Wrapping up the week with a global round up of positive news nuggets.
Christmas Miracle
Imagine you are performing in Pope Francis's Christmas concert at the Vatican but you've lost your dress and jewels. Well, that's what happened to international singing star Katherine Jenkins this week, after her luggage went missing en route to Rome. She had to rehearse for the Vatican's annual Concerto di Natale in jeans and trainers, while the musicians accompanying her were wearing tuxedos. However, the good news is that her outfit turned up just before she was due to perform. "I live by the motto that 'the show must go on' and so as not to let anyone down, I would have gone on in a bath robe if necessary but thankfully the dresses arrived 20 minutes before the performance. "A Christmas miracle one of the brother's said!"'
Major Progress
There were some really big milestones for tropical disease prevention this year. Niger became the first African country to eliminate river blindness; Malawi, Togo, Vanuatu and Saudi Arabia all eliminated trachoma, saving tens of millions of people from the world’s most common cause of blindness; Benin, Uganda, Rwanda, and Equatorial Guinea eliminated sleeping sickness, a deadly disease caused by tsetse flies. Perhaps most importantly of all, scientists at Oxford released results of trials of a new malaria vaccine with 'world-changing' potential, giving up to 80 percent protection from the bite of the Anopheles mosquito, the world's deadliest animal. A deal has already been reached to manufacture 100 million doses a year, and the charity Malaria No More said it might mean children dying from malaria could end in our lifetimes.
Last Minute Gift?
Need a last minute present for a friend or loved one? Why not gift them a free subscription to OGN Daily? As you know, it's very quick and easy to sign up! Just let them know you've signed them up, et voilà!
Yield Giving
Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott says her donations have provided more than $14 billion in funding for about 1,600 nonprofits since 2019, according to her long-awaited website Yield Giving. Scott also announced that she plans to introduce an 'open-call process' that allows nonprofits seeking donations from her to send information to her for evaluation. Scott has signed The Giving Pledge, promising to give away more than half of her wealth, which largely comes from her divorce from Amazon founder Jeff Bezos. Scott, whose net worth Forbes currently estimates at $27 billion, has not given any interviews about her donations, opting to discuss her reasons in a handful of essays that she has posted on Yield Giving.
A Drink a Day Keeps the Doctor Away: But only if you're over the age of 40. Researchers have found that there's no safe level of alcohol consumption for younger adults, but midlifers get a free pass. Cheers!
Cultural Support
This year witnessed some creative ideas to kickstart culture following the pandemic, not least Ireland’s basic income for artists. The €325 ($345)-a-week stipend launched to support thousands of struggling creatives, who will receive the payments for three years. Meanwhile, Germany became the latest country to give citizens the gift of culture. Those turning 18 next year will be entitled to a €200 ($212) ‘KulturPass’, which can be put towards gig and theatre tickets. France, Spain and Italy have launched similar schemes.
Electric World Record
An engineering team in Australia working at the cutting edge of electric vehicle design have laid claim to a new world record. The University of New South Wales Sydney’s Sunswift 7 solar-powered car recently took to a testing circuit where it covered 1,000 km (621 miles) on a single charge in less than 12 hours (average speed 51.75 mph / 83.3 kph), an achievement that pushes the envelope when it comes to aerodynamics and efficiency. Meanwhile, the first ever electric-solar car, the Lightyear 0, has just gone on sale.
BladeRobots
BladeRobots has developed an automated robotic technology solution for the maintenance of wind turbines. And it claims it’s four times faster than traditional methods. Its robot performs automated blade-leading edge maintenance that provides the wind industry has a “new, effective and scalable solution to improve wind turbine performance.” BladeRobots says that by restoring aerodynamic performance and decreasing turbine downtime, its unique robot method can raise the annual energy production of wind turbines.
"Peace and justice are two sides of the same coin."
Dwight D. Eisenhower
On this Day
23 December 1815 (with its title page saying 1816): British author Jane Austen published her fourth novel, Emma, which centres on a precocious young woman whose misplaced confidence in her matchmaking abilities occasions several romantic misadventures.
Housing association demanded they replace their native lawn with grass, so a Maryland couple sued - and changed state law. Read on...
The tomb of St Nicholas, the man credited as the inspiration for Santa Claus, has finally been discovered. Read on...
Mood Booster
Numerous Rita Hayworth clips synced to Harry Belafonte's Jump in the Line.
Comments