In today’s edition of Squirrel News, Hawaii institutes a green tax on tourists to fund climate resilience projects, an immunotherapy drug is shown to delay or deter head and neck cancer for two times the amount of the current treatment, and 600 memory cafes in the US offer a supportive place for people with dementia and those who take care of them.
Hawaii becomes first US state to charge climate impact fee to tourists
Hawaii’s new “Green Tax” on tourists will fund projects for climate and hazard resiliency and environmental stewardship to preserve the state’s natural resources. The bill comes in response to wildfires and other recent climate disasters.
France bans smoking in outdoor spaces that children visit
Going into effect in July, the ban will apply to beaches, bus stops, schoolyards, parks, and sports venues, but outdoor terraces of restaurants and bars are an exception to the rule. About 1,500 towns and cities in France have already banned smoking in outdoor areas.
Colombia offers rehabilitation instead of prison to women heads of household
Colombia has seen a surge in the number of female inmates – many poor, from rural areas and convicted of drug offences. Now a radical scheme could release thousands to support their families. Women who are heads of households will get the chance to perform eight months of community service instead of completing their prison terms.
Immunotherapy drug shown to ward off head and neck cancers for twice as long
Pembrolizumab stimulates the immune system to fight cancer, targeting a specific protein that enables the drug to wipe out cancer cells. In global trials the drug significantly lowered the chances of cancer spreading or returning, keeping it at bay for twice as long as the treatment that has been the standard for two decades.
New emergency clinics focused on mental health to open across England
With England’s national health emergency facilities overburdened, the wait time for mental emergencies is far longer than average. The government announced that over a dozen new emergency clinics specialised in mental health are slated to open around the country over a ten-year period.
10 Billion Euro ‘Scale-up Europe’ fund and other plans to close the tech gap
The EU Commission announced plans for a public-private fund to start in 2026 with the intention to accelerate tech development in Europe and decrease dependency on other global powers. The fund will allow the Commission to have a direct stake in strategic tech sectors.
Hands-on conservation work helps Minnesota teens with climate anxiety
Founded and run by teens themselves, the Green Crew gives a network of Minnesota high school students from different schools the chance to turn climate fears into action. The work has included monitoring water quality, replanting trees lost to beetle infestation and removing invasive plant species.
Harvard adds government courses to its free offerings in response to attacks
Harvard has always offered a number of its courses for free online. Now it is opening up new political education on government affairs to be available worldwide without cost. The move came just days after the Trump administration demanded a list of foreign students at the university.
Reborn in Kharkiv basement, ballet offers Ukrainians hope and respite
Public performances at Kharkiv National Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre were on hold for more than three years after the Russian invasion of Ukraine. April marked a milestone for the cultural tradition: the first of performances now held in the brick-lined basement of the theatre, where audiences can have a few hours of magic away from the realities of war.
Memory Cafes for people with dementia and caregivers combat social isolation
With more than 600 of their kind across the US, memory cafes offer a cheap solution to the isolation of dementia for both the diagnosed and their caregivers. In a local, sometimes donated, venue, participants join together for crafts and games, refreshments and camaraderie. The idea started in the UK and has spread to 39 US states.
