All Volvo cars to be electric or hybrid from 2019
Landmark move as first big manufacturer says it will stop making vehicles solely powered by internal combustion engine
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Kenya is first in Africa to get latest generic AIDS drug
A generic of Dolutegravir (DTG), first approved in the United States in 2013, is being given to 20,000 patients in Kenya before being rolled out in Nigeria and Uganda later this year, with the backing of the health agency UNITAID.
East Timor holds first LGBT parade; PM calls for acceptance
Gay rights have taken a step forward in East Timor with its first LGBT pride parade and the prime minister announcing that the young nation’s development depends on respecting the rights of all its citizens.
Record 66 million trees planted in 12 hours in India
Under the Paris Agreement, India has pledged to increase its forests by 95 million hectares by 2030, costing around $6.2 billion.
Teen birth rates in the U.S. hit a record low
The rate of births among 15-to-19 year olds declined by 9% in 2016 compared to 2015 a record low for that age group, according to the report from the Centers for Disease Control.
Parliament in Germany approves same-sex marriage
Lawmakers in Germany voted on Friday to allow same-sex marriage after a brisk but emotional debate in Parliament, setting the stage for the country to join more than a dozen European nations including Ireland, France and Spain in legalizing such unions.
Qinghai province in China ran on 100% renewable energy for 7 days
For seven continuous days, over 5 million citizens living in the Qinghai Province in northwest China survived on 100 percent renewable energy, according to the State-run Xinhua News Agency.
111 terminally ill patients took their own lives in first 6 months of California right-to-die law
The End of Life Option Act made California the fifth state in the nation to allow patients with less than six months to live to request end-of-life drugs from their doctors.
Pakistan issues its first passport recognizing a transgender designation
Instead of having “male” or “female” listed on their official documents, Pakistani transgender men and women can have a “X” under the sex category.
France to ban all new oil and gas exploration licenses
France plans to terminate the granting oil and gas exploration licenses at home and in overseas territories, as the country aims to increase the share of renewables in the nation’s energy mix.