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Hyundai Partners with Healthy Seas to Turn Scourge ‘GhostNets’ into Floor Mats for Cars

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Volunteers recover abandoned fishing nets from ocean floor near Catalina on July 12, 2026 – Credit: Ghost Diving USA
Healthy Seas / Hyundai

Off the coast of Catalina Island for 15 years, the fishing vessel Midnight Hour has sat on the ocean floor—its sunken wreckage becoming a tangle of abandoned fishing nets, the kind that drift in the current while trapping debris—and marine life.

Good News Network joined divers on the water for a mission to collect the “ghost nets” and remove the threat to California wildlife.

We joined members of a partnership that has been around the world recovering tons of the tangled nets—and, perhaps best of all, some of the fibers and plastic are being separated for recycling to become new floor mats in Hyundai cars.

The nonprofit Healthy Seas teamed up with Hyundai and they’re now bringing the mission to America, after years of working together in Europe and Korea.

Under the care of another partner, Ghost Diving USA, divers were able to cut loose the netting at the Catalina wreck site and bring it up for recycling or disposal.

Volunteers recover abandoned fishing nets from ocean floor near Catalina on July 12, 2026 – Credit: Ghost Diving USA

More than 1,300 tons of nets removed

Since 2013, Healthy Seas has recovered more than 1,300 tons of nets and marine debris worldwide. Hyundai began supporting the nonprofit back in 2021—and they orchestrated a nice symmetry by recycling the material from the ocean floor to make new mats for the car floor.

Suitable nylon material gets regenerated into a recycled yarn called ECONYL, which is turned into new products—including floor mats used in many Hyundai models sold in Europe such as the IONIQ, INSTER, SANTA FE, and NEXO.

As the divers work on the wreck site, tangled with heavy netting, every pull brings up debris that’s been collecting for years.

ON THE BRIGHT SIDE: Study Shows Littering Declined 34% Across America Since 2020

Healthy Seas / Hyundai

Hyundai reported that across the ten countries where the partnership now operates, it has helped recover more than 320 tons of marine litter.

The mission GNN filmed near Catalina is part of a new initiative called From Sea to Shore, which includes a beach cleanup with Hyundai employees at Huntington State Beach, and an “Ocean Heroes” education workshop for kids at the local Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley.

“We are connecting different parts of the same story,” said Veronika Mikos, Director of Healthy Seas. “Removing litter from the coast, recovering ghost fishing gear from the ocean, and inspiring children to understand and protect marine life.”

And, inspiring everyone to remember that trash pulled from the ocean doesn’t have to remain trash forever.

WATCH, as our video takes you underwater with divers and on deck with the crew as clean up one corner of this Southern California ocean neighborhood…

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Europe’s Air Quality Dramatically Improves in 10 Years, With 39-59% Drop in Industrial and Road Toxins

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Lago Maggiore with Italian Swiss Alps, 2026 – ©GWC for GNN
Lago Maggiore with Italian and Swiss Alps, 2026 – ©GWC for GNN

Air quality continues to improve across Europe, with emissions from most of the major pollutants declining by significant amounts.

“The overall picture remains positive,” according to the annual Assessment Report on European Air Quality 2025, released by the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS), an EU program that has monitored changing air pollution levels for over ten years.

“Air quality continues to improve in Europe, with emissions of key air pollutants declining across the continent as a result of long-standing air quality policies, technological improvements, and cleaner industrial and transport systems,” said the report.

In the past decade, CAMS monitoring shows that emissions of sulphur oxides and nitrogen oxides have fallen by approximately 3-5% per year, across the European Union.

The most significant reductions have been achieved in industry (like smokestack emissions) and road transport (like car emissions).

Since 2015, industrial emissions of sulphur oxides have fallen by 59%, while nitrogen oxide emissions from industry have declined by 39%.

Road transport emissions have also fallen substantially, with reductions of 40% for nitrogen oxides and 34% for fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

Each colored line represents a major pollutant in 10-year trend:

Courtesy of CAMS / Copernicus

The CAMS Air Quality report provides a clear indication that air quality policies are working. At the same time, a deeper dive into the report demonstrates that year-to-year variations in weather conditions can significantly influence pollution levels, even as long-term trends continue to improve.

CAMS is one of six services that form Copernicus, the European Union’s Earth observation program that studies the environment for the ultimate benefit of all European citizens.

The CAMS website says they will continue to not only identify “where pollution occurred” in 120 cities across Europe, “but also the factors that caused it”.

MORE EU NEWS: 9 Out of Every 10 Cars Sold in Norway Last Year Was Electric

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Last Circus Elephant in Portugal Can Now Romp-and-Roll on 1000-Acre Sanctuary After 40 Years of Working

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Julie the elephant's first day at Pangea Elephant Sanctuary in Portugal – SWNS
Julie the elephant’s first day at Pangea Elephant Sanctuary in Portugal – SWNS

A lazy retirement was bestowed upon the last circus elephant in Portugal who just became a resident of the country’s first sanctuary dedicated to working pachyderms.

After 40 years of performing, Julie was transported on June 30 from her old circus home to the Pangea Elephant Sanctuary in Alentejo.

Julie was captured as a calf in Africa during the late-1980s, and brought to Portugal where she began performing in circuses in 1988.

In 2018, the Portuguese government passed a law to ban wild animal performances by 2024. Julie didn’t have anywhere to go, until Pangea Elephant Sanctuary reached out to her former owner.

The sanctuary is the first of its kind in Europe, and while it was still being built, they began planned Julie’s move as the first elephant to be welcomed on site.

18 months later, after a three hour truck ride from the Víctor Hugo Cardinali circus grounds, Julie made herself at home right away. (See the video at the bottom…)

Julie arrives at Pangea Elephant Sanctuary in Alentejo, Portugal – SWNS

“There couldn’t be a more fitting first resident than Portugal’s last circus elephant,” said the sanctuary’s managing director, Kate Moore.

“Our focus is now to give Julie the best possible quality of life in her time ahead.”

INCREDIBLE: New Elephant Ambulance Marks Inaugural Rescue, Bringing 27-year-old to Hospital with Leg Injury (LOOK)

Julie explores a watering hole at Pangea Elephant Sanctuary-SWNS

The sanctuary spans 1,000 acres and hopes to eventually house 20–35 elephants, but has limited occupancy at this stage while they erect more barns and fences.

Pangea, an independent charity registered in the UK and Portugal, was even offered a sponsorship for Julie from an English primary school, which adopted the animal before her move by providing a £100 donation.

Julie is expected to be joined later this year by Kariba, another female African elephant that was also wild-caught—and is now in her 40s like Julie—and is currently living alone at a zoo in Belgium.

MORE GOOD NEWS: Acupuncture for Rescued Elephants Provides Relief from Chronic Pain and Nerve Damage in India Care Center

WATCH a video from Julie’s journey…

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“Oftentimes we call a man cold when he is only sad.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

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Credit: Blue Diamond Photography (CC license)

Quote of the Day: “Oftentimes we call a man cold when he is only sad.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Photo by: Blue Diamond Photography (CC license)

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: Blue Diamond Photography (CC license)

Good News in History, July 26

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Dadabhai Naoroji in the year he was elected to Parliament- public domain

134 years ago today, Dadabhai Naoroji was elected as the first Indian Member of Parliament in Britain. A merchant, scholar, writer, and political leader who served as a founding member of the Indian National Congress, Naoroji is particularly known for formulating the “drain theory,” which argued that economic exploitation under British rule led to the transfer of wealth from India to Britain. His work was influential among early nationalists and reformers, and he remained a key figure in shaping early Indian political thought. READ more about this pioneering freedom-fighter and some of his work as an MP… (1892)

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Heatwave Reveals ‘Lost’ 17th Century Garden Design Under Parched Grass

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Heatwave reveals historic garden design – Chatsworth House / SWNS
Heatwave reveals historic garden design – Chatsworth House / SWNS

The outline of a ‘lost’ 17th century garden has been revealed at a stately British home following the record heatwave and long drought.

Beneath the parched grass was an ornate garden design being rediscovered after more than 350 years at Chatsworth House in Derbyshire.

It turns out, the ornamental arrangement of flower beds and paths known as ‘The Great Parterre’ was created for the 1st Duke of Devonshire around 1699 and built along the south façade of the English estate.

The elaborate, perfectly symmetrical garden measured 473-ft-long (144m) by 227-ft wide (69m), all of which followed the fashion of the day for formal gardens.

It only flourished for 30 years before being covered over and replaced with a new design around 1730.

A spokesperson for Chatsworth House Trust said after temperatures exceeded 30°C (86°F) in May, June and July, and with the “exceptionally dry” start to July, the lawn was “parched enough for history to reveal itself once again”.

Recent record high temperatures and long periods without rain have revealed the outline of an ornate 17th-century garden design on Chatsworth’s South Lawn – SWNS / Chatsworth House

They further explained: “As the grass that was laid to replace the flowerbeds and paths has shorter roots, it burns more quickly when temperatures are high and dry, creating a contrast and temporarily revealing the swirling patterns of the First Duke’s original garden underneath.”

Chatsworth House / SWNS

Home to the Devonshire family for 16 Generations, the historical garden now makes up the south lawn, part of the 105-acre garden at Chatsworth House.

MAKES HISTORIC SENSE: India’s Beautiful and Historic Stepwells Restored to Working Order for the Thirsty Nation

HAVE SOME LANDSCAPING FUN By Sharing This on Social Media…

On Brink of Extinction, the Vaquita Porpoise is Being Preserved By Digital Image

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Vaquita, Gulf of California in 2008 – NOAA Fisheries on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Vaquita, Gulf of California in 2008 – NOAA Fisheries on Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

The elusive vaquita porpoise swims in the wild only in shallow northern waters of Mexico’s Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez)—and it’s one of the rarest and most endangered marine mammals on Earth.

With a wild population numbering as low as ten, the vaquita is perilously close to extinction—an outcome caused by their entanglement in gillnets, which are used to illegally catch another banned species for the international black market.

Measuring a compact 5 feet in length, Phocoena sinus is the world’s smallest cetacean (pronounced se·tay·shn)—a group that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises.

Known for the distinctive dark rings around the eyes and mouth, the vaquita only became known to science in the latter half of the 20th century.

Despite intensive conservation efforts, the vaquita’s future remains uncertain—which is why the new project is so exciting for scholars and students.

Researchers from Florida Atlantic University—in collaboration with the San Diego Natural History Museum, SeaWorld California, and NOAA Fisheries—have created a highly detailed digital record of a rare vaquita skeleton using advanced imaging technologies.

Rare female vaquita porpoise skeleton – Courtesy: Florida Atlantic University

The team combined medical CT scanning, high-resolution micro-CT imaging, and digital photography to capture the specimen at multiple scales, from overall skeletal structure to microscopic bone detail.

The resulting datasets were reconstructed into precise 3D models that allow the entire skeleton—which was donated to the museum in 1966—to be virtually explored, measured, and studied without having people handling the fragile original specimen.

The project, published in June 2026 in Marine Mammal Science, makes all data freely available through the open-access repository MorphoSource, including photographs, scan data and downloadable 3D meshes.

Vaquita flipper – Florida Atlantic University

“These digital resources can be used for scientific research, education, and public outreach, including the creation of 3D-printed replicas for museums and classrooms,” says the project’s media release.

“By transforming a rare physical specimen into a permanent, shareable digital archive, the study expands access to the world’s smallest porpoise and most endangered marine mammal and provides a new tool for conservation and learning.”

DISHING ABOUT DOLPHINS: Sampling DNA in Seawater Can Reveal the Health of Dolphin Populations, in First for Conservation

The survival of this species depends on urgent, coordinated international action to eliminate gillnet fishing within the vaquita habitat. Fortunately, such efforts are already underway—and you can support them via the National Marine Mammal Foundation.

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First Puffin Chick in 30 Years Spotted Emerging From Cliffs Along England’s South Coast

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Puffin chick at Dancing Ledge – Credit: Martin Shaw via SWNS
Puffin chick at Dancing Ledge – Credit: Martin Shaw via SWNS

Conservationists were holding their breaths this Spring as the last remaining colony of puffins was in danger of being lost altogether, but relief turned to joy as, not only did the adult puffins return, a baby was born.

For the first time in 30 years, a newborn bird—called a PUFFLING—was spotted emerging from its cliffside nest along the Dancing Ledge in Dorset.

The last puffin colony on mainland England’s southern coast shrank to just six birds in recent years—so the National Trust renewed its quest to understand why the birds had been failing to produce chicks.

After spending the last 15 weeks installing cameras and monitoring the cliffs, volunteers were left “thrilled” by the sight of adult puffins delivering fish to the nests hidden deep within the crevice.

“Seeing the puffling was a great thrill,” said Dr. Richard Caldow, who is leading the project. “It’s the first puffling that’s been recorded in Purbeck for a long time.”

Only three breeding pairs remain today, compared to more than 40 active pairs in the 1950s.

“One puffling alone won’t save this colony, but one is a whole lot better news than none.”

Dr. Richard said the volunteer team from the Purbeck Natural History Forum spent around 150 hours monitoring the ledges.

Checking on Puffin habitat at Dancing Ledge cliffs – National Trust – Credit: Martin Shaw / SWNS

They observed the first fish being taken into the ledge on May 31, with the last fish delivery recorded on July 5, which puts the age of the puffling to be 38-40 days old.

Dr. Richard, who holds a PhD in seabird ecology and has nearly 40 years’ experience researching and conserving coastal bird populations, said the puffling is expected to leave the ledge soon—and its parents—under the cover of darkness, and spend the next several years alone at sea.

If it survives, it may return to Purbeck at two years of age, although puffins do not usually breed until they’re around four years old.

The rare birth comes after the National Trust installed motion-sensor trail cameras in March to peer into the puffins’ deep crevice—with the aim of establishing whether predators, like rats, may be the reason new chicks have not appeared in recent years.

Puffin with camera installed at Dancing Ledge cliffs – via SWNS

The cameras, powered by solar panels, do not provide live feeds, so the research team will have to wait until the breeding season ends to retrieve the cameras and review the thousands of images captured.

“Understanding what is happening inside the nesting crevice is the missing piece of the puzzle,” said an excited Ben Cooke, a project officer for the National Trust in Purbeck.

“If we can identify the reasons why chicks and eggs are being lost, we can begin to explore what conservation measures might help.”

A PUFFIN BOOM: Audubon Society Enjoys Huge “Tern-Around” in the Puffin and Tern Populations of Maine

“Puffins are such an iconic bird, we want to do everything in our power to help them survive in Purbeck.”

INSPIRE YOUR FRIENDS By Sharing This Lil’ Survivor on Social Media…

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

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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 July 25, 2026
Copyright by Rob Brezsny, FreeWillAstrology.com

 

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22):
Oak trees produce far more acorns than could ever grow into trees. Squirrels bury thousands and forget many of them, preparing the way for the next generation of forest. The trees succeed through strategic overproduction. I invite you to adopt their method, Leo. In the coming weeks, overproduce. Make more than you can track. Release more than you can manage. You don’t need to be perfect, just abundant. PS: This expansive capacity is yours to explore with delight and confidence, I guarantee it.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22):
In the 19th century, Virgo naturalist Alexander von Humboldt helped launch the modern science of ecology. While exploring South America, he came to a revolutionary conclusion that’s obvious to us now: Nature isn’t a collection of separate objects but an intricate web of relationships. Mountains shape the weather. The plants and pollinators rely on each other. Underground mycelial networks perform many services for the trees. I propose that you channel your inner Humboldt, Virgo. Shift your focus away from isolated problems and instead observe the larger systems. Solutions may be elusive when you’re bound to a narrow view but strikingly clear when you perceive the wider pattern. If you’d like to take bold action, rely on the spacious perspective.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22):
The coming months will be a favorable time to triple your devotion to the art of rowdy fun. I urge you to attend more revels and celebrations than usual, and always be ready to energize social functions with infusions of festive wit and gleeful conviviality. You will also have extra power to inject buoyant amusements into your intimate liaisons. Therefore, dear Libra, I designate you to be the Party Maestro of the Zodiac. I hope you will carry out your role with maximum exuberance, ingenuity, and joy.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21):
What if I told you that your most personal and potent dream can come true—but only through months of persistence, disciplined sacrifice, and stretches of bewildering but fascinating uncertainty? Would you reorder your priorities to chase it with every ounce of creativity you have? Or would you set it aside in favor of a safer and easier possibility? Between now and the end of October, I predict the moment will arrive to choose one path or the other.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21):
On some occasions, you just don’t have the power to act with impeccable integrity and do the totally right thing. Doing the partially right thing may, however, be a useful and compassionate option. I bet this will soon be helpful advice for you. Blunt truth: There are moments when the “perfect” ethical, emotional, or practical choice simply isn’t available: The timing is off, resources are thin, or someone else’s limits block the ideal outcome. In those situations, waiting around for the flawless solution is a kind of paralysis that keeps you stuck in guilt or indecision. Instead, you can aim for the best available good.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19):
In botany and gardening, there is a practice called “companion planting.” Certain plants thrive when grown near each other because they share nutrients, repel or distract pests, or improve soil and microclimate. Here’s an example: Indigenous peoples of the Americas planted the “Three Sisters” together: Corn gave beans a living trellis, beans added nitrogen to the soil, and squash shaded the ground to hold moisture and deter weeds. This principle may be useful for you to contemplate now, Capricorn. The people, tools, and influences you place near one another will influence your productivity and well-being. By blending complementary energies, your efforts will flourish without strain.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18):
Author Alain de Botton observed that “the person we marry is always far more remarkable, frightening, and complex than we quite realized when we first declared our love.” Rather than feeling alarmed by this revelation, I invite you to find it thrilling as you apply it to your best allies. The fact that they contain mysteries you haven’t yet plumbed means the relationships aren’t likely to grow stale. There are undiscovered depths in those you may think you know completely. My advice: Approach even your most familiar intimacies as ongoing discoveries.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20):
Do you ever fear or distrust your own desires? Are you suspicious of achieving “too much” success? Do you ever feel starved for hope, but belittle yourself for wanting it? Do you go emotionally blank in the face of possibilities that should thrill you? If so, the coming weeks could bring healing and a breakthrough. You will have a chance to perform a rare kind of exorcism—not of garish demons or foolish ghosts, but of the quiet defeatism and lack of faith that dull your brilliance. Seize this moment, dear Pisces! Purge the automatic doubts that the world has trained you to mistake for wisdom.

ARIES (March 21-April 19):
Authentic love songs are rare. Much of contemporary music leans toward infatuation, sex, heartbreak, and fury, while few artists seem interested in singing unabashedly about unique expressions of tenderness and enduring devotion. In the months ahead, Aries, your inner life will be gloriously out of step with that trend. Your heart is poised to wake up in sometimes surprising ways. Even if you’re not a trained vocalist, you may feel regular urges to express your passion and adoration in song. If I could give you a gift, it might be a curated playlist packed with the most radiant love songs of the last 60 years, so you’d have a soundtrack worthy of the lush emotions that I suspect will bloom in you.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20):
Nobel Prize-winning Taurus physicist Richard Feynman kept a notebook titled “Things I Don’t Know About.” When he came across a question he couldn’t answer, he added it to the collection. I recommend a similar discipline for you now, Taurus, but with a twist. Keep a log of “Beautiful Mysteries I Don’t Really Need to Solve.” Rejoice that not every paradox and puzzle needs resolution. Savor the fun fact that some riddles enrich your life precisely because they remain open-ended. Hooray for not knowing! My theory is that some of your finest qualities will flourish in the presence of productive uncertainty.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20):
In the early days of radio broadcasting, engineers sometimes spoke of “tuning the receiver.” Even when a station was transmitting clearly, a listener might hear static until their radio dial was adjusted to exactly the right frequency. The message was present and clear; the challenge was homing in on it. There’s a similar phenomenon going on in your life, Gemini. Useful information, fun inspiration, and interesting possibilities may be circulating in your vicinity. But you will need to adjust your attention so you can actually receive it. To bring the signals into focus, listen differently. Or pose alternate questions. Or pay attention to sources you don’t usually notice.

CANCER (June 21-July 22):
Neuroscientists have found that remembering the past and imagining the future rely on many of the same brain networks. That overlap helps explain why vivid visualization may influence our emotions and behavior. When we repeatedly simulate alarming scenarios about what could conceivably happen, our brains treat them much like memories. This makes us prone to spotting “threats” in places that may be relatively safe. The good news is that the coming months will be an excellent time to retrain this habit, Cancerian. More than ever, your imagination can be a precision instrument you use to recalibrate yourself away from fear and toward possibility. Fantasize about wonderful possibilities with the same intensity that in the past you have dwelled on scary speculations.

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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“Curiosity is the one thing invincible in Nature.” – Freya Stark

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Credit: Emma Swoboda

Quote of the Day: “Curiosity is the one thing invincible in Nature.” – Freya Stark

Photo by: Emma Swoboda

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: Emma Swoboda

Good News in History, July 25

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Joan Baez and Dylan at the Civil Rights March on Washington, D.C. in 1963 – Rowland Scherman, CC license / National Archives

61 years ago today, the 60s folk singer Bob Dylan walked onstage at the Newport Folk Festival, plugged in his Fender Stratocaster and “went electric,” tearing into the song “Maggie’s Farm.”

Although many folkie-loving ticket-holders in the audience booed, nothing would stop the leather-clad Dylan from becoming one of rock’s rebel geniuses. WATCH the moment below… (1965)

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Beatles Tour Bus Pulls Alongside Paul McCartney–While He was on Video Call With Ringo

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Paul McCartney was spotted by fans from the windows of a Beatles tour of Liverpool – Credit: Magical Mystery Tour / SWNS
Paul McCartney was spotted by fans from the windows of a Beatles bus tour of Liverpool – Credit: Magical Mystery Tour / SWNS

Dozens of Beatles fans were left stunned after Paul McCartney pulled up alongside their Fab Four-themed tour bus.

The Beatle-maniacs spotted the musical legend while aboard the Magical Mystery Tour bus that guides tourists around Liverpool, England, where all four lads grew up.

The moment was even more special with drummer Ringo Starr showing up remotely while on a video call with Macca, waving to the adoring fans.

A 71-year-old tour guide, Tony Curley, recalled that seeing Paul was “amazing”.

“We were driving along Hope Street towards the Cathedral, and the driver Neil noticed someone was flagging us down.

“We pulled up at the red light and there he was waving (from) the back of a car.

“We pulled our window down and… he said to us, ‘You alright, lads?’.

“Of course we were! As a Beatles fan seeing Paul for the first time was amazing.

“I got on the microphone and said to all the fans on the bus: ‘Get your phones out; there is Paul McCartney’.

“He then waved at everyone on the bus and pulled out Ringo on his phone. It probably only lasted a minute, but (it) was a magical coincidence.” (WATCH one video of the encounter, below…)

Tony told SWNS news agency that Paul had only been spotted by their tours once before, in 2018.

He was outside his childhood home, filming a segment with James Corden for the TV host’s Late Late Show.

Tony, who’s been doing ‘Beatles Bus’ tours for the past 10 years, believes Paul must get a kick out of showing his face to fans.

The Beatles Bus from Magical Mystery Tour – Photo © GWC, used with permission

“He must have been there in the car—on the phone to Ringo—and seen us coming along, and decided to say hello… I’m sure he would have had a giggle over it.”

BEATLES NEWS: Iconic Strawberry Field Will Open to the Public for the First Time Ever

“I also think he must get a huge sense of pride, when seeing the bus. People travel from all over the world to come on our tours.

“It was just perfect timing that we had to be there at that exact moment.”

Tony said the fans on the bus were “over the moon”.

He said what makes it even better is the fact that he only agreed to fill in the shift on Saturday after someone had called in sick.

“It will be a couple of weeks until we come back down to earth.”

SHARE The Wholesome Tourist Story on Social Media for Beatles Fans…

Tax Breaks for Data Centers Are Ending, With More States Revoking Them

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Andy Corbley
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The Colossus 2 data center - retrieved from xAI
The Colossus 2 data center in Tennessee – retrieved from xAI

As the AI infrastructure build-out continues to meet headwinds from concerned citizens, three states recently signed laws ending what had been the largely-standard practice of exempting data center operators from paying sales taxes.

Tucked into a state budget passed on June 15th, Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs touted that data centers located in the state would now have to pay sales tax on the gobs of energy they use.

Bloomberg Tax wrote that the exemption had been operating since 2013, and the move is likely to raise $38 million in revenues for Arizona annually.

In Washington, Governor Bob Ferguson signed a law that on July 1st removed sales tax exemptions for future equipment needed for data centers.

The hardware inside those giant humming hubs of technology has a de-facto operating lifespan of just 3 years on average given the pace of advancement in the development of semiconductors, and thus require routine replacement.

S.B. 6231 would remove the sales tax exemption for data center operators looking to replace that compute.

In late June, the Pennsylvania legislature passed a repeal of tax breaks and incentives for data centers that has stood for 5 years.

The bill’s primary sponsor cited a half-billion-dollar gain in potential revenues over 5 years, and argues that with the abundance of data centers proposed and already existing across PA communities, there’s little reason to keep an incentive (for future equipment purchases) which was designed to attract the activity to the state a decade ago.

MORE DATA CENTER NEWS: Tennessee Joins States Requiring Data Center Owners to Pay Full Electricity, Infrastructure Costs

“We’re giving these sales tax exemptions to companies like Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet—companies that have net incomes in excess of $100 billion a year,” said the sponsor, Rep. Greg Vitali (D). “This is not needed.”

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The Real Way to Save Bees During a Drought: Expert Corrects Sugar–Water Myth

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Andy Corbley
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A bumble bee on a daisy - credit, SWNS
A bumble bee on a daisy – credit, SWNS

A British bee scientist recently explained that setting up ‘hydration stations’ for bees doesn’t work, as the commonly-proffered mixture of sugar in water doesn’t revive tired bees at all.

Bees need our help, says Dr. Richard Comont, the science manager at Bee Conservation Trust, during a time when both sides of the pond are suffering from drought, but there are much more effective ways to keep them alive.

“Bumblebees get basically all the fluid they need from nectar direct from flowers, as do most other flower-visiting insects,” said Dr. Comont.

Instead of sugar water, a shady patch of well-watered flowers is much more effective at keeping wild bees hydrated and healthy.

While the science manager said honeybees are an exception to the rule, as they do collect water to cool the hive and rehydrate nectar, “they’re one, semi-domesticated species among 280 or so wild bee species,” in the UK.

“Although the sugar component of nectar is important, real nectar also contains lots of other substances—sterols and amino acids in particular—which are essential for nutrition,” said Dr. Comont, suggesting that just mixing sugar and water doesn’t make up for a bee’s needs.

“The best kind of hydration station for bumblebees would be a shady patch of flowers, either kept watered or by a pond,” he said. “That way they have enough water to keep producing nectar.”

He notes that plants dehydrated from a drought don’t produce nectar as they don’t have enough water to do so. Also, shaded plants mean “bumblebees can keep visiting them for longer,” the expert said.

GOOD BEEHAVIOR: Oregon Records 5 Years of Zero Pesticide-Related Deaths in Bees

“Bumblebees start struggling to fly when the air temperature gets [above 86 degrees Fahrenheit], and sooner in bright sunshine.”

Droughts are extremely tough on bees. Not only does the heat prevent them from flying and feeding as long, but it drains liquid that plants need to top up nectar supplies.

ON THE TOPIC OF DROUGHT: A Rich Rainfall is Set to End Mexico’s 6-Year Drought

“Really, the single biggest thing people can do is provide food for the bees—i.e. plants which do actually produce nectar and pollen,” Dr. Comont said.

“Deep-rooted plants are good as well; they keep access to water for longer, and watered plants last longer too, obviously.”

SHARE This Public Service Announcement In The Name Of Our Bees… 

Czech Woman Hacks Her Way into the Record Books at World Lumberjack Games in Wisconsin

By
Andy Corbley
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Karolina Urbanova at an EU lumberjill event - credit, courtesy of Karolina Urbanova
Karolina Urbanova at an EU lumberjill event – credit, courtesy of Karolina Urbanova

As Karolina Urbanova broke the log of white pine she was standing on in half with her axe, she notched the 2nd world record for women’s speed lumberjack events she set that day.

The 11 inches of white pine was severed in 21.28 seconds, besting the previous time of 24.26.

Urbanova is one of a generation of women reaching elite levels in “timber sports,” which while being niche (to say the least) in the US, is virtually non-existent in her home country of Czechia.

“I’m still growing and still learning, but now the level of the girls is really high, so it’s also hard to keep the same rhythm with them because they now want to be better than me,” Urbanova, 24, told the BBC’s Sheila Flynn. “I just feel pretty proud of myself.”

The Lumberjack World Championships recently concluded in Hayward, Wisconsin, where Urbanova was among the 40 Lumberjills and 66 Lumberjacks who competed for woodchopping glory.

The record she set was for the “Underhand Chop” category, where the axe is swung at a log segment between the competitor’s legs.

Urbanova also broke the women’s record for the “Standing Block” category—the quintessential lumberjack event of felling a standing log segment in half, which she managed in just 19.38 seconds.

Growing up in a small village, she was talent scouted along with her mother and sister by someone looking to grow female participation in the sport in Europe, and soon the 3 women were practicing splitting logs with different axes in a barn.

UNORTHODOX SPORTS: Forgotten Centuries-Old Ball Game Making a Surprise Comeback After 50 years

Her podium finishes at Hayward represented the end of a long road, but not nearly as long as the sport itself, and women’s participation in it besides, wrote Flynn in a delightful profile of timber sports for the BBC.

The Standing Block event was only added, Flynn wrote, in 2022, with women’s events limited almost entirely to logrolling, or that famous feat of seeing how long one can maintain their balance running on a log suspended in water.

MORE WOMEN’S SPORTS: Woman Rower Breaks Men’s Record for Fastest Solo Voyage from California to Hawaii

The championships in Hayward, now in their 66th year, is just one stage on a circuit of timber sport organizations worldwide. Once one overcomes the sense of novelty, the athletic demands become immediately clear—requiring fine balance for the logroll, dexterity in the speed trunk-climbing, and brute strength in the standing chop.

Though prize money is limited, and almost never enough to cover the expenses of a trip, traveling around the world to compete has been a highlight of Urbanova’s yet young life.

SHARE This Inspiring Growth In Women’s Timber Sports On Social Media… 

“Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” – Thomas Jefferson

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Good News Network
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Credit: Petr Slováček for Unsplash+

Quote of the Day: “Honesty is the first chapter in the book of wisdom.” – Thomas Jefferson

Photo by: Petr Slováček for Unsplash+

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: Petr Slováček for Unsplash+

Good News in History, July 24

By
Good News Network
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Giorgio Armani in Capri - CC skilledadventurer.com

51 years ago today, Giorgio Armani and Sergio Galeotti founded Giorgio Armani SpA (joint stock company) in Milan, Italy. Armani had no education in design, and instead studied medicine in advance of a two-year stint in the army. He got into fashion simply by working at department stores. By 2001, Armani was acclaimed as the most successful designer of Italian origin, and is credited with pioneering red-carpet fashion. READ more… (1975)

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4 Beluga Whales from Shuttered Canadian Park Arrive at Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium After Rescue (LOOK)

By
Andy Corbley
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The translocation operation - credit, Tidebreakers via SWNS
The translocation operation – credit, Tidebreakers via SWNS

When GNN reported last week that Canadian and US authorities approved the emergency transfer of some 30 beluga whales from a closed theme park in Ontario, little had been released about how one goes about moving a several ton marine mammal across state boundaries.

Then, news broke that 4 of those 30 whales had already arrived—safe and sound—at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago.

Photographs released by an organization involved in the logistical effort show belugas being pulled out of the holding pool at Marineland, in Ontario, on special cloth gurneys before being hooked to a crane and lowered into special cold water containers pulled by trailer trucks.

Their ticket to Chicago was via a Qatar Airways Boeing 777 container aircraft which brought them safely down to O’Hare and onto their final destination: the Abbott Oceanarium at Shedd, where they’re undergoing health and wellness checks after the wild ordeal.

“Moving animals like beluga whales, even under the best of circumstances, is challenging,” Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums which organized the move, told CBS News Chicago.

“This moment marks the next chapter for these rescued belugas,” added Dr. Karisa Tang, lead veterinarian and vice president of animal health at Shedd Aquarium.

The translocation operation – credit, Tidebreakers via SWNS

“Now that they are here, the full attention of our care and veterinary teams is on getting to know these whales and providing whatever supplemental support, care, treatment, nutrition and attention we can provide to help them acclimate to their new environment.”

Marineland, the whales’ previous home, was the center of perhaps the highest-profile case of institutional, serial animal abuse in the Western World.

The translocation operation – credit, Tidebreakers via SWNS

With the Ontario government finally shutting down the theme park after decades of accusations, investigations, and court cases, it was unclear what would happen to these 30 belugas that had lived too long in captivity to be released into the wild.

Marineland had no more money to care and feed for the belugas, and even threatened to euthanize them if Canada didn’t approve permits to move the creatures to other aquariums, after a previous attempt to send them to China was rejected.

MORE STORIES YOU MIGHT LIKE: 4 Different Bobkittens Rescued in a Week, Undergoing Rehab Together for Return to the Wild

Now, both the NOAA and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada have approved plans and issued correct permits to move 28 animals to 4 different American aquariums, while Spanish authorities are pending permit issuance for the final 2 to be sent to Oceanogràfic València in Spain, which already houses belugas.

Shedd Aquarium staff said there’s potentially room for another 6 of these white whales, but care and attention first must go to the 4 already here. Aged 27, 26, and 21, the 4 female belugas made for an obvious group transfer as they had bonded in what experts involved in the operation called a “sub pod.”

“We are watching closely for the rescued belugas to eat a full diet, socialize with one another,  and investigate the habitat, which are encouraging signs of their progress,” said Charlie Jacobsma, director of animal behavior and training at Shedd Aquarium.

RESCUING LARGE ANIMALS: Tow Truck Driver Tells Customers to Wait Until He Finishes Moose Rescue: ‘Oh, that’s fine…’ (WATCH)

“We are cautiously optimistic as we start to see some of those initial indicators, and our dedicated team will continue to monitor throughout this process to acclimatize the belugas to their new home, caretakers, and pod.”

The Georgia Aquarium and two SeaWorld facilities in San Diego and San Antonio, are now preparing for other belugas to arrive.

WATCH footage of the transfer from Shedd Aquarium below… 

SHARE These White Whales’ Long Journey To Their New Home In Chicago…

Maiden Rocket Launch ‘a Grand Success’ for India’s First Private Spaceflight Company

By
Andy Corbley
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Vikram-1 lifting off - Skyroot Aerospace
Vikram-1 lifting off – Skyroot Aerospace

In 2022, India beat long-time spacefarers Russia to become the 3rd nation to see a privately designed and built rocket successfully reach space.

Now just 4 years later, and the Hyderabad-based Skyroot Aerospace has outdone itself.

The company’s new 4-stage Vikram-1 rocket capable of carrying over 770 lbs. of payload aced its maiden flight to low-Earth orbit.

Lifting off at 12:05 p.m. local time from a launch pad on the barrier island of Sriharikota, Vikram-1 had successfully reached every performance metric by 17 minutes of flight time, leading to mission control announcing a “grand success,” to the roar of the team in the control room.

The company sees Vikram-1 as fulfilling a critical role in the global launch market for satellites and other small deliverables.

“The small satellite launch market is deeply constrained on the supply side,” Skyroot co-founder and CEO Pawan Kumar Chandana said in an emailed statement to Space.com on Thursday, July 16th, just 2 days before their successful launch.

A camera view of the Vikram-1 tail – credit, Skyroot Aerospace

“At the same time, the demand for services enabled by satellites in space will only continue to grow, and that is where Skyroot’s opportunity lies.”

Fantastically for both shareholders and clients, not only was Vikram-1 a complete success, but the test carried customer satellites, including one from the German company DCUBED, and 1 from each of the Indian space firms Grahaa Space and Cosmoserve Space.

INDIAN SPACE RACE: India Becomes Fourth Nation to Touch Down on the Moon In Mission to Study its South Pole

Of greater interest perhaps to GNN readers, Cosmoserve had paid for the passage of a robotic space drone called Embrace which will float about and use its robotic arm to grab and hurl space debris out of Earth’s orbit.

India is now the 3rd country that has a national route to space, joining the great powers China and the US.

CELEBRATE Skyroot’s Successful Maiden Flight On Social Media…

5 New Marine Reserves to Protect Dolphins and Kelp Forests off New Zealand’s South Island

By
Andy Corbley
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Hector's dolphin, a species set to benefit from the new marine protections - credit, Anjanette Baker, CC 4.0. BY-SA
Hector’s dolphin, a species set to benefit from the new marine protections – credit, Anjanette Baker, CC 4.0. BY-SA

In what is being described as an “important first step,” for marine protections in the island nation of New Zealand, 5 new marine preserves will enter into force next month.

Surrounding a district called Otago near the southeastern tip of the South Island, 308 square miles of key marine habitats filled with charismatic species will gain protections under the new law.

The reserves will be managed in partnership with the local Māori community, and be exclusive “no-take” areas.

“For Otago’s wildlife, this will be game-changing,” said World Wildlife Fund NZ’s conservation impact manager Jamie Fowler.

“These protections will give some of our rarest and most threatened species the breathing space they desperately need and provide genuine safe havens for hoiho (yellow-eyed penguin), pakake (New Zealand sea lion), and tutumairekurai (Hector’s dolphin).”

Along with the animals, kelp forests and other key habitats will be protected from extractive industry.

Previously designated as the South-East Marine Protection Network, it has been renamed “Te Au Roa o Te Rakihouia” in honor of the first-known human to journey along and around the coastline of the South Island, whose name was Te Rakihouia.

It celebrates a deep, years-long connection between the reserve network and the Māori, with newly trained rangers from the South Island Māori group called Kāi Tahu carrying on the management and monitoring of the marine reserves.

NEW ZEALAND NEWS: ‘This Area is Slightly Haunted but Manageable’: New Signs Look Official But They’re Public Art Designed to Delight

A Kāi Tahu community leader, Edward Ellison, told Radio New Zealand that the management partnership “will help ensure that decisions around the management of Te Au Roa reflect our customary practices and local knowledge of these coastal areas.”

A 6th reserve was blocked from being added to the network after a legal challenge by the Otago Rock Lobster Industry Association. Resolution on the challenge and the final reserve boundaries are expected soon.

MARINE RESERVES IN THE PACIFIC: French Polynesia Protects Biodiverse Ocean Area Twice the Size of Arizona Teeming with Life

Despite its rich seas, reputation as a biodiversity and ecotourism paradise, and long-time leftwing leadership, this is New Zealand’s first effort at significant marine protections in a decade. Fowler and other local conservation voices hope it can be the catalyst for further protections.

“If we are serious about reversing biodiversity loss, we must build on this momentum,” Fowler told RNZ.

SHARE These Special Seas Protected For The Animals and People That Depend On Them…

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