Today (2017 C.E. - 2025 C.E.)

Indian women

Indian states sending cash transfers to 118 million women for unpaid household work

Several Indian states have launched schemes to provide unconditional monthly financial compensation to homemakers. These programs are now delivering direct cash transfers to over 118 million women nationwide. This policy innovation recognizes the immense value of unpaid domestic labor, empowering women with financial independence to support their families’ health and education. It sets a powerful global precedent for validating care work as essential to the economy.

Eileen Higgins

Miami voters elect Eileen Higgins as the city’s first female mayor

Higgins, a former county commissioner, secured nearly 60% of the vote, breaking a 30-year Republican hold on the office. Her platform focuses on urgent local needs, including affordable housing, climate resilience, and modernizing city services. This historic win places women at the helm of both the city and Miami-Dade County, signaling a new era of inclusive leadership for South Florida.

Offshore oil rigs at sunset

Britain becomes world’s largest economy to end new oil and gas exploration

In a historic move for global climate action, the United Kingdom has officially banned all new oil and gas exploration licenses in the North Sea. This decision makes the UK the world’s largest economy to end the search for new fossil fuels. The government’s “North Sea Future Plan” prioritizes a transition to clean energy, investing heavily in offshore wind and workforce training. This bold policy aligns national strategy with climate science, setting a powerful precedent for other nations to follow.

Illustration of blood cells

New treatment reverses incurable blood cancer in some patients

A revolutionary gene-editing therapy has successfully cleared “incurable” leukemia in children during a world-first clinical trial. Developed by scientists at Great Ormond Street Hospital and University College London, the treatment uses base-edited T-cells from healthy donors to hunt down and destroy cancer cells. This “off-the-shelf” therapy has already achieved remission in patients who had exhausted all other options.

Hands in handcuffs

Illinois law protects immigrants from arrest near courthouses, hospitals, or colleges

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker has signed a new law banning civil immigration arrests in and around Illinois courthouses. This legislation, which also allows individuals to sue for civil rights violations, ensures that all residents can access the justice system without fear of deportation. By creating safe zones at state facilities, the law reinforces the principle that courthouses must be sanctuaries for justice, effectively blocking federal agents from using local courts as traps for enforcement.

Leopard in a tree

West Coast region of South Africa sees leopard return after 170 years

In a stunning conservation milestone, a Cape leopard has been spotted on South Africa’s West Coast for the first time in over 170 years. The historic sighting, confirmed by camera trap footage, signals a major recovery of the local ecosystem. The return of this apex predator suggests that natural wildlife corridors are reopening and prey populations are rebounding. This event is a powerful testament to the resilience of nature and the success of long-term habitat protection efforts in the region.

Canadian Indigenous totem poles

The Vatican returns dozens of Indigenous artifacts to Canada

In a major step for reconciliation, 62 Indigenous cultural belongings have been returned to Canada from the Vatican Museums. The collection, which includes a rare century-old kayak and sacred items, was welcomed by First Nations, Inuit, and Métis leaders in Montreal. This repatriation fulfills a promise made by Pope Francis and follows years of advocacy. It marks a powerful moment of cultural revitalization, restoring stewardship of these ancestral items to the communities they belong to.

Aerial view of river running through rainforest

Bolivia declares its first Indigenous protected area in its Amazon

In a historic victory for conservation and Indigenous rights, Bolivia has designated Loma Santa as the first Indigenous Protected Area in its Amazon region. This landmark decision grants legal authority to the Moxeño Ignaciano, Yuracaré, and Tsimane peoples to manage their ancestral lands. By securing land tenure, the move protects vital rainforest ecosystems from illegal encroachment and deforestation. This model of Indigenous-led stewardship empowers local communities and sets a powerful precedent for environmental justice across the Amazon basin.

Pride celebration with pride flag in foreground

Top court rules E.U. nations must mutually recognize same-sex marriages

In a landmark victory for equality, the Court of Justice of the European Union has ruled that all member states must recognize same-sex marriages performed legally within the bloc. This decision ensures that couples married in one EU country retain their rights and civil status when moving to another, even if that country does not perform same-sex marriages domestically. This ruling eliminates a major barrier to freedom of movement, securing residency and family rights for LGBTQ+ citizens across Europe.

Close-up of someone's eye

Egypt becomes world’s 27th nation to eliminate trachoma

In a historic public health victory, the World Health Organization (WHO) has verified that Egypt has eliminated trachoma as a public health problem. This achievement ends the scourge of the world’s leading infectious cause of blindness, which had been documented in the region for over 3,000 years. The success was driven by the rigorous SAFE strategy—surgery, antibiotics, facial cleanliness, and environmental improvement—and protects millions from preventable vision loss.