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.
Juneteenth is now a federal holiday in the US
Story Update: Since this story was written, the bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday has been signed into law. Tomorrow is Juneteenth, the holiday commemorating the official end of slavery in the United States, and this year, the holiday is closer than ever to becoming a federal holiday. Read More...
Scientists discover 5 million years of climate change records in Kazakhstan
After making the precarious descent into the Charyn Canyon in Kazakhstan, scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, Germany discovered a practically unbroken record of climate change in an 80-meter-thick layer of sediment. This ancient slab of earth and rock provides Read More...
No more lawns: Las Vegas takes big step to address drought
In a city known for its lavish landscape, one wasteful decorative feature is getting the boot as Las Vegas announces a ban on ornamental grass. The ban comes as the state of Nevada faces a historic and devastating drought exacerbated by climate change. Many other cities have implemented Read More...
Indonesia commits to all-electric vehicle sales by 2050
In an effort to accelerate the global transition to all-electric transportation, Indonesia has announced that it will end the sale of combustion engine motorcycles by 2040 and combustion engine cars by 2050. As the world’s fourth most populous country, this will have a big impact on global Read More...
Magawa the explosive-sniffing rat is retiring
It’s not often that we hold rats in high regard, but we can certainly make an exception for Magawa, the humble, explosive-sniffing rodent that’s responsible for saving countless lives. Magawa is a Gambian pouched rat, which is quite large compared to North American rats. Gambian rats are Read More...
New UN climate program aims to restore the planet’s ecosystems by 2030
According to a recent UN-backed study, the world must triple its investments in nature-based solutions by 2030 in order to successfully tackle the triple threat of climate change, biodiversity loss, and land degradation. In an effort to support action geared towards achieving that ambitious Read More...
San Francisco to offer free museum admissions for low-income residents
As museums start to open back up this summer, San Francisco is making it easier for all residents to enjoy the beauty of art with their new Museums for All program. The new program provides free or discounted access for low-income residents to 21 museums across the city. The program was Read More...
Senate confirms Zahid Quraishi as US’ first Muslim American federal judge
With the election of the first female vice president, Georgia’s first Black senator, and the first openly transgender health secretary, the US has reached some important milestones in terms of leadership diversity in the past year. This week, the country achieved another with the confirmation of Read More...
Gabon passes measures to protect its sharks and rays on World Ocean Day
On World Ocean Day this past Tuesday, the government of Gabon passed significant measures to regulate and protect the country’s sharks and rays. Gabon’s waters are home to a variety of shark and ray species such as the open ocean whale shark and the giant manta ray. This wide diversity makes Read More...
With limited cemetery space, tree burials are gaining popularity
Many people expect to be buried after their passing, but what happens when cities begin to run out of burial space? Cemetery space is an increasingly hot commodity in many places around the world, but rather than limiting plot leases to 15 years like Singapore and other regions (after which the Read More...