00:00Dorothy Barron is in good shape for any age, but the yoga teacher is especially fit for
00:10a 100-year-old. And with Britain preparing to celebrate VE, or Victory in Europe Day
00:16this week, Barron is thinking back on her service as a Wren, a member of the Women's
00:21Royal Naval Service in World War II.
00:24She was 18 years old and desperately wanted to join up, she says. She taught Morse code
00:29and other communication methods to others in the service. She tested out portable harbors
00:34that helped troops make landings on D-Day. And she commemorated her birthday last year
00:39by taking flight in a Spitfire, a fighter plane that was crucial to the country's defense
00:44during the Battle of Britain.
00:45AFP News reports that it's not known how many British World War II veterans are still alive.
00:51Their numbers are decreasing dramatically. But with this year's anniversary of VE Day being
00:56the 80th, it's not expected there will be many more commemorations like it with veterans
01:01in attendance. This one remembers the first victory occasions in 1945 coming as a tremendous
01:07weight off people's shoulders. She says she thought, quote, thank goodness that's over.
01:12I'm Carl Azuz from the world from A to Z. Happy to see you as we get into a new week
01:28of news and global events.
01:30Early every month, the U.S. government releases what we media types called the Jobs Report.
01:34It's a snapshot of employment and unemployment in America. It's closely watched because it's
01:40one indication of how the overall U.S. economy is doing. And it tallies up the figures from
01:45the previous month. So these latest jobs estimates are from April.
01:49The U.S. government says the country added 177,000 jobs. That's better than what many
01:55economists expected. Their prediction was 135,000 additions. And as far as the unemployment
02:01rate goes, this is the percentage of American workers who don't have a job. That stayed the
02:06same from March to April at 4.2 percent.
02:10Analysts are monitoring these numbers especially closely at this time because of the Trump administration's
02:15new tariffs or additional taxes on certain imported goods. A number of economists predicted
02:20they would hurt the American economy, while the government said they'd be good for the
02:24country long term.
02:26Researchers had mixed reactions to the latest employment numbers. Some said they showed the
02:30economy remained strong. Others said they still expected the jobs picture to weaken in the
02:36coming months. It's going to take time to know.
02:39Another subject we regularly discuss is mental health. Experts estimate that one in five American
02:44adults lives with a mental illness. And more than a third of students say they've had persistent
02:49feelings of sadness or hopelessness, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. However,
02:55there are some simple steps all of us can take daily to improve our well being. Mental illness
03:01is at an all time high. Dr. Jen Brule with the American Academy of Family Physicians says
03:07in the health care industry, mental illness isn't stigmatized and you can seek care from
03:12someone like a family doctor. It's treated as a health concern, just like if you have a physical
03:18ailment. When people have mental illness, it impacts every facet of their life from what they're
03:24doing in their day to day to how they plan their future. That's why Burle says taking simple
03:31steps every day can help you cope with stress and be more resilient. Start by taking care of yourself,
03:37get good quality sleep, eat a healthy diet rich in fruits and veggies, lean proteins and whole grains,
03:44and avoid processed foods. She says maintaining social connections is key and so is regular exercise,
03:51as well as getting outdoors. Exposure to sunlight helps your body make vitamin D, which does help you
03:58feel better. Mental illness symptoms greatly vary depending on the condition, but can include
04:03excessive feelings of sadness, excessive worry or fear, avoidance of friends and social activities,
04:10or changes in appetite, sleep and energy levels. Burle says these are signals and making sure that they
04:16have conversations early and seek treatment before symptoms become severe. I'm Andi Gaither.
04:28On this date in world history, in Xanadu did Kublai Khan a stately pleasure dome decree. But centuries
04:38before Coleridge penned those lines, the actual Kublai Khan at his actual home in Chengdu was chosen in a
04:45great assembly to be emperor. That was on this date in the year 1260. And the Mongolian grandson
04:51of Genghis Khan later established and led China's Yuan dynasty until 1294. A man named Alan Shepard made
04:58history on May 5, 1961. As part of Project Mercury, the astronaut blasted 116 miles into the sky,
05:06tested out some control systems, spent a few minutes in weightlessness and parachuted safely back down to
05:12the Atlantic Ocean. His 15-minute journey was the first time an American had ever been to space.
05:17And May 5, 1973 was when a horse named Secretariat crossed the finish line of the Kentucky Derby
05:24in just over one minute and 59 seconds. He'd go on to win the triple crown, finishing the Preakness
05:30stakes in one minute, 53 seconds and the Belmont stakes in two minutes, 24 seconds. All of these are
05:36records that have never been broken. Outward knowledge. In Mexico,
05:43Cinco de Mayo commemorates what event? A historic treaty, independence from Spain,
05:51a historic battle, Maya New Year.
05:58The date when Mexico declared independence from Spain was September 16, 1810. A historic battle fought
06:04decades later is remembered on Cinco de Mayo. The real story of this holiday goes back to the 1800s.
06:12Contrary to popular belief, Cinco de Mayo is not Mexican Independence Day. That's on September 16th.
06:19The 5th of May is the anniversary of the Battle of Puebla, when the very outnumbered Mexican army defeated
06:25the French. Every year since 1930, Mexico City has held a reenactment and a parade. Back in 1862,
06:33Napoleon was leading France. No, not this guy, actually his nephew, Napoleon III. But apparently
06:40the conquest streak ran in the family because Napoleon III wanted to stretch the French empire
06:45to Mexico. His army was three times the size and had better resources than the Mexican troops.
06:51The Battle of Puebla looked to be a swift victory for France. But the Mexican army, led by General Ignacio
06:57Zaragoza, held its own and forced the French to retreat. The battle didn't have much sway in the
07:03outcome of the war, but it was a symbolic victory. It's a proud thing for me because I'm representing
07:10a tradition from 1930. It is lovely to remember our past, is it not? Our Mexicans who actually gave
07:18their lives to save Mexico. Cinco de Mayo is actually a minor holiday in Mexico and celebrated
07:24much more in the United States. It's become less known for the history that you now know
07:28and more a reason to celebrate Mexican-American culture with good food and drinks.
07:37The Sunshine State is where we begin today's tour of viewers from Weston, Florida. A warm welcome to
07:43Mr. Smedley's class. Makes perfect sense that the mascot of Falcon Cove Middle School would be
07:49the Falcons. From Plainfield in the Prairie State of Illinois, we've got friends in Mrs. Elliot's class.
07:54Heritage Grove Middle School is the home of the Huskies. And completing our coast-to-coast call-out
08:00is Mr. Cook's class. The Tigers are watching from Fresno in the Golden State of California at Edison High School.
08:06A logo windbreaker. A Friday's are awesome sling bag with everybody's favorite hairline.
08:13These are ways to show you've got spirit. Yeah, yeah, yeah, for the world from A to Z.
08:19Check out our new merch store at worlda-to-z.org slash store or just scroll down on our website and
08:25click shop our merch store. It means the world to have you wearing the world from A to Z.
08:30Take a look at a pair of most improbable Playdate partners at this casual canine hangout of the
08:39world's tallest and tiniest dogs. The gathering was arranged by Guinness World Records which awarded
08:45Chihuahua Pearl and Great Dane Reggie their respective titles. The odd couple met in Idaho and after a few
08:52tense and cautious moments seemed to become fast furry friends despite a positively impressive three-foot
08:59height difference.
09:05RoboCake, a project by researchers from Italy and Switzerland, looks like a distinctive dessert
09:11whose animated figures would have to be removed before eating. However, they don't. These gummies
09:17are pneumatic. They move when air is passed through edible tubes built inside them. And the kicker is
09:23that the battery that moves the air is made from vitamin B12, quercetin, activated carbon and dark
09:30chocolate. That reportedly makes it the world's first edible rechargeable battery. And developers
09:36believe this tech can be used in medicine and environmental studies. Maybe developing that
09:41wasn't a piece of cake. But if it becomes a cakewalk to replicate, a cake boss could surely take the cake
09:46for goodness cake if it gets caked on like shaken cake and doesn't give you a stomach cake. Plus,
09:51it seems like an edible battery could be a powerful invention giving consumers quite a charge if they
09:55could get past all the positives and negatives that alternate in these kinds of current events.
09:59I'm Coral Azuz for the world from A to Z and we'll recharge for another show tomorrow.
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