The latest positive milestones for climate, justice, peace, health, freedom, and more from around the world to inspire you to create your own good news for the world.
Remind yourself that change is possible. Get inspired again.
The Latest
South Korea to ban mobile phones in school classrooms
South Korea has passed a landmark law banning mobile phones and other digital devices in classrooms starting March 2026, aiming to create healthier learning environments. The move follows rising concerns about social media overuse, with many students reporting anxiety and daily disruptions linked to constant online engagement. Exceptions will remain for students with disabilities, emergencies,…
Washington State to conserve 77,000 acres of “legacy forests” on state lands
Washington has announced a landmark step in forest conservation, protecting 77,000 acres of legacy forests across the state. These ecologically rich areas provide critical wildlife habitat, store carbon, and build wildfire resilience. By conserving legacy forests while supporting rural economies, Washington is charting a path toward sustainable forestry and climate resilience.
Vermont plastic bag use dropped 91% following ban
Vermont banned single-use plastic bags in July 2020, after lawmakers passed the measure in 2019 to curb mounting plastic pollution. A study from the University of Vermont found the ban reduced plastic bag use by 91%, with most residents shifting to reusable bags despite a small rise in paper use. Public support has remained strong,…
Kenya declared free of deadly sleeping sickness by WHO
Kenya has officially eliminated sleeping sickness as a public health problem—becoming the tenth country worldwide and the fifth in Africa to reach this milestone. The disease, spread by tsetse flies, causes fever, swollen lymph nodes and, if untreated, severe damage to the nervous system, disrupting sleep and leading to coma or death. Kenya recorded its…
Guatemala, Mexico, and Belize to protect 14 million acres of Mayan forest
Leaders from Mexico, Guatemala, and Belize have unveiled formal plans to establish the Great Mayan Jungle Biocultural Corridor, a transnational conservation initiative spanning over 14 million acres of tropical forest. This corridor will become the second-largest protected area in the Americas, following only the Amazon. The initiative aims to combat deforestation, illegal logging, and organized…
Sri Lanka Supreme Court orders $1 bn payment for X-Press Pearl disaster
Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has issued a landmark verdict, ordering the owners, operators, and local agents of the MV X-Press Pearl to pay $1 billion in compensation for the catastrophic marine disaster off Colombo in 2021. The Singapore-flagged ship caught fire and sank, releasing billions of plastic nurdles and toxic chemicals, ruining marine ecosystems and…
Nepal eliminates rubella as a public health problem
Nepal has officially eliminated rubella, a contagious virus that can cause serious complications for pregnant women and lifelong disabilities for newborns. Once a major public health concern, rubella often led to miscarriage, stillbirth, or congenital rubella syndrome, which can result in heart defects, deafness, and developmental challenges. Thanks to sustained vaccination campaigns and resilient health…
Same-sex couple gets state recognition in historic Lithuanian court ruling
A Vilnius City District Court has for the first time granted state recognition to a same-sex couple in Lithuania, affirming them as a legal family and enabling them to access social and economic benefits tied to family status. Although Lithuania’s Constitution explicitly bans same-sex marriage and the Civil Code restricts civil partnerships to opposite-sex couples,…
Lagos bans single-use plastics
On July 1, 2025, Lagos introduced a ban on single-use plastics like Styrofoam plates, straws, and cutlery. The city—home to 20 million people—has long battled severe plastic pollution, with clogged waterways worsening floods and harming health. The ban is already driving grassroots recycling, sparking innovation in sustainable packaging, and raising public awareness about waste reduction.…
Helsinki goes full year without any traffic fatalities
From July 2024 to July 2025, Helsinki, Finland marked a major urban safety milestone: no traffic fatalities were recorded during […]