Politics
Having a difficult time finding positive news about national and global politics? Search no further! From public policy to positive leadership to democracy efforts, find the latest good news stories in the world of politics at The Optimist Daily.
Canada celebrates first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Canada celebrated the country’s first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30. The day, which honors the lost children and survivors of Indigenous schools, comes after more than 1,000 unmarked graves were discovered at former schools this year. Governor General Mary May Read More...
Hyenas offer surprising public health benefits in African cities
Hyenas are often portrayed as the villains of the savanna, but a new study from the University of Michigan demonstrates that these scavengers are more useful than we might think. The study, based in the Ethiopian city of Mekelle, counted the number of hyenas seen around town as well as the number Read More...
US restores protections for migratory birds
The US government has restored protections for migratory birds, reviving an old environmental law that prohibits hunting, killing, capturing, selling, or otherwise hurting these avian species. A rule from the previous administration rolled back protections for migratory birds, relaxing legal Read More...
Na’ah Illahee Fund creates grants to find missing Indigenous people
Since 2016, the National Crime Information Center has reported 5,712 cases of missing American Indian and Alaska Native women and girls. Despite these high numbers, many of these cases go unaddressed by law enforcement and are never solved. The Na’ah Illahee Fund supports Indigenous communities Read More...
New UK law ensures servers don't miss out on their tips
The pandemic has spurred a shift to contactless payments, however, it has presented some negative consequences for servers and kitchen staff at restaurants at a time when they need all the support they can get. Many servers and kitchen staff all over the world have been left without employment Read More...
The case for eliminating jaywalking laws
Most of us have probably looked both ways quickly before darting across the street outside of a sidewalk. Whether traffic was light or the crosswalk was simply too far away, jaywalking is a fairly common offense, but data from the California Racial and Identity Profiling Act (RIPA) shows that Black Read More...
Los Angeles County is dismissing 60,000 cannabis convictions
Los Angeles County has decided that it will dismiss nearly 60,000 cannabis convictions. Announced by District Attorney George Gascón, the policy is in line with California’s 2016 legalization of recreational marijuana. In addition to releasing individuals incarcerated for possession of a drug Read More...
Ice stupas: How an artificial glacier is addressing India’s water crisis
Ice stupas were invented in 2013 by Indian engineer Sonam Wangchuk. They are essentially artificial glaciers that take wastewater flowing in the summer months and pump it uphill to be stored as ice during the winter and released once again when spring arrives. For water-scarce regions, they provide Read More...
Historic Indigenous water rights agreement finalized in Montana
The Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes (CSKT) are celebrating the long-awaited final approval of a $1.9 billion water rights settlement. Signed this week by US Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, the water compact resolves tribal claims to waterways throughout Western Montana and authorizes Read More...
Renewables provide more than just energy to Native American communities
Lack of resources and unclear regulatory oversight has slowed electrification on Native American Reservations, but some organizations believe the transition for renewable energy offers an opportunity to bring reliable, green, independent energy resources to reservations. Among these groups are Read More...