Weekly News Recap: September 15, 2023

Weekly News Recap: September 15, 2023

The Wonder Woman statue is set to be introduced at an open house at the Bow Valley College on Oct. 21 (Jeff McIntosh/Canadian Press)

We have a saying, my people. Don’t kill if you can wound, don’t wound if you can subdue, don’t subdue if you can pacify, and don’t raise your hand at all until you’ve first extended it. —Wonder Woman

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • Italian student bikes 1,500km to grandparents' home in England (BBC) #AndHeNeverCalls "It took 20-year-old Claudio Barchiesi 15 days to cycle from his home town of Barzano, Italy, through eight countries, to Barrow, Suffolk. He aimed to raise a euro for every kilometre he rode for charity, but has got 4,285 euros (£3,678) so far."

  • Alaska cat named Leo reunited with owners almost month after their home collapsed into flood-swollen river (CBS) #TheCatCameBack "None of the destruction was as famous as the house being rented by Wilkins and Schwartz, with video of it collapsing into the river going viral. The couple returned to Juneau three days later to sort out new living arrangements and look for Leo. They returned to the site of the house, calling out Leo's name and leaving food for him in the chicken coop. By then, it seemed like everyone in Juneau was looking for him. There were plenty of sightings of Leo, but Wilkins said it appears that there are just many black-and-white unhoused cats in Juneau. When he did turn up, he appeared to be in good health."

  • VIDEO: How one blind boy helped rebuild his school in Yemen (BBC) Great story. "For almost a decade a civil war has been grinding on in Yemen, pushing the Arab world’s poorest country to the brink of collapse. There has been less violence since a ceasefire last year but there is no sign of a deal to end the conflict. Ahmed is a charismatic 11-year-old blind boy the BBC first featured two years ago when he was teaching a class in a bombed-out school close to the front line."

  • These muskets were underwater for 150 years. It took 12 years to save them (CBC) ST JOHN'S STORY And, so...she did. "When Donna Teasdale opened the lid of an old crate that had been hauled up in a fishing net, she knew she had caught a big one. Twenty big ones, in fact. It was a case of Enfield muskets from the time of the U.S. Civil War. But for anyone to appreciate the incredible find, Teasdale would have to keep them from falling apart."

  • VIDEO: #TheMoment sailors were rescued after their boat was attacked by sharks (CBC) #LuckyDucks "Three sailors were rescued off the coast of Australia after sharks repeatedly attacked their inflatable catamaran. Luckily they got a distress call out to a nearby Panamanian cargo ship who rescued them."

  • Instead of waiting months, this Nova Scotian saw psychiatrist in days under new program (CBC) NOVA SCOTIA STORY More please. "Some Nova Scotians who need help managing mental health issues are being assessed by psychiatrists within days under a new program introduced by the province's health authority [...] The goal of the rapid access and stabilization program, which has seen more than 250 people so far, is to speed up access to specialist mental health care, in light of delays some patients have faced when seeking appointments."

  • VIDEO: Some Yellowknife evacuees return home to bumper crops (CBC) YELLOWKNIFE STORY "People are slowly trickling back into Yellowknife after the three-week evacuation order due to wildfire danger was lifted. Some are coming home to thriving gardens, while others are finding less pleasant surprises inside their homes."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. Edmonton High School Named After Revered Elder and Residential School Survivor, Dr. Francis Whiskeyjack (West Island Blog) EDMONTON STORY Well done Edmonton! "Edmonton’s newest southeast public high school has been christened with the name of a respected elder and residential school survivor, heralded as a lifelong learner who has devoted his existence to the service of others. The esteemed honour of this recognition is bestowed upon Elder Dr. Francis Whiskeyjack."

  2. Letters show Sask. Party turned down $2 million donation for Estevan MRI (Global News) SASKATCHEWAN STORY "NDP leader Carla Beck tore down the Saskatchewan Party government on Tuesday, saying it denied a $2 million donation for an MRI in Estevan. 'We’re talking about a local citizen stepping up to donate $2 million to solve a problem, and you’ve got Scott Moe and his ministers getting in the way.'"

  3. New Wonder Woman statue installed at Bow Valley College (CBC) CALGARY STORY Indeed. #VeryCool "That's a lot of Gal power. A statue of Wonder Woman movie star Gal Gadot — towering more than two metres tall, clad in armour and brandishing a shield and sword — is on display at Calgary's Bow Valley College Centre for Entertainment Arts. 'Everybody loves Wonder Woman,' said Alison Anderson, the dean of business, technology and the Centre for Entertainment Arts. Anderson said that when she was asked by the centre what statue the college would like as a gift she joked it should be Wonder Woman. She then realized it was a perfect choice."

  4. Long hair, signing bonuses and 'try before you buy': How Canada's military is responding to a staffing crisis (CBC) CANADIAN STORY As the times change, so must our military. "Anton Parker followed in his grandfather's footsteps with a career in the Royal Canadian Navy. With the longest hair of his life, complemented with a handlebar mustache and mutton chop sideburns, his grandfather might not even recognize him as a military sailor. 'The military should strive for discipline and uniformity,' Parker said while on board HMCS Vancouver, a frigate deployed in the Indo-Pacific region. 'But there's a need in the modern world for people to express individuality. The navy is trying to strike that balance.' On the same ship, some sailors have pink hair, others multiple earrings in each ear. Even face tattoos are OK."

  5. Philanthropies pledge $500 million to address 'crisis in local news' (NPR) This is important. "Some of the biggest names in American philanthropy have joined forces to spend at least $500 million over five years to revitalize the coverage of local news in places where it has waned. Led by the Chicago-based MacArthur Foundation, the new initiative, called Press Forward, seeks to nurture and sustain new models for funding journalism as the industry has come under severe financial pressures. In its announcement Thursday, the group of more than 20 charitable organizations noted that about a fifth of the nation live in so-called 'news deserts' with little or no reliable coverage of major local developments."

  6. Alcohol culture ballooned during pandemic, led to more problematic drinking: experts (CBC) CANADIAN STORY I certainly drank more. "The COVID-19 pandemic was a time of unknowns. It brought confusion, anxiety, fear, boredom, isolation and a lack of structure. Experts believe this perfect storm led to a widespread increase in problematic drinking and alcoholism."

  7. Bill Gates and Elon Musk: An excerpt from Walter Isaacson’s new biography of Musk (CNBC) "Gates followed up in mid-April, sending Musk the promised paper on philanthropy options that he had personally written. Musk responded by text with a simple question: 'Do you still have a half billion dollar short position against Tesla?' Gates was sitting in the dining room of the Four Seasons hotel in Washington, D.C., with his son Rory, who was just starting graduate school. He laughed, showed Rory the text, and asked for his advice on how to answer. 'Just say yes, and then change the subject quickly,' Rory suggested. Gates tried that. 'Sorry to say I haven’t closed it out,' he texted back. 'I would like to discuss philanthropy possibilities.' It didn’t work. 'Sorry,' Musk shot back instantly. 'I cannot take your philanthropy on climate seriously when you have a massive short position against Tesla, the company doing the most to solve climate change.'"

  8. ‘Sad’ Oprah Winfrey was shocked over ‘vitriol’ of Maui fire donation backlash (New York Post) "Oprah Winfrey is breaking her silence and responding to her critics. Earlier this month, the former talk show host and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson faced backlash after asking fans to donate money to help those affected by the Maui wildfires — despite having a combined net worth of more than $2.8 billion. During an interview on CBS Mornings, Oprah, 69, opened up about the matter while speaking with best friend Gayle King."

  9. Six outstanding USask alumni honoured with Achievement Awards (USask) SASKATOON STORY Congrats to all with a special mention to Shauna Curry and Arla Gustafson, both of whom I know and deeply admire. "This year’s six recipients embody the university’s aspiration to be what the world needs because of their significant accomplishments and contributions since graduating from USask. The remarkable achievements of this year’s nominees and award recipients prove this to be true. They are an inspiration to all USask students, past and present."

  10. Greenpeace opposes nuclear energy. Young climate activists say that's 'old-fashioned' (CBC) "Young climate activists in Europe are calling on Greenpeace to drop its 'old-fashioned' stance against nuclear energy. Activists from five EU countries have launched the Dear Greenpeace campaign, asking the well-established environmental organization to get on board with what they see as a necessary tool in the fight against climate change."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. VIDEO: Some scientists say blocking the sun could slow climate change — just like on The Simpsons (CBC) Sometimes the Simpsons are not wrong 😊.

  2. ‘The X-Files’: Every Episode Ranked From Worst to Best (Rollingstone) As a devoted fan, this is AWESOME.

  3. What is Nudge Theory? Why This 15-Year-Old Idea is Still Controversial (Inverse) I have seen it work.

  4. The psychological immune system: four ways to bolster yours – and have a happier, calmer life (The Guardian) Maybe even as important as your physiological immune system.

  5. Best Stretches for Men Over 30 (Ask Men) Tell me about it.

  6. 5 minute leadership lessons that will transform your career (Jeannine Mullin) Good lessons.

  7. Why Half of Humanity Lives in This Circle (Tomas Aspueyo) This is crazy but true.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. Kelowna hospital receives largest single donation from local philanthropist (Kelowna Cap News) KELOWNA STORY "Kelowna General Hospital (KGH) has just received its largest single donation ever. Local philanthropist Tom Budd has donated $1 million to KGH, specifically to the Payton & Dillon Budd Brain Health Medical Fund, named after Budd’s sons, who both died after struggling with mental health issues."

  2. Panda Express founders donate $100 million to City of Hope for alternative cancer care (LA Times) #Boom "Chinese food has been an American favorite for well over 100 years, but it wasn’t until the success of Panda Express that the cuisine became a staple at seemingly every suburban mall. Now, the chain’s founders, Peggy and Andrew Cherng, are looking to transform how Americans undergo treatment for cancer, drawing on traditional Chinese medicine, acupuncture and other Eastern healing methods. The billionaire couple, who opened their first Panda Express 40 years ago in Glendale, have donated $100 million to advance integrative care at City of Hope. The donation, announced Tuesday, is the single largest gift for cancer care received by the Duarte-based center."

  3. Virginia Tech receives landmark $50 million donation to benefit world-renowned research (NBC) "Thanks to a $50 million donation, Virginia Tech will be able to advance health sciences research that could help save millions of lives worldwide. The funding was received from the Red Gates Foundation, an organization based in Richmond that strives to bolster innovative programs and community-driven initiatives."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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