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.
Tennessee beauticians are trained to identify victims of domestic abuse
A law in Tennessee harnesses the unique position of beauty professionals to help identify victims of domestic abuse. The law, which was enforced on the first day of 2022, requires hairstylists and barbers to go through a free training program that will teach them how to look for signs that their Read More...
European cities could see a lot less cars on the roads in the near future
As local governments are finally coming to the realization that prioritizing cycling and walking over driving can tremendously benefit their residents, many are considering implementing permanent policies to tackle car-centric city development. In a bid to accelerate the adoption of such policies, Read More...
Pakistan appoints Justice Ayesha Malik as first female Supreme Court judge
Late last week ruling party members of the Muslim-majority nation of Pakistan announced the appointment of their first female Supreme Court judge. The decision to make 55-year-old Justice Ayesha Malik the first female judge on the Supreme Court since the country’s independence was thanks to Read More...
Canada pledges to compensate First Nations children billions of dollars
Indigenous community advocates in Canada are finally celebrating a historic win—the Canadian government has reached Agreements-in-Principle to financially compensate Indigenous children who suffered discrimination and injustice. On Tuesday, the federal government released a statement that Read More...
Same-sex couples in Israel can now become parents through surrogacy
Last July, Israel’s Supreme Court ruled in favor of lifting the surrogacy ban for same-sex couples. On Tuesday, the country announced that starting next week the ruling will go into effect, finally allowing Israeli same-sex couples to become parents through surrogacy. Before, surrogacy in Read More...
French ban on plastic packaging for most fruit and veg comes into force
A few months ago, we wrote about France’s ambitious plan to phase out single-use plastic packaging. On January 1st, that ban went into effect, paving the way for more sustainable and ethical consumption habits among its citizens. As part of the ban, about 30 varieties of fruit and vegetables, Read More...
New York City moves away from natural gas in new buildings
As cities scramble to meet their ambitious emissions reduction goals, local governments are increasingly looking to shift from fossil fuels to cleaner forms of energy. New York City, for example, has become the latest major city to ban the use of natural gas in new buildings, reports Reuters. As Read More...
Unisex uniforms at Indian school starts gender equality movement
A small government primary school in the south Indian state of Kerala started a quiet revolution aimed at tackling gender inequality. Now, the revolution has spread across the entire state. Their agent of change? School uniforms. Three years ago, Valayanchirangara primary school decided to Read More...
Pandemic spurs surge in African medical tech
Tech innovations have helped improve food resilience in countries like Rwanda and Ethiopia, but a new study indicates that health tech is also expanding rapidly across Africa, spurred by the pandemic. More than 60 new and existing private firms now offer health products to consumers and medical Read More...
8 Trends from 2021 We’ll Carry to the New Year
“Year's end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us.” - Hal Borland It’s the time of year for reflections and projections as we take stock of all that has happened over the last twelve months and peer with hopeful curiosity Read More...