Ready for a year of pizza? King Arthur Baking, the Vermont-based flour juggernaut, has declared Flaky Puff Crust Pizza as its 2026 Recipe of the Year. Developed by Sarah Jampel and Molly Marzalek-Kelly, the recipe borrows techniques from French pastry to create a "shatteringly flaky" crust — and it's all done in a sheet pan, so no need for a pizza stone or baking steel. Try it out.
Must Reads
We're under one month out from the Winter Olympics: Get the full rundown on key dates, how to watch, and what's new this year
Veganuary: 6 Tips for Partaking in the Monthlong Plant-Based Challenge
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It's a new year, and millions of people are swapping wine and cocktails for sparkling water and nonalcoholic beer in observance of Dry January. But there's another lifestyle challenge taking place over the next few weeks as well, and it's a bit of a mouthful (literally): Veganuary. The goal is to eat only plant-based foods for the entire month, and although lesser-known than its beverage-focused cousin, Veganuary has been around for over a decade. The campaign was launched in 2014 by married couple Matthew Glover and Jane Land and has grown every year since. It's got some big names on board, too: Billie Eilish, Joaquin Phoenix, Paul McCartney, and NBA player DeAndre Jordan are among the celebs who serve as ambassadors. A nonprofit organization as well as a movement, Veganuary "encourages and supports people and businesses alike to move to a plant-based diet as a way of protecting the environment, preventing animal suffering, and improving the health of millions of people." If your interest is piqued but going vegan seems daunting, click here to explore the health benefits of plant-based eating and get some tips for sticking to it.
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1 Year After the Los Angeles Wildfires, Community Members Keep Building
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Exactly one year has passed since historic Santa Ana winds drove wildfires through Pacific Palisades and Altadena, sparking two of California's three most destructive blazes on record. The recovery is far from complete, with communities continuing to reel from the losses — but still, there's no shortage of shining examples of resilience worth celebrating. Some of the first fully rebuilt homes in the region were completed in late 2025 and, against the odds, Altadena put on its annual Christmas Tree Lane spectacle in December. This month, events are taking place across LA for people to share their stories, honor loved ones who died, and volunteer to help continue rebuilding what was lost. If you happen to be in the area this Saturday, Habitat for Humanity's ReBuild LA program is hosting a "Volunteer Build Day and Community Celebration" to help restore a residential complex for seniors and families in the Palisades through planting, vegetation clearing, and landscaping. "Each effort, big or small, helps bring pride back to the neighborhood and puts more of the community back together, one step at a time," the Greater Los Angeles sect of the organization said in a statement to Nice News. Learn more about how to get involved.
Culture
Swedish Pharmacy Chain Gives Employees Time to Call Their Friends During Work Hours
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It can be hard to keep up relationships with busy personal lives and work schedules, but one Swedish pharmacy chain is trying to change that by offering paid slivers of time off for employees to connect with friends. The company, Apotek Hjärtat, launched a "Friendship Hour" pilot program last April to help combat employee loneliness. Staff members receive 15 minutes weekly (or one hour monthly) during work hours to foster social bonds through calls, texts, or meetups. Apotek also provides a $100 annual stipend for social activities. Although the program is still new, CEO Monica Magnusson told the BBC the goal is to see if mini "friendcare" breaks can make a lasting impact on team well-being. "We try and see what the effects are from having the opportunity to spend a bit of time every week on safeguarding your relationships," she said. A quarter of an hour may not seem like much, but a little effort goes a long way when it comes to our friendships, according to Rickard Bracken, Secretary General at the mental health charity Mind. "It doesn't have to be complicated," he said in a statement. "A text message to check on the situation may be seen as a small gesture, but can mean a lot in the long run."
In Other News
The 2026 Grammys will revive the best album cover category, over 50 years after it was last awarded (read more)
Scientists are making the case that a 7 million-year-old primate may be the oldest-known human ancestor (read more)
Jordan Chiles' first-place floor routine earned a near-perfect score for UCLA gymnastics (read more)
Thispocket-sized device developed by a startup can check food for gluten and other allergens (read more)
An endangered African penguin chick was born at a New Jersey aquarium — see the cutie's potential names (read more)
Inspiring Story
Signs of community
Coffee shops often serve as third places, but Woodstock Cafe in Portland, Oregon, takes this sentiment to a new level for the local Deaf community. The shop accepts orders in sign language, hosts weekly ASL meetups and game nights, and offers job opportunities for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Take a look inside.
Photo of the Day
Ludovic MARIN—AFP/Getty Images
Smile, it's a snow day! On Monday, Parisians were treated to a city blanketed in white, with the Eiffel Tower looking even more romantic than usual. While the wintry weather made commuting less than ideal, it also offered a très bien excuse to play outside and turn the hill of Montmartre into a makeshift ski slope — watch a video of people enjoying the snow.
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