OGN Wednesday

2 minutes ago
4 min read

Mid-week selection of positive news stories from around the world.

Two tiny bald eagle chicks in their nest — Credit: Friends of Big Bear Valley

New Chicks on The Block

There are two new chicks on the block in California’s Big Bear Valley. Local celebrity bald eagles Jackie and Shadow welcomed a pair of eaglets into the world over Easter weekend - and the whole thing was captured on camera. Both siblings are “looking great,” according to the nonprofit Friends of Big Bear Valley, which operates the 24/7 nest livestream. Right now, Friends of Big Bear Valley is calling the little ones “bobbleheads” due to their weak neck muscles and adorably wobbly heads, but their official monikers will come from third graders at a local school, according to the Los Angeles Times. Watch the livestream footage for nonstop cuteness while we await the news of their names.

Titanic Cushion

A seat cushion from one of the Titanic's lifeboats is expected to fetch up to £180,000 ($240,000) when it goes up for auction. The cushion comes complete with the original Titanic lifeboat plaque in the form of a White Star burgee and will go on sale at Henry Aldridge & Son in Devizes Wiltshire, on 18 April. Made of canvas, the cushion was taken from one of the ship's 13 lifeboats that brought survivors to the rescue ship, SS Carpathia. Auctioneer Andrew Aldridge, said: "It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a museum or collector."

The Sunseekr app on a smartphone screen — Credit: Sunseekr

Best For Sunshine

34-year-old Mo Dawod, an architect, was out in London in April last year when he decided that he wanted an iced coffee in the sunshine, but there was no way to know which cafes would be best suited for that wish. So, later that night, he created his own mobile map using publicly available data, such as a building’s height and footprint, to create a shadow simulation (hour by hour) for pubs, restaurants, and cafes. What started as a simple ‘hack’ for himself quickly turned into the number one app in the UK in the lifestyle category - called Sunseekr - and Mo has since quit his day job to pursue it full time. The handy app has now also launched in other countries such as Germany and Spain.

The Old South Diner with, inset, Mary Haley

Lucky Diner

There’s something special cooking at one small island diner, and it’s not just the food. A cozy spot on Nantucket is turning everyday customers into millionaires again and again. At the center of this incredible streak is the Old South Diner in Nantucket, where yet another life-changing lottery win was recently served up. The Massachusetts State Lottery confirmed that a $2 million Powerball ticket was sold there, marking the fifth million-dollar prize tied to the diner in just two years. This time, the winner is longtime Nantucket resident Mary Haley, who claimed her prize surrounded by supportive friends.

The Original Artemis

Artemis was the daughter of the Zeus and Leto. Her twin brother was Apollo. ...

Artemis was unmarried and never had children. ...

Artemis spent much of her time hunting in the forest with the nymphs who attended her. ...

Artemis was worshipped throughout the Greek world.

Romans called her Diana.

A grey BYD EV under a tree covered in pink blossom — Credit: BYD

"Another Level"

After it decided to stop making vehicles powered entirely by internal combustion engines in 2022, China’s BYD is reaping the benefits. Last year, BYD sold more vehicles than Ford for the first time, ranking sixth in global EV sales. Now, amid rising tensions in the Middle East, the Chinese EV giant has acknowledged that higher oil and gas prices will boost EV sales. Nikkei reports that BYD’s CEO told analysts during a closed-door conference last week that the company expects soaring oil prices to drive overseas EV sales to “another level” in 2026, adding that BYD is currently selling as many vehicles in one day as it normally would in two weeks in places like Australia, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

"You have to trust in something - your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life." Steve Jobs

On This Day

White marble statue known as 'The Venus de Milo'

8 April 1820: The Venus de Milo was discovered by a Greek farmer named Yorgos Kentrotas on the Aegean island of Milos (then part of the Ottoman Empire). The ancient Greek statue, believed to represent Aphrodite and carved by Alexandros of Antioch between 130 and 100 BCE. The French ambassador to Turkey acquired the statue, and it was eventually presented to King Louis XVIII in 1821, who gifted it to the Louvre Museum in Paris, where it still resides.