Biggest power plant in coal-reliant Australia to close early
Australia’s largest coal-fired power station will close seven years earlier than planned, as its operator says it is increasingly unable to compete with the “influx of renewables”.
Australia & Oceania
“Revolutionary” pacemaker tackles heart failure by listening to the lungs
The University of Auckland team has spent more than a decade developing what they describe as a “bionic” pacemaker, a device designed to respond to the body’s signals in real-time.
South Australia smashes renewable record using 100% solar and wind for full week
Wind turbines supplied 64.4% of power, while rooftop PV panel generation provided 29.5%, and utility-scale solar averaged 6.2%.
Hawaii becomes first U.S. state to ban shark fishing
Hundreds of shark species worldwide are threatened by extinction due to over-fishing. A new bill makes it illegal to knowingly capture, entangle, or kill a shark in Hawaii’s marine waters.
$20 million copyright buyout makes Australian Aboriginal flag free for all
Luritja artist Harold Thomas created the flag in 1970 to represent Aboriginal people and their connection to the land, and it has been an official national flag since the end of the last century.
First IVF corals successfully spawn on Great Barrier Reef
According to the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, coral IVF uses modern technology to breed and distribute corals so they have the highest chance of survival.
Assisted dying is rapidly becoming legal and accepted – currently in 11 countries and 10 U.S. states
Since 2015, Belgium, Luxembourg, Canada, New Zealand, Spain, the Netherlands, Colombia, Germany, Austria, Portugal, five Australian states, ten American states, and D.C. have legalized assisted dying.
New Zealand becomes first country in the world to fully legalize drug checking
The new law allows individuals to test the safety of illicit substances at festivals and other locations without the fear of legal repercussions.
Josh Cavallo becomes the first openly gay male top-level professional soccer player
Although Cavallo was fearful that his coming out would damage the career he’s worked so hard to build up, he felt that he needed to embody his truth for other players who may be “living in silence.”
New Zealand swears in first Indigenous Māori Governor-general
Before being sworn in as New Zealand’s first Māori Governor-general last week, Dame Cindy Kiro forged a career in academics, holding various leadership roles at many New Zealand universities.