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Maya Angelou became the first black woman to be featured on a US quarter -

Angelou was a celebrated writer, performer, and social activist. And getting on the quarter coin wasn't her first time making history. At the 1992 inauguration of President Bill Clinton, she became the first African-American woman to write and recite a poem at a presidential inauguration.

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Women made history at the 2022 FIFA World Cup -

The 2022 FIFA World Cup was controversial before it even kicked off, but some progress has resulted. For the first time in the men's tournament, three female referees were chosen to officiate the games: Stéphanie Frappart, Salima Mukansanga, and Yoshimi Yamashita.

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Finland was declared the best country for media literacy -

In the age of fake news, it's important that people know how to critically evaluate the information they receive. Therefore, in 2016, Finland introduced media literacy training in schools. They became Europe’s most resistant nation to fake news. And in the Media Literacy Index 2022, they ranked as number one. They were closely followed by Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Sweden, and Ireland.

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The COVAX global vaccination program reached a major milestone -

In January, the United Nations-backed vaccine-sharing program COVAX officially delivered over one billion doses to poorer nations around the world.

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The Brazilian election was hailed a win for the Amazon -

The outcome of Brazil's 2022 election marks a hopeful new chapter for preserving the Amazon rainforest. Deforestation saw a 15-year high during President Jair Bolsonaro's watch. His successor Lula da Silva has pledged to unfreeze the Amazon Fund, which facilitates financial support for protecting the Amazon. It was frozen by Bolsonaro.

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Conversion therapy was officially banned in Canada -

Conversion therapy was officially banned in all of Canada on January 7. It makes it illegal for anyone to provide or promote services intended to change someone's sexual orientation or gender expression.

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Ten countries created a conservation network for the protection of marine ecosystems -

Called the Great Blue Wall initiative, 10 nations in the Western Indian Ocean created a conservation network that will speed up progress toward the goal of protecting 30% of the oceans by 2030. Currently, less than 10% of this region is protected.

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A big part of California's redwood forests were returned to Native American tribes -

After purchasing the land in July 2020, Save the Redwoods League officially transferred the ownership of 523 acres (215 hectares) of redwood forest to Native American tribes in California.

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The world surpassed one terawatt of installed solar energy capacity -

A major renewable energy milestone was achieved, one that's enough to meet the electricity demands of nearly every country in Europe combined.

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This billionaire set new standards in climate philanthropy -

Yvon Chouinard, the owner of multi-billion dollar clothing brand Patagonia, donated the company to help fight climate change. This means that, each year, money they make after reinvesting in the business will be distributed as a dividend to help fight the crisis.

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Almost 200 nations have voted to regulate the global trade in shark fins -

In what has been hailed a conservation milestone, the vote added 60 threatened shark species to the list of protected creatures.

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NASA succeeded in an asteroid collision test -

For the first time in history, a spacecraft from Earth crashed into an asteroid to test if it would prevent it from hitting Earth. Known as the Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), it was a success.

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A new low-cost rail firm launched in Europe -

To tempt passengers into trains instead of planes, the Spanish operator Iryo will have services between Madrid and Barcelona starting at around €18 (about US$19). Electric trains produce up to nine times less carbon dioxide than planes.

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A new test offered hope for catching cancer early -

Researchers at the University of Innsbruck and University College London have developed a new test that could help improve survival rates for cervical cancer. It's currently at the early stages, but could one day be used as a predictive test for breast, womb, and ovarian cancer.

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After nearly going extinct in Antarctica, fin whales are coming back -

A study published in Scientific Reports details the first scientifically documented observation of as many as 150 fin whales in Antarctica.​​​​​​​​

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The world will meet its climate targets if the current pace of wind and solar growth continues -

A new report from climate think tank Ember found that if the current pace of wind and solar power capacity growth continues through 2030, the world can limit global warming to 34.7°F (1.5°C). 

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Companies said "yes" to a four-day week in the UK -

This groundbreaking four-day week pilot involves more than 3,300 workers at 70 UK companies, ranging from local businesses to large corporations. Employees get to maintain the same salaries, while enjoying three-day weekends. However, they have to maintain productivity. Let's hope this catches on around the world!

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Healthy life expectancy rose by a decade in Africa -

According to a report from the World Health Organization (WHO), people in Africa are enjoying good health for almost a decade longer than they were in 2000. It rose from an average of 46 years to 56. WHO credits the rise to improvements in health services and gains in reproductive, maternal, and child health.

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The US Senate passed same-sex marriage bills -

The US Senate passed a bipartisan bill that protects same-sex marriage. It follows after concerns that the 2015 decision could be overturned by conservative justices on the Supreme Court. The bill also protects interracial marriage.

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The number of monarch butterflies has grown -

Up from just 2,000 in 2020, researchers counted nearly 250,000 monarch butterflies in California this year. That's a huge improvement!

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Germany hatched a plan to boost culture -

To encourage people to spend more on concert and theater tickets, Germany will offer a €200 (US$210) voucher called the KulturPass to all those turning 18 next year. Other European countries, such as France and Italy, have similar incentives.

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Europe unveiled plans to cut plastic pollution -

The European Commission proposed mandatory return schemes for plastic bottles. For example, miniature shampoo bottles in hotels are among the items facing the axe under the draft legislation. However, the new rules will have to first be approved by the European Parliament and its member states to become law.

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Google is now letting users limit ads for a number of topics -

In December 2020, Google allowed users to limit ads related to alcohol and gambling. But now, users can also limit ads related to pregnancy, dating, and weight loss.

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The world’s tallest wooden hotel opened -

Located in Skellefteå, Sweden, the 20-story hotel is the world's tallest wooden hotel. It has 205 rooms and is made of local spruce and pin. If sustainably sourced, wood can be good for the planet, because trees lock carbon away.

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Former rival combatants in Burundi are now working to rebuild forests destroyed by civil war -

Burundi, one of the smallest countries in Africa, has just 6.6% of its original forests remaining after a brutal civil war. But today, former enemies are working together on a reforestation project that has already planted over 150 million trees.

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Tokyo formally recognized same-sex partnerships -

Tokyo officials have started issuing partnership certificates to same sex-couples living in the city. While this doesn't provide the same rights as marriage certificates, it still grants access to housing and welfare like for heterosexual married couples.

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Once-endangered humpback whales are growing in population globally -

In the early 19th and 20th centuries, humpback whales were almost entirely wiped out by commercial whaling. However, due to global conservation efforts, the current population of humpback whales has increased from a low point of 10,000 back to nearly 80,000.

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Moderna announced the first doses of its HIV vaccine have been given to trial patients -

Moderna officially entered phase one of the clinical trial for their mRNA HIV vaccine. The first doses were administered to about 60 trial participants.

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The world’s largest wildlife overpass is being built over a California highway -

This is great news for California wildlife! The largest wildlife crossing bridge is being built over a 10-lane highway. It will be a safe way for animals living in the Santa Monica Mountains to cross the busy highway.

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The world's largest floating wind farm was approved to be built off the coast of the UK -

Once completed, the floating wind farm will generate around 1GW of power. That's enough for around 927,400 homes in the UK.

Sources: (Good Good Good) (Positive News 1 and 2)

See also: How to spot fake news

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