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Belgium becomes second country in the world to legalize same-sex marriage

By Peter Schulte / June 1, 2003 / Archive of Human Genius

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Belgium since 1 June 2003, making it the second country in the world to open marriage to same-sex couples, after the Netherlands, and 9 days ahead of the Canadian province of Ontario. Legislation to grant marriage rights to same-sex couples was passed by both chambers of the Federal Parliament in November 2002 and January 2003 with the support of most political parties, and received royal assent on 13 February 2003.

Landfill. A lot of plastic garbage. Environmental problems., for article on plastic waste ban, for article on plastic bag bans

Bangaldesh implements world’s first plastic bag ban

By Peter Schulte / August 17, 2002 / Good news links

In 2002, Bangladesh became the first country in the world to ban lightweight plastic bags, a groundbreaking move inspired by devastating floods caused by clogged drains. The ban set a global precedent and sparked international attention to plastic pollution. While challenges with enforcement and alternatives have slowed progress, the policy has raised public awareness and inspired innovations in eco-friendly materials like jute, cassava, and cloth bags. Bangladesh’s pioneering step continues to influence environmental policy worldwide, and ongoing efforts to strengthen enforcement and expand sustainable alternatives keep the country positioned as a trailblazer in the fight against plastic waste.

The Netherlands became the world’s first country to legalize same-sex marriage

By Peter Schulte / April 1, 2001 / Archive of Human Genius

No country recognized marriage between two people of the same sex prior to the 21st century, but a law to legalize marriage equality passed the Dutch legislature in 2000 and went into effect several months later.

Palestine declares independence

By Peter Schulte / November 15, 1988 / Good news links, Archive of Human Genius

The Palestinian Declaration of Independence formally established the State of Palestine, and was written by Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish and proclaimed by Yasser Arafat in Algiers, Algeria. Despite the 1988 proclamation of the State of Palestine, at the time the Palestine Liberation Organization did not exercise control over any territory. The PLO began to exercise a limited rule in the Areas A and B of the West Bank and part of the Gaza Strip as a consequence of the 1994 Gaza-Jericho Agreement. In 2012, Palestine was upgraded to the status of non-member observer state in the UN.

U.S. President Jimmy Carter pardons all Vietnam War draft dodgers

By Peter Schulte / January 21, 1977 / Archive of Human Genius

On January 21, 1977, U.S. President Jimmy Carter grants an unconditional pardon to hundreds of thousands of men who evaded the draft during the Vietnam War.

U.S. President Lyndon Johnson signs the Voting Rights Act

By Peter Schulte / August 6, 1965 / Archive of Human Genius

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the Act is considered to be the most effective piece of federal civil rights legislation ever enacted in the country.

The first session of the UN General Assembly convenes

By Peter Schulte / January 11, 1946 / Archive of Human Genius

The United Nations General Assembly is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN), serving as the main deliberative, policymaking, and representative organ of the UN and the international community.

Japanese scientist Shibasaburo Kitasato discovers the infectious agent of the bubonic plague

By Peter Schulte / August 25, 1894 / Archive of Human Genius

He traveled to Hong Kong in 1894 at the request of the Japanese government during an outbreak of the bubonic plague, and identified a bacterium that he concluded was causing the disease.

Oxford English Dictionary debuts

By Peter Schulte / February 2, 1884 / Archive of Human Genius

The Oxford English Dictionary is now the principal historical dictionary of the English language, published by Oxford University Press.

Drawing of Thomas Edison's Pearl Power Station, New York

Thomas Edison establishes the world’s first commercial power plant

By Peter Schulte / September 4, 1882 / Good news links, Archive of Human Genius

Pearl Street Station located in Manhattan and established by Thomas Edison’s Edison Illuminating began with six 100 kW dynamos, and it started generating electricity on September 4, 1882, serving an initial load of 400 lamps to 82 customers. By 1884, Pearl Street Station was serving 508 customers with 10,164 lamps. The station burned down in 1890. It was rebuilt, and ran till 1895, when it was decommissioned, since larger and more efficient plants had been built nearby.