Bundle of good news snippets to brighten the day.
One of OGN's favourite pics from this year's Comedy Pet Photography Awards. Isn't it great to start the day with a chuckle?
Good news from Royal Papworth Hospital where surgeons have just performed the UK’s first medical procedure using a pair of smart glasses which allow experts anywhere in the world to provide support remotely. The glasses are equipped with cameras and an earpiece and share live video, audio and photos. They’re designed specifically for the intense, fast-paced environment of the operating room - allowing easy hands-free consultation, as well as surgery.
Cheap and Effective Covid Test: Test developed by MIT could be made so cheap that people could test themselves every day. The test, called STOPCovid, brings back results in 30 minutes to an hour with 93% accuracy.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania: Pledges to add 120 miles of cycle lanes. The Pittsburgh Bike pledge is a 10 year initiative which aims to give residents and visitors a more affordable transport network with 120 miles of planned improvements, including bike lanes, trails and low-traffic streets called “neighbourways". The target is to reduce transportation related emission by 50 per cent by 2030.
Not Waiting Things Out: Graduate raised $85,000 for Covid-19 relief by climbing all 58 of Colorado's 14,000 feet peaks.
Three scientists who discovered the virus Hepatitis C have won the 2020 Nobel Prize in Medicine or Physiology. The winners are British scientist Michael Houghton and US researchers Harvey Alter and Charles Rice. The Nobel Prize committee said their discoveries ultimately "saved millions of lives".
Random Act of Kindness: Check out lady at Walgreens in Houston paid for a customer's shopping, and gets massive 'thank you' reward.
A young boy from Wiesbaden, Germany, chained his balance bike to the same lamppost for over a year. One day, a stranger made a sticker and reserved the parking spot just for him. “Absolutely made our day,” tweeted the boy’s mom, Christie Dietz, thanking the considerate stranger.
To celebrate World Teachers’ Day, Qatar Airways is giving away 21,000 complimentary tickets to teachers to thank them for their vital work in educating young people worldwide during the challenges brought by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Teaching professionals can register for this exclusive offer here by submitting a form to receive a unique promotion code that’s offered on a first-come, first-served basis. Teaching professionals from over 75 countries in which Qatar Airways currently operates are eligible for tickets. Hurry! Offer ends 7 October.
Take inspiration from Abramo Tezgazzi. He runs a coffee kiosk at Mercato Metropolitano in south east London. The barista decided not to close during the pandemic and was sometimes the “only spot open” for locals, who walked miles for their hot drink. But Abramo didn’t just sell coffee, he also befriended his customers, and because of that he’s been awarded a ‘Local Hero’ award by the residents of Elephant & Castle. His story shows that little acts of kindness - a smile or small talk can really go a long way. The award organisers also pointed that, because he remained open throughout the lockdown, his kiosk symbolised a much-needed piece of normality.