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Yangtze River

China removes more than 300 dams along Yangtze River tributary to restore biodiversity

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China has claimed to dismantle 300 dams and decommission more than 90% of small hydropower stations along the Chishui River since 2020. The move is seen as one of the world’s largest state-led efforts to restore aquatic biodiversity, reversing decades of hydro-infrastructure development that critically endangered native fish species, the South China Morning Post reported. The Yangtze sturgeon, declared extinct in the wild by the International Union for Conservation of Nature in 2022, has now shown signs of recovery.

Indigenous person from Colombia

Colombia’s Constitutional Court issues landmark ruling in favor of Indigenous communities exposed to mercury contamination

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The contamination, caused by gold mining, affects key rivers and fish consumed by the communities, with mercury levels found up to 17 times above safe limits. The ruling suspends new gold mining licenses in the Yuruparí macroterritory until intercultural dialogue is held and a remediation plan is established. The court also mandated regular monitoring and inclusive implementation, with biannual hearings and Indigenous participation, marking a judicial precedent for Indigenous-led environmental justice and the protection of ancestral knowledge.

Holding a smiling baby

World’s first malaria treatment for newborn babies gets approval

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Switzerland’s drug regulator has cleared the way for a new medicine to become available in parts of Africa where the life-threatening disease is endemic. In a late-stage clinical trial, pharmaceutical giant Novartis showed the drug was safe and effective for babies. The lack of specialized treatment – and the fact that babies are not vaccinated until they are around five months old – has left the youngest infants relatively unprotected against malaria, a mosquito-borne disease that kills about 597,000 people per year.

Air pollution from a coal plant

Global mercury emissions have fallen 70% over last four decades

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Gold mining, coal burning, and cement and nonferrous metals production all release several thousand tons of mercury into the atmosphere every year, leading to tens of thousands of deaths worldwide. However, a team of Chinese scientists from schools in Tianjin, Beijing, Tibet, and Nanjing has found that mercury concentrations in the atmosphere have reduced by a staggering 70% since a peak in the year 2000.

Pride celebration with pride flag in foreground

In landmark ruling, same-sex couples recognized as family by Ukrainian court

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Kyiv’s Desniansky District Court has formally recognized a same-sex couple as a family, marking the first legal precedent of its kind in Ukraine, human rights organization Insight LGBTQ has announced. Ukraine does not currently recognize same-sex marriages or partnerships, and this court ruling may serve as a critical legal milestone in expanding rights for LGBTQ families. According to a 2024 poll by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology, 70% of Ukrainians believe LGBTQ citizens should have equal rights.

Reproductive rights protesters

Wisconsin Supreme Court strikes down state’s 1849 near-total abortion ban

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In a 4-3 decision, the court’s liberal majority affirmed a lower court ruling that overturned the 176-year-old ban and left in place a more recent law in Wisconsin allowing most abortions until about the 20th week of pregnancy. As was the case in many states with similar older laws, or newer so-called trigger laws, the ban came back into effect after the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v. Wade in 2022. In short order, the decision prompted Planned Parenthood’s Wisconsin operations to suspend abortion services in the state.

Metal pipes

Flint, Michigan at last replaces corroded pipes after lead crisis

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Flint’s lead crisis began in 2014, when the city began drawing water sourced from the Flint River instead of from Lake Huron. The river water was more corrosive than the lake water, and the city failed to take the additional steps needed to prevent lead from leaching into drinking water. In 2017, a federal court ordered the city to replace all lead pipes within three years. Eight years later is the project finally complete. State officials told a federal court this week that the city has excavated more than 28,000 properties in search of lead water lines and replaced nearly 11,000 pipes.

South Africa flag

South Africa to ban highly toxic pesticide Terbufos

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In a decision welcomed by advocacy groups and researchers, South Africa’s Cabinet has approved a ban on the import of Terbufos, a highly toxic pesticide linked to the deaths of six children in a South African township in October 2024. The South African Human Rights Commission (SAHRC) called the decision “a historic milestone in the realization of critical socio-economic rights, including the right to health, clean water, a safe environment, and adequate food.”

Mosquito on a leaf

Suriname becomes first country in the Amazon region to eliminate malaria

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Suriname has officially been certified malaria-free by the World Health Organization (WHO). This certification marks the successful interruption of indigenous malaria transmission for at least three consecutive years – a major step forward in the global fight against one of humanity’s deadliest diseases. With today’s announcement, WHO has now certified 46 countries and one territory malaria-free – and each one has successfully prevented the re-establishment of the disease.

Midwife and mother

Virginia becomes first U.S. state to recognize autonomous midwifery practice

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Autonomous midwifery practice enables midwives to conduct their professional work by providing evidence-based, high-quality, and ethical care across pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum, as well as providing other reproductive health care. Now, Virginia midwives can not only practice autonomously but also receive 100% free schedule reimbursement from private insurance and Medicaid. They can also serve on a 24-hour on-call duty roster for nursery care when physicians are unavailable, addressing staffing shortages in rural areas.

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