Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · 1d

In 2025 we continue to hold the line. Boycott Giller. canlitresponds.ca/boycott-giller

CanLit Responds

Over 20 authors pull work from the 2024 Giller Prize

canlitresponds.ca

1 3 4

Reposted by Farzana Doctor

Tara Moriarty @moriartylab.bsky.social · 8d

Canadian COVID Forecast Sep 27 - Oct 10, 2025

ONTARIO

HIGH [no change]

About 1 of every 62 people is infected.

Compared to lowest point of pandemic in Canada:

-Infections: 4.4 x higher
-Long COVID: 5.7 x higher
-Hospitalizations: 8.1 x higher
-Deaths: 6.4 x higher

This image describes Ontario's COVID Forecast for the fourteen-day period between Sep 27 - Oct 10, 2025 which is produced by COVID-19 Resources Canada.
Ontario's COVID Forecast outlook is HIGH [no change]
Ontario's COVID INDEX SCORE 6.3
About 1 of every 62 people is infected.

Estimated infections this week: 244,150-382,025
What these numbers mean: MODERATE 1-5, HIGH 5-10, VERY HIGH 10-15, SEVERE >15 COMPARED TO THE LOWEST POINT IN THE COVID PANDEMIC IN CANADA
How much higher are key indicators compared to the lowest point in the COVID pandemic in Canada?
Waste water, infections: MODERATE; 4.4X higher
Long COVID: HIGH; 5.7X higher
Hospitalizations: HIGH; 8.1X higher
Deaths: HIGH; 6.4X higher
HOW TO HELP:
EVERYONE:
"UPDATE vaccines every 6 months
WEAR N95-type masks"
Who is HIGH RISK?
People 60 and older, babies < 1 year, pregnant
ALL AGES: immunocompromised OR medically at-risk OR no vaccine or infection in the last 6 months

Recommendations are based on the COVID-19 Risk Index from the Peterborough ON Public Health Unit
COVID-19 Resources Canada is a grassroots organization of volunteer scientists supporting Canadian COVID responses. Sources, data and methods for the COVID Index are available at www.Covid19Resources.ca

1 13 17

Reposted by Farzana Doctor

Transatlantic Agency @transatlanticagcy.bsky.social · 6d

Join Farzana Doctor, author of The Beauty of Us, at the 2025 Wordstock Sudbury Literary Festival!

Get your tickets today as tickets are limited!

Farzana is represented by Rachel Letofsky.

1 3

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · 6d

action.eko.org/a/world-lead...

World Leaders: Protect the Sumud Flotilla Now

Right now, the Sumud Flotilla is a few nautical miles away from Gaza, carrying doctors, journalists, politicians, and activists - all risking their lives to break Israel’s illegal siege on Gaza and de

action.eko.org

1 1

Reposted by Farzana Doctor

PEN Canada @pencanada.bsky.social · 14d

This event includes writers Farzana Doctor, Jamal Saeed, Mostafa Al-A'sar and Saima S Hussain at the Toronto Reference Library.

🎟️ Ticket registration is required: buff.ly/VbBLpaB

PEN Canada @pencanada.bsky.social · 15d

Upcoming free event 📅

On Friday October 10, Toronto Public Library and PEN Canada present an intimate literary evening that celebrates the rich diversity of Islamic perspectives and experiences through the power of storytelling and verse.

3 7

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · 8d

actionnetwork.org/letters/reje...

Protect Grassy Narrows: Reject Kinross Gold's Mine

Kinross Gold — the same company that violated U.S. clean water laws more than 3,500 times — is now trying to dump mining wastewater into rivers upstream of Grassy Narrows First Nation. This community ...

actionnetwork.org

1 1

Reposted by Farzana Doctor

PEN Canada @pencanada.bsky.social · 15d

Upcoming free event 📅

On Friday October 10, Toronto Public Library and PEN Canada present an intimate literary evening that celebrates the rich diversity of Islamic perspectives and experiences through the power of storytelling and verse.

2 2 3

Reposted by Farzana Doctor

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Apr 10

As long as the Giller Prize maintains Indigo and the Azrieli Foundation as sponsors, the boycott continues.

Canlitresponds.ca/boycott-giller

Red background

WHY I'M STILL BOYCOTTING THE GILLER PRIZE

Book image with Palestine flag

23 51

Reposted by Farzana Doctor

Carceral Abolition @carceralabolition.bsky.social · 28d

Gaza aid flotilla is hit by second drone attack against one of its ships

The projectile fell on the deck next to a crew member and started a fire. Leaders of the Global Sumud Flotilla called it ‘pyschological warfare’ english.elpais.com/internationa...

Gaza aid flotilla is hit by second drone attack against one of its ships

The projectile fell on the deck next to a crew member and started a fire. Leaders of the Global Sumud Flotilla called it ‘pyschological warfare’

english.elpais.com

3 4

Reposted by Farzana Doctor

Tara Moriarty @moriartylab.bsky.social · Sep 1

Canadian COVID Forecast Aug 30 - Sep 12 2025
ONTARIO

High [No change]

About 1 in 74 people in ON are CURRENTLY infected.

Compared to lowest point of pandemic in Canada:

-Infections ~6.8 higher
-Long COVID ~7.8 higher
-Hospitalizations ~9.6 higher
-Deaths ~9.9 higher

1 31 45

Reposted by Farzana Doctor

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Aug 27

Tonight’s Poets for Palestine event, 7pm at Tranzac Club and livestreamed. Fundraiser for ElhamFund.ca

www.facebook.com/share/19YXsQdjrR/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Redirecting...

www.facebook.com

1 1

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Aug 27

Tonight’s Poets for Palestine event, 7pm at Tranzac Club and livestreamed. Fundraiser for ElhamFund.ca

www.facebook.com/share/19YXsQdjrR/?mibextid=wwXIfr

Redirecting...

www.facebook.com

1 1

Reposted by Farzana Doctor

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Aug 26

⚠️ URGENT

*Canadian Nationals* who participated in war crimes in Gaza must be held to account on return.
We need *3* things from you

1️⃣ 📩 EMAIL YOUR MP nccm.ca/canadiansafe...

2️⃣ CALL YOUR MP
www.ourcommons.ca/members/en (use email as script)

3️⃣ After calling & emailing, share this with 10 people

Take Action - Canada Must Recognize Returning IDF Soldiers As A Public Safety Threat - NCCM

Canada has historically prided itself on upholding the rule of law and safeguarding human dignity. Yet, we cannot ignore a stark reality.

nccm.ca

3 2

Reposted by Farzana Doctor

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Aug 23

worldbeyondwar.org/torontoairsh...

Demilitarize the Toronto Air Show - World BEYOND War

The Toronto air show is blatant advertising for militarism, war, and violence, it re-traumatizes victims of war, and its ear-splitting noise disturbs residents across the city over the Labour Day long...

worldbeyondwar.org

1 4

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Aug 26

⚠️ URGENT

*Canadian Nationals* who participated in war crimes in Gaza must be held to account on return.
We need *3* things from you

1️⃣ 📩 EMAIL YOUR MP nccm.ca/canadiansafe...

2️⃣ CALL YOUR MP
www.ourcommons.ca/members/en (use email as script)

3️⃣ After calling & emailing, share this with 10 people

Take Action - Canada Must Recognize Returning IDF Soldiers As A Public Safety Threat - NCCM

Canada has historically prided itself on upholding the rule of law and safeguarding human dignity. Yet, we cannot ignore a stark reality.

nccm.ca

3 2

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Aug 23

worldbeyondwar.org/torontoairsh...

Demilitarize the Toronto Air Show - World BEYOND War

The Toronto air show is blatant advertising for militarism, war, and violence, it re-traumatizes victims of war, and its ear-splitting noise disturbs residents across the city over the Labour Day long...

worldbeyondwar.org

1 4

Reposted by Farzana Doctor

Tara Moriarty @moriartylab.bsky.social · Aug 18

Canadian COVID Forecast: Aug 16-Aug 29, 2025

SEVERE: none
VERY HIGH: none
HIGH: AB
MODERATE: CAN, BC, MB, NB, NL, North, NS, ON, PEI, QC, SK

About 1 in 121 people in Canada are CURRENTLY infected.

This image shows gauges with the Aug 16-Aug 29, 2025 COVID Forecast scores for Canada, the provinces, & territories. From left to right:

Canada: 4.2 - MODERATE
Alberta: 7.0 - HIGH
British Columbia: 3.5 - MODERATE
Manitoba: 3.7 - MODERATE
New Brunswick: 3.5 - MODERATE
Newfoundland and Labrador: 3.4 - MODERATE
North: 4.2 - MODERATE
Nova Scotia: 3.4 - MODERATE
Ontario: 4.1 - MODERATE
Prince Edward Island: 3.7 - MODERATE
Quebec: 4.2 - MODERATE
Saskatchewan: 3.6 - MODERATE

A text box reads: "The COVID Forecast is calculated from 3 equally weighted categories: 1) Current infections and spread; 2) Healthcare system impact; 3) Mortality. Within each category there is one sub-category for trends over the most recent week (Trends) and one sub-category for current parameter values relative to a specified baseline (Current values). Trends and current values are weighted equally when determining the final score for a category. All Forecast input data and sources are available here (https://datastudio.google.com/embed/u/0/reporting/42b886cf-d661-488e-b7d8-5c5836b55ab6/page/p_2yqs028mwc). Past Forecast scores are available in the table below. Forecast scores are grouped into 4 ranges: MODERATE (1 to <5, white), HIGH (6 to <10, yellow), VERY HIGH (10 to <15, orange), SEVERE (>15 red).

16 160 390

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Aug 21

Authors: you may have heard about the Bartz v Anthropic class action re authors' works being illegally used to train AI.

If you had a book published before Aug 1, 2022, you’re eligible to register basic info with the attorneys involved in the class action.
www.lieffcabraser.com/anthropic-au...

Anthropic Authors’ Rights Class Action – Author Contact Page – Lieff Cabraser

www.lieffcabraser.com

3 3

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Aug 3

www.cbc.ca/news/politic...

Report suggests arms still flow from Canada to Israel despite denials | CBC News

The government of Canada is adamant — with certain, shifting caveats — that it has not allowed arms shipments to Israel since January 2024, and yet Israeli import data and publicly available shipping ...

www.cbc.ca

5 6

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Jul 24

actionnetwork.org/letters/mayo...

Mayor Chow: Tell Toronto Police to stop criminalizing residents demanding an end to Gaza’s starvation and genocide.

On July 19, Toronto Police once again attacked peaceful protesters demanding an end to the genocide in Palestine, arresting 11 people while dozens were shoved to the ground, tackled, punched, and pinn...

actionnetwork.org

1 3

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Jul 23

He’s the most useless. I can’t believe that he has been elected 4x now

1

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Jul 20

Single-handed likely wasn’t true. Over the course of his life he had 4 wives (2 died, 1 divorced, 1 survived him).

1

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Jul 20

An article about my great great grandfather (who was also the inspiration for a character in my novel SEVEN m.thewire.in/article/cult...

How One Man Single-Handedly Built a Paper-to-Print Conglomerate in Colonial Bombay - The Wire

Hussonally Abdullaly thrived In the face of stiff competition from the British presses and his own fellow, the Dawoodi Bohras.

m.thewire.in

1 1 3

Reposted by Farzana Doctor

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · May 21

I was on @cbcradiocanada.bsky.social The Next Chapter!

www.cbc.ca/listen/live-...

Antonio Michael and I
talked about the thruline for my books (and our inner 11 year olds had a moment together) that began with my 1st poem and ended in my most recent novel The Beauty of Us. @ecwpress.bsky.social

Image is of me, a middle aged brown woman smiling, and the cover of The Beauty of Us. LISTEN
5 books that shaped author and activist
Farzana Doctor
Radio - The Next Chapter | January 26

5 18

Farzana Doctor @farzanadoctor.bsky.social · Jul 20

Thanks for listening!

1 1