Today's bundle of upbeat news from around the globe.
Image of the week: You’ve probably seen a volcano erupting before - but not like this. Drone pilot Bjorn Steinbekk made this video after Mount Fagradalsfjall, Iceland, began to erupt a few days ago. It was the first eruption of its kind at the site in more than 800 years.
Ghent Altarpiece: The world's most stolen artwork of all time now has a new €30m glass-case home.
Good news for Finland: it has been crowned the happiest country in the world for the fourth year running, by the UN World Happiness Report. Finns say that their happiness is due to the connection with nature and the outdoors with over 90 per cent of the country covered in either forest or water. Finland has 40 national parks and anyone living or visiting has the freedom to roam and enjoy outdoor pursuits regardless of who owns or occupies an area. It has also has three million saunas, which Finns believe are great for the mind and boosting happiness. Time to book for next year?!
Conservationists are creating ‘super highways’ for insects in the UK. The B-Lines network aims to join the dots between meadow habitats, enabling pollinators and other wildlife to move freely between them. The iniative has been launched by the charity BugLife.
Commission on Information Disorder: Prince Harry joins US initiative to tackle fake news. Whilst the Duke's burgeoning employment portfolio is probably why this story is garnering headlines in th UK, the CID's mission is serious and important.
Pubs that check covid status may be allowed to drop social distancing. Plan under consideration as Boris Johnson tells MPs landlords should set criteria for entry. Johnson says he believed covid certification had the backing of the British people who understood the need for protective measures, and suggested he backed a more wide-ranging use for vaccine passports, which a committee led by Michael Gove is currently investigating.
Animal feed made from CO2: Company has double mission - to capture carbon that would otherwise go into our atmosphere and also to provide a sustainable alternative to soy-based feedstock often linked to deforestation.
80 percent of the ocean is unmapped, says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Now, two former Navy Seals plans to build ‘Google Earth’ for the oceans. Texas start-up Terradepth aims to map the ocean floor with thousands of autonomous robotic submarines.
High school sweethearts: Adopted woman reunites biological parents after 50 years. One woman’s journey to uncover her past led to a future for reunited lovers.
Thanks to a reader for kindly sending us this photo of a small park in Paris yesterday afternoon. This is, apparently, the French version of lockdown, which they call 'confinement'. All the shops and bars are open too. Clearly, when the sun's out, liberté, égalité, fraternité trumps lockdown rules for Parisians.
Jinjing the Penguin: Jingjing swims 5,000 miles every year to visit the man who saved him. Extraording 3 minute tale...
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