By Monique Conrod A teenager from Saudi Arabia has been welcomed into Canada as a refugee, after fleeing from her family and country. Rahaf Mohammed al-Qunun, 18, ran away from her family on January 6. She planned to fly […]
Breaking News
Canadian Air Traffic Controllers Send Pizza To Unpaid Colleagues In US
Canadian air traffic controllers sent hundreds of pizzas to air traffic controllers in the United States. They have been working without pay since December 22. That is when the US government “shutdown” began. (A government shutdown is when a government […]
North And South Korea: Lasting Peace May Be Near
It was one step, but it represented the possibility of lasting peace for North and South Korea.
Kim Jong-Un, the leader of North Korea, walked to the border between his country and South Korea … and stepped over it, into South Korea.
There, he shook hands with South Korean leader Moon Jae-in.
It was a joining together not just of two leaders, but of two countries that have been at war for 65 years.
The Korean War began on June 25, 1950 and, although fighting ended in 1953 (when an armistice* was declared), no peace treaty was signed by both countries. Officially the two countries remained at war.
US Government Shuts Down (ARTICLE UPDATED)
The federal government of the United States was shut down Friday at midnight.
The shutdown means that most of the services provided by the federal government won’t be available.
It happened because the government failed to get enough votes to pass its 2018 federal budget; it needed 60 votes but only got 50. (The budget is an important document that details how the government will spend money. Without a budget, the government cannot fully operate.)
Both of the major parties in the United States are blaming each other. The Democrats are blaming Trump and his Republican Party and vice-versa.
The reasons for the shutdown are complicated, and they have to do with the fact that government bills are usually about more than one thing. Voters have to agree to the whole bill when they vote for it. One of the reasons the Democrats didn’t vote to pass the budget had to do with the “DACA” part of the bill.
Large Storms Affecting Caribbean, US
Everyone is talking about Harvey, Irma, Jose and Katia.
They are the names of very large storms, affecting the area around the Caribbean*, Mexico and the southern United States.
Hurricanes are given names, like “Irma” to make it easier to refer to them.
People in these areas are used to dealing with storms. But these storms are much larger than normal. They have very high winds—up to 120 kilometres an hour—with lots of rain that can flood people’s houses and force them to leave the area. (In this case, leaving your home is known as “evacuating.”) In Florida, more than 6.4 million people have been told to evacuate before Irma gets there, according to a report from CBC News.
Canada Loses Leonard Cohen, Songwriter, Poet
Leonard Cohen, one of Canada’s best-known songwriters and poets, has died at the age of 82.
He wasn’t “born with the gift of a golden voice,” as one of his songs famously put it. In fact, his voice was deep, gravelly and could even said to be tuneless. But that was part of his charm.
Outpouring Of Support For France
People around the world are expressing encouragement and support for the people of France. In particular, for the people in its capital city, Paris.
Earthquake In Nepal Triggers Avalanche On Mt. Everest
Many countries are sending aid to Nepal after a serious earthquake took place there on Saturday.
Nepal is located between China and India. One of its best-known features is Mount Everest, the highest point on Earth.
Crimea Has The World’s Attention
Some events are happening in Crimea and the world is taking notice of them.
The small peninsula of Crimea, attached to the country of Ukraine, sits in the middle of Europe. Crimea is about half the size of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia; about two million people live there.
Crimea is at the centre of a major political battle between Russia and Ukraine. The rest of world is watching that conflict closely.
World Mourns the Death of Nelson Mandela
The world is mourning the passing of one of the greatest leaders of our time.
Nelson Mandela is dead at 95.
He died on Thursday in Johannesburg, South Africa, from a lung infection.
Mandela was a symbol of freedom for the people of South Africa.
“Our nation has lost its greatest son. Our people have lost a father,” South African President Jacob Zuma said in an announcement.
He called this, “the moment of our deepest sorrow.”
