Sonya Clarke Casey and Michelle Anne Ng tell The National about the moment they finally met in person in St. John's after 43 years of writing letters to each other.

Two women who began writing to each other as pen pals in 1982 have met in person for the first time after 43 years of correspondence. The friendship began when one sought to learn about Canadian culture and the other wanted to improve her English. Over the years, their letters chronicled their lives from childhood to adulthood, including topics from school interests to retirement planning. The pair connected through a school pen pal program and consistently signed their letters with hopes of meeting one day, a wish they finally fulfilled.

Pen pals met after 43 years of writing letters

I was really excited the first time I saw Michelle at the airport. I held a sign with her name on it and then I waved and I was pretty tearful at that time. It's like, you know, 43 years and it's quite unbelievable that this happened. We started writing each other in 1982 and for me it was, I wanted to learn culture. Actually for me, I took on penpalling as a way to improve my English language and there was a magazine with all a list of brands overseas and I picked Sonia because she's from Canada. We have been sitting in my living room, night after night, reading from these letters to each other. It was like down memory lane. This was written to you, Michelle, on December 11th, 1982, which was my first letter to you. Dear Michelle, I am fine, how are you? You're going from the very beginning, you know, you're 12 years old, that's important to you, then scratching stiff stickers to retirement planning. There's not a whole lot of people who I think have had friendships that long and we've had them through letter writing. They apparently connected through a school penpal program in 1982 when they were both in grade five and they both signed each letter, I hope someday we will meet, and then they decided in July they weren't getting any younger, so hence the reunion. Now that is something to write home about.

In Australia, millions of kids' social media profiles are going dark, as the country's new social media ban takes effect for anyone under 16. Jo Ling Kent reports.

Canberra

Australia's social media ban takes effect for kids under 16

President Trump, in recent months, has dismissed concerns about affordability, but this evening, in the battleground state of Pennsylvania, he is focusing on the crisis and touting his administration's efforts to lower the cost of living. Nancy Cordes has more.

Pennsylvania

Trump tries to flip the script on affordability

Dozens of protesters blocked a highway near Tel Aviv to demonstrate against moves by the Israeli government to force some ultra-Orthodox Jews into mandatory military service, something they are currently exempt from so they can study the Torah full time.

Tel Aviv-Yafo

Bill over ultra-Orthodox military conscription sparks protests in Israel

President Trump has told Politico that Nicolas Maduro's "days are numbered" in Venezuela. Political strategists Kevin Sheridan and Hyma Moore join with analysis.

Washington

Trump says Maduro’s “days are numbered”

The FBI has released a new photo of former Olympian Ryan Wedding, whom the bureau’s director has described as a “modern day iteration of Pablo Escobar.” The ex-skier and snowboarder remains at large as agents continue their search.

FBI releases photo of Olympian and alleged drug kingpin Ryan Wedding

Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Pope Leo XIV and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni in Rome on Tuesday (December 9), meanwhile voicing his refusal to surrender territory to Moscow despite pressure from Washington for territorial concessions.

Rome

Ukraine Invasion

Zelenskyy seeks backing from Pope Leo XIV, Italian PM Meloni

A federal judge said Tuesday (December 9) that the Department of Justice can unseal the Ghislaine Maxwell sex trafficking case records. CBS News' Scott MacFarlane has more details.

Judge says DOJ can unseal Ghislaine Maxwell trafficking case records

Prosecutors on Monday (December 8) released new evidence seized from Luigi Mangione on the day of his arrest. He is accused of killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson a year ago and has pleaded not guilty.

Manhattan

New evidence introduced in Luigi Mangione case

The EU antitrust enforcer has opened an investigation into the U.S. tech giant over its use of online content to power its AI services, a move that threatens to ratchet up transatlantic relations.

Brussels

EU Commission opens probe into Google over AI

The U.S. government said the approval, which comes in exchange for a 25% surcharge, would also be available to other chipmakers like Intel and AMD.

Trump gives Nvidia green light to sell H200 chips to China

Ukraine is set to present a revised peace plan to the United States on Tuesday following President Volodymyr Zelenskiy’s talks in London with the leaders of France, Germany, and Britain.

London

Ukraine to share revised peace plan with U.S., Zelenskiy says

The International Criminal Court Tuesday handed down a sentence of 20 years to a Sudanese militia leader for war crimes and crimes against humanity committed during the country's civil war two decades ago.

ICC sentences Sudan militia chief for crimes against humanity

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday (December 8) unveiled a $12 billion aid package for American farmers, the latest government effort to shore up a key political constituency hurt by the financial fallout from his trade policies.

Trump unveils $12 billion aid package for farmers hit by trade war

Thailand and Cambodia are blaming one another for starting a deadly exchange of fire that killed at least five people and threatens to unravel a U.S.-backed ceasefire between the neighbouring southeast Asian countries.

Surin

Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire could be unravelling

Paramount Skydance made a hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros. Discovery for $108 billion US just days after Netflix announced it made a $72-billion US deal with the legacy studio. It’s a move that even has U.S. President Donald Trump weighing in.

Hollywood

Paramount launches hostile takeover bid for Warner Bros.

President Trump announced Monday he will allow Nvidia to sell its advanced H200 computer chips to "approved customers" in China, but Mr. Trump said the deal does not include Nvidia's more advanced Blackwell system or its soon-to-be-released Rubin system.

Trump says he's letting Nvidia sell some AI chips to China

Ukraine's European allies put on a show of support for President Volodymyr Zelensky Monday as they expressed scepticism about parts of the U.S. proposal to end the war with Russia. The discussions came after President Donald Trump accused Zelensky of not reading his administration's proposal on a deal to end Russia's invasion following almost four years of war.

Downing Street

European allies back Zelensky after Trump criticism

A powerful 7.5-magnitude earthquake shook northeastern Japan late on Monday (December 8), prompting orders for about 90,000 residents to evacuate and tsunami warnings that hours later were downgraded to advisories.

Aomori

7.5-magnitude earthquake strikes Japan's northeast

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Monday (December 8) that unity between Europe, Ukraine and the U.S. was important when negotiating an end to Russia's war in Ukraine. He made the remark during a visit to London.

Kyiv stresses European unity as allies 'skeptical' of U.S. peace plan

Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European allies prepared to hold talks in London on Monday (December 8), after President Donald Trump accused him of not reading the U.S. proposal to end the war with Russia.

Zelenskyy to meet European allies after Trump criticism

Thailand has launched airstrikes on Cambodian military sites as renewed border violence threatens a U.S.-backed peace deal.

Bangkok

Renewed border violence threatens Thai-Cambodia peace

South African authorities have withdrawn a 90-day visa exemption for Palestinians, saying the recent arrival of a charter flight with 153 people onboard was part of a campaign of “forced migration.”

Johannesburg

Middle East Conflict

South Africa withdraws 90-days visa exemption for Palestinians

Chinese and Japanese ties came under further strain after a Chinese fighter aircraft trained fire-control radar on Japanese military jets for the first time.

Okinawa

Chinese fighter jet locks radar on Japan planes

A military coup declared in Benin on Sunday has failed, the country’s interior minister said, just hours after soldiers took over state television to announce the dissolution of government.

Porto-Novo

Benin coup attempt thwarted by soldiers loyal to Republic

Hong Kong's citizens were voting on Sunday in an election where the focus is on turnout, with residents grieving and traumatized after the city's worst fire in nearly 80 years and the authorities scrambling to avoid a broader public backlash.

Hong Kong Island

Hong Kong holds tightly guarded election amid anger over deadly fire

A U.S. envoy says territorial claims remain a sticking point in a proposed peace deal between Russia and Ukraine. The U.S.-led meetings have ended; meanwhile, Russia launched a massive strike on central Ukraine early Sunday.

Kyiv

U.S.-led peace talks wrap as Russia launches strike on Ukraine

Russia targeted Ukraine's energy infrastructure overnight, meaning another winter of power outages for Ukrainians as Vladimir Putin tries to crush their resolve. Holly Williams reports.

Moscow

Russia targets Ukraine's energy infrastructure

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth doubled down on U.S. military strikes on alleged drug boats, saying President Trump can take decisive military action as he sees fit. Willie James Inman reports on the latest.

Pete Hegseth on boat strikes: "We will find you and we will sink you"

To crackdown on so-called “narcoterrorists”, the US has slowly but steadily been building up its military presence in the Caribbean. 15,000 troops are now stationed in the area, many in Puerto Rico.

Ponce

U.S boosts military presence in Puerto Rico amid Venezuela tensions

Residents in the Indonesian region of Aceh Tamiang have been struggling to get aid while mourning the loss of their loved ones, as the death toll from floods and landslides that hit Sumatra island this month rose to more than 900 people.

Breakdown