Young movie lovers are uniting in Toronto this week with the return of the TIFF Kids International Film Festival.
The festival is celebrating its 18th year and highlights some of the world’s best cinema geared for kids aged three to 13.
Author: Julia Mohamed
Syria’s “New Constitution” Ignites Further Conflict
Syria is a country in the Middle East.
Many Syrians have been protesting against its government, which has been accused of doing terrible things to its own people.
The leader of Syria is President Bashar al-Assad.
The fighting between the Syrian government and its opponents this year has been intense and very violent.
Many Syrians want al-Assad to step down as leader. They want to be able to elect a new leader. (Bashar al-Assad’s family has ruled Syria for more than 40 years.)
New Toronto Aquarium — 13,500 Creatures, Shark Tunnel
The people who are building a huge new aquarium in downtown Toronto have released some exciting new details about it.
Ripley’s Entertainment Corporation – which publishes Ripley’s Believe It Or Not – plans to open the aquarium in 2013.
It will be one of the largest aquariums in North America.
It will be located near the base of the CN Tower.
More than 13,500 underwater creatures from around the world will be on display at the aquarium.
There will be exhibits on jellyfish, seahorses, stingrays, the Great Lakes, tropical reefs and more.
The aquarium is designed to be fully interactive.
Catholic School Board Could Turn Libraries Into “Tech Zones”
Last month the Catholic School Board in Windsor, Ont., decided to eliminate all of its libraries and librarians.
Paul Picard, the director of the school board, recently changed this decision, saying the libraries just need to be “retooled.”
They wanted to get rid of the libraries to save money, since the school board in Windsor was hit hard by the recession.
The goal was to make libraries less book-centered, instead putting the books into classrooms throughout the school and making the library a tech-zone. The library would become a ‘learning commons area’ and would not need to be a quiet place for reading. The libraries would be a place for research and digital literacy.
Youngest-Ever Canadian MP Elected To Parliament
Nineteen-year-old Pierre-Luc Dusseault has a summer job. But he won’t be working at McDonald’s or as a lifeguard, like many kids his age. Instead, he’ll be in Canada’s House of Commons in Ottawa, earning more than $100,000 a year.
The first-year university student ran as the local Member of Parliament for his area (or riding) of Sherbrooke, Que., during the recent federal election–and he won.
He now has a seat in the House of Commons, along with 307 other MPs. However, Dusseault stands out because he is officially the youngest Canadian MP ever, at the age of 19 years (and 11 months).
Dusseault is a member of the NDP (New Democrat Party) and was the co-founder and president of the NDP association at his university. It comes as no surprise to his parents that he landed his amazing new job, since he was always interested in politics and was studying political science in university.
Running On Top Of The World
Twenty-seven runners from around the world recently ran a marathon on one of the most remote and icy places on earth — the North Pole. On April 8, competitors from around the world met at the North Pole and ran on the frozen ice for six hours, facing temperatures as low as -32° C.
Contestants flew to Norway from countries around the world. Then they all flew together from Norway to the North Pole.
Death Of The Whopper
They will no longer be serving Whoppers at Sick Kids Hospital in Toronto, after the fast-food restaurant closed down in the food court there recently.
Canada’s largest hospital for children made the choice to close down the Burger King because of its unhealthy options such cheeseburgers and French fries, which are high in fat and salt.
The hospital is meant to offer healthy food choices for the visitors and staff. A doctor at Sick Kids named Vishal Avinashi started a Facebook group called, “Burger King should NOT be allowed to operate at Sick Kids Hospital.” There are 269 members in the group, and more are joining each day.
Avinashi tried to raise awareness of the messages that the hospital is sending by offering unhealthy options. He says the hospital is, “setting the wrong example” by allowing fast-food restaurants to sell unhealthy food there.
Bilaal Rajan: Underage Overachiever
Bilaal Rajan is an “Underage Overachiever,” just as the title of his book suggests. The 14-year-old teenager from Toronto has devoted much of his life to helping people. He gave a speech at Ryerson University last Thursday to spread his message of “giving” to students. He hopes that by talking about what he’s done, he can inspire other kids to make a difference in their community.
Bilaal started his life of giving when he was only four years old. After feeling personally affected by earthquake victims in India, he started selling Clementine oranges door-to-door in his neighbourhood.
Disaster In Japan: Doctors, Helpers And Donations
After the tragic earthquake in Japan last Friday, things there are in turmoil. The tsunami (a huge wave caused by the earthquake) has left some villages and towns completely under water. Homes and buildings were destroyed.
The estimated amount of money lost by people and business owners because of the disaster is more than $180 billion, not to mention the many lives that have been lost and the people who have been injured or lost their homes.
Many countries around the world believe that they need to help this suffering nation in its time of need, including Canada.
Apple Unveils The iPad 2
Last year Apple invented an amazing new piece of technology, called the iPad. It was different from anything anyone had seen before. It is a slim, flat screen but it acts like a computer. And because it’s a “touch-screen,” you use your fingers to move and open files.
Last week, Apple announced the iPad 2, a new and improved version of the iPad.
The company was very excited about the iPad 2. In fact, the head of the company, Steve Jobs, has been away sick for a long time but he came back to make the announcement himself.
