Stores are still filled with pumpkins and candy, but New York is getting into the Christmas spirit. This week, officials revealed the pick for the 2024 Rockefeller Center tree: an 11-ton Norway spruce, standing 74 feet tall and 43 feet wide. The festive tree will travel from West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, to New York City early next month, arriving in the famed plaza on Nov. 9.
A second can change everything, and that’s especially true for 27-year-old Yomif Kejelcha, who set a new half-marathon world record by the skin of his teeth. Clocking in a time of 57 minutes and 30 seconds at a race in Valencia, Spain, on Sunday, Kejelcha finished just 1 second faster than the previous record, set by Ugandan runner Jacob Kiplimo in 2021. For those of you doing the math in your head, the Ethiopian athlete blazed through the course averaging roughly 4 minutes and 23 seconds per mile. That pace was as challenging as it sounds: “This race wasn’t easy,” he said after crossing the finish line, per World Athletics. “Today I told myself to do it in 57 minutes, and I saw from the clock on the lead car that it was possible, despite the rain. I wanted to break the world record and I’m really happy I did it.” This marks another achievement on Kejelcha’s running resume — he also holds the men’s indoor mile world record and competed in the 10,000-meter race at the recent Olympics, finishing sixth. But Sunday’s triumph holds a special place in his heart: “The half-marathon world record was my dream and I beat it,” he said. Watch his finish.
Together With UP Entertainment
It’s National UPlift Someone Day
For 20 years, UP Entertainment has been uplifting audiences through its brands UPtv, UP Faith & Family, and aspireTV. To commemorate this milestone, today is officially National UPlift Someone Day. Celebrate with us by visiting UPliftsomeoneday.com — there, you can read ideas for simple acts of kindness to show your appreciation for others, find local charities, send an e-card to someone special, or post on the message wall. Let’s all inspire each other to spread a little joy today!
Things are getting meta in Phoenix: Plans are in the works to build a $7 billion “city within a city” and drive value in the local economy. Called “Halo Vista,” the project in the Arizona capital would span2,300 acres,with 28 million square feetdedicated to residential, retail, office, and industrial spaces. All of that will surround a semiconductor chip manufacturing complex, Newsweek reports, citing The Arizona Republic. “As historic as this is, it’s maybe just the beginning,” Richard Mack, one of the developers of the project, said at a launch event. Three other plants are planned for the site and are projected to create 10,000 total permanent jobs, not to mention another 80,000 jobs for the surrounding development. The team behind Halo Vista reiterated that it’s more than structures they’re seeking to build: “I really hope people understand this is a community we are trying to develop, and not any one thing,” Mack added.
Humanity
Young Athletes With Spina Bifida Defy the Odds: “Do What’s Hard and Never Stop”
Courtesy of Shriners Children’s
It’s the end of Spina Bifida Awareness Month, the perfect time to spotlight two young athletes who haven’t let their diagnoses hold them back: Meet Liam, 12, and Mohammad, 14. Born in Syria, Mohammad immigrated to the United States with his family and began receiving treatment at Shriners Children’s Northern California. The Sacramento resident developed a passion for basketball, playing in the wheelchair he uses for mobility and quickly becoming a star on his school’s team — his talent and positive attitude even earned him a spot as assistant coach. “I love coaching,” Mohammad tells Nice News. “I know I can help keep the team motivated and inspired. I think the team looks to me for ongoing support and I know I can do that for them.” Liam (pictured) lives in St. Louis and is similarly defying the odds, mastering basketball and jiujitsu in his wheelchair and regularly tearing it up on the dance floor (this video of his moves is a must-watch). His advice for other kids facing obstacles? “Do what’s hard and never stop trying new things. You might have to do it a little differently than someone else, but it’s really fun to try a bunch of new activities,” he says, adding: “If you do things that seem hard, it will feel even better when you accomplish them.”Hear more from Mohammad and Liam.
In Other News
American Airlines landed its longest-ever direct flight, debuting a new route from Texas to Australia (read more)
Engineer Adam Munder, who is Deaf, created an AI tool that converts sign language to spoken English (read more)
Lucky dime: An “extraordinarily rare” coin fetched over $500,000 in an online auction (read more)
NASA released a photo showing nine possible landing sites for its 2026 moon mission(read more)
Hi, Halloween crab! A stowaway with a seasonal nickname was spotted on a flight from Costa Rica to Denver (read more)
Something We Love
King Arthur Baking Morning Glory Muffins Recipe I always reach for the morning glory muffins when they’re on offer at a bakery — they’re the closest one can get to eating carrot cake for breakfast. This recipe from King Arthur Baking delivers a bakery-quality final product, and it’s endlessly riffable based on what you have in your pantry. I personally love the raisins, but if you’re not a fan, the company sells “jammy bits” in different flavors that work as the perfect substitute. — Ally Mauch, Associate Editor
Mason Williams and Mike Trevino may be opponents on the football field, coaching rival Texas high school teams, but when the game’s over, they’re anything but. So when Trevino got word that his fellow coach and mentee needed a new kidney, he secretly got tested, learned he was a match, and didn’t hesitate to be his living donor. “I don’t know that I’ve ever been more confident about a decision other than maybe marrying my wife,” Trevino said.
Photo of the Day
ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, P. Zeidler, E. Sabbi, A. Nota, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)
The European Space Agency released this gasp-worthy photo, taken by the James Webb Space Telescope, last week. The image shows the young star cluster NGC 602 inside of a large nebula of gas and dust. If you stare at it long enough, it’s easy to get lost in the stars!
Spread Joy Today With UP Entertainment
We’re all about spreading joy at Nice News, so UP Entertainment’s National UPlift Someone Day is right up our alley. A hug, compliment, or simple thank you can really brighten someone’s day. What act of kindness will you perform today? Click below for some ideas.
