Good News

BULLETIN 5 September 

Good afternoon, here is your Good News:

# We start at the Paralympic Games: Australian swimmer Alexa Leary broke the world record twice and claimed gold in the 100-meter freestyle S9, only three years after a horrific bicycle accident that altered her life. The 23-year-old fell off her bike at high speed while training for a triathlon in 2021, and suffered serious brain damage and several long-term injuries. Her parents were informed more than once she won’t survive, but a clairvoyant told them she would win Paralympic gold one day. Leary also won gold with the 100-meter relay team in Paris.

Also at the Games, the world’s second tallest man finally got a bed that fits him in Paris. Morteza Mehrzad, who stands 2.46-metres in his socks, is a member of Iran’s sitting volleyball team. The organisers did provide two extensions to his bed in the Olympic village, but it still didn’t fit him and he had to sleep on the floor. They now added more extensions. Mehrzad has the condition acromegaly, which causes excessive growth hormone, and a bicycle accident left his right leg shorter than the left.

# Back home: Cape Town’s Freedom To Wish initiative is now in its third year with this year’s theme being Tourism and Peace. The campaign invites Capetonians to nominate a loved one, or themselves, for an unforgettable experience, courtesy of Cape Town Tourism and the City of Cape Town. Mayoral committee member for Economic Growth, James Vos, says Freedom To Wish plays a vital role in strengthening local tourism and supporting small businesses within the sector:

​# This year’s an art-for-charity initiative, Night of a 1000 Drawings’ Johannesburg, will support charity organisations such as Lefika la Phodiso, Home of Hope for Girls, and SafeStudy. The general public, up-and-coming and recognised artists and designers are encouraged to create and donate A5 masterpieces. These can be doodles, sketches, paintings, or photographs. This year’s one-of-a-kind art pieces will be exhibited and sold for 200-rand each at the world’s biggest A5 art exhibition on Saturday.

# ​And finally, Todd Phillips’ musical sequel, Joker: Folie à Deux, starring Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix, received high praise at the Venice Film Festival, even earning an eleven-minute standing ovation. The film is the follow-up to Phillips’ 2019 film, Joker, which received eleven Oscar nominations with Phoenix winning best actor and original score for Hildur Guðnadóttir. It also became the sixth-highest-grossing film of the year. Joker: Folie à Deux is set to premiere in theatres on the fourth of October.

Stay tuned for more news………….