#075 - The Best News of Last Week - February 27, 2023
🐈 - Do you know Gacek, the most famous cat in Poland?
Hey there! It's Erica here, and I'm excited to share with you some of the most uplifting news stories of the week. In a world that can sometimes seem filled with negativity, it's important to focus on the positive and find inspiration in the good things that are happening around us. Let's dive into this week's collection of wholesome news!
3. 8-year-old boy missing from Washington state for 8 months is found in Missouri
A boy who has been missing from Washington state since at least mid-June was found safe in Missouri, the FBI office in Seattle said Tuesday.
Authorities said 8-year-old Breadson John had vanished by June 17, when a welfare check at his home in Vancouver, Washington, just across the state line from Oregon, determined his absence.
2. World’s biggest four-day working week trial hailed a ‘major breakthrough’
The trial of a four-day working week in the UK, the largest of its kind in the world, has been celebrated as a “major breakthrough” after the majority of participating companies announced their intention to continue with the shorter week.
The trial, which ran for six months from June last year, required firms to reduce their working hours for all employees by 20 per cent without any reduction in wages.
At least 56 out of the 61 companies confirmed they will continue with the four-day working week, while 18 of them have made the policy a permanent change.
3. This dying baby turtle survived after drifting 4,000 miles to Ireland
A family strolling on a beach in Ireland earlier this month spotted a seafarer that had washed up on the rocks. Less than a year old, the female loggerhead survived a months-long journey across the Atlantic Ocean, teeming with dangers including predators and plastic. Although she was still alive, the turtle was dehydrated, massively underweight.
They called her Cróga, the Irish word for “brave.” After finding Cróga in the northwestern part of Ireland, the family called a few groups that rehabilitate whales and dolphins. There, Cróga’s rehabilitation began.
4. A Hernando toddler found alive after being missing for nearly 24 hours
A 2-year-old boy was lost in the Florida woods for 24 hours. Everyone feared the worst. Hundreds of volunteers came out to look for him.
One volunteer came to a fork in a field: right or left? He trusted his gut, went left and soon heard a whimper. It was the little boy, crying but in good health.
I found something interesting while reading this article: If you are part of a SAR team looking for a child to not only call their name but also that they aren’t in trouble. Young children sometimes hide from potential rescuers because they’re afraid they’ll get in trouble.
5. German man remains free of the HIV virus years after receiving stem cell treatment.
Researchers are announcing that a 53-year-old man in Germany has been cured of HIV.
Referred to as "the Dusseldorf patient" to protect his privacy, researchers said he is the fifth confirmed case of an HIV cure. Although the details of his successful treatment were first announced at a conference in 2019, researchers could not confirm he had been officially cured at that time. Today, researchers announced the Dusseldorf patient still has no detectable virus in his body, even after stopping his HIV medication four years ago.
6. South Korea court recognises same-sex couple rights for first time
A South Korean court has for the first time recognised the rights of a same-sex couple in the country. In a landmark ruling, the Seoul High Court found a government health insurer did owe coverage to the spouse of a customer after the firm withdrew it when it found out the pair were gay.
The men had held a wedding ceremony in 2019, but same-sex marriage is not recognised in South Korea.
Activists say the ruling is a leap forward for LGBT rights in the country.
7. A fat cat has become the top-rated tourist attraction in a Polish city with a perfect 5-star average on Google Maps
A fat black-and-white cat called Gacek has become the top-rated tourist attraction in the Polish city of Szczecin.
Gacek has a perfect five-star rating on Google Maps. His name, pronounced gats-ek, means "long-eared bat" in Polish. Gacek first drew international attention when he appeared in a YouTube documentary in 2020
That's it for this week. If you liked this post you can support this newsletter with a small kofi donation:
Let's carry the positivity into next week and keep spreading the good news!