News for January 13th 2016

LOCAL
by Catlin Spencer

Despite a bylaw that came into effect in October, some Montreal cab drivers are still not accepting credit or debit as forms of payment.

According to CBC News, one Montreal citizen told the news outlet that four cabs in a row told her their card readers weren't working- although when she refused to pay cash, they started to work again.

Director of development for the city of Montreal's taxi bureau, Sylvain Tousignant says the new rules are only three months old and that he's not surprised that there is some resistance.

However, he adds that it's important for customers to report infractions.

So far, inspectors have issued roughly 50 warnings to drivers for not respecting the new bylaw, with fines ranging between 125 and 375 dollars.  

NATIONAL
by Saturn De Los Angeles

Several Canadian cities have chosen to opt-out from the federal government's plan to pursue a national census of homeless people. 

According to The National Post, these cities include Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver, Edmonton, and Calgary- who have chosen instead to take the homeless count into their own hands over the next few years.  

The move will result in the federal government having incomplete data on assessing the Canada's poverty situation, leaving the governing Liberal party in limbo of being able to fulfill their promise of addressing it. 

Pedro Barata of the Toronto non-profit organization United Way, believes that the data collected from individual cities can still be assessed on a national scale, as long as the way they are counted remains consistent.

A Syrian terrorist has murdered 10 people, including eight German tourists, in a suicide bombing in Turkey.

According to BBC News, the terrorist is suspected to have been a member of the Islamic State group and detonated himself near the famous Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan [Ray-sep Tay-yeep Erd-again] said that Turkey has become the top target for terrorist groups in their region.

The President of Turkey offered his condolences to German Chancellor Angela Merkel over the phone following the tragedy.