Auckland Zoo senior veterinarian Dr Adam Naylor takes Oliver Hall behind the scenes to show the work that goes into urgent wildlife care, rehabilitation, and the conservation of endangered species When Dr Adam Naylor has to postpone our interview because an albatross and an endangered bittern have just arrived as emergency patients, it feels less like bad timing and […]
Michael ‘Heff’ Hepher reveals the science, hard work and wonder behind modern zookeeping. Michael Hepher has worked with giraffes for years, but he still talks about them like someone seeing them for the first time. “They are so delicate,” he says, describing them as “gentle giants” and marvelling at the simple fact they exist at all. “They don’t look real! We’ve got Billy, who’s […]
Allan Michael Marrero has been reunited with his husband, Matthew, after spending 150 days in ICE detention following what was meant to be a routine green card appointment in New York City. Marrero celebrated his return at a press conference held at Middle Church in New York City, where supporters gathered to welcome him home. […]
Young people across Aotearoa are facing growing pressure as rising living costs, job uncertainty, limited access to mental health support, and social pressures continue to affect their wellbeing. The latest Youthline ASB State of the Generation 2026 report provides new nationally significant insights into the issues that matter most to young New Zealanders. Based on […]
The Trump administration has launched civil rights investigations into 36 school districts in Illinois, focusing on how schools teach and manage issues relating to sexual orientation and gender identity. The Department of Justice said on Thursday, 30 April, that its Civil Rights Division will examine whether school districts gave parents adequate notice before students were […]
Concerns are growing that Senegal’s harsh new anti-LGBTQ+ law is already damaging efforts to combat HIV, with key populations reportedly avoiding healthcare services out of fear they could be arrested. In March, Senegal’s Parliament overwhelmingly passed legislation doubling the existing penalties for consensual same-sex intimacy. The law defines this to include homosexuality, bisexuality and “transsexuality”, […]
Russia’s crackdown on LGBTI+ rights has intensified, after a court designated one of the country’s leading queer advocacy groups, the Russian LGBT Network, an “extremist organisation” and banned its activities nationwide. According to Amnesty International, the St Petersburg City Court handed down the ruling after closed hearings requested by Russia’s Ministry of Justice. “For nearly […]
The Pennsylvania House of Representatives has passed a bill that would establish anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people, with H.B. 2103 narrowly clearing the chamber in a 101-100 vote on Tuesday. Republicans who opposed the legislation argued that its definitions were too broad and could clash with religious freedom, despite the bill including religious liberty protections. […]