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In today’s edition, Australia is on course to eliminate cervical cancer in under 10 years; Minnesota lawmakers have passed the first ban in the US on nudification apps; and a programme in Houston is opening a career path for former prisoners by training them in the installation of solar units.
The HPV vaccine was developed in Australia, and the country has been a global leader in how to eliminate the cervical cancer the virus can lead to. The first country to start a nationwide vaccination programme, it critically began giving it to boys as well in 2013. There have been no new cases of the cancer there in 25 years.
Source: BBC
Tetanus can kill a newborn in just days. South Sudan and Sudan now join the list of countries that have eliminated the disease amongst pregnant women and newborns. The healthcare campaign focused on establishing trust, educating women, and vaccination, targeting areas particularly at risk.
Source: Unicef
The apps targeted by Minnesota’s new ban allow those with little technical knowhow to easily create fake nude images from clothed ones.
Source: The 19th
The new law protecting tenants in England and Scotland went into effect on Friday. It guards against unfair evictions, allows tenants to end rental contracts when they give two months’ notice, and generally offers tenants more stability and security.
Source: BBC
In 2024, a new programme debuted in Houston to train Black, low-income, and formerly incarcerated residents for jobs in clean energy. It has been kept alive even through budget cuts and is giving participants knowledge and chances that can’t be taken away.
Source: Good Good Good
India imports half of the liquified petroleum gas that many rely on for cooking. But a project begun by the government in the 1980s, subsidising ultimately five million ‘digester’ units that convert farm waste into biogas fuel, is helping in the current energy crunch.
Source: RTE
Biobanks act as insurance policies against species extinction and as research hubs for scientists studying species genetics, growth and resilience in the age of environmental crisis. Australia has a network of marine biobanks that store everything from seeds of native plants to the cells and tissue of threatened animal species.
Source: The Guardian
Data from live events marketplace Eventbrite suggests a global shift towards phone-free events amongst millennials and members of Gen Z. The Offline Club in Europe has been exploding in popularity, and in the US, phone-free event organiser Kanso is getting increasingly popular.
Source: Good News Network
There is no question the pandemic was particularly hard on young adults getting ready to step out into the world. In a recently published paper, Colorado sociologists examine another side of the story, looking at teenagers’ altruism and the way they found their strength in adversity through helping others.
Source: CU Boulder Today
The Flechas Rosas, or Pink Arrows, are using archery training to help breast cancer survivors reduce lymph swelling, gain strength and confidence, and connect with other survivors. One survivor in Uganda has started a business sewing affordable breast prostheses to help women combat stigma and choose life-saving surgery.
Source: BBC
