Latest from Brishti Basu
Federal money's kept hundreds of journalists employed in Canada. But the program's set to expire
The Local Journalism Initiative launched in 2019 that currently supports more than 400 journalists in underserved communities. It's set to expire on March 31, and independent journalists and publications relying on the funds have no news about whether it will be renewed.
Victoria named itself the cycling capital of Canada. Does it deserve the title?
The city has the highest percentage of people who bike to work in Canada, according to StatsCan, and 95 per cent of Victoria residents now live within 500 metres of an all-ages-and-abilities bike route.
A Gaza doctor has been missing since November. His Canadian cousin is still looking for answers
Dr. Saleh Eleiwa, an emergency physician at Al-Shifa Hospital, was on a call with his cousin in Canada on Nov. 18 when he approached an IDF checkpoint while evacuating the hospital under Israeli raid. Witnesses have told the family that Eleiwa was taken by the IDF, but neither Israel nor Red Cross has answered questions about his whereabouts.
RCMP withholding records in historic child sexual assault investigation, survivor and lawyer say
Nearly two years after a woman started asking why the sexual assault she reported as a child did not lead to charges, RCMP still haven’t released the relevant files despite confirming they exist. Jamie, the survivor, is calling for answers and a more trauma-informed approach to sexual assault investigations.
Israeli teen jailed for refusing to serve in IDF over opposition to war in Gaza
Military service is compulsory for most Israelis. Those who refuse on political grounds are typically sentenced to prison for up to 10 days initially, and can be sent back to jail multiple times if they continue to refuse. Tal Mitnick’s initial prison sentence of 30 days is harsher than usual, advocates say.
The wrong Laura Lynch: CBC journalist's photo mistakenly used in The Chicks singer's obituaries
On Christmas Eve, Vancouver journalist Laura Lynch woke up to messages from friends who had seen articles featuring her photo, name, and the announcement that she had died in a car crash. In fact, news outlets had mistakenly used her photo in obituaries for U.S. singer Laura Lynch.
'Chilling effect': People expressing pro-Palestinian views censured, suspended from work and school
Some employees and students across Canada who have publicly stated their pro-Palestinian stance on the Israel-Hamas war have been fired, suspended or faced calls to not be hired based on those views.
Palestinians in Israeli prisons face dwindling rights, escalating violence, say human rights groups
While the exchange of prisoners and hostages between Hamas and Israel in recent days has provided a rare period of optimism in the seven-week-long war, it has also shone a light on the conditions of Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons.
'I (heart) Hamas' stickers at UBC have resulted in threats against racialized students
Stickers proclaiming support for Hamas that appeared to be linked to a student-run advocacy group were posted on campus at the University of British Columbia last week and racialized students associated with the group have received threats as a result. Jewish student group Hillel BC says it 'terminated its relationship' with the independent contractor it says posted the stickers.
What does 'From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free' mean?
Amid the Israel-Hamas war, chanting or writing the slogan has led to censure for protesters and politicians alike. But Palestinians and some Jewish academics say the phrase refers to Palestinian freedom and self-determination and is not "inherently threatening" or hateful.