Weekly News Recap: March 20, 2026

Weekly News Recap: March 20, 2026

Photos: Zoo Sauvage de Saint-Félicien

Don’t take yourself so seriously. You’re just a monkey with a plan. — Naval Ravikant

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • VIDEO: #TheMoment Canada's wheelchair curlers became Paralympic champions (CBC) CANADIAN STORY Congrats! We are all proud of paralypians. "Members of Canada's Paralympic curling team tell CBC News about the moment they won gold after beating China with only seconds left in the game."

  • Record-smashing powerlifter, 68, says she lives for the 'clang' of the weights (CBC) CANADIAN STORY This woman rocks! "On Thursday morning, 68-year-old Mava Brydges put the weight of a household refrigerator onto her back, lowered herself toward the floor and then stood up again. Her 132.5-kilogram squat at the Canadian Powerlifting National Championships in St. John's, N.L., was five kilograms shy of the national record for her age and weight class, which she set herself in 2022. In the next few hours, she set two new records, finishing the morning by hoisting a 140-kilogram barbell off the ground as a crowd of gobsmacked fans cheered and shouted her name."

  • VIDEO: #TheMoment he made ice cream while running in Calgary (CBC) CALGARY STORY "People are making butter while running. Now...ice cream. Yum...I think.

  • Stroke Survivor Spends Months Practicing His Dunkin’ Order in Speech Therapy, Then Gets 'Incredible' Surprise (Exclusive) (People) #Inspiring "When Rich McMahon began speech therapy after a life-altering stroke, his recovery goal wasn’t complicated. He simply wanted to order his favorite Dunkin’ iced coffee again. The Cranston, R.I., resident started practicing the words for his regular order during therapy sessions, turning a familiar routine into a symbol of progress. [...] The company surprised the McMahon family with a year of free coffee, Dunkin’ merchandise and tickets to Opening Day at Fenway Park. For a Boston-born coffee lover, it was a moment that felt especially meaningful."

  • ‘She is our hero’: Oakland celebrates Alysa Liu after Olympics triumph (The Guardian) I watched her performance live. It was stunning. "Nearly 5,000 people gathered in Oakland on Thursday afternoon to celebrate local hero Alysa Liu – a fitting homecoming for the two-time Olympic gold medalist who joyously shouted out the Bay Area city after her short program in Milan less than a month ago."

  • New free payphone at BU allows students to ‘Call a Boomer’ (WHDH) #Brilliant and...more please. "A newly installed free payphone on Boston University’s campus is helping generations connect the old fashioned way; giving people the chance to 'call a boomer.' The payphone directly connects to a similar phone installed in the game room of a senior housing complex in Reno, Nevada [...] The two-way connection offers those baby boomers a way to reach out as well. Their phone is labeled 'call a zoomer,' and it lets them talk to people passing by along the busy street."

  • Istanbul’s Tea Men Keep a Centuries-Old Tradition Alive (Imbibe) Mesmerizing. "A steady drizzle pelts the cobblestone streets outside Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar as the iron gates creak open for business. Inside, the air is thick with the tang of tobacco and damp wool. Fluorescent lights illuminate a maze of stalls stacked with hand-woven textiles, copper lamps, and painted ceramics, but it’s the men darting through the narrow aisles, silver trays balanced high with hourglass-shaped glasses of steaming crimson liquid, who catch the eye. They are the çaycılar, the tea men of Istanbul—a role traditionally held by men, reflecting the Grand Bazaar’s long history and Islamic cultural norms that once limited women’s participation in commerce. Their route through the bazaar is intricate, threading from gold dealers to rug merchants, tailors to spice sellers, delivering glass after glass of tea, collecting empty ones, and circling back to the hidden kitchens where kettles hiss and steam rises in fragrant curls."

  • The yoghurt delivery women combatting loneliness in Japan (BBC) The Japanese have long figured out social connection. "As loneliness deepens in one of the world's fastest-ageing nations, a network of women delivering probiotic milk drinks has become a vital source of routine, connection and care. A woman in a neat navy suit and powder-blue shirt cycles purposefully down a quiet residential street in Tokyo. It's 08:30 but already balmy, and she's grateful for the matching visor that shields her eyes from the summer sun. She arrives at her first stop, parks her bike and knocks on the door of a small wooden house with potted plants flanking the entrance. Inside, an elderly woman waits. Her face breaks into a broad smile as she opens the door – she has been expecting this visit."

  • VIDEO: Andy Anderson: The Shape of Paris (YouTube) If you are reading this on the day the recap comes out (March 20), it is the first day of spring. Spring in Paris is life-affirming.

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. The Billionaire Backlash Against a Philanthropic Dream (New York Times) #Ugh "After Warren Buffett convened a series of high-end dinners across America to collect signatures for something called the Giving Pledge, he was feeling optimistic about his new idea for philanthropy [...] Over the last two years, there has been a growing backlash from the billionaires who are its target donors. One of its first signers suggested he was 'amending' his pledge to account for his for-profit ventures. Another signed it, and then in an occurrence without precedence, unsigned it. No Oval Office visits anymore: President Trump’s team describes the Pledge as almost a punchline. There’s even a quiet campaign by one pro-Trump tech billionaire to destroy it. Instead of signing up for nonpartisan philanthropy, some billionaires seeking impact are looking for a more direct route, spending more than ever on American elections."

  2. Welcoming Polar Bear ‘Yellé’ to Wild Canada (Calgary Zoo) CALGARY STORY Welcome to Calgary Yellé. We are excited to have you. "The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo has welcomed a new polar bear to Wild Canada. ‘Yellé’, a 20-year-old male, arrived from Quebec’s Zoo Sauvage de Saint-Félicien and is currently settling in behind the scenes for a quarantine period. 'Welcoming any new arrival is always an exciting time, but Yellé’s arrival is especially meaningful for our team,' said Paul Woerner, Animal Care Manager (Wild Canada). 'We’ve been looking for the right companion for Siku, and having Yellé join our zoo family is a moment we’ve all been eagerly anticipating.' "

  3. In a provincial first, Alberta government to partially fund independent school construction (CBC) ALBERTA STORY "The Alberta government — for the first time — will partially fund the construction and expansion of independent schools in an attempt to create more student spaces. The Independent School Capital program, proposed in the 2026 provincial budget, intends to dedicate $90 million over three years to spaces for 6,000 more students in non-profit K-12 private schools."

  4. VIDEO: Is boiling a live lobster cruel? Why the debate is heating up (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "England is the latest country to introduce legislation to ban the boiling of live lobsters, turning up the heat on a long-simmering animal cruelty debate. CBC’s Tom Murphy breaks down the crustacean compassion divide and what it could mean for Canada’s multi-billion dollar seafood industry."

  5. VIDEO: Inside the weird world of Toronto’s transit seat upholstery (CBC) TORONTO STORY I knew you would want to know more... ;-) "When Rujuta Kumthekar rides the TTC, she doesn't take a seat. 'I just moved here like a year ago and pretty much everyone I asked told me to not sit, so I don't sit.' Kumthekar blames the weird stains she's seen on the TTC's red fabric seats. She would reconsider sitting — if the seats were plastic. 'Plastic works just because it's easier to clean,' she said. Other transit systems, most recently in Seattle, have shifted away from fabric seats, citing complaints about cleanliness. Toronto transit is in the midst of its own seat debate."

  6. Queen of the chair: The legend of an Edmonton hairstyling icon known as Auntie Shirley (CBC) EDMONTON STORY #LoveHer "Shirley Romany welcomes people into her Edmonton salon the way she welcomes them into her heart — with warmth, dignity and the unwavering belief that everyone belongs. Over nearly 60 years of entrepreneurship, the Trinidad-born hairstylist and owner of Ebony and Ivory Salon has quietly become a legend in Edmonton’s Black communities and beyond."

  7. Should we worry about Canada's winter sports decline? (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "Canadian Olympic Committee CEO David Shoemaker said prior to the Games that there's 'an immense funding gap' in the country's sports system, and Canadian Paralympic Committee head Karen O'Neill added last week that investment needs to rise in order for Canada to 'continue to be competitive on the world stage.' Veteran Olympic speed skater Laurent Dubreuil, who won a bronze in Milan, warned that Canada is 'heading straight for disaster' if nothing is done to address athlete funding, which he says has been dwindling with each passing Olympic cycle.' "

  8. Girl Scout troop sets up shop at weed dispensary. Cookies are in high demand. (nj.com) #SmartCookies "A New Jersey Girl Scout troop has taken cookie sales to new heights, setting up shop right outside a popular cannabis dispensary. A South Jersey-based troop recently teamed up with Daylite Dispensary in Mount Laurel to sell their beloved cookies at the cannabis shop this cookie season. 'You use cannabis, you get the munchies,' Daylite Dispensary owner Steve Cassidy told NJ.com"

  9. VIDEO: Ever dreamt of being a dancing prairie gopher? Saskatchewan Roughriders has the job for you (CBC) SASKATCHEWAN STORY If you are a Roughriders fan (I have been 'Stockholm-syndromed' into this fan group), this might be for you. "The Saskatchewan Roughriders have a new job opening — one that involves oversized shoes, sideline antics and breaking down the barriers between man and rodent. The reigning Canadian Football League (CFL) champions are hosting auditions for the next person to step into the suit of its beloved mascot Gainer the Gopher. The job description says the team is looking for someone who can 'learn, embody and adapt the Gainer persona,' as well as improvise and engage with fans. Before stepping into the mind — or paws — of the mascot, Don Hewitt, the first-ever Gainer, says aspiring mascots should understand one important thing. 'The number one quality would be love … the Roughriders team,' Hewitt told As It Happens host Nil Köksal. 'Show the love of the team through your actions on the field and at the stadium and understand how important the team is to the people here in this province.' "

  10. From entrepreneurship to impact: Hunter family named 2026 Inspiring Business Leader (UCalgary) CALGARY STORY Congrats to all. "Across generations, the Hunter family has helped shape Calgary’s business and innovation landscape through a blend of entrepreneurial thinking, investment and philanthropy. It’s a legacy of impact that has now earned the family recognition as the 2026 recipient of the Inspiring Business Leader Award."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. VIDEO: How to properly clean and store your winter jackets, gloves (CTV) CANADIAN STORY Time to put away the winter woolies.

  2. What it takes to be, make and keep a good friend, according to Colorado State professor (CPR News) We can all be better friends.

  3. I Tried the Honey Trick Recipe Everyone’s Talking About - Here’s What Happened (Best Meals To Cook) I have resisted but I am willing to give it a try.

  4. The Advice I Gave Clients 15 Years Ago That I Don’t Give Anymore (In Fitness And In Health) Done beats duration.

  5. Chasing Pi to infinity: 314 trillion digits calculated in a 110-day computing marathon (Interesting Engineering) We are a little late for Pi day (March 14 aka 3.14) but I knew you would want a shout out.

  6. How to Predict the Future According to Silver’s The Signal and the Noise Book (Data Driven Investor) It's a good read (the book and this article) and a helpful one.

  7. 26 Rules to Be a Better Thinker in 2026 (Ryan Holiday) Ryan Holiday is one of our best thinkers. I especially like 'Don't just read, re-read'. As the stoics were fond of saying, 'books don't change, but you do.'

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. Meryl Streep Makes Seven-Figure Donation to National Women’s History Museum (artnet) "Actor Meryl Streep just made a seven-figure donation to the nomadic, digital-first National Women’s History Museum (NWHM), based in Washington, D.C."

  2. Gift creates Canadian Centre for Catholic Pastoral Leadership at the University of St. Michael’s College (UToronto) TORONTO STORY "The University of Toronto has received a $1.2-million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to establish the Canadian Centre for Catholic Pastoral Leadership (CCCPL) at the University of St. Michael’s College (USMC)."

  3. University of Warwick receives £1 million donation from local trust (University of Warwick) "The University of Warwick announc[ed] [...] that it has received a £1 million unrestricted donation as part of its Set the Pace philanthropic campaign from The 29th May 1961 Charitable Trust."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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