Zimbabwe's Constitutional Court Outlaws Child Marriages Bill Gates and UK government pledge $4 billion to combat malaria Historic low number of guinea worm cases reported Syria achieves polio milestone Alabama scientist, one of nation's few black female physicists, breaks ground in cancer research

Historic deal to protect Canada rainforest from logging Peru, Bolivia Sign $500 Million Deal To Preserve Lake Titicaca Public smoking bans have improved health in 21 nations New weapon in war on rabies: mobile phones $100 million initiative to curb violence against indigenous women Big decline in the black incarceration rate Global manatee population is no longer endangered Wild Atlantic salmon return to the Connecticut River Leonardo DiCaprio finally wins an Oscar

Obama bans oil drilling along Atlantic seaboard Russia’s Infant Mortality Rate Down, Life Expectancy Increasing Myanmar swears in first elected civilian president in 50 years Recovery of Yellowstone grizzly bears reaches a milestone SeaWorld Agrees To End Captive Breeding Of Killer Whales

China’s 1-2-3 Punch to Tackle Wasted Renewable Energy 25% of Europe Quits Coal $811mn investment in renewable energy projects The decline of war and violence The death penalty became illegal in more than half the world in 2015 Dwindling Fish Stocks Get a Reprieve Green sea turtles in Florida and Mexico taken off the endangered list Mongolia To Create New Protected Area for Snow Leopards Tiger Numbers Rise for First Time in a Century Development aid rises again in 2015, spending on refugees doubles Tencent CEO Pony Ma pledges US$2.1b in shares to new charity fund SpaceX successfully lands its rocket on a floating drone ship for the first time

Malaysia establishes a 1-million-hectare marine park Africans are living longer than at any point in the last 25 years Harvard Team Takes Major Step toward Overcoming Antibiotic Resistance Ending extreme poverty is possible World hunger reached its lowest point in 25 years Italy’s parliament backs same-sex civil unions in historic move Canadian PM Justin Trudeau announces ban on transgender discrimination Denmark Will Be the First Country to No Longer Classify Transgender Identity as a Mental Illness

WHO validates countries’ elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis West Africa marks end of recent Ebola outbreak India won’t need extra power plants for next three years USA, Mexico and Canada committed to getting 50 per cent of their electricity from renewables by 2025 Once the World’s Most Dangerous City, Juárez Returns to Life Norway becomes first country in the world to commit to zero deforestation US ivory regulations mark a victory in the fight to save elephants 2015 Was America’s Most-Generous Year Ever Boyan Slat's Ocean Cleanup Project Launches Historic First Prototype at Sea

Major Diseases Are in Decline Uruguay: The little country that changed tobacco laws How Malawi reduced its HIV/Aids infection rate Tanzania and Gambia ban child marriage Germany Passes Law That Might Actually Shift Rape Culture African Union launches an all-Africa passport How the UK halved its teenage pregnancy rate China's coal peak hailed as turning point in climate change battle China installed 20 GW of solar power in first-half; triple from a year ago Antarctic ozone hole has finally started to heal India Plants 50 Million Trees in One Day, Smashing World Record A new source of water is helping reduce conflict in the Middle East Plastic bag use plummets in England since 5p charge Charitable giving in China rose to $15 billion Warren Buffett gives $2.9 billion to charity, again Bill Gates’ Foundation To Invest $5 Billion In Africa Over The Next 5 Years How Canadian hockey moms, poker buddies and neighbors are adopting Syrians, a family at a time.

Pan African Parliament Endorses Ban on Female Genital Mutilation Second phase of world's biggest offshore windfarm gets go-ahead How the Most Dangerous Place on Earth Got Safer McDonald's to remove corn syrup from buns, curbs antibiotics in chicken All major grocery and fast-food chains in the US pledge to use only cage-free eggs by 2025 Number of large oil spills around the world has been drastically reduced The world’s largest beach cleanup clears more than 4 million pounds of trash Italy passes law to encourage all supermarkets to give unsold food to needy Germany takes in an additional 300,000 refugees

U.S. meeting on ocean conservation nets $5.3 billion in pledges Acidity in atmosphere minimised to preindustrial levels Maternal deaths worldwide drop by half Measles Eliminated in the Americas Teen pregnancy rates in the US hit another record low — thanks to birth control Costa Rica powered by renewable energy for over 100 days Most humpback whales no longer endangered Giant pandas the latest species to be taken off endangered list

World's Largest Marine Reserve Created Off Antarctica Pulses of Water Bring Life to the Famished Colorado River Only 3.5% of East Asia now in extreme poverty Taiwan May Be First in Asia to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage The United States now feeds healthy lunches to more than 30 million children Renewables Now Exceed All Other Forms of New Power Generation IEA raises its five-year renewable growth forecast as 2015 marks record year The world just agreed to one of the biggest steps yet to fight global warming Aviation Is First Global Industry to Limit Carbon Emissions Solar panels surpass coal-fired electricity in previously ‘unthinkable’ feat Endangered deer subspecies downlisted World agrees to the strongest protections ever for endangered animals This pill could make your dog (and maybe you) live longer

Dementia Rates Falling Among U.S. Seniors 93% of kids are learning to read and write US homelessness declines Paris climate deal goes into effect sooner than expected Rise in Global Carbon Emissions Slows India unveils the world's largest solar power plant German coalition agrees to cut carbon emissions up to 95% by 2050 Colombia's government, rebels sign modified peace agreement Record charitable donations reported for Giving Tuesday

Trudeau announces review of Arctic strategy, joint drilling ban with U.S. Cigarette Smoking In The U.S. Continues To Fall Four of world's biggest cities to ban diesel cars from their centres Paris to sell off couple's 'love locks' from famous bridge and donate proceeds to homeless refugees Louise Bourgeois’ son gifts $4M West Village townhouse to Native American tribe Syrian Government Announces Truce Backed by Russia and Turkey

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Based on "99 Reasons 2016 Was a Good Year" by Angus Hervey.
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Latest update: 29.12.16