Mauritius decriminalizes gay sex in historic ruling
In 2016, Antigua and Barbuda, the archipelago nation that owns Redonda, launched an eradication campaign that cleared the island of rats. After that, they simply waited.
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.
Laphonza Butler of California becomes the first out LGBTQ+ senator of color in the U.S.
Butler has served as a senior strategist in VP Kamala Harris’ 2020 presidential campaign, has worked as the director for public policy and campaigns at Airbnb, served as president of the California chapter of the Service Employees International Union, and served on the University of California Board of Regents.
Biden administration cancels another $9 billion in student loan debt
A White House official said that the new discharges bring the total approved debt cancellation to $127 billion for nearly 3.6 million borrowers so far during Biden’s time in office.
Countries pledge to raise $12 billion to fund coral reef protection
Coral reef protection just got a major boost: more than 40 nations have pledged $12 billion by 2030 to safeguard the ocean ecosystems that roughly a billion people rely on for food, income, and storm protection. It’s the largest coordinated commitment of its kind, blending public, private, and philanthropic money so the work outlasts any one government’s budget. A meaningful share is aimed at frontline communities in the Pacific, Caribbean, and East Africa, where reefs sustain daily life but conservation funding has rarely reached. Scientists have spent years developing heat-tolerant coral strains that this funding could finally scale up. For a global movement long short on resources, this pledge marks a new baseline of ambition — and a recognition that reefs are worth fighting for.
European Union launches world’s carbon border tariff
The European Union has launched the initial phase of the world’s first system to impose CO2 emissions tariffs on carbon-intensive imports like iron and steel, as it tries to stop more polluting foreign products from undermining its green transition.
World Bank approves $365 million USD for advancing girls and women empowerment in Africa
The SWEDD+ project has the potential to directly benefit over 2 million vulnerable girls aged between 10 to 19 years old who are at risk of child marriage, early pregnancy, gender-based violence, and leaving school in Burkina Faso, Chad, Senegal, The Gambia, and Togo.
Millions more children to receive free school meals under expanded U.S. program
At schools where 25% of families participate in income-based public benefits, such as the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, the U.S. federal government now will cover the cost of free meals for all enrolled students. Previously, the qualifying threshold was 40%.
Seventy-plus nations sign historic high seas treaty
Ocean protection just took a huge leap forward: more than 76 countries and the European Union signed the High Seas Treaty on its very first day open for signatures at the U.N. General Assembly. The agreement creates the first-ever legal framework to establish protected areas across international waters, which cover two-thirds of the planet yet remain almost entirely unguarded. It also requires that benefits from marine genetic resources — think pharmaceuticals drawn from deep-sea life — be shared fairly with nations in the Global South. Once 60 countries ratify, the treaty takes effect, opening the door to meeting the global goal of protecting 30% of the oceans by 2030 and giving marine life a fighting chance.
India to reserve third of parliament’s lower house seats for women
Women account for almost half of India’s 950 million registered voters but make for only 15% of parliament and about 10% of state legislatures, pushing the world’s largest democracy to the bottom of global rankings on gender parity in legislatures.
Germany to surpass 50% renewable power this year
This year, Germany will add at least 9 gigawatts to its 67 gigawatts of solar capacity, with much of the growth driven by rooftop installations. It will also add around 3 gigawatts to its 58 gigawatts of onshore wind.