hope in the headlines

2008-04-22T19:10:00.003-03:00

Well, friends, I think this site has run its course for now. It can be quite a chore to keep this site current and there are changes in store for our family that will mean less time available for noodling around on the internet.

I'm glad to have discovered sources of good news and become more mindful about seeking out positive new stories. I hope you've been able to change your media diet for the better, too!

Even though this site will go into hibernation, the links in the sidebar will still guide you to the good stuff.

Thanks for hanging out!

Mobster bear gets new life

2008-04-16T10:16:00.002-03:00

A Bosnian bear has been saved from a life of caged loneliness after he fell into the hands of mobsters and almost died from starvation.

When Miljen's mother was killed by hunters in 2000, the bear cub was sold to a crime boss keen to emulate famous Balkan criminals who view keeping wild animals as proof of machismo. The gangster was jailed in 2005, Miljen was left to the mercy of neighbours, who could only afford to feed him bread. (Reuters)

Students bent on fighting racism and encouraging cultural diversity

2008-04-16T10:13:00.000-03:00

A group of students in Nova Scotia bring the fight against racism to their school by encouraging people to embrace cultural diversity organizing a mini-United Nations. (Truro Daily News)

California program aids the 'forgotten' homeless

2008-04-16T09:17:00.002-03:00

When he was homeless, Timothy Caldwell used to challenge people to a chess match to pay for food. Now he lives at Safe Haven, a shelter in Santa Monica, and is looking to get his own apartment. When he wins at chess these days, he gives the money to others without homes.

Safe Haven, a residence in Santa Monica, takes in those who have been on the streets more than a year and have a disability and helps put them in permanent housing. (CS Monitor)

Neighbours chip in to buy RV for Seattle man facing eviction from tree house

2008-04-11T20:53:00.000-03:00

A homeless man who has spent the last two years living in a tree house has a new, terrestrial home just in the nick of time.

It's all thanks to neighbours who chipped in to by David (Squirrelman) Csaky a used recreation vehicle after learning he faced eviction by the city. (CBC)

Sight restored - after 66 years

2008-04-11T09:03:00.000-03:00

Surgeons have restored the sight of a man who was blinded in one eye 66 years ago during the Blitz.

John Gray, 87, was injured during a bombing raid on Clydeside and was told he would never again see through his right eye, reports the BBC. (Ananova)

Miraculous survival in Switzerland

2008-04-11T08:54:00.001-03:00

Swiss police say a baby suffered little more than a bump after a buggy was blown onto railway tracks and run over by a train. (CBC)

Boy, 11, Steers School Bus Out of Semi's Path

2008-04-10T21:14:00.000-03:00

An 11-year-old boy who steered a runaway school bus to safety said he took the wheel because the vehicle was rolling toward a semi. Other children on board during Monday's crash were "freaking out," screaming and hollering, but David Murphy decided he had to do something.

Canada to Create Giant New Northern National Park

2008-04-10T09:12:00.000-03:00

Canada will create a giant new national park covering some 1.9 million acres along one of the country's most spectacular northern rivers, Environment Minister John Baird said on Monday. (Reuters)

Bangladesh Street Kids Turn From Begging to Banking

2008-04-10T09:09:00.000-03:00

Raju's life changed after he discovered an unlikely profession for a street child: banking. The 16-year-old boy started working for the Children's Development Bank, a Bangladesh-based lender that is owned by a non-government organization and managed by street children. He now earns $30 a month and can save a portion of his income. (Reuters-India)

Dell Headquarters Goes 100% Green Energy

2008-04-09T09:25:00.000-03:00

Dell is now powering 100 percent of its 2.1 million square-foot global headquarters campus (home to more than 10,000 employees) with 100 percent green power, the latest step in meeting the company's 2008 carbon neutral commitment. (GNN)

Boeing Flies First Hydrogen-Powered Plane

2008-04-09T09:17:00.000-03:00

US aircraft giant Boeing claimed a world first Thursday flying a manned airplane powered by a hydrogen-cell battery, the first time in the history of aviation and a breakthrough that could herald a greener future for the industry. (GNN)

Cheaper, More Reliable Solar?

2008-04-04T11:40:00.002-03:00

A recent renewed interest in alternative energy technologies has also revitalized interest in solar thermal technology, a type of solar power that uses the sun’s heat rather than its light to produce electricity.

Although the technology for solar thermal has existed for more than two decades, projects have languished while fossil fuels remained cheap. But solar thermal’s time may now have come — and mirrored arrays of solar thermal power plants may soon bloom in many of the world’s deserts. (Geotimes)

Boy, 5, made 911 rescue call after mother buried in snow

2008-04-04T11:32:00.000-03:00

A five-year-old New Brunswick boy was honoured by the RCMP on Thursday as a hero who helped save his mother's life after she was buried in snow. (CBC)

Woman's warning saves family from house fire

2008-04-04T11:30:00.001-03:00

An unidentified passerby averted a disaster in western P.E.I. Wednesday when she alerted a family to a fire in their home, says the local fire chief.

The four managed to escape without injury when a woman driving by their Egmont Bay home noticed sparks coming from the chimney. She went to the door and told the residents to get out. (CBC)

A Victim Treats His Mugger Right

2008-03-31T17:07:00.001-03:00

Julio Diaz not only handed his wallet over to a knife-wielding mugger, but called him back to offer his coat and to buy the kid some dinner.

"I figure, you know, if you treat people right, you can only hope that they treat you right. It's as simple as it gets in this complicated world." (NPR)

Ebola Virus Vaccine Proven to Work

2008-03-31T16:29:00.001-03:00

A team of Canadian and American researchers have tested a vaccine for the ebola virus on primates, and it seems to be working. They hope that what they’ve learned from finding a vaccine for ebola can be applied to other viruses like HIV/AIDs. (Things Are Good)

Canadians go dark with world for Earth Hour

2008-03-31T13:51:00.002-03:00

Canadians joined communities around the world on Saturday in turning off the lights for this year's Earth Hour, a global campaign to raise awareness of climate change. About 100,000 Canadians out of a total of 300,000 people worldwide registered online for the event — putting the country among top participants anywhere.

Organizers see the event as a way to encourage the world to conserve energy. While all lights in participating cities are unlikely to be cut, it is the symbolic darkening of monuments, businesses and individual homes they are most eagerly anticipating. (CBC)

Bike Parking Lot With Attendant in the Works for NYC

2008-03-28T19:32:00.002-03:00

City officials have been trying to create more places where New Yorkers can ride their bikes safely, but finding secure places to park them is an enduring problem.

Now, a few business executives have dreamed up a private-sector solution: the city’s first bikes-only parking lot, complete with attendant. (NY Times)

After 80 years, Canadian Tire stops publishing catalogues

2008-03-28T13:26:00.001-03:00

Canadian Tire Corp. will not be printing any more of its paper catalogues, sent to millions of Canadian homes every year.

"We've done a lot of research around customer shopping habits and the reality is, with consumers, they really are spending a lot more time online. That's where they go to obtain the information they're looking for," said Lisa Gibson, a spokeswoman for Canadian Tire.

Insect-Killing Worms May Help New York

2008-03-28T10:13:00.001-03:00

Each spring, tens of millions of alfalfa snout beetles rise from the soil to continue their slow, methodical march across upstate New York, laying waste to fields of alfalfa in a single growing season.

Now, after 20 years of research, Cornell University scientists have discovered a pair of microscopic, insect-killing worms that prey on the beetle. (AP)

Somalia Once Again Polio-Free, Declares UN

2008-03-27T22:01:00.000-03:00

In what is being described as a major victory in the global fight against polio, the United Nations health agency announced yesterday that the disease has been eradicated in strife-torn Somalia thanks to the efforts of some 10,000 volunteers and health workers across the Horn of Africa nation. (GNN)

Biomass Gas Project Provides Clean Power for Indian Villages

2008-03-27T10:02:00.002-03:00

A new biomass plant that converts wood or agricultural waste into a combustible gas mixture is offering remote communities access to electricity in an environment friendly, carbon neutral way, thanks to the United Nations Development Program. (GNN)

Study Shows Winners Don't Punish

2008-03-27T09:58:00.001-03:00

Punishing a lazy team member can be counterproductive and it may be better to simply walk away, researchers say.

The researchers at Harvard University found that people who go to the trouble of punishing colleagues, co-workers or others in one-on-one situations do not profit from their revenge. Such behavior does not pay off for a group, either, they reported in the journal Nature. (Reuters)

Good marriage keeps blood pressure low

2008-03-26T14:20:00.002-03:00

A new study shows that a happy marriage is good for your blood pressure, but a stressed one may be worse than being single. That second finding comes as a bit of a surprise because prior studies have shown that married people tend to be healthier than singles overall.

Analysis found that the more marital satisfaction and adjustment spouses reported, the lower their average blood pressure was over the 24 hours and during the daytime. (AP)

Australia to Train Aboriginal Doctors

2008-03-26T14:15:00.000-03:00

Australia committed $17 million on Thursday to train Aboriginal nurses and doctors, as part of efforts to close a 17-year gap in the life expectancies of indigenous and other Australians.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's pledge to improve health services for indigenous Australians builds on the government's landmark apology last month for inflicting decades of suffering on Aborigines. (AP)

World's tallest man thankful for the kindness of strangers

2008-03-26T13:59:00.002-03:00

Leonid Stadnik's phenomenal height has forced him to quit a job he loved and to stoop as he moves around his house.

But Stadnik, who Guinness World Records says is the world's tallest human, says his condition has also taught him that there are many kindhearted strangers.

"Thanks to good people I have shoes and clothes," said the 37-year-old former veterinarian, who still lives with his 66-year-old mother. (MSNBC)

Autism, the Musical

2008-03-20T10:42:00.000-03:00

Autistic children write and perform a musical, while moms explain that the "Miracle Project" forever changes their kids, who once were in their own world and now are joined with others thanks to the power of the arts.

New bird discovered in Indonesia

2008-03-20T01:48:00.000-03:00

A small greenish bird that has been playing hide-and-seek with ornithologists on a remote Indonesian island since 1996 was declared a newly discovered species on Friday and promptly recommended for endangered lists. (Reuters)

See-Saw to Power African Schools With Electricity

2008-03-20T01:45:00.000-03:00

A young inventor is hoping to tap the unbounded energy of children in a playground to power schools in Africa. Design student Daniel Sheridan has created a simple see-saw which generates enough electricity to light a classroom. (BBC)

Monkey Business

2008-03-18T20:23:00.002-03:00

Forest officials in India have come up with an unusual way of controlling pesky monkeys - they've set up a park to protect them.

The primate protection park in India's northern Himachal Pradesh will house more than 2000 Simian monkeys and hopefully keep a check on the growing monkey menace in the hilly state. (Reuters)

Trumpeter to Help New Orleans Libraries

2008-03-18T08:56:00.000-03:00

Jazz trumpeter Irvin Mayfield has traveled the world playing for audiences in smoky bars and buttoned-up concert halls, and he knows the sounds, tastes and sights of this city are unlike those anywhere else. So, he says, the city's library system should be just as unique.

Mayfield intends to unveil a plan Tuesday for a multimillion-dollar library system that reflects the city's identity. It would start with a jazz-themed branch housing early recordings and reviews. (MSN)

Teacher's encouraging words helped failing student to dean's list

2008-03-18T08:37:00.000-03:00

One conversation with one teacher changed a woman's opinion of herself and brought success to her schoolwork and life. (OC Register)

Breast-Feeding Seen to Curb Type 2 Diabetes Later

2008-03-17T22:18:00.002-03:00

Breast-fed babies appear to be less likely to develop type 2 diabetes when they reach adolescence, according to findings published in the medical journal Diabetes Care.

Nigeria, Cameroon Settle Decades Old Border Dispute in Oil-Rich Atlantic

2008-03-17T22:10:00.001-03:00

After decades of sometimes bloody disputes over the Bakassi Peninsula, Cameroon and Nigeria have settled their long-disputed maritime border, ending years of uncertainty as to who owns sections of Africa's oil-rich Gulf of Guinea.

"Today is a glorious and remarkable day, a milestone in the history of Cameroon-Nigeria relations,"said Nigerian delegation head Prince Bola Ajibola. (Reuters)

Peace is Delicious for Traditional Foes Who Now Grow Coffee Together

2008-03-17T10:25:00.000-03:00

In Uganda, one man has brought together three groups of people - Christian, Muslim and Jewish - to put aside old differences, creating a coffee cooperative that now boasts some 700 members of all three faiths. They named their coffee Mirembe Kawomera, which means “Delicious Peace.” (Good News Network)

Dolphin rescues stranded whales

2008-03-14T13:20:00.001-03:00

A dolphin who made a New Zealand bay her home helps a group of conservationists to save two stranded whales.

The female pygmy whale and its calf became stranded on Mahia beach and resisted human attempts to herd them out to sea. The situation changed when Moko the dolphin came on the scene.

Israelis and Arabs join forces to save wildlife

2008-03-14T13:10:00.002-03:00

Concern over the fate of rare habitat could alter the course of the West Bank barrier

Fearing for the environment, an unusual mix of Jewish settlers and Israeli and Palestinian activists have joined forces to stop the barrier from pushing through this sensitive area east of Jerusalem, saying the pristine landscape and wildlife in Wadi Qelt could suffer irreversible damage. (MSNBC)

Breakthrough in Canadian Indigenous rights flashpoint

2008-03-14T01:23:00.001-03:00

An Indigenous Canadian community’s longstanding campaign to stop clear-cut logging on its land has prompted a multinational paper company to stop buying wood fibre from the area.

On 27 February, Boise Inc announced that it would “stand in support of Amnesty International’s recommendation” and not buy any wood fibre from the traditional territory of Grassy Narrows First Nation in northwest Ontario until the community has given its consent to logging. (Amnesty)

Community rallies to build home for disabled couple

2008-03-12T08:48:00.003-03:00

Five months, $12,000 and the helping hands of 25 volunteers have built a new house for a New Brunswick couple who were living in a rundown trailer.

When Pat Carr saw the conditions Charlotte and Jay Allan were living in, he rallied members at Hillsborough Baptist Church to build a new home for the disabled couple. (CBC)

Kosovo's 'Woman of Courage' Bridges Ethnic Divide

2008-03-12T08:45:00.000-03:00

Valdete Idrizi, a 34-year-old ethnic Albanian who survived the ethnic violence in Kosovo in the 1990s, has reached out to her Serb neighbors.

She founded a multi-ethnic organization to bring together Serbs, Albanians and the various Roma communities and try to heal the wounds of war. The group even facilitated the return of some displaced Serbs to their homes in Kosovo — which led to Idrizi receiving death threats from Kosovar Albanian militants.

However, it also led to her receiving an International Woman of Courage award from U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. (NPR)

For Former Combatants, A Plan for Peace

2008-03-12T08:39:00.000-03:00

Bassam Aramin and Zohar Shapira, the co-founders of Combatants for Peace, talk about their mission to end the cycle of violence in Israel and Palestine by bringing together individuals who previously fought against each other.

Currently around 450 Palestinians and Israelis are members of the group. (NPR)

Teen Athlete Triumphant and Proud of her Amputated Legs

2008-03-11T22:18:00.001-03:00

To Jessica Long, not having legs isn't a disability -- even with all of the pain. It's an opportunity. The teen swimmer is a world-champ, despite being born without bones in her lower legs.

"If I had the option, I would choose to be this way," she says. "I think it's cool to be able to inspire people and be a role model," as a member of the U.S. Paralympic Elite Swimming Team. "If I had legs, I probably wouldn't be involved in swimming."

"I don't think I can imagine my life with legs." (Rivals High)

Chicago Starts to 'Clean House' in Failing Schools

2008-03-11T10:40:00.002-03:00

Nine Chicago schools are getting a top-to-bottom housecleaning – including replacing principals and most teachers – in a bid to lift student achievement out of the nation's academic basement. The risk is paying off. Schools that once looked like "Beirut," they now look like schools again. Even for a city that already leads the nation in school-reform ideas, the proposal is unusually bold and sweeping and districts across the US are watching with interest. (CS Monitor)

India Cancels Small Farmers' Debt Across Nation

2008-03-11T10:37:00.000-03:00

The Indian government plans to cancel the entire debt of the country's small farmers in a giant program that will cost 600 billion rupees ($15 billion). The move is a centerpiece of India's latest budget, with the government also increasing education spending by 20% and health funding by 15%. (BBC)

March Break, Blog Break

2008-03-03T12:43:00.002-04:00

I won't be updating hope in the headlines this week while the kids are home for March Break. Check out the excellent "good news" links in the sidebar to get your daily fix!

Cuba signs up for human rights

2008-02-29T21:01:00.002-04:00

Cuba signed two major human rights treaties at the UN in New York on Thursday. The country’s Foreign Minister, Felipe Perez Roque, signed the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The treaties commit Cuba to respect rights including freedom of expression and association, and freedom of movement. (Amnesty)

Kidney transplant survival rates in kids on rise: report

2008-02-29T10:26:00.001-04:00

Though kidney failure once meant a death sentence for young patients, the quality and quantity of transplants has greatly boosted survival rates, according to a new study. (CBC)

Finding could pave the way for future AIDS treatment, scientists say

2008-02-29T10:26:00.000-04:00

Researchers at the University of Alberta have discovered a gene that can block certain forms of HIV and may perhaps one day be used to prevent the onset of AIDS.

In lab studies, conducted with scientists at the University of Pennsylvania, researchers at the Edmonton university identified a human gene called TRIM22 that can block HIV infection by preventing the virus from replicating. (CBC)

Kenyan rivals shake hands as power-sharing deal reached

2008-02-28T13:53:00.001-04:00

Rival Kenyan leaders Mwai Kibaki and Raila Odinga signed a power-sharing agreement Thursday aimed at ending weeks of election-related violence that has killed about 1,000 people.

Onlookers clapped as the two men signed the deal and shook hands during a late afternoon ceremony in Nairobi, and Odinga referred to his rival as "my countryman, President Mwai Kibaki" – an important sign of acceptance. (CBC; audio at NPR)

"The Teacher Who Couldn't Read" Becomes Literacy Activist

2008-02-28T13:17:00.001-04:00

John Corcoran had 35 years of education behind him, including a bachelor's degree, and many graduate and professional-level classes. He had worked with at-risk youth as a classroom teacher. He'd taught a wide range of subjects, including social studies, English grammar, and world history, always holding a textbook at his side. But in all his years as a teacher, he never once cracked the spine of any of his books. (Gimundo; video at 10News)

Most Muslims 'desire democracy'

2008-02-28T12:14:00.000-04:00

The largest survey to date of Muslims worldwide suggests the vast majority want Western democracy and freedoms, but do not want them to be imposed. The poll by Gallup of more than 50,000 Muslims in 35 nations found most wanted the West to instead focus on changing its negative view of Muslims and Islam. (BBC)

Beauty Salons Tackle Domestic Abuse

2008-02-27T16:22:00.000-04:00

A new program is tackling domestic violence by enlisting the help of beauty salons. Employees are educated on how to spot and help abuse victims. Bianca Solorzano reports.

Youth Work to Raise More Than $100,000 for Famine

2008-02-27T14:37:00.000-04:00

More than 200 teenagers this weekend built cardboard houses on muddy ground, where they slept the night so they could begin to understand poverty and famine. In the past four years, their church, St. John's Episcopal Church, has raised more money than any worldwide for hunger-relief. (Charlotte Observer)

Climate change resulting in shift to “green” economies, says UN agency

2008-02-27T13:41:00.000-04:00

More and more companies are embracing environmentally-friendly policies and investors are pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into cleaner and renewable energies, according to a new publication released today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (UN News Centre)

Cop Helps Set Sentence for his Shooter After 20 Years: A Donation to Charity

2008-02-26T10:52:00.001-04:00

A former Chicago cop agreed to a bit of restorative justice for his shooter, who was extradited from Canada after 20 years of clean living to face charges of aggravated battery and skipping bail. (NY Times)

Congo, Rwanda and Uganda Unite to Save Mountain Gorillas

2008-02-26T10:46:00.000-04:00

Borders will matter less to central Africa’s mountain gorillas, following the launch of a strategic conservation plan which covers adjoining areas of Rwanda, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo. (Good News Network)

Women’s participation in Pakistan's election encouraging

2008-02-26T10:39:00.002-04:00

The participation of a large number of women in Monday’s elections is a significant development that will pave the way for gender equality in politics. This time, women have not only secured the reserved seats, but also contested and won fifteen general seats of the National and provincial assemblies. (Daily Times of Pakistan)

Empowering West African Women With Diesel Engines

2008-02-25T21:52:00.000-04:00

The mechanization of domestic tasks such as milling or husking grains (normally done with a mortar and pestle or grinding stone) can transform these time-consuming chores into profitable economic activities for rural West African women. The diesel engines responsible for such transformation are being distributed in Burkina Faso, Mali and Senegal by the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) with help from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. (Good News Network)

Ghana Adopts National Peace Plan

2008-02-25T09:56:00.001-04:00

Ghana has adopted a new peace plan dubbed "National Architecture for Peace" to foster respect for the rule of law, transparency, accountability and free and fair elections, which have been achieved for the past seven years and ultimately lead to a durable internal peace. (Modern Ghana.com)

City unveils peace plan

2008-02-25T09:55:00.000-04:00

Salinas police and city officials have launched a new campaign intended to reduce local violence. The effort is called CAPSTONE, which stands for "City At Peace: Supporting and Transforming Our Neighborhoods." (Californian.com)

New Miracle Mosquito Nets

2008-02-22T21:38:00.001-04:00

Sleeping under mosquito nets treated with insecticide has been shown to be an extremely effective and cheap method of preventing deadly malaria. Now, a manufacturing partnership between Japan and Tanzania is creating superior nets in the heart of Africa where they are needed most, "supporting African innovation for Africans."

Kenyan Youth Club Helps to Heal Ethnic Tensions

2008-02-22T08:55:00.000-04:00

In Nairobi's Mathare slum, a youth association helps to heal ethnic tensions which have flared up recently in Kenya. The group won a Nobel Peace Prize nomination in 2003 for its success in fostering community development through sports and particularly soccer. Now, they are initiating classes in tolerance and justice and forming new inter-ethnic teams.

Top marks for great gran, 96

2008-02-22T08:38:00.000-04:00

A blind 96-year-old great grandmother is taking an Open University degree in social sciences. Grace Ledger, of Selsey, West Sussex, passed the first year with top marks of 80% and is set to receive a certificate of merit. (Ananova)

Loss of Leg Doesn't Stop Police Cadet from Achieving Dream

2008-02-21T21:46:00.000-04:00

Adam Griggel says even after he lost his leg, he was determined to become a Wisconsin police officer. Now as a police cadet he is top in his class. (MSNBC Video)

Random Acts of Kindness Kick Off First Ottawa Kindness Week

2008-02-21T08:53:00.000-04:00

For one week, February 15 to 24, Ottawa is choosing to be kind. The city will be celebrating, encouraging, and even keeping a web journal to showcase the simple acts of kindness brought to life throughout the community this week. (Good News Network)

Homeless Community Creates a Self-Governing Village

2008-02-21T08:34:00.001-04:00

Just outside downtown Portland, Oregon, you'll find a small community with some odd-looking houses: tents; teepees; wooden shacks; structures built from mud, straw, and adobe – almost anything goes. As you might imagine, these buildings don't exactly meet the city's standard housing code. But that's okay – they're not exactly part of the city. The residents of this makeshift town are formerly homeless people who've worked together to build their own self-regulated "campground," Dignity Village. (Gimundo)

Former Gang Rivals Embrace Each Other in Ministry Outreach

2008-02-20T19:29:00.001-04:00

The California Cease Fire Ministry seeks out hard-core Mexican-American gang members to participate in a truce. The program is run by ex-gang members, 50-year-olds who successfully persuade California's murderous Latino gangs to embrace each other and rebuild their lives in the church. (San Jose Mercury News)

Creating opportunity for the disabled in Peru

2008-02-20T14:08:00.004-04:00

In a country where jobs are scarce, it's nearly impossible to find work for people with disabilities. But three friends are fighting to change that. Angeles Anonimos (Anonymous Angels), a Peru-based group, trains disabled and handicapped people -- regarded by locals as unemployable and often left to beg on the streets -- to create fair-trade sterling silver jewelry. (StoryBridge TV)

Google, Others Team to Invest in India

2008-02-20T14:01:00.001-04:00

Google.org, the philanthropic arm of Google Inc., has teamed up with the Soros Economic Development Fund and Omidyar Network to fund a $17 million company that will invest in small- and medium-size business in India.

The Small to Medium Enterprise Investment Co. would fill the gap between loans offered by microfinance institutions and those of large commercial banks and private equity funds. (AP)

Eco-friendly forest management in Brazil

2008-02-19T09:22:00.004-04:00

Brazil's government focuses on eco-friendly ways of managing the Amazonian forests. The Forest Stewardship Council estimates that illegal loggers kill 30 to get one usable tree. The new conservation projects protect far more trees than they cut down. (Reuters)

Australia Pledges More Outback Teachers

2008-02-19T08:29:00.000-04:00

Determined to prove that a national apology to Australia's indigenous population is more than empty words, the government on Thursday promised more teachers to tackle widespread illiteracy in Outback Aboriginal communities, one of several bold targets to remove inequalities in living standards. (AP)

Passion to help others unhindered by Down Syndrome

2008-02-19T06:40:00.001-04:00

Simon Eng, 22, has already touched the lives of thousands of children around the world and he wants to help a lot more. Fourteen months after he began packing school kits for MCC Alberta, he had already reached the milestone of 10,000 kits.

Eng was born with Down Syndrome. Despite limited communication skills he clearly articulates why he packs school kits for MCC. “Poor countries, poor people and poor children—I want to help them,” he says. (MCC)

World's Largest Marine Reserve Declared

2008-02-18T21:37:00.000-04:00

The tiny Pacific islands nation of Kiribati declared the world's largest marine protected area Thursday—a California-sized ocean wilderness that includes pristine reefs and eight coral atolls teeming with fish and birds. (AP)

Costa Rica Aims to Be a Carbon-Neutral Nation

2008-02-18T19:02:00.000-04:00

One of the smallest countries in the world has a big goal. Costa Rica says it wants to be the first developing country to become carbon neutral — that is, to have zero output of carbon dioxide by 2021. (audio at NPR)

911 dispatcher honored for helping homeless

2008-02-18T18:54:00.001-04:00

For Toni Dukes, love isn't delivered with a sugary sweet Hallmark card or an overpriced bouquet of red roses. It's given in a Ziploc bag stuffed with a hat, gloves and a packet of Kleenex, and the words "From the Heart" written in black marker on the outside. (SF Gate)

Kid power quenches thirst in Africa

2008-02-15T10:16:00.002-04:00

Children from from Conneticut to California were inspired to help African kids gain reliable access to clean water, teaming up with a non-profit called Random Kid, an organization that helps kids help others. "I finally get to do something big in the world. I'm not just a small person in society," says 9 year-old Liam Keran. (MSNBC video)

Reclaiming youth from war in Congo

2008-02-15T09:53:00.004-04:00

Gabriel and Pascal are just 2 of 130 former child soldiers from all factions at a UN transit centre. They are learning how to leave war behind them and become children again. "I know that yesterday Pascal was my enemy, but now he is my brother," says Gabriel. (MSNBC video)

College to Give Bikes to Freshmen

2008-02-15T09:45:00.000-04:00

A tiny liberal arts college here hopes it has found an answer to a nagging shortage of campus parking: a bicycle giveaway. If incoming freshmen promise not to bring a car to campus for a full year, Ripon College will give them a Trek 820 mountain bike, a helmet and a lock — a $400 value. (AP)

Jewelers shun gold from proposed Alaska mine

2008-02-15T09:42:00.001-04:00

Five of the nation's leading jewelers have sworn off gold that could someday come from the proposed Pebble Mine, a huge deposit near the world's most productive wild sockeye salmon stream. (AP)

School Lunches Get Leafy in Los Angeles

2008-02-15T06:29:00.002-04:00

Across the country, only one-third of children between the ages of 2 and 19 eat the recommended three to five servings of vegetables per day, and only a quarter eat enough fruit. As a result, many schools are trying to teach better eating habits. Marx says kids love salad bars; it's the adults who are often skeptical. (NPR)

Empathy Lessons from Babies

2008-02-14T23:38:00.001-04:00

It's just Nolan Winecka's second time teaching a class of fifth graders at Emerald Park Elementary School in this Seattle suburb, and it shows as he stares nervously at the two dozen kids surrounding him.

Nolan is 6 months old and hasn't had any formal pedagogical training. But to the group that put him in the classroom, he has everything he needs to help teach children an unconventional subject. A Canadian nonprofit group, Roots of Empathy, is now bringing to the U.S. a decade-old program designed to reduce bullying by exposing classrooms to "empathy babies" for a whole school year. (Wall Street Journal)

Device on knee can produce electricity

2008-02-14T19:56:00.000-04:00

Call it the ultimate power walk. Researchers have developed a device that generates electrical power from the swing of a walking person's knee. With each stride the leg accelerates and then decelerates, using energy both for moving and braking. It's sort of like the way that some hybrid-electric cars produce electricity from braking.

With the device, a minute of walking can power a cell phone for 10 minutes, Donelan, of Simon Fraser University in Burnaby, British Columbia, said in a telephone interview. Other potential uses include powering a portable GPS locator, a motorized prosthetic joint or implanted drug pumps. (AP)

Traveler Exchanges Cash and Possessions for Kindness

2008-02-14T13:57:00.002-04:00

Equipped with only a few T-shirts, a bandage and spare sandals, former dotcom businessman Mark Boyle is set to cross Europe and the Middle East on a pilgrimage to Gandhi's birthplace.

Mr Boyle, 28, said: "I will be offering my skills to people. If I get food in return, it's a bonus." He says he is part of the freeconomy movement - a group which began in the US and aims to bring about a moneyless society. (BBC)

Packing MCC school kits fuels passion to help others

2008-02-14T13:45:00.005-04:00

Simon Eng, 22, has already touched the lives of thousands of children around the world and he wants to help a lot more. Eng began packing school kits for Mennonite Central Committee Alberta in November 2006. Fourteen months later he had reached the milestone of 10,000 school kits.

Eng was born with Down Syndrome. Despite limited communication skills he clearly articulates why he packs school kits for MCC. “Poor countries, poor people and poor children—I want to help them,” he said. (MCC)

New ovarian cancer blood test 99 per cent effective: Yale researchers

2008-02-14T13:36:00.000-04:00

A new blood tests has been developed that Yale researchers say can detect ovarian cancer with 99 per cent accuracy. The test uses six protein biomarkers to identify proteins in the bloodstream that signal an ovarian tumour is present in the body. The test is 99.4 per cent effective.

Previous tests for ovarian cancer only used four protein biomarkers and recognized only 15 to 20 per cent of new ovarian tumours. (CBC)

London to Spend US$975 Million on Walking and Cycling Programs Over Next Decade

2008-02-13T15:37:00.000-04:00

London is certainly at the forefront of efforts by cities to lower emissions of carbon dioxide, reduce traffic and air pollution, and promote healthier lifestyles.

London is now announcing that it plans "to create a new network of quick, simple, and safe routes for cyclists and pedestrians that represents the largest investment in walking and cycling in the city’s history."

This is not some token initiative, either. London is committed to spending US$975 million over the next ten years to implement five new programs "with the aim of having one in ten round trips in London each day made by bike, and saving some 1.6 million tonnes of CO2 per year ." (Treehugger)

In Cairo, hordes of street kids no longer ignored

2008-02-13T11:38:00.001-04:00

The Egyptian government and nonprofit groups are stepping up efforts to help street children. Cairo has thousands of street kids – sleeping on streets, joining gangs for protection, underfed and covered with the filth of a city packed with 18 million people.

New half-day centers, overnight facilities, and psychological services are being launched. They reach only a fraction of the tens of thousands of street children but the growth of the services is remarkable in a country where conservative estimates put the poverty rate at 20 percent and street kids have long been regarded by society and the government as little more than delinquents. (CS Monitor)

India to Create 8 New Tiger Sanctuaries

2008-02-13T11:36:00.000-04:00

Conservationists welcomed an Indian government plan to create eight new reserves to protect the country's dwindling tiger population, and called Wednesday for more action to prevent illegal trading in tiger parts.

It will take five years to set up the new reserves, which will cover an area of more than 11,900 square miles at a cost to taxpayers of about $153 million, the government's Tiger Project announced Tuesday. Private groups will also contribute funds. (AP)

Vietnam veterans help returning Iraq soldiers deal with shocks of war

2008-02-13T11:30:00.000-04:00

There is a grass-roots movement by Vietnam veterans to help American soldiers returning from Iraq cope with the mental rigors of war and ease the transition to civilian life. Across the country, both groups of Vietnam veterans and individual former soldiers are pitching in to help console, counsel, or just be a voice on the other end of the phone to those who have served in the Middle East. (CS Monitor)

Motivated by a Tax, Irish Spurn Plastic Bags

2008-02-13T11:00:00.000-04:00

There is something missing from this otherwise typical bustling cityscape. There are taxis and buses. There are hip bars and pollution. Every other person is talking into a cellphone. But there are no plastic shopping bags, the ubiquitous symbol of urban life.

In 2002, Ireland passed a tax on plastic bags; customers who want them must now pay 33 cents per bag at the register. There was an advertising awareness campaign. And then something happened that was bigger than the sum of these parts.

Within weeks, plastic bag use dropped 94 percent. Within a year, nearly everyone had bought reusable cloth bags, keeping them in offices and in the backs of cars. (NY Times)

Playtime for Grandma: Council opens new playground for the over-60s

2008-02-12T10:47:00.000-04:00

You're never too old to have fun – but a playground for senior citizens? That's kind of pushing it, don't you think? Just try telling that to the folks at the Older People's Playground in Dam's Head, England, near Manchester.

This isn't their grandchildren's playground, you see – instead of merry-go-rounds and sandboxes, it comes equipped with specialized machines designed to strengthen and tone muscles, which are gentle enough for older adults to use without injuring themselves. (Daily Mail)

London hosts world's largest low emission zone

2008-02-12T10:45:00.000-04:00

The world's largest clean transport area comes into effect in London on Monday. The British capital's low emission zone will add to its reputation as a leader in sustainable transport policies, following its congestion pricing scheme.

Low emission zones are already in operation or planned in 70 towns and cities in eight European countries including Norway, the Netherlands and Germany. But London's will dwarf them all. (ENN)

World Bank plans clean technology fund for poor

2008-02-12T10:42:00.000-04:00

Poor countries will soon receive billions of dollars from a new World Bank fund to help them cut pollution, save energy and fight global warming, the international organization said. (ENN)

High-poverty -- AND high-achieving: Pinewood Elementary's unorthodox methods yield outstanding pass rates

2008-02-12T10:39:00.001-04:00

What's going on at Pinewood Elementary? More than 80 percent of children in this south Charlotte school live in poverty, yet they're passing state tests at rates that leave other schools in the dust.

Principal Nancy Guzman calls her strategies simple, if sometimes controversial. (Charlotte Observer)

HP Ink Cartridges From Recycled Water Bottles

2008-02-12T10:36:00.000-04:00

Sounds so simple. Take plastic, crush, make new plastic. But it actually involves some new engineering technology. HP just announced that it is using recycled plastics gathered from water bottles, recycled inkjet cartridges, and other materials to create new ink cartridges made from 100% recyclable plastics. (Yahoo Tech)

Shot of a Lifetime

2008-02-07T10:24:00.000-04:00

Jason McElwain, an autistic high school basketball team member in Rochester, New York, served as the team manager and spirit coach for several years. On the final game of the season the coach let him put on a uniform with the rest of the team. What happened next you have to see to believe.

German kite ship saves fuel

2008-02-07T10:11:00.000-04:00

The MS Beluga SkySail - driven in part by kite-power - successfully crossed the Atlantic and proved that the system does cut down on carbon emissions.

The world's first commerical ship part-powered by a giant kite, Beluga SkySails made energy savings of between 15 and 20 percent during the 14-day voyage from Germany to Venezuela, which according to Beluga is the normal duration of the journey. (Reuters)

Diddy pushes youth to vote once again

2008-02-07T10:08:00.000-04:00

Four years ago, Sean "Diddy" Combs took his hip-hop swagger across the nation in an effort to get young people to vote, with the bold slogan "Vote or Die." Now the entertainer has just a simple message: Go vote.

"If we want to stop the war, if we want to get the economy better, I think that young people need to understand they have to take matters into their own hands," Combs, 38, told The Associated Press in a telephone interview Monday. "It is really like waking up a sleeping giant." (AP)

Abortion Rate at 30-Year Low

2008-02-07T10:03:00.000-04:00

The U.S. abortion rate has reached a 30-year-low. In 2005 a survey of abortion providers showed the rate was lower than the number of abortions in 1975, which was just two years after Roe v. Wade became the law of the land. The results revealed an eight percent drop in totals from 2000 to 2005. (Good News Network)