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Following Timor-Leste’s Triumph, All of Southeast Asia Has Eliminated Trachoma

By
Andy Corbley
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Sample collection in Timor-Leste - credit, WHO, released
Sample collection in Timor-Leste – credit, WHO, released

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently announced it has certified Timor-Leste as having eliminated trachoma as a public health problem.

The leading infectious cause of blindness, the achievement on the island nation now means that the entire Southeast Asian region, as defined by the WHO, is trachoma-free.

It means over 2 billion people now live with minimal risk of contracting trachoma bacteria, and with access to medical services capable of detecting and quickly treating it should it occur.

“The elimination of trachoma from the South-East Asia Region is a significant step towards our global target of eliminating trachoma worldwide by 2030,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “I congratulate Timor-Leste on this important achievement.”

Caused by the bacteria Chlamydia trachomatis, repeated infections can lead to scarring of the inner eyelid, causing the eyelashes to turn inward (trichiasis), which can ultimately result in blindness.

The disease is strongly associated with poverty and inequities in access to basic resources, including water, sanitation, hygiene products, and medical services.

WHO’s validation follows a rigorous, multi-year process to determine whether trachoma poses a public health problem in the country and to document the medical system’s capacity to detect, investigate, and manage cases that occur in the future.

A series of investigations between 2015 and 2017 saw the examination of children on the country’s Atauro Island, the screening of patients attending eye clinics across the country, and a series of specific house-to-house searches. No trace of trachoma was found.

MEDICAL ADVANCEMENTS: African Continent Gains 10 Years of Life Expectancy Since 2000 Despite Wars, Famine, and Instability

Timor-Leste subsequently generated further evidence through various studies. In a 2025 survey, 4,949 samples from children aged 1–5 years were analyzed covering all 13 municipalities. Testing found no evidence of transmission at a level requiring trachoma-specific public health intervention.

“Timor-Leste has once again demonstrated that strong national leadership, high-quality evidence and integrated health services can deliver lasting public health gains,” said Dr. Nilesh Buddha, Officer-in-Charge at WHO Southeast Asia Regional Office.

SOUTHEAST ASIA: Southeast Asia Nears Malaria Elimination, Down Two-Thirds Since 2010

“The country’s approach also shows the value of integrating surveillance across diseases so that limited resources produce the greatest possible benefit for communities.”

Laos DPR achieved elimination in 2017, followed by Nepal a year later, Myanmar in 2020, and India in 2024. Vietnam, Cambodia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Bhutan, and Thailand had all eliminated it as well.

SHARE This True Triumph Of Medical Access And Disease Control With Your Friends…

Former Industrial Ground Goes from Dump to Diversity and Hosts 64% of UK’s Black-Necked Grebes

By
Andy Corbley
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A black-necked grebe - credit, Stephan Sprinz CC 4.0. Int.
A black-necked grebe – credit, Stephan Sprinz CC 4.0. Int.

A conservation charity in the UK has turned what was once a dumping ground for material dug up during canal dredging into a nesting habitat for two-thirds of the UK’s black-necked grebes.

These beautiful waterfowl with thin ochre-golden feathers sashaying away from their ruby-red eyes have a very unusual migratory pattern which in the UK sees them arrive in nesting areas shared by the black-headed seagull.

One place where these 2 species timeshare is Woolston Eyes Nature Reserve. In this nearly 1,000 acre wetland, the Manchester Ship Canal Company organized the dumping of a substantial portion of the 41 million cubic meters of material dug up during the construction of the 36-mile canal which first entered operation in 1894.

In 1979, the company entered into an agreement with the Woolston Eyes Conservation Group to manage the rich and varied wildlife of the area which is still owned by the company.

In 1986, it was declared a site of special scientific interest by the UK government for the wetland ecosystems that had developed over the following 90 years, consisting of “freshwater pools, reedbeds, willow scrub and rough vegetation sandwiched between the River Mersey on its north boundary and the Manchester Ship Canal on its south boundary.”

Since 2021, Woolston Eyes has been extensively improved in a bid to bring more nesting birds like the black-necked grebes and the black-headed gulls. The latter prefer to build their nests on islands in wetland areas, while the former prefer to build their nests next to the gulls for protection.

2023 saw the first arrivals: 4 nesting pairs on some of the new islands produced 15 young.

A NEARBY RIVER RESTORED: Once Biologically Dead, the River Mersey in England is “Best Environmental Story in Europe”

By 2025, 35 pairs of black-necked grebes were recorded, 29 of which nested on the newly restored wetland area, which together make up 64% of all breeding birds in the UK.

“It is fantastic to see black-necked grebe numbers increasing at Woolston Eyes thanks to the hard work of staff, volunteers and partners to create prime habitat for this rare and attractive species,” said Gavin Thomas, an ecologist with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

PROTECTIONS FOR MIGRATORY BIRDS: Bald Ibis ‘the Herald of Spring’ Saved from Extinction in Turkey Thanks to Semi-Wild Breeding

“The rapid growth in numbers shows how effective targeted conservation action can be and is a great example of nature thriving when it is given a chance.”

The Guardian reports that the wetlands have also become home for numerous species of concern in the UK, including the willow tit, grasshopper warbler, and the pochard.

SHARE This Great Landscape Transformation From Dump To Diversity… 

“When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.” – William Arthur Ward

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Good News Network
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By Nathan Anderson

Quote of the Day: “When we seek to discover the best in others, we somehow bring out the best in ourselves.” – William Arthur Ward

Photo by: Nathan Anderson

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

By Nathan Anderson

Good News in History September 14

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Good News Network
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The whole span of the Penang Bridge - Leonard Kong CC 2.0.

41 years ago today, the Penang Bridge officially opened connecting the Malay Peninsula with the island of Penang. Stretching 5.2 miles across the Penang Strait, it’s the second-longest bridge over water in Malaysia. Architects decided to use a cable-stayed suspension design similar to the Golden Gate Bridge rather than the steel-tied arch style of the Sydney Harbor Bridge. READ a short synopsis of the building challenges… (1985)

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She ‘Asked for a Sign’ and Suddenly a Kingfisher Darts Up and Sits in Her Hand for 10 Minutes

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Good News Network
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Screenshot
Screenshot

A woman in England had just “asked for a sign” when a kingfisher streaked in, and even landed on her hand—staying there for ten minutes.

“I had just asked for a sign, then just moments later this happened,” Laura O’Brien told SWNS news.

The 24-year-old says she was “amazed” because the Eurasian Kingfisher (also known as the common or river kingfisher) is normally shy and elusive.

The park maintenance ranger was watering flowers in her job for the Frome Town Council in Somerset when the flash of blue whizzed right up to her.

“It was such a magical moment that I will never forget. I felt like Snow White!”

“It was just meters away looking right at me. It was crazy.”

The bird was darting around and Laura was worried it was hurt, so she held out her gloved hand and it immediately hopped on.

Much to her surprise, the beautiful bird proceeded to stay in her hand for 10 minutes.

Laura O’Brien via SWNS

“So I was just watering the flowers with this kingfisher on my finger! (Watch the video she captured below…)

“It was so gorgeous with such a bright orange chest. What a treat to see it up close, normally they are gone with just a flash of blue.

“It felt so special.”

It flew back down to the river where it came from, and when Laura told her fellow rangers about the encounter, they all said they were jealous.

MORE BIRD GOOD NEWS:
• Crow Takes to Teaching a Starving Orphan Bird How to Eat (Watch)
• Woman Who Rescued Injured Crow Keeps Getting ‘Thank-you Gifts’ from Other Birds

“I might head down to the river again and see if it recognizes me.”

SHARE THE AWE-INSPIRING MOMENT On Social Media For People Asking for Signs…

Researchers Use Math to Ensure a Wordle Win 99% of the Time

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Good News Network
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Credit: Binghamton University and State University of New York
Credit: Binghamton University and State University of New York

Millions of people playing their daily Wordle games will be eager to hear about this new research.

Using information theory, the team of researchers from Binghamton University and State University of New York has developed a method to solve the game with a 99% success rate.

In the The New York Times online game, players attempt to solve a five-letter word within six guesses. At the start, players are presented with five blank spaces to play any letter of their choosing, with zero hints offered. When a player guesses a word – like ‘BRAVE’ – the game provides feedback in the form of color highlights for each letter guessed.

  • Grey indicates that a guessed letter is not part of the secret word;
  • Yellow indicates that a guessed letter is part of the secret word but is not in the correct order
  • Green indicates the guessed letter is part of the secret word and in the correct order… The player keeps guessing and is presented with clues until they guess the correct word and all five squares turn green—or they run out of guesses and lose the game.

Cracking the code

The research team, led by Assistant Professor Congyu “Peter” Wu, applied Shannon entropy—a mathematical measure of uncertainty—to determine which guesses provide the most information. Rather than focusing solely on guessing the most likely answer from the get-go, their method prioritizes guessing words that provide as much information as possible to reduce the pool of possible words.

“Let’s say you’re at a certain guess. The previous guesses will eliminate a whole bunch of options, and based on the remaining options, guessing some words will send you into a trajectory where information gain is speedier,” said Wu.

“A subtle but important insight from the paper is that a guess doesn’t have to be the most likely answer; it simply has to be informative,” said Donald Stephens, a doctoral student at Binghamton University.

“By applying Shannon entropy, the objective shifts to maximizing the expected reduction in uncertainty rather than the probability of being right. In practice, this approach can lead to solving the puzzle in fewer guesses.”

Their method might seem more “random,” but it is more likely to lead to a successful guess by the end of the game.

SCRABBLE LOVER? Math Teacher Becomes UK Scrabble Champ and Reveals the 2-Letter Words Experts Use to Win

“To use the method in real time, a player would need to run a script/program on the side. The player would enter the color-coded feedback that the game provides, and the program would spit out the next best guess to attempt to provide more information,” said the team.

They tested their strategy against a more traditional approach based on guessing common letters (e.g., “A”, “E”, “R”). In simulations, their approach solved 99% of Wordle puzzles, while the traditional method solved just 90%.

“What is especially creative and valuable about the team’s intellectual contribution,” Wu said, “is that it transformed a static measurement (Shannon entropy) in a scientific domain into a dynamic solution that helps accomplish a popular task better, which showcases the team’s deep understanding of class material and their talent as engineers.”

The published paper describes the math in detail, with charts, in the Northeast Journal of Complex Systems.

5 CHANCES TO SHARE With Wordle Fans on Social Media…

Elephants Can Think Before They Act and Resist Impulsive Behavior, Shows Study

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Good News Network
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Elephant interacts in experiment –Credit:  Hope et al., 2026, PLOS One via SWNS
Elephant interacts in experiment –Credit:  Hope et al., 2026, PLOS One via SWNS

Elephants can think before they act, as well as resist impulsive behavior, reveals new research that adds to growing evidence of elephants possessing sophisticated cognitive skills.

Experiments at the National Elephant Institute in Thailand show Asian pachyderms are able to deny their impulses and choose a more rational course of action, in order to solve problems.

Researchers say the study, published in the journal PLOS One, provides the first evidence of inhibitory control in elephants and offers insights into how they make decisions and adapt to changing environments.

They explained that inhibitory control—the ability to resist an impulse in favor of more effective behavior—is an important part of decision-making and cognitive flexibility in humans and other animals.

The skill has previously been observed in various birds and mammals, often during detour tests in which subjects must ignore an obvious but ineffective path to a treat in favor of an indirect route.

In the new study, the Hunter College research team documented the first such behavior in elephants.

When presented with a transparent box with small holes through which they could see and smell fruit inside, the elephants consistently were able to resist the temptation to try to reach directly for the food and instead chose an opening on the side of the box as they had been taught earlier.

When the box was later rotated, the elephants at first succumbed to the impulse to reach for the previous position of the opening before quickly correcting their behavior.

2 elephants in experiment – by Hope et al ., 2026, PLOS One via SWNS

The adjustment was slower in older individuals, with one possible explanation being cognitive decline with age.

Study co-author Professor Joshua Plotnik, from City University of New York (CUNY), has studied elephant intelligence, personality, and social behavior in Thailand for nearly two decades, combining experimental research with conservation efforts.

His work examines not only what elephants can do, but also how their cognitive abilities and behavioral differences may lead to conservation strategies aimed at reducing conflict with humans who share the same landscapes.

Prof. Plotnik’s research has shown that elephants can recognize themselves in mirrors, console distressed companions, coordinate actions with partners, and solve novel problems.

His team has also found that elephants living near human communities tend to be more willing to take risks and explore unfamiliar situations—behaviors that could help explain why some elephants repeatedly enter agricultural areas and come into conflict with people.

“The more we understand about how elephants think, make decisions about risk, and adapt to human-driven environmental change, the better we can predict ‘what they’ll do next’ and the better designed our strategies for human-elephant coexistence can be,” said Prof. Plotnik.

MORE ELEPHANT GOOD NEWS:
• Last Circus Elephant in Portugal Can Now Romp-and-Roll on 1000-Acre Sanctuary After 40 Years of Working
• When Zoo Elephants Are Rewilded in Africa, Here’s How Good Their Coping Skills Are

The researchers say that inhibitory control may be a “key” part of elephants’ famed problem-solving and socializing skills.

“When elephants were faced with a situation in which they needed to suppress an impulsive behavior—either the impulse to reach directly toward a food reward behind a transparent barrier or the impulse to continue using a previously effective technique—they were generally able to suppress the impulse,” said study co-author Dr. Sydney Hope, of New York’s Hunter College.

“This ability may be important for elephants’ problem-solving.”

ELEPHANTS NEVER FORGET HOW TO ACT–Share the News on Social Media…

“There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.” – Ansel Adams

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Good News Network
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Quote of the Day: “There is nothing worse than a sharp image of a fuzzy concept.” – Iconic landscape photographer Ansel Adams

Photos by: Zyanya Citlalli for Unsplash+ (below) / Ansel Adams (top)

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

by Zyanya Citlalli For Unsplash+

Good News in History September 13

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Good News Network
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Jean Smart in Hacks by HBO (Fair Use)

Happy 75th Birthday to actor-comedian Jean Smart, the brilliant TV star and winner of 7 Emmys, 3 Golden Globes and many other awards for her lovable characters in Designing Women, Frasier, and Hacks. Check out her trophy case and WATCH a recent talk show segment honoring her for the show that has ruled HBO for five seasons… (1951)

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The Blackout of ‘65 Left 800K Trapped in NYC Subway – 6 Hours Later People Were Inspired by Each Other

By
lynn Lowin
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Volume 27, Issue 4 of The Subway Sun—a series of posters placed in subway cars—was created to thank subway riders for calmly responding to the Northeast blackout of 1965
Volume 27, Issue 4 of The Subway Sun—a series of posters placed in subway cars—was created to thank subway riders for calmly responding to the Northeast blackout of 1965

In November of 1965 a great blackout spread across the northeastern United States and parts of Canada. 30 million people were affected and Lynn Lowin was one of them. Now in her senior years, she wanted to finally tell her inspiring tale from 61 years ago, so reached out to Good News Network.

During that power blackout, more than 800,000 riders were trapped in the subway—including Lynn. Here’s her report:

“Traveling by subway from Brooklyn to Manhattan, the train suddenly stopped and all the lights went out. I remember thinking I was going to be late for my orthodontist appointment if they didn’t fix it quickly.

I had no way of knowing that this was no ordinary power outage; it was massive.

There is a ‘third rail’ in a subway system that can be very dangerous if anyone should step on it, so none of us wanted to leave our subway car and take the risk of sudden death. Even if we knew which rail was the third one, we weren’t able to see in the darkness that surrounded us.

As the hours went by, we began to feel almost at home with the people in our subway car.

People began to share whatever food they had. I was given half a doughnut and, in turn, I shared part of the peanut butter sandwich my mother had packed for me that morning.

Of course, there were no cells phone in those days and, stuck as we were in a tunnel in the East River, we had no information. Some people thought there was a bombing in which case being in a tunnel wasn’t so bad. Others were fearful that we would never escape.

But, more and more people began to talk to one another, encourage each other and try and lift the spirits of the strangers who were rapidly becoming their neighbors.

Two nurses and a doctor walked through all the subway cars to see if anyone was hurt or needed help.

Six hours later, we were rescued.

As we followed the firefighters and police officers leading us through the dark tunnels, I was conscious of being thankful not only for our rescue, but for all the people who reached out to one another to keep our spirits up.

I was less scared, because I was not alone.

That is the lesson I learned from that experience and carried with me throughout my life.”

EDITOR’S NOTE: Only five reports of looting in New York City were recorded during the 1965 blackout. It was said to be the lowest amount of crime on any night in the city’s history, since the year records were first kept.

SHARE THE INSPIRING MEMORY With New Yorkers on Social Media…

Massive Footprints Reveal First Ever Adult T Rex Trackway, a 66-Million-Year-old Walk Through North Dakota

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Good News Network
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T. rex trackway – Credit: Tyler Lyson
T. rex trackway – Credit: Tyler Lyson

Scientists have confirmed the discovery of the first adult T. rex trackway, providing new insights into how this emblematic predator moved.

While a myriad of isolated footprints made by adults in the T. rex species have been found, this is the first time scientists can report a sequence of tracks, or a trackway, left by the most famous of dinosaurs.

The trackway was found by Kent Hups, a high school science teacher and amateur fossil hunter, on federal land administered by the U.S. Forest Service near Marmarth, North Dakota.

The 23-foot-long trackway consists of four three-toed footprints discovered in the Hell Creek Formation.

Each footprint is roughly 3 feet long, and researchers estimate they were made about 66.5 million years ago.

In findings published this week in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, the team identified T. rex as the likely track-maker based on the footprints’ exceptional size and narrow shape of the toes, along with the abundance of T. rex fossils found in the surrounding area.

“Bones tell us an enormous amount about these animals, but footprints capture a moment of behavior. With a trackway, we can actually follow an animal as it moved across the landscape.”

“That is incredibly rare for T. rex,” explained Tyler Lyson, senior curator of vertebrate paleontology at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science who was leading the dig that Mr. Hups was volunteering on. (Watch the video below…)

T. rex trackway from drone – Credit: Tyler Lyson

The team later used high-resolution 3D surface scanning to document each footprint and the full trackway.

The resulting digital models allow scientists to examine the tracks in detail and create physical 3D reproductions, including dinosaur track expert, Peter Falkingham, a professor of paleobiology at Liverpool John Moores University who was lead author of the study.

“The technology we’re able to apply in the digital age means my colleagues could scan the tracks in the field and then send the 3D information over to me to visualize on my computer and in VR, enabling me to take as close a look as they did in person,” he said.

The trackway records two left and two right footprints, with a stride of approximately 13 feet. Researchers estimate the animal was walking about 3.5 to 4.5 mph, roughly comparable to a brisk human walking pace. Because the tracks are heavily weathered, the speed estimate is approximate.

CHECK OUT THESE KIDS! Three Boys Discover 30% of a Complete ‘Teen-rex’ Skeleton While Hiking

“As a teacher, I’m always telling my students that science starts with curiosity, passion and careful observation. I never imagined that could lead me to a discovery like this,” said Kent Hups, the teacher at Northglenn High School who found the site and co-authored the paper.

“It’s the closest you get to a time machine,” he told CBS News below…

Three of the footprints are expected to be recovered by helicopter this fall and then transported to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. The Museum plans to share updates from the recovery with guests this winter.

INSPIRE SCIENCE TEACHERS By Sharing This With Dino-Lovers on Social Media…

Homeless Guy Got Famous Playing Amazing Piano in a Church–Now He’s Raised $50K for Charity

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Good News Network
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Rhys Wynne-Jones, at 32, with piano at Penzance Night Church, in Cornwall.
Rhys Wynne-Jones at the Cornwall Night Church that fateful night – via SWNS

A homeless man who was recorded playing piano in a church on a cold January night says his whole life has turned around, in the two years since his performance went viral.

Rhys Wynne-Jones had been homeless for a decade in England when he sought refuge at St. Mary’s Church in Penzance—one of Britain’s ‘Night Churches’ that remain open to vulnerable populations for all 24 hours.

After entering and speaking with volunteers, the 34-year-old asked if he could use their piano to engage his lifelong coping mechanism—music.

He began playing a rendition of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, while volunteers and visitors gathering to watch.

“There is a lot of noise in my head, but when I play piano my head goes quiet, I feel calm,” he said.

A volunteer posted a video of the performance on Facebook, where it quickly spread, amassing hundreds of comments asking for the identity of this young man known as The Nightchurch Pianist.

After Rhys came forward, he was invited to play the song at a special charity gig where he rubbed shoulders with British stars like Ronnie Wood, the ‘pop prince’ Peter Andre, and the cast of EastEnders.

Best of all, he secured a safe place he can call home, moving into a new Coastline Housing development in west Cornwall (See their video below, of a practice session…)

He has collaborated with Peter Andre on a television pilot and is looking forward to a series of gigs scheduled in a variety of venues including a theatre production in Bristol.

He’s smart, too. As part of his act, he recites all the countries of the world, the elements of the periodic table, and the first 100 digits of the number Pi.

“I don’t see myself as a professional pianist or a celebrity figure. I only need enough money to cover my expenses,” he told SWNS news. “I just love to play the piano to raise money for homeless charities and good causes.”

And, in the 30 months since his night church performance, he’s raised over £40,000 for charity ($54k).

WATCH THIS! Police Officer Captures Breathtaking Video of Homeless Woman Singing Opera in the Subway–Leading to a Flood of Generosity

But he says “the pain doesn’t end just because you’ve got a key”. Life in his new home, though—practicing on his Roland keyboard, eating, and sleeping—has been calming.

He now uses any bleak memories from the streets, and his new Instagram friends, to motivate him to help and inspire others.

SHARE THE AMAZING STORY With Friends on Social Media…

Your Weekly Horoscope – ‘Free Will Astrology’ by Rob Brezsny

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Good News Network
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Our partner Rob Brezsny, whose latest book is Astrology Is Real: Revelations from My Life as an Oracle, provides his weekly wisdom to enlighten our thinking and motivate our mood. Rob’s Free Will Astrology, is a syndicated weekly column appearing in over a hundred publications. He is also the author of Pronoia Is the Antidote for Paranoia: How All of Creation Is Conspiring To Shower You with Blessings. (A free preview of the book is available here.)

Here is your weekly horoscope…

FREE WILL ASTROLOGY – Week of September 12, 2026
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
Master chefs say that diners first taste food with their eyes. The visual presentation is key to the whole experience. But the beauty must arise from craftsmanship rather than empty decoration. I believe you Virgos are in a phase when this is an important metaphor. Your outer style and inner substance are ready to become better collaborators. Some suggestions: Wear clothes that influence you to feel vividly alive. Relax your face and posture. Beautify your workspace. Polish your presentations. And please make sure the dazzling appearances reflect equally nourishing contents.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
I just finished a delicate peace mission to the contested inner landscape where your nightmares have been causing a big ruckus. In response to my diplomacy, they have agreed to drop their weapons and release their captives. In exchange, they are asking you to sit with them for a while as they rant and sob, and maybe offer them a few kisses and affectionate embraces. Drawing on my long years of coaxing unruly spirits back into semi-sanity, I conclude that a key reason they turned so dramatic and extreme was that they have been starving for your attention. I am very sure that with just a little effort, you can tame their reckless restlessness.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
You’re poised at a threshold between what’s comfortably familiar and excitingly possible. A certain reliable part of your life has served you well for a long time but is now ripe for evolution. The paradox is that letting go of a serviceable asset can feel more difficult than shedding what’s obviously harmful. So here’s the riddle I hope you will meditate on: What good old thing could you relinquish so as to attract and make room for a great new thing in your life?

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
The Renaissance artist Leonardo da Vinci filled his notebooks with sketches of machines that would not become practical until centuries later. Examples are the parachute, a helicopter‑like “aerial screw,” and an armored tank. Many of his designs were simply too advanced for the materials and engineering of his era. I suspect you may experience comparable moments of visionary thinking in the coming weeks and months, Sagittarius. To some people and even to yourself, your ideas might seem overly ambitious or ahead of their time. But please don’t dismiss them. Write down your inklings and let them cavort around in your imagination.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
Sofia Kovalevskaya was born under the sign of Capricorn in 1850. Early in her life, she displayed mathematical brilliance. She longed to develop her talent, but women weren’t allowed to attend college in her native Russia. So she devised a workaround: a marriage of convenience with a man who helped her leave the country and gain the freedom to study in Germany. There she eventually became the first woman to earn a doctorate. Inspired by her example, I encourage you to consider creative strategies for obstacles that seem immovable. What indirect routes might lead you to your goals better than frontal assaults? Be willing to zigzag toward your destination.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Most of us have been cursed by harsh pronouncements about our worth or our future, spoken by people we loved or trusted. For example, when I was 20, my astrology teacher dropped an alarming verdict on me: “You will never be seen and appreciated for who you truly are.” That ugly decree became a jinx I spent years struggling with before I finally banished it. Do you carry a comparable hex, Aquarius? Maybe mommy or daddy proclaimed you would never amount to anything. Maybe an ex declared that you would never again find real love. Whatever it might have been, here’s the good news: You now have the power to at least partially dissolve that old scourge and glide into the future less burdened by it.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Ravens often cache shiny objects and interesting novelties that seem to possess no immediate practical value. They apparently delight in collecting intriguing possibilities. I recommend you channel your inner raven in the coming weeks, Pisces. Assemble an array of quirky treasures and raw materials without immediately deciding whether or why they might be useful. Like what? Like fun ideas, memorable quotations, odd facts, provocative images, curious fragments, and fascinating stories. In ways you can’t imagine yet, your playful cluster will inspire imaginative innovations and delightful breakthroughs.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Most of us are surprisingly clueless about the inner workings of our own bodies. Do you know where your gallbladder and spleen actually live or what jobs they perform on your behalf? Can you trace the journey your breath takes after it slips into your lungs? Have you ever experimented to discover in detail which foods best suit your one‑of‑a‑kind system? Do you know, from experience rather than guesswork, how much sleep you require to stay vividly awake and emotionally balanced? The current astrological climate favors you becoming a curious apprentice of your body’s gorgeous mysteries.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
The English idiom “cut to the chase” comes from the silent films of the early 20th century. When the plot dragged, directors would literally switch to a chase scene to restore audience interest. Other languages have other ways to say “get to the point” or “skip to the crux.” Spanish: ir al grano. French: aller droit au but. Italian: venire al dunque. Japanese: hondai ni hairu. In accordance with astrological omens, Taurus, I suggest you do that in the coming days. Skip the boring parts. Jump to the action scenes. You can return later and fill in the story details, but for now you’re best served by moving toward the exciting essence or the crucial core of things.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
This is one of those unusual times when laziness and apathy work in your favor. Life is organizing a relaxing renewal on your behalf, and your main job is to not interfere. So I advise you to skip the hustle and enjoy the thrill of being still. Put a pause on doing and indulge in the fine art of simply being. Please, Gemini? Set aside your ambitions for now. Hide your to-do list. Inform your chattering monkey mind that it’s on temporary leave from its usual jumping and squawking. Feel guilt-free as you immerse yourself in the most relaxed versions of feeling good and welcome whatever fresh vitality wants to flow in.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
For some people, laughter is like a spiritual practice. A lot of them are Leos, Aquarians, and Sagittarians. They crack up more often and for longer stretches than most, and they tend to howl at ironies everyone else takes too seriously. I bring this to your attention, dear Cancerian, because you’re in a time when you could and should laugh often in wild, liberating ways. I invite you to explore the weirder areas of your sense of humor and work earnestly to expand what you find funny. PS: There’s credible evidence that laughter can reduce stress physiology, ease anxiety, lift mood, strengthen social connection, and even raise pain tolerance.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
The astronomer Johannes Kepler spent years trying to prove that planetary orbits were perfect circles because he believed the universe should behave that way. Once he abandoned his cherished assumption, he discovered the truth: The planets travel in ellipses. That revision transformed astronomy forever. With this in mind, Leo, I will ask you: Is there an elegant belief you have outgrown? A theory that was once fun and interesting but now limits your vision? The coming weeks will favor corrections. Changing your mind will show you that reality is even more interesting than you previously understood.

WANT MORE? Listen to Rob’s EXPANDED AUDIO HOROSCOPES, 4-5 minute meditations on the current state of your destiny — or subscribe to his unique daily text message service at: RealAstrology.com

(Zodiac images by Numerologysign.com, CC license)

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“The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting or offense.” – Sun Tzu

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Good News Network
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Credit: David Nitschke

Quote of the Day: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting or offense.” – Sun Tzu

Photo by: David Nitschke

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Credit: David Nitschke

 

Good News in History September 12

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Good News Network
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Greek troops rushing forward at the Battle of Marathon, Georges Rochegrosse, 1859.

2,516 years ago today was one of two days in the ancient era of world history that, if events had gone a different way, Western Civilization as we know it may never have sprouted. Athenian citizen soldiers, demonstrating superb athleticism and courage, ran a little over a mile in their heavy armor to smash a Persian invading force led by King Darius II which landed on a beach at Marathon. READ more about the battle… (490 BCE)

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First Permit to Clean Up Old Mine Waste Issued for WA State Under 2024 ‘Good Samaritan Act’

By
Andy Corbley
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An abanonded mine portal—typical of what the Good Samaritan Law was passed to remediate - credit, Trout Unlimited
An abanonded mine portal—typical of what the Good Samaritan Law was passed to remediate – credit, Trout Unlimited

The US Environmental Protection Agency has approved the first permit under the its new “Good Samaritan” law to remediate abandoned mine workings.

The permit has been issued to Trout Unlimited, a fishing and sportsmen focused nonprofit that engages in riverine conservation all over the West.

The Good Samaritan act passed in 2024 with broad bipartisan support after 20 years of campaigning by groups including Trout Unlimited.

The legislation was championed by US Senators Martin Heinrich (D-NM) and Jim Risch (R-ID) and US House Reps Celeste Maloy (R-UT), Mary Peltola (D-AK), and Susie Lee (D-NV).

It facilitates state agencies and other third parties to clean up abandoned mines more quickly and effectively, tens of thousands of which are known to pollute rivers and streams across the country.

As historic sites often a century old or more whose owners are long gone or deceased, it’s rare that any party can be held responsible for cleaning them up. At the same time, federal laws treat organizations that volunteer to clean up these mines, including state agencies and private groups like Trout Unlimited, as if they are the very polluters who left behind the mine waste.

This complicates permitting and long-term legal and financial liability for any mine pollution remaining after cleanup, disincentivizing the same. The Good Samaritan law created a pilot program to provide limited liability protections for up to 15 low-risk projects conducted by state agencies or other third parties.

“Hardrock abandoned mines are a scourge on the landscape. No one is required to clean them up, so every day they release their toxic brew of zinc, cadmium, lead, and arsenic into our drinking water and trout streams,” said Chris Wood, president and CEO of Trout Unlimited in a statement.

The permit thusly issued to Trout Unlimited will address ongoing contamination of Toroda Creek in Okanogan County, Washington state, about 140 miles northwest of Spokane.

At the site, known as the Bodie Mine, historic mine tailings will be removed and streambanks restored to reduce contamination of the stream by arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury and other toxins. The project will improve the health of the broader watershed, part of the Columbia River Basin.

“Bully for the EPA [for] authorizing the first abandoned mine cleanup under the Good Samaritan Remediation of Abandoned Hardrock Mines Act of 2024,” Wood added. “May their efforts lead many more states and communities, non-profits, and yes, even mining companies, to lend a hand and make our waters more fishable and swimmable.”

MORE GOOD NEWS FOR RIVERS: Toronto River Once So Polluted it Caught on Fire Now Is Flush with Fish

While many Americans have never picked up any mining jargon, it’s likely they’ve seen mine tailings before. If you’ve driven by a mining site and seen the long metal chute depositing gravel and dirt into a large conical pile—those are tailings, and they are either stored in landfill type installations or as a slurry in a pond or dam.

Back in the day, however, they were often just stored on site wherever there was space. Many ore bodies that contain useful and valuable metals like zinc, gold, or silver, may also contain—as Wood mentioned—arsenic, lead, and other toxic heavy metals. The process of grinding and separation that allows for the extraction of the former also liberates the latter. Left in piles of derelict tailings, they present a much greater risk of toxicity than when they were underground.

CLEANER, MODERN MINING: Quebec Firm Pioneers Cyanide-Free Gold Extraction and Arsenic-Capture to Clean up Mining Industry

GNN recently reported on Trout Unlimited’s activities contributing to the truly hair-raising numbers of central California coho salmon running up rivers along the Mendocino coast. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration had been contracting Trout Unlimited to remove barriers in the Navarro, Big, Garcia, and Noyo River watersheds for years leading up to the salmons’ return.

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Hotel Staff Give Girl’s Lost Plushie the VIP Treatment Before Sending Her Home with a Note (LOOK)

By
Andy Corbley
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Rosie the bear and a letter written by the hotel - credit, @andreamusa06 via TikTok
Rosie the bear the a letter written by the hotel – credit, @andreamusa06 via TikTok

A Sicilian hotel recently went above and beyond the call of the reception bell in reuniting a young woman with a cherished childhood stuffed animal.

Visiting the Four Seasons in Taormina recently was a mother and her daughter Julia—who as always brings her dear stuffed animal, Rosie, on any trip.

After a lovely stay, Julia suffered a case of out-of-sight out-of-mind after Rosie was swept up with the bedding by the housekeepers and was forgotten.

Sending a message to the hotel, the mother explained the situation and attached a photo of Rosie, after which there was nothing left to do but wait and hope. Would Rosie be able to survive inside an industrial wash/dry cycle? Maybe the staff had just thrown her away.

As it turned out, Rosie just wasn’t ready to end her vacation, photos from the hotel staff showed which Julia’s older sister documented on her TikTok account in a viral post viewed by millions of people.

In all seriousness, the staff not only located Rosie, but spent who-knows-how-much time to create this grand gesture of pretending the stuffed animal had spent her days at the pool, at the bar, and in bed. The hotel even wrote Julia in a letter in Rosie’s words, which they mailed her together with the plushie while covering the shipping costs.

– credit, @andreamusa06 via TikTok
– credit, @andreamusa06 via TikTok

“Dear my special friend,” the letter wrote. “When we got separated at the beautiful San Domenico Palace, I was a little worried at first, but the kind people at the hotel took very good care of me while I waited for you.”

ALL FOR A LOST STUFFIE: Town Leaders Help Dig Beloved Stuffed Animal out of Trash Compactor Using More Than Just Their Hands

“I had quite an adventure! I woke up to sunny mornings, relaxed by the pool, enjoyed delicious breakfasts, and explored some of the lovely corners of the hotel. I even pretended I was a very important guest for a few day!”

“P.S. The San Domenica Palace was lovely, but my favorite place in the whole world is right beside you.”

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Luxurious Bath Complex Used by Roman Emperor Found in Serbia

By
Andy Corbley
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- courtesy of the Institute of Archaeology, Serbia
– courtesy of the Institute of Archaeology, Serbia

From Serbia comes the story of a technically-impressive and luxurious Roman bath complex discovered for the first time.

Containing three different bathing pools and a sauna, it was designed for Emperor Maximinus Daza, who briefly held the throne before dying in a civil war.

The bath complex, known in Latin as a balneum, was found at the archaeological site of Vrelo-Šarkamen which has been under excavation for decades in Serbia’s far east. In the southwest corner of the property, a monumental stone tower was known to have existed, yet archaeologists were completely unaware that the bottom levels held the balneum. 

The suite of rooms‬ exhibit a design which researchers from Serbia’s Institute of Archeology had never seen before in the Roman Empire, as baths across the realm were typically built in lateral layouts to make piping and plumbing more straightforward. Instead, Daza’s balneum at Vrelo-Šarkamen was circular, with a domed ceiling and high windows.

The bottom floor was where the bathing equipment had been installed, including a furnace where the fire to heat the floors would have been kindled, and the setting for a large copper boiler which would have provided hot water for the pools. The boiler itself was absent.

Also present was a sudatorium or sauna, which lent the word for the modern Italian word for “sweated,” sudato.

Galerius Valerius Maximinus, born “Daza” in what is today Serbia, held power as a lesser ruler as part of the Diocletian Tetrarch system of monarchy. The empire was divided between west and east, and each one was ruled by an emperor and a junior ruler.

MORE BALKAN ROMAN HISTORY: Albania Digs Up a Roman Noble’s Tomb–the First of its Kind Ever Found in the Country

Daza was appointed as the junior by his uncle, also called Galerius, a controversial choice that launched the civil war which not only collapsed the fledgling system of government, but ended Daza’s life as well after losing a battle to a rival called Licinius.

In a random bit of trivia completely unrelated to the bathing complex, which archaeologists say will continue to be excavated in the hope of unearthing more information about it, Maximinus Daza was the last man in world history to hold the title of Pharaoh of Egypt, as he was a pagan, not a Christian emperor.

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Kenyan Startup Makes Robotic Hands That Translate Teacher’s Voice into Signs for Deaf Students

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Andy Corbley
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Press photo © ZeroBionic
Press photo © ZeroBionic

In Kenya, an entrepreneur has created a robotic hand that can translate a teacher’s voice into sign language for deaf students.

Some 300,000 children in Kenya are either deaf or hearing impaired, and not only are just a fraction them enrolled in school, but Kenya lacks any standardized signed language, making concepts like math and science difficult to teach.

ZeroBionic was founded by 22-year-old Norah Kimathi to allow these students to be taught by teachers who themselves don’t know sign language, dramatically expanding their educational opportunities.

Each robotic hand is 3D-printed from recycled plastic litter and sold at the cost of $350. They can last 3 years without maintenance, and ZeroBionic has already sold 78 such units.

Kimathi said they boast a 92% speech-to-sign accuracy rating, yet designing the mechanics of the arm was only half the battle. When it came time for the ZeroBionic team to input the translation to signs, they realized that there was no unified Kenyan or African sign language dataset to avail themselves of.

They enlisted the help of deaf teachers and other experienced signers to record the movements and patterns of signed speech using an electrode-lined bodysuit which had to be imported.

ROBOTS AT WORK:

“No one else had built this on the continent … We had to start from scratch,” Kimathi told AFP from the company’s tiny lab in Nairobi, who added that all the effort has nevertheless been worth it.

“We know we’re going to put a smile on someone else’s face,” she said.

The mechanical arms are just the first step. Next, they want to expand to Africa One, a robotic upper torso that can substantially increase the accuracy and vocabulary of African sign language.

Watch the story below from Reuters… 

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25 years ago today: “September 11 revealed heroism in ordinary people who might have gone through their entire lives never called upon to demonstrate the extent of their courage.” – Geraldine Brooks

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Good News Network
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Credit: Jesse Mills

Quote of the Day: 25 years ago today: “September 11 revealed heroism in ordinary people who might have gone through their entire lives never called upon to demonstrate the extent of their courage.” – Geraldine Brooks

Photo by: Jesse Mills

With a new inspirational quote every day, atop the perfect photo—collected and archived on our Quotes page—why not bookmark GNN.org for a daily uplift?

Credit: Jesse Mills

 

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