Mid-week selection of upbeat news stories to brighten the day.
Janettone Anyone?
That’s a January panettone, keep up. Nothing perks up the seasonally depressed hunter-gatherer like bargain high-end foods, so scour retailers for the last offerings on the shelves of (highly discounted) enriched Christmas breads. It's a sure-fire way to help beat the January blues.
Maternal Leave
A single mother is entitled to same parental leave as couple, Spanish court rules. Court in Murcia region says woman should get 32 weeks of leave - the amount given to a couple - rather than 16 weeks. “It’s obvious that the duration and intensity of the need to care for a newborn are the same, regardless of the family model into which he or she was born,” the regional high court said.
Conservation Successes
Drones that removed invasive rats, and solar-powered speakers playing bird calls have brought the endangered Polynesian storm petrels back to Kamaka Island in French Polynesia for the first time in more than a century. Efforts to secure stopover wetlands used by the critically endangered Siberian crane on their epic annual migrations have resulted in the near doubling of their population to 7,000 individuals. And a snow leopard conservation project in Kazakhstan has led to a rebound in their numbers to around 170 individuals, a level not observed since the 1980s.
Australia On Track
The country's target for 82 percent renewable energy by 2030 is on track. Renewable energy now accounts for 44 percent of Australia's electricity. Tim Buckley, Director of Climate Energy Finance says: "We are halfway... with six years to go!" Most importantly, there's enough investment coming in now to sustain that progress.
More Energy Efficient
The world’s first carbon fibre train - the Cetrovo 1.0 Carbon Star Express - has started transporting passengers in China. Unlike typical steel subway cars, the train is constructed from ultra-strong, ultra-light carbon fibre composites, making it much lighter and more energy efficient than traditional trains. In addition to hefty reductions in emissions, the train also boasts intelligent safety features including an anti-collision early warning system.
Global Inflation
Global inflation has come and gone - on track to hit 3.5 percent by the end of 2025, below the 2000-2020 average global rate, reports Bloomberg. Prices are stabilising and post-covid job market recovery has driven global unemployment rates to their lowest level since 1991. EU unemployment is at its lowest in three decades.
"One must be sane to think clearly, but one can think deeply and be quite insane." Nikola Tesla
On This Day
22 January 2006: Evo Morales, a member of the Aymara indigenous group, was sworn in as president of Bolivia, becoming the first Indian to hold the office.
Today's Articles
Great Solar Wall: China's gargantuan project - 250 miles long and 3 miles wide - will be able to power Beijing, home to 22 million people.
Mood Boosting Video
Traveling Bird Feeder: Relax by watching these the happy squirrels and birds.