Through the lens

Protests: This week hundreds of members of indigenous tribes protested outside Brazil's presidential palace against austerity cuts and threats to their land rights. The protesters, some wearing beads, feathers and other traditional garb, want the government to officially recognize the borders of their ancestral lands, so they can be protected against encroaching farms and industry. At another demonstration on the same issue, Brazilian police used pepper spray to force back some 300 protesters from indigenous tribes from entering the country's lower house of Congress. 

Clean water: The Nigerian tribal king of the Ogale, Emere Godwin Bebe Okpabi, explains why his people are suing Royal Dutch Shell with bottles of water samples from his country. He says the water is contaminated with cancer-causing compounds thanks to pollution caused by the oil company and its subsidiary, Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria. On November 22, Britain's High Court began hearing arguments on whether the English courts can consider two legal claims against the companies on behalf of 40,000 Nigerians. 

Climate: U.S. President-elect Donald Trump  is set to eliminate NASA's renowned climate change research program, his senior advisor on space policy told "The Guardian" on Wednesday. Bob Walker said it was part of a crackdown on "politicized science," adding that the Earth science division would be downsized in favor of deep space exploration. NASA's research on global warming, changes to temperature, ice, and clouds has helped humans gain a deeper understanding of climate change.

Toilet habits: In India, the majority of households still have no access to toilets and over half of the country's 1.2 billion people defecate in the open. Some villages and urban areas have public toilets like the one pictured here, which is run by NGO Sulabh International at a New Delhi train station. India's government is providing subsidies to households to build commodes but it's proving difficult to get people to use them because some believe it is unhygienic to have a toilet in the home. 

Mortal combat: Hikers in Alaska recently stumbled across two moose that become frozen in ice during battle. In a Facebook post, Jeff Erickson said he and friend Brad Ungalek Webster found the moose encased in ice near Unalakleet, in western Alaska along the Bering Sea. It was during the moose breeding season when males often get into fights over females. It's likely their antlers became entangled and they got stuck. 

(AP / AFP)