1. Bill to Ban Hidden Fees in California Signed into Law
California Attorney General Rob Bonta has released a statement regarding the signing of Senate Bill 478 (SB 478). SB 478, coauthored by Senators Bill Dodd and Nancy Skinner, will eliminate hidden fees, also known as 'junk fees,' in California starting from July 1, 2024. Hidden fees are deceptive charges that sellers include in transactions, either through obscured disclosures or later revelations, impacting consumers negatively.
2. New Portable Water Treatment System Vaporizes 99% of ‘Forever Chemicals’
A startup based Washington has devised a portable system capable of removing the vast majority of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, from water.
The system uses hydrothermal alkaline treatment, or HALT, to eliminate 99% of forever chemicals from water.
3. Tumor-destroying sound waves receive FDA approval for liver treatment in humans
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of sound waves to break down tumors—a technique called histotripsy—in humans for liver treatment. Technique developed at the University of Michigan provides a noninvasive alternative to surgery, chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer
4. Japan's top court says trans sterilisation requirement unconstitutional
Japan's Supreme Court has ruled that it is unconstitutional to require citizens to be sterilised before they can officially change genders.
The 2004 law said people could only change their gender if they have no reproductive capacity. Wednesday's ruling came after a transgender woman filed a petition challenging the law.
5. Abandoned golf courses are being reclaimed by nature
Golf courses, despite occupying large green spaces, are not necessarily good for the environment.
Conservation nonprofits and local authorities are looking to acquire golf courses that have been abandoned due to high maintenance costs, low player numbers or other reasons, and repurpose them into landscapes that boost biodiversity and build natural defenses against climate change.
6. NSW court allows health officials to give blood transfusion to Jehovah's Witness toddler
Regional New South Wales health officials have won a court order authorising them to give a blood transfusion to a Jehovah's Witness toddler if needed in surgery. The Supreme Court has been told the girl, three, who can only be referred to as JI, is in need of two surgical procedures.
On such an application, the overriding criterion to be applied by the court is the best interests and welfare of the child.
7. North Atlantic right whale population has steadied, scientists say
The population of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales appears to have levelled off after a decade of steep decline, according to updated data released this morning by Canadian and American scientists. Scientists in the consortium said Monday that the 2021 estimate of 340 North Atlantic right whales in existence has been recalculated to 365 primarily because of the number of calves born that year.
The estimate for 2022 is 356.
That's it for this week :)
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