World Good News
World meets UN safe water goalThe world has easily beaten a 2015 deadline to halve the proportion of people drinking unsafe water, the United Nations Children's Fund and the World Health Organisation said Tuesday. |
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International Bird Area in Kenya saved from conversion into biofuel cropA campaign by NGO Nature Kenya has saved the Dakatcha Woodland Important Bird Area (IBA) from destruction for planting biofuel crops, reports BirdLife International. |
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North Korea agrees to nuclear moratoriumNorth Korea has agreed to suspend uranium enrichment, as well as nuclear and long-range missile tests, following talks with the US. |
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Rebels Sign Truce in South SudanThe government of South Sudan signed a peace deal with one of the largest rebel groups, the South Sudan Democratic Movement, a South Sudan official said Tuesday, in a move that could help stabilize the East African nation. |
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Maryland state senate passes gay marriage billA bill that would legalise gay marriage in the US state of Maryland has been approved in the state Senate, less than a week after it passed the state House. |
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Digital tools ‘to save languages’Facebook, YouTube and even texting will be the salvation of many of the world's endangered languages, scientists believe. |
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Nations get tough on tiger tradeCrime chiefs from countries with populations of wild tigers have agreed to work together in order to combat the illegal trade in the big cats. |
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Obama Budget Would Cut $40 Billion in Fossil-Fuel CreditsPresident Barack Obama, who pledged an “all of the above” energy strategy that included fossil fuels, renewed his proposal to cut more than $40 billion in tax breaks for oil, gas and coal producers in the next decade to spend more for conservation and alternate energy. |
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Sudan and South Sudan sign peace pact, says Thabo MbekiSudan and South Sudan have signed a non-aggression pact, the chief mediator at crisis talks between the two says. |
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New rainforest and indigenous reserve established in PeruOn February 4th, the Peruvian government and a small indigenous group created a new Amazon reserve, dubbed the Maijuna Reserve. Located in northeastern Peru, the 390,000 hectare (970,000 acres) reserve is larger than California's Yosemite National Park and over three times the size of Hong Kong. |
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A 375-Year-Old French Bank Forgives Debts of Paris’ PoorestJust as France was being chastised for excessive national borrowing with a sovereign debt downgrade, thousands of lucky French people had their financial obligations forgiven after the country's oldest bank decided to simply wipe their slate clean. |
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Gates donates $750 million to fight AIDS, TB and malariaThe Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will inject $750 million into the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates announced Thursday at the World Economic Forum. |
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Swedish Cities Close to Building a Bicycle SuperhighwayWith all the handwringing over aging infrastructure, rising energy costs, high speed rail and other public transportation projects that are spiraling in costs, cities and towns could look at solutions that can improve mobility and do not the bust the budget: bicycles and bicycle paths. |
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Indonesia to conserve half of Borneo regionIndonesia's forestry ministry said Thursday it would conserve nearly half its share of Borneo island, which is covered with dense rainforest, so as to meet a presidential pledge to reduce gas emissions. |
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Political news
- South Korea adopts greenhouse gas regulations
- California public to vote on GMO Label Act after 1 million signatures
- Peru is latest developing nation to adopt climate change initiative
- Mexico becomes 2nd country in the world to pass national climate-change law
- US to make profit from bailouts, Treasury says
- Toronto Becomes First City To Mandate Green Roofs
- more
Human rights news
- Obama says same-sex couples should be able to marry
- Obama announces sanctions for tech used in human rights abuses in Iran and Syria
- Burmese savour taste of democracy
- Maryland state senate passes gay marriage bill
- Support wanes in US Congress for anti-piracy bill
- Burma joy as freed prisoners head home
- more