Stunning Millenium Goal Progress on Educating Children
Over the past 12 years, the world has made stunning progress toward the goal of increasing the number of children attending primary school -- adding 37 million kids to school rolls, an increase of 35 percent. - NY Times
Germany Elects First Jewish Mayor Since Holocaust
For the first time since the Second World War, a Jew has been elected as mayor of a major German city. The voters of Frankfurt (a city with a 1% Jewish population) this week elected Peter Feldmann its second Jewish mayor -- the first since Ludwig Landmann was pushed out of office when Hitler rose to power in 1933.
Singapore Opens “Green” Airport Terminal
"Singapore opened a new "green" airport terminal on Wednesday, boasting 919 energy-saving skylights, a butterfly garden and over 200 species of foliage spread over enough floor space to cover 50 soccer fields." (Reuters)
Connecticut Became 14th US State to Ban Civil Forfeiture
With unanimous votes in the House and Senate, Connecticut became the 14th US state to ban civil forfeiture of cash or property without a criminal conviction. (Forbes)
Whale Numbers Booming for Great Barrier Reef
The number of whales migrating off Australia's Queensland coast is predicted to hit a 50-year high this season, said the species conservation manager for the reef.
US Finally Regains the Jobs Lost in the Recession
The U.S. economy has reached a milestone: It has finally regained all 8.8 million private-sector jobs it lost during the Great Recession. March 2014 job growth figures also signaled that stronger gains could lie ahead. -AP
NY Subway Crime Dips to Lowest Rate in 37 Years
New York subway crime has plummeted more than 37 percent in 2006. That's on top of the decrease in 2005 of about 5.5 percent. Robberies were down 21 percent in 2006. Grand larcenies declined 46 percent and assaults fell 55 percent, NYPD data showed.
Brazil Slashes Extreme Poverty by 89% in a Decade
Brazil has reduced the number of its citizens living in extreme poverty by 89% in the last 10 years through the Bolsa Família income support program, with 70% of recipients being the working poor who now buy products and bolster the economy.
Lower Lead Levels in U.S. Kids
Levels of lead have dropped dramatically. In 1976, 88.2 percent of U.S. children had elevated blood lead levels compared to 1.6 percent today. (Feb. 25, 2006)
Wind Energy Surges in Ohio Over Five Years
Wind power generation has exploded in Ohio with the capacity increasing from 7.4 megawatts in 2008 to 428 megawatts in 2012. With utility companies erecting 423 turbines, the output grew from enough to power 1,300 homes to more than 100,000 homes.
Record Number of Women Sworn into New U.S. Congress
On January 3, 2013, a record number of women were sworn in as members of the 113th U.S. Congress. 80 new congresswomen joined a total of 20 female senators to produce a record number serving in both chambers.
Heart Patients Living Longer
Heart disease rates have been falling for decades due to healthier lifestyles, but now death rates after severe heart attacks have been cut in half over the last six years, thanks to new treatments and anti-clotting drugs. Death rates of patients in 14 countries fell from 8.4% to 4.5% between 1999 and 2006, a study showed.
NYC Murder Rate Declined 74% in 18 Years
The New York City murder rate for the first half of 2011 declined 8.8 percent compared to the same period last year. The 2011 murder rate is also 22.5 percent lower than in 2001 and 74.9 percent lower than in 1993. - Reuters News
Number of Gray Whales Seen Migrating South Doubles From Year Ago
The number of gray whales spotted migrating south off the Southern California coast in December was double what it was compared with the same period last year, reflecting a possible population boom for the once endangered species. (LA Times)
Extinct Plants Rediscovered in Flora-Rich Queensland
50 plant species new to science are discovered and documented in Queensland, Australia every year. In fact, two plant species thought to be extinct since 1873 were rediscovered this year in the area of Cape York. (Queensland government's State of the Environment report, 2008)
Americans Haven’t Been This Optimistic Since Jan 2007
The number of Americans who say things are going well in the country has reached 50% for the first time in more than six years, according to a new national poll from CNN.
Electric Utility Emissions 70% Cleaner Than in 1990
Yearly measurements from the 100 largest power producers in the U.S. show that emissions from sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are 70 percent lower than they were in 1990, according to a new report that highlights progress in the nation's electric power sector. Mercury is down 40 percent since 2000, the first year it was tracked.
Mayors Combat Greenhouse Gases in US
More than 160 mayors have pledged to curb greenhouse gases in their cities according to the guidelines of the Kyoto Protocol. (2005)
US Factory Output Rose in Feb. by Most in 6 Months
U.S. factory output rebounded strongly in February 2014, surging 0.8 percent, the largest gain in six months, according to the Federal Reserve.
Signs of Coral Recovery for the Great Barrier Reef
Queensland scientists say baby corals are blooming again on the Great Barrier Reef, both in some of the shallows and also deeper areas, say scientists, which demonstrates the ability to bounce back after multiple impacts. (ABC)