First Ebola treatment, jail ballots, AI predicted homelessness

Photo: Ethleen Lloyd / USCDCP (CCO)

In today’s edition of Squirrel News, we are talking about the first FDA approved treatment for Ebola, San Diego’s inclusion of inmates in voting, and the use of AI to predict homelessness in Canada.

The first treatment for Ebola has been approved by the FDA

The recently ratified drug targets the ‘zaire’ Ebola strain, which usually kills 60% to 90% of those infected.

Source: Medical Xpress

San Diego’s Black Muslims are helping current and former detainees access the ballot

Pillars of the Community, led by Black Muslims, hires incarcerated individuals to register new voters and carry out civic education while in confinement.

Source: The Ground Truth Project

How Canada is using AI to predict the likelihood of becoming homeless

The model seeks to identify susceptible individuals who can then acquire safe housing or necessary resources provided by the city of London in Ontario.

Source: Thomas Reuters Foundation

This company converts shellfish shells into biodegradable plastic

Through using readily available waste, Carapac offers a biodegradable alternative to plastic that can be broken down within 90 days or ingested by marine life.

Source: Reset

Social media has aided Nigerian youth in protesting against police brutality

Never before in the history of Nigeria has there been youth-led change as widespread as the #ENDSARS movement.

Source: Global Citizen

US: the first firefighting robot puts out its first commercial fire

Although not suitable for all tasks, the Thermite RS3 will prove helpful on fires in large commercial buildings, wildfires and animal rescues to name a few examples.

Source: New Atlas

Amidst restrictions, telecare is transforming Brazilian health care

Health workers in Brazil are honing in on telecare to keep up and in touch with patients in spite of COVID-19 limitations.

Source: Devex

Oakland’s essential places initiative seeks to help low-income communities of colour

Urban planners in Oakland have targeted communities of colour by setting up 15 sites around the city, with the aim of of reducing threat to pedestrians in high-injury corridors.

Source: We Are Not Divided

A radio program is helping save endangered gorillas in Nigeria

Among other objectives, ‘My Gorilla My Community’ encourages listeners to take participative action in protecting the endangered Cross River gorilla subspecies.

Source: Mongabay

This North Pacific island has recovered from a rat invasion dating back to WWII

Since rats were eradicated off the island of Palmyra in 2011, its ecosystem has been steadily recovering. The restorations include two new crab species among others.

Source: BBC

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