Prisoners in Finland receive AI training as part of rehabilitation

In Finland, inmates at three closed prisons are learning AI skills to reduce re-offending. Through a partnership with market data startup Metroc, prisoners are engaging in digital work like labelling and classifying data. This initiative aims to equip inmates with modern skills for successful reintegration into society. The project has garnered interest from other European countries seeking guidance on similar prison digitalization efforts.

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He’s Driven 5 Million Miles Without an Accident — Now, This Marine Vet Just Won a Custom Semi and $50K

Truck drivers often go unnoticed—but Stacy Batiste’s dedication couldn’t be ignored. The Marine Corps veteran from Lafayette, Louisiana, was just awarded a custom red Kenworth semi-truck and $50,000 after being named this year’s Road Warrior by Pilot Company, which runs Flying J travel centers across the U.S. Batiste, who’s driven more than 5 million accident-free miles over his 34-year career, was nominated by his best friend, who was there to hug him when the Diesel Brothers handed him the keys. “I was speechless. It was a shocker,” Batiste said. “But I was very, very happy. It speaks to the time I’ve put in—and a lot of people appreciated it.” As a second-generation trucker and proud owner-operator, he says the military helped shape his driving instincts. “You have to watch everyone out there,” he told What The Truck. “I back off and take my time. I’m always early.” The surprise moment happened at a Flying J in Texas, where Batiste’s family was waiting inside to celebrate with him. He had no idea what was coming. “I love what I do and I can’t see myself doing anything else,” he said. “I’ve got diesel in my veins.” Now, with his dream rig and prize money, he says he’s ready for more miles—and more mentoring. He often takes time to guide younger drivers and give back to his community. “I’m gonna ride til I die or they take me out this truck,” he laughed. Bonus winner: Bobby Peeker of South Carolina, also a Marine veteran, received $10,000 and a $25,000 donation to a veterans charity of his choice after racking up over 1 million accident-free miles. Both men were honored for their service, safety, and leadership behind the wheel. Pilot’s Road Warrior contest has been celebrating truckers for over a decade. Know someone who goes the extra mile? Nominations are open at Pilot’s official contest page.

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Why This Former Police Officer Launched a Mobile Laundromat to Aid the Homeless Community in Maryland

A voice Wade Milyard did not expect changed the direction of his life. It happened a few years ago, while Milyard was still working as a canine officer with the Frederick Police Department in Maryland. He was responding to a domestic dispute at a homeless camp when, after handling the call, a thought cut through. “Ask them about their laundry.” Milyard says the voice came “out of nowhere.” He believed it was God, or some higher power, pushing him to do something different. So he asked. The unhoused couple told him they usually washed their clothes in a nearby creek. “That stuck with me,” Milyard said. At the time, he moved on from the call. But he never moved on from the answer. Today, Milyard is no longer a police officer. He retired in January. Instead, the 45-year-old now drives a custom-built laundromat on wheels through Frederick and surrounding areas, offering free laundry services to people without housing. The project is called Fresh Step Laundry, and its goal is simple: clean clothes, no questions asked. “If you’re clean, you just feel better,” said Chris Washington, one of the people who has used the service, in a video produced by CBS. Milyard does not charge a cent. Detergent, water, electricity, pickup and drop-off are all free. The cost is covered through donations and his own savings. He says he does not see it as charity, but as dignity. “You’re doing it to maybe give them a little bit of a boost,” Milyard said. “If having clean clothes can help them just a little bit, then my mission is fulfilled.” Fresh Step Laundry began when Milyard pooled donations with his own money and converted a vehicle into a mobile laundry unit. The truck can wash and dry multiple loads at once. He posts a regular schedule online so people know where and when to meet him. Anyone can show up. For people experiencing homelessness, laundry is rarely simple. Public laundromats cost money, require transportation, and often feel unwelcoming. Washing clothes in streams or public sinks can damage fabric and does little to remove bacteria. Clean clothes also affect how people are treated when looking for work, medical care, or housing. Milyard says the work has shown him how something so basic can change how people carry themselves. “You see their shoulders straighten,” he said in the CBS report. “There’s pride.” Since launching the project, Fresh Step Laundry has cleaned more than 2,000 pounds of clothing in just the last several weeks. Sleeping bags, jackets, socks and everyday clothes all go through the machines. Milyard often stays on site, talking with people while the cycles run. The work reflects a shift in how he now sees service. As a police officer, Milyard often encountered people at their lowest points, usually during crises. The laundry truck offers a different kind of interaction. There is no emergency, no enforcement, no paperwork. It is just help. Those encounters have stayed with him. Some people come back week after week. Others stop by once, then move on. Milyard says both outcomes matter. This is not his first step into community-focused work, but it is the one he says feels most connected to that moment at the homeless camp. “I never forgot that response,” he said of the couple who washed clothes in a creek. Fresh Step Laundry’s website includes Milyard’s email address, and he personally responds to messages from people asking about locations or offering donations. His next goal is to add a second vehicle, which would allow him to serve twice as many people. He says there is no shortage of need. “What people don’t always realize is how fast life can change,” he said. “A medical bill, a job loss, something unexpected. Clean clothes won’t fix everything, but they can help someone feel human again.” For Washington, the impact was immediate. “You feel a little bit more proud of yourself,” he said. Milyard says moments like that confirm he listened to the right voice. The mission that began with a single question continues to move through the city, one load of wash at a time.

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This New Underwater Tech is Revealing The Hidden Voices of Coral Reefs

Coral reefs aren’t quiet places. Beneath the surface, they’re alive with an orchestra of thumps, pops, snaps, and crackles from shrimp and fish — a soundscape as rich as any rainforest. But until now, marine scientists could only guess who was making the noise. A new tool, developed by the FishEye Collaborative, is changing that. By combining underwater audio with 360-degree video, researchers have begun to identify which fish are making which sounds — a breakthrough that could transform how we monitor reef ecosystems and protect marine biodiversity. The invention, called the UPAC-360 (Omnidirectional Underwater Passive Acoustic Camera), is the product of a collaboration between the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and Aalto University. The team has already used it to identify 46 fish species in the coral reefs of Curaçao in the Caribbean — more than half of which were never previously known to make sound. Matching sound to species “The diversity of fish sounds on a coral reef rivals that of birds in a rainforest,” said Marc Dantzker, lead author of the study and Director of the FishEye Collaborative. “In the Caribbean alone, we estimate that over 700 fish species produce sounds.” But unlike birds, whose calls can often be linked to specific species with years of practice, fish voices have remained largely anonymous. That’s where the UPAC-360 steps in. The device combines spatial audio — which tracks the direction of incoming sounds — with a 360° camera. When a fish makes a noise, the system overlays the sound location on the panoramic video, allowing researchers to visually confirm which fish made the sound. This kind of synchronized data capture “lets us decode reef soundscapes,” said Dantzker. “It transforms acoustic monitoring into a powerful tool for ocean conservation.” Building a sound library for the sea The FishEye team has now published the most extensive collection of reef fish sounds ever assembled. The recordings, freely available at fisheyecollaborative.org/library , serve not just as a reference for researchers but as raw material for machine learning. Just as smartphone apps like Merlin Bird ID can identify bird species by their songs, the FishEye team hopes the same can eventually be done for underwater recordings. With enough labeled data, artificial intelligence could soon detect which fish species are present in a reef — just by listening. “We’re a long way from building ‘Merlin for the oceans,’” said Aaron Rice, senior author and principal ecologist at the Cornell Lab, “but the sounds are already useful for scientists and conservationists.” Because the UPAC-360 can be left in place without a diver or boat, it can record continuously for long periods — capturing rare behaviors and vocalizations never heard before. That extended presence in the water is already revealing fish sounds tied to courtship, territory defense, feeding, and other behaviors that had gone undocumented. A tool for conservation Being able to detect and identify fish species by their sounds gives researchers a new, non-invasive way to monitor reefs — especially those in remote or difficult-to-access locations. And it could be vital for measuring the health of coral ecosystems, which are under increasing pressure from climate change, pollution, and overfishing. “Acoustics will become a powerful indicator of reef health,” said Matt Duggan, a co-author and PhD candidate at Cornell. “And a strategy to monitor wider and deeper.” The team is now expanding its research across more of the Caribbean and preparing to deploy the UPAC-360 in reefs around Hawai’i and Indonesia. As Rice put it, “We’re hearing behaviors and species that have never been witnessed. It’s like turning on a new sense underwater.” And for the first time, the quiet language of fish is beginning to speak volumes.

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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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