News
Britain’s loneliest sheep becomes a mother to first set of lambs
In 2023, Fiona made headlines following her rescue from the base of a steep cliff, and she has now given birth to twins at a farm park located in southern Scotland.
A sheep that was once considered Britain's loneliest has become a mother for the first time, giving birth to twins.
In October 2023, a kayaker spotted the sheep, later named Fiona, stranded at the base of a steep cliff near the Cromarty Firth, prompting a rescue effort.
Following her rescue, Fiona was relocated to Dalscone Farm in Dumfries, Scotland, where she has been residing for over two years.
The farm recently announced that Fiona had become pregnant, and she has now given birth to a male and a female lamb, with names yet to be decided.
Fiona's name is a reference to the animated character from the movie Shrek, as she was named after the on-screen wife of the titular character, following a similar story about a lonely sheep in New Zealand.
Cammy Wilson, the professional shearer who led the rescue operation, revealed that the New Zealand sheep was named after Shrek, leading to the decision to name the Scottish sheep Fiona.
Upon her arrival at Dalscone Farm, Fiona was not in optimal condition and was also significantly overweight, requiring time to recover.
After a period of care and rehabilitation, farm staff determined that Fiona was healthy enough to become a mother, and the decision was made to allow her to give birth.
According to Ben Best, the farmer at Dalscone, the birth process was relatively smooth.
In an interview with BBC Radio Scotland's Breakfast program, Ben stated that "the birth went very well" and that the lambs are "doing fantastic".
While there were some challenges, the lambs were delivered naturally, and both are healthy and thriving.
The farm has not yet chosen names for the lambs, with Ben saying "we are brainstorming" for the perfect names.
Ben expressed his delight at the birth of the twins, saying "we have a little boy and a little girl, which is kind of perfect".
The birth of the lambs has sparked suggestions for names, including references to the movie Shrek.
In the Shrek franchise, the characters Shrek and Fiona have triplets named Fergus, Farkle, and Felicia, which may inspire the naming of the real-life lambs.
Ben explained that the decision to breed Fiona was partly due to her struggles to interact with other sheep at the farm.
Despite efforts to socialize her, Fiona never fully integrated with the other sheep, leading the farm to consider giving her a chance to form a bond with her own lambs.
Ben admitted that Fiona's inability to connect with other sheep was a significant factor in the decision to allow her to become a mother.
The farm's goal was to provide Fiona with her own "little family" and help her form a strong bond with her offspring.
Initially, there were concerns about how Fiona would react to her new role as a mother, but she quickly formed a strong bond with her lambs.
Ben reported that Fiona "took to them straight away" and has been caring for them with affection.
The strong bond between Fiona and her lambs has validated the farm's decision to allow her to become a mother.
Witnessing the love and care that Fiona has for her lambs has been a rewarding experience for the farm staff.
Since Fiona's arrival in 2023, the farm has been sharing updates on her progress through social media, keeping followers informed about her journey.
In addition to her new role as a mother, Fiona has also been involved in a mental health awareness campaign focused on addressing loneliness in the farming community.
As Fiona embarks on this new chapter in her life, she has a new role to look forward to, one that will undoubtedly bring her joy and companionship.
Entertainment And Arts
Spielberg Contributes $25,000 to Van Der Beek’s $2 Million Crowdfunding Campaign
The relatives of the deceased actor, known for his role in Dawson’s Creek, have expressed gratitude to those who contributed to the $2m fund.
A donation of $25,000 (£21,000) has been made by film director Steven Spielberg and his wife, Kate Capshaw, to a GoFundMe campaign that has raised over $2m (£1.6m) for the family of late actor James Van Der Beek.
Van Der Beek, who passed away at the age of 48, is survived by his wife Kimberly and their six children, and the crowdfunding effort to support his family has now exceeded its initial target of $2m.
Other notable donors include Oscar-winning actress Zoe Saldana, who contributed $2,500 (£2,108), and director Jon M Chu, who gave $10,000 (£8,432) to the cause.
A statement from the organizers of the fundraiser, Friends of the Van Der Beek family, expressed gratitude to all contributors, stating that their support is deeply appreciated.
The statement highlighted the significance of the donations, saying that the kindness shown by contributors is beyond words.
It also noted that the outpouring of support has been a source of comfort during a difficult time, serving as a reminder of the power of love, community, and the enduring legacy of James Van Der Beek.
Van Der Beek was perhaps best known for his starring role in the popular US teen drama series Dawson's Creek, which aired from 1998 to 2003, although he remained associated with the show until 2023.
Although Van Der Beek and Spielberg never collaborated on a project, the late actor's character in Dawson's Creek was a fan of Spielberg's work, with posters of films like ET and Schindler's List featured in his bedroom.
At a Dawson's Creek cast reunion event last year, Spielberg paid tribute to Van Der Beek by sending a video message.
In the message, Spielberg said, "Dawson, you made it," and jokingly added that he hoped to one day have a room like Dawson's, filled with memorabilia from his films.
Van Der Beek passed away on Wednesday after a battle with bowel cancer.
He had been dealing with the diagnosis since August 2023 and publicly disclosed his condition in November 2024.
The GoFundMe campaign was launched to help the family with medical expenses, which had depleted their funds.
The statement from the organizers concluded by saying that the family is currently taking time to grieve and be together, and thanked everyone for their compassionate and generous support in honoring James Van Der Beek's life.
News
Zimbabwe Shocks Australia with Muzarabani’s Exceptional Performance
Zimbabwe secured a stunning 23-run victory over Australia in the T20 World Cup, with Blessing Muzarabani playing a key role by taking 4-17.
In the current T20 world rankings, Zimbabwe occupies the 12th position.
The Men's T20 World Cup is underway in Group B at Colombo.
Zimbabwe's innings concluded at 169-2 after 20 overs, with Bennett scoring an unbeaten 64 off 56 deliveries, while Green claimed 1-6.
Australia's reply ended at 146 after 19.3 overs, as Renshaw top-scored with 65 off 44 balls, and Muzarabani took 4-17.
The match resulted in a 23-run victory for Zimbabwe.
A standout performance from Blessing Muzarabani, who took 4-17, helped Zimbabwe secure a thrilling 23-run win over Australia in the T20 World Cup.
After being set a target of 170, Australia found themselves in trouble at 29-4, but a 77-run partnership between Matthew Renshaw and Glenn Maxwell for the fifth wicket gave them hope.
With 34 runs needed from the last two overs, Renshaw's dismissal for 65, caught off Muzarabani with eight balls remaining, essentially sealed the game's outcome.
The result has left Group B finely balanced after two matches each, with Australia trailing Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka by two points, ahead of their meeting with Sri Lanka on Monday.
Initially, Zimbabwe's approach to batting first at the R. Premadasa Stadium appeared overly cautious.
Brian Bennett's innings of 64 not out from 56 balls, including seven fours, was played at a strike rate of 114.28, as he anchored the Zimbabwean batting.
In contrast, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Ryan Burl adopted a more aggressive approach, scoring 35 off 21 and 30 balls, respectively.
A late surge from Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza, who scored 25 off 13 balls, including the team's only six on the final ball, provided a boost to their total.
Australia's target seemed achievable, given their total of 182-6 in their previous win against Ireland.
However, the Australian batting line-up was severely dented by the loss of key wickets, including Josh Inglis, Travis Head, Cameron Green, and Tim David, courtesy of Muzarabani and Brad Evans.
A partnership between Renshaw and Maxwell offered some respite, but when Maxwell fell for 31, dragged on to Burl, the pressure mounted on Australia.
Muzarabani's return to bowl the penultimate over proved decisive, as he removed Renshaw, and Zimbabwe subsequently wrapped up the win.
There are calls for the ICC to review the rules regarding 12th men.
For more information, including notifications and social media updates, visit BBC Sport.
A blogger who participates in the FPL is also competing in the T20 World Cup.
News
FA Cup Finalists Outside the Big Six Since 2008
As the FA Cup resumes this weekend, assess your understanding of past finalists that have competed from beyond the Premier League’s top six clubs.
This weekend, the FA Cup resumes with 32 teams remaining in contention for the historic trophy, which has been awarded for 155 years and will be presented to the winner in May.
Historically, the Premier League's top six clubs – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, and Tottenham – have dominated the FA Cup, claiming 32 titles out of the last 37.
However, in recent years, teams outside of this elite group have experienced some notable victories in the competition.
Since 2008, 10 teams from outside the traditional 'big six' have advanced to the FA Cup final – can you identify all of them?
For more quizzes, visit our Football Quizzes and Sports Quizzes sections, where you can also subscribe to receive the latest quizzes directly on your device.
We have a quiz question tailored to each Premier League team – test your knowledge and see how you score.
Can you recall every team that has won the Women's Champions League?
Which players have made the most appearances in the Premier League – can you name them all?
Explore our Sports Quizzes page for a wide range of challenging and engaging quizzes.
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