News

Yesterday was the third lecture of Concordia University’s Community Lecture Series on HIV/AIDS.

As Doris Peltier delivered her moving story, the audience sat still, absorbing every word of it.

Back in 2002, this Aboriginal woman from the Wikwemikong Unceded First Nations reserve in Ontario was diagnosed with AIDS. 

After a difficult childhood of losses and abuse, she decided that she wouldn’t let the disease overcome her.

Ever since she received her diagnosis, she has been working as an activist for the Canadian Aboriginal AIDS Network at the local, national and international level. 

She has been giving conferences to share her experience and give hope to those suffering from the same disease.

Challenged by the loss of one of Canada’s greatest political leaders, the New Democratic Party of Canada still has a leader to elect. Nathan Cullen, Niki Ashton, Peggy Nash, Brian Topp and Martin Singh were all at Concordia’s Oscar Peterson Hall on Wednesday night for an unofficial debate.

Topp says getting Quebec voters on board is crucial for his party:

“So one of the key priorities of the next leader, certainly mine if I’m elected leader is gonna be to keep building the party here in Quebec theres no doubt about that. Including showing up to events like this.”

Read by: Katie McGroarty

Stories by: Esther Viragh, Joel Balsam, Sabrina Daniel, Luciana Gravotta and Dominique Daoust

Produced by: Carlo Spiridigliozzi

After their major defeat during the last federal elections, the Liberal Party is finally gaining momentum.

While the Conservatives and the NDP are still leading, the Abacus poll shows the Liberals are catching up with 21 per cent support from voters.

Egyptians are remaining in Cairo’s Tahrir Square following a rally to mark the one-year anniversary of the uprising. This uprising lead to President Hosni Mubarak’s departure. The BBC has reported that some protesters plan to stay until Friday, the date of the next rally. 

Barack Obama set key themes for the upcoming presidential election as he delivered his third State of the Union address Tuesday night.

He called for an overhaul of the U.S. tax system, saying that America's wealthiest citizens need to pay their fair share in a tough economy burdened with debt.

Some billionaires, including Warren Buffet, have argued for tax increases.

According to CTV Montreal, teenagers are consuming enormous amounts of energy drinks.

A study released Tuesday by local health groups found that one fifth of sugar consumption among teenagers was due to energy drinks. The report also found one in three teenagers drinking these beverages and called on the government to help.

Read by: Aisha Samu

Stories by: Jordie Yeager, Niki Mohrdar, Aisha Samu and Tara Brockwell

Produced by: Carlo Spiridigliozzi

The European Union has approved an oil embargo on Iran as part of further sanctions imposed on the country. Al-Jazeera reports EU officials supporting the sanctions at a meeting in Brussels Monday. US pressure on the EU also led to sanctions on Iran’s central bank.

The move puts pressure on Iran to continue negotiations amid fears of the country’s development of nuclear weapons.

The Montreal Gazette has reported that according to a study conducted by the University of Ottawa and the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario, hockey helmets provide better protection than ski helmets.  Bicycle helmets were also proved to be more effective.

The new popular kid in Quebec politics has joined forces with the one that could have been great.

Francois Legault’s Coalition Avenir Quebec now has four seats in the Quebec legislature as it becomes one with the Action democratique Quebec.  The center-right ADQ has been on the decline in recent years after an initially promising debut 1994.

The merger was agreed on in December. The ADQ had the final say and voted 70 percent in favour of the coalition.