Half of Europe’s towns and villages have fewer residents than 60 years ago

A data analysis by CORRECTIV.Europe reveals for the first time that even as Europe’s overall population grows, half of its municipalities are losing inhabitants.

correctiv.org
B.C. gov't monitoring situation as yellow-legged hornet found at Washington state port
The hornets, native to Asia, are considered an invasive species in Canada and the U.S. and can cause serious problems for honey bee populations.
#News #Canada #BritishColumbia
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/yellow-legged-hornet-found-washington-state-9.7200333?cmp=rss
B.C. gov't monitoring situation as yellow-legged hornet found at Washington state port
The hornets, native to Asia, are considered an invasive species in Canada and the U.S. and can cause serious problems for honey bee populations.
#News #Canada #BritishColumbia
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/yellow-legged-hornet-found-washington-state-9.7200333?cmp=rss
https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/fears-of-another-safeguarding-catastrophe-after-dwp-stops-benefits-of-nearly-23000-esa-claimants/. "New #government figures show nearly 23,000 #disabled people have failed to 'migrate' from #employment & #support #allowance to #universal #credit & have had their #benefit #claims closed, raising concerns over whether many of them have been left destitute." 23,000 is the #population of the #town of Rawtenstall in #Lancashire (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rawtenstall), @ChrisMayLA6, @HarriettMB.
Fears of another safeguarding catastrophe after DWP stops benefits of nearly 23,000 ESA claimants

New government figures show nearly 23,000 disabled people have failed to “migrate” from employment and support allowance to universal credit and have had their benefit claims closed, raising concer…

Disability News Service
McKellar Island Bird Observatory in Thunder Bay, Ont., reports increase in local bird populations
The McKellar Island Bird Observatory, which launched in 2014 in Thunder Bay, Ont., has reported an increase in local bird populations. The observatory attributed the increase to habitat revitalization and colder seasonal temperatures slowing migration.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/thunder-bay/bird-populations-thunder-bay-9.7197310?cmp=rss
https://www.theguardian.com/news/2026/may/14/after-a-hard-fought-victory-to-legalise-medical-cannabis-in-the-uk-why-is-it-still-so-hard-to-access. "The 1928 Dangerous Drugs Act prohibited #cannabis in the #UK for the first time (the first Dangerous Drugs Act of 1920 had criminalised opium & #cocaine). Cannabis #products began to slowly disappear from the shelves of apothecaries. However, it wasn’t until after [WW2] that cannabis was strictly policed in the UK, where cannabis #smoking was associated with degenerates, #alternative #lifestyles & a #Black #immigrant #population many were suspicious of."
After a hard-fought victory to legalise medical cannabis in the UK, why is it still so hard to access?

The long read: Two mothers fought British bureaucracy to obtain lifesaving cannabis medicines for their children. But most patients are having to go private – at huge cost

The Guardian

Japan’s Child Population Declines To New Low Of 13.29 Million

Japan, which is one of the largest economies of the world, has an enduring population growth problem as low fertility rates stubbornly remained. That said, the child population of Japan has declined yet again reaching a new all-time low of 13.29 million, according to a news report of Kyodo News. The said figure even includes foreign residents.

To put things in perspective, posted below is an excerpt from the news report of Kyodo News Some parts in boldface…

Japan’s child population has shrunk to an estimated 13.29 million as of April 1, down 350,000 from a year earlier and marking a new record low, the government said Monday.

The ratio of children under 15 dropped 0.3 percentage point to 10.8 percent of the total population, also the lowest since comparable data became available in 1950, according to data released by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications ahead of the national Children’s Day holiday on Tuesday.

The figures, including foreign residents, were calculated using population estimates that are based on a national census conducted every five years.

While the Japanese government has prioritized measures to address the declining birthrate and designated the period through 2030 as a “final opportunity to reverse the trend,” the decline has continued for 45 years despite steps such as expanding financial support for child-rearing households.

By gender, there were 6.81 million boys and 6.48 million girls, according to the data.

By age, 3.09 million children were 12 to 14, whereas 2.13 million were 0 to 2, indicating a trend of fewer children being born.

The number of children, including foreigners, born in Japan in 2025 hit a record low of 705,809, declining for the 10th consecutive year, according to preliminary data released by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Japan’s child population has been falling since 1982, after peaking in 1954 at 29.89 million, while a second baby boom was observed between 1971 and 1974. The ratio of children has also been falling for the 52nd consecutive year since 1975.

Let me end this piece by asking you readers: What is your reaction to this development? Do you think the government’s efforts to reverse Japan’s low birthrate will eventually create positive results over the next several years? Are you convinced that allowing a larger number of foreigners to migrate to Japan will solve the birthrate problem? Do you think the government of Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae will come up with new plans to increase Japanese birthrates?

You may answer in the comments below. If you prefer to answer privately, you may do so by sending me a direct message online.

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#Asia #Bing #birth #CarloCarrasco #ChatGPT #children #democracy #diversity #economics #economy #EconomyOfJapan #Facebook #fertilityRates #geek #geopolitics #Google #GoogleSearch #governance #immigration #Inclusion #Instagram #Instapundit #Investagrams #Japan #Japanese #kabataan #KyodoNews #nationalSecurity #Nippon #population #populationGrowth #PrimeMinisterOfJapan #SanaeTakaichi #security #socialMedia #TakaichiSanae #Tumblr #WordPress #WordPressCom #youth
Official unveil $88M plan for Ajax police station as chief cites growing population
Durham Region officials have announced plans for an $88-million new police station in Ajax that they say is needed as the town's population is projected to grow.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/durham-regional-police-service-plans-new-station-ajax-location-9.7197354?cmp=rss
It’s the deadline to fill out your census form. Have you done yours?
Every five years, the census aims to capture demographic information about the population of Canada. The deadline to fill it out is May 12 and failing to meet that cutoff could result in a fine. David Fraser reports.
https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/9.7197147?cmp=rss