USA: call for more help for stressed parents
Vivek Murthy, the US surgeon general, has issued a public health advisory addressing the growing mental health challenges faced by parents due to modern stresses. He is urging government bodies, businesses, and community organisations to bolster support for parents and caregivers. Among his key recommendations are expanded funding for parental support, the establishment of a national paid family and medical leave programme, ensuring paid sick leave, and increasing access to affordable mental health care for caregivers. Improving parents' mental health is crucial for addressing the broader youth mental health crisis. He also calls for employers to provide stress management training and for healthcare providers to screen parents for mental health conditions. He says that 48% of the nearly 63 million parents and caregivers in the USA report feeling overwhelmed and lonely, particularly single parents.
Australia: plans to cut numbers of international students drastically
Australia, which currently has one of the biggest international student markets in the world, is to introduce a cap on new enrolments, limiting them to 270,000 in 2025, as part of efforts to reduce overall migration to pre-pandemic levels. Each educational institution will face specific restrictions, with vocational and training providers seeing the largest cuts. The move has sparked outrage among tertiary education providers, who argue it could damage the sector and economy. Education minister Jason Clare defended the policy, citing the need to improve the quality of education and address issues of unethical practices among some providers. The cap aims to alleviate pressures on housing and infrastructure, with additional reforms including tougher English-language requirements and incentives for universities to build student housing.
Haiti: thousands of young men eager to join military
The Haitian government has announced a recruitment drive for its military, attracting thousands of young men eager for jobs amid widespread gang violence and economic hardship. Many, like 21-year-old Maurenceley Clerge, see joining the military as a rare job opportunity in a deeply impoverished country. They want to improve their lives and serve their country, despite the risks of kidnapping, torture, or death. The army, disbanded in 1995 due to its notorious human rights abuses and involvement in coups, was reinstated in 2017 when the UN peace-keeping force withdrew from the country. The force currently has around 2,000 soldiers, but aims to more than double its size. More than 3,200 killings have been reported in Haiti from January to May, with gang violence leaving more than half a million people homeless in recent years.
Hong Kong: innovative robot boat cleans up polluted waters
In Hong Kong's marinas, a new type of vessel is making waves - an uncrewed, solar-powered catamaran, designed to autonomously clean up plastic waste from waterways. It collects floating trash using a conveyor belt, capturing up to 200 kilos per hour. Launched as a university project in 2020, Clearbot has since expanded its operations to various locations across Hong Kong, Thailand, and India, targeting polluted rivers and lakes. The boats are equipped with advanced algorithms for autonomous navigation and waste analysis, providing valuable data to help prevent further pollution. The boats are also able to perform other environmental tasks, such as clearing algae and removing invasive species. The startup aims to revolutionise marine operations by offering an eco-friendly alternative to traditional, fossil fuel-powered boats, thereby contributing to the reduction of marine pollution and promoting sustainable practices.
