Politics & Government Good News

Ways that people, organizations, and governments are fighting to strengthen democracy in the United States and around the world

A subway train rolls into a station in Barcelona.

How Barcelona's subway system is powering EVs with regenerative braking

The ultra-fast EV charger outside the Bellvitge station is among four electrolineras — Spanish for “electric gas stations” — that went up in July whose powers are generated by the city's trains.
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A group of elementary children wearing winter coats and backpacks stand on a street corner outside an elementary school waiting for crossing guards

Study shows London's 'emissions zone' helps more kids walk and bike to school

Four in 10 London children stopped driving and started walking to school a year after the city's clean air zone went into effect.
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A close-up of a man playing a djembe drum with his hands. He wears rings and traditional African garb

USPS debuts new Kwanzaa stamp, fostering 'African unity and pride'

The stamp was dedicated at a ceremony at the Heinz History Center in Pittsburgh.
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An aerial view of MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey

NFL teams up with FEMA, designating these stadiums as emergency shelters

A first-of-its-kind partnership officially links the NFL with FEMA to aid in disaster relief.
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Illustration of library shelves full of brown and blue books

14 Ideas for Celebrating Banned Books Week

When it feels like our reality has crumbled into a dystopian nightmare, what do we do? We use the power of books, form our own team of heroes, and fight against censorship and for stories that matter!
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A menorah contains eight blue candles, all lit, with a ninth being placed into the structure by a hand

USPS unveils Hanukkah stamp, honoring struggle for religious liberty & human rights

This year’s stamp was dedicated at a ceremony at the Lillian and Albert Small Capital Jewish Museum.
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Three photos side-by-side. On the left, Stephen Curry dribbles a basketball while in a royal blue and yellow jersey. In the center, a mockup of an iPhone shows a voter registration webpage. On the right, Olivia Rodrigo sits in a chair, holding a microphone, in front of a violet curtain

Olivia Rodrigo, Steph Curry encourage voter registration at the link in their bios

The stars are part of a National Voter Registration Day effort to leverage their platforms for civic engagement.
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A group of teachers and students work together on a rooftop, analyzing solar panels

Solar power in US schools has quadrupled in the last decade, new report finds

Tax incentives and federal investments have made solar power much more accessible for schools.
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Symbols of Democrat and Republican parties cut out of paper on a black background

From 'gerrymander' to 'dog whistle': A history of political words and jargon

We traced the origins of 20 words and terms used in political discourse using historical archives, research reports, and news articles.
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A woman works on her laptop in a dark office.

Australians just won the 'right to disconnect' from work after hours. These US states have considered it too.

Australia joined 12 other countries in setting work boundaries, and parts of the US have proposed it too.
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Two humpback whales swim underwater

As whale populations rebound, researchers say it's time to close protection agency: 'You have done your job'

With virtually all whale populations on the rise, researchers insist it’s time to disband and consolidate the International Whaling Commission.
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A landscape shot of Big Prairie in Glacier National Park, showing yellow prairie grasses, colorful trees, and a mountain vista

Here's what the record-breaking $100 million national parks grant will fund

Lilly Endowment Inc. just gave the National Parks Foundation $100 million in historic grant funding.
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