OGN Monday
- Editor OGN Daily
- Oct 6
- 4 min read
Ensuring that the week gets off to a bright start with today's global collection of positive news stories.
Conservation Milestone
UNESCO has announced that it has designated 26 new biosphere reserves in 21 countries, the highest number in two decades. These “living laboratories” include terrestrial, marine, and coastal ecosystems that hold a “significant share” of global biodiversity, and support scientific research, sustainable practices, and community initiatives. Six countries - Angola, Djibouti, Iceland, Oman, Tajikistan, and Equatorial Guinea - welcomed their first reserve, while 14 received newly designated reserves, and São Tomé and Príncipe became the first nation to have its entire territory recognized as a reserve. UNESCO has now achieved the major accomplishment of protecting 5 percent of the planet.
Powerfully Symbolic
Japan is poised to get its first female prime minister after Sanae Takaichi was elected as leader of the governing Liberal Democratic party - a victory that should lead to her being installed as the country’s new leader in the middle of the month. Takaichi has voiced admiration for Margaret Thatcher in her quest to build a “strong and prosperous” Japan on the international stage, beat her moderate rival in a runoff election in Tokyo on Saturday. According to The Guardian, it's impossible to understate the symbolism of Takaichi’s victory in a country that has few female politicians and business leaders, and consistently ranks poorly in global gender gap comparisons.
New Exercise Trend: We all know that walking is good for us both physically and mentally, but the Japanese believe they have an even better way to boost the positive results of walking.
Coney Island
A Ferris wheel, roller coaster, carousel, bumper cars … Deno’s Wonder Wheel Park has it all. And now, this Coney Island institution has been added to the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry in recognition of its impact on the city’s history, heritage, and community. A family-owned staple of Coney Island for decades, Deno’s crown jewel is its eponymous wheel that was built in 1920 and restored by the Vourderis family in 1983 to ensure the cultural landmark keeps spinning. To date, it has provided over 35 million rides - with a perfect safety record, no less.
Wise Words
Philosopher and novelist Albert Camus (1913 - 1960) gives his thoughts on self-care: "Go out for a walk. It doesn't have to be a romantic walk in the park, spring at its most spectacular moment, flowers and smells and outstanding poetical imagery smoothly transferring you into another world. It doesn't have to be a walk during which you'll have multiple life epiphanies and discover meanings no other brain ever managed to encounter. Do not be afraid of spending quality time by yourself. Find meaning or don't find meaning but "steal" some time and give it freely and exclusively to your own self. Opt for privacy and solitude. That doesn't make you antisocial or cause you to reject the rest of the world. But you need to breathe. And you need to be."
And The Winner Is...
While all eyes in the northern hemisphere were captivated by Alaska’s Fat Bear Week (Chunk won), another playful animal competition was going down in New Zealand: The annual Bird of the Year contest. The 2025 victor is the Karearea, a fierce bird of prey that can fly nearly 125 miles per hour and is capable of catching animals larger than itself. Its name comes from the Indigenous Maori language and the bird is the nation’s only falcon. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the hotly-contested race, which seeks to raise awareness of the country's many native species considered to be in danger.
Over Half
New data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the EU, showed that more than half of the EU’s electricity in the second quarter of 2025 came from renewables. Solar energy was the main source of electricity in the European Union for the first time in history in June. The renewable energy source accounted for 22 percent of the electricity generated in the EU, overtaking nuclear energy, which produced 21.6 percent of the electricity. Hats off to Denmark, with 94.7 percent - the highest share of renewables in net electricity generated.
Simple Solution
A Penn State research team has developed a scalable framework to transform ordinary streetlights into EV charging stations to help facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles in cities. They tested their idea in Kansas City, Missouri, retrofitting 23 streetlights to serve as chargers. They found that stations were cheaper to install, environmentally beneficial, and more convenient than traditional charging points. Researchers explained that the fact that many apartment and multi-unit dwelling residents lacks access to dedicated home EV chargers.
“People bloom at different stages of their lives, and often more than once.” Lauren Graham
On This Day
6 October 1927: The Jazz Singer, starring Al Jolson, premiered in New York City, introducing the sound era of motion pictures.
Today's Articles
Mood Boosting Video
Amazing Views: Hot air balloon flight over the ancient temples of the Bagan valley, Myanmar.
