Voters approve minimum wage increase to $13.50 in Washington state
Washington’s low-wage workers can expect to earn at least $13.50 an hour by 2020 under a ballot measure that won Tuesday night.
Citizens
Women in Iceland protest country’s 14 percent pay gap by leaving work 14 percent early
On Monday, in protest of the pay gap, thousands of Icelandic women decided to work the hours their pay merited by leaving their workplaces promptly when the clock struck 2:38.
World poverty rate to fall below 10% for the first time
The World Bank projects that the number of people living in poverty fell to 702 million people in 2015, or about 9.6% of the global population.
Ireland becomes the first country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage by popular vote
In total, 1,201,607 people voted in favor with 734,300 against, giving a majority of 467,307. The total valid poll was 1,935,907. Roscommon-South Leitrim was the only county to reject same-sex marriage.
Shari Arison launches first ‘Good Deeds Day’
Launched 15 years ago in Israel as a small local event, the project has since expanded to include participants in 108 countries unifying for a day of good.
The people of Malawi vote overwhelmingly in favor of multi-party democracy
In late 1993 a presidential council was formed, the life presidency was abolished and a new constitution was put into place. In 1994 the first multi-party elections were held in Malawi.
Azerbaijani voters approve the Declaration of Independence adopted by the Supreme Council
With the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Azerbaijan is recognized as independent state at first by Turkey, Israel, Romania and Pakistan.
The Velvet Revolution leads to the end of Communist Party rule in Czechoslovakia
The Velvet Revolution or Gentle Revolution was a non-violent transition of power in what was then Czechoslovakia, occurring from 17 November to 29 December 1989. The result was the end of 41 years of one-party rule in Czechoslovakia.
Activists bring down the Berlin Wall
The Berlin Wall was a guarded concrete barrier that physically and ideologically divided Berlin from 1961 to 1989.
Aung San Suu Kyi forms Myanmar’s National League for Democracy to combat dictatorship and promote democracy
The National League for Democracy is a liberal democratic political party in Myanmar that has become one of the most influential parties in the country’s pro-democracy movement.