ICYMI: Feel-good stories from around the world

First woman, African to lead WTO

For the first time in history, the World Trade Organization (WTO) is set to be led by a woman. If confirmed to the position next week, Nigerian economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (pictured above) will also be the first African to become the organization's Secretary-General.

The Geneva-based global trade body has announced a special meeting of its General Council on Monday to decide who should take the helm, after going six months without a chief.

US President Joe Biden's administration offered its "strong support" to Okonjo-Iweala last week, marking yet another sharp split from Biden's predecessor Donald Trump, who had blocked her nomination for months.

Okonjo-Iweala was singled out in October as the best pick to lead the organization but Trump's administration backed her opponent, South Korea's trade minister Yoo Myung-hee.

But Seoul suddenly announced last week that Yoo was abandoning her bid, which paved the way for Okonjo-Iweala to be appointed to the role.

Twice Nigeria's finance minister and its first woman foreign minister, the 66-year-old is seen as a trailblazer in her country.

A development economist by training with degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, she also spent a quarter of a century working for the World Bank, rising to be managing director and running for the top role in 2012.

Briton becomes oldest to row solo across Atlantic 

A 70-year-old Briton has become the oldest person to complete a solo rowing race across the Atlantic Ocean.

Frank Rothwell spent 56 days, 2 hours and 41 minutes at sea, making the 3,000 miles (4,800 km) journey from the Canary Islands to Antigua.

The voyage, which is part of the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, is not for the fainthearted. However, Rothwell, an experienced sailor, took up the challenge to raise money for charity.

The senior citizen said he didn't expect to win but was surprised to come fourth out of eight.

"I was really happy that I came mid-table," said Rothwell.

The grandfather of three set up a Just Giving page for Alzheimer's Research UK, which has received 883,000 pounds (€1.09 million, $1.2 million) and he expects to hit the million pounds mark by the weekend.

"That would make a difference to people's lives," said Rothwell. The 70-year-old is a prostate cancer survivor who trained for months on the coast of Scotland.

Europe's oldest person beats COVID

Sister Andre, from Toulon in France, celebrated her 117th birthday on Thursday with a cake and a prayer after shrugging off the coronavirus just weeks earlier.

Andre is Europe's oldest person, having been born on February. 11, 1904, and having survived her first global pandemic — the Spanish flu — when she was a teenager.

Her brother was one of at least 50 million lives lost to the virus.

On Thursday, after a mass in her nursing home's private chapel, Andre sat serenely in her wheelchair, her hands clasped tight, as she received a blessing from the bishop of Toulon.

"I met all those that I loved and thanked God for giving them to me," said Lucile Randon, who took the name of Sister Andre when she joined a Catholic charitable order in 1944.

COVID-19 restrictions meant her family was unable to visit the blind but spirited nun. President Emmanuel Macron's office was among the callers who wished her well.

Ulm's homeless pods make international headlines

The German city of Ulm has set up night shelters with a difference to protect homeless people from freezing to death in the winter snow.

Dubbed the "Ulmer nests, " two prototype pods — made out of wood and steel and fully insulated — were installed in the city center last month, and have since received widespread international attention.

The pods, which can accommodate two people, are furnished with a bed, and fitted with sensors that are activated when they are in use.

If they are occupied, two local homeless charities are alerted. Their teams visit the pod the following day to offer support to the homeless person.

The shelters are designed for easy cleaning and the designers consulted with city officials to ensure they met fire safety rules.

Ulmer nests' Facebook page says its been inundated with requests for further information since the international media picked up on the story.

Homelessness remains a significant issue in Germany. According to a 2019 study, there were around 48,000 people sleeping rough on the streets, with hundreds of thousands more put up in temporary accommodation.

mm.dj (AFP, AP, Reuters)