Ward: Good News

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‘It just went insane’: why the Christmas garland is making a comeback

The homemade velvet ribbon chain garland is one of the most popular home accessories this festive seasonChristmas is always the busiest time of year for Josie Rossington, 52, the owner of the Follie gift store on the edge of Lincoln town centre. Christmas cards and ornaments are ordinarily her best …

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What to read in 2026: recommendations from booksellers and publishers in Abuja, Nairobi and Brighton

A selection of the best Kenyan, Nigerian and black diaspora writing from 2025 – and some to look out for next yearFrom the richness of Nigeria’s modern literary scene, to the thriving publishing ecosystem of Kenya and the booming creativity coming from black British and African American writers, we …

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Yemen’s government, Houthis agree to exchange thousands of prisoners

Nearly 3,000 detainees to be released under latest prisoner swap deal reached during talks in Oman.

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The best board games to gift and play with the family for the 2025 holiday season

Once upon a time, a "board game" meant Monopoly or Risk. Then several brave souls dared to ask the question: "What if this was fun?" Thirty years later, we're blessed with tabletop games that challenge our minds, immerse us in other worlds and conjure good times with those we love — sometimes all th…

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The best subscription box gifts for 2025

Subscription boxes are the rare gift that keeps its charm long after the wrapping paper is gone. You make the choice once, but the surprises keep landing on their doorstep for months after that. For anyone who loves the buzz of a delivery, these are gifts that extend the season well past December. E…

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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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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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Should kids at least do a little bit of school work over the holidays?

As the summer holidays begin in Australia, parents may feel concerned their children will "forget how to spell their own names" during the long school break.

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The Latest Gaza Hostages Freed: Women Whose Hamas Warnings Were Ignored

The swap for four soldiers stationed on the border of the Gaza Strip at Nahal Oz follows 15 months of captivity and a campaign by their families.

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Hamas Releases Four Female Israeli Soldiers Under Gaza Cease-Fire Deal

The hostages are the second set to be released since the multiphase agreement came into effect, raising hopes for a lasting end to the war.

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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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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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‘Miracle’ of Zealandia: chick is born to rare takahē pair thought to be infertile

Unexpected arrival is a boon for birdlife in New Zealand, where there are only 500 takahē leftA pair of rare native New Zealand takahē birds who were believed infertile have stunned staff at the world’s largest urban eco-sanctuary, after hatching a “miracle” chick.The roughly seven-week old chick wa…

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‘Rare’ squirrels set free together after bonding at Florida hospital for injured wildlife

Big Cypress fox squirrels released as a pair to reduce stress and support natural behaviors during transition back into the wildTwo “rare and elusive” juvenile squirrels have a new home for the holidays after they were injured falling from their nests and spent several weeks in a Florida wildlife “r…

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