Other News

News Politics

Conservative Majority Government, Stephen Harper Prime Minister, NDP Official Opposition

The Conservatives were re-elected yesterday. They won a majority government. As the leader of the Conservatives, Stephen Harper will remain Canada’s Prime Minister.

For the first time in history, the NDP came in second and is the “official opposition.”

The Bloc Quebecois had historic losses, falling from 50 seats in Parliament to just 4. It was also an historic election for The Green Party, which won its first seat.

Across the country on Monday, Canadians voted for a Member of Parliament (MP) in their area, or riding. Having an MP in Parliament is known as having a “seat” in Parliament. The MPs who get elected work in the House of Commons in Ottawa to represent the people who live in their riding.

Breaking News Politics

Osama Bin Laden Killed By US Forces

The “most wanted” man in the world is dead.

Osama bin Laden was responsible for many terrorism attacks including three in the United States on Sept. 11, 2001. That event is commonly referred to as 9/11 (pronounced “nine-eleven.”)

The US President says 9/11 was, “the worst attack on the American people in our history.”

The United States military has been looking for bin Laden for nearly 10 years. Last night, the US president, Barack Obama, went on television to announce that they had killed bin Laden where he was hiding in Pakistan.

Kids Sports

The Shediac Capitals Play Hockey – And Read

The kids on the Shediac Capitals hockey team do all the usual stuff everyone else does: they gear up, put on skates and helmets, then they hit the ice.

During practices they do drills, learn new moves, shoot pucks, and field goals.

After practice, they go into the dressing room, unlace their skates and take off their gear, just like any other team.

But then the Shediac Capitals do something very different. They get out their books.

After every hockey practice, the grade-school aged kids who make up the Shediac Capitals in Moncton, NB have a reading circle.

Arts Lighter Sports

Sleep In A Ping Pong Paddle

In China, they’re planning to build some very funny-shaped buildings.

One is a hotel shaped like a giant ping pong paddle. It even has a huge ping pong ball out front! The building will be 150 metres tall. The windows in each room of the hotel will be round, forming the ping pong paddle’s rough texture. The “handle” of the hotel will be an observation deck, where visitors can look out over the city of Huainan, China.

Another strange building they are planning is a stadium shaped like a football.

Breaking News Politics

Problems For The People Of Syria

There is trouble in another country in the Middle East. Since January, people in Syria have been protesting against their president, Bashar al-Assad. They want him to step down. They want democracy and a better life for themselves.

The leader is fighting back. Last Monday al-Assad sent thousands of troops to a city called Daraa, in Syria, to stop the people from protesting. His army set up in the centre of the southern city and placed people with rifles, called snipers, on rooftops to shoot anyone they thought was against the president. al-Assad took this step after some politicians in the area quit their jobs to show they were not happy with the president’s leadership.

Lighter News

Wacky (And Tacky) Royal Wedding Souvenirs

There is lots of excitement building about the upcoming wedding between Prince William and the soon-to-be Princess Kate. They will be married on April 29 in London, England.

When there’s a big wedding—particularly if it involves the Royal family—people like to have a souvenir, or keepsake, to remind them of the big day. Lots of companies are churning out products with Kate’s and William’s picture on them. Some of them are nice but more often than not the products can be quite cheap and tacky and that’s part of the fun of it all.

One company created special PEZ dispensers with William’s and Kate’s faces on them. Kate is wearing the blue dress she wore during her engagement photos, and William is wearing a black suit and red tie. PEZ dispensers are meant to be filled with a special PEZ candy.

Arts Politics

Canada Rocks 4 Japan

Since the earthquake in Japan last month, people around the world have wanted to help. Many people have helped by donating money, clothing, or food.

Artists in Canada and the United States have come up with ways to raise money for Japan. There have been many music concerts in both countries. Recently in Toronto there were three: Canada Rocks 4 Japan, Hope Blossoms Benefit Concert, and Eternal Sunrise Japan Benefit.

A “benefit concert” means that the musicians perform for free, and most of the money made from ticket sales goes to Japanese families affected by the earthquake.

Health

Canada’s Exercise Guidelines Changing

When you can’t reach your goal, what do you do? Lower the goal, according to the Canadian government.

That’s what they’re doing with Canada’s fitness guidelines. Only 12 per cent of kids and less than 50 per cent of adults get as much exercise as they’re supposed to, so the government is bringing down the standards.

They’re hoping that with a lower goal to shoot for, more people will try harder to get as much exercise as they need.

Environment Science

“Uncontacted” Tribes Found In Brazil

There are some people in Brazil who have never met a person from the “modern” world. They live in the rainforest. They don’t have houses or cars or computers. They are an “uncontacted tribe” of people.

The tribe’s people live in huts, hunt animals, and make their own tools. Photos show them with black and red dye on their bodies, holding long sticks.

Environment Lighter

Chuck And Vince: We Want ‘Em!

Recently the City of Toronto started a new recycling program. It lets people safely recycle unwanted electronic equipment like TVs, computers and phones. Before the new program, people had to take these things to a special depot. Now, they can just put them out by the sidewalk with their regular recycling bin, and workers from the City of Toronto will pick them up.

But how could Toronto spread the word about the new program? An ad agency called Publicis came up with a series of catchy TV ads featuring “Chuck” and “Vince.” They’re actors pretending to be wacky recycling workers.