Italy's recent referendums on citizenship and labour laws failed due to low voter turnout, falling short of the required 50%, which was seen as a boost for Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and a setback for the opposition. The votes aimed to reform citizenship requirements and labour protections but were largely boycotted, especially by Meloni's supporters, leading to a significant defeat for the proposals.
Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest stock market investor, has called on Tesla to respect fundamental labor rights, including collective bargaining. The fund, which is Tesla's seventh-largest shareholder, expressed its expectation that companies it invests in should uphold human rights and engage with workers and their representatives. Tesla has faced criticism from unions and pension funds in the Nordic region for refusing to accept demands for collective bargaining rights from Swedish mechanics. The company's board recommended against a shareholder proposal to adopt a policy of respecting labor rights, which received support from 32% of voters. Some pension funds, including Denmark's PensionDanmark, have divested their holdings in Tesla due to the ongoing conflict.
Erika Nesvold, author of "Off-Earth", explores the ethical implications of humans moving into outer space and whether they can avoid bringing along Earthly problems such as environmental destruction and social injustice. Nesvold discusses the need to avoid the harms caused by colonialism and exploitation on Earth and the importance of labour and reproductive rights in space. She also emphasizes the need for diversity among astronauts and the importance of amplifying the voices of people from all around the globe in the conversation about space exploration.
