Another day, another fun website to share with your friends. Today’s installment: My Local Art Store. It’s a searchable map of independent art supply sellers (and some art dealers). “Owned and operated by your neighbors — your local art store is about so much more than profit,” the site reads. “Indie art stores offer better products, better advice, and a deeper connection to your local art scene.” Check out the map to see if you have a shop near you.
Must Reads
Science is pretty: A roundup of spectacular images captured by scientists at work
Diver Captures First Underwater Footage of a Great White Shark in the Mediterranean
Derk Remmers / SWNS
A team of volunteer divers removing abandoned fishing nets from the Strait of Sicily last month came face-to-face with an adult great white shark. One crew member filmed the encounter, and the resulting recording — released Monday in honor of World Oceans Day — is thought to be the first underwater footage of the species in the Mediterranean. The mission was organized by the Healthy Seas Foundation in partnership with global nonprofit Ghost Diving and The Society for Documentation of Submerged Sites. The strait is both a biodiversity hotspot and a heavily exploited fishing area, so the orgs teamed up to recover old nets from a shipwreck and reduce the risk of animals getting trapped by discarded gear. Ghost Diving volunteer Derk Remmers captured the footage and photos of the great white, a once-in-a-lifetime experience given that the sharks are endangered in the Mediterranean. “Statistically, it is way more likely to win the lotto jackpot than to meet such an iconic animal underwater. You spend decades diving wrecks and removing ghost nets, but nothing prepares you for a moment like this,” Remmers said in a press release. See his footage.
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Post-Pandemic, Life Expectancy in Africa Is Bouncing Back
Alet Pretorius—Gallo Images/Getty Images
The average life expectancy in Africa is rebounding toward pre-pandemic levels, according to the United Nations’ latest World Health Statistics Report. The continental average is hovering at about 64 years — a notable rise from roughly 53 years in 2000 and a strong recovery from the COVID-19 health crisis. Other encouraging takeaways, per the World Health Organization: The African region achieved a 70% reduction in HIV and a 28% reduction in tuberculosis between 2010 and 2024, both faster than the global averages. The wins are largely attributed to improvements in childhood vaccinations, better HIV/AIDS management, and increased access to clean water, sanitation services, and clean cooking fuels, as well as a reduction in tobacco and alcohol consumption. The report notes that while these are “meaningful improvements,” more work is needed to achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. “These data tell a story of both progress and persistent inequality, with many people — especially women, children, and those in underserved communities — still denied the basic conditions for a healthy life,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a press release. “Investing in stronger, more equitable health systems, including resilient health data systems, is essential to target action, close gaps, and ensure accountability.”
Culture
Welcome to Repair Cafes, Where Volunteers Lend a Hand to Fix Items for Free
Jim West—UCG/Universal Images Group/Getty Images
Sometimes things are broken beyond repair, but often they just need a little rewiring, restitching, or a tweak here and there. That’s where Repair Cafes come to the rescue. Repair Cafe is an organization hosting free events where savvy volunteers — crocheters, engineers, mechanics, jacks-of-all-trades — help neighbors fix their belongings. The first one was held in the Netherlands in 2009 and the concept has since grown into a global nonprofit with more than 59,000 members, nearly 4,000 cafes, and 850,000 items fixed per year. The movement is part of a broader shift to a circular economy, in the same realm as “right to repair” legislation, tool-sharing libraries, and the Buy Nothing Project. And for every jacket zipper, necklace clasp, and torn stuffed animal fixed up, there’s also the owner of that item who got to see what can happen when we pause before throwing something that’s not working in the trash. “It gives people a chance to work together and extend the life of something,” Holly Shader, organizer of a recent repair event in New Paltz, New York, told the Associated Press. Find a Repair Cafe near you.
Global Good
🇮🇳 India gained over 5 million acres of dry woodland cover from 2014 to 2024, thanks in part to restoration efforts (read more) 🇿🇲 Zambia passed landmark legislation guaranteeing free public education for all children (read more) 🏴 In honor of the late and great Laurence Olivier, a blue plaque was added to his childhood home in London (read more) 🇧🇷 To prevent large wildfires in Brazil, government officials are taking a cue from Indigenous leaders (read more) 🏴 Fans helped name the first baby capybara born in Scotland in 18 years — learn the short and sweet moniker (read more)
Something We Love
Momentum Refresh Momentum Refresh brings “fully accessible, universally designed mobile restrooms” to different event venues and emergency scenarios. The rooms feature an overhead ceiling hoist, height adjustable adult changing tables, sinks, showers, and customizable grab bars, providing “a dignified and hygienic experience” to people with mobility challenges and caregivers. I discovered the org at a festival when I was looking for a place to change my baby’s diaper and thought of Nice News immediately! – Marika Spitulski, Writer
During a groundbreaking surgery at a hospital in Florida, Dr. Joseph Wasselle Sr. stopped by to observe none other than his son, Dr. Joseph Wasselle Jr., performing the procedure. He ended up scrubbing in to assist, making for a moment neither of them is bound to forget. “I am so proud of Joe — my son, my colleague,” said Wasselle Sr. See the duo.
Photo of the Day
Dan Kitwood/Getty Images
Barcelona sparkled for Pope Leo XIV. The pontiff visited Spain this week, marking the first papal trip to the country since Benedict XVI in 2011. Among his stops was the Sagrada Familia Basilica in Barcelona, where he inaugurated its newly completed spire with a solemn mass. The historic service on Wednesday coincided with the centennial of the death of visionary architect Antoni Gaudí, who spent over 40 years designing and directing the construction of the iconic cathedral. See footage from the mass, as well the drone and fireworks show that followed.
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Up This Weekend
Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival: Music fans are flocking to rural Tennessee for a weekend of camping and dancing at Bonnaroo, featuring headliners like The Strokes, Noah Kahan, and Kesha
World Blood Donor Day: If you’re looking to make a difference this weekend, consider signing up for a local blood drive in honor of World Blood Donor Day Sunday
Flag day: Sunday is also Flag Day, commemorating the anniversary of the United States adopting the Stars and Stripes as its official flag — learn the history
The Nice News merch collaboration with Because Weekend is all about celebrating optimism and making every day feel like the weekend. To help us spread that ethos beyond the inbox, shop our collection of T-shirts and sweatshirts here.
Odds & Ends
🐼 Twin red panda cubs on the way = double cuteness 🏀 Knicks in six in 2026? One fan predicted it — in 2020 💺 Enjoy the comforts of business class with discounts up to 77% off* 👨🏻💻 The man behind the algorithm, literally
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Quote of the Day
“Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher.”
