We don’t know about you, but we’re craving some uplifting news bites at the moment! Here, we’ve rounded up some of the week’s weird, wonderful and happily hopeful stories from around the globe.
Resc-eweing Fiona
A sheep that was stranded at the bottom of some steep cliffs in the Highlands for around two years has finally been rescued by a group of farmers. The ewe, named Fiona in a nod to the famous runaway sheep in New Zealand called Shrek, now resides on a farm in Dumfries after a well overdue shearing, so you can even go and visit her if you wish! A fundraising appeal in her name has so far raised over £10,000 for the Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Royal Scottish Agricultural Benevolent Institution.
The United Repair Centre
London is following in the footsteps of a 2022 Amsterdam initiative which employs and trains people who find it difficult to find work, including refugees. The United Repair Centre in Haringey will help contribute to a more circular fashion industry too, by repairing clothing for Patagonia’s UK-based customers before expanding to other brands over the next year!
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A Kevin Bacon Sandwich
A Pennsylvanian pig called Kevin Bacon who escaped from his pen was successfully rescued with the help of the original Kevin Bacon. The Hollywood star — who actually owns goats and pigs himself — noticed a post about the footloose hog and shared it on his Threads feed to help get him home. Kevin Bacon II was eventually caught out by a sticky bun that was laced with a safe sedative, and has been happy enough at home ever since…
Chamber of Secrets
In 1530, Michelangelo went into hiding for two months in an annex beneath the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Florence. Pope Clement VII had sentenced the artist to death because of his involvement with the Republican government that led to the exile of the Medici Family. Luckily, the family forgave Michelangelo after a few weeks and he returned to his usual life and work. In 1975, the room where Michelangelo is believed to have stayed was discovered after being blocked by furniture, and beneath layers of plaster, incredible sketches thought to be drawn by the artist were revealed. The room is now open to visitors on a trial basis: only 100 tickets will be released per week and groups of only four are allowed in at any one time.
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Reef Relief
At a time when news concerning our planet all feels very gloomy, scientists have unearthed what feels like precious treasure in the Galapagos Islands. Two pristine, cold-water coral reefs thought to be thousands of years old have been found deep below the surface of the ocean, the larger of which spans 800 metres and the smaller, 250 metres. Following the discovery of another in April, this means there are three thriving ecosystems that weren’t even known to exist a year ago!
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And Finally…
A pensioner in Maidstone received a rather emu-sing ring doorbell notification when out for lunch with her daughter at the weekend. The camera showed a large emu prodding at her door with his beak. The pet bird, named Rodney, was rescued shortly after by his owners and the Old Bill…
