Readable, teachable news.
Saturday, April 20, 2024
Greece was in trouble because it took on too much debt.
But other countries have agreed to help Greece by lending the country more than 130-billion euros. Euros (€) are the units of money used in 17 countries in Europe including Greece, France and Germany.
The countries that have agreed to bail Greece out of its money problems are demanding something in return. They are insisting that the government of Greece spend less.
Facebook is the most popular “social networking” website in the world and it may be for sale soon. Or at least part of it.
A “social networking” website is one that lets people meet and chat with each other—not face-to-face, but over the Internet. Facebook and Twitter are two popular social networking websites.
Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook with some university friends in 2004. Recently, he decided to “go public” with Facebook. In this case, that means people he doesn’t even know will be allowed to buy a share (part) of the company.
Right now, Facebook is privately owned by some individuals and companies. Zuckerberg himself owns 24 per cent or almost one-quarter of Facebook–the largest portion.
When a company “goes public,” it is given a value (for instance, Facebook is said to be worth $100-billion) and that value is divided into “shares.” Those shares, which each represent a tiny piece of the value of the company, are then offered for sale.
Some Attawapiskat residents will soon be moving into new “modular” homes.
Attawapiskat is a remote community in northern Ontario. Last year, the government there declared a state of emergency because residents were living in conditions that were very unsafe.
Canada’s government promised to help fix the housing problems in Attawapiskat.
The first modular home has reached the first nations community, and the second is on its way.
It began like any other cruise, with more than 4,200 people aboard the Costa Concordia.
However, the scene became tragic on Saturday as the massive ship ran aground a few hundred metres off the tiny island of Giglio near Tuscany, Italy.
Rocks tore a 50-metre gash down one side of the hull and the ship took on water.
By Sunday morning five people were dead and 10 unaccounted for. Two of the victims were French and one was from Peru. Another 30 people were hurt; two people were seriously injured.
Others on board were from Italy, Germany, France and Britain. There were 1,000 crew members on board.
Recently, Vladimir Putin was elected President of Russia.
The official count of votes said he won with a clear majority of the votes (more than 50 per cent) but many people believe that his supporters stuffed the ballot boxes with false voting cards and that he really shouldn’t be President.
When Xenia Benivolski heard about the problems in Attawapiskat, she wanted to do something to help.
The people in the northern Ontario community of Attawapiskat are living in terrible housing conditions, often without heat or running water.
Temperatures there drop to -20C at night.
The community has declared a “state of emergency.”
Benivolski set up a Facebook page, asking people to donate items to help the community.
“Then people started Tweeting it… and it just kind of snowballed,” says Stephanie Guthrie, a friend who is helping with the drive. “You see something (like this) happening and you just can’t not do anything.”
Nearly a month ago, the northern Canadian First Nations community Attawapiskat declared itself to be in a “state of emergency.”
This week, as winter sets in and snow is on the ground in the remote community, they are finally getting some attention–and some help.
In Canada, a state of emergency is normally declared when something terrible happens to a place, such as an earthquake, flood or large fire.
It’s a signal to the country’s government that “we need help, immediately.”
In this case, the state of emergency is that the people of Attawapiskat, in northern Ontario are living in conditions that are worse than those in many third-world countries.
One reporter described going to Attawapiskat as, “like stepping into the fourth world.”
On Monday, the “Occupy Wall Street” protesters at Zuccotti Park in New York were evicted.
“Evicted” means made to leave. Anyone who didn’t leave the park was forcibly removed by the police.
The people in the park had been there for months. It was a peaceful protest against what they see as the gross differences in wealth between the “one per cent” of very wealthy people and everyone else (the “ninety-nine per cent”).
Zuccotti Park is owned by a company called Brookfield Properties. Brookfield had allowed the protesters to camp there since September.
Now that the protesters are gone, Brookfield is cleaning up the park. Brookfield said in a letter to New York’s mayor the park had become “unhealthy and unsafe.”
Italy’s prime minister is stepping down.
On Tuesday, Silvio Berlusconi announced that he will resign.
His announcement came after a key vote in parliament indicated that he does not have the support of the majority of parliament.
Italy is in the midst of an “economic crisis” – the country has borrowed more money than it can pay. It has too much “debt.”
Other countries, like Ireland, Portugal and most recently Greece have had similar crises.
However, Italy’s problem is much bigger and arguably more of a problem for the whole European Union (EU). The European Union is a partnership of 27 countries in Europe.
Italy is more than $2.6 trillion in debt.
Greece is having a crisis over its money and its leaders. Greece’s crisis is affecting other countries in Europe.
Over time, Greece has borrowed a lot of money–more than it can pay back.
The European Union (EU) is a partnership of 27 countries including Greece.
The EU countries have been working together to come up with a plan to help Greece repay the money it owes.
If Greece can’t figure out a solution for its problems, it may go bankrupt or be forced out of the European Union.
