Author: Nancy Miller

News

The Small Horse With The Heart Of Gold

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Hickstead, the stallion, was not Eric Lamaze’s pet.

In fact, Lamaze wasn’t even Hickstead’s owner. But he was Lamaze’s work partner and best friend.

So after a race last week in Italy, when Hickstead began to fall over with Lamaze on his back, the horse turned to make sure his rider was clear before he fell all the way down. He didn’t want to hurt his best friend.

The gold medal-winning Hickstead died instantly of heart failure, without pain.

Hickstead and Lamaze were a good match. Both came from troubled backgrounds. Horse experts said Hickstead was too small for international competition and had a temper that no one could tame. Many said he would never be a winner.

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News Politics

What’s Happening In Europe?

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A number of countries in Europe are having problems with their finances and their leaders.

This year, four prime ministers in Europe have quit their jobs or been forced out of office.

That’s because their countries have spent more money than they make and now they can’t pay their debts.

Some of the countries are making deals with other countries in Europe and the International Monetary Fund for a “bailout.”

A bailout is a loan to a country to keep it from going bankrupt.

The richer countries agree to put in more money to save the poorer countries.

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News

Saudi Women To Vote, Run For Office

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History was made in Saudi Arabia last week when King Abdullah announced that starting in 2015, Saudi Arabian women will be able to vote and to run for office.

It is a big step in a country that does not grant women equal rights to those enjoyed by men.

Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world in which women are banned from driving an automobile.

Last July a woman, identified only as Shema, was found guilty of driving and sentenced to 10 lashes.

(Many women defy the ban by driving in spite of the fact it is not legal in the country. By driving, they are protesting what they feel is an unfair rule.)

Last week, the king surprised the country by stopping the punishment for Shema. She will not have to endure any lashes.

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Breaking News Politics

Where Is Moammar Gadhafi?

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The leader of Libya has fled his country and is in hiding.

No one knows where he is, but many people are looking for him.

Earlier this year, the people of Libya demanded that Colonel Gadhafi step down as leader of the country because, since the 1960s, he has used bullying and violence to make the people do what he wanted.

The United Nations International Criminal Court has charged him with “crimes against humanity.”

A war broke out in Libya between the people who support Gadhafi and the people who want him out – the “rebels.”

The war continues to this day, although the rebels have taken over most of the country including Tripoli, the capital city, and they are creating a government of their own.

Gadhafi and his supporters are not giving up.

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News Politics

Japan Gets A New Prime Minister

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Japan has a new prime minister.

In August, Naoto Kan stepped down as the country’s prime minister.

He said he had failed the country by not doing a good job of helping Japan recover after it was rocked by an earthquake last March.

On March 11, the fifth most powerful earthquake in history took place in the sea off the coast of Japan. It caused a tsunami, or giant sea wave.

Waves up to 10 metres high flooded the coast of Japan, causing massive damage to many homes and to a nearby nuclear energy plant.

In addition to the problems caused by these natural disasters, Japan also has the largest debt of any country in the world.

Debt is the money the country owes to other countries and to banks.

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Animals

Toronto Elephants Packing Their Trunks

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Toka, Thika and Iringa are the last three elephants living at the Toronto Zoo. They will soon be moving to a new home, but they don’t know where yet.

They are waiting for the zoo to decide the best place for them.

For many years, the elephants have been one of the most popular attractions at the Toronto Zoo.

However, since 1984 seven elephants have died at the zoo and now the last three are getting old. The zoo has decided to send them somewhere else to live out their remaining years.

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News

Conrad Black: Lording It Over The Other Prisoners?

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Conrad Black is a very famous, wealthy and powerful Canadian businessman.

Five years ago, Conrad Black was sent to jail because he broke several laws having to do with the money he made and owed.

He was convicted of obstruction of justice and mail fraud because he lied about how much money he really had, to pay off his debts.

He also tried to hide information from the authorities about the amount of money he made from selling his newspapers and real estate.

The judge sent him to jail for six-and-a-half years.

Late this month, Black is going to ask the judge to let him have some time taken off his prison sentence.

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News Politics

Canada’s Troops Coming Home From Afghanistan

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Since 2005, Canadian troops have been fighting in Afghanistan against terrorists.

Now, Canadian soldiers are ending their mission in Afghanistan.

Troops will start coming home in July, with some staying on for another three years or so—not to fight, but to train the army and police in Afghanistan so they can take care of their own people.

Canadian soldiers were first sent to Afghanistan in 2001. Their duties were not to fight.

They were to make sure Canada would be safe from terrorists, to show Canadian leadership around the world, and to help Afghanistan rebuild.

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News Politics

Saudi Woman Protests Ban On Women Driving

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A woman in Saudi Arabia was arrested last Saturday because she put a video on YouTube video of herself driving a car.

She was eventually released.

Manal al-Sharif was protesting the rule in her country that only men can drive. She was filmed by another woman writer who supports women’s rights.

In Saudi Arabia it isn’t clear whether it’s illegal for a woman to drive, or simply a traditional or religious custom. But Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world to ban women drivers. Many people in the country would like to see women driving but it must be approved by the King first.

Because there are strict rules that prohibit men and women from being around each other in public, women cannot take public transport like buses. So they must rely on male relative or chauffeurs to drive them anywhere they need to go.

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Arts

Group Of Seven Art To Travel To England

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The Group of Seven was a very famous group of Canadian painters.

Canadians are very proud of the work they did. Many Canadians feel their paintings captured the Canadian landscape in a very special way.

In October, 124 Group of Seven paintings and sketches will go to England to be the stars of a special exhibit called Painting Canada: Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven.

The art will be shown in London, England. The paintings are very famous in Canada and are mostly outdoor scenes, many of them featuring Georgian Bay and Algonquin Park in Ontario.

The paintings are very important because they started a new trend in Canadian art.

However, the Group of Seven is not well known in other countries.

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