The Catch-All: ICYMI April 13-19

Hello all, hope you had a good week. It's been a turbulent time in terms of geopolitics. Please continue to follow on-the-ground developments about Israel's siege on Gaza and killing of Palestinians. While I try to include the pertinent updates here, there are so many stories that happen day-to-day that I can't keep up with. As always, I suggest following Al Jazeera, Middle East Eye and Mondoweiss for reliable coverage.

It was also a great day for music on Friday. One of my favourite metal bands dropped a new album, and another fantastic Ontario-based punk band I've been following for months dropped the new single to their upcoming album. I know most of you don't follow my AV corner (I have analytics, you know) but hey, if you're into that, check it out. Also I heard some pop star released an album then too or whatever. On with the news.

News Round-up

Ontario

Roadblock cleared: Ontario’s Highway 413 moving forward after governments reach agreement, Isaac Callan and Colin D'Mello, Global News (Apr. 15)

Toronto cop's death was tragic but not murder, defence says in closing statements, Rochelle Raveendran, CBC News (Apr. 17)

Profs call Ford government bill 'political interference' on campus, Mike Crawley, CBC News (Apr. 18)

Ontario Legislature keffiyeh ban remains in place, Muriel Draaisma, CBC News (Apr. 18)

Canada

Here Are The 10 MPs Most Lobbied By CIJA, Davide Mastracci, The Maple (Apr. 15)

An RCMP Report Predicts a Stormy Future in Canada, Crawford Kilian, The Tyee (Apr. 15)

Sharp rise in OD deaths demands better policies for those in their 20s, 30s: study, Camille Bains, The Canadian Press (Apr. 15)

CUTV journalist arrested, detained by Montreal Police, CUTV (Apr. 17)

Poilievre won't commit to keeping new social programs like pharmacare, John Paul Tasker, CBC News (Apr. 18)

US

The Supreme Court effectively abolishes the right to mass protest in three US states, Ian Millhiser, Vox (Apr. 15)

The Real Story Behind NPR’s Current Problems, Alicia Montgomery, Slate (Apr. 16)

Revealed: how companies made $100m clearing California homeless camps, Brian Barth, The Guardian (Apr. 18)

Dozens of pro-Palestinian protesters arrested as Columbia clears encampment, Al Jazeera (Apr. 19)

Man sets himself on fire outside Trump trial courthouse, Ella Lee and Zach Schonfeld, The Hill (Apr. 19)

World

World paid little attention to Sudan’s war for a year. Now aid groups warn of mass death from hunger, Samy Magdy, Associated Press (Apr. 14)

(Australia) Violent stabbing spree sparks fear, horror and chaos at Bondi Junction, Jordan Baker, Sydney Morning Herald (Apr. 14)

EXCLUSIVE: US makes failed bid for Iran to allow 'symbolic strike' by Israel, The Cradle (Apr. 16)

Narendra Modi hopes to renew his mandate in India in the largest elections on the planet, Guillermo Abril, El País (Apr. 18)

French police arrest suspect after surrounding Iran consulate in Paris, France 24 (Apr. 19)

Israel-Palestine

Israel Conflict Spreads to 16 Nations as Biden Admin Says There’s No War, Ken Klippenstein and Daniel Boguslaw, The Intercept (Apr. 14)

Israeli war cabinet tears at the seams following Iranian strikes, The Cradle (Apr. 15)

Leaked NYT Gaza Memo Tells Journalists to Avoid Words “Genocide,” “Ethnic Cleansing,” and “Occupied Territory," Jeremy Scahill and Ryan Grim, The Intercept (Apr. 15)

U.S., Not Israel, Shot Down Most Iran Drones and Missiles, Ken Klippenstein and Daniel Boguslaw, The Intercept (Apr. 15)

Blinken Is Sitting on Staff Recommendations to Sanction Israeli Military Units Linked to Killings or Rapes, Brett Murphy, ProPublica (Apr. 17)

US vetoes widely supported resolution backing full UN membership for Palestine, Edith M. Lederer, Associated Press (Apr. 18)

COVID

COVID infections are causing drops in IQ and years of brain aging, studies suggest, Amanda Buckiewicz, CBC Radio (Apr. 12)

Covid pandemic made poorest countries even worse off, World Bank warns, Larry Elliott, The Guardian (Apr. 15)

Covid Patient Dies After Record 613-Day Infection Spawned New Mutations, Jason Gale, Bloomberg via TIME (Apr. 18)

Tech

Review Used By UK to Limit Gender Affirming Care Uses Images of AI-Generated Kids, Jules Roscoe, 404 Media (Apr. 15)

US Senate to Vote on a Wiretap Bill That Critics Call ‘Stasi-Like’, Dell Cameron, WIRED (Apr. 16)

Verified pro-Nazi X accounts flourish under Elon Musk, David Ingram, NBC News (Apr. 16)

Google fires 28 employees after sit-in protest over Israel cloud contract, Alex Heath, The Verge (Apr. 17)

Pornhub, XVideos, Stripchat face strict EU rules, Commission says, Foo Yun Chee, Reuters (Apr. 19)

Nvidia drops 10% as investors see risk in Big Tech shares, George Steer, Financial Times (Apr. 19)

AV Corner

Podcast: Vietnam's Global Connections - The Vietnam Weekly Podcast
Video: Ecocide: From Vietnam to Palestine - John the Duncan
Music: Cometh The Storm - High On Fire