Photo: Thomas Boxma/Unsplash (CC0)
In today’s edition: the government of French Polynesia announces an expansion of its ocean protections, young women now have “close to zero” risk of death from cervical cancer thanks to HPV vaccination, and drug diversion schemes cut reoffending rates much more than traditional prosecution, according to a new study.
The government of the South Pacific nation has announced it is increasing the area of ocean in which extractive industries such as industrial fishing and seabed mining will be banned. This means approximately 1.4 million km2 (540,500 square miles) or 30% of French Polynesia’s waters will now fall under full protection.
Source: Mongabay
Landmark new research shows that children vaccinated at age 12-13 against human papillomavirus in the UK have close to no risk of dying from cervical cancer before the age of 30. From 2020-2024, no cervical cancer deaths were recorded in women aged 20 to 24 – the first time that has happened over a five-year period.
Source: BBC News
Drug diversion schemes that steer people away from the criminal justice system and into treatment and education services are significantly more effective in reducing reoffending than prosecution, according to new data. Research found that cases dealt with through decriminalisation-style diversion schemes were a third less likely to reoffend than those prosecuted for drug possession.
Source: The Guardian
Finance minister Muhammad Aurangzeb announced that sanitary towels and related items were “daily necessities that are indispensable for women’s health, dignity and full participation in social activities”, and said he intended to remove the sales tax. Commercial period products are used only by a minority of women in Pakistan because of their cost.
Source: The Guardian
Ireland’s parliament has voted to remove a mandatory three-day wait for abortion during early pregnancy after campaigners said the rule was an unnecessary restriction. Supporters said it was one of the most significant changes to women’s healthcare since voters ended a constitutional ban on abortion in a 2018 referendum.
Source: The Guardian
The support centre in Peterborough will offer specialised fitness and education sessions for those experiencing physical and emotional symptoms. The SMART Menopause Hub will act as a safe and practical space where people can talk openly and receive guidance on body strength and overall wellbeing.
Source: BBC News
In 2025, 13 million French people, about 24% of the population, volunteered for charitable organisations – a 15% drop from 15 million in 2016. L’Heure Civique asks people to simply volunteer for at least an hour each month in their communities: tending to someone’s garden, delivering groceries, taking someone to the doctor or giving schoolkids help with homework.
Source: Reasons To Be Cheerful
Last year, the university began turning neatly mowed lawns into wild meadow habitats for pollinators such as bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds. Additionally, by limiting the need for mowers and other fossil fuel-powered lawn equipment, the project reduces planet-warming carbon pollution and maintenance costs.
Source: Yale Climate Connect
“A lot of folks don’t realise that Black women grow the majority of the world’s food, when you look at small holder farms especially in Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean,” says Leah Penniman, the co-founder of Soul Fire Farm. As the US approaches its 250th birthday, Penniman and other farmers of colour are setting out to repair the relationship between what we eat and the people who grow it.
Source: 19th News
Williams electric blue day gecko is a very small Tanzanian reptile once heavily collected for Europe’s pet trade. The species is now rebounding because pressure from trade has eased, captive breeding has reduced demand for wild animals, and local people are helping restore the forest it calls home.
Source: Mongabay
