Whenever the growing pile of plastic waste in front of her door takes up too much space, Asinate Lewabeka has a simple solution. She sets it on fire. She prefers to do so at dawn when the air is still so that the smoke rises in a black column. She says any later in the day, the coastal breeze risks blowing the acrid fumes straight into her home, a modest shack built on the edge of the Vunato dump site in Lautoka, Fiji’s second largest city.
It may no longer be an eyesore, but Lewabeka’s problem is far from gone. Burning plastic releases toxic substances that will remain in the environment for hundreds of years, with deleterious impacts on human and ecosystem health. Yet open burning is one of the most common methods for eliminating unwanted waste in a remote island nation besieged by a plastic tide. Less than a third of Fiji’s plastic waste is locally produced. The rest drifts in with ocean currents from as far away as South Africa and Mexico. It must be disposed of, wherever it comes from, and burning is often the simplest option.
At the link in bio, go inside Fiji’s fight for the future.
Photograph by Adam Ferguson (@adamfergusonstudio ) for TIME
Democrats are panicking about Joe Biden's debate performance—and what will happen next.
At the link in our bio, go inside Biden's debate disaster and the scramble to quell Democratic panic.
Photo-illustration by TIME; Getty Images (2)
“If you’re watching me, you will not be bored.”
Noah Lyles, the world’s fastest man, is ready to put on a show at the Paris Olympics.
Read the cover story at the link in our bio.
Photograph by Dana Scruggs (@danascruggs ) for TIME
Spectators watch Fourth of July fireworks sponsored by the local firedepartment in East Palestine, Ohio, in July 2023.
In Feb. 2023, one of the worst hazardous chemical accidents in recent American history occurred in this small Ohio town when a Norfolk Southern freight train carrying hazardous chemicals derailed and caught fire.
Faced with multiplying unknowns, the 4,700 residents have been divided over how to respond.
Assistant Chief Rick Gorby, who initially managed the emergency response the night of the derailment, oversaw last year's Fourth celebration. "East Palestine is not a dying city," he said. "There are more people present here tonight than we've ever had."
Photographer Rebecca Kiger spent a year documenting the aftermath. See more at the link in bio.
Photographs by Rebecca Kiger (@rebecca_kiger ) for TIME
Competitors at Nathan’s Famous hot dog eating contest may gulp down as many as 76 wieners in about the time it takes to read this article. Like ultramarathoners hoofing 50 miles or football players shaking off big hits, “speed-eating” entails natural resilience, dedicated training, and serious risks to health.
At the link in bio, learn what competitive eating does to the body.
Photograph by Getty
Fireworks have been an American tradition since the first Independence Day. But they’re not exactly harmless fun. Trips to emergency departments for fireworks-related injuries have risen every year since 2007, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). Fireworks can affect long-term health too, since they release contaminants that can affect air quality and, as a result, human health.
At the link in bio, find out what you need to know about the health risks of fireworks—and what you can do to protect yourself.
Photograph by Getty
More than 105 people were killed in a stampede among thousands of people at a religious gathering in northern India.
Attendees had rushed to leave the makeshift tent following an event with Hindu figure Bhole Baba, local media reported. They cited authorities who said heat and suffocation inside could have been a factor. Video of the aftermath showed the structure appeared to have collapsed. Women wailed over the dead.
Link in bio.
Photographs by Ritesh Shukla—Getty Images (1,2); Manoj Aligadi—AP (3)
The next time you board a long flight and decide to enjoy an alcoholic drink before taking a nap, you might want to avoid the temptation.
A new study found that when people fell asleep after drinking alcohol in a low air pressure environment similar to that on airplanes, their blood oxygen decreased and their heart rates increased. Researchers observed this trend even in people who were young and healthy.
Link in bio for the full findings.
Photograph by Getty
“A 2017 survey of British adults aged 18 to 33 found that 40% of respondents cited ‘how Instagrammable’ a travel destination would be as their most important motivator when deciding where to go on vacation,” writes Paige McClanahan.
“A follow-up survey of Gen Z travelers found that ‘how many TikTok views and likes their holiday videos will likely generate’ was the single most influential factor in their destination decisions, coming in at number one for 43% of respondents.
“Even as social media has exploded the number and diversity of ‘travel writers’ around the world, it has also prompted many of us to roam the globe looking for people and landscapes that we can exploit for our own personal gain.”
Read the full column at the link in our bio.
Wimbledon tennis tournament is a big ticket item on the U.K. social calendar, but beyond that it has earned global cachet for offering attendees a quintessentially British experience. Think Pimm's Cup cocktails, strawberries and cream, and the opportunity to catch a glimpse of the British royal family, dressed to the nines, besides celebrity guests in the Royal Box.
But as the two-week sporting event—which debuted in 1877—has returned to its namesake London suburb between, there could be one glaring absence from courtside. Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales and incumbent patron of Wimbledon’s All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC), has taken a break from royal duties while she receives treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, and could miss this year’s championships.
But all is not lost for fans holding out hope for Kate’s presence at Wimbledon. The Princess of Wales recently delighted fans when she attended the annual Trooping the Colour parade on June 15. She was seen waving from the balcony of Buckingham Palace alongside King Charles III and Queen Camilla, as well as Prince William and their three children Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis. Ahead of her appearance, Kensington Palace shared a statement from Kate on its social media accounts. The royal said she hopes to join a few public engagements over the summer, but added that she’s “not out of the woods yet.”
At the link in bio, learn more about the royal family and the tournament, and why the Princess still might make an appearance.
Photographs by Getty
