Optimistic Observer 10/01/26
By Capital Investment Counsel - October 1, 2026
Optimistic Observer
Chile Verified Free of Leprosy Transmission
Chile became the first country in the Americas verified by the World Health Organization as having eliminated leprosy. The last locally acquired case was detected in 1993, and the 47 cases reported between 2012 and 2023 were all acquired elsewhere. Chile is the 61st country to eliminate at least one neglected tropical disease. Read more here.
Child Deaths Have Fallen by Half Since 2000
Deaths of children before their fifth birthday fell to 4.9 million in 2024, more than half below the level recorded in 2000. Wider vaccination, better newborn care, and treatment for malaria and pneumonia account for most of the decline. Millions of children now reach school age who would not have survived a generation ago. Read morer here.
First Gene Therapy Approved for Inherited Deafness
The FDA approved Otarmeni in April, the first gene therapy for hereditary hearing loss, after 80 percent of 20 evaluable patients showed improved hearing. The treatment uses two viral vectors to deliver a working copy of the OTOF gene to the inner ear. It addresses the cause of the hearing loss rather than working around it with a device. Read more here.
FBI Data Show Murders Fell 18 Percent
Preliminary FBI figures show murder in the United States fell an estimated 18.1 percent in 2025, with violent crime down 9.3 percent. The estimates draw on submissions from more than 17,000 law enforcement agencies covering roughly 96 percent of the population. Declines of this size mean tens of thousands fewer victims each year. Read more here.
Renewables Passed Coal in Global Electricity
Renewables generated 33.8 percent of the world's electricity in 2025, ahead of coal at 33.0 percent for the first time. Solar output rose by 636 terawatt hours, covering about three quarters of the year's growth in global electricity demand. Coal's share fell below one third for the first time on record. Read more here.
Ocean Protection Passes 10 Percent
Marine protected and conserved areas now cover 10.01 percent of the global ocean. About 5 million square kilometers were added over the past two years, an area larger than the European Union. It is the first time ocean protection has crossed the ten percent mark since international tracking began. Read more here.
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