Australia’s Prime Minister, Labor’s Anthony Albanese, has called a federal election for 5 May. Labor currently has a slim majority in parliament. Opinion polls put Labor neck and neck with the Liberal-National coalition led by Peter Dutton. Federal elections have to be held every three years, and the latest possible date for this election was … Continue reading “Australian Election Called”
On March 20, headlines around the world announced that President Donald Trump had dismantled the U.S. Department of Education. What does the Department of Education do, and has it really been closed? The U.S. Department of Education is not the equivalent of the education ministries in many other countries, which usually set curricula and exams, … Continue reading “Threats to the U.S. Department of Education”
The Mississippi is in the spotlight in April at the Institut Franco-Américain in Rennes. A talk and a documentary film explore the river. On 1 April, Hervé Nicolas, recently retired researcher from l’Institut Agro Rennes-Angers, will give a talk about the effects of climate change on the fourth longest river in the world. On 3 … Continue reading “Down the Mississippi”
When Justin Trudeau resigned as Canadian Prime Minister on 6 January, he was hoping to give the Liberal Party a chance of winning the election that had to be held by 20 October. But since Donald Trump’s inauguration, the Liberal Party has leapt up in opinion polls. Now the newly chosen Prime Minster Mark Carney … Continue reading “Canada on the Brink of an Election”
On 28 February, the average age in the House of Commons debating chamber was a lot younger than normal. Instead of the usual MPs, the chamber hosted the annual sitting of the UK Youth Parliament: more than 300 11-18-year-olds elected by their peers. The debaters are MYPs: Members of the U.K. Youth Parliament. Any 11-18-year-old … Continue reading “Kids Take Over Parliament”
Red Nose Day is back on Friday 21 March in the UK. And this is incredibly the charity Comic Relief’s 40th birthday. They’ve been encouraging people to don a clown’s red nose and “do something funny for money” since 1985. The charity was founded by comedian Lenny Henry and romcom scriptwriter and director Richard Curtis … Continue reading “Red Nose Day is Celebrating a Big Birthday”
Wes Anderson is one of those film directors who has such a personal style that you can instantly recognise one of his films, whether it’s live action or animation. An exhibition at the Cinémathèque recreates the singular vision of the director of Moonrise Kingdom, Fantastic Mr Fox and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Wes Anderson was … Continue reading “Wes Anderson Exhibition at the Cinémathèque”
In our series “Your Students Have Talent”, check out these sketchnote pages created as a cross-curricular task by pupils using our Reading Guide Matilda. The 4e students were studying Roald Dahl’s touching and humorous novel and were asked to create a sketchnote summary of the story of a highly intelligent young girl who is neglected … Continue reading “Your Students Have Talent! Matilda”
The Semaine des langues has become a fixture in French schools and this year is celebrating its 10th edition already. It will start on St Patrick’s Day, 17 March, and run through to 22 March. This year’s theme is « Des langues pour créer, innover et s’engager ! » There are lots of events planned around … Continue reading “Time for the Semaine des Langues”
Magnum photographer Steve McCurry may not be a household name but his photos are instantly recognisable, especially one of a young Afghan girl taken in Pakistan where her family had taken refuge in 1984. An exhibition at the Caumont Centre d’Art in Aix-en-Provence takes visitors around the world in his footsteps, to India, Afghanistan, Namibia … Continue reading “Around the World in 80 Photos in Aix”