In today’s edition of Squirrel News, we’re talking about the Czech government’s announcement that free period products will be available in all schools as of next year, Moldova’s mammoth forest restoration project, and the twice-yearly injection to prevent HIV that’s set to roll out across the EU.
Free period products to be provided at Czech schools from 2026
Although many already provide menstrual hygiene products on a voluntary basis, from 1st January 2026, all Czech schools will be obliged to supply students from the age of nine with menstrual products.
Moldova’s plan to restore ravaged forests picks up steam
Moldova is one of the European countries most vulnerable to extreme climate events. As part of the country’s grand national scheme to bring back its once-sprawling forests, the government has pledged to plant 110,000 hectares of new forest and to rehabilitate 35,000 hectares of degraded forest, taking the total to 15% forest cover.
New twice-yearly HIV prevention jab approved in EU
The decision comes one month after regulators from the European Medicines Agency recommended lenacapavir, a first-of-its-kind medicine, which has been hailed as a game-changer in the HIV epidemic.
Argentina’s poverty rate drops to lowest level since 2018
According to new data, extreme poverty fell to 7.4%, down from 18.2% a year ago. This is a particularly big decline when compared to levels seen in early 2024, when poverty surged to 52.9% and inflation had peaked at just over 200%.
Full ban of underage marriage in Missouri goes into effect
The closing of Missouri’s legal loophole that still allowed some underage teenagers to marry with parental permission will go into effect this week, making Missouri the sixteenth US state to ban underage marriage completely.
Kentucky nonprofits bridge the gap between those with and without food
By linking cities and rural regions, a growing number of non-governmental organisations are addressing the issue of food insecurity, connecting those with excess food, those who grow it, and those who need it.
Self-flying cargo drone delivers aid to remote Central African regions
The latest version of the Windracers Ultra is being put to work delivering humanitarian aid to areas that aren’t easily accessible by road or water. Designed to reach even the most challenging terrains, it can travel for over 600 miles and carry loads of up to 330lbs.
The Indonesian women protecting rainforests with eco-printing initiatives
Known as Ambu Halimun, which means “Mothers of Halimun” in Sundanese, the women are carving out a sustainable livelihood from the rainforest that does not require cutting down trees, hunting wildlife or degrading the fragile ecosystem.
50,000 violets turn Staten Island landfill into ecological haven
Freshkills Park occupies 2,200 acres of what was once the Fresh Kills Landfill on Staten Island, with the project creating essential habitats for monarch butterflies, bees, and other pollinators.
