The Best News of Last Week — September 19, 2022
🎮 — Young people passion for eSports and the environment raised plenty of money for charity
1. Patagonia Founder Gives Away the Company — Profits will now go towards climate action
Rather than selling the company or taking it public, Mr. Chouinard, his wife and two adult children have transferred their ownership of Patagonia, valued at about $3 billion, to a specially designed trust and a nonprofit organization. They were created to preserve the company’s independence and ensure that all of its profits — some $100 million a year — are used to combat climate change and protect undeveloped land around the globe.
“Instead of ‘going public,’ you could say we’re ‘going purpose.’ Instead of extracting value from nature and transforming it into wealth for investors, we’ll use the wealth Patagonia creates to protect the source of all wealth.”
2. World’s Largest Container Line Reroutes Around Endangered Blue Whales
The largest container line in the world has rerouted its ships passing near the coast of Sri Lanka in order to avoid potential collisions with endangered blue whales.
“MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company has taken a major step to help protect blue whales and other cetaceans living and feeding in the waters off the coast of Sri Lanka by modifying navigation guidance in line with the advice of scientists and other key actors in the maritime sector,” MSC said in a statement provided to Insider.
3. Two antibodies identified can fight all known COVID strains, study finds
Israeli scientists say they have identified antibodies that are so powerful in neutralizing the coronavirus that they could eliminate the need for more vaccine boosters.
A research team at Tel Aviv University experimented with numerous antibodies and found that two in particular neutralize all known strains of the coronavirus, including Delta and Omicron, in a lab setting. Based on their performance in lab conditions, the antibodies could provide the extra protection that today comes from booster shots, adding that this could potentially make extra shots unnecessary among vaccinated people.
4. French charity stream Z Event raises record-breaking $10.3 million for environmental organizations
Z Event, the biggest charity stream event in Europe, broke a record last night. In fewer than three days, it raised over €10.1 million ($10.3 million) for five environmental nonprofit associations: WWF France, Sea Shepherd France, The SeaCleaners, Time for the planet, and biodiversity association LPO.
Since its creation, the event has been breaking records at every event. Last year, it raised a little less than 2022’s total (corresponding to $11.5M at the time).
5. Palestinian farmer discovers rare ancient treasure in Gaza
The mosaic was uncovered just a kilometer (half mile) from the Israeli border. The floor, boasting 17 iconographies of beasts and birds, is well-preserved and its colors are bright.
“These are the most beautiful mosaic floors discovered in Gaza, both in terms of the quality of the graphic representation and the complexity of the geometry,” said René Elter, an archaeologist from the French Biblical and Archaeological School of Jerusalem.
6. Nurse saves baby who stopped breathing on Spirit Airlines flight to Florida
A nurse is being hailed for her heroic actions after she saved a 3-month-old baby who had stopped breathing during a flight from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, to Orlando, Florida.
7. Boston Marathon adds nonbinary runner option for 2023 race
Nonbinary athletes will be able to compete in next year’s Boston Marathon without having to register in either the men’s or the women’s divisions, organisers for the United States’ most popular running event said.
Registration for the April race opened on Monday. The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) said the application allows runners to select nonbinary with regard to gender, making the race the latest nationwide to open such an option.
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Have a great week ahead.
