Upbeat News Tuesday

Editor OGN Daily
5 minutes ago
4 min read

Tuesday's smorgasbord of tasty good news nuggets to perk up the day.

Woman wearing Mongolia's ceremonial uniform for Italy's Winter Olympics — Credit: Mongolian NOC

Steppe Out in Style

Mongolia has revealed its ceremonial uniform, inspired by the 13th to 15th century Great Mongol Empire, for Italy's Winter Olympics next month. The collection preserves traditional elements, including a functional slit that allows freedom of movement, a raised collar that protects against wind and cold, and a fully closed overlapping front. The ceremonial outfits are made from Mongolian cashmere with silk trimming and are adorned with traditional horn motif embroidery, giving the looks a formal and ceremonial character. Mongolia qualified one male alpine skier - marking the nation’s first appearance in the sport at the Winter Olympics - and a male and female competitor for cross-country skiing. The Winter Olympics are being held in Italy from 6 to 22 February 2026.

Three European bison in a grassy field — European bison

Spanish Highlands

Europe’s largest terrestrial mammal is now roaming Spain’s Iberian Highlands thanks to a nature restoration project that aims to tackle wildfires and boost biodiversity. Nine bison have just been released near the village of El Recuenco, in Guadalajara province. The animals are keystone species which reshape landscapes, providing habits for other plants and animals. Researchers will now monitor the Iberian Highlands’ new inhabitants to see how Europe’s last wild bovine could help restore Mediterranean ecosystems. Meanwhile, in Romania, research shows that a herd of bison in the Țarcu mountains have such a positive environmental impact, that it's equivalent to taking almost two million cars of the road for a year.

Cricket’s ‘Holy Grail’

A baggy green cap worn by the Australian cricket great Sir Donald Bradman has sold for $460,000 to an anonymous buyer at a Gold Coast auction in Australia. Bradman wore the cap during the 1947-48 series against India - his final home Test series before retiring in 1948 with a career batting average of 99.94, earning him the reputation as cricket’s greatest batter.

Bradman gifted the cap to the Indian cricketer SW Sohoni during the series and it remained with his family for generations, never exhibited publicly. The auctioneers said that Sohoni’s “dying wish was to have the cap return to Australian shores” and that it has been "hidden for 75 years, that’s over three generations under lock and key. If you were a family member you were only allowed to look at it when you were 16 years old for five minutes.” Lloyds Auctions says the cap would now remain in Australia and “will be put on display at a prominent museum”.

Quicker & Cheaper

Today, more than $38 billion in humanitarian aid moves through traditional banking systems, often taking days to cross borders and incurring fees along the way. But the Circle Foundation has announced it will be expanding a blockchain-based financial platform across the United Nations - a venture that could completely reshape how aid reaches people in need. “This partnership allows us to make those transactions in real time, and at a fraction or zero cost compared to … the typical banking sector, which is not really set up to be paying a refugee child on the Sudanese border,” said Ewan Watson, the head of global communications at the UN Refugee Agency.

Gel Stops Bleeding

Researchers in South Korea have developed a spray-on powder that turns into a wound-conforming gel when it comes in contact with blood. The breakthrough could dramatically improve wound care in combat and other life-threatening situations. The substance is made from three natural ingredients which also exhibit antibacterial properties. While primarily developed for treating battlefield wounds, the researchers say that AGCL can naturally be used in standard emergency medicine and surgical applications.

The M/F Vargsund ferry loading a bus in freezing temperatures — Credit: Finmark County Administration

Sub-Zero, No Problem

An all-electric passenger/car ferry in Norway - in fact, the world's most northern electric ferry - has proven that sub-zero temperatures don't affect its service, despite running entirely on batteries. It can hold 28 cars and 100 passengers and began operating in early January and routinely has to cope with temperatures as low as -13F (-25C). “This is not just about new ferries. It’s about the future. About showing that green technology works - even in the far north, even in tough conditions,” operator Torghatten said in a statement after the ferry had been sailing for two weeks. As well as helping to reduce the company’s own carbon emissions, executives hope that it will set a standard of ambition and belief in the industry at large.

EU 'Tipping Point'

For the first time, homegrown clean power generated more electricity than fossil fuels in the EU last year - a milestone described by experts as a major “tipping point”. A review of the EU’s energy sector by Ember, a thinktank, revealed that wind and solar generated 30 percent of electricity in 2025, just edging out fossil power sources, which generated 29 percent. Hydro and nuclear provided the rest. “This milestone moment shows just how quickly things are changing in the EU’s power sector,” said energy analyst Dr Beatrice Petrovich.

“A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of.” Nelson Mandela

On This Day

27 January 1880: American inventor Thomas Edison received the patent embodying the principles of his incandescent lamp that paved the way for the universal domestic use of electric light. Edison's patent was an improvement on electric lamps, not the invention of them; but because of Edison’s design changes and the materials he used - such as a carbon filament - his patent allowed for an electric lamp that was reliable, safe, and practical.