Good morning, and welcome to the weekend.
Grab your cup of coffee or tea, and sit down with a selection of this week’s great reads from The Globe.
In this issue, foreign correspondent Mark MacKinnon takes a deep dive into the inner workings of Ukraine’s HUR special-forces team. In 2021, the elite team of fighters was deployed to Kabul to help rescue Ukrainian nationals, as well as one of The Globe’s translators and his family, from the city ahead of the anticipated Taliban takeover. When Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine began months later, these fighters were the ones sent to the hottest sections of the front line. MacKinnon tells the story of their war.
Also in The Globe this weekend, Erica Alini and Matt Lundy detail how Canada’s piecemeal approach to inflation indexing when it comes to tax credits, social assistance and health benefits is leaving many with a financial hit that could persist for decades.
And, lastly, burgers don’t have to be boring. Aman Dosanj reports on the chefs bringing unique flavours to patties this barbecue season, from paneer and watermelon to beef tartare and kimchi. Take a bite.
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The elite fighters battling Russian occupation on the front lines
An elite squad of fighters has been on the front lines of every major battle for Ukraine’s independence. This is the story of their war.Illustration by MIKO MACIASZEK
An elite squad of fighters in Ukraine has been on the most dangerous front lines of the country’s war with Russia. Mark MacKinnon details their journey, from inception to training to the limits they’ve been pushed to in the 27-plus months since Russia’s full-scale invasion of their country.
Behind by design: The absence of inflation indexing is making us poorer
Many households have suffered a financial hit that could persist for years – even decades. The culprit? Canada’s piecemeal approach to inflation indexing.The Globe and Mail/iStockPhoto / Getty Images
Some people have emerged from this recent bout of inflation relatively unscathed, thanks to tight labour markets that helped to lift wages, along with strong investment returns that boosted wealth. But the impacts of the inflation crisis are uneven, especially for those vulnerable people who rely on a patchwork of tax credits and government benefits to pay the bills. Erica Alini and Matt Lundy report on how arbitrary indexation causes that.
Burgers, but better: These chefs are putting new spins on a classic
Chefs across Canada are thinking outside the bun and putting unexpected flavours on the menu.Scott Mitchell/Supplied
Chefs across the country are re-interpreting the humble meat patty with a range of flavours from their own culture’s traditions. Consider a vegetarian option that features paneer, and, on the opposite end of the spectrum, a tartare burger that promises an “intensely beefy” taste. Warning: these burger trends may cause your mouth to water.
When the RCMP unmasked a serial killer, it brought answers at last in the deaths of four women in Alberta in the 1970s – and new questions about who else he may have preyed on.Illustration by The Globe and Mail (supplied photos)
The killer had many names. He was Gary, Peter, Ricky, Michael, David, James, William and more. He would one day be unmasked as a serial killer and rapist who’d drifted through Western Canada and the United States, changing cars and jobs and homes like he changed his name, leaving a path of damage that’s only starting to be known. But finding him would take nearly half a century. Jana G. Pruden weaves the twisted tale of the evidence, jurisdictional difficulties and scientific advancements that eventually identified a killer.
State of the Arts: Canada’s cultural industry is feeling the squeeze
Rising costs. Hesitant audiences. Shaky funding. It’s a make-or-break year for the arts sector.Melissa Tait/The Globe and Mail
The Vancouver Folk Music Festival, Toronto Artscape, Hot Docs, Just for Laughs. These venerable Canadian arts programs have had a tough year, facing debt, cancellation and near-demise. The reason for this, writes Josh O’Kane, is that the already-fragile math that long underpinned funding of the arts in this country is now utterly broken.
Edmonton Oilers hope to bring back glory days of Stanley Cup dominance
Edmonton Oilers captain Wayne Gretzky gets ready to hoist the Stanley Cup during the presentation in Edmonton, Alta. in this May 31, 1985 file photo. At left is Paul Coffey and at right is Mike Krushilnyski.BILL GRIMSHAW/The Canadian Press
Saturday evening, the Edmonton Oilers will meet the Florida Panthers in Game 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup final – 18 years since the self-proclaimed “City of Champions” last went this deep into the playoffs. In the 1980s, the Oilers were hockey’s greatest dynasty, led by Wayne Gretzky and Mark Messier to the Stanley Cup victories in 1984, 1985, 1987, 1988 and again, minus Gretzky, in 1990. Once again, the Oilers have a chance to nab the highest honour in hockey. Roy MacGregor on what it means for players and fans.
Raccoons, expanding beyond North America, are taking over the world one trash can at a time
These masked bandits are everywhere.Illustration by Emily May Rose
In recent decades, raccoons have expanded beyond their original turf in the United States and Southern Ontario to take up residence in other parts of Canada, as well as in Western Europe, Central Asia and Japan, where they are considered an invasive species. Now, writes Karen Pinchin, people around the world must contend with a scenario familiar to Canadians – how to co-exist with these deceptively cute trash bandits.
Take our arts quiz
Steamy hockey romance novels may be one of the few literary genres that inspires the same kind of passion as the sport itself. Canadian Becka Mack self-published her first story in the genre in 2022. What was the title of the book?
a. Consider Me
d. Play With Me