Weekly News Recap: July 18, 2025

Weekly News Recap: July 18, 2025

Environmentalist David Suzuki, seen at a Vancouver rally in October 2019, says it's too late to expect politicians and governments to take the right steps to solve the climate crisis. Instead, he believes the future of climate action is in local communities. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

We're in a giant car heading towards a brick wall and everyone's arguing over where they're going to sit. -- David Suzuki

SOME GOOD NEWS

  • In a Milestone for Manhattan, a Pair of Coyotes Has Made Central Park Their Home (Smithsonian Magazine) We tend to have a love-hate relationship with Coyotes. I find them fascinating. Wherever we are, they are. "Romeo and Juliet, as we’ve come to call them, were out in the open bonding affectionately with each other. Romeo, the smaller of the two, playfully lay on his back with his paws in the air, much like a domestic dog looking for a belly rub, while Juliet licked him on the face. Something caught Juliet’s attention, and she looked up, flashing her alert, amber-brown eyes. Romeo stood, and his upper coat—a mix of gray and brown with reddish hues—became visible. They trotted off together, and we photographed them while admiring their perky ears, long legs and bushy tails. Soon, they disappeared into the darkness."

  • Where the Horses Swim (The Dial) These photos are beautiful. "Every morning at dawn, on the shores of Pebbles Beach, Barbados, a captivating ritual takes place. Guided by their grooms, racehorses wade into the sea to train and stretch their muscles in the cool saltwater. Most of the horses come from the nearby Garrison Savannah, one of the oldest horse racetracks in the Americas and the Caribbean; others are from local stables or from smaller farms across the island."

  • Photos of Madrid’s high heel race where runners braved the heat for Pride Week (AP News) #LoveThis "Runners sporting heels of at least 15 centimeters (5.9 inches) competed in Madrid’s high heel race during Pride Week. Despite the heat, supporters came out to cheer them, some dressed in drag and fanning themselves to keep cool."

  • Tiny pet dog credited with helping to save hiker trapped in Swiss glacier (The Guardian) #VeryCuteHero "A small pet dog is being hailed as a 'four-legged hero' for helping to save his owner’s life after he fell down an icy crevasse in the Swiss Alps. The Air Zermatt helicopter company credited the pint-sized pooch with drawing their attention to the location of the hiker, who was extracted and taken to hospital."

  • Stella McCartney’s new plant-based sneakers can be composted (Fast Company) #MorePlease "If you pick up a pair of the newest sneakers from Stella McCartney, you might notice something unusual: The soles smell like cinnamon. That’s because they’re dyed with cinnamon waste rather than synthetic coloring—one of the ways the soles were designed to be as sustainable as possible. They’re also made from other plant-based components like castor beans. When the sneakers wear out, the soles can either be composted or recycled."

  • Ukrainian doctor drives a child’s heart through Russian attack to perform a life-saving transplant (CNN) #Heroics "Kyiv was burning as Dr. Borys Todurov sped through the city in an ambulance, undeterred by the deep thuds of explosions and the terrifying sounds of Russian drones flying overhead. He was determined to deliver his precious cargo: a human heart. Todurov’s patient – a child – was seriously ill in a hospital. He had hours to act."

TOP TEN STORIES OF THE WEEK

  1. Battery breakthrough: researchers improve performance of rechargeable water-based cells (UAlberta) EDMONTON STORY If we can scale this, it will change the world. "Engineering researchers at the University of Alberta have found a way to make rechargeable, environmentally friendly water-based batteries perform far better than those currently available."

  2. VIDEO: How Canada's oilsands transformed into one of North America's lowest-cost plays (CBC) ALBERTA STORY #ResearchWorks "Giant shovels, driverless trucks and a dog-like robot have all helped Canada's oilsands companies including Imperial Oil and Suncor become some of North America's lowest-cost oil producers, driving down overheads even as the worst inflation in a generation pushed U.S. shale costs up. As the global oil industry enters a downturn due to economic uncertainty related to U.S. tariffs policy and OPEC+ pumping more barrels, Canada's oilsands industry finds itself in a position of strength."

  3. [Co-CEOs are increasingly popular. | The Chronicle of Philanthropy - LinkedIn](Co-CEOs are increasingly popular. | The Chronicle of Philanthropy - LinkedIn) (https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-chronicle-of-philanthropy_how-to-envision-your-role-as-co-leader-activity-7349639213228736512--BqO/) "Co-CEOs are increasingly popular. But when two people lead an organization, how do you make decisions? Sherreta Harrison and Raymond Jetson, the millennial-boomer duo at the helm of MetroMorphosis in Baton Rouge, La., talk about their decision-making rubric – and their commitment to back each other up even when they disagree."

  4. VIDEO: No, David Suzuki hasn't given up on the climate fight — but his battle plan is changing (CBC) CANADIAN STORY #Eeek "Canadian environmentalist David Suzuki made headlines last week when he said in an interview with iPolitics that humanity has lost its fight against climate change. 'We're in deep trouble,' Suzuki told the outlet. 'I've never said this before to the media, but it's too late.' Though he made it clear that he hasn't entirely given up, Suzuki says that rather than getting caught up in trying to force change through legal, political and economic systems, we now need to focus on community action."

  5. VIDEO: Birth of a solar system: Astronomers observe early planet formation for 1st time (CBC) "Astronomers have discovered the earliest seeds of rocky planets forming in the gas around a baby sun-like star, providing a precious peek into the dawn of our own solar system. It's an unprecedented snapshot of 'time zero,' scientists reported [...] when new worlds begin to gel."

  6. Australian woman walking 'the length of the Earth' will soon arrive in Canada (CBC) CANADIAN CONTENT Welcome to Canada Lucy. "When Lucy Barnard crosses the U.S. border into Canada in the coming weeks, it'll have been a journey eight years in the making. The Australian writer, filmmaker and adventurer is on a mission to become the first woman to walk 'the length of the Earth' — or, more specifically from the southernmost city in Argentina to the northernmost town in Alaska. She first set off from Ushuaia in 2017. Now, more than 22,000 kilometres, 22 pairs of shoes, 12 countries and one global pandemic later, she's arrived at East Glacier Park, Mont., just 150 kilometres from the Canadian border in Alberta."

  7. VIDEO: Jane Birkin's original Hermès bag sells at auction for 7 million euros (CBC) #Crazy "Initially sketched out on an air sickness bag, the first Birkin bag, which gave birth to fashion's must-have accessory, sold for a record seven million euros (about $11.2 million Cdn) at auction in Paris on Thursday. The huge amount — which drew gasps and applause from the audience — crushed what auctioneer Sotheby's had said was the previous record for a handbag. That was $513,040, for a White Himalaya Niloticus Crocodile Diamond Retourne Kelly 28."

  8. Plans for Nordic spa in Edmonton's river valley now official, developers say (CBC) EDMONTON STORY #YesPlease "Edmonton has been selected as the location of a new spa that promises to make a secluded corner of the city's southwest a destination for cold plunges, steam heat and silent relaxation. The city's first Nordic spa is slated for construction in Brander Gardens, overlooking the North Saskatchewan River."

  9. Vogue's Anna Wintour exits editor-in-chief post, but remains brand's global boss (CBC) "Anna Wintour is stepping down as Vogue editor-in-chief but will retain editorial control over the storied magazine. The longtime Vogue powerhouse told staff Thursday she's seeking a head of editorial content to handle more of the day-to-day operations. But she's holding on to plenty of power to keep her a force at the magazine that built her reputation in fashion."

  10. Income inequality hit record high at start of 2025, Statistics Canada says (CBC) CANADIAN STORY "The gap between the country's highest- and lowest-income households reached a record high in the first quarter of 2025, Statistics Canada said [...]. The agency said the difference in the share of disposable income between households in the top 40 per cent of the income distribution and the bottom 40 per cent grew to 49 percentage points in the first three months of the year."

SEVEN LIFE AND CAREER HACKS

  1. 5 Garments You Should Never Hang in a Closet—Plus the Right Way to Store the Rest of Your Clothes (Mental Floss) I guess I should start hanging my pants.

  2. VIDEO: 10 legendary guitar riffs that define rock music (Far Out Magazine) #Amazing

  3. The first 10 minutes: why breaking your morning routine can ruin your day (The Guardian) It is not me just being grumpy then?

  4. VIDEO: Various old lighters from the collection #discover #vintage #design (YouTube) This is cool.

  5. I’m a Physical Therapist. These Are the 5 Hip Stretches I Swear by to Stay Pain-Free in My 60s (Men's Journal) As a person with tight hips, these are great.

  6. VIDEO: How To Watch Cycling (Defector) The Tour de France ends on Sunday, July 27 this year. There is still time to watch this amazing race.

  7. These Books Are the Perfect Companion to Your Summer Travels (The Thrillist) I want to read them all but I am starting with 'Station Eleven' and then, maybe 'Braiding Sweetgrass'.

TOP THREE GIFTS OF THE WEEK

  1. Jerry Frautschi's $12 million donation completes Wisconsin History Center fundraising goal (Fox News) "Philanthropist Jerry Frautschi has donated $12 million to the new Wisconsin History Center, allowing the Wisconsin Historical Society to reach its $66.5 million fundraising goal."

  2. Real estate firm PropNex donates $6 million to Community Chest for 25th anniversary (Straits Times) "PropNex, Singapore’s largest real estate agency, will make a $6 million donation to the Community Chest to commemorate SG60, in addition to contributions to other charitable initiatives, including The Straits Times School Pocket Money Fund (STSPMF)."

  3. Billionaire private astronaut Jared Isaacman donating $15 million for Space Camp programs (Space.com) "Jared Isaacman is donating a big chunk of change to help inspire the astronauts and space scientists of tomorrow. The billionaire tech entrepreneur and private astronaut, who until recently was on track to become NASA administrator, announced [...] that he's gifting $15 million to the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Alabama for its Space Camp programs."

LAST WEEK'S MOST POPULAR STORIES

Welcome to our recap of the week's news, articles, and information of note. ViTreo Group Inc. provides this information for the benefit of our clients, associates, staff, partners, and stakeholders. The content is collected and curated by ViTreo President & CEO Vincent Duckworth. If you would like to submit a link for consideration, please send an email to info@vitreogroup.ca.

The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by ViTreo Group Inc. of the linked web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein. ViTreo Group does not exercise any editorial control over the information you may find at these locations. All links are provided with the intent of meeting the mission of the ViTreo Group Inc. Please let us know about existing external links which you believe are inappropriate.

Vincent DuckworthComment