Today's tasty bite-sized chunks of good news to help perk up the day.
Hats Off to Michelle
After rowing alone across the Pacific Ocean, dodging five hurricanes and four cyclones and surviving a shark leaping into her boat, Michelle Lee has finished her epic 240-day journey at the tropical north Queensland city of Cairns, Australia. Fanfare, loved ones, a stack of pancakes and a hot shower were awaiting – not to mention her first footsteps on dry land since she paddled out of Ensenada, Mexico, on 8 August last year. She's the first woman to row solo and unassisted across the Pacific. That's about 14,000km (8,700 miles)!
Carbon Negative Act
Many countries are putting forth considerable efforts to fight climate change and reach ambitious targets of net-zero emissions. However, Finland - officially the world's happiest country for the last 6 years in a row - has decided to take it up a notch. Finland’s parliament recently passed a new Climate Change Act which legally binds it to its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions by 2035 and negative emissions by 2040. This act makes it the first country to make a legally binding climate negativity pledge and will hopefully inspire other governments to do the same.
Daily Tipple
Good news for anyone who looks forward to a tipple at the end of the day – research has found that having one large glass of wine a day for women, or two for men, does not increase your risk of dying. Scientists from Canada reviewed data from more than 100 studies that included almost five million people and compared the risk of an early death, from any cause, with alcohol consumption.
'Consort' Dropped
Buckingham Palace has dropped Camilla’s “Consort” title from Coronation invitations, meaning she will now be known as the Queen. Friends of Camilla said it “made sense” to use Queen Consort for the past seven months to distinguish her from Queen Elizabeth II but argued that now is the time for change. After her “turbulent journey”, the “title of Queen is a fitting reward for her years of loyalty and devotion” says the Daily Mail.
Afghan Children
The BBC has launched a new education programme for children in Afghanistan who are banned from school. It is aimed at children aged 11 to 16, including girls whose secondary education has been stopped by the ruling Taliban. The weekly programme is called Dars, which means lesson in Dari and Pashto, Afghanistan's official languages.
Electric Lambo
Lamborghini's first electric car will be a 2+2 grand tourer, the Italian super-car company has announced. Lamborghini is planning to release it in 2028 and it's likely to be called the Estoque.
“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves; it is not my nature.” Jane Austen
On this Day
6 April 1896: Pierre, baron de Coubertin, a founder of the International Olympic Committee and its president from 1896 to 1925, realized his goal of reviving the Olympics when the first modern Games opened in Athens this day in 1896.
Virginia elementary school student has just reminded everyone that nobody is smarter than a fifth-grader after he spots an error in his class science book. Oops...
It's supposed to be a day when all the UK’s 38,000 church bells ring out to mark the coronation of Kings Charles, so they are racing to train campanologists. Read on...
Chocolate: The Good News. There's likely to be plenty of chocolate within easy reach this weekend, so here are a handful of health-related arguments for eating (more) chocolate.
Musical Mood Booster
Adele's beautiful love song: Someone Like You