Ward: Good News

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Taylor Swift Donates $1 Million to Nonprofit Feeding America

Taylor Swift is ringing in the holiday cheer with a sizable donation of $1 million to Feeding America, a nonprofit network of 200 food banks combating hunger in the United States. The charity announced the donation on Instagram, thanking the singer for her act of altruism. “We are incredibly gratefu…

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8 Best Planners of 2026: Roterunner, Hobonichi, Kokuyo

Digital tools are not always superior. Here are some WIRED-tested paper agendas and notebooks to keep you on track.

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The Best Japanese Planners (2026): Hobonichi Techo, Kokuyo Jibun Techo

Are Japanese planners like the Hobonichi really better than American planners? Here’s where they differ and why you might want to switch.

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'A huge surprise': 1,500-year-old church found next to Zoroastrianism place of worship in Iraq

A 2,000-year-old palace in the Republic of Georgia and a 1,500-year-old church in Iraq suggest Zoroastrians coexisted with people of other religions.

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Betty Reid Soskin, oldest National Park Service ranger, dies at 104

Betty Reid Soskin, the beloved National Park ranger that long held the title as the eldest in the ranks, has died, her family confirmed.

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TSA predicts potentially record-breaking holiday travel season

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is prepared for a record-breaking holiday travel season, the agency noted Monday. TSA said in a press release that it is fully staffed and is ready to screen a projected 44.3 million travelers from Friday, Dec. 19 through Sunday, Jan. 4. The agency ex…

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Most Americans donated to charity in 2025: Poll

More than 6 in 10 U.S. adults have donated to charity in 2025, according to a new poll, with most Americans who plan to give doing so before the end of the year. The Associated Press-NORC survey, released Monday, found 46 percent of respondents have already made charitable donations in 2025, while a…

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A spectacular showcase of animal pictures from 2025

Our visual highlights from the animal world this year include a mouse caring for its companion, dolphins communicating in an unexpected way and a colossal squid caught on camera for the first time

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Powerball's Christmas Eve jackpot rises to about $1.7 billion

With no winner in Monday's drawing, the Powerball jackpot on Christmas Eve will be an estimated $1.7 billion.

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Nonstop laughing for 20 minutes: Japan’s ritual for good fortune

Every winter in Osaka, thousands gather at a temple to laugh—nonstop—for 20 minutes. Known as "Owarai Shinji", this rare ritual draws on ancient Japanese mythology, where laughter once brought the sun back to the world. More than humor, they see it as a disciplined act of unity, hope, and renewal.

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Bethlehem prepares for Christmas after two years of canceled celebrations

Christmas celebrations are back in Bethlehem after two years.

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Nigerians welcome 130 schoolchildren and teachers released after mass abduction

Nigerians on Monday got their first look at 130 children and teachers released after being seized in one of the largest mass abductions in the country's history. Some of the children appeared to be malnourished or in shock as they arrived at a government ceremony. Police said they were freed Sunday,…

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Taylor Swift Donates $1 Million to Help Feed Families in Need This Holiday Season

"Her generosity reminds us what’s possible when we come together," Feeding America said in a statement.

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From St Basil’s to Bondi: the brilliant ‘beaver’ supermoon – in pictures

The largest supermoon of the year, the so-called ‘beaver’ moon on Wednesday 4 November, was the biggest and brightest of 2025, just 357,000km from EarthWatch November’s ‘beaver’ supermoon rising over Sydney’s Bondi beach – videoGlowing September supermoon lights up the sky – in pictures Continue rea…

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Young care leavers in England to get free prescriptions, dental and eye services

Those under-25 to receive help while a pilot will trial paid internships in NHS and a guaranteed interview scheme Young people leaving care in England will receive free prescriptions, and dental and eye services up to their 25th birthday, the government has said.A pilot to trial paid internships for…

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There are reasons to be cheerful about UK plc in 2026. Here are four | Heather Stewart

Be it better prospects for consumer spending or the tentative signs of rising productivity, the doom and gloom of 2025 could be behind usStalling growth, sticky inflation and fragile bond markets, the UK’s economic record in 2025 has hardly been one to inspire cheer. But in the spirit of the festive…

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The Guardian view on hope: with your help, charities can help to repair the social fabric

Effective challenge to the alarming rise of far-right, anti-migrant politics starts with the grassrootsAusterity, cost of living pressures and a chronic lack of investment have damaged the physical and social fabric of some UK towns and neighbourhoods far more than others. In places where large numb…

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Freed Nigerian schoolchildren to be reunited with families

Month-long ordeal ends but no details released on how they regained their freedom or who was behind abductionA final group of 130 kidnapped Nigerian schoolchildren freed by the government on Sunday are expected to be reunited with their families in the central Niger state on Monday, ending a month-l…

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Manchester Museum seeks help to uncover hidden histories of African collection

New Africa Hub confronts colonial-era silences by asking visitors to share insights on 40,000 objectsIt’s a rare thing for a museum to talk about what it doesn’t know. But unanswered questions and archival silences are at the heart of the new Africa Hub at Manchester Museum, north-west England, whic…

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From Fashion to Food, These Popular Gift Cards Are Surprisingly Thoughtful (and Useful)

Avoid that awkward regifting situation and get them a gift card that they can redeem for something they'll actually want