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”
The British Labour Party won a landslide victory in the general election on 4 July. Labour Leader Keir Starmer was named Prime Minister on 5 July, replacing the Conservatives’ Rishi Sunak. Labour, which had been ahead in opinion polls for the last couple of years, was forecast to win but the results are even better … Continue reading “Labour Wins a Landslide in the U.K.”
Independence Day is a celebration for all Americans, but for some it has special significance. It’s a traditional day for holding naturalisation ceremonies, welcoming new citizens to the U.S.A. A total of 878,500 people obtained U.S. citizenship through naturalisation in 2023. Ceremonies take place all year round, but a lot take place in honour of … Continue reading “Becoming American on the Fourth of July”
On 4 July, British citizens will vote in a general election. It is widely expected that the Conservative Party, which has been in power for 14 years, will be defeated. British voters knew they would be called to the polls for a general election at some point in 2024 but Prime Minister Rishi Sunak surprised … Continue reading “The UK Goes to the Polls”
General elections in the U.K. have a lot in common with French legislative elections. Here are some resources on the British system that can help pupils think about democracy and compare and contrast the British and French systems. The video on this page has a 1-minute explanation of how a general election works, written for … Continue reading “Teaching About the UK Electoral System”
A hundred years ago, a Scotsman became famous for NOT running a race at the Paris 1924 Olympic Games. Eric Liddell’s story was immortalised in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. And a play about his life is coming to Paris for two performances on 23 March. Liddell was an excellent sportsman who played rugby … Continue reading “Chariot of Fire: The Eric Liddell Story”
Anti-bullying actions are taking place in November in the United Kingdom, in Australia, and in France too. Anti-Bullying Week 2023 is coordinated in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the Anti-Bullying Alliance. This year it has the theme “Make A Noise About Bullying” and will take place from Monday 13 to Friday 17 November. The … Continue reading “Bullying Is Never OK”
On 14 October, Australians voted 60-40% against a referendum proposal on a change to the Constitution that would have given Indigenous Australians a greater voice in the legislature. If approved, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice would have been a consultative body to advise lawmakers on issues affecting Indigenous Australians. Labor Prime Minister Anthony … Continue reading “Australia Says No in Indigenous Representation Referendum “
Australia will hold a referendum later this year on a change to the Constitution that would give Indigenous Australians a greater voice in the legislature. If approved, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice would be a consultative body which would advise lawmakers on issues affecting Indigenous Australians. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, who … Continue reading “Australia to Hold Referendum on Indigenous Representation”
Tim Burton has a quirky vision of the world and his films like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Alice in Wonderland and the TV series Wednesday are full of intriguing visual details. A new exhibition invites visitors into his visual world. Rather than going through the looking glass, visitors plunge into a labyrinth that ensures … Continue reading “Welcome to Tim Burton’s World”
