In today's Good News, researchers are enlisting sharks to help collect valuable data from the Atlantic Ocean that could predict the strength of hurricanes. And in Southern California, a special summer camp gives teens and senior citizens the opportunity to bridge the generational gap, tackle loneliness and pick up new skills.

Catherine Garcia
The Week Digital

Two decades after the Timor-Leste government prioritized fighting malaria, the World Health Organization has certified the country free of the disease. This is a "significant milestone" and "proves malaria can be stopped in its tracks" when there's "strong political will," sustained investment and committed health care workers, said WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Timor-Leste is the third Southeast Asian country to be declared malaria-free, after the Maldives and Sri Lanka.

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Sharks outfitted with sensors on their dorsal fins may help scientists better understand Atlantic hurricanes. As they swim out to areas inaccessible to researchers, the sharks' monitors collect information, like water temperature and depth, that could potentially be used to "predict the power and trajectory" of storms, said The Washington Post. Sharks move faster than the robotic gliders currently used to gather oceanic data, and the fin-attached sensors are less expensive to operate.

Researchers discovered communities of creatures living in frigid, pitch-black waters under high pressure

High schoolers and senior citizens in Fullerton, California, are spending their summer together at Olive Community Services for a camp focused on learning new skills and staying active. The seniors are teaching teens from the Golden Connections Club how to sew, cook, embroider and iron, while also sharing valuable life lessons. "There's so much wisdom that lives in our older generation," Golden Connections Club founder Leena Albinali told the Good News Network.

Amsterdam is building small wooden staircases along its canals so small animals that fall in can get back out. The city council allocated $115,000 in funds for the project, and officials will work with the animal welfare group Dierenambulance Amsterdam to ensure that the staircases are in spots where cats have drowned before. This plan "demonstrates that as a city, we take responsibility for protecting the lives of animals," said Judith Krom, a member of the Party for the Animals.

The new budget bill provides a boost for people pursuing trades and vocational careers 

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