The Angry Optimist: Human Progress

👮 Fewer shootings and murders in New York than ever before this summer

WALL-Y — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 08:52:44 GMT

New York had fewer shootings, shooting victims and murders in summer 2026 than in any summer since records began.
In the first eight months of the year, the number of murders has fallen by 24.1 percent compared to the same period last year.
In the city’s public housing developments, the number of murders has fallen by 52 percent so far this year.

Records during the summer months

Between June 1 and August 31, the New York Police Department, NYPD, recorded 195 shootings. That is 32 fewer than the previous record low of 227, set in 2025. The number of people who were shot was 249. The previous record was 293, from 2018. The number of murders was 66, compared to the previous record low of 78 from 2017.

The summer is part of a longer trend. During the first eight months of the year, there were 442 shootings, 538 people were shot and 173 people were murdered. All three figures are the lowest ever recorded for that period.

Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch points out that this happened while the city hosted the NBA Finals, the World Cup, Sail 250 and the largest Fourth of July celebration in the country.

Large declines in August

In August, the number of shootings fell by 20.8 percent compared to August 2025, from 77 to 61. The number of people shot fell by 37.7 percent, from 122 to 76.

Major crime as a whole fell by 6.6 percent in August. That equals 724 fewer crimes. So far this year, more than 5,000 fewer major crimes have been reported.

The number of murders fell by 34.3 percent in August. In Manhattan, there were only two murders during the entire month. Car thefts fell by 16.2 percent, robberies by 13.3 percent and burglaries by 9.1 percent. The number of burglaries in August was the lowest ever recorded.

This year, police have carried out 25 gang takedowns and seized more than 3,630 illegal guns.

The Bronx leads the decline

The Bronx has the largest decline in major crime of New York’s five boroughs. So far this year, it has fallen by 11.9 percent. In August, the number of murders in the Bronx fell by 35.7 percent and car thefts by 36.2 percent.

Subway and public housing

In the subway, there were no murders, no shootings and no rapes in August. The number of robberies was 27, the lowest for August since records began. The previous record was 35 robberies, from 2016.

In the city’s public housing developments, there were no murders in August. The number of shootings fell by 65 percent, from 20 to 7. So far this year, shootings in these areas have fallen by 40.6 percent and murders by 52 percent.

Efforts where violence is highest

On May 4, police launched a special plan to reduce violence during the summer. Officers were deployed to the places and times where violence most often occurs. In these zones, major crime has fallen by 23.2 percent since the start. Shootings have fallen by 33.3 percent and robberies by 30 percent.

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🍷 Americans' drinking remains at the lowest level since 1939

WALL-Y — Wed, 30 Sep 2026 08:56:23 GMT

54 percent of Americans say they drink alcohol, matching last year's low and the lowest figure since measurements began in 1939.
The share who say they sometimes drink too much has fallen to 13 percent, compared with 35 percent in 1989.
17 percent of Americans have chosen nonalcoholic beer, wine or spirits instead of an alcoholic drink in the past year.

The share of Americans who drink alcohol remains at 54 percent for the second year in a row. That is the lowest level in Gallup's trend, which dates back to 1939.

The decline has been rapid. In 2023, 62 percent said they drank alcohol. In 2024 the figure was 58 percent, and by 2025 it had dropped to 54 percent. This year it held steady at the same level.

The results are based on interviews with U.S. adults aged 18 and older. The interviews were conducted between July 1 and 19.

Fewer drink too much

The share who say they sometimes drink too much has also decreased. It now stands at 13 percent, the lowest level on record. Before 2000, more than 20 percent routinely said they sometimes drank too much. The record was 35 percent in 1989.

Those who drink had an average of 3.2 drinks in the past week. That compares with an average of 3.9 drinks per week across the five readings before last year.

More see alcohol as a health risk

51 percent of Americans now believe that one or two alcoholic drinks a day is bad for one's health. In 2001, 27 percent held that view. At the time, 22 percent considered moderate drinking good for one's health.

Awareness of the research has also grown. 86 percent say they have heard at least something about recent studies on the long-term health effects of drinking. In 2024 the figure was 79 percent. The share who have heard a great deal or a fair amount about the studies has risen from 49 to 54 percent.

The decline is seen in almost all groups

Since 2023, drinking has decreased among both men and women and across all age groups. It has also decreased among both White and non-white adults.

Nonalcoholic drinks are growing

This year, Gallup asked about nonalcoholic alternatives for the first time. 17 percent have drunk nonalcoholic beer, wine or spirits instead of an alcoholic drink in the past year. Among those who drink alcohol, the share is 20 percent.

Among drinkers who consume nonalcoholic drinks, 38 percent say they drink more of them than before. That is about double the 17 percent who say they drink less.

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📉 Suicides in the EU have fallen by almost 15 percent in ten years

WALL-Y — Mon, 28 Sep 2026 08:33:45 GMT

The suicide rate in the EU fell from 12.2 to 10.4 per 100,000 residents between 2013 and 2023.
The rate continued to decline between 2022 and 2023, from 10.6 to 10.4 per 100,000.
The EU is investing more than €1.2 billion in mental health, including teacher training and tools to detect mental distress early.

A decline lasting a decade

Suicides in the EU have fallen steadily over the past ten years. This is shown by the latest figures from Eurostat, the EU's statistical office.

In 2013, the standardised death rate was 12.2 per 100,000 residents. By 2023, it had dropped to 10.4. That is a decrease of almost 15 percent. Between 2022 and 2023, the rate fell from 10.6 to 10.4.

In total, just over 48,000 EU residents died by suicide in 2023.

Large differences between countries

The lowest rate is in Cyprus, at 3.5 per 100,000 residents. Greece follows with 4.3 and Malta with 5.5.

The highest rates are in Lithuania at 18.8 per 100,000, Slovenia at 16.4 and Hungary at 16.1.

Men and older people are most affected

Men account for 76.4 percent of all suicides in the EU. In 2023, the rate was 16.9 per 100,000 men and 5 per 100,000 women. The share of men ranges from 70.2 percent in the Netherlands to 90.3 percent in Malta.

According to Samaritans, a British suicide prevention charity, there is no simple explanation for the difference. Part of it may be that social expectations make men less likely to talk about suicidal thoughts or seek help. Relationship breakdown also increases the risk more for men than for women.

Samaritans stresses that suicide is rarely caused by a single event. It is usually the result of several individual, community and societal factors interacting.

The risk also increases with age. Among people aged 65 and older, the rate was 17.3 per 100,000. Among children under 15, it was 0.2 per 100,000. Men had higher rates in all age groups except among children under 15, where the levels were similar.

The EU is investing in mental health

Since June 2023, the European Commission has strengthened its work on mental health. The Commission links mental health to both social and economic resilience.

Suicide prevention is part of a range of mental health initiatives. They are funded with more than €1.2 billion through the EU4Health, Horizon Europe and Erasmus+ programmes.

The Commission also supports member states with teacher training, peer-support models and tools to detect and respond to mental distress early.

🧒 Children developed better as air got cleaner, 20-year study shows

WALL-Y — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 09:08:50 GMT

Children in New York scored higher on tests of memory, problem-solving and language as air pollution declined.
Levels of fine particles and nitrogen dioxide in the city halved between 1998 and 2016.
Since 2024, Oakland, California, has had an all-electric school bus fleet that transports up to 1,300 students every day.

More than 1,100 children followed for over 20 years

Researchers at Columbia University in New York have followed pregnant women and their children for more than two decades. The study took place in northern Manhattan and the South Bronx. The researchers measured the air pollution exposure of the mothers during pregnancy. They then tested the children's development at ages one, two and three. In total, more than 1,100 children were assessed.

The tests measured memory and sensory perception, among other things. The children also solved problems, such as matching shapes and stacking blocks. The researchers also tested speech and language comprehension.

The study is led by Professor Frederica Perera at the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health.

Scores rose as the air improved

Over the course of the study, the air in New York became much cleaner. Clean-air legislation reduced some pollutants from the city's yellow taxis by as much as 80 percent. Heavy fuel oils are being phased out for heating buildings. The city's buses run on cleaner fuels.

The children's test scores improved as the air got cleaner. The link was clearest when the children were two and three years old. It was also clear during periods when pollution fell more sharply.

The researchers took into account other factors that can affect child development. The share of children living with a smoker fell from 34 to 18 percent. The share of mothers with a high school diploma rose by nine percentage points.

Cleaner air brings better health in more places

London introduced an ultra-low emission zone. Afterwards, children's lung health improved, and fewer children had clinically impaired lung function. For adults in central London, emergency hospital admissions fell by 3 percent per year. Admissions for heart problems fell by 8 percent and for breathing problems by 6 percent.

In Bradford, England, GP visits for heart and breathing problems fell by about 25 percent after a clean-air zone was introduced.

The UN Environment Programme has calculated that action on air pollution and climate emissions yields an average of 15 dollars in economic benefits for every dollar invested.

Electric school buses remove exhaust from the ride to school

Thousands of school districts in the US are replacing diesel buses with electric buses. Electric buses have zero tailpipe emissions. This matters for the roughly five million children in the US who have asthma. Fine particle levels inside older diesel buses can reach ten times the level of outdoor air.

In 2024, Oakland Unified School District became the first major school district in the US with an all-electric school bus fleet. The district has 74 electric buses that transport up to 1,300 special education students every day.

Research shows that switching from diesel to electric school buses in the US can provide societal benefits worth 1.6 billion dollars per year. The calculation is based mainly on fewer deaths linked to fine particles.

🧠 Meningitis deaths among young children have fallen by two thirds since 1990

WALL-Y — Fri, 25 Sep 2026 04:48:40 GMT

The number of children under five who die from meningitis has fallen from 277,000 in 1990 to 86,600 in 2023.
Since 2015 alone, the meningitis mortality rate has dropped by 25.4 percent, and it is falling in every age group.
Vaccines against the bacteria that cause the disease account for a large part of the decline.

Fewer deaths and fewer cases

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. It can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. The disease mainly affects young children.

A new study in the scientific journal The Lancet Neurology shows how the disease has developed in 204 countries between 1990 and 2023. Fix The News found this news. The study is part of the global research project Global Burden of Disease.

In 1990, 469,000 people died from meningitis. In 2023, the figure was 259,000. That is 45 percent fewer deaths, even though the world's population grew substantially over the same period. Measured per 100,000 people, the mortality rate has fallen from 8.8 to 3.2. That is a decrease of 63.5 percent.

Among children under five, the change is even larger. The mortality rate per 100,000 children has fallen by 70.1 percent, from 45.1 to 13.5.

The number of cases has also declined. In 1990, 3.96 million people fell ill. In 2023, the number was 2.54 million.

Rapid decline over the past eight years

The decline has continued at a fast pace in recent years. In 2015, 319,000 people died from meningitis. In 2023, there were 60,000 fewer. In eight years, the mortality rate per 100,000 people has fallen from 4.3 to 3.2, a decrease of 25.4 percent.

Among children under five, the number of deaths has fallen from 129,000 to 86,600 since 2015. That is a third fewer child deaths in eight years.

The mortality rate has fallen in every age group. Among people over 70, it has dropped by 30.1 percent since 2015. Among people aged 50 to 69, the decrease is 26.0 percent.

The number of cases is also falling. Since 2015, the incidence rate has dropped by 18.5 percent. In 2015, 2.86 million people fell ill. In 2023, the number was 2.54 million.

Vaccines have made a difference

Since 2000, vaccines against the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae type b, and later against pneumococcus and meningococcus, have spread across the world. According to the researchers, this has greatly reduced both cases and deaths, in high-income and low-income countries alike.

The World Health Organization (WHO) counts four bacteria as vaccine-preventable causes of meningitis: pneumococcus, meningococcus, Haemophilus influenzae and Group B streptococcus. In 2015, they caused 126,000 deaths. By 2023, the number had fallen to 98,700. That is a decrease of 27.4 percent in eight years, or 4.1 percent per year. Over the same period, the number of cases caused by these four bacteria fell from 653,000 to 594,000.

Pneumococci can sometimes resist antibiotics. Even so, the total number of deaths linked to drug-resistant pneumococci, across all types of infection, has fallen from 258,000 in 1990 to 155,000 in 2021. The researchers believe this is mainly because vaccination has reduced the number of pneumococcal infections.

Large declines in the meningitis belt

The so-called meningitis belt stretches across Africa from Senegal to Ethiopia. This is where the disease is most common. The MenAfriVac vaccination campaign has nearly eliminated one of the most common forms of meningococcus, serogroup A, in the region.

In most countries in the belt, both the mortality rate and the incidence rate have fallen sharply since 1990. In Sudan, Rwanda and Ethiopia, the mortality rate has dropped by more than 80 percent. In Sudan and Rwanda, the incidence rate has also fallen by more than 80 percent.

Risk factors cause fewer deaths

For the first time, the researchers also calculated which risk factors lie behind meningitis deaths. The largest are low birthweight, preterm birth and household air pollution from cooking.

All of these have become less deadly since 1990. The mortality rate linked to low birthweight has fallen by 73.8 percent. Deaths per capita linked to preterm birth have fallen by 72.1 percent, and those linked to household air pollution by 70.5 percent. The mortality rate linked to outdoor particulate pollution has dropped by 77.4 percent.

Vaccine against Group B streptococcus in testing

There is not yet an approved vaccine against Group B streptococcus, one of the most common causes of meningitis in newborns. However, several vaccine candidates are in advanced development. One vaccine is now being tested in a phase 3 trial, the final stage before a drug can be approved.

The idea is to vaccinate pregnant women. Their antibodies are then passed to the baby through the placenta and protect it during the first months of life. According to a commentary in The Lancet Neurology, this approach works in all countries, regardless of income level.

The most comprehensive mapping to date

The study is the most comprehensive global mapping of meningitis so far. The researchers examined 17 categories of pathogens, compared with ten in the previous major study. Seven of them are new, including enteroviruses, which have been counted globally for the first time.

Enteroviruses caused the most meningitis cases in 2023, 870,000 in total. These viruses generally cause milder disease than bacteria. Compared with 1990, the number of cases caused by enteroviruses has almost halved, from 1.70 million.

🏭 India's coal power has stopped growing for the first time in more than 50 years

WALL-Y — Sat, 19 Sep 2026 08:11:49 GMT

India is using more electricity than ever, and demand grew by 7 percent over two years. Yet the country is not producing more electricity from coal.
Clean energy met the entire increase of 63 terawatt hours, equivalent to the total electricity consumption of Switzerland.
India is the world's third-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, after China and the United States.

India is using more electricity than ever. Yet the country is not producing more electricity from coal. Between the first half of 2024 and the first half of 2026, coal power stood still. This is the first time in more than 50 years that India's coal power has not grown over a two-year period while electricity demand has increased.

That is the finding of a new analysis by the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA) for the climate website Carbon Brief.

India is the world's third-largest emitter of carbon dioxide, after China and the United States. The country accounts for roughly 8 percent of global emissions, about ten times more than the United Kingdom. The power sector is the single largest source of India's emissions. Changes there therefore affect emissions for the whole world.

Many analysts had expected India's emissions to keep rising well into the 2040s. India's official target is net zero emissions by 2070, ten years later than China's target.

Clean energy covered the entire increase

Over the two years, India's power generation increased by 7 percent, or 63 terawatt hours. That equals the total electricity consumption of Switzerland or Singapore.

All of that increase was met by clean energy. Solar power grew by 44 terawatt hours. Wind grew by 13, hydro by 8 and nuclear by 7 terawatt hours. In total, non-fossil sources added 70 terawatt hours. That is more than the increase in demand.

This is the largest increase in non-fossil power generation India has ever had.

During the period, India built 77 gigawatts of new solar capacity, 11 gigawatts of wind, 5 gigawatts of hydro and 0.6 gigawatts of nuclear. Solar dominates. But the other non-fossil sources together accounted for 40 percent of the increase in generation.

Electricity demand in 2026 was partly driven up by the weather phenomenon El Niño. It delayed the monsoon and intensified heatwaves, which increased the need for cooling. Even so, over the past 18 months, new clean power has generated more than the average growth in electricity demand.

Coal plants ran fewer hours

India built 8.5 gigawatts of new coal plants during the period. But coal power did not produce more electricity in total, because the plants ran fewer hours.

Clean electricity also reduced the need for imported fuels for power generation. The use of imported coal fell by 38 percent. The use of gas fell by 35 percent. That reduced the country's exposure to the Hormuz crisis.

Gujarat led the way

The decline in fossil power generation was concentrated in a few states. Gujarat saw both the largest reduction in fossil power and the largest increase in clean power.

After Gujarat, clean power generation grew the most in Rajasthan and Tamil Nadu. Both states also reduced their power generation from fossil fuels.

Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh increased their clean power generation faster than their own electricity demand. They exported much of the electricity to other states. This helped keep fossil power generation stable across the country.

Maharashtra and Telangana saw the largest increases in electricity demand. There, the increase was almost entirely matched by new clean power generation.

India invests in energy storage

India is now increasing investment in energy storage. Solar power and energy storage are already helping to cover peaks in electricity demand, solar during the day and storage in the evening.

The National Electricity Plan projects a need for 82 gigawatt hours of energy storage by fiscal year 2026-27 and 411 gigawatt hours by 2031-32. By May 2026, the government had issued tenders for around 272 gigawatt hours of storage. Of these, 142 gigawatt hours are pumped hydro and 133 gigawatt hours are batteries. Today India has 7.5 gigawatt hours of battery storage and around 60 gigawatt hours of pumped hydro.

India's Central Electricity Authority has proposed that all new government-owned solar and wind projects must have two hours of battery storage. The requirement would apply from June 2027.

Oil consumption is falling

Carbon dioxide emissions from oil and gas fell by 7 percent compared with the previous year. Oil consumption fell by 1.3 percent in the first half of 2026. In the same period the year before, the decline was 0.7 percent.

India's consumption of oil and gas has been flat for two years. Before that, it had grown for half a century, interrupted only briefly by the Covid-19 pandemic. Lower consumption has reduced the impact of the Hormuz crisis on India's trade balance.

India is also blending more ethanol into petrol. The country reached its target of 20 percent ethanol blending in fiscal year 2025-26, five years ahead of schedule. Ethanol cut the growth rate of petrol consumption by a full percentage point.

Electric vehicles are being adopted in a growing number of vehicle categories in India. Delhi has introduced a new policy to electrify its vehicle fleet. It focuses in particular on two-wheelers, three-wheeled auto rickshaws, commercial vehicles and high-mileage vehicles. The policy also includes an expansion of charging infrastructure.

💣 Cambodia cleared mines from an area 13 times the size of Manhattan in six months

WALL-Y — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:50:49 GMT

The Cambodian Mine Action Centre cleared 75,132 hectares of land contaminated by landmines, cluster munitions and unexploded ordnance in the first half of the year, reaching 82 percent of its annual target.
Mine clearance has enabled 5,911 households, 87 schools and 20 health centers to safely use their land again.
The number of people killed or injured by mines in Cambodia has fallen from more than 4,000 a year in the 1990s to fewer than 100 a year over the past decade.

The Cambodian Mine Action Centre (CMAC) cleared 75,132 hectares of land between January and June. That is roughly 750 square kilometers, an area about the size of Singapore, or almost 13 times the size of Manhattan. The land was contaminated by landmines, cluster munitions and unexploded ordnance. Halfway through the year, CMAC has reached 82 percent of its annual target.

During the six months, deminers located and destroyed 20,861 explosive remnants of war. They also responded to 4,023 emergency requests from the public.

More than 1.3 million received mine risk education

CMAC held 14,477 mine risk education sessions. The sessions reached 1,374,887 people. That is 59.17 percent of the annual target.

Focus on six border provinces

CMAC has stepped up survey and clearance operations in six provinces along the border with Thailand. The provinces were affected by the fighting at the border in 2025.

During the operations, CMAC destroyed more than 8,400 items of unexploded ordnance. Of these, 4,436 were cluster munitions.

Families and schools can use the land again

Mine clearance has enabled 5,911 households to return to and use 1,455 hectares of land. The same applies to 87 schools covering a total of 154 hectares. Twenty health centers, six pagodas and 114 infrastructure projects have also regained safe land.

Investing in AI and new technology

CMAC Director-General Heng Ratana says the organization will continue to modernize its work. This will be done through investment in research, innovation, artificial intelligence and new technology. CMAC is also strengthening its own organization and expanding international cooperation.

According to Heng Ratana, skilled staff and strong partnerships are essential to carrying out the government's mine action strategy. They also allow Cambodia to take greater ownership of the work.

$1 billion since 1992

Ly Thuch is a Senior Minister and First Vice-President of the CMAA, the Cambodian Mine Action and Victim Assistance Authority. He says the country's mine action program has mobilized about $1 billion since 1992.

About 30 percent of the funding has come from the government. The rest has come from international partners, the private sector and philanthropists.

According to Ly Thuch, the partnership has made Cambodia one of the world's leading examples of successful mine clearance. Over the past three decades, the country has cleared more than 3,500 square kilometers of contaminated land. More than 1.2 million landmines have been destroyed and over 3 million items of unexploded ordnance have been removed.

From 4,000 casualties to fewer than 100 a year

In the 1990s, more than 4,000 people were killed or injured by mines in Cambodia every year. Over the past decade, the figure has been below 100 a year.

The capital Phnom Penh and 14 provinces have been declared mine-free.

💉 Ebola spread is slowing and vaccines are on the way

WALL-Y — Fri, 18 Sep 2026 06:17:41 GMT

The spread of Ebola is declining in most of the affected provinces in Congo, according to the WHO.
A large Phase 3 trial of Ebola vaccines is expected to start within the next few weeks.
Frontline workers will be offered a vaccine in a separate study that starts within days.

Transmission is falling in several provinces

The World Health Organization (WHO) sees reason for cautious optimism about the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (which is not a democracy). That was the message from WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at a news conference.

According to Tedros, transmission rates are declining in most of the affected provinces. The number of cases has also fallen in Ituri province, the epicenter of the outbreak.

The outbreak is caused by the Bundibugyo species of Ebola. As of September 13, there had been 7,258 confirmed cases and 3,510 deaths. The cases are spread across seven provinces in northeastern Congo. It is the second-largest Ebola outbreak on record.

Better cooperation with residents

Tedros visited the area early in the outbreak. At the time, he met many residents who saw Ebola as a lesser problem than malaria, hunger and political violence. The region has been wracked by armed conflict for decades, and many people have been forced to flee their homes.

That view has now changed. According to Tedros, cooperation has improved. Residents have begun to realize that the disease is serious.

Large vaccine trial on the way

The WHO expects a randomized Phase 3 trial of Ebola vaccines to begin within the next few weeks. The first vaccine to be used is Ervebo from the drugmaker Merck. It was developed to target the Zaire Ebola virus. There is some evidence that it may also protect against the Bundibugyo species.

Vaccines designed specifically to target Bundibugyo will also be added to the trial. This will happen once they have completed early safety and dosing studies. That was according to Meg Doherty, director of the WHO's department of science for health.

The drugmaker Moderna has also launched an early trial of an mRNA vaccine against Ebola.

Vaccines for frontline workers

In parallel, frontline workers in the areas where the virus is spreading most will be offered a vaccine. This will take place in an observational study expected to start later this week or early next week. The study is being conducted by Congolese authorities and Doctors Without Borders.

Participants first receive a dose of Ervebo. A month later, they receive a dose of an experimental vaccine designed to protect against the Sudan version of the Ebola virus. Researchers will then compare the number of cases among people who were vaccinated with the number among those who were not.

⚰️ Homicides per capita have fallen 14 percent since 2015

WALL-Y — Wed, 16 Sep 2026 08:20:37 GMT

The global homicide rate dropped from 5.9 to 5.1 victims per 100,000 people between 2015 and 2024.
In the ten years before 2015, the figure held steady at around 6 victims per 100,000 people.
If the decline continues at the same pace, the rate will reach 4.5 victims per 100,000 people by 2030.

Fewer people are being murdered per capita worldwide. This is shown in the UN Statistics Division's compilation of data for Sustainable Development Goal 16, based on submissions received up to 30 April 2026. The underlying data comes from the UN Office on Drugs and Crime, UNODC, and the World Health Organization, WHO.

The global homicide rate stood at 5.1 victims per 100,000 people in 2024. That is a decline of 14 percent compared with 5.9 victims per 100,000 in 2015. If the decline continues at the same pace through 2030, the figure will reach 4.5 victims per 100,000 people, roughly 25 percent lower than in 2015.

The decline broke a decade of unchanged figures

During the ten years preceding the adoption of the 2030 Agenda, the global homicide rate barely moved. It stayed at around 6 victims per 100,000 people year after year. Only after 2015 did the curve begin to point downward, and the decline is visible in almost every region.

Lowest level in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia

The differences between regions are large. The lowest homicide rate in 2024 was in Eastern and South-Eastern Asia, at 0.9 victims per 100,000 people. Next came Central and Southern Asia at 2.8, Oceania at 3.0, and Europe and Northern America at 3.2. Northern Africa and Western Asia stood at 4.9.

Latin America and the Caribbean had the highest rate in the world, at 19.3 victims per 100,000 people. The region is more affected by organized crime and gang-related violence than any other. Sub-Saharan Africa stood at 11.7 victims per 100,000 people, a figure that carries uncertainty because several countries in the region have limited data collection.

Two regions account for most homicides

Latin America and the Caribbean together with Sub-Saharan Africa are home to slightly less than a quarter of the world's population. At the same time, the two regions accounted for almost two-thirds of all homicide victims worldwide in 2024. That means the global figure is largely determined by what happens in these countries.

The decline applies to both men and women

Of all homicide victims in 2024, 80 percent were men and 20 percent were women. The report's trend lines from the year 2000 onward show that the homicide rate has fallen for both groups.

🌏 Global greenhouse gas emissions have almost stopped growing

WALL-Y — Thu, 03 Sep 2026 08:11:52 GMT

Emissions rose 0.2 percent compared with the first half of 2025. Between 2015 and 2023, they grew by an average of 1.1 percent per year.
Emissions from electricity generation fell despite the chaos in oil and gas markets, while renewable electricity generation grew 7.7 percent.
China and the United States, the world's two largest emitters, saw their emissions fall by 0.3 and 0.4 percent respectively.

Global greenhouse gas emissions rose by 56.4 million metric tons in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period in 2025. That is an increase of 0.2 percent. The figures come from preliminary data published by Climate TRACE, which tracks emissions from countries, sectors, and cities around the world.

In total, the world emitted 29.7 billion metric tons of CO2 equivalent in the first six months of the year. CO2 equivalent is a measure that converts all greenhouse gases into the corresponding amount of carbon dioxide.

Emissions growth keeps slowing

An increase of 0.2 percent is small compared with how emissions have developed in the past. Climate TRACE has data from 2015 onward. Between 2015 and 2023, global emissions grew by an average of 1.1 percent per year. In 2024 and 2025, they grew by an average of 0.5 percent per year, half as fast. Excluding the pandemic year 2020, that was the slowest growth since 2015, the year the Paris Agreement was signed. Climate TRACE noted this in its review of the full year 2025, published in February.

When Climate TRACE compiled the figures for the first half of 2025, the increase was 0.13 percent compared with the first half of 2024. The full year 2025 ended with an increase of 303 million metric tons, or 0.5 percent.

Looking further back, the difference is even larger. The Global Carbon Project, which measures carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuels, states that those emissions grew by around 3 percent per year during the first decade of the 2000s. Over the past decade, growth has averaged 0.8 percent per year.

Road traffic emissions rose, power sector emissions fell

The increase in the first half of 2026 came mainly from road traffic, where emissions rose by 68.3 million metric tons, or 2.0 percent. Among countries, India, the world's third largest emitter, had the largest increase, 30.6 million metric tons, or 1.5 percent.

At the same time, emissions fell in several large sectors. Emissions from electricity generation fell by 22.9 million metric tons, or 0.3 percent. Manufacturing emissions fell by 30.1 million metric tons, or 0.5 percent. Shipping emissions also fell, which according to Climate TRACE is likely because the closure of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted maritime traffic.

Power plants did not burn more coal

The disruptions in oil and gas markets in the first half of the year raised concerns that countries would burn more coal to generate electricity. That did not happen, according to Climate TRACE. Emissions from power plants that mainly burn coal fell by 33.5 million metric tons, or 0.7 percent. Emissions from power plants that mainly burn gas rose by 10.9 million metric tons, or 0.7 percent.

The decline is likely due to renewable energy accounting for a growing share of electricity generation, according to Climate TRACE. The organization refers to figures from Ember showing that renewable electricity generation grew 7.7 percent in the first half of 2026 compared with the same period the year before. Renewables' share of total electricity generation rose by 1.5 percentage points, while the share of coal fell by 1.3 percentage points and the share of gas by 0.6 percentage points.

Emissions fell in China and the United States

The two countries that emit the most in the world both saw their emissions fall in the first half of 2026. China's emissions fell by 25.4 million metric tons, or 0.3 percent. That is a change from earlier years. Between 2015 and 2023, China's emissions grew by an average of 2.66 percent per year. In 2025, they grew by 0.28 percent, the smallest increase since Climate TRACE began measuring in 2015.

US emissions fell by 15.0 million metric tons, or 0.4 percent. The country's emissions have been roughly flat over the past decade. In 2025, they were almost exactly the same as in 2015.

📉 HIV infections and AIDS deaths at lowest level in over 30 years

WALL-Y — Sun, 30 Aug 2026 08:21:54 GMT

New HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths are now at their lowest level in more than 30 years, according to a new report from UNAIDS.
Seven countries have reduced new infections by almost 80 percent since 2010.
New prevention medicines offer protection close to that of a vaccine.

Lowest levels in three decades

UNAIDS has released a special report ahead of the 26th International AIDS Conference in Rio de Janeiro. The report shows that both new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths are now at their lowest levels in more than 30 years.

In 2025, 1.2 million people acquired HIV. 570,000 people died of AIDS-related illnesses. In total, 41 million people are living with HIV, and 32 million of them are on treatment.

Seven countries have nearly eliminated new infections

Seven countries have reduced the number of new HIV infections by almost 80 percent since 2010. Eleven countries have reached the targets known as 95-95-95. This means that 95 percent of all people living with HIV know their status, 95 percent of those are on treatment, and 95 percent of those on treatment have viral levels so low that they cannot transmit the virus to others.

UNAIDS writes that these countries show that progress is possible.

New medicines offer protection close to vaccine level

The report points out that new prevention medicines offer protection against HIV close to what a vaccine would provide. Injections taken once a month or once every six months are entering the market. Pills taken once a month are in late-stage clinical trials.

Brazil has increased the number of people who have accessed HIV prevention medicines at least once in the past year by 41 percent. Ethiopia and Uganda have expanded access through domestic and other funding. South Africa is negotiating the price of lenacapavir, a prevention injection taken twice a year.

Millions to receive lenacapavir

UNITAID, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria, and other partners have pooled money to start rolling out lenacapavir. The goal is to reach 3 million people by 2028.

New global targets for 2030

In June 2026, 149 UN Member States adopted a new Political Declaration on HIV and AIDS. It is aligned with the UNAIDS Global AIDS Strategy for 2026 to 2031.

The new targets for 2030 are for 40 million people to be on treatment and 20 million to have access to prevention medicines. Fewer than 10 percent of people living with or at risk of HIV should experience stigma and discrimination. Fewer than 10 percent of countries should have laws that limit access to HIV services.

If the targets are met, UNAIDS estimates that an additional 3.2 million new HIV infections and 1.3 million AIDS-related deaths can be averted by 2030. Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, says that ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 is still within reach.

👮 Largest drop in violent crime and murder in the US since 1937

WALL-Y — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 08:53:38 GMT

Violent crime in the US fell by 9.3 percent in 2025, according to preliminary FBI figures.
Murder fell by 18.1 percent and robbery by 18.5 percent.
The figures are based on data from more than 17,000 law enforcement agencies covering 96 percent of the US population.

Decreases in every category

All four categories of violent crime declined in 2025. Murder and non-negligent manslaughter decreased by an estimated 18.1 percent. Robbery decreased by 18.5 percent. Rape decreased by 7.6 percent and aggravated assault by 7.2 percent.

Property crime also declined. It decreased by an estimated 12.4 percent from 2024 to 2025.

Based on data from more agencies than before

The statistics are based on data from more than 17,000 law enforcement agencies across the US. Together they cover 96 percent of the country's population. That is more than in 2024, when 16,675 agencies reported.

More than 15,000 of the agencies reported through the National Incident-Based Reporting System (NIBRS), which collects detailed information on each individual crime. These agencies cover nearly 90 percent of the population. Nearly 500 more agencies used NIBRS in 2025 compared to the year before.

The data are preliminary and may be revised before the full report later this year.

👦 American teenagers are drinking, smoking, and fighting less and less

WALL-Y — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 08:51:51 GMT

In the early 1990s, half of American high school students drank alcohol, 35 percent smoked, and teen births reached record highs.
Since then, nearly all risky behaviors among teenagers have declined sharply, and the decline is still continuing.
An American teenager today is about half as likely to die as a teenager in 1990.

In 1991, teen births in the US reached a record high of 61.8 births per 1,000 girls aged 15 to 19. President Bill Clinton called teen pregnancy America's most serious social problem in his 1995 State of the Union address.

This spring, the CDC reported that the figure for 2025 was 11.7 births per 1,000 girls. That is a decline of 81 percent from the 1991 peak and the lowest level ever recorded. In 2025 alone, the figure dropped 7 percent. That amounts to roughly half a million fewer teen births per year compared to the peak.

Fewer have sex and more use contraception

The share of high school students who have ever had sex fell from 54 percent in 1991 to 32 percent in 2023. Researchers at the Guttmacher Institute found that improved contraceptive use drove essentially the entire decline in pregnancies during the late 2000s and early 2010s, including a sevenfold increase in IUDs and implants among teenagers. In the decade that followed, delaying sex became the single biggest factor.

The decline shows up everywhere

Half of high school students drank alcohol in 1991. By 2023, the share was 22 percent. 70 percent had tried cigarettes in 1991, compared to under 18 percent in 2021. E-cigarette use is also declining, since 2019. The share of students who had been in a physical fight in the past year dropped from 42.5 percent in 1991 to 22 percent in 2019.

This year's Monitoring the Future survey shows that 66 percent of 12th graders used no alcohol, marijuana, or nicotine at all in the past month. That is a record. Marijuana use among teenagers has declined since its peak in the late 1990s, even though marijuana is now legal for adults in half the country and easier to obtain than ever.

Death rate cut in half

In 1990, 88 of every 100,000 Americans aged 15 to 19 died each year. By 2013, the figure was 45. The single biggest reason is traffic. Since 1975, road deaths among teenagers have fallen 67 percent, thanks to safer cars, graduated licensing laws that every state adopted starting in the mid-1990s, and fewer teenagers getting driver's licenses. The share of 12th graders with a driver's license fell from 82 percent in 2005 to 63 percent in 2023.

The future became too valuable to gamble away

Psychologist Jean Twenge and writer Adam Mastroianni argue that teenagers stopped taking risks of all kinds as their lives became longer, safer, and richer. The cost of a fight, a pregnancy, or a cigarette simply went up. The trends began as early as the 1990s, long before smartphones and social media. One of the few interventions with proven effect is the TV series 16 and Pregnant, which made teen parenthood look exactly as demanding as it is in reality.

💉 937 billion dollars in vaccine costs have saved 154 million lives and 15,000 billion dollars

WALL-Y — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 08:43:06 GMT

Since 1974, the WHO's vaccination program has cost 937 billion dollars, while the vaccines have prevented 154 million deaths worldwide.
A new study in The Lancet Global Health shows that the program has saved 15,050 billion dollars in productivity losses that would otherwise have been lost through premature death.
That means every dollar invested has returned 16.06 dollars, and in low-income countries the return is even higher: 23.63 dollars per dollar invested.

In 1974, the World Health Organization, WHO, launched its Expanded Programme on Immunization. Now, researchers have for the first time calculated what the program has cost and what it has returned over 50 years.

The study, published in The Lancet Global Health, covers 194 countries and 14 diseases, including measles, polio, tetanus, whooping cough, tuberculosis, and hepatitis B.

15,000 billion dollars in avoided productivity losses

The total cost of the program between 1974 and 2024 was 937 billion dollars. This includes vaccine procurement, the cost of administering the shots, and the time families spent getting their children vaccinated.

At the same time, the vaccines have prevented 154 million deaths. 95 percent of these were children under the age of five. When people survive, they can work and contribute to society. The researchers estimate that this has saved 15,050 billion dollars in productivity losses.

That equals a return of 16.06 dollars for every dollar invested.

Measles vaccine at the top

The measles vaccine accounts for the largest share of the gains. It alone has saved 12,843 billion dollars, returning 73.97 dollars per dollar invested.

Vaccines against whooping cough (10.18 dollars), tetanus (5.94 dollars), polio (5.51 dollars), and tuberculosis (5.07 dollars) also returned several dollars per dollar invested.

Profitable in all 194 countries

The program as a whole was cost-saving in all 194 member states. Low-income countries saw the highest returns, with 23.63 dollars back per dollar invested.

The five countries with the largest net benefits were the USA, China, India, Brazil, and Mexico. The main reason was the large number of measles deaths prevented by vaccination.

Vaccination also accounts for 40 percent of the global decline in infant mortality during the period.

🚭 Tobacco use in India has halved in twenty years

WALL-Y — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 08:21:07 GMT

At the turn of the millennium, about one in five adult Indians smoked. That share has roughly halved since then.
Almost half of all adults used some form of tobacco at the time. That figure has also roughly halved.
The decline applies to both men and women, unlike the trend in some other countries.

Two measures, both down

At the turn of the millennium, one in five adults in India smoked tobacco. Counting all forms of tobacco, including products that are chewed or sniffed, almost half of all adults used tobacco.

Over the past two decades, both of these shares have roughly halved. The development is clearly visible in the data over time.

The decline applies to both men and women

In several countries, smoking has fallen among men while rising among women. That is not the case in India. Tobacco use there has fallen substantially for both sexes.

This means the decline is not limited to one part of the population, but covers the entire adult population.

Almost one million deaths every year

Smoking today causes almost one million Indians each year to die earlier than they otherwise would. That makes tobacco one of the largest single health issues in the country.

Diseases caused by smoking often take decades to develop. The effect of fewer people smoking today will therefore only become visible later, in the form of fewer deaths.

Smokeless tobacco has lower risks but is not risk-free

Tobacco that is not smoked generally carries lower health risks, because the user is not inhaling smoke. It still increases the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, and esophagus, of gum disease, and of other conditions.

Since the use of both smoked and smokeless tobacco has fallen at roughly the same rate, the decline in India covers both of these product groups.

💡 Light is 16,000 times cheaper than in the 14th century

WALL-Y — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 08:04:31 GMT

One million lumen-hours cost around £34,000 in the early 14th century. By 2023, the same amount of light cost £2.15.
The price drop amounts to a 16,000-fold decline, measured in constant prices.
New lamps, new fuels, and expanded electricity grids during the 19th and 20th centuries made the development possible.

From a fortune to pocket change

The price of lighting has fallen sharply over the past two centuries. This is shown by historical data compiled by researcher Roger Fouquet.

The figures are adjusted for inflation and expressed in year 2000 prices, so they can be compared over time. The measure used is lumen-hours, a standard measure of how much light is produced over a given period.

In the early 14th century, one million lumen-hours cost around £34,000. By 2023, the cost had fallen to £2.15.

How much light one million lumen-hours is

A standard 100-watt incandescent bulb today emits about 1,600 lumens. If it stays on for 24 hours, it produces about 40,000 lumen-hours.

To reach one million lumen-hours, such a bulb would need to stay on continuously for about 26 days.

Achieving the same amount of light with candles requires 120 candles burning at once for that entire period. That is the amount of light that once cost the equivalent of £34,000.

What drove the price down

The price drop is the result of a series of changes during the 19th and 20th centuries. These include new lamps and fixtures, new fuels, expanded infrastructure such as electricity grids, and changed institutions.

Together, they turned artificial light from a luxury into something most people use without giving it a thought.

For most people today, being able to switch on a light when it is dark is a given. Those who live or have lived without artificial light know what a difference it makes.

🌾 Indian scientists have bred rice that handles both flood and drought

WALL-Y — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 08:27:04 GMT

The flood-tolerant rice yields nearly 50 percent more during flood years, without lowering yields in normal years.
A variety developed for drought yields up to 35 percent more than ordinary varieties and can be grown in dry soil, without flooded paddies.
The poorest farmers, who often cultivate the most vulnerable land, gain the most from the new rice.

The rice that waits out the flood

Over the past twelve years India has developed nearly 3,000 climate-resilient crops. Two of them are rice varieties that solve opposite water problems: too much water and too little.

Ordinary rice dies if it stays underwater for more than a week. Researchers crossed a gene called SUB1 into the popular Swarna variety. The result, Swarna-Sub1, can stay submerged for two to three weeks.

When the water rises, the plant does not try to grow taller than the surface. Instead it powers down, saves its energy, and waits. When the water recedes, it continues growing where it left off.

In a study in the state of Odisha, researchers followed 128 villages over two growing seasons. During a flood year Swarna-Sub1 yielded about 45 percent more than ordinary rice after ten days of flooding. For each additional day underwater, yields rose by roughly 141 pounds per acre. On fields without flooding there was no difference between the varieties. The farmer loses nothing by switching.

Farmers dared to invest more

With a rice that withstands flooding, farmers no longer needed to hedge with cautious choices. Those who received Swarna-Sub1 cultivated about a quarter of an acre more land and used 54 pounds more fertilizer, an increase of 11 percent. More of them also took out agricultural loans, an increase of 36 percent.

At the same time, farmers stored less rice in reserve, about 330 pounds less out of a previous 3,770 pounds. They trusted that the harvest would hold.

Yields rose by 625 pounds per acre on average across both years, about 10 percent, even though the second year was not a flood year. Income rose by nearly 3,000 Indian rupees per acre, about 47 dollars.

Greatest benefit for the most vulnerable

The poorest farmers most often cultivate low-lying land that floods most easily. They were hit by nearly two more days of flooding than other farmers. If all farmers in the area had used Swarna-Sub1, yields would have risen by 40 percent among the most vulnerable groups, compared with 25 percent among the rest.

A rice for drought

The opposite problem is too little water. Here there is the DRR Dhan 44 variety, developed by the Indian Institute of Rice Research in Hyderabad through a collaboration between the research institute IRRI and India. It was released in 2014 for cultivation in the states of Uttarakhand, Haryana, and Bihar.

Drought tolerance is harder to build in than flood tolerance, because the trait is governed by many genes at once. DRR Dhan 44 solves the problem in a different way. It grows fast and finishes before the water runs out. It tolerates drought during the sensitive flowering stage and uses nutrients efficiently. It can be grown in dry soil, like wheat, without flooded paddies.

The variety yields more than several ordinary varieties. In comparisons it gave 25.4 percent more than the Sahbhagidhan variety and 31.1 percent more than Narendra 97. In Haryana it gave nearly 32 percent more than the Govind variety, and in Bihar nearly 35 percent more than the Prabhat and Rajendra Bhagvati varieties. It is also resistant to the fungal disease blast and tolerates bacterial diseases and pests.

In the state of Telangana, farmers harvested 8 tons per hectare during the 2015 growing season. The variety does well with sprinkler irrigation and few inputs.

In field trials in 2016, DRR Dhan 44 gave on average nearly 12 percent more than the ordinary MTU 1010 variety. In a single trial the difference was 25 percent. Demand for seed has risen, with orders increasing sevenfold between 2015 and 2018.

🪪 Millions in Benin now have an official identity, opening access to school and banking

WALL-Y — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 08:10:50 GMT

In 2017, about 20 percent of Benin's population had no official papers.
Now, nearly 99 percent of Benin's population is registered in a biometric ID system.
An official identity provides access to school, a bank account, credit, and a business of one's own, something that was previously impossible for one in five residents.

Why an identity matters so much

An official identity is a precondition for taking part in society. Without one, you cannot open a bank account, register a business, sit national exams, apply for jobs, or use mobile payments. Anyone without papers is shut out of both school and the formal economy.

In 2017, about 20 percent of Benin's population had no official papers. They had no birth certificate, no national ID, and no other documents. That meant one in five residents was cut off from basic services.

From one in five without papers to nearly everyone registered

In less than ten years, that has changed. Nearly 99 percent of the population is now registered in a biometric system. By the end of May 2025, more than 7.7 million people had a Personal Identification Number. More than 6.1 million certificates had been issued, entirely free of charge. In some cases the authorities created identity documents on the spot, with the help of two witnesses and a municipal officer.

The ID card opens doors

The reform is led by Benin's government through the "C'est Moi" card, which means "It's me." The card provides access to school, a bank account, credit, employment, and entrepreneurship. It makes it possible to sign formal employment contracts and register businesses, which in turn can create jobs for others.

Support from the World Bank

The reform is part of the regional WURI project, which aims to make identity a right for all. By providing access to jobs, credit, and entrepreneurship, the project ties into the World Bank's work on job creation and economic inclusion.

Aristide Adjinacou, Director General of the Agency for the Identification of Persons (ANIP), says everyone can now access public services, open an account, and own a mobile phone. He says the results rest on the country's own talent, the national ecosystem, and partners such as the WURI project.

WURI is financed by the World Bank with $273 million, of which $45 million goes to Benin. The project covers five other West African countries: Burkina Faso, Côte d'Ivoire, Guinea, Niger, and Togo.

The project also supports the government's safety net programs and a single social registry, which strengthens governance and planning.

💵 Labor poverty in Mexico falls to 30.7 percent

WALL-Y — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:22:03 GMT

The share of Mexico's population whose labor income is not enough to cover the food fell to 30.7 percent in the first quarter of 2026.
The decline was 3.2 percentage points compared with the same period in 2025.
The drop is seen both in rural areas and in cities.

Incomes stretch further

Labor poverty measures whether income from work is enough to pay for the food basket, which corresponds to the so-called extreme poverty line by income. In the first quarter of 2026, the share stood at 30.7 percent of the population. A year earlier, the figure was 33.9 percent.

Behind the decline is an increase in real labor income per person. This allowed a larger share of the population to cover the cost of the food basket.

Decline in rural areas and cities

In rural areas, labor poverty fell from 48.0 percent of the rural population to 44.2 percent. That is a reduction of 3.8 percentage points.

In cities, the share dropped from 29.7 percent of the urban population to 26.9 percent, a decline of 2.8 percentage points. The reduction was therefore larger in rural areas, even though the level there remains higher than in cities.

Improvement against the close of 2025 as well

Compared with the fourth quarter of 2025, national labor poverty decreased by 1.6 percentage points, from 32.3 percent to 30.7 percent.

Quarter on quarter, the figure fell by 2.4 percentage points in rural areas and by 1.2 percentage points in cities.

Labor poverty is part of the analysis of multidimensional poverty, in the section on economic well-being. It focuses on the ability of labor income to cover the food basket.

📉 Child marriage and intimate partner violence continue to decline in India

WALL-Y — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 08:54:40 GMT

The share of girls married off as children has fallen to 20.1 percent.
The share of women subjected to violence by their partner has dropped to 22.3 percent.
Intimate partner violence has decreased by nearly seven percentage points since the previous survey.

Fewer married off before the age of 18

India continues to reduce the number of child marriages. This is shown by new data from the National Family Health Survey NFHS-6, covering the period 2023–24. According to the survey, 20.1 percent of women in the 20 to 24 age group were married before they turned 18. In India, 18 is the legal age for women to marry.

The figure has fallen compared with the previous survey. In NFHS-5, which covered the years 2019 to 2021, the share stood at 23.3 percent. This means the share of girls married off as children has fallen by just over three percentage points between the two surveys.

Intimate partner violence is decreasing

The survey also shows that fewer women are subjected to violence by their partner. The share of married women who reported experiencing violence in their relationship has fallen to 22.3 percent. In the previous survey, the figure stood at 29.2 percent. That is a decline of nearly seven percentage points.

One of India's largest surveys

NFHS-6 is one of the most comprehensive surveys of its kind in India. It is based on data from around 679,000 households across 715 districts. The survey is carried out by India's Ministry of Health and tracks population, health, nutrition, and family conditions over time.

By comparing the results from NFHS-5 and NFHS-6, it is possible to see the direction of the trend. The latest survey for 2023–24 shows that the decline is holding for both child marriage and intimate partner violence.