• Microbes make nutrients out of thin air; richer source of protein than beef, fish. Interesting Engineering.
• Ozone layer still well on track for full recovery. United Nations.
• Governor bans use of conversion therapy on LGBTQ+ minors in Kentucky. AP.
• US national forests are being replanted thanks to bipartisan legislation. Time.
• Wind power overtook gas to become the EU’s second largest source of electricity behind nuclear, and by the first half of 2024 renewables generated 50% of electricity in the EU. European Commission.
• Pakistan is now the third-largest importer of solar panels in the world. Financial Times.
• Electric cars in Norway outnumber petrol for first time. The Guardian.
• Jordan becomes first country to receive WHO verification for eliminating leprosy. WHO.
• Until the 1990s, less than 1% of the global population in countries was legally protected from domestic violence. But by 2023, 9 in 10 people lived in countries with legal measures to combat domestic violence. Our World in Data.

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• In the United States between 1993 and 2022, domestic violence rates dropped by 67 percent and the rate of rapes and sexual assaults fell 56 percent. PBS.
• Heman Bekele, a 15-year-old Ethiopian immigrant to the United States, has been named Time’s Kid of the Year for inventing soap which may treat skin cancer. Time.
• Rhino poaching plunges 80% in South Africa thanks to dehorning program. The Progress Playbook.
• Massachusetts becomes the 20th state to offer tuition-free community college. The Christian Science Monitor.
• US drug overdose deaths decline by roughly 10.6 percent. NPR.

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• The Apache Trout, Arizona’s state fish, has been removed from the endangered species list due to collaborative conservation efforts. US Department of the Interior.
• In July 2014, coal provided 38% of the United Kingdom’s electricity. In July 2024, it provided 0.59%, and at the end of this month it will reach 0%. Financial Times (PDF).
• In the first six months of 2024, every 9th car sold in the world was fully electric, specifically every 4th in China, every 7th in Europe, and every 14.5th in the United States. The EV Universe.
• Many of us can save a child’s life, if we rely on the best data. Our World in Data.
• Vaccines have reduced infant mortality by 40% over the last 50 years. Our World in Data.
• In the US, the IRS recovers $1.3 billion in unpaid taxes from high wealth tax dodgers. ABC News.
• Teen vaping hits 10-year low in US. ABC News.
• Around 6.6 million deaths were linked to childhood malnutrition in 1990. By 2021, this had fallen to only 2.4 million. Our World in Data.
• Autonomous, solar-powered boats in Hong Kong can gobble up 176 pounds of waste an hour and carry 441 pounds on board. CNN.
• The total amount of metals needed for the energy transition is far smaller than the total weight of fossil fuels we burn away each year. Bloomberg.
• The share of coal in Australia’s main grid falls below 50% for first time. Renew Economy.

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• Despite achieving rapid economic growth, China has reduced air pollution by 41% since 2013. The Progress Playbook.
• Gun violence in Brooklyn this summer dropped to the lowest levels ever recorded. Gothamist.
• The number of shootings in Portland has declined nearly 35% since Mayor Ted Wheeler declared a gun violence emergency in July 2022. OPB.
• The number of Brazilians living in extreme poverty dropped by 40 percent in 2023 compared to the previous year. The Brazilian Report.
• In the UK, the infant mortality rate fell from 6.3 deaths per 1,000 live births in 1993 to 3.9 in 2013. Nuffield Trust.
• The typical U.S. worker out-earned inflation by $1,400 a year. NBC News.
• Ozempic could delay ageing, researchers suggest. BBC.

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• Joint initiative by Portland and Multnomah County successfully houses over 5,500 rormerly homeless individuals. Hoodline.
• 29.2% drop in cancer death rates since 1999. The Baltimore Sun.
• In Laos, malaria cases have dropped by over 90 percent over the past decade. USAID.
• Mexico registered an 18 percent decrease in intentional homicides in July compared to December 2018. Prensa Latina.
• Successes in treating people with HIV led to life expectancy in Africa rising from 56 to 61 years since 2010. Gavi.
• US death rate dropped 6% in 2023, with Covid-19 falling to 10th leading cause of death. CNN.
• World-first lung cancer vaccine trials launched across seven countries. The Guardian.
• Wind and solar generating capacity surpasses 1,200 gigawatts in China, hitting renewable power target six years early. Bloomberg.

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• California, Nevada among U.S. states moving to ban slavery in prisons. Context.
• Murder is likely falling at the fastest pace ever recorded in 2024. Jeff-alytics.
• Shootings in Philadelphia are down by nearly 40 percent. The Trace.
• Guinea has eliminated maternal and neonatal tetanus. Unicef.
• Over the past three decades, routine immunizations have prevented 1.1 million deaths and saved the United States $540 billion. The New York Times.
• In 1980, Ethiopia had the highest death rate from tuberculosis in the world. Since then, the country has achieved a sixfold reduction in the death rate. Our World in Data.
• A computer algorithm has achieved a 98% accuracy in predicting different diseases by analyzing the color of the human tongue. University of South Australia.

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• The global number of children not attending school has declined by nearly 40% since 2000. Our World in Data.
• Air pollution deaths in children under 5 down 53% since 2000. IISD.
• Some 14.7 million people in Brazil were spared from going hungry last year, a drop from 8% to 1.2% of the population. gov.br.
• Crime in San Francisco is now below pre-pandemic levels. The San Francisco Standard.
• COVID-19 vaccines led to an overall reduction in cardiovascular events. Nature Communications.
• Samsung just showed a 600-mile solid-state EV battery, charges in 9 minutes. Ride Apart.
• Chile is phasing out coal faster than any other developing nation. In the first half of 2024, coal accounted for just 17.5% of Chile’s electricity output, down from 43.6% in 2016. The Progress Playbook.
• The number of malaria cases and deaths in Bangladesh is steadily decreasing. The country has seen a 96 percent reduction in malaria deaths between 2008 and 2023. Warp News.

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• A twice-yearly injection of lenacapavir prevented 100% of new HIV infections in trial. Health Policy Watch.
• Two centuries ago, only 1 in 10 adults could read. Today, it’s almost 9 in 10. Our World in Data.
• Bangladesh has seen a 96% decline in malaria deaths since 2008. Gavi.
• Renewables generated half of the EU’s electricity in the first half of 2024. Ember.
• Solar power in the US has shot up by 25 percent compared to just one year earlier. Ars Technica.
• China’s installed new energy capacity, mainly consisting of wind and solar power, surpasses that of coal for the first time. CGTN.

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