Weekly News Recap: July 11, 2025

Weekly News Recap: July 11, 2025

Scott Ruskan remained calm and focused on the task at hand, rescuing 165 girls surrounded by torrential floods at Camp Mystic. (Supplied: US Coast Guard)

Grief does not change you. It reveals you. — John Green

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • VIDEO: A Defense of Joy (The Marginalian) This article contain a beautiful reading, in Spanish and in English of a the poem, "Defensa de la alegría" by Mario Benedetti, a renowned Uruguayan poet. "One of the most important things to have learned in life is that choosing joy in a world rife with reasons for despair is a countercultural act of courage and resistance, choosing it not despite the abounding sorrow we barely survive but because of it, because joy — like music, like love — is one of those entirely unnecessary miracles of consciousness that give meaning to survival with its bright allegiance to the most alive part of us."

  • Years After She Saved a Magpie it Returns the Favor Saving Her Life After She Fell from Window (Good News Network) I just thought of them as pests. "When Sandie Gillard fell from a two-story window, the impact knocked the senior citizen unconscious, a state that may have become permanent if not for the intervention of a very small, very unlikely hero. Lightly tapping on her head, a bird named Jellybean roused its former caregiver enough that she could call her husband, who arrived in time to telephone emergency services and save her life."

  • Rejected By His Mother, A Rare Wild Horse Foal Finds Love In A Grieving Mare (sunny skyz) I heart this. "Marat, an endangered Asian wild horse foal—one of only about 2,500 left in the world—was born on May 17 with limb deformities that made it hard for him to stand and walk, according to Dr. Annie Rivas, the zoo’s director of animal health [...] After intensive medical treatment for both bacterial sepsis and pneumonia, Marat was stabilized. But when he was reintroduced to his mother, she no longer recognized him and refused to nurse him. That’s when Alice entered the picture."

  • Violinist composes music from moth flight data to highlight insect decline (Positive News) #LongLiveTheMoth "Music and science collide in a piece of music that transforms moth flight data into a haunting tribute to these overlooked pollinators. A thought-provoking collaboration melding music and nature has shone a light on the nocturnal world of a much-maligned member of the insect family: the moth."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. Denmark Aims to Use Copyright Law to Protect People From Deepfakes (New York Times) A brilliant approach #MorePlease "The government in Denmark wants to protect citizens from deepfake images by giving them more control over their own likenesses, expanding copyright law in a pioneering measure that would allow people to demand that social media platforms take down digital forgeries."

  2. Coast Guard 'American hero' helps save 165 people from torrential floods surrounding summer camp (ABC) This story, these kids, has haunted me all week. #NoWords "It was Petty Officer Scott Ruskan's first Coast Guard mission that earned him the title of a hero. Ruskan, who graduated from Coast Guard Swim School just six months prior, helped rescue 165 people from torrential floods surrounding Camp Mystic in Kerr County, Texas. 'There [were] a lot of kids who are probably having the worst day of their lives. They're missing friends, they're missing loved ones, they don't know where they are,' he told CNN. 'It was pretty traumatic.' "

  3. VIDEO: Expert explains why you might be noticing fewer bug splats on your windshield (CBC) CANADIAN STORY I know bugs are not everyone's thing but if there are less bugs, we are in real trouble. "A couple of listeners told Calgary Eyeopener that they skipped a car wash after their trip to Red Deer last weekend because the front of their car wasn't covered in as much bug splatter as usual. A University of Lethbridge professor who specializes in insects discusses whether it's because the insect population is declining."

  4. VIDEO: People getting divorced are setting up gift registries. Don't roll your eyes just yet (CBC) CANADIAN STORY I am still rolling my eyes. "When Stacey Slager's marriage ended, a colleague suggested she start a divorce registry: a list of items that friends and family could get her as gifts, to help her start over. 'I never had a wedding registry when I got married because my ex-husband and I both had been living on our own and didn't need very much,' said Slager, whose 14-year marriage ended in 2023."

  5. VIDEO: Do you really need to stretch before exercising? Does whitening your teeth do more harm than good? (CTV) CANADIAN STORY I love Tim. And, now I have a good excuse for not stretching (I still do but not very often) ;-) "Your morning routine may include teeth whitening and stretching. Both practices are talked about as a thoughtful start to your day, but does science back that up? Tim Caulfield from the University of Alberta explains."

  6. What is the essence of cool? A global study narrows it down to 6 key traits (CBC) I won't spoil it, you will have to read the article to find out what the six are. "Cool is cool, no matter where you are in the world. That's the conclusion of a new study that surveyed nearly 6,000 people in 13 different countries about what makes a person cool, and found the answers to be surprisingly universal."

  7. Edmonton makes magpies official city bird (Edmonton City News) EDMONTON STORY Ok, two articles on magpies...jeesh. "Nature Alberta says more than 40,000 people cast their vote to choose the city’s official bird. Magpies won 16,018 votes in total, meaning nearly 40 per cent of Edmonton-area residents who voted chose this bird to represent their [city].

  8. A corpse flower will soon make you want to puke at the Conservatory of Flowers (San Francisco Standard) Creepy, weirdly, cool. Thanks to our recap editor, Katia, for sharing this. "The San Francisco Conservatory of Flowers announced [...] that its magnificent corpse flower, named Chanel (no relation to the perfume), is beginning to bloom and is set to reach peak stinkiness within a week. When the towering, phallus-like bloom fully unfurls its hideous red skirt, the stench of rotting flesh will emanate for two days throughout the halls of the conservatory, drawing dung beetles and humans who have longed to experience olfactory trauma."

  9. Dr. Sinda K. Vanderpool Named 10th President of the University of St. Thomas (citybiz) CALGARY STORY Congrats Sinda! We will miss you in Calgary. "The University of St. Thomas is pleased to announce that Dr. Sinda K. Vanderpool has been named the institution’s 10th president [...]. Most recently, Dr. Vanderpool was President and Vice Chancellor of St. Mary’s University in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. While there, she increased enrollment, significantly increased revenues from private and public entities, and emphasized student success. She is a collaborative leader who focuses on people."

  10. Canadian Armed Forces members among four charged in Quebec extremist plot, RCMP say (The Globe and Mail) CALGARY STORY "Canada’s national police have arrested four men, including two active members of the Canadian Forces, alleging that they diverted items from the military in hopes of using them to create an extremist militia and take over a plot of land north of Quebec City."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. VIDEO: F1 Film | Behind the Scenes Feature (YouTube) Even the behind-the-scenes film is a heart-racer.

  2. 6 Hidden Emergency Water Sources in Your Home (The Art of Manliness) Not that we could not figure some of this out but in an emergency, this is helpful.

  3. 'Vietnam was insane, Apocalypse Now only slightly less so': The inside story of the wildest shoot in film history (BBC) This was a seminal film for me to watch and is still one of my cultural touchstones. Loosely based on Joseph Conrad's book, 'Heart of Darkness', this film and now, this behind-the-scenes documentary is well worth watching.

  4. A woman accidentally said, 'Love you!' to an important client. His response was perfect. (Upworthy) Ha, I have done this and I have also done with with my ex-wife #awkward.

  5. VIDEO: Feeling stuck in life? Real people share 10 time-tested ways to 'unstick' yourself that actually work (Upworthy) Short little TikTok with some good pearls of wisdom.

  6. Stop trying to ‘feel confident’ (Fast Company) 'You don't need inner confidence, you need outer tools' #Truth

  7. What Is A Bao Bun And How Is It So Fluffy? (The Takeout) *Mmmm...Bao Bun...mmmm""

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. Elk Valley Resources donates $1 million for Field House in Fernie (The Free Press) FERNIE STORY " 'The support from Elk Valley Resources is a game-changing investment for our organization and the entire community', said Antony McElwee on behalf of EVFHS. 'Their $1 million donation reinforces their strong regional support and commitment to creating long-term benefits for all Elk Valley residents.'"

  2. Developer Jay Patry offers $1 million donation to water play area (The Whig Standard) KINGSTON STORY "Kendal and Jay Patry spoke to an audience of health-care professionals [...] during an event to announce their $1 million donation to Kingston Health Sciences Centre (KHSC)."

  3. Lurie family makes $50 million donation for autism research (MSN) #LoveThis "The Philadelphia Eagles have intensified their commitment to fighting autism with a massive donation aimed at making new advances. The family of owner Jeffrey Lurie will donate $50 million to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine for the creation of the [Lurie Autism Institute].

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

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