J-Links for July 27: Defence Minister's wife slams article 'distorted' Omar Khadr comments, TDSB reducing price tag for information; Fired photographer seeks compensation from COC

In Canadian media:

Defence Minister’s wife Nazanin Afshin-Jam upset over Omar Khadr article

Defence Minister Peter MacKay's wife Nazanin Afshin-Jam is a human rights activist and recently authored a book. While being interviewed about her book by a journalist for Prince Edward Island's The Guardian, the conversation was steered toward political talk. The article writes that Afshin-Jam said that the federal government should bring Omar Khadr (a Canadian ex-child soldier detained in Guantanamo Bay for war crimes) back to Canada. She also expressed her frustration with the media not reporting her name, just referring to her as Peter MacKay's wife. 

TDSB to revise $3.6 million price tag for information

On the front page of yesterday’s Toronto Star was a story about the Toronto District School Board charging the Star $3.6 million to provide data on school maintenance after the Star requested access for an investigation. Now, it is saying that it will reduce the $3.6 million price tag, although it is not clear by how much.

Photographer fired one month before Olympics seeks compensation from COC

Freelance photographer Chris Roussakisq was hired by the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) to be the official photographer of the Canadian Olympic team. After being sent to London on an advance trip, he was fired four weeks before the Games started. He is seeking compensation from the COC and another photographer — who is a member of the prime minister’s staff — has taken  his place.

In international media:

Chinese journalists struggle with government propaganda following Beijing flood

After Saturday’s major flooding in Beijing there have been conflicting reports of the death toll, leaving Chinese journalists questioning the government propaganda. This isn’t the first time Chinese journalists have experienced censoring; following the Wenzhou train crash one year ago and the 2008 Sichuan earthquake journalists were told what to report and those who went beyond were punished.

Today’s read:

Jim Coyle on 1948 Olympics in London: a post-war Games

Toronto Star’s Jim Coyle writes about the 1948 Olympics in London and what it was like for the Games to be held during a rebuilding time after the second world war. He writes about many Olympics firsts and the way media reported the games using terms like “coloured lassies” and “good-looking Canadian girls.”