Independent Canadian news, explainers and analysis across politics, business, technology, world and culture
Basketball has always been a game of giants, but every so often a player arrives who makes you rethink what size really means. Yuki Kawamura, at 5 feet 8 inches, is now the shortest active player in the NBA, and he’s doing it on a two-way contract with the Chicago Bulls. Height: 5 ft 8 … Read more
A Netflix series, a 9,000-year lease, and persistent myths about 21 children — the real Arthur Guinness often gets buried under the drama. This article walks through the documentary evidence behind the Guinness founder’s life, his family, and the legacy that built one of the world’s most famous breweries. Born: c. 24 September 1725, Celbridge, … Read more
Amanda Anisimova has never done things the easy way—and her ascent to World No. 3 proves it. By January 2026, the 24-year-old American had overtaken Coco Gauff as the highest-ranked U.S. player, a milestone built on two Grand Slam finals and two WTA 1000 titles in a single season. Age: 24 (born August 31, 2001) … Read more
There’s something about drawing a tree that feels both familiar and frustrating. Most people start with a lollipop shape — a straight trunk and a puff of leaves — but real trees don’t grow that way, and neither do convincing sketches. Tree species globally: over 60,000 · Baum test uses: psychological assessment since 1952 · … Read more
Brandon Prust’s name still echoes among hockey fans who remember his scrappy shifts along the boards, but these days the former NHL winger is building a very different kind of game plan. Here’s what the records show about his career, his life after hockey, and what’s still unanswered. Born: March 16, 1984 (London, Ontario) · … Read more
There’s a reason John Madden’s name is still on the lips of kids who never saw him coach a single game. The man behind the Madden NFL video game franchise—the best-selling sports series in history, according to CBS Sports—built a three-act career that shaped professional football from the sideline, the broadcast booth, and the screen. … Read more
Few actors pack as much into a single decade as Raúl Juliá did in the 1990s — two iconic film franchises, an Emmy-winning performance filmed while gravely ill, and a death that still feels premature 30 years later. Behind the Gomez Addams grin and the M. Bison menace was a man quietly fighting stomach cancer, … Read more
Few films still spark curiosity the way Erin Brockovich does—but the real woman behind that Oscar-winning performance has a story that goes far beyond Hollywood. In 1993, a single mother working as a legal clerk helped expose one of the largest groundwater contamination cases in U.S. history, leading to a $333 million settlement against Pacific … Read more
Lindsey Vonn has been a fixture in headlines for two decades — not just for her 82 World Cup victories but for a personal life that’s played out under the same bright lights as her ski racing. This article pulls together the verified facts on her career, health battles, finances, and relationships, separating what’s confirmed … Read more
Anyone who has watched professional wrestling at any point in the last forty years knows the name “Rowdy” Roddy Piper. He was the loudest, fastest-talking villain the business ever produced — and also a surprisingly thoughtful actor who left a mark on science fiction cinema. This article sorts the facts from the legends around his … Read more