Happy new year! The weekend is nearly here and CTV News has all of the day’s top stories. Here are the five things you need to know: Canada is behind in bringing in Syrian refugees; people around the world celebrated on New Year's Eve despite terror threats in some countries; a Syrian refugee who is looking to help her sick sister has landed in Canada; a fire that consumed much of a 63-storey hotel in Dubai is still burning; and an Edmonton woman is ditching the dress she has worn the entire year.
1. Refugee deadline: Just over 6,000 Syrian refugees have landed in Canada as we start 2016 -- and the federal government will need another two weeks to meet its previously-set target to settle 10,000 refugees. But Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship John McCallum hopes Canadians will be proud of the humanitarian resettlement effort so far.
2. Happy New Year! Despite warnings of potential terrorism threats, people around the world gathered together to welcome 2016, hoping the year ahead will bring peace and prosperity. You can see how people celebrated the night in different countries here.
3. Saving her sister: A Syrian refugee who plans to donate a kidney to her ailing Edmonton sister has landed in Canada. Refugee status applications for Layla Machtoub and her four children were fast-tracked in the fall, after a local charity informed federal officials she is a organ donor match for her sick sister Janet Machtoub, who has had a failing kidney for 15 years.
4. Still burning: A massive fire that engulfed a 63-storey luxury hotel on New Year's Eve in Dubai is still burning. Despite the stunning damage, the hotel says only 14 people suffered minor injuries.
5. Frock around the clock: After 365 days together, an Edmonton writer is ending her close relationship with a single dress. Elizabeth Withey will put her beloved little black dress back in the closet, after wearing it every single day for all of 2015. She spoke to CTV News about the experience.
