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.
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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.
Japan successfully tests giant turbine that generates renewable energy using deep ocean currents
During future tests, developer IHI Corp is hoping to generate two megawatts, with the hopes of kicking off commercial operations in the 2030s, Bloomberg reports.
Finland is the first country to pass a legally binding carbon negativity act
Finland’s parliament recently passed a new Climate Change Act which legally binds it to its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2035 and negative emissions by 2040.
Three oil companies pull out of Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Indigenous and environmental groups led a campaign against drilling in the refuge, and 29 banks and 14 insurers now say they won’t fund drilling in the refuge.
Fastest carbon dioxide catcher heralds new age for direct air capture
The Tokyo Metropolitan University team’s new technology promises unprecedented performance and robustness in direct air capture systems.
Activision Blizzard workers vote in video game industry’s first union
A group of quality-assurance testers in Activision Blizzard’s Raven Software division, which developed the popular Call of Duty Game, voted 19-3 in favor of unionizing.
Germany returns stolen colonial treasures to Namibia
The decision is part of reparations for a period of colonial rule during which Germany committed a genocide against the Namibian people.