In case you missed it...

NOV 7: THE WORLD LOSES LEONARD COHEN 

Leonard Cohen died in his sleep earlier this month. The hugely influential Québécois musician, writer and artist whose work spanned 50 years passed away at 82. 

NOV 16: THERE’S A NEW BIRD IN TOWN 

Move over Canada goose, the Royal Canadian Geographical Society has recommended the grey jay as Canada’s official bird. Also known as the whisky jack, the bird was already Labrador’s official bird. The Society plans to lobby the government to adopt the bird for the 150th anniversary next year.

NOV 20: POPE GRANTS PERMISSION FOR PRIESTS TO FORGIVE ABORTION 

Pope Francis has declared that priests can now absolve faithful Catholics of abortion as a part of the Holy Year of Mercy, which began last year on December 8. He extended this ability to all the priests in the church indefinitely. The Pope stated that abortion is still considered to be a “grave sin” by the Church, but it can now be absolved by priests, as opposed to previously only bishops or special confessors. 

NOV 21: SOAKED PROTESTORS AT STANDING ROCK

Police used water cannons against protesters at Standing Rock in North Dakota. Demonstrators were blasted with water in below-freezing weather while protesting the Dakota Access Pipeline, which they say will destroy local sacred sites, water supplies and threaten the livelihoods of the local population. 

NOV 21: SHOWCASING SPACE

NASA has released beautiful new images, taken by the Dawn Spacecraft, showing the surface of the dwarf planet Ceres like it’s never been seen before. Ceres is located in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter and features many bright spots along its surface which scientists believe to be salt deposits.