“Colombia’s government and National Liberation Army (ELN) rebels have extended their bilateral ceasefire for another six months starting Tuesday, the same day they announced the creation of a fund backed by multiple donors to finance the process.
An initial six-month ceasefire expired last week and was then extended by five days.”
From Reuters.
“New FBI data confirms previous indications that crime in the U.S. declined significantly in 2023, continuing a post-pandemic trend and belying widespread perceptions that crime is rising.
The new fourth-quarter numbers showed a 13% decline in murder in 2023 from 2022, a 6% decline in reported violent crime and a 4% decline in reported property crime. That’s based on data from around 13,000 law enforcement agencies, policing about 82% of the U.S. population, that provided the FBI with data through December.”
From NBC News.
“The researchers say that their canine cancer vaccine has almost doubled the 12-month survival rate for dogs with some types of cancer. For example, dogs with osteosarcoma have a 35% chance of living for one year after diagnosis when treated with chemotherapy and other conventional treatments, but the cancer vaccine boosted that to 60%.
Hunter, an 11-year-old golden retriever, is living proof. This search-and-rescue pup was diagnosed with osteosarcoma in his front left leg in 2022, but after an unfortunate amputation, chemotherapy and the new cancer vaccine, he’s reportedly living happy and energetic two years on.
The team is currently planning to conduct further studies to see if the cancer vaccine could be given to healthy dogs to prevent cancer forming in the first place, or to stop it earlier on.”
From New Atlas.
“In 2015, McDonald’s, one of the world’s largest and most iconic fast-food chains, agreed to switch 100% of the eggs that it purchases to only cage-free eggs in U.S. locations by 2025…
Having worked closely with McDonald’s on its animal welfare commitments, we were heartened this week by the company’s announcement that it had reached this goal early, at the end of 2023.”
From Humane Society.
“Back in 1990, there were 34 murders per one million inhabitants in Italy, compared to 24 in neighbouring France, according to UN figures.
In 2021-22, this had fallen to 5.5 per million in Italy and 11 in France, eight in Germany and 10 in the UK.
In Europe, only Norway and Switzerland have a murder rate lower or equal to Italy’s, while Latvia, the worst, has a rate 6.5 times higher.”
From Yahoo News UK.
