Black Lives Matter shows its power in Chicago: Top Stories

The CBC's Neil Macdonald explains why the firing of Chicago's police chief shows the growing power of the Black Lives Matter movement. And A Charlie Brown Christmas turns 50. Watch what the Canadian drummer who played on the classic theme song to the show has to say about its legacy. These are a few of our top stories worth your time this morning.

Local

Mohawk College researchers print replica of 6,000 year-old vase

Researchers at Mohawk College have used 3D printing technology to recreate an ancient Neolithic Jomon vase that you can touch and, if the whim strikes you, throw around the room.

While the project was conceived as a one-time effort when the opportunity presented itself, the success has the professors thinking about other possible re-creations that could enhance museum experiences and education. 

Some Hamilton landlords won't rent to Syrian refugees, volunteers say

Aaron Gerrard is excited to be part of sponsoring a Syrian refugee family. But when it came to finding a place for them to live, he got a crushing dose of reality. When he told landlords he was looking on behalf of refugees, most stopped dealing with him or never called back.

For the minister at Ancaster Village Church, it felt like discrimination directed at the refugee family. And he's not the only local sponsoring group seeking refugee housing to experience a frosty reception from many local landlords.

Elsewhere

Neil Macdonald: Firing of Chicago police chief shows growing power of Black Lives Matter

No intelligent person should be tempted by "All lives matter," the insidious slogan that's increasingly fashionable in conservative circles.

Not that it isn't true. Its self-evident banality is actually its power. How can anyone argue with such a sentiment?

But let's be clear: the slogan was specifically designed as a political weapon to neutralize Black Lives Matter, an angry, noisy movement that is beginning to frighten the mostly non-black people who possess power in the U.S. and Canada, and their uniformed enforcers.

A Charlie Brown Christmas turns 50

Isn't there anyone who knows what Christmas is all about?

A Charlie Brown Christmas turns 50 this year. Canadian jazz musician Jerry Granelli opens up about recording the now-iconic score to the beloved TV special. It took three hours and he didn't have clue the tune would come to mean so much to so many people. He recorded the piece of music in 1965. He was the drummer for the Vince Guaraldi trio.

Granelli will be part of an ABC Christmas special about the classic Christmas children's television special.