South African parliament approves national minimum wage bill
South Africa’s parliament passed a national minimum wage bill by an overwhelming majority to tackle strikes and wage inequality.
Nations
This archive collects milestones and progress stories involving nations — countries and their governments — acting to improve lives, protect rights, or address shared challenges. From policy breakthroughs to international cooperation, these stories show what countries are doing right.
Ireland votes to end abortion ban
Ireland voted decisively to repeal one of the world’s more restrictive abortion bans, dealing the latest in a series of stinging rebukes to the Roman Catholic Church.
Scotland sets target of cutting greenhouse gases by 90% by 2050
The Scottish government also said it would have a new interim target for 2020 of a 56 per cent cut compared with the existing goal of 42 per cent.
Cheap renewable energy is killing India’s coal-based power plants
Renewable energy prices in India are crashing, leaving coal-based power plants in the country financially unviable in their wake.
Nepal eliminates trachoma as a public health problem
The country becomes the first in WHO’s South-East Asia Region to defeat the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness.
America’s incarceration rate is at a two-decade low
The nation’s incarceration rate has declined every year since 2006 and is now at its lowest point since 1996.
Brazil’s solar capacity expected increase by 358% in 2018
Brazil now has 320 MW of distributed solar generation, a sector which grew 270% in 2016, 304% in 2017, and is expected to increase by 358% in 2018.
Boko Haram has been routed from the 24 local areas in Nigeria they used to administer
Boko Haram, and by extension ISIS/ISIL, has been routed from the 24 local areas in Nigeria they used to administer. Bolstered by international assistance, the Nigerian army has led this regional fight against terrorism.
Costa Rica to ban fossil fuels and become world’s first decarbonised society
New president embraces ‘titanic and beautiful task’ of complete renewable energy transition.
Pakistan passes historic transgender rights bill
The Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act allows people to choose their gender and to have that identity recognized on official documents, including national IDs, passports and driver’s licenses.