Upbeat News Tuesday
- 2 minutes ago
- 4 min read
Today's worldwide collection of short, upbeat news stories to brighten the day.
Remarkable Woman
In an era when the U.S. was still heavily segregated, 29-year-old Althea Gibson made history with a racket - becoming the first Black athlete to win Wimbledon. Born in South Carolina and raised in New York City, Gibson took the women’s singles title in a 1957 match against Darlene Hard at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. She went on to win the U.S. Open that September, and she claimed both titles again the following year. Gibson then retired from tennis, as a lack of prize money at the time meant she couldn’t support herself with the sport. Instead, she turned her eyes to golf, and in 1963 broke more barriers as the first African-American member of the Ladies Professional Golf Association. She died in 2003 at age 76.
Wimbledon Ups Prize Money: Representatives of the world’s top players have accepted the significant prize‑money increase put forward by the All England Club this year.
Snow Leopard Corridor
Kyrgyzstan has formally protected the Ak Ilbirs ecological corridor, a 3,100 sq. mile (8,000 sq. km) high-altitude passage for snow leopards, argali sheep, ibex and other fleet-footed mountain creatures. Designated in 2025, it connects existing protected areas with pastures and forests across 14 rural municipalities, using climate forecasts to preserve future habitat as glaciers shrink and herders move higher. Almost two thirds of projected suitable habitat for snow leopards now falls inside the corridor.
US Beer Consumption
Summer means it may be time for barbecues and beer, but some states are drinking more of their fair share than others. Beer is still the favorite alcoholic beverage for American drinkers, with 38 percent picking it as their alcohol of choice compared to 30 percent choosing liquor and 29 percent opting for wine, according to new data from Gallup. But despite its lead, beer is still behind its peak of 47 percent in 1992, when Gallup first started to collect data from alcohol drinkers. The top five states of biggest beer drinkers, by gallons per person, are: New Hampshire (35.6 gallons per person), Montana (34), Vermont (33.3), North Dakota (29.6), Oregon (29.3). Meanwhile, on the other side of the Atlantic, for the first time in France’s recorded history, beer has overtaken wine as the drink of choice.
Special Occasion
Paul McCartney performed the beloved Beatles No 1 hit I Want to Hold Your Hand for the first time in 60 years at Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding. McCartney performed the number at the star-studded reception at Madison Square Garden in New York on Friday. The track was the Beatles’ first American No 1 hit, sparking Beatlemania in the US and the wave of British bands’ success nicknamed “the British invasion”. The Beatles last performed the song in September 1964 at the Paramount theatre in New York. McCartney has never performed it in public since.
Lost Byzantine City
Egyptian officials have announced the discovery of a Byzantine-era city in the country’s western desert. The well-preserved city is located in the Dakhla Oasis and reveals scenes of daily life. The city was organized by north-south and east-west streets, forming public squares. Many of the houses had vaulted roofs and reception halls, with researchers also uncovering bread ovens, kitchens, and stone grinding tools. Overlooking the city was a basilica-style church, alongside two watchtowers to protect the town. There was also a building fortified with thick defensive walls. The city dates back to the fourth century, with gold coins discovered from the reign of Roman Emperor Constantius II. Bronze coins were also found showcasing Byzantine emperors, Latin phrases, and Christian symbols.
Nun on The Run
Sister Stephanie Baliga was the sixth-fastest freshman runner in the nation at the University of Illinois with dreams of Olympic gold. But when she fractured her foot, her injury set her on a new path, one where she would become a nun at Chicago’s Mission of Our Lady of the Angels. Baliga still runs, but now her running fuels her faith. For the last 15 years, she has run the Chicago Marathon to raise funds for the MOLA food pantry. Since 2011, she and her team have raised over $2.6 million. Baliga estimates that their food pantry serves 800 people every week, with the marathon funds being especially critical during the pandemic. This fall, she plans to run her 16th Chicago Marathon with a $500,000 funding goal.
“When I was young, I admired clever people. Now that I am old, I admire kind people.” Abraham Joshua Heschel
On This Day
7 July 1928: Sliced bread is sold for the first time by the Chillicothe Baking Company in Missouri, using a machine invented by Otto Frederick Rohwedder; described as the greatest forward step in the baking industry since bread was wrapped. The machine utilized multiple blades to cut and wrap loaves simultaneously. Their ad campaign inspired the famous idiom "greatest thing since sliced bread."
Today's Articles
Vesuvius Challenge: Scientists decipher fragments of 2,000-year-old philosophical treatise without opening it.
Health Benefits of Ginger: For centuries, scientists have proclaimed ginger's healing properties. Modern experts agree.
Air Conditioning as Art: Ancient technique to cool air goes as far back as 2500 B.C. So, no electricity required.
Mood Boosting Video
Crazy Beautiful! A stunning time-lapse of the aurora australis from space.
