Posts in category: Radio Host Co

A new set of statistics have shed light on the degree of internet access in Nepal. According to the data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) for the National Census 2078 (2021) published on Chaitra 10, 2079, 37.8 percent of Nepali households have internet access. That means 25 lakhs, 14 thousand, and 510 households have broadband penetration across the country. The same report also highlighted that more than 17 lakh citizens don’t own any mobile phone while landline phone use sees further low.

The report shows that urban areas are highly covered with broadband penetration compared to rural regions. The report shows 45.7 percent of municipalities have internet access in Nepal. While 21.5 percent of rural municipalities (gaunpalika) have been ensured internet facility till 2078 BS.

The government has been promoting the Digital Nepal Framework for the digital transformation of Nepal and it includes continuous growth of internet penetration. Telcos and fixed-line broadband internet service providers have been very active in expanding their telecom services in remote areas across the country. The census data will continue to improve in the days to come.

Also read: Fiber Internet Users Continue to Grow With Ntc Giving a Stiff Competition to the Privately-Run ISPs

Mobile phone access in Nepal

At the same time, smartphone access has also increased as per the 2078 census statistics. The data shows that 73 percent of Nepali households have at least some form of smartphone penetration.

That is out of the total 66 lakhs, 60 thousand, 841 households in Nepal (Census 2079), 48 lakhs, 76 thousand, and 561 households have mobile phone access. That also means 26.8 percent population has no phone access which stands at 17 lakhs, 84 thousand, and 280 households.

Likewise, 15 percent of the total households have a computer or a laptop. Comparing the access in areas, 19.8 percent of families in urban areas and 4.9 percent of families in rural municipalities have got a computer in their homes. Just like internet access, laptop/computer access is low in rural regions in comparison to cities.

Check out: Smartphone Vs Laptop; which one to prefer?

Internet access in Nepal

As the data show, Nepal’s internet access is growing at a growing pace. The stats show less number of families having internet services in rural municipalities however, the trend has an upward trajectory so it will only grow in the coming years. Similarly, TV, and Laptop/computer access are also showing a growth trend with 49.4 percent and 15 percent of families respectively. However, landline service continues to become less relevant as highlighted by the data. The number of households having a landline phone has come down to 4.5 percent which has to do with the incremental growth of smartphone usage.

But interestingly, phones are still used by a huge section of the population. As the data show, 73.2 percent of Nepali households use any kind of phone. However, the smartphone is used by 73 percent of families which means 0.2 percent of families use a basic feature phone. Below, the table illustrates the penetration of communication services including other home devices in Nepal as per the National Census 2078 report.

Internet access by province

The data also shows the divergence in internet access among the provinces. Of the seven provinces, Bagmati Province shows to have the highest percentage of internet penetration in Nepal with 55.2 percent. Gandaki Province has 47.9 percent of households with connected by any type of internet.

Likewise, Koshi Province and Lumbini province have respectively 38.1 percent and 36.0 percent of families with connectivity. Karnali Province comes last with 20.3 percent of families having an internet penetration.

Learn: How to Get Internet Connection at Home in Nepal?

Internet access growing more important than ever

In terms of access to services, communication services rank above others such as motorbikes, fans, refrigerators, and other transport, and household items. No doubt that internet service is considered a human right these days. However, the public still has reservations about the cost factor of broadband access.

As per the latest CBS statistic on the 2078 Census data, there are 2 crore, 91 lakhs, 64 thousand, and 578 people. Of the total, there are 1 crore, 42 lakhs, 53 thousand, and 551(48.98 percent) males and 1 crore, 49 lakhs, 11 thousand, and 27 (51.02 percent) females and 2 thousand, 928 or 0.001 percent preferred to be classified as third-genders.

Canada Reads 2023 will take place March 27-30.

This year, the great Canadian book debate is looking for one book to shift your perspective.

The stories we tell, and the way we tell them, can shape how we see ourselves, our communities and the world. This collection of books is an opportunity to broaden our horizons, expand our worldview and think differently about the world around us and our place in it.

The 2023 contenders are:

The debates will be hosted by Ali Hassan and will be broadcast on CBC Radio One, CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Listen and on CBC Books. 

The debates will take place live at 10:05 a.m. ET (that’s an hour earlier than recent years!). You can tune in live or catch a replay on the platform of your choice. You can see all the broadcast details here.

Watch the book trailers and get to know the creators behind them below!

Canada Reads 2023 book trailer: Ducks by Kate Beaton

Jeopardy! super-champion, writer, and podcast host Mattea Roach will champion Ducks by Kate Beaton on Canada Reads 2023.

Ducks is an autobiographical graphic memoir that recounts author Kate Beaton’s time spent working in the Alberta oil sands. With the goal of paying off her student loans, Beaton leaves her tight-knit seaside Nova Scotia community and heads west, where she encounters harsh realities, including the everyday trauma that no one discusses.

Ducks will be championed by Jeopardy! star Mattea Roach.

The trailer for Ducks was created by Braden and Jennifer Poirier. 

The Poiriers reside in Calgary, and have been exploring the creative side of life for over a decade together. They met while studying animation at Sheridan College and have collaborated in a variety of artistic mediums and fields including screenprinting, sewing, stop motion animation, comic books, painting, sculpture and toy design. 

Jennifer is a location designer and colour artist for animated series and continues to explore illustration using traditional media. 

Braden is an animation industry veteran, and has worked on numerous animated series, music videos and short films. They are currently continuing work on their creator owned comic book, Monster Dog.

The trailer for Ducks was narrated by Jana Peck. 

Jana Peck is a Canadian writer and actor. She co-created a sketch show called Madge & Peck that won Best Pitch at the JFL festival in Montreal in 2019. 

Her unique voice has been in countless radio and TV commercials. She is currently starring in Red Ketchup, a new animated adult series launching this spring on Cartoon Network. She’s appeared in Chucky, Kim’s Convenience, A Teacher, The Hot Zone, Saving Hope, Suits, Rookie Blue and Ruby and the Well.

The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ashly July.

Canada Reads 2023 book trailer: Greenwood by Michael Christie

Actor, director and writer Keegan Connor Tracy will champion Greenwood by Michael Christie on Canada Reads 2023.

In Greenwood, it’s the year 2038 and most of the world has suffered from an environmental collapse. But there is a remote island with 1,000-year-old trees and Jake Greenwood works as a tour guide there. From there, the novel takes you back in time as you learn more about Jake, her family and how secrets and lies can have an impact for generations.

Greenwood will be championed by actor, director and writer Keegan Connor Tracy.

The trailer for Greenwood was created by concept artist Hasali Baddewithana. Baddewithana’s work is primarily composed of illustration, design and 3D modelling of environments and props with a focus on the video game or movie industries. She hopes to use her art and her life experiences to tell stories of the small things that are often underestimated and unappreciated in life, and in turn, to inspire the next generation of artists and storytellers to do the same.

The trailer for Greenwood was narrated by David Ferry, who also narrated the audiobook.

As an award winning theatre director, Ferry has worked nationally and internationally in a wide variety of genres of theatre. He has also worked increasingly as a director and narrator of Audio Books for Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, ECW Press and Audible. 

Ferry has also enjoyed success as an actor who has worked on stage across Canada including at the Stratford Festival, in England, Australia and the U.S. (performing on and off Broadway). He has filmed in over 100 projects on the movie screen and TV in a career that has spanned 50 years.

The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.

Canada Reads 2023 book trailer: Hotline by Dimitri Nasrallah

Bhangra dancer, artist and educator Gurdeep Pandher will champion Hotline by Dimitri Nasrallah on Canada Reads 2023.

Hotline is about Muna Heddad, a widow and mother who has left behind a civil war in Lebanon and is living in Montreal in the 1980s. The only work she can find is as a hotline operator at a weight-loss centre where she fields calls from people responding to ads in magazines or on TV. These strangers have so much to say about their challenges, from marriages gone bad to personal inadequacies. Although her life in Canada is filled with invisible barriers, Muna is privy to her clients’ deepest secrets.

Hotline with be champined by bhangra dancer Gurdeep Pandher on Canada Reads.

The trailer for Hotline was created by artist G.C. Houle in collaboration with animator J.L.J-F. Léger.

G.C. Houle is a comic artist and illustrator based in the heart of Acadia. They are best known for a colourful and sleek style influenced by their earlier training as a graphic designer. A strong believer in the legitimizing power of art, Houle seeks to create work that reflects the unique beauty and concerns of marginalized people, especially those within the queer community.

J.L.J-F. Léger is a professional animator currently residing in Halifax. With backgrounds in game design, animation and film, he is constantly on the lookout for new and exciting ways to push his creativity. He is currently working on his first graphic novel.

The trailer for Hotline was narrated by Leen Amarin. 

Amarin is a Jordanian, Lebanese, Palestinian and newly Canadian author, creative, researcher and human rights advocate. Born and raised in Amman, Jordan, Amarin immigrated to Canada in 2013. Now based in Toronto, she attempts to reconcile with her identity as a migrant-settler through her creative practice and advocacy. Committed to equity and anti-oppression organizing, she held leading roles in the fight for refugee human rights and the empowerment of marginalized creatives and intellectuals. She’s currently a student of Human Rights & Equity Studies at York University interested in further exploring concepts of belonging in imagining decolonized futures.

The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.

Canada Reads 2023 book trailer: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

BookTok creator and nursing student Tasnim Geedi will champion Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia on Canada Reads 2023.

Mexican Gothic is a gothic horror novel set in 1950s Mexico. It tells the story of a young woman named Noemí who is called by her cousin to save her from doom in her countryside home, the mysterious and alluring High Place. Noemí doesn’t know much about the house, the region or her cousin’s mysterious new husband, but she’s determined to do whatever it takes to solve this mystery and save her cousin.

Mexican Gothic  will be championed by TikTok creator Tasnim Geedi on Canada Reads 2023.

The trailer for Mexican Gothic was created by Gustavo Cerquera Benjumea. 

Gustavo is a Colombian Canadian animator, music video director, festival programmer, producer and educator. His work is influenced by psychedelia, genre filmmaking, and Colombia’s history of violence. His work has been exhibited internationally at galleries and festivals, such as the Ottawa International Animation Festival, Slamdance Film Festival, Glas Animation Festival, Los Angeles Latino Film Festival, Tacoma Film Festival, among others. 
Gustavo has also directed music videos and performances for Grammy-nominated singer, Lido Pimienta, and served as creative producer, animator, and production designer for her CBC Gem show, LidoTV. Gustavo is the current president of the Toronto Animated Image Society and teaches at OCAD University.

The trailer for Mexican Gothic was narrated by Sofia Rodriguez.

Rodriguez was born and raised in a hot desert city surrounded by mountains: Monterrey, Mexico. Pre-collonially, it was the land of nomadic hunter-gatherer peoples recorded as Alazapas, Coahuiltecos, Huachichiles and Borrados. Sofia is an immigrant and settler in Toronto, sometimes called the place ‘where there are trees standing in the water’, land of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Anishnaabeg, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Wendat peoples. 

She is immensely grateful to get to live, love, learn, heal and play for a living working as a multidisciplinary creator and performer. 

The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.

Canada Reads 2023 book trailer: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Nêhiyaw actor, choreographer and director Michael Greyeyes will champion Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel on Canada Reads 2023.

Station Eleven is a dystopian novel that takes place on an Earth undone by disease, following the interconnected lives of several characters — actors, artists and those closest to them — before and after the plague. One travels the wasteland performing Shakespearean plays with a troupe, while another attempts to build community at an abandoned airport and another amasses followers for a dangerous cause.

Station Eleven will be championed by actor Michael Greyeyes on Canada Reads.

The trailer for Station Eleven was created by Alina Pete. Pete is a Nehiyaw artist and writer from Little Pine First Nation in Saskatchewan. 

They grew up urban, but spent summers wandering the Qu’Appelle valley with their cousin from Cowessess First Nation. Alina is best known for their Aurora award-winning comics, but they also write short stories, poems and TTRPG supplements and their work has been featured in several Indigenous comic anthologies. 

Pete lives on unceded Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo, and Tsawwassen land with their partner and three parrots who enjoy sitting on their shoulder as they write.

The trailer for Station Eleven was narrated by Jasmine Noseworthy Persaud. 

Jasminey is a nonbinary, mad and multiply disabled, digital media artist of Guyanese and English descent living in Treaty 13 territory. They are interested in where community arts meets community health. Their creative work seeks to create breathing space for survivors and queer, disabled, racialized communities. 

During the pandemic, this work has grown to revolve around explorations of love-grief as praxis, on a multi-sensory scale, and through the celebration of diverse bodyminds. Chosen media include: poetry, film, illustration. 

Jasmine is a current participant in the Ways of Attuning Curatorial Study Group for emerging QTBIPoC curators.

The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.

A new set of statistics have shed light on the degree of internet access in Nepal. According to the data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) for the National Census 2078 (2021) published on Chaitra 10, 2079, 37.8 percent of Nepali households have internet access. That means 25 lakhs, 14 thousand, and 510 households have broadband penetration across the country. The same report also highlighted that more than 17 lakh citizens don’t own any mobile phone while landline phone use sees further low.

The report shows that urban areas are highly covered with broadband penetration compared to rural regions. The report shows 45.7 percent of municipalities have internet access in Nepal. While 21.5 percent of rural municipalities (gaunpalika) have been ensured internet facility till 2078 BS.

The government has been promoting the Digital Nepal Framework for the digital transformation of Nepal and it includes continuous growth of internet penetration. Telcos and fixed-line broadband internet service providers have been very active in expanding their telecom services in remote areas across the country. The census data will continue to improve in the days to come.

Also read: Fiber Internet Users Continue to Grow With Ntc Giving a Stiff Competition to the Privately-Run ISPs

Mobile phone access in Nepal

At the same time, smartphone access has also increased as per the 2078 census statistics. The data shows that 73 percent of Nepali households have at least some form of smartphone penetration.

That is out of the total 66 lakhs, 60 thousand, 841 households in Nepal (Census 2079), 48 lakhs, 76 thousand, and 561 households have mobile phone access. That also means 26.8 percent population has no phone access which stands at 17 lakhs, 84 thousand, and 280 households.

Likewise, 15 percent of the total households have a computer or a laptop. Comparing the access in areas, 19.8 percent of families in urban areas and 4.9 percent of families in rural municipalities have got a computer in their homes. Just like internet access, laptop/computer access is low in rural regions in comparison to cities.

Check out: Smartphone Vs Laptop; which one to prefer?

Internet access in Nepal

As the data show, Nepal’s internet access is growing at a growing pace. The stats show less number of families having internet services in rural municipalities however, the trend has an upward trajectory so it will only grow in the coming years. Similarly, TV, and Laptop/computer access are also showing a growth trend with 49.4 percent and 15 percent of families respectively. However, landline service continues to become less relevant as highlighted by the data. The number of households having a landline phone has come down to 4.5 percent which has to do with the incremental growth of smartphone usage.

But interestingly, phones are still used by a huge section of the population. As the data show, 73.2 percent of Nepali households use any kind of phone. However, the smartphone is used by 73 percent of families which means 0.2 percent of families use a basic feature phone. Below, the table illustrates the penetration of communication services including other home devices in Nepal as per the National Census 2078 report.

Internet access by province

The data also shows the divergence in internet access among the provinces. Of the seven provinces, Bagmati Province shows to have the highest percentage of internet penetration in Nepal with 55.2 percent. Gandaki Province has 47.9 percent of households with connected by any type of internet.

Likewise, Koshi Province and Lumbini province have respectively 38.1 percent and 36.0 percent of families with connectivity. Karnali Province comes last with 20.3 percent of families having an internet penetration.

Learn: How to Get Internet Connection at Home in Nepal?

Internet access growing more important than ever

In terms of access to services, communication services rank above others such as motorbikes, fans, refrigerators, and other transport, and household items. No doubt that internet service is considered a human right these days. However, the public still has reservations about the cost factor of broadband access.

As per the latest CBS statistic on the 2078 Census data, there are 2 crore, 91 lakhs, 64 thousand, and 578 people. Of the total, there are 1 crore, 42 lakhs, 53 thousand, and 551(48.98 percent) males and 1 crore, 49 lakhs, 11 thousand, and 27 (51.02 percent) females and 2 thousand, 928 or 0.001 percent preferred to be classified as third-genders.

Canada Reads 2023 will take place March 27-30.

This year, the great Canadian book debate is looking for one book to shift your perspective.

The stories we tell, and the way we tell them, can shape how we see ourselves, our communities and the world. This collection of books is an opportunity to broaden our horizons, expand our worldview and think differently about the world around us and our place in it.

The 2023 contenders are:

The debates will be hosted by Ali Hassan and will be broadcast on CBC Radio One, CBC TV, CBC Gem, CBC Listen and on CBC Books. 

The debates will take place live at 10:05 a.m. ET (that’s an hour earlier than recent years!). You can tune in live or catch a replay on the platform of your choice. You can see all the broadcast details here.

Watch the book trailers and get to know the creators behind them below!

Canada Reads 2023 book trailer: Ducks by Kate Beaton

Jeopardy! super-champion, writer, and podcast host Mattea Roach will champion Ducks by Kate Beaton on Canada Reads 2023.

Ducks is an autobiographical graphic memoir that recounts author Kate Beaton’s time spent working in the Alberta oil sands. With the goal of paying off her student loans, Beaton leaves her tight-knit seaside Nova Scotia community and heads west, where she encounters harsh realities, including the everyday trauma that no one discusses.

Ducks will be championed by Jeopardy! star Mattea Roach.

The trailer for Ducks was created by Braden and Jennifer Poirier. 

The Poiriers reside in Calgary, and have been exploring the creative side of life for over a decade together. They met while studying animation at Sheridan College and have collaborated in a variety of artistic mediums and fields including screenprinting, sewing, stop motion animation, comic books, painting, sculpture and toy design. 

Jennifer is a location designer and colour artist for animated series and continues to explore illustration using traditional media. 

Braden is an animation industry veteran, and has worked on numerous animated series, music videos and short films. They are currently continuing work on their creator owned comic book, Monster Dog.

The trailer for Ducks was narrated by Jana Peck. 

Jana Peck is a Canadian writer and actor. She co-created a sketch show called Madge & Peck that won Best Pitch at the JFL festival in Montreal in 2019. 

Her unique voice has been in countless radio and TV commercials. She is currently starring in Red Ketchup, a new animated adult series launching this spring on Cartoon Network. She’s appeared in Chucky, Kim’s Convenience, A Teacher, The Hot Zone, Saving Hope, Suits, Rookie Blue and Ruby and the Well.

The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ashly July.

Canada Reads 2023 book trailer: Greenwood by Michael Christie

Actor, director and writer Keegan Connor Tracy will champion Greenwood by Michael Christie on Canada Reads 2023.

In Greenwood, it’s the year 2038 and most of the world has suffered from an environmental collapse. But there is a remote island with 1,000-year-old trees and Jake Greenwood works as a tour guide there. From there, the novel takes you back in time as you learn more about Jake, her family and how secrets and lies can have an impact for generations.

Greenwood will be championed by actor, director and writer Keegan Connor Tracy.

The trailer for Greenwood was created by concept artist Hasali Baddewithana. Baddewithana’s work is primarily composed of illustration, design and 3D modelling of environments and props with a focus on the video game or movie industries. She hopes to use her art and her life experiences to tell stories of the small things that are often underestimated and unappreciated in life, and in turn, to inspire the next generation of artists and storytellers to do the same.

The trailer for Greenwood was narrated by David Ferry, who also narrated the audiobook.

As an award winning theatre director, Ferry has worked nationally and internationally in a wide variety of genres of theatre. He has also worked increasingly as a director and narrator of Audio Books for Penguin Random House, HarperCollins, ECW Press and Audible. 

Ferry has also enjoyed success as an actor who has worked on stage across Canada including at the Stratford Festival, in England, Australia and the U.S. (performing on and off Broadway). He has filmed in over 100 projects on the movie screen and TV in a career that has spanned 50 years.

The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.

Canada Reads 2023 book trailer: Hotline by Dimitri Nasrallah

Bhangra dancer, artist and educator Gurdeep Pandher will champion Hotline by Dimitri Nasrallah on Canada Reads 2023.

Hotline is about Muna Heddad, a widow and mother who has left behind a civil war in Lebanon and is living in Montreal in the 1980s. The only work she can find is as a hotline operator at a weight-loss centre where she fields calls from people responding to ads in magazines or on TV. These strangers have so much to say about their challenges, from marriages gone bad to personal inadequacies. Although her life in Canada is filled with invisible barriers, Muna is privy to her clients’ deepest secrets.

Hotline with be champined by bhangra dancer Gurdeep Pandher on Canada Reads.

The trailer for Hotline was created by artist G.C. Houle in collaboration with animator J.L.J-F. Léger.

G.C. Houle is a comic artist and illustrator based in the heart of Acadia. They are best known for a colourful and sleek style influenced by their earlier training as a graphic designer. A strong believer in the legitimizing power of art, Houle seeks to create work that reflects the unique beauty and concerns of marginalized people, especially those within the queer community.

J.L.J-F. Léger is a professional animator currently residing in Halifax. With backgrounds in game design, animation and film, he is constantly on the lookout for new and exciting ways to push his creativity. He is currently working on his first graphic novel.

The trailer for Hotline was narrated by Leen Amarin. 

Amarin is a Jordanian, Lebanese, Palestinian and newly Canadian author, creative, researcher and human rights advocate. Born and raised in Amman, Jordan, Amarin immigrated to Canada in 2013. Now based in Toronto, she attempts to reconcile with her identity as a migrant-settler through her creative practice and advocacy. Committed to equity and anti-oppression organizing, she held leading roles in the fight for refugee human rights and the empowerment of marginalized creatives and intellectuals. She’s currently a student of Human Rights & Equity Studies at York University interested in further exploring concepts of belonging in imagining decolonized futures.

The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.

Canada Reads 2023 book trailer: Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

BookTok creator and nursing student Tasnim Geedi will champion Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia on Canada Reads 2023.

Mexican Gothic is a gothic horror novel set in 1950s Mexico. It tells the story of a young woman named Noemí who is called by her cousin to save her from doom in her countryside home, the mysterious and alluring High Place. Noemí doesn’t know much about the house, the region or her cousin’s mysterious new husband, but she’s determined to do whatever it takes to solve this mystery and save her cousin.

Mexican Gothic  will be championed by TikTok creator Tasnim Geedi on Canada Reads 2023.

The trailer for Mexican Gothic was created by Gustavo Cerquera Benjumea. 

Gustavo is a Colombian Canadian animator, music video director, festival programmer, producer and educator. His work is influenced by psychedelia, genre filmmaking, and Colombia’s history of violence. His work has been exhibited internationally at galleries and festivals, such as the Ottawa International Animation Festival, Slamdance Film Festival, Glas Animation Festival, Los Angeles Latino Film Festival, Tacoma Film Festival, among others. 
Gustavo has also directed music videos and performances for Grammy-nominated singer, Lido Pimienta, and served as creative producer, animator, and production designer for her CBC Gem show, LidoTV. Gustavo is the current president of the Toronto Animated Image Society and teaches at OCAD University.

The trailer for Mexican Gothic was narrated by Sofia Rodriguez.

Rodriguez was born and raised in a hot desert city surrounded by mountains: Monterrey, Mexico. Pre-collonially, it was the land of nomadic hunter-gatherer peoples recorded as Alazapas, Coahuiltecos, Huachichiles and Borrados. Sofia is an immigrant and settler in Toronto, sometimes called the place ‘where there are trees standing in the water’, land of the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation, the Anishnaabeg, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy and the Wendat peoples. 

She is immensely grateful to get to live, love, learn, heal and play for a living working as a multidisciplinary creator and performer. 

The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.

Canada Reads 2023 book trailer: Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel

Nêhiyaw actor, choreographer and director Michael Greyeyes will champion Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel on Canada Reads 2023.

Station Eleven is a dystopian novel that takes place on an Earth undone by disease, following the interconnected lives of several characters — actors, artists and those closest to them — before and after the plague. One travels the wasteland performing Shakespearean plays with a troupe, while another attempts to build community at an abandoned airport and another amasses followers for a dangerous cause.

Station Eleven will be championed by actor Michael Greyeyes on Canada Reads.

The trailer for Station Eleven was created by Alina Pete. Pete is a Nehiyaw artist and writer from Little Pine First Nation in Saskatchewan. 

They grew up urban, but spent summers wandering the Qu’Appelle valley with their cousin from Cowessess First Nation. Alina is best known for their Aurora award-winning comics, but they also write short stories, poems and TTRPG supplements and their work has been featured in several Indigenous comic anthologies. 

Pete lives on unceded Kwantlen, Katzie, Semiahmoo, and Tsawwassen land with their partner and three parrots who enjoy sitting on their shoulder as they write.

The trailer for Station Eleven was narrated by Jasmine Noseworthy Persaud. 

Jasminey is a nonbinary, mad and multiply disabled, digital media artist of Guyanese and English descent living in Treaty 13 territory. They are interested in where community arts meets community health. Their creative work seeks to create breathing space for survivors and queer, disabled, racialized communities. 

During the pandemic, this work has grown to revolve around explorations of love-grief as praxis, on a multi-sensory scale, and through the celebration of diverse bodyminds. Chosen media include: poetry, film, illustration. 

Jasmine is a current participant in the Ways of Attuning Curatorial Study Group for emerging QTBIPoC curators.

The sound design was by Alex Redekop and the script was written by Ryan B. Patrick.

A new set of statistics have shed light on the degree of internet access in Nepal. According to the data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS) for the National Census 2078 (2021) published on Chaitra 10, 2079, 37.8 percent of Nepali households have internet access. That means 25 lakhs, 14 thousand, and 510 households have broadband penetration across the country. The same report also highlighted that more than 17 lakh citizens don’t own any mobile phone while landline phone use sees further low.

The report shows that urban areas are highly covered with broadband penetration compared to rural regions. The report shows 45.7 percent of municipalities have internet access in Nepal. While 21.5 percent of rural municipalities (gaunpalika) have been ensured internet facility till 2078 BS.

The government has been promoting the Digital Nepal Framework for the digital transformation of Nepal and it includes continuous growth of internet penetration. Telcos and fixed-line broadband internet service providers have been very active in expanding their telecom services in remote areas across the country. The census data will continue to improve in the days to come.

Also read: Fiber Internet Users Continue to Grow With Ntc Giving a Stiff Competition to the Privately-Run ISPs

Mobile phone access in Nepal

At the same time, smartphone access has also increased as per the 2078 census statistics. The data shows that 73 percent of Nepali households have at least some form of smartphone penetration.

That is out of the total 66 lakhs, 60 thousand, 841 households in Nepal (Census 2079), 48 lakhs, 76 thousand, and 561 households have mobile phone access. That also means 26.8 percent population has no phone access which stands at 17 lakhs, 84 thousand, and 280 households.

Likewise, 15 percent of the total households have a computer or a laptop. Comparing the access in areas, 19.8 percent of families in urban areas and 4.9 percent of families in rural municipalities have got a computer in their homes. Just like internet access, laptop/computer access is low in rural regions in comparison to cities.

Check out: Smartphone Vs Laptop; which one to prefer?

Internet access in Nepal

As the data show, Nepal’s internet access is growing at a growing pace. The stats show less number of families having internet services in rural municipalities however, the trend has an upward trajectory so it will only grow in the coming years. Similarly, TV, and Laptop/computer access are also showing a growth trend with 49.4 percent and 15 percent of families respectively. However, landline service continues to become less relevant as highlighted by the data. The number of households having a landline phone has come down to 4.5 percent which has to do with the incremental growth of smartphone usage.

But interestingly, phones are still used by a huge section of the population. As the data show, 73.2 percent of Nepali households use any kind of phone. However, the smartphone is used by 73 percent of families which means 0.2 percent of families use a basic feature phone. Below, the table illustrates the penetration of communication services including other home devices in Nepal as per the National Census 2078 report.

Internet access by province

The data also shows the divergence in internet access among the provinces. Of the seven provinces, Bagmati Province shows to have the highest percentage of internet penetration in Nepal with 55.2 percent. Gandaki Province has 47.9 percent of households with connected by any type of internet.

Likewise, Koshi Province and Lumbini province have respectively 38.1 percent and 36.0 percent of families with connectivity. Karnali Province comes last with 20.3 percent of families having an internet penetration.

Learn: How to Get Internet Connection at Home in Nepal?

Internet access growing more important than ever

In terms of access to services, communication services rank above others such as motorbikes, fans, refrigerators, and other transport, and household items. No doubt that internet service is considered a human right these days. However, the public still has reservations about the cost factor of broadband access.

As per the latest CBS statistic on the 2078 Census data, there are 2 crore, 91 lakhs, 64 thousand, and 578 people. Of the total, there are 1 crore, 42 lakhs, 53 thousand, and 551(48.98 percent) males and 1 crore, 49 lakhs, 11 thousand, and 27 (51.02 percent) females and 2 thousand, 928 or 0.001 percent preferred to be classified as third-genders.

CBC/Radio-Canada will be the Canadian broadcast home of the Paris 2024 and Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Games.

The Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC) and CBC/Radio-Canada announced the broadcast partnership and details on Wednesday in Ottawa.

In the past, the CPC has been the rights holder of the Paralympic Games broadcast. Since Sochi 2014, the CPC has been working with CBC/Radio-Canada and a consortium of partners to bring the action back to Canadians.

The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games take place Aug. 28 to Sept. 8, 2024 and the Milano-Cortina 2026 Paralympic Winter Games run March 6-15, 2026. More information about the broadcast plans will be available closer to the Games.

“We are proud to renew our commitment to presenting the very best in sport through our partnership with the Canadian Paralympic Committee,” said Catherine Tait, President and CEO, CBC/Radio-Canada.

“As Canada’s Paralympic Network, it is a privilege to bring audiences the joy of watching Canada’s talented Paralympians as they compete on the world stage.”

WATCH | Paralympians look ahead to Paris 2024:

Canadian Paralympians look ahead to Paris 2024

The Paralympics are just over a year away, and CBC Sports’ hosted some athletes to talk about their plans heading into Paris.

Karen O’Neill, CEO for the CPC, says this partnership underscores CBC’s commitment to the Paralympic movement.

“We are incredibly pleased to be in partnership with the CBC heading into both the Paris and Milano Cortina Summer and Winter Paralympics. We have enjoyed a wonderful working relationship with the CBC for years now, and this next chapter really builds upon the previous success in sharing the stories of Canada’s remarkable Paralympic athletes,” she told CBC Sports.

“The CBC continues to deepen their commitment to Paralympic sport and the powerful role it can play to promote the value of sport, inclusion and access for each Canadian.”

Just over a year ago 48 Canadian athletes competed at the Paralympics in Beijing. The team captured 25 medals throughout the competition, including eight gold, six silver and 11 bronze medals.

Canadian Paralympic fans were able to take in nearly 150 hours of television coverage from Beijing — there was also live streaming on multiple platforms of all five sports — alpine skiing, hockey, Nordic skiing (biathlon and cross-country), snowboard and wheelchair curling.

At the Tokyo Paralympics, 128 Canadian athletes won 21 medals in the summer of 2021.

Bringing the Games to more Canadians

Danielle Dorris was a part of Team Canada in Tokyo and won a gold and silver medal during the swimming event. She set a new world record to win her first Paralympic gold medal in the S7 50-m fly event.

“I don’t like talking about myself but when people realize who I am and come up and talk to me it’s incredible to know that I’ve given Moncton a name and I’m bringing a small town onto the map.”

WATCH | Canada earns 3rd-most medals in record-breaking 2022 Paralympics:

Canada places 3rd in overall medal count at 2022 Paralympic Games

Canadian Paralympians broke records at the 2022 Paralympic Games in Beijing, earning 25 medals and placing third in the overall medal count.

The 20-year-old from New Brunswick is thrilled CBC/Radio-Canada is taking on a larger role in bringing the Games to Canadians in the summer of 2024 in Paris.

“It’s great. We don’t have that much coverage so having a partnership with a broadcaster like CBC is fantastic, especially for the next couple of Games. I’m excited because I’m young and I’ll get to go to more of those Games,” Dorris told CBC Sports.

“The plan in Paris is to better my own time. If a medal comes out of it, a medal comes out of it. But the plan is to make that world record harder to beat.”

Heidi Peters was also competing for Canada at the Tokyo Paralympics. She helped the Canadians to a fourth-place finish in sitting volleyball.

‘We want more coverage’

Peters was also part of the team that finished second at the sitting volleyball world championships last year, the best performance in the program’s history.

She’s thrilled her sport is going to be showcased across the country on the national broadcaster’s platforms.

“It’s really exciting. It’s a big step forward. The centrality of the message is there. Having CBC involved in the process is so important,” she said.

Peters is passionate about the Paralympic movement and says it should be of equal scale to the Olympics — she says visibility and representation can be life-saving.

“Mental health and lives are at stake. For people who acquire disabilities later in life that can be a really isolating experience. To turn on a TV or Instagram and see us, it makes dreams come true. It really saves lives. I was devastated when I couldn’t play volleyball at the level I wanted to anymore,” she said.

“For me Paralympic sport, high performance sport, instilled a whole new level of confidence and self-worth. I have a choice to respond to life with courage and resilience in the most extreme form of being a Paralympian. That visibility saves lives.”

A woman who fears for her safety if she is sent ‘home’ to Zimbabwe is fighting for the right to remain in Rutland.

Olive Rumvimbo Ruzvidzo’s life has been in limbo for nine years because the UK Home Office has rejected her asylum applications.

But the 49-year-old, who lives in Uppingham, openly opposes the Zimbabwean government and fears she will be interrogated and potentially jailed without trial if she is forced to return to her country of birth.

“Zimbabwe has been run by the Zimbabwe African National Union (Zanu) since 1980 and they have set up intelligence across the country,” said Olive.

“Anyone who opposes them is not viewed kindly.”

Olive worked in hotels and conferencing in Zimbabwe, providing hospitality to clients that included the country’s government – and opposition groups.

‘I want people to understand why I’m seeking asylum’

It was in 2015, while visiting her family in Britain, that incidents back home were brought to her attention.

Weighing up her uneasiness about the developing situation at home, and the fact she would be leaving behind her career, her home and her life, Olive took the decisive step of claiming asylum in the UK.

Her initial case was heard in 2016 in a court in Birmingham. The judge threw out her claim, saying it amounted to a wish for economic asylum and that Zimbabwe was safe enough to return to.

She appealed against the decision at the end of that year and was awaiting the result when her life was thrown into even greater turmoil.

“I was studying at Leicester College and living in Leicester,” Olive explained. “At 5 o’clock one morning I heard banging on the front door downstairs and when I opened it there were three police officers and an enforcement car.”

The officers came in and started to search the property, while Olive tried to explain that she was awaiting the outcome of an asylum appeal and that all the documents backing this up were on her laptop in the flat.

“One lady radioed that information through,” said Olive.

“I overheard the response. The person on the other end told her: ‘They all say that. She’s lying’.”

Olive was taken to a police station and then to Yarl’s Wood detention centre in Bedfordshire. While there, she discovered her asylum appeal had been refused.

Instead of having the ability to work and travel as a UK citizen, Olive was given a ticket to leave the country via Heathrow Airport.

But, unknown to her, she was suffering from a chest infection and at the airport suffered a stress-induced asthma attack that resulted in a spell in Hillingdon Hospital.

Olive was returned to Yarl’s Wood for another three weeks, after which a bail application was granted on condition she reside at her mother’s home, did not study or work, and reported every Friday for many weeks to an immigration reporting centre in Loughborough.

In 2020, Olive was given permission to work, and found a job with a software developer in Uppingham. But the permission was for two years and when it expired the UK Government again denied her permission to work.

Olive does not claim benefits and relies on her mother, who still works, and her stepfather, a retired teacher, for financial support.

“In the last nine years I have lived a limited life,” said Olive.

“In Zimbabwe I worked in marketing and ran my own business selling bed linen and similar products.

“Now I am just here in my parents’ home. Not being able to work, or drive, has affected my social life because there is an indignity that goes with not being able to do the things others around me are doing.

“I need to think before accepting invitations – is there is a bus that can get me there? Or I need to ask people for lifts. As a result, I tend not to do anything or go anywhere.

“I turn 50 this year. I’ll soon be at retirement age with nothing to show for it, yet I can contribute to the economy.

“I have committed no crimes. I have done everything requested of me by the Home Office. In return I was given a prisoner number.”

Some people have suggested Olive marries, but she refuses to use a deceitful method of staying in the country, and one that goes against her Christian beliefs.

Her last serious relationship broke down, and she believes her inability to work or travel was a problem.

She currently fills her days with voluntary roles, reading the news for the internet radio station Change Radio Zimbabwe, where she is also head of English news, and features on some programmes run by the station.

She is also an accredited local preacher in the British Methodist Church and preaches within the Stamford circuit.

Olive continues to fight for the right to remain in the UK.

She supports the Zimbabwean opposition party, Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC), which she says has had its political activities curtailed, with members subjected to persecution and extreme violence.

The dismembered body of a CCC activist was found in May last year. Her killer, according to Zimbabwean news, was a Zanu party activist.

Olive also shares that she is concerned a lawyer for the CCC has been locked up in a prison in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare, for more than 276 days without trial.

Her own support for the opposition party is easily traced by a few seconds of internet searching, and she believes she would be arrested for questioning as soon as she arrived at Harare’s airport.

Olive says she would like people in her community – and in the UK – to understand what it means to be an asylum seeker, especially one from a country that doesn’t often make it onto prime time television and the news.

“I would like people to find out more about countries like Zimbabwe,” she said.

“I would like them to understand why people are seeking asylum, and to write to their local MP asking them to take action.

“The UK Government needs to scrutinise in greater depth what is happening in each country and be sure they are comfortable sending someone back to that place.

“All people need to Google is ‘violence in Zimbabwe’ to know some of what is going on. Then they need to talk about it with others, and hopefully advocate for the ending of human rights abuses.”

Olive has appealed to Rutland MP Alicia Kearns for help, and has the support of her local Methodist church.

The Rev Bekkie Wright, minister of Uppingham, Oakham, Empingham Methodist churches, said: “Suddenly as a church we find ourselves in a position where religion and politics meet and we cannot stay silent.

“By entering the world of refugees and asylum-seekers in the UK, we have been horrified by the treatment they are receiving. We had no idea of the full extent of what is happening.

“The Bible tells us, ‘Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it’.

“Society has become so used to seeing the stranger as a terrorist, a problem, someone coming to take our money and jobs and our way of life. This is wrong.”

The church community, she added, is fighting for Olive to stay.

Mrs Kearns (Con) said: “Olive’s case is extremely complex and that she has previously had her asylum application refused by an immigration judge.

Mrs Kearns explained that deportation will not occur while Olive has reviews in place and that her solicitor is preparing for a judicial review, which is likely to be dealt with in a high court or upper tribunal.

She added: “My team and I have been in regular discussions with relevant lawyers regarding Olive’s case, and have sought expert advice for her, and I am assured she is receiving the legal support she needs.

“I am unable to intervene in a judicial review.”

A spokesman for the Home Office said all asylum applications are considered “on their individual merits in line with the asylum rules and the evidence presented” and that staff do not routinely comment on individual cases.

He added that although Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth in 2003, it remains the hope of the UK Government that it will rejoin and, for this reason, Zimbabwe continues to be considered a Commonwealth country for immigration purposes.

This means people can apply to live and work in the UK under an ancestry visa, if they have a UK-born grandparent.