and focus on battling Covid-19.”

And while the war seems intractable, US citizens are not powerless. They can tell their congress members and senators that they disapprove of arms sales to Saudi Arabia and want the US to use its leverage to work toward a ceasefire.

“This is a complex and multifaceted conflict,” Paul says. “There is no good side and bad side, and if we’re serious about demonstrating the credibility to be a peace broker, to solve the largest humanitarian crisis in the world, we can’t be an arms broker to one side.”

US citizens should also voice their desire to see the US to lift the suspension of aid to Yemen.

“We are in a moment that requires truly global solidarity,” Paul says. “COVID is not affecting people just in one country. It’s affecting people everywhere. And in line with the response of Congress and of Americans for many decades, we want to do our part to help.”

While Congress’ efforts to stop US support for Saudi Arabia were previously vetoed by Trump, Americans can let their representatives know that they care about his humanitarian crisis. With enough votes, vetoes can be overridden. And with enough public dissatisfaction, presidents can change their course.

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Virtual Pride around the world

COVID-19 might’ve led to the cancellation and postponement of nearly 500 Pride events worldwide, but there’s one thing the coronavirus forgot to consider before it decided to rain on June’s parades. The LGBTQ community lives by the immortal words of Gloria Gaynor. Surviving is not an option — it’s an absolute.

Deadly pandemics? We’ve been there, done that, and bought the pink-triangle tee. Stay-at-home orders? Keeping us in can’t stop us from coming out. Police brutality? Pass us the bricks. Queer folx survived repression for centuries, and no pathogen can prevent us from finding a way to celebrate our strength.

Since the pandemic began, the LGBTQ community didn’t just learn how to work from home — we learned how to werq from home. As a result, Pride in 2020 has gone virtual, and June has been so jam-packed with live streams, telecasts, and Zoom parties that the illness you’re most likely to catch this week is FOMO… as long as you continue to wash your hands, practice physical distancing, and wear a goddamn mask.

To ensure you stay healthy for the rest of the month, here’s a list of the best international Pride events to help you make the most of this week.

1. Global Pride — June 27

Photo: Global Pride 2020/Facebook

As hundreds of organizations canceled Pride events this past spring, InterPride, the European Pride Organisers Association, and national Pride networks around the world banded together to create Global Pride — an international event celebrating queer solidarity.

The 24-hour festival, which takes place on June 27, will feature speeches by so many political leaders it’ll feel like the UN is throwing a Pride party themselves. Former US Vice President Joe Biden, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Costa Rican President Carlos Alvarado Quesada, and Prince Manvendra Singh Gohil of India are a few of those attending. You can also expect performances by Adam Lambert, Pussy Riot, Brazillian drag queen Pabllo Vittar, and everyone’s favorite gay daddies — the Village People — along with a dozen other exceptional artists. Todrick Hall will host — in a matching mask, glove, soap, and scrub set, we hope.

With organizers projecting up to 300 million viewers, Global Pride has the potential to be the most well-attended and inclusive queer celebration in history. Sign up for the event on Facebook.

2. NYC Pride — now until June 28

Last June, World Pride attracted around five-million participants to the epicenter of the modern LGBTQ rights movement in Manhattan. Although people aren’t sashaying in front of Stonewall’s rainbow-strewn runway this year (unless you’re attending the Queer Liberation March on June 28), NYC Pride is still hosting tons of virtual events so millions more can celebrate from home.

If you’re a fan of The Front Runner, or identify closely with Sporty Spice, sign up for the virtual 5K Pride Art Run and complete the race in your glitziest rainbow attire before June 28th to be eligible for prizes. Share your run on Instagram by tagging @Runstreet.

The most poignant event of NYC Pride is always The Rally, which will take place on Friday from 5:00-8:00 PM ET via Facebook and Youtube. Trans journalist Ashlee Marie Preston and trans actor Brian Michael Smith will lead conversations on police brutality and discrimination — the main catalysts for both the Stonewall Uprising and the protests taking place today.

Whatever you decide to do with your quaran-time, don’t miss NYC’s final event on June 28. ABC will air New York’s 50th-anniversary celebration of the first Pride march from noon to 2:00 PM with Grand Marshals Dan Levy (Schitt’s Creek), Victoria Cruz (LGBTQ activist and survivor of the Stonewall Uprising), Yanzi Peng (director of LGBT Rights Advocacy China), and The Ali Forney Center (a non-profit dedicated to protecting homeless LGBTQ youth). If a performance by queer music icon Janelle Monáe isn’t enough to make you open your Dirty Computer and tune in, Margaret Cho, Deborah Cox, Miss Richfield 1981, or special-guest host Carson Kressley should do the trick.

3. Pride Toronto — now until June 30

Although Toronto’s nickname — Queen City — isn’t a commentary on its robust queer community, there’s no doubt this Ontario town wears the Canadian crown when it comes to LGBTQ culture. Just check out their digital Pride options for proof. Toronto is rolling out queer events every day of the month, culminating in the two-day Blockorama festival on the 28th and 29th, with a line up of artists and activists curated by a committee of local Black queer and trans community members from Blackness Yes!

For those unwilling to wait until the 28th for queer content, fear not — there’s a Trans Rally on Friday, a Dyke Rally on Saturday, an online Pride parade on Sunday, and a human rights series about body positivity on Monday. See the full calendar of events on the Pride Toronto website.

4. San Francisco Pride — June 27-28

Photo: San Francisco Pride/Facebook

San Francisco, America’s OG capital of queer, will host a weekend-long tribute to the LGBTQ community with 13 hours of performances featuring local celebrities and international stars. New Orleans-based bounce musician Big Freedia headlines Saturday’s events; Grammy-winning songstress Thelma Houston will take the stage Sunday; and artists like Betty Who, Dorian Electra, and David Hernandez will fill out the rest of the musical program.

For social-change warriors, check out the National Center for Lesbian Rights Executive Director Imani Rupert Gordon discussing Black Lives Justice. For pop-music megafans, Kim Petras will explore the history of LGBTQ music (which better include a mash-up of I Don’t Want It At All and Material Girl). There’ll be no shortage of SF’s whacky drag darlings, either. Heklina, Peaches Christ, Sister Roma, and Honey Mahogany will all make appearances. Other must-see events include the Trans March 2020 on June 26, Illuminate the Pink Triangle on June 27, and a CBS television special — Fifty Years of SF Pride — on June 28. Click here for a full calendar of events.

5. Susanne Bartsch’s On Top of the World: Pride 2020 — June 28

Susanne Bartsch, the nightlife impresario known for producing performances on the cutting edge of cool, will lead a three-hour Pride show this Sunday from 6:00-9:00 PM ET. Entitled On Top of the World, Bartsch’s international lineup of queer icons will do what tops do best — leave you wanting more, even after everyone has finished. A few notable guests include US celebs Latrice Royale and Amanda Lepore, Berlin babes Hungry and Baby Jane, Tokyo’s Jun Nakayama, and London’s Mouse. With her knack for finding and celebrating boundary-breaking performance artists, you can bet Bartsch’s Pride party will be far from cookie cutter. Click here to purchase tickets and check out a full list of performers. A portion of the proceeds will directly benefit the Ali Forney Center in NYC.

6. Pride Live’s Stonewall Day — June 26

On Friday, Logo’s YouTube and Facebook channels will stream a star-studded benefit featuring a special message from the person queer America misses most right now: Barack Obama. Joining him will be friendly faces like Cynthia Erivo, Luke Evans, Katy Perry, Christian Siriano, Dustin Lance Black, and George Takei. The event, which takes place from 12:45-3:00 PM ET, will raise funds for LGBTQ advocacy groups, including The Ally Coalition, Brave Space Alliance, TransLatin@ Coalition, and Trans Lifeline. No orange-faced megalomaniacs allowed.

7. Cincinnati Black Pride — now until June 28

Photo: Cincinnati Black Pride/Facebook

Cincy Black Pride began hosting a series of digital events aimed at both local and national audiences on June 17, starting with a conversation led by public health officials and civic leaders discussing the impact of COVID-19 on the black LGBTQ community. On June 25, the third annual Black Alphabet Film Festival will showcase King Ester, about a trans woman living in New Orleans, along with the critically acclaimed movies Rafiki and Wolf. From the 25th to the 28th, DJs will be spinning everything from Caribbean swirl to post-Motown classics so listeners can cut a rug right in their living room.

8. Dublin Pride — June 28

You might not find gold at the end of an Irish rainbow, but you may stumble upon something even better — the Digital Dublin Pride Festival, which features fantastic queer events all week long. The festivities culminate in a virtual parade this Sunday at 2:00 PM Irish time, hosted by Paul Ryder and Eddie McGuinness. The Lord Mayor of Dublin and local front-line workers will lead the celebration, which will showcase enough community organizations and LGBTQ individuals to make you feel the luck of the Irish, even if it’s from the comfort of your home. Visit Dublin Pride on Facebook to watch.

9. Pride! Barcelona — June 27

Barcelona is Spain’s second-largest city, but when it comes to celebrating Pride, this Meditteranean metropole takes first place. Even though Pride! Barcelona won’t be heading to the city’s cobblestoned streets and sandy beaches in 2020, it will still create a safe space for LGBTQ locals this week by taking over the television station Betevé with queer-centric programming. The content will be visible worldwide, ensuring this Catalonian kingdom retains its title as Espana’s number-one LGBTQ hotspot. Check the schedule for a full list of events.

10. Seattle’s Pink Prom and Pride — June 27

Photo: Seattle Pride/Facebook

Famous for its quirky drag scene (we’re looking at you, Dina Martina) and welcoming queer spaces (shout out to Queer/Bar), Seattle is one of the most outwardly progressive places for LGBTQ residents in the US. It comes as no surprise, then, that the city’s virtual Pride initiative offers tons of opportunities for locals to connect. For young folx, try Lambert House’s Pink Prom and Pride on June 27. Hosted via Minecraft Java Edition and Discord, the event gives people between 13 and 22 a safe, sober space to play games, compete in building competitions, and celebrate Pride with like-minded individuals.

11. Los Angeles Pride — June 27

Tinsel town’s Pride festivities are heading to the TV screen on June 27 for the first time in history. The three-hour event will air on the city’s local ABC7 station from 8:00-11:00 PM PT; you can also watch it on ABC7.com and Hulu. Expect to see interviews and stories celebrating LA’s role in the LGBTQ rights movement, along with performances and appearances by Alex Newell, Trixie Mattel, Leslie Jordan, MJ Rodriguez, Pete Buttigieg, Jane Fonda, Laverne Cox, and many more. Reverend Troy Perry, the founder of the LGBTQ-inclusive Metropolitan Community Church, serves as this year’s Community Grand Marshal.

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Mouth Rushmore fireworks pushback

Few monuments seem more patriotic than South Dakota’s Mount Rushmore, so you might think it’s the perfect place for a July 4 celebration. President Trump’s plans for a July 4 fireworks display at Mount Rushmore, however, are being criticized by Native Americans who view the monument as a profane symbol of the land stolen from them. Native American groups are planning protests for the president’s visit on July 3, which is also slated to include a fighter jet flyover.

Nick Tilsen, a member of the Oglala Lakota tribe and president of the NDN Collective activist organization, said, “Mount Rushmore is a symbol of white supremacy, of structural racism that’s still alive and well in society today. It’s an injustice to actively steal indigenous people’s land then carve the white faces of the conquerors who committed genocide.”

And it’s not just Native Americans who take issue with the celebration.

In a statement, the Coalition to Protest America’s National Parks said, “While we fully understand the desire to celebrate the founding of our nation, shooting off fireworks at Mount Rushmore National Memorial is ill-advised and unsafe, particularly as we continue to grapple with the ongoing impacts of COVID-19.”

And beyond the risks associated with crowds in the time of a pandemic, there are serious environmental issues surrounding the event.

The fireworks display at Mount Rushmore was stopped in 2009 out of the concerns that it could lead to wildfires in the forested land around the monument. This year, dry conditions make the event very risky, explains South Dakota News Watch. The statement from Coalition to Protect America’s National Parks also explains that, in the past, the event was linked to “pollution of groundwater which has gradually been improving since the cessation of the event in 2009.”

It’s highly unlikely, however, that Trump will take either group’s grievances into account.

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What to know about coral bleaching

Coral is an irreplaceable part of the global ecosystem, protecting coastlines and harboring thousands of species of fish. Australia’s Great Barrier Reef alone is home to more than 1,500 types of fish. The stunning coral-covered reefs that draw scuba divers and fishing tours also protect coastlines from erosion and other threats, and they’re the locations of both famous surf breaks and some of our most pristine wild environments.

Coral is an animal, not a plant. It is, in fact, the largest such organism on Earth that originated biologically. Yet, when coral makes the news, it’s often due to its consistent decline worldwide. In the Caribbean, for example, The Guardian reported an 80 percent decline of live coral coverage of the region’s reefs since the 1960s. The Great Barrier Reef off northeastern Australia has experienced a 50 percent loss since 1985, according to the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

Beneath the surface, however, not all hope is lost for the world’s coral. By understanding what threatens coral, and how we can take action to minimize further damage, these fragile but invaluable ecosystems can grow and thrive around the world.

What are the threats to the world’s coral?

Photo: Ethan Daniels/Shutterstock

Coral faces numerous threats — the great thorny starfish, for example, as well as increased coastal development and ocean pollution. But the biggest threat to its health is climate change. Rising global temperatures caused by everyday activities such as the burning of fossil fuels lead to increased ocean surface temperatures, which causes both coral bleaching and the melting of ice in polar regions, which then flows into the ocean. The resulting sea-level rise leads to increased sedimentation along coastal areas and in their surrounding reefs.

In addition, “coral bleaching” events are caused by drastic shifts in ocean temperatures, primarily warmer temperatures. Bleached coral loses its color, becoming “bleached,” signifying a stark change in its wellbeing. Coral bleaching takes place when coral loses its primary source of nutrition, algae. Hotter than normal water temperatures cause coral to expel algae from its tissue, resulting in a loss of nutrients. When this happens, the coral turns white — hence the term “coral bleaching.”

Though warm waters are the most common cause, colder water temperatures can also cause coral bleaching. The Florida Keys experienced this in 2010. NOAA reported water temperatures dropping over 12 degrees from normal in January of that year, the rapid temperature drop causing a bleaching event on the reefs surrounding the keys.

Temperature changes can also be the result of an influx of freshwater into the ocean.

If the surrounding water temperature doesn’t return to a more hospitable range for the coral, it will not be able to grow and will eventually die off. Bleaching events often last an entire season. Bleached coral doesn’t mean dead coral, however. Think of coral bleaching as coral’s equivalent to the extreme cough that often accompanies pneumonia in humans, a sign of severe distress and vulnerability. Bleached coral is extremely susceptible to disease and suffers from severely inhibited growth rates. The declining coral coverage on the world’s reefs results from its inability to grow, which can be caused by a stressful environment.

A quick timeline of mass coral bleachings

Photo: I Shafiq/Shutterstock

The first recorded mass coral bleaching event happened in 1982-83 as a result of El Niño, a weather pattern that has consistently ravaged the world’s coral reef systems. The El Niño season of 1998 resulted in the first global mass coral bleaching event. The 2014-2017 El Nino weather pattern resulted in the most devastating coral bleaching event since monitoring began. In 2015, NOAA declared the third mass global bleaching event, due in large part to record-high ocean temperatures around the world.

The Great Barrier Reef experienced the most stress between February and May of that year. By June, AIMS had recorded a mortality rate of 22 percent for the Great Barrier Reef, and scientists around the world had cataloged what would prove to be the worst coral die-off ever recorded.

Climate change is making these events worse and making smaller bleaching events more common.

What you can do to help the world’s coral

Photo: Ethan Daniels/Shutterstock

The persistent threats faced by coral reefs are a prime example of the destruction that man-made climate change is wreaking on the world’s natural habitats. Coral bleaching is a visible mark of this impact. As off-putting as shots of pure-white coral are, they can also serve as a stark motivator to instigate change. The actions necessary to protect coral are in line with many of the common ways individuals can combat broader climate change, from simple everyday actions like recycling and avoiding single-use plastics to broader steps like transitioning to renewable energy and avoiding gas-powered, single-occupancy vehicles as much as possible. By doing what you can to reduce your carbon footprint, you are helping to give bleached coral and sea life that depends on it a renewed chance at life.

If you are in a position to donate or volunteer, many non-profits work on causes related to ocean conservation. Among the most vocal are the Ocean Conservancy, 50 Reefs, and the Coral Reef Alliance. Many smaller and more localized nonprofits and NGOs are established in coastal areas around the world and are in need of both financial donations and in-person help.

Of course, raising awareness of the issue and of these everyday solutions is equally important. If you have a Netflix account, watch the film Chasing Coral with your housemates or a group of friends or family. The film’s producers have posted a “social media toolkit” on its website, providing a suite of tools for activists to use on their social channels and beyond. This toolkit, and the film’s broader website, is a great place to start for raising awareness and understanding how simple it is to voice and address your concerns. The site also hosts an action guide with more background information on the threats to coral reefs and simple actions that everyone can take to help protect them.

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UK pubs reopen with registration

On July 4, after more than three months of closure, pubs in the United Kingdom will be allowed to reopen for limited service. Pubs won’t look like they usually do, however. New guidelines will require pubs to collect the names and contact details of everyone who enters for the purpose of contact tracing.

In an address to the House of Commons on June 24, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “I can tell the House [of Commons] that we will also reopen restaurants and pubs. All hospitality indoors will be limited to table service, and our guidance will encourage minimal staff and customer contact. We will ask businesses to help [the national healthcare system’s] NHS Test and Trace respond to any local outbreak by collecting contact details from customers as happens in other countries, and we will work with the sector to make this manageable.”

According to UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock, this system will be integral to “test and trace because the whole approach is to move as much as safely possible from a national lockdown towards targeted local action when we see an outbreak.”

Similar measures are taken in New Zealand, where hospitality venues must keep a register of guests’ full name, time of entry, address, phone number, and email.

Further details on the UK’s pub reopening plan will be revealed soon, but for now, don’t expect to be holding any clandestine meetings in public watering holes.

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Hawaii reopening to tourists in Aug

Hawaii represents something of a loophole for Americans looking for an island getaway. International restrictions make many islands inaccessible right now, but Hawaii is domestic travel at its most idyllic. Although the state has been closed off to domestic travel for months, and currently imposes a 14-day quarantine for all visitors, Governor David Ige hopes to reopen to tourism by August 1.

According to an announcement made on June 24 by the governor’s office, starting on August 1, out-of-state visitors will be able to avoid the 14-day quarantine if they test negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of their arrival in Hawaii. Travelers will need to carry proof of the test results with them. There will be no testing available at the airport.

The test requested must be a PCR test and must be done at a testing location approved by the Hawaii State Department of Health.

The original 14-day quarantine rule was introduced in March and was strictly implemented with expensive fines and even jail time for offenders. The quarantine used to apply not just to travelers from other states, but also to inter-island air travel, but the latter restriction was lifted earlier this month.

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Splash Mountain re-themed

One of Disney’s most iconic rides is undergoing a pretty significant transformation. Splash Mountain at Disneyland and Disney World is being redesigned in a Princess and the Frog theme.

The 30-year-old ride has recently been the subject of controversy, as it’s currently themed after Disney’s Song of the South, a 1946 movie known for its Antebellum setting and racist stereotypes. In the wake of the racial justice movement following the murder of George Floyd, Disney fans have been petitioning on social media to re-theme the water ride, suggesting the 2009 animated film The Princess and the Frog, which features a Black female lead.

Disney appears to be answering the call, though they claim the redevelopment has been in the works for a year. The ride will now follow the story of Princess Tiana and Louis the alligator and pick up after the final kiss of the movie — when Tiana is a human woman and not a frog. It will also feature music from the film and follow the characters as they prepare for a Mardi Gras performance.

According to Carmen Smith, Disney’s Creative Development and Inclusive Strategies executive, “We continually evaluate opportunities to enhance and elevate experiences for all our guests. It is important that our guests be able to see themselves in the experiences we create. Because we consider ourselves constant learners, we go to great lengths to research and engage cultural advisors and other experts to help guide us along the way. I am incredibly proud to see this work continue to move forward with great support from leadership across Disney.”

With the re-design of Splash Mountain, it would seem Song of the South is disappearing from the Disney canon entirely. The film is one of the few not available for streaming on Disney+, and purchasing a copy is near impossible. The ride was the last remaining tribute to Song of the South, even though the ride only featured the animal characters instead of the more problematic human character, Uncle Remus. However, the main song “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah” still features prominently throughout the park, for now.

This isn’t the first time Disney has re-themed a major ride for a more modern reference. In Disneyland, the Tower of Terror was recently redesigned from a Twilight Zone theme to Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Other smaller attractions have been revamped over the years, such as the ride at the Norway pavilion in EPCOT, which transitioned from a Viking theme to a Frozen theme.

Although Disney hasn’t yet shared a timeline for the Splash Mountain project’s completion, park closures due to COVID-19 will delay the project. Disneyland parks in California were slated to reopen on July 17, but since the state won’t announce new guidelines until July 4, the reopening is now delayed indefinitely. When parks reopen, the existing Splash Mountain will also be open for riders.

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Ebola outbreak ends in the Congo

As we wait for the COVID-19 pandemic to pass, another virus is seeing its last days in the eastern Congo. An Ebola outbreak in the Congo killed 2,280 people over the past two years, and now it’s finally coming to an end.

Dr. Jean-Jacques Muyembe, who coordinated the national Ebola response, said, “We are extremely proud to have been able to be victorious over an epidemic that lasted such a long time.”

The epidemic began in August 2018, and was the first Ebola epidemic in a conflict zone. Due to risks posed by armed groups, and communities hostile to outsiders (even medical personnel), spread of the disease was particularly devastating. Ultimately, the disease was vanquished through the development of new treatment methods and vaccines.

While there is another Ebola outbreak in the northern part of the country, health officials believe it will be more easily controlled since it is in a more stable region.

Reuters reported that since the Ebola virus was discovered in 1976, there have been 11 outbreaks in the Congo, more than any other country in the world.

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