Good News Thursday: Philippines wins first gold in almost a century, elephant returns home
For the first time in almost a century the Philippines won a gold medal in the Olympics. Philippine weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz won her event by lifting a world record weight in the 55-kilogram category. But Diaz’s story is more than just barbells and dumbbells. As the fifth of sixth kids living in Zamboanga, she began her weightlifting career by lifting containers of water and boxes of vegetables for blocks. Despite others saying what she did was a man’s sport and could make getting pregnant difficult, she persisted. She even trained for the Olympics in Malaysia for the past year because of the pandemic.
Now she is back in her country for a seven-day quarantine before celebrating her win. A combination of Philippine officials and business owners offered her more than $800,000 in cash for her win. She has also been offered a new apartment, a vacation home, free flights for life, a car and free gas. The president of the Philippines also recorded a video message congratulating her.
Salon owner sells business for $1 to employee
Salon owner Pio Imperati hired Kathy Moura right out of technical high school 15 years ago. After giving her a chance at a chair in his salon, the 79-year-old is now selling his business to Moura for only a dollar. Imperati made the decision to sell the business for a dollar so the two would “remain friends.” Though Moura will pay rent to Imperati, he isn’t charging her for the tens of thousands worth of salon equipment most new salon owners are charged. Imperati will still be cutting hair in the salon as an independent contractor.
“We grew like a family. … That’s how he treats everyone who walks into the salon,” Moura said of Imperati. “Any person who works here, he wants you to flourish and become something of yourself.”
A group of elephants has been wandering around China’s provinces after leaving their home in a nature reserve. But one of the elephants lost their way from the herd and is now being returned to the sanctuary. The lone 10-year-old male elephant found his way closer to metropolitan areas. So authorities tranquilized and returned the elephant to his home to keep him and people living in those areas safe.
The group of wandering elephants has received international fame for their antics. Though no one has been hurt from their wandering in China, the elephants have eaten their fair share of crops. Sixteen elephants initially left the reserve with two returning on their own and one new elephant being born on the trek.