Today's collection of uplifting news nuggets.
Good news for the millions of fans of the hit show Friends. They're getting together again for the first time in nearly 20 years for an unscripted reunion that will air on HBO Max on 27 May. The show will include all six cast members - Jennifer Aniston, Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Matthew Perry, Matt LeBlanc and David Schwimmer. The series, about six pals that live in the same apartment complex in New York, aired from 1994 until 2004.
Yet another innovative planet-saving idea has been unveiled in the Netherlands: a hurricane-resistant floating solar farm that will help replace fossil fuels. The new solar power platform is making waves in the way we think about renewable energy, advancing a novel form of offshore floating array. Called the 'Demonstrator', it can even "withstand hurricane forces" that are likely to be experienced in and around places like Bermuda and Florida, and can be scaled up to cover vast areas of ocean.
Nicolai Tangen, the chief executive of the world’s largest wealth fund, is the 54 year old hedge fund star who manages the $1.3 trillion sovereign portfolio for Norway. He's recently redefined what it takes to invest well today. Greed is out, diversity and climate goals are in. The good news would be if others in similar positions were to pivot to the same view. Happily, a great many are!
England’s NHS app will be available to use as a vaccine passport from Monday - but only for those who have had both doses of the jab.
Joe Biden says 'great day for America' as US announces vaccinated people can stop wearing masks. CDC Director hails "exciting and powerful moment".
You may recall that NASA successfully landed a probe on an asteroid called Bennu last October, as it hurtled through space 200 million miles from Earth, in order to collect samples from its surface. And now, as Bennu passes closest to earth, the probe has powered away from the asteroid for its two and a half year journey back to Earth. Fingers crossed!
Electric cars and vans will be cheaper to produce than conventional, fossil fuel-powered vehicles by 2027, Bloomberg reports. Electric vehicles reaching price parity with the internal combustion engine is seen as a key milestone in the world's transition from burning fossil fuels. That's good news as road transport currently accounts for 15 percent of global carbon emissions.
Tesco, the UK’s largest supermarket, announced this week that it would no longer sell cans of beer or cider if they are held together by plastic rings or shrink wrap. It follows a move by Heineken to replace plastic rings with cardboard toppers.
Animal welfare campaigners claimed a major victory this week, as the UK government announced legislative reforms that will ban live animal exports, prohibit trophy hunting imports and formally recognise animals as sentient beings.
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Himalayan Snow Leopard
On the treacherous slopes of the Himalayas, no hunter other than the Snow Leopard would have a chance of catching such agile prey as the Markhor.