The Catch-All: ICMYI April 27- May 3

As you may know, university encampments have no popped up at UofT and McGill. So if you're in Toronto or Montreal, please consider lending your support by showing up or checking what they may need and bringing supplies.

In other news, the punk scene lost an all-time legend. On May 3, Gary Floyd, the lead singer of the Texas punk band the Dicks, passed away of congestive heart failure. Floyd was an openly gay man who fronted a communist punk band in 1980s Texas, often playing in full drag. Their song Dicks Hate the Police has an impact that is impossible to put into words. Rest easy, Gary.

Oh and before we get started, The Catch has its first paying subscriber! Thank you so much, you know who you are. Hopefully I get to thank you in person soon! If you'd like to help support this newsletter, click the sign-up below for options.

News Round-up

Ontario

Charge dropped for man accused of flying 'terrorist flag', Vanessa Balintec, CBC News (Apr. 26)

Ottawa Book Festival Platforming Far-Right Speakers Uses Fake Employees and Misleading Sponsors, Luke LeBrun, PressProgress (Apr. 27)

Ontario tightens rules on cellphone use, bans vaping in schools, CBC News (Apr. 28)

Keffiyeh-waving protesters banned from Ontario legislature, Liam Casey, The Canadian Press (May 1)

'Someone is going to get hurt,' says OPP officer minutes before fatal 401 crash, Adam Carter and Lane Harrison, CBC News (May 1)

“Disclose, divest”: Students camp out at King’s College Circle demanding that U of T cut ties with Israel, James Bullanoff, The Varsity (May 2)

Canada

Poilievre hints to police he would use notwithstanding clause to change laws, Darren Major and Tom Parry, CBC News (Apr. 29)

Newfoundland fisherman says police broke his leg during protest that delayed budget, The Canadian Press (May 1)

Academic defending Yaroslav Hunka receives standing ovation in Edmonton, Jeremy Appel, Progress Report (May 1)

Singh says NDP will support budget, won't say what guarantees he received from Liberals, Darren Major, CBC News (May 1)

Quebec policy restricting gender-neutral bathrooms in schools comes into effect, Global News via The Canadian Press (May 1)

Foreign meddling didn't affect who formed government in past 2 elections, but inquiry flags 'troubling' events, Catharine Tunney, CBC News (May 3)

Police make arrests in killing of B.C. Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Evan Dyer, CBC News (May 3)

US

White House Correspondents’ Dinner Snubs Slain Journalists in Gaza, Andrew Perez, Rolling Stone (Apr. 28)

NYPD Raids CUNY’s City College, Violently Arrests Students, Then Hoists American Flag, Max Rivlin-Nadler, Hell Gate (May 1)

Inside the NYPD’s ‘Dystopian’ Raid on Columbia Student Protesters, Anna Oakes and Claudia Gohn, Hell Gate (May 1)

Pro-Israel counter-protesters attempt to storm encampment, sparking violence, Anna Dai-Liu and Dylan Winward, Daily Bruin (May 1)

Bike Lock NYPD Insists Is 'Industrial' Protest Tool Is a Normal Lock Recommended by Columbia University, Samantha Cole, 404 Media (May 1)

World

20 Cambodian soldiers killed in an ammunition explosion at a military base, Sopheng Cheang, Associated Press (Apr. 27)

Lula's Government Reduces Hunger and Food Insecurity in Brazil, Telesur (Apr. 28)

Almost 30% spike in rate of Australian women killed by intimate partner last year, data shows, Kate Lyons, The Guardian (Apr. 29)

SNP defeats Labour confidence motion and sets out plan for choosing new leader, Libby Brooks, The Guardian (May 2)

Prison release of Golden Dawn founder angers Greek anti-fascists, Helena Smith, The Guardian (May 2)

Israel-Palestine

Israeli Ambassador: Srebrenica is not genocide – the world should believe those who know it, Kosovo Online via Sputnjik (Apr. 26)

Israeli officials eye threat of ICC arrest warrants over war in Gaza, Al Jazeera (Apr. 29)

Gaza: Israeli PM Netanyahu says Rafah attack will happen regardless of deal, Matt Murphy, BBC News (Apr. 30)

Colombia cuts diplomatic ties with Israel, Middle East Eye (May 2)

Prominent Palestinian doctor tortured and killed in Israeli detention, Middle East Eye (May 2)

COVID

The Covid Revisionists Are Endangering Us All, Gregg Gonsalves, The Nation (Apr. 25)

SoCal’s COVID-cautious: Fighting isolation along with the virus, Danielle Chiriguayo, KCRW (May 1)

Canadians deserve a transparent report into the COVID-19 pandemic, Lynora Saxinger and Braden Manns, The Globe and Mail (Apr. 27) - [Pays lips service to the pandemic in the past sense and signals to "divisive" vaccine mandates.]

Tech

New York Daily News, Chicago Tribune, and others sue OpenAI and Microsoft, Emilia David, The Verge (Apr. 30)

Facebook’s AI Spam Isn’t the ‘Dead Internet’: It’s the Zombie Internet, Jason Koebler, 404 Media (May 2)

Google is getting even worse for independent sites, Mia Santo, The Verge (May 2)

AV Corner

Podcast: Capital Gains Taxes: What Are They and Why Are Canada's Ultra Rich Freaking Out? - PressProgress Sources
Video: Is Cooking Classist? - Hoots
Music: Funeral For Justice - Mdou Moctar