In the last regular edition of Squirrel News for this year, we’re exploring how the Serbian capital is set to make all public transport free of charge as of next month, spiking becoming a criminal offense in the UK, and how social programmes and employment schemes are kickstarting a drop in poverty across Brazil.
Serbian capital of Belgrade to make all public transport free from next month
Mayor Aleksandar Sapic has announced that the will city follow the example of Luxembourg, the Estonian capital Tallinn and the French city of Montpellier. Belgrade – with a population of almost 1.7 million – struggles with traffic jams, with the number of cars on its roads increasing by 250,000 over the past ten years.
Spiking drinks set to become new criminal offense in the UK
With a recent YouGov poll finding 10% of women and 5% of men said they had been the victims of spiking, Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that spiking will become a new standalone criminal offense. Other measures include training thousands of staff working in the nighttime economy to spot and tackle spiking.
Brazil’s social schemes are driving a decline in poverty
2023 saw the lowest levels of poverty in Brazil since 2012: in absolute terms, this means that the number of people living under these conditions has dropped to 59 million, with 8.7 million individuals rising above the poverty line in one year alone.
California is paying drug users to stay sober – and it’s working
For the first time in decades, overdose deaths have plummeted by 10% between April 2023 and April 2024 – largely thanks to a simple concept: a small cash reward for each negative drug test.
Au pairs, nannies, and housekeepers win labour protections in more states
Some of the new state and local legislation mandates that domestic workers are paid overtime – and at least the state or city minimum wage – while other laws have gone further, ensuring protections such as paid time off.
Five years after being spotted for the first time in Washington state, the world’s largest hornet – an invasive and aggressive breed that are particularly damaging to honey bee hives – have officially been wiped out, according to government reports.
Colorado town moves to stop the pipeline of puppy mills
Stores which sell pets are prime locations for puppy mill breeders to offload their animals – who normally are born into poor and unhygienic conditions. Advocates argue that the new regulations will end the “mass production” of dogs and encourage adoption from local animal shelters instead.
MacKenzie Scott announces another $2 billion in donations in 2024
As workers from her ex-husband Jeff Bezos’s company Amazon go on strike over poor working conditions, the philanthropist has declared large no-strings-attached grants to over 2,450 nonprofit organisations.
Germany is turning old mines into artificial lakes
Once it’s completed, the largest one will be the biggest artificial lake in Germany – with a shoreline of 26 kilometres (16 miles) all around. One project of note is a swimming solar park, capable of powering over 8,000 households with green energy.
A dentist has offered free holiday care to anyone in need for 39 years
For almost four decades, Comfort Dental’s 180 franchises have offered care to anyone who needs it at no cost on December 23rd. With locations in 10 states, their offices saw 3,500 patients during last year’s drive – totalling roughly $1.4 million in free dental services.
