Today's Good News | OGN Daily

Wrapping up the week with a global collection of upbeat news stories.

Marilyn Monroe outside the Waldorf Astoria Ballroom, New York, in 1956 — Credit: Eve Arnold | Magnum

Monroe Mishap

This image was snapped outside the Waldorf Astoria Ballroom, New York, in 1956 at a press conference to announce the filming of The Prince and the Showgirl, with Marilyn Monroe and Laurence Olivier. ‘Halfway through, one of the very thin straps on Monroe’s dress broke and there was pandemonium as everyone clamoured to find a safety pin,’ says Michael Arnold, Eve Arnold’s grandson. ‘Afterwards, Monroe winked at Eve. She had planned the mishap to create a scene.’ It's one of many images available for purchase in Magnum’s Square Print Sale. Over 80 signed or estate-stamped, museum-quality 6x6in prints will be available online until 27 April, priced from $110.

YouTube Turns 20

YouTube is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its first-ever video: a grainy 19-second clip of cofounder Jawed Karim at the San Diego Zoo. Since 2005, YouTube - bought by Google for $1.65 billion in 2006 - has grown from a simple video-sharing site into a media powerhouse, with more than 20 billion videos uploaded. YouTube now leads America's TV viewing time, surpassing networks like Paramount, Fox, and Disney. Last year, YouTube was the second-largest media company by revenue ($54.2 billion) behind Disney and is expected to take the top spot this year.

Head and shoulders of a Florida manatee staring at the camera — Manatee

Judge Helps Manatees

In good news for manatees, a federal judge has ruled that Florida’s wastewater discharge regulations violated the Endangered Species Act by failing to control nutrient pollution in the Indian River Lagoon, one of the most biodiverse estuaries on the continent. The ruling instructs the state to develop a plan to address the pollution that caused the unprecedented die-off of manatees and restore the ecosystem. This precedent helps make sure that would-be polluters know there will be consequences for it and puts the responsibility for cleaning up the mess where it belongs: on the original perpetrator.

Paris Halves Pollution

Cars have been banned from more than 100 streets. Tens of thousands of parking spots have been eliminated. Hundreds of miles of bike lanes have been added. And air pollution is plummeting. In fact, a new report reveals that air pollution in Paris is down 50 percent compared to 2005.

Sales Spike

A Chinese-made toilet brush featuring Donald Trump has seen a huge spike in domestic sales during the current tariff tit for tat. Chinese media said it's part of a "counterattack" by Yiwu City, where many factories producing low-cost products are based. One restaurant in Wuhan posted a sign on the door that said: "American customers will be charged an additional 104% service charge. If you have any complaints, please contact the US Embassy."

Higher Education

More than 150 presidents of US colleges and universities have signed a statement denouncing the Trump administration’s “unprecedented government overreach and political interference” with higher education - the strongest sign yet that US educational institutions are forming a unified front against the government’s attack on their independence. The signatories come from large state schools, small liberal arts colleges and Ivy League institutions, including the presidents of Harvard, Princeton and Brown.

Band Aid

Being on hold on a phone call is tedious at the best of times, but rock musician Tim Burgess was once kept waiting for so long that by the time he got through, he had forgotten the purpose of his call, said The Times. When a voice eventually came on the line and said, "What band are you in?", a confused Burgess replied: "Erm, The Charlatans." After a pause, the operator said: "What council tax band?"

“Your first ritual that you do during the day is the highest leveraged ritual, by far, because it has the effect of setting your mind, and setting the context, for the rest of your day.” Eben Pagan

On This Day

25 April 1959: One of the largest civil engineering feats ever undertaken, the St. Lawrence Seaway officially opened, linking the Atlantic Ocean with the Great Lakes.