#News of the world [Advanced] - By Cate - 01/09/2025

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

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Transcript

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

In World News…

Ukraine marked its Independence Day last week with a defiant speech from President Zelensky, who vowed his country would fight on “while its calls for peace are not heard.” He stressed that Ukraine is “not a victim, but a fighter,” declaring that only Ukrainians should decide their future.

The day was overshadowed by Moscow accusing Kyiv of drone strikes that caused a fire at a nuclear power plant in Russia. Ukrainian officials dismissed the claims as propaganda, and the UN’s atomic watchdog urged both sides to show restraint around nuclear facilities.

Celebrations in Kyiv were marked by international support. Canada promised more military aid, the UK confirmed training for Ukrainian troops, and Norway and Sweden announced new defence commitments. King Charles also sent his “warmest wishes,” praising the resilience of the Ukrainian people.

All this comes against the backdrop of high-stakes diplomacy. Earlier this month, Donald Trump and Putin held a summit in Alaska, billed as a step towards peace. Yet Trump has since voiced frustration, hinting at further sanctions or tariffs on Russia if progress stalls.

 Business News

Air Canada’s flight attendants walked off the job last week with a clear demand: “unpaid work won’t fly.” For decades, North American cabin crew have only been paid once planes leave the gate, meaning hours spent on boarding and safety checks go unpaid. In contrast, many European airlines offer monthly salaries, so all duties are covered.

The strike, which disrupted summer travel, ended with a tentative deal that includes pay rises and, crucially, partial pay for ground duties a first for Air Canada staff. Union leaders hailed the move as “historic,” though many attendants remain unhappy, and the deal still requires a vote.

Experts say this could spark a wider shift. Delta introduced ground pay in 2022, followed by American and Alaska Airlines. With Air Canada now on board, analysts predict a “tsunami” of change across the continent.

For workers, this battle is about fairness as much as pay. As one veteran attendant estimated, unpaid tasks amount to 40 hours a month. Ending that “dirty secret” could reshape labour rights in Canadian aviation and perhaps beyond.

 Entertainment

Notting Hill Carnival roared back to life last weekend in West London, drawing up to a million revellers on Sunday alone, making it Europe’s largest street party. The annual celebration has been running for more than 50 years, a proud showcase of Caribbean culture, resilience and joy.

Festivities began at dawn with J’ouvert: dancers, paint, powder and even chocolate flying in a riot of colour. Throughout the day, vibrant floats, dazzling costumes, steel bands, and sound systems pumping out soca and reggae kept the streets alive, while stalls filled the air with the unmistakable scent of jerk chicken and Caribbean food.

Security was heightened, with 7,000 officers on duty and live facial recognition technology used for the first time on the carnival’s edges. By Sunday evening, police had made around 140 arrests for weapons, drugs, assaults and other offences.

Despite funding struggles that nearly cancelled this year’s event, last-minute council backing helped keep it alive. Performers, organisers and revellers including high-profile visitors like Usain Bolt rallied to preserve this unique and unmissable London tradition.

 Sport

Daniil Medvedev’s US Open campaign ended in extraordinary scenes, as the 2021 champion was knocked out after a bizarre incident involving a photographer. Facing match point against France’s Benjamin Bonzi, a cameraman wandered onto the court between serves, prompting the umpire to grant Bonzi a fresh first serve.

Medvedev erupted, accusing the official of “wanting to go home” and whipping up the New York crowd, who responded with chants and boos that completely shifted the atmosphere. Play was delayed for over six minutes, Bonzi lost focus, and what should have been a straightforward victory spiralled into a five-set epic, eventually completed just before 1am.

Bonzi won, describing the noise as unlike anything he had ever experienced. For Medvedev, it was another turbulent chapter at Flushing Meadows, where he has long played both villain and hero. This time, though, he left in tears, smashing his racquetand admitting he briefly considered ending his career.

The photographer was escorted out, his credentials revoked. Medvedev, meanwhile, now faces the prospect of falling out of the world’s top 20 following his meltdown.

Self-development

When life gets noisy with constant demands from work, family, and the wider world it’s easy to lose sight of what really matters. That’s where core values come in. Core values are the deeply held beliefs that guide your decisions, shape your behaviour, and influence how you respond when things get tough.

Knowing your values doesn’t mean life becomes easy, but it does mean you have a compass. If you know that honesty, for example, is a core value, you’re far less likely to compromise it, even under pressure. If creativity is at your centre, you’ll feel restless in rigid environments and fulfilled when you find ways to express it.

When we don’t know our values, we risk chasing other people’s definitions of success. That can lead to frustration, burnout, or a sense of emptiness even when, on paper, you’ve “achieved.” But when we’re clear, we make choices that align with who we are, not with who others expect us to be.

A simple exercise is to list moments in your life when you felt most alive and proud — then look for common themes. Those patterns reveal your values. Once you know them, they become a filter for decisions, big and small.

In the end, living by your values doesn’t just create success. It creates peace, meaning, and authenticity a life that truly feels your own.

Well, that’s all from NEWS OF THE WORLD for now. I hope you live by your values today, and I’ll talk to you soon! Take care!