How These Church Choirs Are Tackling Loneliness in England's Care Homes

African church choirs are bringing joy to England's care homes and helping combat the epidemic of loneliness faced by elderly residents. Choir members are visiting care homes to perform for and with residents, sharing their culture, music, and stories with each other. A monthly dose of music has yielded heart-warming results, including residents standing up and joining in with the choir. This community-first remedy is boosting connectedness and reducing loneliness, as well as fostering improved health and wellbeing for all involved.

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Olympic torch begins symbolic journey across Italy ahead of Milan-Cortina 2026

The Olympic flame is officially on the move. On Friday, President Sergio Mattarella lit the Olympic brazier at Rome’s Stadio dei Marmi, marking the ceremonial start of the torch tour for the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Games. The flame will now travel across all 20 regions of Italy, visiting 110 provinces and several UNESCO World Heritage Sites before reaching Milan on 5 February, the eve of the Games. Calling for global peace in the spirit of the Olympics, President Mattarella underscored the values of unity and resilience that the flame represents. A powerful start in Rome The torch relay in Rome began on Saturday morning with a vibrant and emotional handoff between sporting legends. Olympic swimming champion Gregorio Paltrinieri kicked things off, followed by Olympic fencing gold medallist Elisa Di Francisca, and high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi. A particularly moving moment came when Achille Polonara, a professional basketball player currently battling myeloid leukaemia, took the flame and carried it out of the stadium to resounding applause. The relay continued across the capital, with torchbearers including Laura Lunetta, president of the Italian Dance Sport Federation, and Giovanni Malagò, head of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Foundation. At Piazza Cavour, tennis star Matteo Berrettini added his signature to the event. The torch then made its way to Castel Sant'Angelo, where it was greeted by basketball icon Gigi Datome, before reaching its final Roman stop at Piazza del Popolo on Saturday evening. What to expect from the torch tour Starting Sunday, the Olympic flame will be carried by 10,000 torchbearers over 63 days, weaving through Italy’s historic cities and countryside to build momentum ahead of the Winter Games. The tour aims to showcase the country’s cultural and regional diversity, making stops in every corner of the peninsula, from the Alpine north to the Mediterranean south. The Milan-Cortina 2026 torches themselves, called “Essential,” feature a minimalist design to highlight the flame at their core. They were produced by Eni in collaboration with Versalis, and are the first Olympic torches to earn ReMade class A certification — a recognition for their high content of recycled materials. The flame’s journey through Italy is not just a build-up to the Games but a celebration of Olympic ideals — friendship, respect, excellence, and hope — in a country preparing to host the world.

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Afghan Refugee Women in the U.S. are Carving Their Own Path in Soccer

By day, Sodaba Khinjani works at a dentist’s office in Houston. Rabia Yaqobi prepares food for customers. But after their shifts end, the two Afghan refugees lace up their boots and head to the soccer pitch, where they are rebuilding lives that were violently interrupted. They play for Houston Shine FC, a women’s team made up largely of Afghan players who fled their country after the United States withdrew in 2021 and the Taliban retook power. Soon after, the Taliban banned women from sports. “Everybody that was in sport, was in kill list of Taliban,” Khinjani said. She was only 14 when she was selected for the Afghan women’s national team. Training, however, happened in secret. “It was really hard, because I already lost my brother, the Taliban killed him, and they sent his dead body,” Khinjani said. For many female athletes, survival meant escape. FIFA helped arrange emergency visas that allowed some players to leave Afghanistan, but the cost was steep. Families were left behind, often still living under Taliban rule. Khinjani has not seen her family in four years. Houston Shine FC became a place where those losses are understood without explanation. Rachel Fabre, the team’s coach, said the players’ daily resilience is impossible to ignore. “The sheer magnitude, the trauma that they have been through to just get to this point here is massive,” Fabre said. The players’ lives in the United States are far from easy. Most work low-paying jobs while supporting relatives thousands of kilometres away. Sending money home is a constant obligation. “Sometimes I'm not eating, save money, send it [to] my mom because my mom needs it,” Yaqobi said. Still, soccer remains a grounding force. Practices and matches offer a sense of control that was stripped away when the Taliban outlawed women’s public participation in sports, education and many forms of work. In May, FIFA announced the creation of an Afghanistan women’s refugee team. The group would consist of players resettled in other countries, a move that allowed Afghan women to compete internationally again and raised hopes of a return to top-level competition at the 2027 Women’s FIFA World Cup. For players in Houston, the announcement felt like long-delayed recognition. That optimism dimmed in September. FIFA informed American-based players that they would not be invited to international training camps, which are required to evaluate players for the official squad. FIFA cited immigration and safety concerns, despite the fact that all Shine players hold US green cards. In a statement, FIFA said, “When it comes to players who are not selected for the inaugural squad, FIFA remains committed to providing opportunities to all players eligible for the Afghan Women United.” The decision frustrated players who believe their exclusion contradicts FIFA’s stated goal of inclusion and support. For many, soccer was never only about competition. It was an assertion of existence. Khinjani said she refuses to step aside quietly. “I will fight with FIFA. I will fight with Taliban. I will fight about my rights,” she said. For Fabre, the situation highlights the limits of symbolic support when structures do not fully follow through. “These women did everything that was asked of them. They survived. They trained. They rebuilt their lives,” she said. The Shine players continue to train while waiting for clarity that may or may not come. For now, the pitch offers certainty where the larger system does not. Each match is played in defiance of a regime that tried to erase them, and in tension with a governing body that has yet to fully include them. Their presence in Houston is proof that the ban failed. Their fight to play internationally is far from over.

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Wild Beaver Spotted In Norfolk For First Time In 400 Years

A beaver has made an unexpected appearance in Norfolk, marking the first sighting of the creature in the county since the 16th century. Cameras at Pensthorpe Nature Reserve captured this elusive creature collecting wood and setting up a lodge on the River Wensum. Richard Spowage, manager of Pensthorpe, is baffled by how this solitary beaver found its way to such an ideal habitat. "No one knows where it's come from," he said, noting that it has been living in a secluded part of the reserve for about a month. The area provides plenty of tree cover and access to adjacent marshes for food. The nocturnal vegetarian has been busy collecting willow trees at night, preparing for winter by stockpiling bark near its home. "It's turned up and it's just doing what a beaver does," Spowage explained. The initial clue came when a volunteer noticed an oddly shaped tree stump. Spowage set camera traps after recognizing signs of classic beaver activity and soon confirmed his suspicions with footage of the animal moving through the forest at night. Beavers have slowly been making a comeback in England since 2015, with Natural England recently starting to issue licenses for reintroduction projects. So far, only one population has legally returned to the wild—four beavers released into Dorset's Purbeck Heaths. While no one is sure how this lone beaver ended up in Norfolk, Emily Bowen from the Beaver Trust suggested it might have naturally wandered into the area. Norfolk does have captive beavers, but none are reported missing. Spowage remains skeptical that a wild beaver could have reached Norfolk unaided but welcomes its presence. "From our point of view, it’s a wild animal and it’s got the right to be here," he stated unequivocally.

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This Lottery Winner Just Donated $25,000 to a Hospice in Memory of Her Late Husband

When Linda Styles won £250,000 in the People’s Post Code Lottery, she knew exactly where part of it would go. Just months earlier, her husband Owen had spent his final days at the Heart of Kent Hospice after being diagnosed with terminal liver cancer. The care he received left a lasting impression. So she donated £25,000 to the hospice — and said the decision was simple. “It was an absolute no-brainer and the right thing to do,” she told BBC Radio Kent. “These places are invaluable, we have to treasure them.” Owen Styles passed away in March at age 60, just six weeks after his diagnosis. He spent eight days at the Aylesford hospice before he died. His wife says those days stood in stark contrast to the care he received in hospital. “The hospital was great,” she said, “but the difference in care at the hospice was indescribable.” Linda wasn’t alone in wanting to give back. Her friend Jo Thwaites also had a personal connection to the hospice. Her husband Ian was diagnosed with cancer around the same time as Owen, and he, too, spent his final days in the same hospice room as his friend. In October, Jo and her three children raised £3,000 through a moonlit walk fundraiser for the hospice. Ann-Marie Kelly, chief executive of the Heart of Kent Hospice, called Linda’s donation “a transformational gift.” “We are so grateful to receive [it],” she said. “Compassion drives the team here at the hospice, and I'm extremely proud that our services touch people like Linda and Jo in a way they want to show their gratitude to enable others to receive the same experience.” For Linda, the donation is about ensuring that others get the same kindness and dignity that Owen did. “These places matter,” she said. “And we have to look after them.”

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Nordic Experts Share Tips to Combat Winter Blues and Embrace the Season

In the far north of Europe, winter doesn’t just mean cold. It means months of near-total darkness, bone-chilling temperatures, and a psychological toll that can creep in as early as October and last until April. But residents of the Nordic countries have learned to adapt. And while the rest of the world braces for winter blues, scientists and locals in Norway, Sweden, and Finland say there are tried-and-true ways to fight back — starting with light, movement, and mindset. The winter solstice, on December 21, marks the shortest day and longest night of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. For people living above the Arctic Circle, that means little or no daylight at all. Sleep becomes disrupted, moods dip, and for millions, seasonal affective disorder (SAD) becomes a real challenge. But researchers say there are simple ways to reclaim the season. Dr. Timo Partonen, a research professor at the Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, said that our circadian rhythms — the internal clocks that regulate sleep and alertness — rely on light. In winter, those rhythms often fall apart. “We may sleep longer in the winter,” Partonen said, “but we don’t wake up refreshed and can remain tired the rest of the day.” One solution he recommends is a dawn simulator — sometimes called a sunrise alarm clock — which gradually lights up your bedroom to ease you into waking. He also suggests pairing it with a light therapy device, used early in the day before noon. The combination, he says, helps reset the body’s rhythm and boosts energy and mood. Staying socially connected is just as important. In winter, people tend to become irritable and withdraw from friends. That isolation only makes things worse. “Symptoms rarely improve in isolation,” Partonen said. He advises people to stay in touch with their social circles and find ways to exercise together, even if it’s just a walk in the cold. Exercise can help in another way too: preventing the typical winter weight gain of 2 to 5 kilograms. Partonen said carbohydrate cravings often increase at night during winter, so movement helps keep both energy and metabolism up. For those dealing with more than just a seasonal slump, light therapy is a frontline recommendation. Christian Benedict, a pharmacology professor at Uppsala University in Sweden, said light therapy can be effective not just for people with diagnosed SAD, but also for anyone experiencing milder symptoms. “It’s not like it’s a fate, an annual or a seasonal fate, and you cannot do anything about it,” he said. “There are possibilities to affect it.” The therapy works by exposing the body to bright light — ideally 10,000 lux — for about 30 minutes every morning. These lamps are about 20 times brighter than regular indoor lighting and mimic sunlight in a way that stimulates the brain’s alertness centers and boosts serotonin. Some insurance plans will cover the cost if SAD is diagnosed. Yale University has tested and listed recommended devices, and the nonprofit Center for Environmental Therapeutics offers a consumer guide. Researchers are still exploring the science behind why this works so well. One theory involves how our eyes process blue light, a wavelength abundant in sunlight. Kathryn Roecklein, a researcher at the University of Pittsburgh, tested people with and without SAD and found that those with SAD were less sensitive to blue light, especially in winter. That lack of sensitivity may help explain why natural light exposure has such a strong impact on mood and mental health. Beyond tools and gadgets, a deeper cultural mindset may be the most effective shield. Ida Solhaug, a psychology professor at the University of Tromsø, the northernmost university in the world, said that embracing winter is part of surviving it. “It’s part of the culture,” she said. “Challenge yourself to look for light in the darkness.” Solhaug encourages people to stay active, get outside daily, and even try cold plunges — a tradition in Nordic countries. She jumps into the icy waters near Tromsø at least once a week. “It makes her feel revitalized during the long winter,” she said. Inside, Solhaug suggests channeling hygge — the cozy Danish tradition of curling up with blankets and a warm drink. But don’t stop there. After the movie ends, head outside for fika, the Swedish coffee break ritual that encourages pausing for connection and reflection, even on cloudy days. Even Finland’s President Alexander Stubb has his own advice for making it through: “Take an ice bath and then followed up by a sauna and do one more ice bath, one more sauna, then a shower and go out there. You’ll manage.” And in typical Nordic fashion, there's a saying that captures the spirit of the season: There's no such thing as bad weather — only bad clothing.

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Playful Seal Charms Patrons By Wandering Into Kiwi Pub

Customers and staff were quite shocked when an adorable seal pup waddled into a pub in Richmond, New Zealand, on Sunday, November 30. CCTV released by Sprig + Fern The Meadows shows the young seal wander into the pub just after 5 pm. Speaking to Storyful, co-owner Isabella Evans said staff were serving customers and decorating the establishment ahead of the festive period when the seal appeared. Evans said the animal was in the pub for around 30 minutes before it was lured into a crate using salmon. A Department of Conservation (DOC) principal biodiversity ranger confirmed to local news outlet 1News that they were alerted to a young New Zealand fur seal in Richmond. “The duty ranger went and looked in the area where the seal had been seen several times but was unable to locate the seal. The pub staff did a great job keeping the seal safe until the DOC ranger could get there,” the officer told 1News. DOC later released the seal at Rabbit Island.

This Giant Redwood in England Was Just Declared the World's Tallest Living Christmas Tree

A towering redwood in Northumberland has officially been declared the world's tallest living Christmas tree, just in time for the holidays. Standing at a staggering 44.7 metres (147 feet), the giant redwood at Cragside — a National Trust estate — is more than twice the height of the Angel of the North. Planted in the 1860s, it’s now the proud holder of a brand-new Guinness World Record title. To qualify as a Christmas tree, Guinness World Records required that it be decorated with at least two types of festive adornments. So, the team at Cragside strung the massive tree with more than 1,300 Christmas lights and added two giant purple bows. “It was a privilege to give this tree the recognition it deserves,” said Guinness adjudicator Carl Saville. Decorating a tree of that scale wasn’t a simple task. A National Trust spokesperson said it took three people and a cherry picker two full days to complete the setup. “Every bulb is meticulously checked and then draped and fastened vertically so as not to put too much pressure on the tree,” they said. Cragside estate had already claimed the title of the UK’s tallest living Christmas tree last year. But this year, staff aimed even higher. “We kept wondering if we could go one giant leap further and secure a Guinness World Records title... and we made it,” said Cragside’s Steve Howard. He admitted it was difficult to keep the news under wraps in the weeks leading up to the announcement. “We wanted to share our huge news while many people are putting up their own Christmas trees,” he said. This is the first time Guinness has awarded a title for the tallest living Christmas tree. The record for the tallest Christmas tree ever remains with a 64.6-metre (212-foot) tree that was erected in 1950 at Seattle’s Northgate Shopping Center — but that tree was not rooted in the ground. Cragside's redwood, by contrast, is still growing — and now, officially the biggest Christmas tree of its kind anywhere in the world.

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Archaeologists Unearth 225 Figurines in Egyptian Tomb, Solving a Royal Mystery

A rare discovery in Egypt’s ancient capital of Tanis has uncovered more than just treasure — it’s cracked open a centuries-old mystery. French archaeologist Frédéric Payraudeau and his team have unearthed 225 funerary figurines, or ushabti, inside a tomb believed to belong to Pharaoh Shoshenq III, who reigned from 830 to 791 BC. The find, announced by Egypt’s Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, is being hailed as the most significant at Tanis since 1946. “Finding figurines in place inside a royal tomb has not happened in the Tanis necropolis since 1946,” said Payraudeau, who leads the French Tanis excavation mission. The discovery was made on October 9, as the team excavated a small tomb containing a massive, unnamed granite sarcophagus. The tomb’s layout had already puzzled researchers. Then, they noticed something: three or four green figurines peeking out from the corners of a trapezoidal pit. “We knew right away it was going to be amazing,” Payraudeau said. “We set up lights and worked through the night.” It took 10 days to extract the full set of 225 figurines, arranged in horizontal rows and a star-shaped pattern. Many depict women — an unusual feature in royal burials — and were meant to serve as helpers in the afterlife. But the figurines also revealed something unexpected: a royal seal linking the tomb to Shoshenq III. That detail helped solve a long-standing puzzle. The pharaoh’s name had previously been found in a different, larger tomb at the same site, leading experts to believe he was buried there. But his remains had never been confirmed. “Why isn’t he buried in that tomb?” Payraudeau asked. “Obviously, for a pharaoh, building a tomb is a gamble — you can never be sure your successor will bury you there.” Shoshenq III ruled during a period of political upheaval, marked by civil war between Upper and Lower Egypt. It's possible his burial plans were disrupted or changed posthumously. Moving the enormous granite sarcophagus after the fact seems unlikely, Payraudeau said, given the tomb’s size constraints. Located in the Nile Delta, Tanis became Egypt’s royal burial ground during the 21st dynasty after looting forced the abandonment of the Valley of the Kings further south. This recent find underscores Tanis’ importance as a site of archaeological interest — and potential. “Carreras Pampa stands out for several reasons,” Payraudeau said. “In addition to preserving the most dinosaur tracks worldwide, it also preserves the highest number of swim trackways, evidence of several types of unusually preserved locomotive behaviours, and one of the highest numbers of dinosaur tail traces anywhere in the world." Wait—no. Sorry. Let’s get back to Tanis. In a Facebook post, Dr. Mohamed Ismail Khaled, Secretary General of Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities, called the find a “decisive step” in understanding the site’s history. Fellow official Mohamed Abdel-Badii noted the team also uncovered previously unknown chamber patterns, shedding light on burial practices during Egypt’s Third Intermediate Period. “It is still unclear whether the king was buried directly inside the tomb of Osorkon II, or if his funeral collectors were moved to this location to protect it from theft,” the ministry said. “We still have a lot of work to answer these questions.” The discovery comes just weeks after the long-awaited Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM) opened its doors in Giza. Costing over $1 billion and covering 7,000 years of history, GEM is now the largest museum in the world dedicated to a single civilization. As for the ushabti? They’ll eventually go on display — giving visitors a rare look at a pharaoh’s lost legacy and the servants he took with him to eternity.

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Airline Offers Free Gift Cards To 100K People For Random Acts Of Kindness

Holiday travel isn’t exactly known for being stress-free — from long security lines to weather delays and cramped overhead bins, it can feel like an endurance test. But this year, Delta Airlines is betting that a little kindness can go a long way. As part of its 100th anniversary, Delta is launching Centennial Cheer, an initiative recognizing 100,000 acts of kindness among employees and customers during the holiday season. The campaign runs through January 5 and is built around a simple idea: when someone does something thoughtful during their journey — like helping a fellow traveler with luggage, letting someone deplane first to make a connection, or even just sharing a snack — Delta employees will be ready with a “Holiday Medallion” card to say thank you. “These cards aren’t about frequent flyer status or how often you travel,” said Erik Snell, Delta’s Chief Customer Experience Officer. “They’re for customers who truly embody the holiday spirit.” Each Medallion card can be redeemed for a surprise gift in the Delta Shop. Some include commemorative merchandise celebrating the airline’s centennial year, while a limited number of Centennial Gift Sets include collectible trading cards and a $500 Delta gift card. “Gifting Holiday Medallion cards to reward acts of kindness creates a positive loop of gratitude between our customers and employees,” Snell said in a statement. “Whether it’s helping a seatmate with their bag, sharing a phone charger, or simply thanking a reservations specialist, those gestures create the kind of connection that makes travel feel special.” And it’s not just travelers getting recognized. Delta is also giving its Medallion Members — frequent flyers in the company’s loyalty program — the chance to hand out special holiday certificates to employees who go above and beyond. The airline expects about 40,000 of these certificates to be distributed. “Delta people take pride in creating moments of care,” Snell said. “And this season they’re excited to recognize that same spirit in others.” As the airline closes out its 100th year, Delta says Centennial Cheer is meant to honor the human connection at the heart of travel — and maybe make those holiday airport crowds feel just a little more joyful.

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5-Year-Old Boy Saves Family From House Fire Just Days After Thanksgiving

In the early hours of a quiet Saturday morning, 5-year-old Ranajai Hill was watching TV when he noticed something terrifying — flames creeping into the room. Instead of panicking, the Vicksburg, Mississippi boy ran to alert his grandmother and wake the rest of his family. Thanks to his quick thinking, all five people inside — including his baby sister, grandmother, and two uncles — escaped the burning home with their lives. The fire, which started from a gas space heater, completely destroyed their house just two days after Thanksgiving, according to the Vicksburg Fire Department. Ranajai’s grandmother, Jennifer Smith, called him a hero. “Without him being the brave hero he was, it could have been worse,” she said. “I don’t even want to explain.” While the family lost all their belongings, they say they’re grateful for what really matters — each other. A GoFundMe has been set up to help them recover and replace essentials. So far, nearly $500 has been raised. As for Ranajai, his courage at just five years old is being praised across his community — and far beyond.

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