Celebrating the start of the weekend with an uplifting collection of positive news nuggets.
World's Largest
Have you heard about India's Ayushman Bharat scheme? It's the world’s largest free healthcare program, covering 1,300 illnesses including cancer and heart disease. Since 2018 it has provided free treatment to over 500 million people via 154,000 health and wellness centres, and the government just increased its funding by 12 percent in the latest budget, reports The Dispatch.
Unique Solution
Florida principal Adam Lane’s unique solution to teacher shortages has kept classrooms filled, despite the pandemic. Four years ago, he began tapping into his alumni network and recruited students to become teachers and other staff while they’re still enrolled at Haines City High School. Today, 35 of the school’s 147 teachers are alumni, eight alums are part-time substitutes, three are classroom aides and three are secretaries. For Lane, recruitment starts by placing juniors and seniors in student aid positions working directly with teachers, custodians or secretaries. Then as they pursue their college degrees, he encourages them to take on substitute roles, and after college, they’re at the top of his list for full-time positions.
A Decade Quicker
Russia invaded Ukraine one year ago. If you would have predicted then that it would supercharge the green transition in Europe, your sanity would have been questioned. And yet that is exactly what has happened. While the war rolls on in Ukraine, Europe has managed to not only avoid the worst-case scenario of a winter filled with blackouts and deaths from cold, but also potentially, according to The Economist, knock “a full decade off the continent’s decarbonization timeline.”
Hats Off to Kols
A Latvian MP quoted Ukrainian Snake Island defenders - immortalised in a commemorative stamp - during a UN security meeting in Vienna telling Moscow delegates: “Russian warship go f--- yourself”. Rihards Kols said the presence of Russians during the European security meeting in Vienna was a "white elephant in the room" and that it was a "disgrace" they were allowed to attend the gathering. "It's a disgrace that this delegation is here," Mr Kols said. "Particularly the delegation that consists of members who are sanctioned individuals, who voted to annex an independent country's territories."
Olive Oil in Coffee?
Would you like cream or olive oil in your coffee? Well, the world's largest coffee chain Starbucks is launching a line of olive oil infused drinks in Italy. Yes, really. CEO Howard Schultz says olive oil's "unexpected, velvety, buttery flavour... enhanced the coffee and lingers beautifully on the palate. Now, there's going to be people who say, olive oil in coffee? But the proof is in the cup," Mr Schultz says. "In over 40 years, I can't remember a moment in time where I've been more excited, more enthused," he added. The firm plans to bring the selection of hot and iced drinks to stores in Southern California this spring, and the UK, Middle East and Japan are set to follow later this year.
Most Loved Cuisine
When it comes to the world’s most-loved cuisines, there are a few obvious favourites. There’s Italian, with its unbeatable pizza-pasta combo. Indian, with its dazzling and colourful sprawl. Mexican, with its spices and innovative presentations. French, with all its richness and refinement. But which cuisine is currently the world’s most popular? To find out, adventure holiday travel firm The Bucket List Company has looked at levels of engagement on social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram and Reddit. The eventual ranking wasn’t just based on the number of tags for each cuisine but the amount of positive interaction. And top of the pile came, drum roll please... Korean!
Conservation Success
After 25 years of effort, the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program is gaining momentum with the population doubling from 98 in 2015 to 196 last year. The increase gives wildlife officials hope that they will reach their goal of 320 Mexican wolves sustained for eight years across southern Arizona and New Mexico.
"Choose to be optimistic, it feels better."
Dalai Lama
On this Day
25 February 1870: American clergyman, educator, and politician Hiram Rhodes Revels was sworn in to the U.S. Senate, becoming the first African American to serve in the U.S. Congress.
A woman is turning old leather sofas into beautiful handbags to save them from the landfill - and they're flying off the shelves. Read on...
Publisher of Roald Dahl says it will produce uncensored versions of his books following a backlash over changes to his work. Read on...
Good Deed Rewarded: Granny finds $14,780 in cash beside the road walking to work, hands it in to the police, and gets $60,000 back. Read on...
Mood Booster
Watching images of nature has been shown to help our mental and physical wellbeing. So, sit back and breathe...