News for November 11th 2015

LOCAL
by Saturn de Los Angeles

The City of Montreal has begun dumping eight billion litres of untreated sewage into the Saint-Lawrence river.

According to CBC News, the dump started at midnight, despite last-minute protests from nearby communities.

Environment Minister Kate McKenna approved the plan on the condition that the city carefully monitors the activity, and minimize any potential harm possible to residents.

The city's waste water management office says Montrealers should not notice any smell, but advises citizens to refrain from flushing objects such as condoms, medications and tampons down the toilet.

Originally intended to help rehabilitate the city's infrastructure, the controversial sewage plan is expected to last for a week.

 

 

NATIONAL
by Alexa Everett

Two Canadian professors are starting a four-year-long experiment on bee genetic modification.  

Amro Zayed and Leonard Foster, biology professors at York University and the University of British Columbia, are hoping to set up a bee centre.
 
According to CTV, beekeepers would send their bees to to be analyzed and would then receive a report about their insect's potential based on its genomes.
 
This information would allow beekeepers to breed their bees for the best genetic traits. 
 
Canadian bees are responsible for producing 75 million pounds of honey each year and over $4.6 billion dollars to the economy by pollinating crop. 
 
The professors hope their analyses will help to breed the healthiest and most resistant bees to help the environment and the economy. 

 

 

 

INTERNATIONAL
by Patricia Petit Liang
 
 

The UN children’s charity says that disease and water shortages in eastern and southern Africa are on the rise because of El Nino.

According to BBC News, El Nino has caused the worst drought in Ethiopia since the 1980s, and that more than 11 million African children are at risk of malnutrition.

 
Unicef says that the severe weather phenomena may also cause flooding in some areas of the country.

El Nino is stronger this year because of the increase in temperature in the Pacific Ocean and will cause severe floods, droughts, typhoons and cyclones in the upcoming months.