North & Central America

Teal Wand - Pap smear alternative

The U.S. FDA approves first at-home tool as a Pap-smear alternative

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Traditionally, gynecologists have inserted a cold metal speculum deep into a woman’s vagina to scrape cells from the cervix. The Teal Wand — “built with empathy” by California-based Teal Health — uses a swab to collect a vaginal sample. Women will then mail the sample to a lab that will screen for HPV (human papillomavirus), the virus that causes nearly all cervical cancers. The FDA approval follows a U.S.-based study that found at-home screening was just as effective as that done in a doctor’s office.

Baltimore reports historic drop in homicide rates

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Thousands of Arizonans now have a financial burden lifted off their shoulders, Gov. Katie Hobbs has announced. According to the Democratic governor, $429 million in medical debt has been erased for more than 352,000 Arizonans as part of a partnership between her administration and national nonprofit Undue Medical Debt. In 2024, Hobbs announced an initiative to erase $2 billion in medical debt for up to one million Arizonans.

Illustration of intestines

Fecal transplants reduce alcohol cravings as human trials progress

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Researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University have found that fecal transplants may help those suffering from severe alcohol use disorder. The work points to a compelling relationship between the gut microbiome and addiction disorders, with large-scale Phase 2 human trials currently underway. Nine of 10 patients who received a transplant had a reduction in their cravings and in the urine measurement of alcohol-related metabolites, compared to only three of the 10 placebo subjects displaying similar levels of improvement.

Trans pride flag

Spokane passes LGBTQ+ rights ordinance to protect trans folks from the federal government

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Council members voted 5-2 to implement the ordinance, which updates the Washington State city’s human rights code to define gender-affirming care and ensure equal protections for LGBTQ+ people. The policy “prohibits the city from collecting or disseminating information about anyone’s sex assigned at birth, unless it’s related to a criminal investigation.” The ordinance also requires city-provided healthcare to cover gender-affirming care. Council members celebrated the city living up to its motto: “In Spokane, we all belong.”

Illustration of brain

Psilocybe fungi are an effective treatment for repeated concussions, new study suggests

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A new study from Boston’s Northeastern University has found that “magic mushrooms” could be an effective treatment for concussions because of their brain-healing properties. Rats given the medicinal fungi post-head injury showed reduced edema and “dramatic hyperconnectivity” in parts of the brain that are pathways for dopamine. The researchers said that the hyperconnected dopaminergic pathways could indicate neuroplasticity, the ability of the brain to reorganize itself in response to injury.

Psilocybin mushrooms

New Mexico becomes third U.S. state to legalize psilocybin therapy

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Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham has signed SB 219 into law, effectively legalizing psilocybin-assisted therapy for qualifying patients across the state. The new law establishes a tightly regulated framework allowing for the medical use of psilocybin in treating conditions like treatment-resistant depression, PTSD, substance use disorders, and end-of-life anxiety. Under the program, therapy will consist of preparation, guided psilocybin therapy, and follow-up integration sessions. However, for everyone outside the program, possession and use of mushrooms is still a crime.

Wind turbines at sunset

Fossil fuels fall below 50% of U.S. electricity for the first time since the 1800s

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In a major milestone for climate action, the U.S. hit a new record low for fossil fuels in the electricity mix last month as solar and wind reached a record high, according to new data from global energy think tank Ember. In March 2025, fossil fuels accounted for less than 50% of electricity generated, for the first month on record. The shift meant that clean sources generated more than half (50.8%) of U.S. electricity for the first month on record. 

Chevron gas station

Chevron ordered to pay $740 million to restore Louisiana coast in landmark trial

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Jurors have found that energy giant Texaco, acquired by Chevron in 2001, had for decades violated Louisiana regulations governing coastal resources by failing to restore wetlands impacted by dredging canals, drilling wells, and billions of gallons of wastewater dumped into the marsh. The case was the first of dozens of pending lawsuits to reach trial in Louisiana against the world’s leading oil companies for their role in accelerating land loss along the state’s rapidly disappearing coast.

Thai man and children on motorbike

Thailand bans corporal punishment of minors

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Thailand has become the world’s 68th country to ban corporal punishment of minors. With this step, the Southeast Asian country is aligning with the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, in force since 1990. According to the latest survey by the National Statistical Office, published in 2022, 54% of Thais under the age of 14 have received some form of physical or psychological punishment at home, down from 75% in 2005. UNICEF is promoting the total ban of the practice worldwide.

Prairie Land Potawatomi Nation's Chief Shab-eh-nay

Illinois returns stolen land to Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation

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The Prairie Land Potawatomi Nation has reclaimed land in Illinois that was promised to the tribe’s leader 175 years ago but stolen by the federal government 20 years later. A law signed by Gov. JB Pritzker last week transferred Shabbona Lake State Recreation Area, 1,500 acres in north-central Illinois. “We are proud to once again call this land home,” said Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick, chairman of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation based in Mayetta, Kansas.