Some interested articles that I found this week:

Global

In France, a print newspaper for children is succeeding in a world where more and more news reading is occurring online. The New York Times presents an interesting article about Mon Quotidien (“My Daily”), which has 60,000 readers, some of whom come in to the newspaper office to help with editing and content decisions.

On the other side of the world, the Plastiki ended its long journey in Sydney. This boat, built from 12,500 recycled plastic bottles, had departed San Franscisco in March and traveled the 8,000 miles to Oceania. The crew of the Plastiki wanted to raise awareness about how plastic waste can threaten the oceans, while showing that recycled plastics can be used to build a variety of useful products. According to the Plastiki website, around 60-80% of marine debris is plastic. This mess, estimations say, leads each year to the deaths of at least a million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals as they ingest or are tangled in the plastic.

A landmark agreement occurred this week when Nike agreed to spend $1.5 million to help Honduran workers laid off from a closing subcontractor’s plant. Nike declared that the money is not for severance, but for a “worker relief fund.” Proponents of worker’s rights hope that this effort, the first time a major brand took some financial responsibility for subcontractor’s employees, would bode well for the future of workers in sweatshops.

The Japan Times report that 2009 marked the 25th year in a row that Japanese women had the highest average lifespan in the world – now at 86.44 years. The life expectancy for men there is fourth in the world. Hong Kong and France followed Japan for women’s life expectancy, while Qatar and Hong Kong had highest averages for men.

The US, Britain, and France may send envoys this year to Japan’s Hiroshima memorial, a peace service held every August 6th, for the first time ever. Hopes are that American and British attendance could bode well for international nuclear disarmament efforts.

The Australian Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, promised $277 million for an Australian suicide prevention program that would focus on men. The money would help with such benefits as psychological counseling, psychiatric services, and increased access to support to the critically ill. Two thousand people died from suicides in Australia last year.

National

The United States is now 12th among 35 developed nations in 24-35-year-olds with college degrees. The College Board warned this week that lagging behind may “undermine American economic competitiveness.” The problem appears to be with completion: about half of the students who enroll in bachelor’s programs will finish, and only about a quarter of students who start at a two-year college will end up with an associate’s degree within three years. Many believe that these statistics will be improved with a focus on facets of K-12 education, such as better college counseling programs, dropout prevention programs, and education standards that align better with international norms. The cost of higher education was also posed as contributing to the issue.

The Economist published a comprehensive article on high speed railroading in the US, including information on the current rail capacities and possibilities for future growth.

Local

A large highway construction project in Northeast Tarrant County will recycle a huge amount of concrete. The old pavement will be crushed on site and used as base material in the newly paved highway. By recycling their own concrete, instead of hauling it and the buying crushed material from somewhere else, the project will save millions of dollars.

In a great example of “not in my backyard,” and another setback to helping the homeless of the area, the YWCA of Fort Worth and Tarrant County has been thwarted by neighborhood interests in its attempt to find a location to build a women and children’s shelter. Two proposals this year have been denied, as residents fear a group of lawless or shady individuals coming into the area and lowering property values.

And, the lowering of home values felt all around the country for a while now has finally hit home in Fort Worth, with Tarrant County losing more than $4.4 billion in taxable home values. This loss will result in fewer collected property taxes, an issue for the already strapped city.

And, of course,

(Good!) Health News

Nature News reports that a new “antiretroviral microbicide gel can cut HIV infection in women by more than 50% if used consistently.” Attempts have long been going on to develop such a measure that would slow HIV transmission, especially in poor countries. In the scope of HIV/AIDS research, this is a profound breakthrough.