For the first time ever, a successful treatment has been found for the devastating brain disease, Huntington's. The inherited condition, which resembles a combination of dementia, Parkinson's and motor neurone disease, affects hundreds of thousands of people in the US and Europe. The scientists who developed the new gene therapy, and people who have the disease, say its a huge breakthrough that could give people a better quality of life for decades.

Also: we meet the teacher who's launched a Happiness Project to help her pupils learn about what really matters, and is encouraging others to do the same. We find out about the small actions that have transformed how people feel about a living in a huge public housing complex in Mumbai, bringing a true sense of community. It's Fat Bear Week in Alaska - a time to celebrate weight gain as the beautiful inhabitants of Katmai National Park prepare to hibernate. Plus a new way to bring more poetry into your life; the dogs getting to swim in German public pools; and the man cycling hundreds of miles dressed as a paramedic gorilla. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Oliver Conway. Music composed by Iona Hampson

A nurse in the US state of Kentucky has gone viral after she saved a baby raccoon who became 'drunk' on fermented fruit. The cub had passed out after eating peaches, thrown away by a distillery.

Also: we hear from Bárbara Hernández, a cold water swimmer from Chile, known as the Ice Mermaid. She's front crawled her way to a Guinness World Record, completing the farthest ice swim ever by a woman. Plus, the man recreating a childhood photo, the 81-year-old woman who planted 4,000 trees; and Carlos Acosta on his latest milestone. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

Presenter: Paul Moss. Music composed by Iona Hampson

A man who survived alone on a glacier for six days after a near death fall says it's made him appreciate what really matters. Alec Luhn slipped during a solo hike after deciding to mend his broken shoe with tape, rather than turn back. He says his only regret would have been not spending more time with his family, and urges others to understand how fragile life is. Also: a rare discovery of a huge store of fresh drinking water, deep under the Atlantic Ocean, that could help tackle the mounting global shortages. The vaccine being rolled out to protect Australia's much loved koalas from a disease that's threatening their survival. How a new farming method can boost food production in Malawi -- with help from a solar-powered tractor. Why thousands of single people have put down their dating apps and flocked to the small Irish town of Lisdoonvarna in the hope of finding love the old-fashioned way. Plus, the female iguana who's had eight babies - despite never having been in contact with a male. The process, known as parthenogenesis, is extremely rare. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

A new blood test could dramatically improve survival rates for women with ovarian cancer by detecting it much sooner. The researchers tell us it's a game changer that could go on to save tens of thousands of lives around the world every year. Also: we meet the female Muslim jockey breaking new ground and inspiring the next generation. Khadijah Mellah has just made her amateur debut. Plus the woman who underwent a rare triple organ transplant talks about the joy of getting back to normal life; how a hand-cranked washing machine is saving thousands of people from hours of back breaking work; football's Homeless World Cup; and why a member of indie band Kasabian is opening a new music venue in a tiny Welsh town. Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

After China's President Xi welcomed North Korea's leader Kim Jong Un and Russia's Vladimir Putin to Beijing: we ask what do Western nations make of this show of strength?

In this special edition, Celia Hatton is joined by our correspondents across the globe to discuss the reaction to the military parade. China marked the anniversary of the end of World War Two by showing off its next generation of cutting edge weaponry.

We ask if the alliance between the three nuclear armed leaders poses a real threat to the West?

We meet the woman sending hugs from Texas in the form of a quilt. Connie Kortz set up a network of volunteer quilters, who make them for people who are in need. Called 'Hugs from Texas' -- the group donated quilted blankets to the families affected by the devastating floods earlier this year.

Also, find out about the traditional ceremony that takes place for the first time a baby laughs. We go to the football match between Dulwich Hamlet FC and Altonaer which is celebrating 100 years of friendship.

The Happy Pod is our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

We hear about the Dad Letter Project which was set up by a father and daughter in the US to send handwritten notes of love and support to people all over the world. Rosie wants to share her treasured experience of receiving letters from her dad Buz when she was growing up. They've already had thousand of requests, often from young women who've lost their own fathers and need advice -- or just for somoene to say they're proud of them. Also we meet Logie the litter picking dog, who's helping clean up our oceans by swimming out to fetch plastic bottles and other rubbish. We find out how cooking classes taught by refugees are helping them learn new skills and build closer ties with their new communities; why knitting and other-old fashioned hobbies are gaining popularity among Gen Z; and what a difference a local shop can have in a remote community.

Our weekly collection of inspiring, uplifting and happy news from around the world.

In the Swiss mountains, handwritten notes left on mountain peaks have been turning scenic climbs into unexpected matchmaking journeys, bringing nature lovers together one hike at a time.

Dubbed “Mountain Tinder”, couples are meeting through notebooks tucked into mountaintop letterboxes. The movement is spreading beyond Switzerland, inspiring similar efforts as far away as Argentina. With no swipes or algorithms, it’s a love story written in the clouds.

Also: the couple in Tasmania who have taken tackling homelessness into their own hands; a group of actors who bring the joy of theatre to remote communities in Finland -- by touring on a boat; and how Strictly Come Dancing's first celebrity with Down's Syndrome is inspiring others.

We hear how a woman helped save one of India's rarest birds by holding baby showers to celebrate the arrival of their chicks. Thousands have now joined Purnima Devi Barman's Hargila Army, which campaigns to protect adjutant storks and guards their nests. Also: a chef stranded on the cargo ship, Avontuur, for months during the pandemic says inner strength can turn a challenge into an opportunity; the volunteers helping older people feel the wind in their hair on cycle rides; the baby found at a train station who's inspired a song; and the huge range of unique moves that keep cockatoos dancing.

Presenter: Nick Miles Music: Iona Hampson.

(Picture credit: Getty Images)

Meet the charity which is providing free breakfasts for three million children across sixteen countries. We visit a school to see how Mary's Meals is helping children to focus on learning. Their biggest programme is in Malawi in south-east Africa, and for many students there, it's a reason to stay in school.

Also on the podcast, we hear from the micro-farm in Montreal growing fruit and veg for local people on low incomes. Plus a social club trying to combat loneliness in Venezuela by bringing elderly people together for a dance, and the Italians coming together to save a tiny island from developers.

The Happy Pod, our weekly collection of uplifting and inspiring stories from around the world. Part of the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service.

Presenter: Ankur Desai. Music composed by Iona Hampson.

The street musician whose dream of seeing Oasis came true, thanks to a stranger. He says people should never give up. Also: an amazing survival story; hope for better cancer treatment; and a very slow world championship.

We meet some of the swimmers participating in this year's swim across the Arctic Circle. Also, the groundbreaking science behind three parent babies, and the grandchildren available for hire in Bulgaria.