Summary of last week's most important good news from around the world.
Hilarious New Campaign: Every year, 120,000 people ask Google whether Sweden is the same country as Switzerland. Yes, really. Even Joe Biden got them muddled. Now Sweden has launched an hilarious marketing campaign to address the issue.
A Yellowstone For Europe: A project to create Europe’s largest forested national park aims to protect 200,000 hectares of wilderness in Romania and is now underway.
New Report: Countries in the world where it's best to be a woman. It's particularly good news if you live in Europe.
Top Young Scientist: Heman Bekele's invention, Skin Cancer Treating Soap, earned the 14-year-old a $25,000 prize and the title of America's Top Young Scientist. "I believe that young minds can make a positive impact on the world," Bekele told USA Today.
Histotripsy: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of sound waves to break down tumors - a technique called histotripsy - in humans for liver treatment. The technique was developed at the University of Michigan and provides a non-invasive alternative to surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer.
COP28 Big Guns: King Charles will deliver the opening address at the forthcoming climate summit - his first major speech on the climate since becoming monarch. As a man that has been beating the drum on behalf of our planet for as long as anyone, it would be very good news if he succeeds in galvanising the politicians to make faster progress. Also attending, for the first time ever for a pontiff, will be Pope Francis, who says: “Our future is at stake, the future of our children and our grandchildren. A bit of responsibility is needed.”
World's Best Cheese: Delicate, creamy, buttery and soft, with mild peppery blue veins, Norway’s Nidelven blå, a pasteurised cow’s milk blue cheese made on a small farm was just named the best cheese at the World Cheese Awards.
Snooze Button: A new study has found that delaying getting up could boost people's cognitive performance. The results were "surprisingly" positive, Forbes reported; participants who slept in "exhibited improved memory functioning and solved simple addition questions faster in cognitive tests than participants who did not use the snooze button."
Be Hurd on Climate: Hurd, a new, free app, dedicated to helping employees demand more and do more on climate at work, has launched across three platforms - Apple, Android and web.
Roman Empire: Declassified photos captured by US spy satellites launched during the Cold War have revealed an archaeological treasure trove of previously unknown Roman-era forts along the empire's eastern flank in today's Middle East.
Cosmic Chorus: Ever wondered what Saturn's rings sound like? Probably not. But now that you know that they make a sound, would you like to hear a recording?
Cleaner City Centres: Milan is to ban cars in its city centre from 2024 to tackle rising pollution levels, reports EuroNews. This Italian city follows the lead of Sweden's capital, Stockholm, which announced a similar initiative last month.
EU Pesticide Action: The European Parliament has voted to ensure sustainable use of pesticides and reduce their use. “This vote brings us one step closer to significantly reducing chemical pesticide use by 2030,” said MEP Sarah Wiener.
Borderless Africa: Kenya will scrap visas for all African nationals by the end of the year. The country's president said the removal of barriers was needed to realise the dream of a continental free trade agreement, adding that "it is time we…realise that having visa restrictions among ourselves is working against us".
Aussie Renewables: New figures reveal that for a half hour in the middle of a Saturday last month, enough renewable energy was available to meet 99 percent of eastern Australia’s entire electricity demand - the closest to reaching 100 percent clean power in the grid’s history.
NYC Investment: New York is making a massive investment in renewable energy. In fact, it's the largest state investment in clean energy in US history, reports Electrek. It will be enough to power 2.6 million New York homes and deliver around 12 percent of the state’s electricity needs once it’s all online.
Egyptian Sun: Egypt has completed a massive solar farm that can power one million households. The Benban Solar Farm, near Aswan, is now the largest solar park in Africa and the fourth largest solar farm globally, says CleanTechnica.
Rolling On: The Rolling Stones have become the first act to reach the top 10 in the US with new albums in every decade since the 1960s. The veteran band's latest studio album, Hackney Diamonds, has entered the Billboard chart at number three. They also extended their record as the act with the most US top 10 albums of all time, with 38 in total; ahead of second-placed Barbra Streisand on 34.
That's it, you're up to date! Feel free to share this page with friends and family to spread the good news.
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