BC Freedom of Information and Privacy Association
Your Data Your Rights
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Concerns about espionage rise as Trump and Musk fire thousands of federal workers
WASHINGTON (AP) — As President Donald Trump and his adviser Elon Musk work to overhaul the federal government, they’re forcing out thousands of workers with insider knowledge and connections who now need a job. For Russia, China and other adversaries, the upheaval in Washington as Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency guts government agencies presents an…
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Turkey detains journalists as protests grow over the jailing of key Erdogan rival
ISTANBUL (AP) — A media union said Turkish authorities arrested several journalists at their homes in a crackdown Monday, amid growing protests over the jailing of Istanbul’s mayor, a top rival to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. A court on Sunday formally arrested Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu and ordered him jailed pending a trial on corruption charges.…
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Environment ministry downplayed concerns expressed by health officials around St. Catharines GM site, FOI documents reveal
For years, St. Catharines residents living near the former General Motors industrial site have raised concerns about potential health and environmental risks posed by the contaminated 55-acre property. For just as long, their concerns have been met with vague assurances from officials, insisting there is no cause for concern. Nothing underscores the ongoing worry more…
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Florida backs off athlete menstrual data, but debate lingers
Florida has backed off its effort to force athletes to give their high schools information about their menstrual cycles after the debate sparked opposition nationwide, and now, the state is facing questions about whether the plan was based on politics or policy. Doctors often ask students about their periods to figure out whether they are…
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Indigo latest target in string of cyberattacks on Canadian businesses
A cybersecurity incident that knocked Indigo Books & Music Inc.’s website and electronic payment systems offline is the latest in a string of cyberattacks experts say are increasingly targeting Canadian businesses. “It’s really turned into the Wild West out there and companies are struggling,” Robert Falzon, head of engineering at Check Point Canada, said in an interview…
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AP Investigation: Prison boss beat inmates, climbed ranks
The prison staff didn’t know much about the new acting warden. Then, they say, he made a bizarre and startling confession: Years ago, he beat inmates — and got away with it. Thomas Ray Hinkle, a high-ranking federal Bureau of Prisons official, was sent to restore order and trust at a women’s prison wracked by…
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Menstrual questions cut from athletic forms amid criticism
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Questions about female athletes’ menstrual history will no longer appear on the medical forms that Florida high school students have to fill out before participating in sports. The Florida High School Athletic Association axed the questions on Thursday after listening to a flood of complaints contained in letters read aloud during…
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Seattle schools sue tech giants over social media harm
SEATTLE (AP) — The public school district in Seattle has filed a novel lawsuit against the tech giants behind TikTok, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Snapchat, seeking to hold them accountable for the mental health crisis among youth. Seattle Public Schools filed the lawsuit Friday in U.S. District Court. The 91-page complaint says the social media…
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Saskatchewan underestimated need for rapid tests during fourth wave, emails indicate
SASKATOON — Saskatchewan underestimated how many rapid antigen tests were needed during the height of the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also touting the tests as a key part of its plan to halt transmission of the virus, internal emails indicate. Documents obtained under freedom of information laws show the province emailing Health Canada in…
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Not just balloons: How US sees China spying as major worry
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Chinese balloon that traversed the United States before being shot down last weekend captivated public attention and drew sharp denunciations as a brazen spying effort. But if the vehicle for espionage seemed novel, the concept was anything but. In ways that are far less public, but often more worrisome, U.S. officials…
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High school athletes not required to share menstrual history
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Facing blowback, the director of Florida’s high school sports governing body is backing away from using an eligibility form that requires female athletes to disclose their menstrual history in order to compete. Instead, the executive director of the Florida High School Athletic Association is recommending that most personal information revealed on…