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A centenary war veteran raises millions for the UK national health service (NHS) -

Hoping to raise money for the NHS, Captain Tom Moore, then 99, vowed to complete 100 laps of his garden before turning 100. He managed to raise £32 million (over US$42 million)! He was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II.

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An iconic Parisian bookshop is saved -

Shakespeare and Company opened in Paris, France, in 1919. The bookshop was struggling financially during lockdown so they announced on social media they'd start selling books online. They received around 5,000 orders in just a week and managed to stay open!

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Villagers in Sri Lanka rescue whales -

Over 100 stranded whales were rescued by locals, who were on curfew due to the pandemic. Together with the navy and coast guard, they managed to rescue most of the mammals. 

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Celebrities donate to those affected by COVID-19 -

Since the COViD-19 pandemic began, dozens of celebrities have donated to those affected by the new coronavirus. 

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Scotland becomes the first country in the world to provide free period products -

The Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill was approved by Members of the Scottish Parliament in November.

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Centenary tortoise retires after saving his species -

Diego, the giant Galápagos tortoise returned to Española Island in the Galápagos Islands, after fathering at least 800 new turtoises.  

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Victor J. Glover makes history as a black astronaut -

In November, Glover became the first Black astronaut to go on a long-term stay at the International Space Station. 

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Humpback whales return to New York City -

Humpback whales began to return to New York City's Hudson river. Scientists belive it's because the river is cleaner so whales come to feed on plankton. 

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Cancer research breakthroughs -

Preclinical lab studies of a new cancer vaccine had shown promising signs in treating blood cancers, as well as glioblastoma, breast, lung, renal, ovarian, and pancreatic cancers. The vaccine has been developed by researchers based at Australia’s Translational Research Institute.

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Cow hugging is a wellness trend -

Cow hugging (or koe knuffelen, as originally called in Dutch) is a great way to relief stress and the trend is spreading all over the world. 

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NASA finds water on the moon -

In October, NASA’s Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) confirmed that water was found on the sunlit surface of the moon. 

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The impact of conservation in animals -

Researchers at Newcastle University and conservation partnership BirdLife International revealed that up to 48 bird and mammal species have been saved from extinction since 1993. These include species such as the Asian crested Ibis, yellow-eared parrot, Hawaiian crow, spoon-billed sandpiper, red wolf, black-footed ferret, and pygmy hog.

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It was a great year for pandas -

After over 10 years, a panda couple at Hong Kong’s Ocean Park zoo finally decided to breed. 

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The Great Barrier Reef starts to recover -

Without being able to take tourists on tours due to the pandemic, employees of Passions of Paradise teamed up with a marine biologist to seed the local coral reefs. The operation was a success!

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Amazon tribes operate drones to help fight illegal activities -

Amazon tribes such as the Uru-Eu-Wau-Wau are being trained to operate drones to monitor deforestation by illegal loggers.

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IKEA shares meatballs recipe during lockdown -

IKEA UK and Ireland shared the recipe for their signature Swedish meatballs with customers, so that they could make them at home during lockdown.

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Goats take over Welsh town and locals love it -

In March, a herd of over 100 Kashmiri goats, who usually call the mountain Great Orme home, decided to pay a visit to the town of Llandudno. Local residents loved the visit!

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Owl found in the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree after surviving 170-mile journey -

This adorable owl traveled in the tree branches from Oneonta, New York, to New York City (around 170 miles, or 273 km). The animal was taken care of and then returned to the wild. 

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The World Food Programme wins the Nobel Peace Prize -

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)  won the prize for its efforts to combat hunger and improve conditions for peace.

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Grieving orca gives birth to new calf -

Tahlequah, a killer whale mother who carried her dead calf on her back for 17 days, gave birth to a new, healthy calf. 

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The world's first spherical artificial eye with a 3D retina is invented -

The eye has "capabilities better than existing bionic eyes and in some cases, even exceed those of the human eyes, bringing vision to humanoid robots and new hope to patients with visual impairment," the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) reports.

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A good year for gender equality -

According to the UN World’s Women 2020 report, women’s representation in parliament has more than doubled around the world. There are currently 20 countries with a woman head of state or government.

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Centenarians inspire people to vote -

Born before women had the right to vote, 102-year-old Bea Lumpkin told CNN “I have great confidence in young people, and I know they're going to do what needs to be done… So hooray for the youth!”

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Countries pledge to reduce marine plastic debris -

Ghana, Indonesia, and Vietnam are among the nations that did so at the fourth World Economic Forum Sustainable Development Impact Summit.

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Hepatitis B drops to a record low in children -

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that cases of the disease in children under five had dropped below 1% in 2019.

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Singapore approves lab-grown meat to be used in "chicken" nuggets -

The country approved the use of a lab-grown meat made with animal muscle cells. The company Eat Just called it a "breakthrough for the global food industry." 

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Sudan criminalizes female genital mutilation -

The crime is now punishable by three years in jail. “Police officers will have a major responsibility to intervene and curb this crime against humanity,” said the director general of police, Ezzeldin El Sheikh. 

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Luxembourg makes the use of public transport free -

Since March, there's no charge for using the country's trains, trams, and buses. 

Sources (The Happy Broadcast) (World Economic Forum) (My Modern Met)

See also: The surprising perks of self-isolation

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