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.
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...
The four-day work week could help us fight climate change
Over the course of the last year, we’ve seen growing interest in the idea of a four-day workweek, with the governments of New Zealand and Singapore openly considering shifting their countries away from the traditional five-day workweek. Advocates of the idea often argue that limiting employees' Read More...
Illinois bill bans police from lying to underage suspects
In an effort to improve the criminal justice system, Illinois became the first state this week to ban policy from giving youth false information during interrogations. This practice has been linked to higher rates of wrongful convictions and false confessions, especially among juvenile Read More...
Developing countries can address food insecurity with tiny fish
We've previously written about the health benefits of eating sardines, but thanks to the work of nutrition specialist Dr. Shakuntala Thilsted, the potential of these tiny fish (along with anchovies) will be unlocked to improve the overall health and food security of impoverished communities in Read More...