Good News Links

Neurons inside human brain

Synapse-restoring pill set for human trials as novel schizophrenia treatment

By / / Good news links

Spinogenix is the American company behind the once-a-day pill that restored lost nerve cell connections in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Having been granted approval from the Australia Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC), it is now actively enrolling participants for its Phase 2 clinical trial to evaluate the safety, effectiveness, tolerability, and pharmacodynamics of once-a-day SPG302 as a treatment for schizophrenia.

Good news for LGBTQ rights

Thailand becomes first Southeast Asian country to legalize marriage equality

By / / Good news links

The bill legalizing same-sex marriage was passed by Parliament earlier this year, and King Maha Vajiralongkorn has now made it law by providing Royal Assent. It will take effect in 120 days, with the first weddings being expected to take place in January. The move means that marriage laws will no longer use terms like “husband” and “wife” and such terms have been replaced with inclusive, gender-neutral language such as “partner.” Same-sex couples now have the same legal rights as their heterosexual counterparts, such as adoption and inheritance rights.

Women feeling lonely and sad

Washington State considers rape kit backlog ‘essentially eliminated’ 30,000 tests later

By / / Good news links

In a moment Washington state officials say has been a long time coming, the state’s crime lab in Vancouver is declaring its sexual assault kit testing backlog “essentially eliminated.” Over the past decade, the lab has tested more than 30,000 kits. In 2019, House Bill 1166 required rape kits to be tested within 45 days as of May 2022. Today, the Washington State Patrol’s Vancouver Crime Lab reports 95% of kits are tested and DNA entered into a database in 45 days.

Nepal river valley with mountains in background

The Supreme Court of Nepal extends no-construction zones along major rivers in Kathmandu Valley

By / / Good news links

The ruling introduces an additional 66-foot buffer zone, which would impact thousands of households, raising concerns about property rights and potential displacement. While environmental campaigners have welcomed the court’s decision as a crucial step toward saving the rivers of the valley, where encroachment and dumping of untreated solid and liquid waste is rampant, the federal government, under pressure from the local people, has filed for a review of the decision.

Good news for LGBTQ rights

Governor bans use of ‘conversion therapy’ on LGBTQ+ minors in Kentucky

By / / Good news links

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear banned the use of “conversion therapy” on minors in Kentucky on Wednesday, calling his executive order a necessary step to protect children from a widely discredited practice that tries to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling. The governor used his executive powers after Republicans who control the state legislature repeatedly blocked efforts to enact a state law banning the practice. Beshear said he would no longer wait for others to “do what’s right.”

ING headquarters

Dutch bank ING to ditch climate laggards as clients

By / / Good news links

Dutch bank ING will dump large clients it believes are not making sufficient progress on reducing their climate impact, in the latest sign of divergence between European and US banks over the risks of global warming. Chief executive Steven van Rijswijk said ING had put its clients on notice that it would either restrict or stop providing finance to companies that fail to address their carbon footprint on a case-by-case basis. Van Rijswijk said ING had assessed 2,000 of its largest clients based on their publicly available climate transition plans and other data. Companies had until 2026 to make sufficient progress, he said.   

Three Moroccan flags

Morocco is rapidly growing its EV production capacity

By / / Good news links

Morocco has already established itself as a leading power in the African automotive sector. It now aspires to lead the way on the transition to EVs. The country currently produces between 40,000 and 50,000 electric vehicles (EVs) per year. However, this is expected to increase to around 100,000 units by 2025. By 2030, EVs are expected to account for up to 60% of all cars exported. The country has also entered into strategic partnerships that aim to create a solid foundation for the electric vehicle industry and supply chain, with investments totalling about $10 billion USD.

Hollywood sign at sunset

California passes two new bills protecting actors and performers against AI

By / / Good news links

In a potentially precedent-setting moment for tech legislation across the country, the new laws not only bolster those existing protections but extend them to everyone in California — not just to people working in front of a camera in Hollywood, as IndieWire notes. Together, the bills make it illegal to use an AI-generated digital replica of an actor’s likeness or voice — or technically, any Californian’s — without their explicit consent. Studios will also be prohibited from cloning deceased actors unless they have permission from their estates.

Gavel

Joe Biden makes history by confirming 12th LGBTQ+ judge, the most of any U.S. presidency

By / / Good news links

Judge Mary Kay Costello made history on Tuesday when she became the 12th Senate-confirmed LGBTQ+ judge appointed by President Joe Biden. The Senate voted 52-42 to confirm Costello after a day-long hearing. She’ll now sit on the bench of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Her confirmation helped Biden set a new record, topping both the Obama administration and Biden administration’s previously tied record of appointing 11 out LGBTQ+ judges.

An Aerial/Drone Shot of The capital city of Tanzania

Bus rapid transit stations in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania are getting EV charging stations

By / / Good news links

Tanzania has one of the most advanced Bus Rapid Transit systems on the African continent. Known as the DART, Dar Rapid Transit Agency began operations in 2016 and has 29 stations around Tanzania’s largest city, Dar es Salaam. In a significant step towards promoting sustainable transportation in Tanzania, the DART has signed a landmark contract with TRÍ to install an advanced electric charging system within the DART infrastructure.