Saturday's Upbeat News

Editor OGN Daily
Jun 21
4 min read

Celebrating the start of the weekend with an eclectic global collection of upbeat news stories.

Hilarious Gaffe

Trump Mobile, the newly launched line of smartphones produced by the Trump Organization for “real Americans,” has become a target for Internet mockery yet again after social media users realized its coverage map featured the Gulf of Mexico - not the Trump-preferred “Gulf of America”. Eagle-eyed users were quick to point out that a coverage map for the American-made smartphones labeled the body of water off the coast of Louisiana as the Gulf of Mexico. The map has now been removed. The name of the international body of water has been a hot-button issue after President Donald Trump signed an executive order early in his second term, renaming it the Gulf of America, a name other countries reject. To add to the fun and games, MapQuest has given the internet a perfect tool for trolling Trump by launching the Gulf Map Generator, which allows anyone to rename the body of water themselves and then publish the fruits of their imagination on social media.

High Seas Treaty

Sticking to the theme of bodies of water, 50 countries - plus the European Union - have now ratified the UN’s High Seas Treaty, aimed at protecting international waters that cover nearly half the planet’s surface, and beyond the jurisdiction of any single country. The agreement needs at least 60 countries to ratify it to enter into force. Director of the High Seas Alliance Rebecca Hubbard called the ratifications a “powerful victory”.

Beaver dragging a stick in its mouth through water — Beavers have returned to Portugal

Symbol of Hope

For the first time in more than five centuries, beavers have been spotted in Portugal. “We’ve been on the lookout for this breakthrough for a few years now, and now we’re thrilled to confirm its return,” says Pedro Prata, a team leader at Rewilding Portugal. It's a welcome addition that’s thanks to two decades of population restoration efforts in neighbouring Spain. “The return of the beaver to Portugal is a symbol of hope and change. It shows that if we give nature space and time, it will respond,” said Prata, noting the “ecosystem engineers” build dams, help restore river health, and play a vital role in biodiversity. “It’s now up to us to ensure that this return is well received and protected.”

Sculptor Galaxy

Astronomers have revealed a nearby spiral galaxy in all its brilliant glory, shining in thousands of colours. The dazzling panoramic shot of the Sculptor galaxy by a telescope in Chile is so detailed that it’s already serving as a star-packed map. Scientists used the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope to observe the galaxy for some 50 hours, stitching together more than 100 exposures to create the picture. The image spans 65,000 light-years, almost the entire galaxy. A light-year is 5.8 trillion miles. Sculptor - officially labeled NGC 253 - is considered a starburst galaxy, one heavy with stellar action.

Not Extinct!

Biologists have confirmed the ‘rediscovery’ of Attenborough’s long-beaked echidna, one of the world's very few egg-laying mammals. By combining camera traps with indigenous knowledge, researchers obtained the footage in New Guinea. Cute! "In the Terpera language of Yongsu Sapari and Yongsu Dosoyo, the echidna is called Payangko, and our camera-trap images demonstrate the potential importance of Indigenous and local knowledge in biodiversity research. Our success in capturing the first photographic evidence of the species was built on the Indigenous and local knowledge of communities in the Cyclops, which informed us on echidna behaviour and habitat, where to place camera-traps, how to search for echidna signs and, fundamentally, gave us confidence the species was still extant."

Child Marriage

Bolivia’s Congress has advanced legislation to ban child marriage, raising the legal age to 18 without exceptions. The move follows similar reforms in Colombia and would close one of South America’s last remaining legal gaps on child marriage, reports Latin Times.

Sales Growth

Global EV sales rise 28 percent in first five months of 2025. Sales rose to 7.2 million units globally between January 2025 and May 2025, driven by surging demand in China and a sharp rebound in Europe. China accounted for 60 percent of all EVs sold, while Europe posted 15 percent growth after a subdued 2024. The data suggest EV uptake remains resilient despite subsidy cuts and broader auto market stagnation, says Rho Motion.

"I have to be alone very often. I’d be quite happy if I spent from Saturday night until Monday morning alone in my apartment. That’s how I refuel." Audrey Hepburn

On This Day

The first Ferris wheel at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago in 1893.

21 June 1893: The first Ferris wheel (invented by George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., a Pittsburgh-based engineer) made its debut, at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago.