Virginia joins 20 other U.S. states banning ticket quotas for traffic cops
The National Motorists Association says that “a speed trap exists wherever traffic enforcement is focused on extracting revenue from drivers instead of improving safety.”
Good News Links
After long decline, eastern monarch butterflies show signs of recovery in Mexico
Eastern monarch butterflies covered 35% more ground in the mountain forests of central Mexico this past winter than they did the year before, according to a World Wildlife Fund survey.
Indonesia issues long-delayed rules to protect migrant fishing workers
Marine activists have welcomed the decree, which they say should help improve the global fisheries sector, given that vessels where worker abuse is rife also tend to be engaged in illegal fishing activities.
Energy Dome launches world’s first CO2 battery energy storage facility in Sardinia
These “CO2 batteries” can store renewable energy over long periods and release it quickly, at less than half the cost of big lithium batteries.
England is turning 99,000 hectares of land into nature recovery projects
The initiative consists of five large-scale projects to boost biodiversity, tackle the climate crisis, and expand public access to nature.
New York governor signs law raising age to own semiautomatic rifle
New York’s Legislature passed the bills last week, pushing the changes through after a pair of mass shootings involving 18-year-old gunmen using semiautomatic rifles.
Malaysia abolishes mandatory use of the death penalty
Malaysia will now allow judges discretion in sentencing and offering a range of substitute sentences for crimes that carry a mandatory death sentence.
Caribou herds in British Columbia have tripled in less than a decade
Environmentalists say the mix of traditional knowledge from Indigenous elders, hands-on community engagement, and Western science offer a model for improved conservation.
Thailand officially removes cannabis from narcotics list and decriminalizes growing plants at home
Some 4,000 prisoners serving jail time for cannabis-related crimes will soon be released and their criminal records for those offenses will be deleted.
The Ivory Coast is building a wall to protect nature reserve from pollution
Though the Banco National Park provides valuable ecosystem services to the city, the park has been suffering from pollution and illegal tree felling in recent years.