Season’s greetings from Squirrel News

Photo: Dušan veverkolog/Unsplash (CC0) Dear readers, friends and Squirrel Community, […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Year in review: 279 constructive news pieces from 2023

Over the past few years, our annual reviews have typically featured 25-30 noteworthy news items. However, recognising the wealth of exciting events and big developments throughout the year, we’ve taken things a step further. Introducing monthly reviews has revealed that limiting … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Free public transport for Montpellier residents, NYC bans solitary confinement, solid state EV batteries

In our last full edition of 2023, we're talking about the southern French city of Montpellier becoming the latest European metropolis to allow all its residents to ride public transport for free, NYC council voting to ban most instances of solitary confinement in city jails, and … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Pope greenlights same-sex blessings, bikes for refugees, solar-powered fridges transform Africa’s energy grid

Today at Squirrel News, we're highlighting the Pope's decision to allow Roman Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples, an inspiring project that donates bicycles to refugees promoting mobility and independence, and the transformative impact of solar-powered fridges in providin … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Three million acres returned to Tribal Nations, US sets solar installation record, new Alzheimer’s drugs

Today at Squirrel News, we're talking about a government initiative returning millions of acres of appropriated land to Indigenous tribes, an extraordinary year marked by a surge in solar installations, and promising developments in the approval process for two dementia medicines … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Slovenia’s anti child poverty blueprint, EU tightens corporate accountability, Ukraine advances EU accession talks

In today's edition of Squirrel News, we're talking about Slovenia's remarkable achievement in reducing child poverty by one-third over the last decade, the latest developments in stricter new laws regarding corporate accountability, and the announcement that Ukraine is set to beg … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Disrupting the school-to-prison pipeline, ending overseas funding for fossil fuels, a new approach to psychosis treatment

Today at Squirrel News, we're talking about a pre-arrest diversion initiative offering a novel new approach to community youth engagement, the beginning of the end to overseas financing for fossil fuels with the recent addition of Australia and Norway to the CETP, and how Finland … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Austria adopts Housing First model, 2,000 captive rhinos to be released into the wild, saving birds via green tourism

Today at Squirrel News, we're finding out how Austria is mirroring Finland's success in providing secure shelter for thousands of homeless individuals, exploring a programme dedicated to ensuring the enduring prosperity of the southern white rhino population, and shedding light o … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Housing First: Austria to provide thousands of unhoused persons with homes

An initiative long demanded by experts is set to address homelessness in Austria: Over 1,000 homeless people are to be given their own flat by September 2024. | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

South Africa’s four-day workweek a success, free therapy for young NYers, self-test HIV kits fight stigma

In today's edition, we delve into South Africa's experiment with a four-day workweek in a first for the continent, discover how free online therapy for New York City's teenagers is helping address a mental health crisis, and explore the concept of self-test HIV kits in Ghana. | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Detroit’s homicide rate plummets, EU bans destruction of unsold clothing, saving a forest by building a clinic

In the latest instalment of Squirrel News, we delve into the huge decrease in Detroit's homicide rate thanks to a city-wide programme, the European Union's endorsement of a ban on the destruction of unsold clothing in favour of eco-friendly alternatives, and a medical clinic stri … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Recap: 30 stories about solutions and progress from November 2023

Photo: Naja Bertolt Jensen / Unsplash (CC0) From the EU’s […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Climate fund for poor countries, Canada gets 988 crisis helpline, UK expands opt-out HIV tests

Photo: josealbafotos via Pixabay (CC0) In today’s edition of Squirrel […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Seven solutions to the housing crisis, first solar canals in the US, cheap street fix saving lives

Photo: Phil Hearing / Unsplash (CC0) In today’s edition of […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 11 months ago

Therapy from hairdressers, green alliance between EU and Canada, housing community for older women

Photo: Minette Lontsie via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0) In […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 12 months ago

Blue whales make a comeback, koala corridors, the butterflies helping detect cancer

Today we're talking about how the largest animals on Earth are returning to a safe tropical haven decades after being hunted to near extinction, a novel conservation strategy set to help Australia's iconic marsupial, and an imaging sensor that mimics the visual system of the Papi … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 12 months ago

Empowering Ugandan girls with bikes, embracing nature on corporate boards, solar powered health facilities

In today's edition of Squirrel News, we discover how a non-governmental organisation in Uganda is breaking down barriers for girls in accessing education, an interiors company incorporating the natural world into their boardroom decisions, and how the transformative possibilities … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

EU’s plastic waste export ban, sustainable aviation fuel, dementia cases decline

Photo: Well, Bertolt Jensen / Unsplash (CC0) In today’s edition […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

EU caps methane emissions, AI predicts heart attack risk, Colombia’s anti-machismo school

Today at Squirrel News, we're exploring a big breakthrough in emissions legislation in the EU, an AI tool helping doctors predict the risk of heart attacks a decade before they happen, and how mobile outreach teams and tailored classes helping men in Colombia transform the cultur … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

World’s first marine protected area for sperm whales, Morocco’s earthquake relief, solar energy in Rio’s favelas

Today at Squirrel News, we're exploring the creation of the world's first marine protected area for sperm whales in Dominica, an interactive database bringing earthquake relief to off-the-map villages in Morocco, and an organisation aiming to demonstrate the transformative potent … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

China’s emissions on the brink of decline, shared parental leave in South Africa, startups tackling wildfires

Photo: via darmau / Unsplash (CC0) Today at Squirrel News, […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

First-ever whole-eye transplant, heroin users trained to detect ODs, drive against childhood illiteracy in Angola

The latest edition of Squirrel News explores a groundbreaking world-first surgery feat, an initiative to train opiate users to spot overdoses and intervene in Scotland, and a literacy project empowering children in Angola. | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

World-first gene therapy restores hearing in deaf children, free maternity care in DRC, Kenya’s tree-planting day

Today at Squirrel News, we're talking about how a world-first gene therapy is restoring hearing in deaf children, the DRC's significant step towards improved maternal healthcare, and a surprise announcement from the Kenyan government marking November 13th as a national tree-plant … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Dropping dengue rates thanks to modified mosquitoes, 4-day workweek trial in Valencia, e-bike without battery

Photo: Nestor Morales / Unsplash (CC0) In today’s edition of […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Norway’s biggest ever rewilding project, 45% drop in polluting vehicles in London, groundbreaking liver transplant

Today at Squirrel News, we're talking about how Norway has successfully managed to transform a former mining town into a polar bear paradise, the removal of almost 80,000 polluting vehicles from London's streets, and a revolutionary clinical trial giving a second chance to those … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Colombia and Mali lead efforts to improve air quality, Romania’s forest reserve, guerrilla rewilders

In today's edition of Squirrel News, we're exploring how low and middle income countries are spearheading the fight against air pollution, a project to create a "Yellowstone for Europe" in Romania, and rogue rewilders taking the reintroduction of lost and endangered UK species in … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

October recap: 28 stories highlighting our favourite new ideas and solutions

From the world's unstoppable shift towards clean energy to innovative methods to outsmart government censorship, here's a run-through of some of the most exciting and important stories from our October editions. | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Saving Amazon river dolphins, golden age of medicine, Prison-to-Hollywood pipeline

Photo: Joachim S. Müller/Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 Deed) In today’s […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Tackling social isolation, world’s unstoppable shift to clean energy, real estate agency for the unhoused

Today at Squirrel News, we're talking about how Northern Europe is stepping up to address the challenge of social isolation, the global energy watchdog's announcement that the world's move towards green power sources is "unstoppable", and the creative ways in which a nonprofit or … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Solar energy from space, Stockholm city without gas cars, better care through shared biographies

In today's edition of Squirrel News, we explore the potential of space-based solar power, discover how Stockholm plans to ban gas cars from its city center, and learn about a creative platform that's transforming caregiving through biographies. | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Tackling youth gun violence with CBT, zero-waste cities, record number of Roma elected to Slovakian parliament

In today's edition of Squirrel News, we're talking about a unique approach to addressing gun violence in Baltimore, the lessons the German city of Kiel can teach us in terms of sustainability, and six Roma elected to Slovakia's parliament in recent elections - the highest number … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

EU bans added microplastics, job sharing boom, pink dinosaur protecting online identities in China

Today at Squirrel News, we're talking about a new series of broad measures to fight microplastics pollution, a constructive approach to helping parents keep their careers on track, and an innovative way of dodging online harassment in China. | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Warmth from disused coal mines, first Irish town to ban single-use coffee cups, sponges soaking up microplastics

Photo: via Pixabay In today’s edition of Squirrel News, UK’s […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Bridging education equity for low-income kids, groundbreaking bionic arm, Balkan green energy goals

In today's edition of Squirrel News, we're talking about how an edTech nonprofit is supporting underprivileged children and reducing gaps in learning, a pioneering technology able to fuse a bionic arm to a user's skeleton and nervous system, and Romania and Albania's ambitious cl … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Inmates embrace VR training, Flood Hub, California mandates corporate emission disclosure

Today at Squirrel News, we're exploring how incarcerated individuals can prepare for post-prison careers with VR training, the launch of Google's natural disaster-predicting Flood Hub, and new legislation requiring major businesses to disclose their carbon emissions in the fight … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Canada’s childcare system as a blueprint, yellow school buses going green, low-budget parks

Photo: Juliane Lieberman via Unsplash (CC0) In today’s Squirrel News […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Boston slashes high school dropout rate, Hyderabad’s solar-covered cycle path, five green cities shaping tomorrow

Today at Squirrel News, we're exploring how a US city managed to halve the number of students dropping out of high school, a jump towards green urban infrastructure in Hyderabad, and a number of exciting initiatives creating a more sustainable future for the next generation. | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

UN announces new rules against toxic chemicals, a second chance for Liberia’s child soldiers, new malaria vaccines

In today's edition of Squirrel News, we're talking about the implementation of new international rules designed to protect people and the planet against hazardous chemicals, a project in Liberia transforming the lives of former child soldiers through rehabilitation, and two new m … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Monthly Recap: 28 stories on progress and new solutions for society

From Mexico's decrimininalisation of abortion to an AI-powered healing app, here's our recap of the best and most exciting constructive stories from September 2023. | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Young people sue 32 nations for climate inaction, writers strike victory, madrassa for transgender community

In this edition of Squirrel News, we're exploring stories that exemplify the power of collective action and resilience – such as a groups of Portuguese young people leading an environmental legal battle, Hollywood screenwriters celebrating a hard-fought victory over AI, and how a … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

34: MDMA and social change

Can psychedelics like MDMA drive positive social change? Journalist Rachel Nuwer wrote a book on "MDMA and the Quest for Connection in a Fractured World", and in one chapter she describes how taking the drug in a scientific study might have helped a former white nationalist leade … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Gun taxes to fund violence prevention programmes, female crash test dummies, water-filtering fleas

Today at Squirrel News, we're looking at how California is doubling taxes on firearms and ammunition to pay for school safety initiatives, the first crash test dummy modelled on the female body, and how tiny water fleas could play a big role in filtering pollutants out of wastewa … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Historic women’s quota bill in India, protecting Brazil’s Indigenous communities, high school for dropouts

Today at Squirrel News, we're talking about a groundbreaking piece of legislation set to reserve a proportion of parliamentary and state assembly seats for women in India, the protection of land rights for Indigenous groups in Brazil, and an education centre in the US giving adul … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

“Holy grail” palm oil alternative, Parkland survivor creates healing app, sponsor an ocean

Today at Squirrel News, we're talking about a groundbreaking sustainable alternative to deforestation-fuelling palm oil, a smartphone app developed by a school shooting survivor to help children heal from traumatic experiences, and Niue's innovative plan to protect its slice of t … | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

NYC to unclog streets, first licensed psilocybin service centre, app teaching Somalis to read

Photo: Ana Lanza / Unsplash (CC0) In today’s edition of […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Denmark launches world’s first green container ship, robot reef restoration, UK sees butterfly population boom

In today's edition of Squirrel news, we're talking about a promising milestone for the international shipping industry, a novel robot-driven approach to rejuvenating coral reefs, and a remarkable increase in the UK's butterfly population. | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

Peer-to-peer lending transforms lives, Florida’s first hurricane-proof town, preventing gun violence with basketball

In today's edition of Squirrel News, we're exploring an innovative approach to finance changing lives in rural India, the first Floridian town built to withstand hurricanes, and Philadelphia's unusual new method of tackling gun violence. | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago

African Union becomes member of G20, Scottish civil service to trial four-day week, world’s largest rhino farm saved by NGO

Photo: Kaleab / Unsplash (CC0) In today’s edition of Squirrel […] | Continue reading


@squirrel-news.net | 1 year ago