What's Going On In The World Today

Liberal leader Justin Trudeau will become Canada’s new prime minister. Amazon and the New York Times are still fighting over the accuracy of an investigative story. And a possible Gilmore Girls revival is in the works.

Newly-elected Liberal leader Justin Trudeau will become Canada’s second-youngest prime minister.

The Liberal Party will form a majority government with 43-year-old Trudeau as its leader. It’s a major comeback for the party, which started the 78-day campaign (the longest election season in Canada since 1872) in third place.

With the victory, Trudeau officially ousts Conservative Stephen Harper as prime minister, ending the Conservative Party’s almost 10-year rule.

Trudeau is promising “real change.” When he took the stage in Montreal last night to accept his victory, he spoke of the importance of having a “nation to nation” relationship with indigenous peoples, growing the economy, and strengthening Canada’s middle class, BuzzFeed News writes.

And a little extra.

Trudeau didn’t take a traditional path into politics. He was born in 1971 while his dad — Pierre Trudeau — served as the country’s 15th prime minister. Trudeau has dabbled in teaching, engineering, bungee-jumping coaching, charity boxing, and acting, The Guardian writes.

And while Canada’s new prime minister is becoming known for his dashingly good looks, this baby at Trudeau’s victory speech stole the show.

Anxiously awaiting Putin's reaction to being dethroned as the High Priest of Global Shirtlessness

If you want the latest news and stories, download the BuzzFeed News app for iOS and Android.

WE’RE KEEPING AN EYE ON

Chinese President Xi Jinping has begun his four-day visit to the UK, which is focused on strengthening economic ties.

It’s the first state visit by a Chinese leader to Britain since 2005. Xi is planning to address both Houses of Parliament and meet with Prime Minister David Cameron and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, BBC News writes.

While both British and Chinese officials have praised the visit as a renewed bond between the two countries, not everyone is happy. China has been heavily criticized for its constant curbing of fundamental human rights, such as freedom of expression, association, assembly, and religion. Multiple protests have been planned in London this week against Xi’s visit.

Recently announced layoffs at Tata Steel — a multinational steel giant with operations in Britain — are also casting a shadow over Xi’s visit. Tata announced it plans to cut 1,200 jobs in the UK, largely due to cheap Chinese imports, the Associated Press writes.

What’s next?

Xi's visit includes multiple talks. A UK government spokeswoman told BBC News that as far as topics are concerned, “nothing is off the table.” But the Chinese president has said that he’s not in the UK to “debate” his country’s record, BuzzFeed News’ Rossalyn Warren writes.

The mood surrounding Xi’s visit to America last month was quite different, with U.S. President Barack Obama threatening sanctions over China’s security and cyber attack issues, Warren writes.

DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THIS?

Amazon and the New York Times are still fighting after an August investigation into the online retail giant’s work culture by the newspaper.

Two months ago, the New York Times published a lengthy front-page article about the high-pressure work culture within Amazon. And on Monday, Jay Carney, a senior vice president at Amazon and most recently the White House Press Secretary, wrote a 1,300-word rebuttal to the piece, in which he says that the Times’s findings are wrong. Dean Baquet, the newspaper’s executive editor, replied to Carney’s letter in defense of the story.

The Times article was the result of six months of work, including interviews with more than one hundred of Amazon’s current and former employees. The story, which described employees crying at their desks and working long hours, provoked widespread debate about high-pressure working environments.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos responded by saying it wasn't true and that the article was describing a company he didn't recognize. The two companies have been clashing ever since.

Tell us your HBCU story.

Are you a student or alumni at a Historically Black College or University? Do you have a personal story about your experience at an HBCU? We want to hear your success story! Email your story to dearbuzzfeed@buzzfeed.com and you could be in one of our videos.

Quick things to know:

  • Israelis and Palestinians are arming themselves amid “lone wolf” attacks. (BuzzFeed News) And East Jerusalem has become the center of this latest round of Israeli-Palestinian violence, and the mood there is bleak. (NPR)

  • The British government used the United Nations’ founding document to justify the country’s policy of selling arms to Saudi Arabia, according to a ministerial letter seen by BuzzFeed News. (BuzzFeed News)

  • Hundreds of South Koreans are reuniting with family members in the North in a rare reunion event for those that were separated by the Korean War. (BBC News)

  • Six fires set at mostly black churches in the St. Louis, Missouri, region over the past two weeks were ruled as arsons. Investigators are trying to determine if they are connected and motivated by hate. (BuzzFeed News)

  • Texas officials cut off Medicaid funding to Planned Parenthood clinics because of what they said were “acts of misconduct” captured on undercover video earlier this year. Planned Parenthood says the decision is politically motivated. (BuzzFeed News)

  • South African athlete Oscar Pistorius was released from jail and put on house arrest last night. The paralympic athlete was sentenced to five years for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in 2013. He still has four years left on his sentence. (BuzzFeed News)

  • After Oprah Winfrey, the TV host turned media tycoon, bought a 10% stake in Weight Watchers, the struggling weight loss company’s stock more than doubled in trading. (BuzzFeed News)

  • The new Star Wars: The Force Awakens trailer was released yesterday and while tickets for the movie went on sale, the force was not with the internet. (BuzzFeed News) And you don’t have to wait in line for tickets if you just give this Congressman a $250 donation. (BuzzFeed News)

  • The company behind Hello Kitty made a pastry that looks like it’s pooping. Sure, OK, but why? (BuzzFeed News)

  • Jelena in action: Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez just released a surprise duet. (BuzzFeed)

  • Where you lead, we will follow. A ~possible~ Gilmore Girls revival is in the works. Netflix has reportedly ordered new episodes of the series, which ended in 2007. (BuzzFeed News) And here are 35 questions the revival can hopefully answer. (BuzzFeed)

Happy Tuesday

Four-year-old Iris from Fayetteville, Arkansas, is totally crazy about CVS. She loves the pharmacy because it’s a “dreamland of snacks, chocolate milks, and toys,” the girl’s mother, Sarah Fortune Gill, told BuzzFeed Life. When Sarah asked her daughter what type of birthday party she wanted, the answer was easy: A CVS-themed celebration, of course! And so it happened. All the decorations were red and white and pharmacy-themed, with a CVS cranberry-vodka-splash for the adults. And the guests took home goodie bags full of CVS treats like bandages and Chapstick. (Maybe Iris could brainstorm her next birthday party with Grayson from New Orleans, who had a lawyer-themed party for his second birthday.) Happy birthday, Iris!

This letter was edited and brought to you by Claire Moses and Millie Tran. You can always reach us here.


Skip to footer