Tens of millions of residents in Spain and Portugal lost power on Monday — and now that electricity has been restored, they have some blackout tips for the rest of us. The BBC spoke with people about what helped them get through the outage, and what they wish they’d had in advance: Read the top five essentials.
Must Reads
ICYMI: The 2025 Tony Award nominations are in, and the list is even more star-studded than usual
They Grow Up So Fast! Big Bear Eagle Chicks Are Getting Ready to Spread Their Wings
Friends of Big Bear Valley
It feels like just yesterday that we were on pins and needles waiting for famous eagle couple Jackie and Shadow’s eggs to hatch. Now? The two surviving eaglets, named Sunny and Gizmo, are nearing their 2-month birthdays and preparing for their next big milestone: flying. As seen in live webcam footage from Friends of Big Bear Valley, the siblings have grown larger and shed their light gray feathers for darker ones, all the while being diligently taken care of by their doting parents. Sunny has started hopping while flapping,“working hard to get air time,” and Gizmo continues to improve his flapping skills, the nonprofit reported in its eagle log. While two months may seem fast to start practicing for takeoff, it’s right on schedule for the species. Eagles generally take their first flight about 12 weeks after birth, per the Audubon Center for Birds of Prey. Luckily, Jackie and Shadow still have a bit more time before becoming empty nesters, as their little ones will likely spend a couple months honing their flying skills before leaving home between weeks 17 and 23.
Together With Incogni
How Incogni Removes Your Personal Data From the Internet
Lots of people have security systems for their homes, but what about protecting your data online? Personal information like Social Security numbers, contact details, and addresses are commodities for many companies, putting you at risk of scams, fraud, and identity theft. Thankfully, Incogni is on the case. The automated service deletes your private details from data brokers’ lists, so they don’t wind up in imposter profiles or on people search websites. It recently became even more powerful — Incogni now removes your personal information from over 250 data brokers. And with the Unlimited Plan, you can even request custom removals from websites that expose your personal data. Click below to learn more about protecting your data and get 55% off with code NICENEWS.
“Agreeing to Disagree” Is Hurting Your Relationships — Here’s What to Do Instead
Candra Ritonga/iStock via Getty Images Plus
This article was written by Lisa Pavia-Higel, a professor of psychiatry and neurobehavioral sciences at the University of Virginia, for The Conversation. As Americans become more polarized, even family dinners can feel fraught, surfacing differences that could spark out-and-out conflict. Tense conversations often end with a familiar refrain: “Let’s just drop it. As a communications educator and trainer, I am frequently asked how to handle these conversations, especially when they involve social and political issues. One piece of advice I give is that “agree to disagree,” or any other phrase that politely stands in for “stop talking,” will not restore harmony. Not only that, but it could also do permanent harm to those important family bonds. Learn some tactics to employ instead.
Science
Satellite Has First-of-Its-Kind Mission to “Weigh” the World’s 1.5 Trillion Trees
ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE/Optique vidéo du CSG–S. Martin
It’s a well-known fact that trees store carbon and release oxygen (hence why they’re often called “the lungs of the Earth”). But, it’s less understood how much carbon the 1.5 trillion trees on the planet can store. That might soon change, thanks to a new satellite. On Tuesday, the European Space Agency announced the successful launch of a first-of-its-kind satellite called Biomass, “designed to provide unprecedented insights” into forests’ role in the Earth’s carbon cycle. The goal is to help scientists better understand the relationship between trees and climate change by essentially weighing trees to determine their carbon dioxide capacity. The satellite features aspecial radar that can penetrate forest canopies and measure woody biomass, including trunks, branches, and stems, all of which are areas where most carbon is stored. These calculations will “act as a proxy for carbon storage” to gain more clarity about carbon stock, which is particularly important amid the deforestation and degradation happening around the globe. “With Biomass, we are poised to gain vital new data on how much carbon is stored in the world’s forests, helping to fill key gaps in our knowledge of the carbon cycle and, ultimately, Earth’s climate system,” said Simonetta Cheli, the ESA’s director of Earth observation programs. Watch the satellite blast into orbit.
Global Good
🇨🇭 Switzerland is testing a removable solar power system on the unused space between railroad tracks (read more)
🇯🇵 A trading card game featuring local middle-aged men is breathing new life into a rural Japanese town (read more)
🇬🇧 “Fridge-free” vaccines are being tested in the U.K. to reduce waste and better serve remote communities (read more)
🇮🇹 This papal tailor in Rome is keeping very busy in anticipation of the new pope announcement (read more)
🇮🇳 India is playing a big role in bringing the world’s largest nuclear fusion project closer to completion (read more)
Organization We Love
CASA CASA, a nationwide organization with state and local chapters, trains civilians to act as court appointed advocates for kids in the foster care system. These advocates are essential; they’re sometimes the only people in the children’s lives who aren’t paid to look out for them. I’ve been one to the same girl for six years and the experience has been one of the most rewarding of my life. If you’re not able to sign up to volunteer, CASA also accepts donations — the organization recently lost some critical funding, so your support is needed more than ever. – Rebekah Brandes, Assistant Editor
Nice News’ first book club meeting on April 3 was a smashing success, so we can’t wait to bring you another one. On May 6 at 5 p.m. ET, we’ll host a conversation with Stephanie Harrison, author of New Happy. Harrison will help you learn how to break free from the old definition of happiness (one rooted in achievement, comparison, and constant striving) and embrace a new, research-backed path to deeper joy, meaning, and connection. It’s free to join — and you don’t have to read the book beforehand!
When a mural of Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna was vandalized in downtown Los Angeles, Laker Luka Dončić didn’t skip a beat in doing something about it. The Slovenian basketball player donated $5,000 to a GoFundMe posted by the artists who originally painted the mural, immediately fulfilling the fundraising goal. While Dončić never played alongside Bryant, it’s clear the late sports icon made quite the impact. “Kobe is LA. He and Gigi mean so much to this city, to the Lakers organization, and to me personally,” Dončić said in a statement. “I’m happy to do anything to help make sure he and his daughter are honored.”
Photo of the Day
NASA
NASA astronauts Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers — seen upside down here — completed the fifth-ever all-female spacewalk yesterday. The duo emerged from the International Space Station around 9 a.m. ET and spent over five hours preparing the station for a new set of solar panels and repairing a communications antenna. All in a day’s work!
Brad’s Deals: Get the Most out of Amazon Prime With These Hidden Perks
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Up This Weekend
Star Wars Day: Sunday is May 4, as in “May the Fourth be with you,” and there are plenty of events going on around the country for fans of the franchise — you can even get freebies at select Lego stores
Tulip Time: The annual festival in Holland, Michigan, is a celebration of tulips and Dutch heritage, and it starts today
Cinco de Mayo: The Mexican holiday is officially on Monday, but the festivities have already begun (as have the restaurant deals)
The Nice News merch collaboration with Because Weekend is all about celebrating optimism and making every day feel like the weekend. To help us spread that ethos beyond the inbox, shop our collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts here.
