308: hope shared in 15.24 carats

I'm not much of a shopper - pretty much can't stand it, in fact - and I'm definitely not a hunter of luxury goods. But this story about a diamond necklace, from Reader's Digest, grabbed my attention nevertheless. You see, it's not really about the necklace. It's about a group of women who bought the necklace together, finding friendship and confidence in the process, and worked together to raise funds for various charities. It's a very unusual story, and I can't do it justice in summary here. You'll just have to read it for yourselves! (Photo from Reader's Digest.)

307: rapid test for avian flu could save lives

Good news in the battle against avian flu today, as reported by the BBC. Apparently, scientists in Nottingham, UK, have developed a rapid diagnostic kit - a portable testing machine - that could identify whether a patient is carrying H5N1 or another bird flu virus using a saliva sample. Rapid diagnosis greatly increases the chances of treating a patient successfully. As things stand, with treatment often coming too late, most sufferers die - more than 80% of those infected in Indonesia, for example. But the new machine could yield a result within two hours. If it can be manufactured and rolled out, therefore, it really could save many lives.

306: UK car dumping down as scrap prices rise

This is a great 'happy by-product' story, which caught my eye in the UK's Times newspaper today. As the article reports, the UK had become something of a used car dumping ground over recent years, as owners had to actually pay scrap dealers to take their old vehicles away, so unattractive were they. As I recall, slip roads leading on or off major roads were a favoured dropping off point - most abandoned cars had their license plates removed and some were burnt out for good measure. Apparently, far fewer cars are dumped in this way now, as prices of key metals such as steel, aluminium and copper are up and dealers are paying over £100 for many makes of car. And so, at least for now, British side streets are slightly less cluttered. (Photo from The Times online.)

305: humpback whales resurgent

Great news for whale watchers today, as reported by the UK's Guardian newspaper. According to today's linked article, the number of humpback whales globally is on the rise, due to the long term impact of a worldwide hunting ban enacted 40 years ago. It is thought that there are now about 40,000 adult whales and 15,000 juveniles across the globe, and as a result the IUCN has reclassified the species from 'vulnerable' to 'of least concern'. Many other marine species remain endangered, of course - some critically so. But the success of conservation efforts affecting the humpback whale shows what can be done. (Beautiful photo from EPA/Guardian.)

304: thermoelectric efficiency

How's this for recycling? According to today's linked article from syracuse.com, scientists are competing currently to develop technologies that can harness heat from car exhausts, turning it into energy that can then (re)power the car. Necessary technology too, since up to 70% of energy from internal combustion engines is wasted apparently, 40% of it through exhaust heat. General Motors has said that if they can reach their goal of 10% fuel economy through these imminent technologies, that would save around 100 million gallons of fuel per year just in GM cars driven in the US! And of course the same thermoelectric technologies could have so many other applications too, saving energy everywhere they are deployed (even in zero emissions cars, I assume?). A potentially great scientific advance.

303: tackling taboos in India

To India today, and an interesting article from BBC news. As the article reports, new initiatives are being piloted across India in an effort to promote condoms for women and gay men - and they are proving far more successful than anyone thought. There are about 2.5 million HIV positive people in India, homosexuality is illegal, and women in particular lack control over family planning options. But those women involved in the pilot schemes have embraced the female condoms and, apparently, persuaded their husbands to embrace them too. And, according to the BBC article, they are more than happy to talk openly about their experiences, shattering local taboos in the process. Many have said they feel empowered - giving hope that women across the country can take greater control of their lives as these new initiatives are rolled out.

302: amputee swimmer leads and inspires

Another uplifting flag-bearing tale today! This time, as South African website News 24 reports, the athlete concerned is Natalie du Toit, who carried South Africa's flag for her team at the Olympic opening ceremony today. Natalie is a long-distance swimmer, whose left leg was amputated at the knee in 2001 after a motorcycling accident. She had competed at the Commonwealth Games before that, and this year she qualified for both the Paralympics and the Olympics - the first amputee ever to have done so. Like Lopez Lomong for the US, Natalie was the obvious choice to carry the flag for South Africa today. Her own words sum up the Olympic spirit better than anything I could craft: "Everybody has problems, everybody has things that get them down. It's just saying, 'I can go out there, if I have a dream, I can really, if I work hard and I believe in it, I can achieve it'."

301: 'lost boy' will carry US flag in Beijing

Do you remember post 243 about the 'lost boys of Sudan' and the great things they were doing with their lives having settled in the US? Well, today it was announced that one of the 'lost boys' will lead the US team at the Olympics in Beijing, carrying the nation's flag at the opening ceremony tomorrow. As today's linked article from CNN reports, Lopez Lomong came to the US after fleeing his war-torn community in southern Sudan at the age of 6, becoming separated from his family and spending 10 years in a refugee camp. He will represent the US in the 1500 meters at the Beijing games, having gained citizenship in 2007. His fellow US team mates chose him to bear the flag. Lopez is also a member of Team Darfur, a group of athletes committed to raising awareness about ongoing violence and rights abuses in western Sudan. The flag he carries tomorrow will therefore represent hope in many more ways than one. (Photo from CNN.)

300: likely ruins of Shakespearean theatre uncovered

After yesterday's story about finding wildlife in surprising numbers, here's a story about finding history in surprising places. According to today's linked article from US news site Knoxnews, builders excavating a site in east London stumbled across some interesting looking foundations. Archaeologists from a local museum were brought in, and concluded that the remains were very likely to be from 'The Theatre' where Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliette' and 'The Merchant of Venice' debuted. The structure was used by Shakespeare's company in the 1590s but was later dismantled and moved south of the river Thames, where it became the famous Globe theatre. If the recently discovered ruins were from The Theatre, it would be very apt - the new building to be erected on the site is ... you guessed it ... a new theatre. (Photo from AP / Knoxnews.)

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So, post 300. Very nearly there. The 12-month target is in sight. I'm still trying to work out what I should do then. Thanks to all of you who've said 'keep going'! But I need to make it manageable... I'm thinking of either posting less frequently, or building a 'blogging team' (ideally from across the world) to take it in turns. Any thoughts would be most welcome to eazibee@gmail.com. Thanks!

299: amazing discovery of thriving gorillas

A very uplifting story from the National Geographic News site today. Apparently, new research from Congo suggests that the population of Western Lowland Gorillas may be twice as high as previously thought. The research indicates that about 125,000 gorillas are living in the region, some of which is officially protected. Conservation agencies hope that this recent survey will encourage the Congolese government to designate further areas as national parkland. Meanwhile, the world of primatology is getting excited - and even though the 'nest counting' methodology used in the census is doubted by some, experts appear to agree that gorillas are thriving in this region and that conservation efforts are working. In addition, there is something thrilling about the fact that, with all the technology we have at our fingertips, we can still stumble across the wonders of this planet in this way and be pleasantly surprised. Wonderful. (Do go to the website via the link in the post title above - there's a great video there. Photo here from National Geographic.)

298: sharing hope in the face of adversity

Well, it seems as if our message is being heard, RTBH readers. I noticed today that MSNBC has started carrying a segment entitled 'Wonderful World' on its website, which focuses on happy news! (It doesn't look as if they post something every day ... but perhaps they don't have enough staff on it? Ha ha...) Anyway, today I'm posting one of their recent articles, about two women in Warsaw, Poland. They are in their seventies and have been close for decades, living as sisters - though they are in fact a Holocaust survivor and her rescuer. Janina Pietrasiak (then 8 years old) and her mother were taken in by Maria Lopuszanska and her family, to hide them from Nazi persecutors. Janina's mother died shortly afterwards and Janina was then baptised and treated as a sister to Maria. She survived. Later, she was offered refuge in the US but decided to stay with her adoptive family in Poland. Janina and Maria care for each other to this day, and Maria's role as a rescuer has been recognized by Jewish organizations in both the US and Israel. It's a remarkable example of how two people can sustain each other, even in the face of many hardships. Love may not quite conquer all, but it goes a very long way...

297: China gets serious about renewable energy

I found this interesting article on the UK's Guardian newspaper website today. Apparently, a report issued this week confirming China's rapid development and application of renewable energy technologies. Indeed, current figures suggest that China is now the world's second biggest producer of solar energy after Japan, and within the next year should lead the world in the export of wind turbines, as well as contributing significantly to innovation in renewables generally. There is no doubt that China's current CO2 emissions and levels of pollution give serious cause for concern, but this report suggests China has the potential to move away from a destructive pattern of energy use quite rapidly. If that's not a reason to be hopeful, I don't know what is.

296: New York girl's miraculous escape

This story is pretty incredible. Many thanks to RTBH reader Paul for alerting me to it. According to today's linked article from the Associated Press, a 12-year-old girl had a lucky escape this week when she fell 14 stories down the chimney of her New York apartment block. Grace Bergere had been climbing up the side of the chimney to show her visiting cousin the great view - but then slipped. When her parents and firefighters found her at the bottom of the flue shortly afterwards, they expected the worst, but found her buried in 2 feet of soot and ash, virtually unscathed. They think the pile of debris cushioned her landing, saving her from internal injury or death. Apparently, Grace is a budding drummer and songwriter. Her recent escape definitely sounds like something to sing about... (Photo from AP.)

295: German man receives double arm transplant

This truly amazing story was covered widely today. I'm posting the version from the UK's Telegraph newspaper. It reports that a German farmer, who lost both his arms in an accident several years ago, has received the world's first double arm transplant. The man, who is 54, recently received arms from a 19-year-old donor. The procedure to reopen the man's blood vessels and other connective tissue was difficult, taking five teams of surgeons 15 hours to complete, but it was apparently very successful. Following another five weeks of intensive therapy he will be able to use his new arms without assistance, though it could be up to 2 years before he has feeling in his fingertips. It just shows how far transplant technology has come. And for this man, it's brought a new lease of life. (Photo from EPA / Telegraph.)

294: several new species discovered in Guyana

There were some wonderful tales - and pictures - from the BBC today, of several fish and other species recently discovered in the Amazon. As today's linked article reports, a team of researchers and film-makers recently spent six weeks in the rainforest in southern Guyana, searching for new species to document. They apparently found and captured hundreds of species, as many as 10% of which may be newly documented. These include two fish species, one frog species and several types of bat fly. The aim of their documentary series is to highlight the uniqueness of the Guyanese rainforest environment and the need to protect it. With images like the one here, of a sabre-tooth fish, they're certainly going to attract attention!

293: breakthrough in Alzheimer's research

I must say that, since I started this daily blog nearly 10 months ago, I've read a lot of promising news about Alzheimer's research. Indeed, two major stories appeared in the media today about completely different strands of research. I'm posting one of these here, with a linked article from the UK's Sky News website. Apparently, UK scientists have developed a new drug, Rember, which slows the progression of Alzheimer's by as much as 81%. It does this by targeting the 'tau tangles' that develop in sufferers' brains, which first destroy nerve cells related to memory and then attack other parts of the brain. If further tests are successful, the drug could be available by 2012.

292: Iraq will go to the games

As the world gears up for the 2008 Olympics, at least two athletes now look set to represent Iraq in Beijing. As today's linked article from Al Jazeera reports, Iraq had been banned by the IOC from fielding a team at the games, following irregularities in the appointment of its national Olympic committee. However, today, the IOC rescinded and allowed two track and field athletes to register - though five other Iraqis have missed their chance as the registration deadline for their sports has passed. It would have been sad indeed for Iraq to miss out. At the Athens Olympics in 2004, team Iraq was 25 strong - and its football (soccer) team reached the semi-finals to the surprise and delight of Iraq's citizens. As the article points out, sport has the potential to bring people together and offer them hope even when life is at its harshest. And for the athletes concerned, many of whom train outside Iraq for their own safety, Olympic competition is a rare reward for their significant efforts. Not something to take away lightly... (Photo of Iraq's Olympic team in Athens from AP/Al Jazeera.)

291: thousands of electoral observers due in Rwanda

News today that Rwanda is to host at least 3000 local and international observers when it holds parliamentary elections in September. As today's linked article from Rwandan paper The New Times reports (via Allafrica.com), accreditation of the observers is now underway and some have already arrived in Rwanda from the EU and elsewhere. All eyes will be on Rwanda following the electoral disputes and violence in Kenya, Zimbabwe and elsewhere across the continent. So it's good to see democratic safeguards in place here, in a country that has managed to rebuild itself in recent years following the 1990s genocide. There is much at stake.

290: the benefits of slow development

I am totally exhausted tonight so won't be long... But I was intrigued by this story in the UK's Guardian newspaper today (though it was actually published a few days ago I noticed). It discusses some of the potentially positive impacts of the current economic downturn - namely the opportunity to take stock of our development pathway and its sustainability. The article cites the slower pace of UK house building specifically, suggesting that there is now a chance to reevaluate the siting, architecture, energy supply etc of proposed developments, as some will be put on hold. It's an interesting perspective. Certainly, it's evident in the US that the current concern over oil prices is beginning to focus minds on sustainable energy supply. Could this prompt a broader reassessment of the established growth model? Well, maybe...

289: stimulating change through film

This is a very interesting article, from today's BBC online coverage. Apparently, a groundbreaking film has been released in Egypt, which tackles the issue of mutual suspicion and intolerance between the country's Muslim majority and its Christian minority. The film, Hassan and Morqos, focuses on two men from either side of the religious and cultural divide. Both have gone into hiding after being threatened by extremists in their respective communities - and so they meet. They become friends, open a business together and their children fall in love. So it is a tale of possibilities won through tolerance - though many characters in the film give voice to commonly held prejudices (apparently this frankness is a first in Egyptian film). The film's cast and director believe it will prompt discussion - and hopefully greater understanding - between the two religious communities. Film is one of the few media that may have the power to do that, so it's definitely worth the investment. I'd love to see it myself!