Chinese hermit couple

From the Manila Bulletin comes an article titled “Hermit couple lives in cave for 54 years”
describing a married couple living in a cave (in Nanchong, Sichuan province, China) for 54 years — so far. Liang Zifu and his wife, Li Suying, originally intended the move to the cave to be temporary, but they decided to stay and raise a family. Though of advanced age, they refuse to move out, despite the urging of their children and of the village. The village did concede to the couple’s presence and now provides them electricity and running water.

URL: http://www.mb.com.ph/hermit-couple-lives-in-cave-for-54-years/

New Swiss hermit for Verena

The Swiss town of Solothurn, maintaining the Verena Hermitage, has hired a new hermit after the departure of the previous hermit in February 2016, who complained of too much social interaction with visitors to the historic site. The new hermit is Michael Daum, a 55-year old German ex-policeman who studied theology and meditation after leaving law enforcement.

URLs: http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2016/09/27/hermit-switzerland-michael-daum/91164116/; http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/alpine-town-switzerland-hires-new-hermit-article-1.2810479

London hermit loses hut

London hermit Daniel Pike (https://hermitary.com/around/?p=1360) has lost his bid to keep his hut. As a Daily Mail byline notes:

Daniel Pike built his home in a forest on the outskirts of a north London from clay and other foraged items. 28-year-old lived there for four years after being made homeless but Woodland Trust demanded he leave. Today he watched in tears as structure was destroyed, leaving just a flat plot of land where it once stood. He was arrested for obstructing a court official as it happened and is now living in his mother’s house.

URL: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/video/news/video-1332003/Modern-day-hermit-s-handmade-home-destroyed-legal-battle.html; http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3800752/Modern-day-hermit-watches-tears-woodland-mud-hut-spent-four-years-building-finally-ripped-down.html; http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-37438541