Synopsis of last week's most important good news from around the world.
Huge Sea Monster Emerges: Pulled from the cliffs on England's Jurassic Coast, a remarkably intact and well preserved 6 foot skull has been revealed, belonging to a pliosaur - a ferocious marine reptile that terrorised the oceans about 150 million years ago.
Student Debt Relief: The Biden administration has announced that it will forgive an additional $4.8 billion in student loan debt, for 80,300 borrowers. That means they have now cancelled nearly $132 billion in student debt for more than 3.6 million Americans.
Netflix Goes Transparent: It's doing so because its lack of transparency was central to this year's Hollywood strikes. Hence, last week, it revealed its viewing figures and most popular shows. With almost 250 million subscribers globally, Netflix is the largest streaming service in the world.
Momentous Moment: In a wonderful achievement for wildlife conservation, New Zealand's capital city has reported the birth of two wild kiwi chicks - the first for over a century.
Glimmer of Hope: Scientists are "cautiously very excited" about their new findings for the treatment of MS.
Creative Justice: A woman in Ohio has been sentenced to two months’ work at a fast food restaurant after she was recorded throwing hot food in the face of a Chipotle worker. “I was thinking,” Judge Gilligan told CNN, ‘What else can I do rather than just have her sit in jail?’”
Fair Drug Pricing: The Biden Administration last week announced it would be seizing patents for drugs and drug manufacturing procedures developed using government money - if the price the drug is offered for is deemed too high. And it will encompass every new drug approved from 2010-2019.
Halley's Aphelion: It's been nearly 40 years since Halley's comet last flew by Earth but last week the famous comet reached its furthest point from the Sun, and is now on its way back. Known as its "aphelion," this is essentially the middle point in Halley's long elliptical orbit through our Solar System. It'll be here again in 2061.
Back From The Brink: An antelope whose species - the majestic scimitar horned oryx - was declared Extinct in the Wild but last week it was downlisted to endangered, thanks to a globally co-ordinated conservation effort. Also called the Sahara oryx, it was once widespread across North Africa.
EU Clothing: The EU has approved a ban on the destruction of unsold clothing as part of a broader initiative to address the environmental impact of "fast fashion" and reduce waste, and aiming to make products longer-lasting and easier to reuse, repair, and recycle. MEP Alessandra Moretti, said: "It is time to end the model of 'take, make, dispose' that is so harmful to our planet, our health and our economy. New products will be designed in a way that benefits all, respects our planet and protects the environment."
Quacking Frog: A new species of music frog has been found in the dense landscapes of Arunachal Pradesh, in north eastern India. It quacks like a duck. Yes, really.
Paris Tree Planting: The French capital expects to plant a total of 170,000 trees from 2020 to 2026. So far, says the mayor, about 63,000 trees have been planted toward this goal.
e-Revolt: A German start-up says it can convert traditional internal combustion engine cars into electric vehicles in as little as eight hours. Priced between €12,000 and €15,000, the conversion by e-Revolt aims to offer a more affordable and sustainable option for consumers looking to go green without purchasing a new EV. Could this be a game-chaner?
Mine Ordered to Shut: The Supreme Court in Panama has ruled that the contract for the country’s largest copper mine is unconstitutional, requiring it to shut down. Minera Panamá, a subsidiary of the Canadian company FQM, must now close. The decision comes after nationwide protests as Panamanians fought back against expansion of the mining sector.
Healthy Food Labels: University of Southern California conducted a national food choice experiment to determine how people respond to labels such as vegan and plant-based compared to healthy or sustainable. Headline stat: when a food gift basket was labelled 'vegan', 20 percent of people chose it; however, 44 percent of people opted for the same basket when it was marked 'healthy and sustainable'.
World's First: With the AI genie now well and truly out of its box, it's timely that the European Parliament and its member states have agreed "historic" new laws that will govern artificial intelligence, social media and search engines. The agreement puts the EU ahead of the US, China and the UK in the race to regulate artificial intelligence and protect the public from risks that many fear the rapidly developing technology carries.
Wind Pyramid: T-Omega's pyramid-based floating wind turbines are designed with the common-sense focus of keeping the cost of offshore wind down to an absolute minimum.
Almost Half Way: The International Renewable Energy Agency and World Meteorological Organization have released their first joint report to strengthen understanding of renewable energy resources and their intricate relationship with climate variability and change. The good news is that today, about 40 percent of power generation globally is renewable, due to rapid deployment in the past decade, according to the report.
That's it, you're up to date. Feel free to spread the good news by sharing this page with friends and family! Or, if you're looking for more holiday gifts, why not tell them you've signed them up to OGN Daily?
Today's Articles
The Stanley Family: Chaotic and hilarious family Christmas cards over the last decade. Seasonal cheer...
The Jacquetta: Samantha Cameron, wife of Britain's ex-Prime Minister, creates the sexiest party dress of 2023. Runaway success...
Christie's Biggest Mystery: Agatha Christie became the star in her own 'whodunnit' in 1926, and the real-life mystery remains unsolved to this day. Missing person...
Cultural Heritage: UNESCO adds Italian opera singing - and 54 other practices from around the world - to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. Eclectic...
Words You Need at Christmas: Actually, at any festive time of year where people gather and tend to over-indulge. Happy days...
Top Trio: Three of last week's most read features (one of which is hilarious), and the most watched mood boosting video. Links...