It's a new month - start it on an inspiring note
Here's a collection of feel-good stories from around the world...
It’s a new month, and here’s a new batch of stories to interest, inspire and uplift you.
Sales of battery-electric vehicles (EVs) in the European Union exceeded those of standard petrol-only cars for the first time in December 2025, marking a historic milestone in the region’s shift away from internal-combustion engines. The data from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) show that registrations of fully electric cars rose sharply while petrol car sales declined.
A former quarry near Hamilton has been transformed into a flourishing arboretum after decades of patient work by its owners. Once a barren, rocky site, it now features tens of thousands of trees from around the world, ponds, walking tracks and outdoor sculptures, and attracts thousands of visitors each year.
More bans on social media for teenagers are coming. The UK is considering a ban, as well as banning phones during the school day, and France has also voted to do so.
Swifts in Scotland will have better protection thanks to new legislation requiring all new homes to have “swift bricks” to create safer nesting sites.