John Rendall, who became famous for taking his pet lion on adventures around London in the 1960s, has died aged 76.

As he and his friend Anthony Bourke, visitors to London from Australia in 1969, were searching for holiday gifts, they came across a lovely lion cub (幼兽) for sale in the store of Harrods. They bought it and named it Christian. They looked after Christian in London for about a year, during which time an amazing bond formed between the two men and the lion. The three of them shared a flat over a furniture shop on London’s King’s Road, where cute and intelligent Christian quickly became a local celebrity, cruising (开车兜风) the streets in a Bentley, popping for lunch at a local restaurant, and even posing for a fashion advertisement.

In 1970, Christian outgrew Rendall’s flat and soon even the walled church garden where he went for exercise wasn’t large enough for him. They realized that their pet needed to live free in natural environment. At first, they planned to give Christian to Longleat Wildlife Park. However, later a coincidental meeting with English actor Virginia Mckenna, a star of the hit film “Born Free” led to Christian being flown to Kenya and placed under the expert care of “the father of lions” George Adamson, where he would introduce Christian to the wild. Rendall and Bourke spent several months with Christian, helping him adapt to the new environment, and then left unwillingly. A year later, they went back to Kenya, hoping to find the lion. When they finally found Christian, incredibly, Christian walked over slowly. Then suddenly he recognized them! He ran over and jumped up on them. They received a loving welcome from their lion, who had fit in with the wild in Africa.

Rendall and Bourke’s extraordinary reunion with Christian was filmed and is subject of a wonderful documentary and a book. The film of their reunion was found on a Japanese blog and posted on YouTube accompanied by I will Always love You, sung by Whitney Houston. The clip of the reunion was recently placed on YouTube and has received over 45 million hits.

On the busy streets of Shanghai, I encountered a dynamic display of culture that would forever shape my dance journey.   

It was in 2019, when I first arrived at Donghua University in Shanghai, that I discovered a local park filled with elderly people dancing in the early morning. It quickly became my favorite spot. I’d bring my coffee, watching them enjoy the rhythm of the music. There, no one judges you for a misstep or for not keeping up with the rhythm, You simply dance and enjoy the moment. It’s fascinating to see experienced dancers leading, while newcomers observe, learn, and eventually join in, just like me.   

Yet, my love for dance began at a very young age in Uzbekistan, where I was born and raised. Throughout my school years and later in college, I actively participated in a wide range of dances, among which my favorite is the Andijan Polka, a lively Uzbek folk dance that combines energetic movements with entertaining components. When I first arrived in China, I had the privilege of showcasing this dance at a cultural event for international students. It left a lasting impression. Later, at Donghua University, I eagerly joined a dance club, learning new dance forms and participating in university events.   

However, outside the campus, I often found myself wandering into the park, where this public activity, square dancing, goes beyond age and background, offering an antidote (解药) to the loneliness and physical inactivity that often accompanies aging. It was a heartwarming vibrancy (活力) of modern Chinese society: older people and retired people gather, not just to exercise, but to socialize and form new connections.

These two worlds－ the vibrant public dancing in China and the rich Uzbek dance tradition －have profoundly shaped my life and brought me boundless joy, which continues to be the rhythm of my life. In every step and movement, I find a connection to the diverse world of dance and a celebration of the universal language of joy, movement, and connection.

A teen had a 265-pound gift for his teacher if he could overcome his stage fright enough to pull it off. He succeeded — and the gift really brought home the bacon.

A shy 15-year-old boy was heartbroken to hear that his favorite teacher was retiring (退休). Kim — or “Miss K” as he called her — was stepping down from her position as an educator so she could devote her time to Beat Nb: a charity that raises money for medical research.

To help Miss K, Waylon decided to take the pig he'd raised and auction (拍卖) it off at the county fair and donate (捐赠) all the money — but after several people heard about his unselfishness, the auction took a very unexpected turn.

The boy had emailed his situation to several companies who would be buying — hoping they would bid (出价) higher than the usual price of $3-to-4 per pound. His plan worked. When the bidding kicked off, the price jumped to $11, but then one of the bidders, Dan, had an idea and struck a deal with his competition. He won the bidding on the pig, then he donated it back to be auctioned again. The second winner bought it for $10 a pound, but then he gave it back, too.

Finally，a third competitor, Dave Moll, was free to buy — then, he, too, unexpectedly donated the pig back — for a third time. Dave Moll, who is Waylon's father's employer, said, “I hadn't planned to spend that much money or give the pig back. But that's what the people ahead of me did, and I felt like it was the right thing to do, so I did.”

The pig was finally bought and sold a fourth time for $5.50 per pound，meaning that Waylon managed to raise $10, 070 for his teacher's charity. “I did not see that happening,” Waylon said. “Usually, they just sell it once! My dream got bigger and bigger every time they said, ‘Give it back.’”

“I'm so proud of him,” Miss K said. “He doesn't know the influence that he is having. Someday he will.”