Sunny Saturday News
- Editor OGN Daily
- 2 days ago
- 4 min read
Celebrating the start of the weekend with a global round up of positive news nuggets.
"Complete Surprise"
The Musée d’Art Moderne in Paris has received an “extraordinarily generous” donation of 61 works by Henri Matisse that have been kept in the artist’s family. Most of the donated art - which includes paintings, drawings, etchings, lithographs and a sculpture - features the painter’s daughter Marguerite and came as a "complete surprise" to the museum. The donation, described by the museum as exceptional and historic, was made by Barbara Dauphin Duthuit, the wife of Matisse’s grandson Claude, who died in 2011 in New York. Matisse preferred to keep his art in the family rather than sell it, making the donation particularly significant. The 61 pieces will join the 20 Matisse artworks already held by the museum.
First of The Year
The Quadrantid meteor shower will peak on 4 January 2026. The Quadrantid meteor shower is among the strongest and most consistent meteor showers of the year, with a maximum rate of 120 meteors per hour on a clear night. Meteors are pieces of debris which enter our planet’s atmosphere at speeds of up to 43 miles (70 km) per second, vaporising and causing the streaks of light we call meteors. The Quadrantids are known for their sharp peak which lasts a few hours. The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Boötes, near the Big Dipper.
Space Rocks: Whats What? Meteor, asteroid, comet, fireball: what’s the difference? Know your meteorite from your meteoroid with OGN's simple handy guide.
Saving Time
Comic artist and graphic designer Mirko Ilić reminds us that nothing beats working on the right thing. When asked by an interviewer: "What is your best tip for saving time?" He replied: "Think 8 hours, work 2 hours."
Commemorative UK Coins
The Royal Mint has revealed a new £5 coin marking 100 years since the birth of the late Queen - born on 21 April 1926, Queen Elizabeth II has appeared on more UK coins than any other British monarch. This new £5 coin is among five new designs for 2026 as the UK’s official coin maker honours some of the nation’s milestone anniversaries. Two new 50p coins will celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Grand Prix in Britain, and 50 years of the King’s Trust. And two new £2 coins will celebrate 200 years of the Zoological Society London and the 200th anniversary of HMS Beagle. The 2026 commemorative sets are now available to buy in a range of precious metal and base proof finishes, with prices starting from £39.50.
Deranged Comedy
Donald Trump may be remaking the John F Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts into a pool of his self-reflection, but a writer for South Park, the TV series that arguably reflects the obsessions and tendencies of the administration better than any political pundit, has purchased the rights to trumpkennedycenter.org. Toby Morton, a TV writer and producer who has worked on the long-running and joyfully offensive sitcom, said he purchased the domain in August after predicting the president would change the name from the Kennedy Center to the Trump Kennedy Center. Morton is not alone in looking to make fun. A group of British satirists has acquired trump-kennedycenter.org at about the same time, and it is advertising its own brand of deranged comedy misinformation.
Benefits of a G & T
If you’re going to treat yourself to a drink, a gin and tonic could be the best option for your health. Why? Registered nutritionist Sophie Trotman says: “Wines can be quite sugary and contain a lot of sulphates,” which can wreak havoc on your digestive system, while beers “are high in carbohydrates” and can cause your blood sugar to spike. The heroic G&T, meanwhile, is a drink that “I often recommend to my clients if they don’t want to cut out alcohol entirely,” she says. “The calories and sugar in a single gin with a light tonic are as low as you’re going to get.” One shot of gin will provide you with around 50 calories, compared with about 130 calories in a medium glass of red or white wine or the 200-300 calories in a pint of beer. A single shot of gin contains zero grams of sugar, as well as no carbohydrates. Light rather than diet tonic is ideal with your gin as “diet tonic will be full of artificial sweeteners that can worsen your health in the long term,” Trotman says. “So if you’re having one, always opt for a light version and a single shot.”
“Middle age is when you’re sitting at home on a Saturday night and the telephone rings and you hope it isn’t for you.” Ogden Nash
On This Day
3 January 1987: Aretha Franklin became the first woman voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, a significant barrier-breaking moment that paved the way for numerous other female artists who followed into the institution. Her induction recognized her immense impact as the Queen of Soul.
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