From the defeat of right-wing opponents to improved access to reproductive healthcare, these are the positive stories from the past week you might have missed.
If your outlook on life is as bleak as the weather outside right now, we don’t blame you. Between ongoing conflict, continued violence against minorities and the seemingly never-ending rollback of women’s rights, it can be difficult to feel hopeful at the current state of the world.
But there are reasons to feel hopeful; we just rarely hear about them. Without getting too GCSE media studies, this is because distressing or shocking headlines drive higher engagement and are therefore amplified by media companies and social algorithms to maximise advertising income. In 2026, it isn’t sex that sells – it’s misery.
So, if you’re looking for genuinely positive stories to break through the algorithmic woe, we’ve found five stories from the past week – and all around the world – to remind us that progress is still possible, and that there are reasons to feel hopeful. A little dose of optimism to brighten your drizzly week.
1. Brazil’s Lula wins a historic fourth presidential term
Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has won an extraordinary election comeback, defeating right-wing challenger Flávio Bolsonaro to secure a fourth, non-consecutive term in office.
The 80-year-old left-wing president won 51.79% of the vote, compared with Bolsonaro’s 48.21%, on 25 October. The result was a surprise after Bolsonaro had finished ahead in the first round earlier this month.
Lula’s victory makes him the first person in Brazilian history to be elected president four times. It also bucks a wider regional trend towards right-wing candidates in Latin America (and, well, everywhere).
Lula’s campaign focused on issues including poverty reduction, workers’ rights and social welfare, and his victory has been met with worldwide support. However, at the time of writing, Bolsonaro has refused to accept defeat and has called for the result to be annulled, meaning the political fallout is not yet over.
2. A student-led movement defeats Serbia’s long-standing right-wing leader
After two years of protests, Serbia’s student-led, grassroots opposition movement has secured a landmark election victory over the country’s populist right-wing leader of 12 years, Aleksandar Vučić.
Vučić conceded defeat in snap parliamentary elections on Sunday 25th October, with preliminary results suggesting that the Student List movement had won a majority of seats in parliament. Celebrations broke out across the country, with crowds dancing in the streets of Belgrade and supporters chanting in celebration.
The movement emerged following the collapse of a railway station canopy in the city of Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 16 people. The tragedy became a symbol of alleged corruption and government negligence, triggering widespread protests.
What began as student demonstrations grew into a political campaign led by university teachers, doctors and artists – people chosen by the student movement to govern the country – to tackle corruption and crime and restore democracy.
3. Abortion and miscarriage care is expanded in Australia
In a significant development for reproductive healthcare, Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) has approved extending the timeframe for early medication abortion, as well as plans for managing missed miscarriages.
Announced on 21st October, the decision means MS-2 Step, a combination of mifepristone and misoprostol, can now be used for early medical abortion up to 70 days of pregnancy (10 weeks), rather than the previous limit of 63 days (nine weeks).
The medication has also been approved for the medical management of missed miscarriage up to 70 days of pregnancy.
The decision gives patients more time – and better options – in accessing safe, medical abortions, which is particularly important for those who face barriers in accessing timely abortion care.
4. Three young ecofeminists are awarded at COP17
Three young environmental leaders from Uganda, Barbados and the Philippines were honoured with the 2026 Irene Dankelman Young Ecofeminist Award on 21 October at the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) COP17 in Yerevan, Armenia.
The award recognises young women and gender-diverse changemakers whose community-led work is helping build a more sustainable and equitable planet.
Among this year’s winners is Sarah Adongo, a Ugandan lawyer who supports communities facing land evictions and helps women defend their rights. Sarah is the legal officer at Witness Radio, a team of human rights journalists, lawyers and social workers who investigate land eviction cases in Uganda.
The second winner is Yemi Knight, a climate advocate from Barbados who has worked to improve water access for rural and lower-income communities while also championing climate education and disaster planning for LGBTQ+ communities. They are the founder and executive director of AnchorBridge Environmental in Barbados, which they established at the age of 22.
And Monitte Lantas, a Tagbanua Indigenous youth leader from the Philippines who helps Indigenous young people take an active role in protecting their territories and shaping the future of their communities. Her campaigning against destructive mining has also contributed to securing a 50-year mining moratorium for Palawan.
The award also provides financial support to help each winner continue their work.
5. Paula Moltzan wins her first World Cup race at 32
US alpine skier Paula Moltzan has achieved a career-defining milestone, winning her first Alpine Skiing World Cup race at the age of 32, making her the oldest woman ever to do so.
Moltzan claimed victory in the women’s giant slalom in Sölden, Austria, on 24 October, beating Albania’s Lara Colturi by just 0.01 seconds. She had started the second run in fifth place before delivering the performance that secured her first World Cup win.
The victory came after 13 seasons competing on the World Cup circuit and 10 previous second- or third-place finishes.
In a sporting culture that often places a lot of emphasis on youth, Moltzan’s is a reminder that there’s no single age at which achievements can or should happen.
Credit: Getty
Images: Getty