News for October 5th 2015

LOCAL
by Sam Obrand

 
 
 
A Montreal company has developed a method of farming that allows for its crops to grow without the risk of disease, pests or being harmed by severe weather.

According to CTV News, Urban Barns says it uses a method called cubic farming to grow 25 different sorts of microgreens and three kinds of lettuce.

The conditions by which the crops are grown does not allow the need for pesticides, herbicides or fungicides.

The company says that because of the buildings environment, they use 94 per cent less water and have reduced labour costs and yield 400 times more than traditional farming methods.
 

 
 
NATIONAL
by Patricia Petit Liang
 
 
 
Prime Minister Stephen Harper called marijuana “infinitely worse” than tobacco while campaigning in Montreal on Saturday.

According to CBC News, he claimed that there was scientific and medical evidence suggesting the negative consequences of marijuana, without providing any specific examples.

The Liberals have come out in favour of legalizing marijuana and the NDP wants to decriminalize its use.

Polls have recently found that a majority of Canadians would like personal marijuana use to be decriminalized or made legal, including voters who identify as Conservatives.

 
 
 
INTERNATIONAL
by Saturn de Los Angeles
 
 
 

As the civil war in Syria escalates, its leader says that nations must team up and battle together, or else the region will see its imminent destruction. 

In a report by BBC News, president Bashar al-Assad believes that a joint coalition between Syria, Russia, Iraq, and Iran is a more practical choice to fight against Islamic State forces- as opposed to having the US get involved.  

Reaction among foreign nations has been divided, with some contemplating on whether part of the proposal must include al-Assad quitting as president.

So far, Syria's Civil war has seen more than 250-thousand people dead, and 11 million more homeless.