By: Nathaniel Tok, Peak Associate
Last male northern white rhino dies
Sudan, the last male of his subspecies, has died at age 45 in Kenya. He was euthanized due to age-related diseases which affected his muscular-skeletal system and his skin. Scientists have stored his genetic material and are hoping that in vitro fertilization can keep his subspecies alive. His death leaves only two female northern white rhinos in the world. Previous attempts to get Sudan to produce offspring had failed, so Sudan was placed on Tinder where researchers hoped to raise funds for fertility treatment. The northern white rhino subspecies in Africa was decimated by hunters in the 1970s and 1980s.
With files from Reuters.
Fatality causes Uber to suspend self-driving car tests
Uber has stopped self-driving car tests in North America after a woman was hit by a self-driving car and killed in Tempe, Arizona. This is not the first self-driving car accident, but it is the first fatal one. Self-driving cars are believed to be able to help prevent road accidents and to be the future of driving. Many US states and automobile firms are investing heavily in the hopes of using the technology. Uber first started trials of the self-driving cars in Pittsburgh in 2016 and was also conducting trials in San Francisco and Toronto.
With files from BBC News.
Canada unveils new gun control bills
Canada’s federal Liberal government is introducing new gun control laws which could include increased background checks and screening. Another proposal would require gun vendors to keep records of gun inventory and sales. This legislation follows from a campaign promise to make guns harder to acquire. Crime in Canada is trending downward, but gun-related crimes are rising. Though gun-related crime rates are still lower in Canada compared to the US, they are higher than Europe and Australia. There were 2,465 crimes committed in Canada involving guns in 2016, a 30% increase from three years prior. Gun control is a controversial issue in Canada with a large rural population favouring the use of guns and gun control advocates arguing for tougher laws.
With files from BBC News and CBC News.
Chinese capital issues third smog warning
Beijing issued its third major smog warning this year as the central part of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region is scheduled to endure medium to heavy air pollution. The Beijing environmental protection bureau issued an orange alert, the second-highest level in a four-level system, which requires factories and heavy industry to reduce production by 30% to 50%. This restriction will affect over 700 firms in the capital. The highest warning level in the system has not been used this year. Beijing was recently recognized as the biggest reducer in average pollution from October to February among 28 northern Chinese cities.
With files from Channel NewsAsia.
