In today’s edition, we’re talking about Pakistan’s capital city finally outlawing of child marriage after a years-long campaign, the rollout of the world’s first vaccine for gonorrhoea, and the Colombian activists providing a sense of dignity to those most affected by the country’s failed “war on drugs”.
Islamabad senate passes historic bill outlawing child marriage
The bill bans the marriage of anyone, male or female, under the age of 18 in Islamabad Capital Territory. Now classified as a punishable offence, perpetrators could face three years’ imprisonment as well as a 100,000 PKR fine.
World’s first gonorrhoea vaccine to be rolled out in England
The vaccine alone could cut 40% of new gonorrhoea cases, with health minister Ashley Dalton stating that “by targeting those most at risk, we can reduce transmission rates from this unpleasant disease that is becoming harder to treat and prevent thousands of cases over the next few years.”
The morning-after pill is now available at convenience stores
Emergency contraception is now available without prescription across 11,000 locations in 48 states, with Hawaii and South Dakota being the last two holdouts. Having the morning-after pill on the shelves next to condoms also lets women know of its availability, when many think it is not available in their state.
Colombian activists are destigmatising drug use and making it safer
After decades of a failed “war on drugs”, substance checking has turned users and those most affected by prohibitionist policies into activists, promoting harm-reduction strategies alongside drug legalisation.
NYC’s congestion toll sees students spending more time in school
There’s an unexpected but not unwelcome side effect to New York’s controversial congestion pricing scheme: students are spending on average an extra 30 minutes per week in school thanks to quicker bus services.
Data shows city of Detroit growing for second straight year after years of decline
The city of Detroit has suffered industrial decline, bankruptcy, and population flight. Now it is growing again, reclaiming abandoned housing, and families with children are moving in. The city also successfully battled the Census Bureau, which was not counting people in rehabbed buildings.
Extracting CO2 from seawater could help clean up the air
A trial on England’s south coast is trying to establish whether or not it’s possible to take advantage of the ocean’s natural power to capture carbon dioxide from seawater, which is absorbed from the atmosphere.
Miami recycling company gives old trainers a new life
Over one million discarded shoes arrive at Sneaker Impact’s warehouse in Little Haiti every year. They’re sorted to be either reused or recycled, depending on their condition.
Why cities are turning off the lights to save birds
Globally, light pollution has increased by about 10% a year since 2011, a study released in 2023 found. But there has been some progress through a rethink of excess lighting, which is often costly as well as harmful, and the advance of bird-friendly glass, which incorporates dots or stripes to warn birds of an impending obstacle.
How ecotourism helped a small Colombian town recover from war
Since the 2016 peace treaty, Mesetas has embraced its natural assets and visitors have flocked to enjoy the region’s unique biodiversity. The positive effects have been almost immediate: along with 2019, 2023 was the year with the lowest level of deforestation in Mesetas since the treaty was signed.
