#News of the world [Advanced] - By Cate - 30/12/2024

A quick glance at what's happening on Mother Earth 🌍

No country will remain untouched 😎
No celebrity or politician will remain safe 😅
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Transcript

Hello, Cate here and welcome back to NEWS OF THE WORLD!

 In World News…

The Pelicot mass rape trial has shaken France to its core, exposing deep-rooted systemic violence against women and sparking a national reckoning on sexual assault and consent. At its centre were 51 men, including Dominique Pelicot, who orchestrated the drugging and rape of his then-wife, Gisèle, over a decade. The perpetrators were everyday men working as nurses, journalists, and soldiers. Despite overwhelming evidence, including videos and text messages, most denied guilt, shockingly believing that Dominique’s consent was sufficient.

Dominique received a 20-year sentence, while others faced three to 15 years or suspended sentences, prompting outrageover lenient punishments. Gisèle waived her anonymity, enduring public scrutiny to shed light on rape culture and push for change. Her bravery has inspired survivors to speak out and demand reforms, from teaching consent in schools to strengthening laws.

Though France has advanced in areas like abortion rights, it lags behind in tackling sexist violence. Activists emphasize this trial is a beginning, not an end.

Business News

The newly signed EU-Mercosur trade deal has French farmers up in arms, fearing it will pull the rug out from under their livelihoods. The agreement aims to slash tariffs and expand trade between the EU and South American countries, affecting 800 million people. While supporters hail it as a win for global free trade that could reform EU farming and improve standards abroad—especially in contrast to Trump’s protectionist policies—French farmers are seeing red, emphasizing food sovereignty and rural preservation.

The deal would flood the EU market with cheaper South American beef, chicken, and sugar, while giving European goods like cars and wine more access to Mercosur. Farmers argue this puts them at a disadvantage, as South American producers face fewer restrictions on pesticides and labour costs. Many French farmers are barely scraping by and worry the deal will make it harder to make ends meet.

France plans to block the deal, needing support from at least three other EU countries. Protests have ramped up, with farmers dumping straw and lighting flares in Paris, accusing the EU of using them as bargaining chips. For now, French farmers are digging in their heels, hoping their government won’t cave and that the Italians will vote with them in 2025.

Entertainment

Board games offer an enjoyable way to learn English while having fun with others. Here are some options to boost your vocabulary and creativity:

·       Scrabble encourages players to arrange letters into words on a board for points. Don’t worry if your vocabulary isn’t vast - playing with a dictionary will help you pick up new words. Over time, you’ll figure out how words fit together and become curious about unfamiliar ones. It’s perfect for small groups.

·       Taboo challenges you to describe a word without using related “taboo” words listed on the card. This forces creative thinking and helps expand your vocabulary as you learn synonyms.

·       Once Upon a Time involves storytelling with cards containing story elements and endings. Players interrupt to change the narrative, making it imaginative. It’s a great way to practice storytelling and build vocabulary in a creative setting.

·       Scattergories pushes you to think outside the box. You race to list words that fit specific categories and start with a given letter, learning less common vocabulary as you play.

·       Finally, my favourite, Cards Against Humanity offers a risqué twist on language learning, with its fill-in-the-blankhumour appealing to adults.

Dive into these games to pick up more English while having a blast this new year!

Sport

The Alps and Pyrenees are enjoying a cracking start to the ski season, with some of the best early snow conditions seen in years. Recent snowfall, combined with chilly temperatures, is keeping slopes in tip-top shape, while snow guns are stepping in to top things up. Resorts across the Alps are up and running, with Austria and Italy leading the way. 

In the Pyrenees, a slow start has been turned around by heavy snowstorms, leaving over 1m of snow in some areas like La Mongie in France. The Scandinavian winter is well and truly underway, with most major ski areas in Norway, Sweden, and Finland open and basking in fresh powder.

While natural snow depths vary, many resorts are making the most of artificial snow, ensuring decent piste conditions even in areas like the Dolomites. UK skiers are jumping on the bandwagon, with a surge in bookings for the season. The buzz is palpable—snow lovers are gearing up for what promises to be an epic season on the slopes!

Self-development

Time poverty affects around 80% of people, leaving them overwhelmed and feeling they don’t have enough time to handletheir responsibilities or enjoy life. In fact, a study found that stress related to time poverty had a stronger negative effect on happiness than unemployment. Research shows valuing time over money promotes happiness, stronger social connections, and greater satisfaction in relationships and jobs. Harvard professor Ashley Whillans advises prioritizing time over money, one decision at a time, to lead to a more fulfilling life.

To overcome time poverty, she suggests three key strategies:

1. First is Finding Time - analyse how you spend your time and identify levels of meaning, joy, or productivity.
2. Second is Funding Time - Outsource unenjoyable tasks, like cleaning or shopping, to create more time for fulfilling activities.
3. Third is Reframing Time - Shift your mindset to recognize and appreciate the value of time, cultivating feelings of time affluence.

Several time traps worsen time poverty: obsession with overworking and money, constant tech interruptions, undervaluing time by prioritizing cost savings over time savings, using busyness as a status symbol to appear important, and avoiding idleness due to discomfort with stillness. Recognizing these traps is essential to reclaiming your time.

Practical strategies to overcome time poverty include:

• Identifying why you’re engaging in time-wasting activities – is it enjoyment or procrastination?
• Scheduling slack time to reset between tasks.
• Creating intentions, developing actionable plans to follow through on your goals.
• Turning off tech notifications to reduce distractions.
• Focusing on leisure, fully enjoying these moments instead of overanalysing their monetary value.

Time and money are both scarce and measurable resources, and trade-offs and compromises between the two shape our happiness. Consider whether you would rather work fewer hours and make less money or work more to have more money. Sometimes we don’t have a choice but think about which one you value more. By managing time intentionally and escaping time traps, we can lead more joyful, balanced, and successful lives.

Well, that’s all from NEWS OF THE WORLD for now. I hope you have a happy start to 2025, and I’ll talk to you soon! Take care!