This 70-Year-Old Man Just Took a 40-Day Trip Around England for Charity

In an inspiring feat of determination, 70-year-old Stephen Chitty from Watford, Hertfordshire, embarked on a 40-day bus journey spanning the entire length of England to raise funds for the charity Mercy Ships. Covering 1,650 miles on 117 buses, Chitty's remarkable journey touched cities like Newcastle and Norwich. His effort, driven by his desire to mark his 70th birthday in a meaningful way and support a noble cause, has not only raised nearly £2,000 for Mercy Ships but has also demonstrated the kindness and generosity of strangers along the way.

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Retired Silversmith Turns Used Candles into Lifesaving Heat for War-Torn Ukraine

A retired silversmith from the UK has spent the last 18 months transforming discarded candle wax into a lifeline for people on the frontlines of the war in Ukraine. Mark Stevens, from Ludlow in Shropshire, has collected more than a thousand kilos of used candles from churches, cathedrals, and charity shops. He melts them down and recasts the wax into compact, portable stoves designed to provide both heat and light to Ukrainian civilians and military personnel living without electricity or heating. "It's the idea of being in a cold dark space with no light, no heat and it's something very simple," Stevens said. "People are throwing away candles every day so it's good recycling." The concept is simple but effective. A single wax stove can warm a room or a shelter, making a real difference for those facing harsh winters and frequent blackouts due to ongoing attacks on infrastructure. “This would heat a room,” Stevens explained, holding one of the candles. “It could be used in a shelter somewhere.” So far, Stevens has travelled to Ukraine four times to personally deliver the wax stoves and other supplies. He also ships them via a local charity. His efforts don’t stop at candles—he’s also helped supply generators and even vehicles to Ukrainians caught in the conflict. “It’s easy to ignore what’s going on on our doorstep and the destruction and the waste and the environmental hazard that is being created by a war,” he said. His work hasn’t gone unnoticed. Lesley Harling, a church warden at St Laurence’s in Ludlow, where Stevens collects many of his candles, called the project remarkable. “I think it's amazing. Apart from anything else, the sheer amount of work that goes into it.” The community of Ludlow has welcomed many Ukrainian refugees since the start of the war. Some now work at a café inside St Laurence’s Church. Yuliia Shapoval, one of the staff members, said Stevens’ actions have had a real emotional impact. “I really appreciate his work,” she said. “People need to feel like... somebody wants to help them.” Stevens continues to collect candle donations and encourages others to think about how simple, overlooked materials can be repurposed into something meaningful. In a war where supplies are often scarce and power outages common, a few ounces of wax and a wick can provide more than just heat—they offer hope, dignity, and a reminder that even small acts of kindness can reach across borders.

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Climate Change Is Coming for Your Coffee — But There’s a Plan to Save It

Coffee is in trouble. As global temperatures rise and weather patterns shift, nearly half of the world’s arabica coffee-growing regions could become unsuitable for cultivation by 2050. That’s not just bad news for morning routines. It's a looming crisis for the 25 million farmers and 100 million workers who rely on coffee for their livelihood — many of them earning just a few dollars a day. In countries like Burundi, where coffee makes up nearly 70 percent of exports, the stakes are even higher. “If half of global coffee goes bust … and millions of people go broke, it could trigger humanitarian disasters and maybe even civil unrest,” said Etelle Higonnet, founder and director of Coffee Watch. But there’s hope in an age-old technique: agroforestry. Instead of planting coffee as a monocrop, agroforestry mimics natural ecosystems by growing it alongside shade trees, fruit trees, and other crops. The result is a cooler, more stable microclimate that protects fragile coffee plants from temperature extremes, erratic rainfall, and soil degradation. Coffee, as Higonnet puts it, is “a very sensitive little plant.” It thrives in mountainous tropical areas but doesn’t cope well with too much heat or cold, or too much moisture or dryness. “It doesn’t like cold, but it doesn’t like hot. It doesn’t like dry, but it doesn’t like wet.” Agroforestry helps hit that elusive “Goldilocks zone,” while offering other benefits too. Healthier soils, greater biodiversity, and stronger yields are all part of the package. Companion crops can also provide food and income for growers, making farms more resilient. The challenge? Making sure farmers and governments know how to do it — and do it well. To solve that, Coffee Watch has launched what it says is the most comprehensive online library of agroforestry research ever assembled. It includes everything ever published on the topic and is freely available in multiple languages. “Companies don’t have to do a million stupid pilot projects and reinvent the wheel for 20 years that we don’t have,” Higonnet said. “They can just hoover up all this knowledge quickly, easily.” Guillermo Vargas Leitón, coordinator of education for agricultural sustainability at Café Monteverde in Costa Rica, called the move “a crucial step in ensuring that coffee farmers can find valuable data for their daily production needs.” Brazil and Vietnam together produce nearly half the world’s coffee — about a third and 18 percent respectively — but according to Higonnet, they’re not currently taking agroforestry seriously. “When those governments decide that they want to do agroforestry to climate-proof their coffee, save their economy and all those jobs … this [e-library] is there for them.” The initiative is not just about protecting plants. It’s about protecting people, economies, and entire regions that depend on the success of one of the world’s most beloved crops. And with time running out, the hope is that the Coffee Watch e-library helps fast-track the transition. Coffee may be a drink, but for millions, it’s also a lifeline.

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7-Year-Old Girl Hailed as Hero After Calling 911 When Dad Falls Unconscious

When Xavier Bates fell down the stairs and lost consciousness in his Lynwood, Illinois, home last week, help arrived faster than anyone could’ve expected — thanks to his 7-year-old daughter, Mia. The first grader didn’t panic. She grabbed the phone, called 911, and stayed on the line until paramedics arrived. “She’s a smart girl and brave,” said Bates, a 41-year-old railroad conductor. “She saved my life.” It happened on Wednesday, January 14. With Mia’s mom at work, Xavier was walking downstairs when he lost his footing. “I missed a foot or something and fell and hit my head,” he told WLS. He slammed his head on the stairs and collapsed, unconscious. Mia ran to his side. Seeing her father unresponsive, she acted immediately — dialing emergency services and giving clear instructions to the dispatcher. When paramedics arrived, she let them in and guided them to her dad. “It was, like, a little scary,” Mia said in a joint interview with her father. But she knew what mattered most. “He needed to go to a hospital where he could get better. I’m glad the ambulance helped him.” The Village of Lynwood praised her actions in a public statement, calling Mia’s “quick thinking” critical. “Her actions made all the difference,” they wrote. Mia plans to attend the next city council meeting to meet the paramedics who helped her dad. When asked how she feels about what she did, she put it simply: “I was brave.”

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Abandoned Overseas, Peamer the Kitten Finds New Life with Grieving U.S. Veteran

Peamer the kitten wasn’t supposed to survive. But thanks to a group of U.S. soldiers and a Vietnam War veteran halfway around the world, her story has turned into one of healing — for more than just her. She was born near a U.S. Army base in the Middle East alongside five siblings. Not long after, a wild animal attacked the feline family. The mother fled with four kittens, leaving behind Peamer and one sibling. Soldiers stationed at the base had been keeping an eye on the cat and her litter, and when they noticed the two tiny kittens had been left behind, they stepped in. The animals were too young to eat on their own, so the soldiers bottle-fed them in shifts. Despite their efforts, one of the kittens didn’t make it. But Peamer hung on. As she grew stronger, Peamer also formed bonds with the soldiers caring for her. But her health remained fragile, and the remote conditions offered few medical options. That’s when the soldiers reached out to Paws of War, a nonprofit that helps military members and veterans care for animals. The organization arranged for Peamer to be transported 16 hours across the region to the nearest veterinary hospital. Once there, she received weeks of medical care — all funded by the nonprofit — until she reached a healthy weight and was strong enough to travel. After making the long journey to the United States, the next step was to find Peamer a home. The soldiers had one request: that she be adopted by someone who would love and protect her. That someone turned out to be Anthony Bracchi, a U.S. Army veteran who had recently lost both his wife and his beloved cat. The grief had left him feeling hollow. “After losing my wife and my cat, the house was unbearably quiet,” Bracchi said. “Peamer didn’t just come into my life — she brought it back. I truly believe we found each other exactly when we were supposed to.” Paws of War arranged the introduction. The bond was instant. “She curled up with me right away,” Bracchi said. “I could feel her trust.” Robert Misseri, co-founder of Paws of War, said this was exactly the kind of connection the organization works to create. “They both needed each other,” he said. “There couldn’t be a better match than this, and we love that we were able to help play a role in making it happen.” Peamer now lives in comfort, far from the dangers she was born into. She sleeps beside Bracchi, curls up on his lap during the day, and fills the silence that once haunted his home. “She’s not just a cat,” Bracchi said. “She’s family.”

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This Teen Roadhouse Cook Just Rescued a Couple From a Car Wreck, and it Earned Him a Scholarship

Juan Mendoza didn’t plan on being a hero that day. But when he saw a car spinning out on a rain-slicked Texas highway, the 19-year-old cook didn’t hesitate. “I’m going to get them out,” Mendoza said, recalling the moment he saw the vehicle left stranded in the middle of the road. His first thought, he said, was about his younger siblings. “They could have kids. And that thought came into me, rushing.” Inside the damaged vehicle were 80-year-old Juan O’Matta and his wife, Adriana, who were driving home from a doctor’s appointment. Another car had slammed into them, spinning their vehicle across traffic. As smoke began to rise, dozens of drivers passed by — but only one person stopped. “Nobody stopped,” O’Matta said. “He was the only one who stopped.” Security footage from nearby shows Mendoza running toward the car, clearing debris, and helping the couple get out safely. At the time, the O’Mattas didn’t catch his name. They just knew a stranger had saved their lives. “He was there at the right moment that we needed him,” Adriana said. “That’s why I say he was my angel.” The couple’s story soon gained attention, and CBS News contributor David Begnaud helped track down Mendoza for a surprise reunion at the Texas Roadhouse restaurant where he works. The moment, filled with hugs and tears, brought closure for the O’Mattas — and something else for Mendoza. Justin Back, president of Acadian Ambulance Service, was there too. He had seen the video and recognized something special in the young man. “We’re always looking for people, good people, who want to help others,” Back said. “That takes a big heart. It also takes a lot of intelligence and a lot of courage.” Back offered Mendoza a full scholarship to attend EMT school and a job offer, conditional on his graduation. Then came one more surprise. Weslaco Mayor Adrian Gonzalez stepped forward and declared an official “Juan Mendoza Day,” thanking the young man publicly. “Thank you for being their guardian angel,” Gonzalez said. For Mendoza, who lives near the Mexico border and works long hours in the kitchen, the attention has been unexpected. But he credits his parents for teaching him what to do when others need help. “They teach me to be humble and to help anybody,” he said simply. That lesson, passed down quietly at home, may have made all the difference for a couple of strangers on a rainy highway.

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Terrified Abandoned Puppy Makes Miraculous Recovery And Finds Loving Home

They were dumped, disfigured, and left for dead. But now, they're living proof that love can heal almost anything. Earlier this year, a terrified Cane Corso puppy was found wandering near a frozen canal in Oldham, Greater Manchester. Her skin was bald, bleeding, and raw from constant scratching. At just 14 to 16 weeks old, she was in such a severe state that vets said her condition was among the worst they’d ever seen in a dog so young. She was rescued by a local dog warden near Chadderton Hall Park and brought to the RSPCA’s Greater Manchester Animal Hospital. Vets diagnosed her with demodex mange — a painful and disfiguring skin condition that can take months to recover from. They named her Perla. For months, she endured intensive treatments to calm the itching, soothe the sores, and begin to regrow her fur. Her transformation was remarkable. Now, she’s not only healthy — she’s home. “She’s settled in really well and is so relaxed here,” said Sandra Hollows, who adopted Perla after her recovery. “There are still some patches of scarring where the fur hasn't grown back, but Perla has shown such resilience and has so much love to give. I don't know how anyone could have abandoned her in that state, but we feel incredibly lucky to have her.” RSPCA inspector Jess Pierce led the investigation into Perla’s abandonment. “It was heartbreaking to see a puppy in such an appalling condition,” she said. “Her head and front legs were bald and bleeding. She was covered in painful sores and scabs. When I saw the pictures of how she looks today, I couldn’t quite believe it was her at first.” Perla isn’t the only dog to pull off a miraculous recovery. Earlier this year, another rescue dog named Lola was found in Durham with skin so badly damaged that RSPCA workers couldn’t tell what breed she was. Her rescuer described her as looking like she’d been “dipped in concrete” — her body caked in thick, scabby patches caused by untreated skin infections. Lola, a Japanese Akita, was found living in filth. She needed eight days of medicated baths under sedation just to ease the pain. After being transferred to the RSPCA’s Felledge Animal Centre for long-term care, she finally started to heal. Six months later, she found her match in Alison Ranger, 65, who was surprised to see Lola still waiting for a home. “I just felt it was meant to be,” she said. “Despite an initially aloof nature, Lola soon came out of her shell, embracing affection, treats, and walks. She has brought so much joy to our lives. She is perfect and fits into our life so well.” Other animals haven’t been as high-profile, but their stories are no less moving. In Birmingham, a young Staffordshire bull terrier cross was found dumped in a pile of fly-tipped rubbish. Despite being abandoned like trash, she greeted rescuers with a wagging tail. They named her Merry — a nod to her friendly spirit — and she’s now living with a family in Redditch, Worcestershire. And then there’s Boris. The three-and-a-half-year-old tabby cat came into care with a misshapen face caused by an infected eye and a badly damaged nose. But his new owners didn’t see an ugly duckling — they saw a survivor. Boris has since been adopted by a couple who fell for his gentle nature. All of these animals had one thing in common: they were abandoned when they needed help the most. And thanks to months of care, the work of rescuers, and the compassion of new families, they’ve all been given a second chance.

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Board Games Can Boost Young Children’s Math Skills, Study Finds

Playing board games like snakes and ladders could be doing more than just passing the time—it might be helping kids become better at math. New research shows that short sessions of "linear number board games"—where children move pieces along a numbered path—can significantly improve early math skills, including counting, number recognition, and understanding quantity. “We selected this topic because early math skills are a powerful predictor of children’s later success in school, and number board games are easy to use and affordable,” said Professor Gena Nelson from the University of Oregon’s College of Education. The findings come from a systematic review of 18 studies involving children from preschool age through to eight years old. Published in the Review of Educational Research, the analysis found a 76% chance that these kinds of games will help kids improve numeracy skills. Numeracy refers to a child’s ability to understand and work with numbers—for example, counting in order, knowing not to double-count, and understanding that the last number in a count represents the total number of items. “Brief play sessions with linear-number board games can meaningfully improve foundational early math skills,” Nelson said. The idea is simple: kids learn by playing. As they move game pieces forward, they practise one-to-one counting and begin to recognize number patterns and sequencing. Dr. Marah Sutherland, from the University of Oregon's Center on Teaching and Learning, said the research is especially promising for families and educators looking for low-cost, effective tools to support learning at home or in the classroom. The team is now applying what they learned to design a new set of educational games and materials tailored for children with disabilities. These include original board games, storybooks with math themes, and conversation prompts for parents of three- to five-year-olds. “Something that we learned from our meta-analysis was the need for early math activities to be highly adaptable based on children’s readiness for learning about different numbers,” Sutherland said. To that end, the games they’re developing include optional challenges and multiple levels that parents can adjust depending on their child’s current skills. So far, parents trying out the materials at home have responded positively. “The response from parents about using the adaptable maths activities at home with their children with diverse learning needs has been overwhelmingly positive,” Sutherland said. The takeaway? A few minutes of a simple board game can go a long way in laying the groundwork for math success later in life. And all it takes is a roll of the dice.

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Cree Woman's Taxi Provides Safe Haven For Indigenous Women In Crisis

The moment a woman steps into Regan Gamble’s taxi, something familiar happens. “The first question is, ‘Where are you from?’” she says. From there, the conversation flows naturally. Gamble, a member of Beardy’s and Okemasis First Nation in Saskatchewan, has built more than a taxi business—she’s building a network of trust. Her company, SheDrives, launched in Edmonton just before the holidays. In a short time, it’s already grown into something much bigger than she imagined. “I have that connection because of the experiences that I've had… whether they're a residential school survivor, whether they're a Sixties Scoop survivor, whether they're a survivor of violence of any sort,” Gamble said. SheDrives offers safe, women-only transportation for Indigenous women and others who simply want a more comfortable ride. Gamble knows what music to put on—be it Ernest Monias or Fawn Wood—but more importantly, she knows how to listen. It’s not just a ride. She offers companion services, too—driving elders to medical appointments, shopping on their behalf, and even sitting through court dates alongside domestic violence survivors. She’s driven women more than 400 kilometres from Edmonton and picked others up at RCMP detachments after assaults. “That is why SheDrives exists. For women in crisis,” she said. The idea came from her kokum, who struggled to find rides to get where she needed to go. “Anywhere we wanted to go, she had to phone somebody,” Gamble said. Now, women are calling Gamble. She’s received thank-you messages from people who haven’t even booked a ride. Women from the Northwest Territories are booking her services months in advance for trips into Edmonton. And she’s constantly working—sometimes from 7 a.m. until 3 a.m. Across the province in Grande Prairie, Angelika Urich knows the feeling. When she launched Women First in 2021, she was pregnant with her fifth child and working 18-hour days to get it running. “I kept seeing how badly women, children and seniors needed a safe, caring transportation service,” she said. Urich says she was taking job applications within a couple of weeks of launching. The business eventually switched from taxi to rideshare, allowing more flexibility and more drivers—all of them moms. “Our drivers are all moms with big hearts,” Urich said. “We pray in our cabs, we vent, we talk, we laugh. We’re like mothers… or sisters to the customers.” Both SheDrives and Women First were born out of the same need: safety. Gamble has heard horror stories from women who’ve had to jump out of moving vehicles after drivers refused to stop. Urich’s passengers have recounted similar experiences. The difference with these companies isn’t just who’s behind the wheel. It’s who’s in the passenger seat—and how they feel while they’re there. Now, both businesses are thinking bigger. Urich says Women First is looking for investors to help expand into 110 cities. Gamble is also looking to grow, hoping to bring on more drivers and serve even more women. “I’ve got really big dreams,” Gamble said. “This is just the beginning.”

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Swedish Steel Giant Begins €4.5 Billion Shift to Fossil-Free Production

A steel mill in northern Sweden is about to transform one of the world’s most polluting industries. SSAB, the country’s largest steel producer, is ditching coal-powered blast furnaces in Luleå and replacing them with a compact electric arc furnace powered entirely by fossil-free electricity. By the end of 2029, the company expects to be producing so-called “green steel”—a milestone that could cut Sweden’s total CO₂ emissions by 7 percent. “When we are building this new plant in Luleå, we will take away all of that coal and we will use fossil-free electricity instead to melt this scrap coming into the plant,” said Jonas Lövgren, head of SSAB’s production and processing department. Traditionally, steel is made by heating iron ore with coal and coke, a process that emits massive amounts of carbon dioxide. SSAB’s new method will rely on electricity instead, using recycled steel as raw material and removing coal entirely from the process. The Luleå site currently produces around 6,500 tonnes of steel per day—roughly equivalent to the weight of the Eiffel Tower. When the new plant is completed, it will produce even more, without the emissions. The transition doesn’t come cheap. SSAB has committed €4.5 billion to the project, most of it from its own funds. The European Union’s Just Transition Fund is contributing €71 million, some of which is earmarked for retraining workers. That retraining effort is already underway. “From today and until we are up and running with the new plant, all of these 1,100 people somehow need to be educated,” said Lövgren. “So first of all, we have started actually with electricians.” Victoria Blom is one of those workers. A former machinist at the Luleå plant, she was selected for an electrician training program through the SSAB Academy. Chosen from 60 applicants, she completed seven months of theory and hands-on learning. “You use both body and mind,” she said. “Problem solving starts with reading the plans, before going out to measure, check and observe with your own eyes.” SSAB’s shift to fossil-free steel is more than just a company milestone. It fits into Sweden’s broader climate agenda, which aims to hit carbon neutrality by 2045—five years ahead of the European Union’s 2050 target. Kristin Hedstöm, Programme Manager at the Swedish Agency for Economic and Regional Growth (Tillväxtverket), said the country has already cut emissions by nearly 30 percent since 2010. “The green transition in Sweden is happening in many, many ways,” she said. While Sweden positions itself as a leader in clean industry, the SSAB project is being closely watched across Europe. The steel sector is one of the continent’s biggest carbon emitters, and replicating Luleå’s model elsewhere could represent a turning point for heavy industry. By replacing fossil fuels with clean electricity, SSAB isn’t just building a new plant—it’s laying the groundwork for a greener industrial future.

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Researchers Identify Promising Drug Target for Schizophrenia, Anxiety, and Movement Disorders

A team of scientists at Johns Hopkins Medicine may have opened the door to a new generation of psychiatric and neurological treatments after discovering how to modulate a class of brain proteins long considered inactive. The proteins, called delta-type ionotropic glutamate receptors, or GluDs, help neurons communicate by regulating the flow of electrical signals in the brain. Although researchers have known about GluDs for years, they lacked a clear picture of how the proteins functioned—until now. “This class of protein has long been thought to be sitting dormant in the brain,” said Edward Twomey, assistant professor of biophysics and biophysical chemistry at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. “Our findings indicate they are very much active and offer a potential channel to develop new therapies.” The study, published in Nature, was funded in part by the National Institutes of Health and could lead to targeted treatments for conditions such as anxiety, schizophrenia, and cerebellar ataxia, a neurological disorder that affects movement and balance. Twomey’s team used cryo-electron microscopy, a powerful imaging tool, to observe the molecular structure of GluDs in unprecedented detail. What they saw was a central ion channel that manages the flow of charged particles, allowing GluDs to interact with neurotransmitters—key messengers that help brain cells communicate. “This process is fundamental for the formation of synapses, the connection point where cells communicate,” said Twomey. The implications go far beyond basic neuroscience. In patients with cerebellar ataxia, the research showed that GluDs become hyperactive even when there’s no electrical activity in the brain. That overactivity may disrupt motor control and balance. Twomey said the discovery could lead to medications that calm GluDs down—effectively “turning the volume down” on faulty signaling. The opposite appears to be true in schizophrenia. In that case, GluDs are underactive. “Future drugs could aim to boost their activity instead,” said Twomey. Because GluDs play a central role in synapse function, the research also raises the possibility of developing drugs that maintain or repair synapses over time—a potentially powerful approach to slowing cognitive decline and memory loss associated with aging. “Because GluDs directly regulate synapses, we could potentially develop a targeted drug for any condition where synapses malfunction,” Twomey said. The team is now looking to collaborate with pharmaceutical companies to develop therapies based on these findings. In parallel, they’re studying specific GluD mutations that have been linked to psychiatric conditions like anxiety and schizophrenia. Co-authors of the study include Haobo Wang, Fairine Ahmed, Jeffrey Khau, and Anish Kumar Mondal. The Johns Hopkins University has filed a patent on the techniques used to measure GluD activity. Funding support came from the NIH (R35GM154904), the Searle Scholars Program, and the Diana Helis Henry Medical Research Foundation.

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