Sunny Saturday News

Apr 25
3 min read

Updated: Apr 26

Celebrating the start of the weekend with a global selection of upbeat news nuggets.

Warhol's painting of Brigette Bardot with a luminous emerald palette and flash of cadmium red on the lips — Credit: Sotheby's

Bids For Bardot

Few images capture the intersection of art, celebrity, and cultural history as vividly as Andy Warhol’s portraits of Brigitte Bardot. In the mid 1960s, Brigitte Bardot and Gunter Sachs were the couple that embodied an era - one characterized by passion and joie de vivre. They set the stage for celebrity as we know it today, with their lifestyle alone embodying elegance and beauty around the world. Bardot and Sachs’s love story is enshrined in Warhol’s 1974 series of portraits. Sachs commissioned 8 paintings of Bardot, based on a breathtaking 1959 Richard Avedon photograph of the superstar. This portrait, defined by its luminous emerald palette and flash of cadmium red on the lips, reflects a relationship that shaped both the mythology of Bardot and the aesthetic of the late 1960s and early 1970s. It’s been held in the Gunter Sachs Collection for over 50 years and will make its auction debut at Sotheby's New York on 14 May with a top estimate of $18m.

mountain lion cub being fed milk by a staff member at Oakland Zoo — Credit: Oakland Zoo

TLC

Mountain lions (Puma concolor, cougars, pumas, among its many other names) are carnivorous, sharp-toothed and clawed big cats. They can be dangerous, but their cubs sure are adorable. And absolutely vulnerable, when left orphaned. Happily, two mountain lion cubs, Crimson (pictured) and Clover, are receiving some much-needed TLC at the Oakland Zoo. The little cubs were rescued in different parts of California after being found underweight and alone in the wild, without their mothers to teach them essential survival skills. Thankfully, they’re both well on their way to recovery. Though Crimson and Clover “come from different backgrounds, we’re hoping they’ll become the best of friends" says the zoo.

Going Bananas

A non-browning banana, the first new variety in 75 years, is coming to Brazil and Japan. The fruit’s “browning gene” has been turned off, so it stays fresher for longer and cuts food waste.

Single Banana Experiment: Researchers show how sad signs featuring single bananas can inspire customers to rescue overlooked produce, cut food waste and promote sustainability.

Scene from the new Michael Jackson biopic — Credit: Lionsgate

Record Breaker?

The upcoming Michael Jackson biopic - Michael - has its box office debut this weekend, projecting a $65 to $70 million US opening. If so, it will mark the top domestic opening for a musical biopic in US history, not accounting for inflation. The film, backed by the Jackson estate, depicts the late singer’s rise to fame from a member of the Jackson 5 in the 1960s to becoming the King of Pop. Michael Jackson holds the record for the bestselling album of all time, with the 1982 release of Thriller. The adult version of Jackson is played by his nephew, Jaafar Jackson, son of Jermaine Jackson.

No Smoking sign — Generational tobacco ban

Breath of Fresh Air

A landmark smoking bill recently passed through Britain's Parliament, banning all people born after 31 Dec 2008 from ever purchasing cigarettes and vape products in the U.K. In other words, individuals currently aged 17 or younger will never be permitted to buy such products - whether it’s their 18th or 80th birthday. The legislation aims to create a “smoke-free generation” - and eventually a smoke-free society. The proposal is expected to become law following the final formality of Royal Assent by King Charles III (who has previously expressed his approval) and would make the U.K. the second country worldwide to enforce a generational tobacco ban, after the Maldives.

Gas Trumped

He labelled wind and solar the “scam of the century” and pledged to “drill, baby, drill”, but despite Trump’s aggressive moves to stymie green energy, renewables overtook gas as the US’s leading source of electricity in March. In a first for the country, the combined might of wind, solar, hydropower and biomass produced more of the US’s electricity (35%) than gas (34%), analysis from Ember shows.

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” Arthur Ashe

On This Day

Cover of a first edition of 'Robinson Crusoe' in 1719

25 April 1719: Daniel Defoe publishes Robinson Crusoe, marking a milestone in literature often regarded as the first English novel due to its realistic style, adventure narrative, and profound influence. The novel was an immediate success.