Upbeat News Tuesday

Jun 9
4 min read

Today's tasty bite-sized chunks of upbeat news from around the world.

the bright green southern aurora photographed from the ISS — Credit: Jessica Meir | ISS

"A Lot Going On"

Jessica Meir, one of the seven astronauts on the International Space Station, found a moment to admire and photograph the southern aurora, although she admitted that there is "a lot going on right now" after an air leak forced a temporary evacuation of the station on Friday into the docked SpaceX shuttle Dragon. It effectively functions as a lifeboat - attached to the station but ready to detach the moment the order is given. Happily, everything appears to be safe again now as they travel around Earth at 17,500 mph.

Tyler C. Andrews at the summit of Mount Everest — Credit : Tyler C. Andrews | Instagram

Fastest Up Everest

After nearly six years of preparation and multiple attempts across three climbing seasons, Tyler Andrews finally achieved the goal he had been chasing on Mount Everest. The American professional ultrarunner and high-altitude speed climber just reached Everest's summit from Base Camp in 9 hours, 55 minutes, setting a new officially ratified speed record on the world's highest mountain - beating the previous record set by Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa in 2003 by just over an hour. The feat came just four days after Andrews, 36, was forced to abandon a previous attempt due to logistical and weather issues despite being on record pace and only 400 meters below the summit.

The Kennedy Center

The Kennedy Center has removed Trump’s name from its website after a US district judge’s order last month to remove the US president’s name from the performing arts venue. The removal of Trump’s name came just days before a deadline instructed by the center’s general counsel to remove all references to the president by 12 June. In a memo reported by the Washington Post last Thursday, the center’s general counsel referred to US district judge Christopher Cooper’s order to take down all references to a “Trump Kennedy Center”, telling employees: “To comply with this order, you must immediately change email signatures, letterheads, and other documents to reflect the name such as ‘The John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts,’ or ‘Kennedy Center’.

The River Wye and the village of Goodrich, as seen from Symonds Yat — The River Wye as seen from Symonds Yat Rock

Legal Rights For River

Britain’s River Wye has been granted legal rights in landmark move. Councils and protected-area bodies across England and Wales have endorsed a charter recognising the River Wye’s entire 130 mile catchment as a living ecosystem with rights to flow, regenerate, support biodiversity and be represented in decision-making. The polluted river is in poor condition, but the charter gives campaigners a new governance tool after years of pressure.

To Moscow's Dismay

Armenia’s ruling pro-Europe party has won parliamentary elections, confirming the country’s pivot towards Europe and away from its traditional ally, Russia. In a message on X, the European commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, hailed his victory as evidence of “a democratic Armenia” that was “drawing ever closer to Europe”. She added: “Armenia can count on us.”

Supporting IRC's play-based programs

Play-Based Philanthropy

Amid rising global conflicts, from Gaza and Ukraine to Iran and South Sudan, an increasing number of children are not only suffering immensely, but they’re also missing out on their education. The LEGO Foundation just announced a commitment of $97 million to fund the International Rescue Committee’s educational, play-based programs for children in conflict zones. It’s part of a five-year partnership that will reach 5 million children in East Africa and the Middle East, and remain flexible to bring the IRC’s programming wherever it’s most needed, designed to evolve in real-time alongside conflicts.

Mexican Farmers

Mexico is wiping out farm debts for tens of thousands of small producers that had become impossible to pay and were being used by lawyers to extort farmers and small producers. Claudia Sheinbaum’s government will forgive or restructure debts owed by small farmers, fishers and rural producers to Mexico’s former agricultural finance agency, clearing liabilities for 99.5 percent of debtors.

"I believe that if, at the end of it all, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do... We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn’t always know this, and am happy I lived long enough to find it out." Roger Ebert in Go Gentle Into That Good Night.

On This Day

British navigator Matthew Flinders wearing his uniform with gold braid epaulets

9 June 1803: British navigator Matthew Flinders, alongside an Indigenous guide named Bungaree and the crew of HMS Investigator, successfully circumnavigated Australia and returned to Port Jackson (Sydney) this day in 1803. This monumental voyage mapped the entire coastline and conclusively proved it was a single continent. Before Flinders' charts and his 1814 publication, A Voyage to Terra Australis, the landmass was known by various names such as New Holland or Terra Australis. Flinders strongly advocated for the name Australia, finding it "more agreeable to the ear."