Debadrita Sur

Multimedia Journalist and Content Creator

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Articles I write:

Daily Express US •

Expert warns on Trump's chilling climate impact - 'like giving gun to a child'

While this will reduce prices and increase consumption, emissions will also go up.In an interview with Daily Express US, Benjamin Leffel, assistant professor of public policy and leadership at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, sounded the alarm for the impact Project 2025 policies might have in real life.Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 is a policy blueprint that lays out plans for Trump’s second term to “break up” the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, privatize the National...
Daily Express US •

Inside Stephen Miller's plans to detain immigrants and revoke visas

Trump, like Miller. has said that he would have "no problem" in using the military, including the National Guard to detain undocumented immigrants."When we talk military, generally speaking, I talk National Guard," Trump said.During Trump's 2016 term, Miller served as a mastermind behind Trump's hardline immigration policies, including reducing the number of refugees allowed into the US, separating migrant children from their parents, blocking reports that show the benefit of refugees on governm...
Buffalo News •

'A big part of who I am': Sweet Home senior fights to wear Pride tassel at graduation

“I’ve never been afraid to be unapologetically me even through all the bullying I’ve faced,” Poydock said. “It saddens me because it’s almost saying I have to take away a part of my identity to make things more uniform, to make things less controversial. ... Someone like me, I have nothing else to show,” they said. “I don’t have sports. I don’t have any other fancy tassels. It’s just this one. To have this little part of me be unique and be different, it means a lot.”Baker said by email that it...
Buffalo News •

25-mile walk Saturday from Niagara Square to Niagara Falls aims to draw attention to Gaza, cease-fire efforts

Hasan Abuolba was 14 when he escaped Gaza and sought asylum in Rochester. He left behind his mother, his five sisters and several other relatives but brought with him severe PTSD and memories of the 2014 war.

A decade later, with almost 150 family members dead, Abuolba is back on the same prescribed PTSD medication as he seeks to rescue what is left of his family in the Middle East.

“This war is just a lot different than any war we’ve seen,” he said of the Hamas invasion of Israel on Oct. 7 an
Buffalo News •

Safety advocates say to keep pedestrians safe, redesign streets

“It’s been designed over the past 80 years to just be automobile dominated,” said Jones, a planner for GObike Buffalo who was once a licensed civil engineer for the Town of Tonawanda. “People outside of a vehicle have been marginalized physically and literally to the edges and funding mechanisms have not been in place or have been at the lowest priority to provide walkability and the ability to bike.”

The issue has taken on a renewed sense of urgency in recent months. Since November, at least 1
Buffalo News •

'This is a crisis': Pedestrian fatalities on the rise nationally and in Western New York

Since November, at least 11 pedestrians in Western New York have died after being hit by a motor vehicle. The fatalities have often happened on busy thoroughfares, but not always. They have involved cars, trucks and motorcycles.

A new analysis from 2023 showed a slight drop in the rates with around 3,373 pedestrian fatalities in the United States in the first half of 2023. Despite the “modest 4% decrease,” pedestrian deaths have risen at a steady 14% rate since 2019.

Local communities have bee
Buffalo News •

For recent arrivals to Buffalo, the Bills started as a curiosity. But the passion found them

As difficult as this may be for members of Bills Mafia and even casual football fans to understand, I am far from the only person living in Western New York who not only didn’t know how to complete the sentence “The Bills make me wanna ... “ but could watch an entire Bills game and have no clue what is happening.

I, like thousands of recent immigrants to the United States who call Buffalo home, am not from here. I spent the first 22 years of my life in my hometown of Kolkata, India, population
Buffalo News •

Erie County's homeless need to travel to downtown Buffalo to keep housing. Do they have the means?

The distance between these hotels and the DSS office has proved to be a “transportation nightmare” for residents due to the lack of adequate public transportation, she said. Some have to walk for more than 40 minutes to get to a bus stop, and many of the suburban hotels are on busy roads with no or sporadic sidewalks.

“It is generally not an issue that local government has the capacity to address,” Silverman added. Local governments usually apply for funding at the federal and state levels to p
Buffalo News •

'Take a stand': Parents, teachers frustrated at Sweet Home's response to antisemitic acts

“I am still devastated that my children had to leave the school district that we reside in,” Shoshana Milich, who has pulled two of her children from Sweet Home schools, told The Buffalo News in a series of text messages. “It seems like no one cares. My children have questioned their self-worth. I, myself, have struggled with big decisions and weighing priorities regarding their safety, emotional health and education. It has been a very trying time.”
Buffalo News •

Momentum Choir fosters friendship and belonging as members raise their voices

Momentum Choir, previously known as Momentum Western New York, was established in 2016, modeled after the Canadian group Momentum Niagara. The group is made up of 13 members, ranging in age from 22 to 69, all of whom have disabilities. Founded by Dr. Joni Milgram-Luterman, the group initially started off with 10 members. While Milgram-Luterman wanted to grow the choir exponentially, the pandemic changed that plan. But it had one positive outcome: It let people who were otherwise unable to be a p
Buffalo News •

'It's changed me in a good way': Pastor reflects on 25 years of spending Thanksgiving week with homeless

The face of homelessness has changed over the years. When he first started, Johns remembered seeing more single, middle-aged men on the streets. Over the years, the number of unhoused women and children has increased. While the population went down before the pandemic, there are nearly 1,594 homeless people in Western New York, according to the Homeless Alliance of Western New York’s January Point In Time data.

Johns’ team had a hard time finding a place to sleep. Their usual go-to spot, the Ex
Buffalo News •

'It really breaks my heart': Palestinian Americans in Buffalo worry about the Israel-Hamas war impact here, abroad

The New York chapter of the Council on American Islamic Relations, CAIR-NY, reported receiving more requests for help in the first four weeks after the Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7 than in the previous four months. As of Nov. 4, the national organization received 1,283 complaints nationwide since the war began, claiming an “unprecedented” rise in anti-Arab and anti-Muslim bias-related incidents.

“It hurt me to do that, but I did it for the safety of my family,” said the man, who recalled ve
Buffalo News •

'Violence perpetuates violence': Israeli-Hamas war vigils become more common in WNY

"What I believe is wrong is the innocent lives that have been impacted,” she said, including women and children. “Fifty percent of the population is under the age of 18, and they really are feeling the impact of violence, when they don't even have a choice in the matter."

"To be clear: our coalition stands firmly against antisemitism in all forms," the group said in a statement. "We do not support violence against innocent Israeli civilians and we do not support Hamas’ attacks on civilians on O
Buffalo News •

'It gives us a sense of belonging': Buffalo considers allowing mosques to broadcast prayer calls without red tape

“It was just a thing that you grew up with,” said Tazwar, who moved to Buffalo eight years ago. “It wasn’t any different then, but when you come here, you realize (what it means) because you don’t hear it anymore.”

Minneapolis became the first city in the United States in spring 2022 to allow the public broadcast of the Adhan – a short prayer that peals out at a decibel level similar to church bells – without seeking a special permit each time.

“With this, we’ll be able to foster a city that r
Buffalo News •

Hochul announces resources to address hate amid rising Middle East tensions, including on college campuses

The state announced $3 million to help law enforcement agencies expand the state Red Flag law for hate crimes and bias-motivated threats, adding vigilance to keep guns out of the hands of those who could harm others. State Police will bolster its Social Media Analysis Unit at the New York State Intelligence Center to monitor publicly available social media activity for credible threats by white supremacists and Nazi organizations. And an additional $50 million will be allocated to agencies acros
Buffalo News •

Hamburg, Williamsville, Aurora join the ranks of state climate smart communities

All three were the latest Western New York municipalities deemed climate smart by New York State earlier this month, opening doors for new funding streams unavailable to communities who have yet to start thinking green.

All three newly certified communities are now gearing up for a silver certification as they work closely with the University at Buffalo Regional Institute to provide detailed paperwork to score 300 points and take six priority actions.

New initiatives in Aurora will include com
Buffalo News •

'We will never forget his service and sacrifice': Tonawanda World War II veteran awarded highest French military honor

“John Gojmerac served our nation with honor and distinction and we are in awe of his courage, warrior ethos and true grit displayed on the battlefield,” Norrie said. “John is a Dogface Soldier and I’m proud to call myself one, too. His duty to his country serves as an example of people doing extraordinary things when answering the Nation’s call and we will never forget his service and sacrifice.”

He saved his fellow soldiers from walking into the jaws of German machine gun fire by asking them t
Buffalo News •

'Heartbreaking': Shelters across Western New York dealing with too many animals, not enough adoptions

"We desperately need people to come adopt," said Cait Daly, president and CEO of SPCA serving Erie County. "Adoptions are slowing down as more people are buying animals than they are adopting, especially dogs. So now is the time to donate and to adopt."

The problem got plenty of attention last week when Cheektowaga police posted on Facebook that the town's animal shelter was so full that dogs not adopted would have to be euthanized.

“The Town of Cheektowaga does not run an animal kill shelter,
Buffalo News •

Buffalo women were headed to Israel for trip of lifetime. Now, they now wait, wonder and worry

The excursion was sponsored by the Buffalo Jewish Federation, in collaboration with the group "Momentum" – formerly "Jewish Women's Renaissance Project" – which describes itself as "a global movement focused on the greatest influencer – the Jewish mother." The trip is meant to help Jewish women get in touch with their roots and culture.

For Brecher, a former reporter for WIVB-TV who is now a marketing coordinator for Excelsior Orthopaedics, the trip was supposed to be a "second chance" to not o
Buffalo News •

Literacy Buffalo Niagara seeks to keep changing lives, one at a time

A lot has changed since that February day in 2021 in Tri’Q Nails in Alden. And the story of how Trang transformed from a person who was so insecure about her ability to converse in English that she barely spoke into one who became adept enough in her second language that she was able to become a U.S. citizen is all about her determination and the organization Schafer leads: Literacy Buffalo Niagara.

Literacy Buffalo Niagara has more than 200 students representing nearly 34 countries and speakin
Buffalo News •

'Beyond belief': Anguish and anger as scenes from Israel horrify Buffalo's Jewish community

"Jewish people, both individuals, and communities are shaken to the core," Abramovich said Tuesday. "We are devastated by the cruelties and horrors inflicted on children, the elderly, on our brothers and sisters. We are devastated and shocked by the magnitude of what has happened: the mass killing of the greatest number of Jews since the Holocaust. The Jewish world is so very small, and we all know someone, or many, who are being impacted: who have died, lost loved ones, who are being called to
uPolitics •

After Judge Admonishes Trump For His 'Inflammatory' Comments, Ex President Continues To Defy Order

On Friday, District Judge Tanya Chutkan warned former President Donald Trump and his lawyer against his “inflammatory” public statements that could lead her to take drastic action against him by opting for a speedier trial on criminal charges regarding his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.

The hearing was held to help Special Counsel Jack Smith and his team of prosecutors and Trump’s lawyers reach a common ground regarding the disputes in the case, following Smith’s appeal for a protectiv
uPolitics •

Trump's Twitter Direct Messages Handed Over To Special Counsel Jack Smith

According to new court documents, Special Counsel Jack Smith obtained a search warrant earlier this year to investigate former President Donald Trump’s official Twitter account.

It has now been revealed that the information turned over included his private Direct Messages (DMs).

Twitter, now X, initially refused to comply with the January 17 warrant, which led a federal court to hold them in contempt and levy a hefty $350,000 fine. The warrant also had a “nondisclosure order,” which prevented
uPolitics •

Trump & 18 Allies Charged With Fraudulently Attempting To Overturn 2020 Election In Georgia

Former President Donald Trump was indicted in Georgia on Monday along with 18 other allies for attempting to overturn the results of his 2020 election loss in the state.

After an incriminating 2021 phone call between Trump and Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger was released, Fulton Country DA Fani Willis began investigating the former president.

Trump was charged by prosecutors under the RICO (Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations) law which is usually used against mobsters
uPolitics •

Trump Supporters Mock DeSantis At Iowa State, Leading To Bar Brawl

As the 2024 presidential candidate race gains momentum, the Iowa State Fair featured conflicts between supporters of Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. The two groups engaged in heated fights and sparring to assert dominance, including an actual fight at a dive bar in Des Moines.

Trump is facing a host of legal charges due to his involvement in the attempt to overturn the 2020 elections. However, his fans seem to be steadfast in their support for him and made it difficult for DeSantis to express hi
uPolitics •

Trump Makes Bizarre Claims Against Fulton County DA Fani Willis

Former President Donald Trump accused Fulton Country District Attorney Fani Willis, who is expected to issue a fourth indictment against him, of having an affair with a gang member.

In New Hampshire, Trump went on an angry rant, referring to this alleged affair that the Atlanta DA was involved in.

“They say there’s a young woman, a young racist, in Atlanta, and they say, I guess, they say she was after a certain gang, she ended up having an affair with the head of the gang or a gang member,” T
uPolitics •

Ohio Voters Reject Constitutional Change In Big Victory For Abortion Rights Movement

In what is a major victory for abortion rights activists, Ohio voters have resoundingly rejected Issue 1, which would have made it harder to amend the Ohio state constitution by a vote of 57% to 43%.

The measure would have raised the threshold for an amendment to the state constitution from a simple majority to 60%. Republican lawmakers had initially supported the proposal to turn the amendment process to their own advantage, making it harder to make abortion rights part of the constitution. In
uPolitics •

Judge Throws Out Trump's Lawsuit Against E. Jean Carroll

A federal judge quashed Donald Trump’s counter-defamation case against E. Jean Carroll for statements she made on CNN, yet another legal failure for the former president, who is currently drowning in lawsuits and mounting legal fees.

In her lawsuit against Trump, Carroll had alleged sexual abuse and was awarded $5 million by a jury under the Adult Survivors Act that found the former president guilty. Later, on CNN, she was asked to comment on the verdict that found Trump guilty of sexual abuse
uInterview •

NASCAR Indefinitely Suspends Driver Noah Gragson After He Likes Racist George Floyd Meme

NASCAR driver Noah Gragson has been suspended indefinitely after it was revealed that he had liked a racist meme on Instagram about George Floyd’s murder at the hands of a police officer.

Floyd, a black man, was killed in Minneapolis in 2020 by white police officer Derek Chauvin who had pinned an already-handcuffed Floyd’s head under his neck for about nine minutes. The killing renewed a debate about police brutality and the racial justice movement. It also led to the widespread Black Lives Mat
uInterview •

Beyoncé Pays $100,000 To Extend D.C. Metro Hours For Fans Attending 'Renaissance' Tour

Beyoncé‘s expensive gesture for fans who attended her Renaissance tour concert in Maryland has been winning hearts.

Stormy weather on August 6 caused unprecedented delays to the Grammy Award-winning singer’s performance at Maryland’s FedEx Field. However, the singer wanted to ensure a smooth commute back home for her fans who waited to watch her perform. She ended up paying $100,000 to the D.C. Metro system to operate for an hour longer than the usual times.

D.C. Metrorail took to Twitter to a
uInterview •

Museum Of Pop Culture Removes J.K. Rowling From Displays After 'Transphobic' Remarks

All references to the author of the Harry Potter series, J.K. Rowling, have now been removed from the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle for her “transphobic” remarks.

Project Manager Chris Moore wrote in a blog post in March to criticize the acclaimed actor for her “hateful” comments and updated the public regarding the museum’s policy with Harry Potter displays.

Referring to Rowling as a “Dementor,” one of the many supernatural beings in the Harry Potter universe known for sucking the life out
uPolitics •

Trump's Social Media Threats Prompts Jack Smith To Request Protective Order of Evidence

The Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith appealed to the judge overseeing the indictment of former President Donald Trump on grounds of election fraud in 2020 to impose a protective order of evidence on Friday evening, referring to a threatening post by the former president on social media.

The filing was meant to request the judge, Tanya Chutkan to keep Trump from publicizing evidence in the wake of his history with attacking those filing criminal cases against him.

This appeal wa
uPolitics •

Trump Calls For Judge Tanya Chutkin's Recusal Jan. 6 Plot Case – And For Trial To Be Moved To West Virginia

Former President Donald Trump took to his social media platform to declare that he will be asking for the recusal of the federal Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is presiding over the criminal case that charging him with attempting to overturn the 2020 election results, accusing her of being biased against him.

In his Truth Social post, Trump said, “There is no way I can get a fair trial with the judge ‘assigned’ to the ridiculous freedom of speech/ fair elections case. Everybody knows this, and so doe
uPolitics •

Crowd Heckles Sen. Mitch McConnell At Fancy Farm Speech: 'Retire!'

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Kentucky) was mocked and heckled on Saturday while delivering a breakfast speech at the Fancy Farm Picnic in his home state.

McConnell has long lost the favor of the party’s right-wing after he spoke out against former President Donald Trump after the January 6 Capitol attack. As he delivered his speech and expressed excitement on behalf of his wife, Elaine Chao, and himself to be there, the crowd mercilessly showered him with chants of “retire,” “shame
Debadrita Sur •

Hungry

'Hungry': A film by Debadrita Sur and Hanna Agro
(Nominated for Best Documentary Short at Touchstone Independent Film Festival and Flint Youth Film Festival )
Almost half of the residents in the South Bronx live below the poverty level. One in four do not have access to quality food. Anita, among others, makes difficult choices to provide for her family.
Reported, directed, and co-produced by Debadrita Sur and Hanna Agro
Shot on: Canon C200
Edited on: Adobe Premiere Pro 2023
Best Of Netflix •

Can advertisements essentially save Netflix?

Netflix has been a disruptive entity in the market ever since its inception. Following its humble beginnings when it sold online DVDs, Netflix became a trailblazing entity in the market when it revolutionized the concept of online streaming. Shunned by one and all, a victim of Hollywood snobbery, Netflix remainder dauntless in its quest and soon set up a Studio which began producing Original content. After a nearly 25-year run, the streamer is at the top of the streaming wars and has become an e
Best Of Netflix •

Netflix’s difficult tryst with comedy: Ricky Gervais edition

Netflix is having the hardest time- both financially and in terms of political correctness. Besides a mass subscriber exodus, plummeting stock prices and an inevitable financial meltdown, the streaming giant is still undeterred in its quest for adding new titles across all shelves, especially comedy titles, many of which have attracted severe backlash and criticism. After the debacle with Dave Chapelle and his Netflix stand-up special Closer, Ricky Gervais has been the latest addition to the lis
Best Of Netflix •

‘Man vs. Bee’: Rowan Atkinson is still the king of physical comedy

While physical comedy is an acquired taste and not enjoyable for everyone, Rowan Atkinson’s iconic performance as the adorable buffoon Mr Bean has always been a personal favourite. That Mr Bean aired every weekend on Indian kids’ channels was a cherry on top of my growing admiration for the popular, directionless character who drove a classic Mini, spent time with his teddy bear and induced laughter among one and all with his hilarious antics. When Atkinson announced a comedic comeback on Netfli
Best Of Netflix •

Chris Hemsworth’s ‘Spiderhead’: Distinctly hopeful unlike other sci-fi dramas

When Netflix released the trailer for its slated 2022 releases, it featured a tiny snippet of Chris Hemsworth from the much-awaited sci-fi drama Spiderhead. As a mad scientist who is yet a subversion of the quintessential tropes, Hemsworth is seen coolly seeking permission from his test subjects before drugging them. In a spine-chilling manner, he says, “Acknowledge?”, before the subject confirms affirmation.

Unlike his previous films Thor or Extraction, Hemsworth is no hero in Joseph Kosinski’
Best Of Netflix •

How the ‘Squid Game’ reality show misses the whole point of the series

South Korean filmmaker Hwang Dong-hyuk never expected Squid Game to get picked up, let alone the nine-episode series amassing Netflix a revenue of $900 million as per the streamer’s internal data.

While directing acclaimed films like Silenced, Miss Granny and The Fortress, Hwang Dong-hyuk struggled with his project Squid Game which did not get picked up for nearly a decade. Talking about the “unfamiliar and violent” premise of the show that he was working on since 2009, he said, “There were peo
Best Of Netflix •

5 better choices of actors than John Cho as Spike Spiegel in ‘Cowboy Bebop

Months back, we at Best of Netflix opined that Netflix does a pretty sloppy job of adapting popular anime series into live-action titles. When they cast Harold & Kumar star John Cho as Spike Spiegel, inarguably one of the coolest characters in the history of anime, in their live-action adaptation of Cowboy Bebop, poor viewership and imminent cancellation seemed inevitable.

While Andre Nemec, the creator of the show, tried to hype it up, Cho, Daniella Pineda and Mustafa Shakir, who star as Spieg
Best Of Netflix •

Can ‘Stranger Things’ save Netflix from its impending doom?

Stranger Things season four released its first volume on Netflix on Friday, May 27th, 2022, becoming an instant hit. It smashed previous premiere records on Netflix, amassing a staggering viewership of 286 million hours within the first weekend of its release, proving its undeniably impressive stature.

While Netflix started as a small video-rental company based in California back in the 1990s, they were inspired by YouTube’s unprecedented success and became an internet-based streaming service i

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Debadrita Sur •

Hungry

'Hungry': A film by Debadrita Sur and Hanna Agro
(Nominated for Best Documentary Short at Touchstone Independent Film Festival and Flint Youth Film Festival )
Almost half of the residents in the South Bronx live below the poverty level. One in four do not have access to quality food. Anita, among others, makes difficult choices to provide for her family.
Reported, directed, and co-produced by Debadrita Sur and Hanna Agro
Shot on: Canon C200
Edited on: Adobe Premiere Pro 2023

Extreme weather is punishing delivery drivers in Vietnam | Context

This series is a collaboration with Rest of World.
Northern Vietnam has just been hit by super typhoon Yagi, the strongest storm in decades. That followed the longest heat wave in 30 years in Ho Chi Minh City. 
Temperatures in the city consistently exceeded 35 degrees Celsius (95 degrees Fahrenheit), reaching a high of 39 degrees Celsius. 
People retreated to their homes and air-conditioned offices. But gig workers for platforms like Grab, Be and ShopeeFood had no choice but to power on, deliver...
Rest of World •

How migrant delivery workers in South Africa protect each other from violent crime and deadly roads

South Africa has long been a hub for migrants and refugees, who come from neighboring countries seeking opportunities in Africa’s strongest economy. But the country is also notorious for high levels of violent crime, road accidents, and xenophobia — all challenges people must face as they try to build new lives.


Many migrant workers end up working for food courier companies, spending hours navigating the country’s dangerous roads on thousands of motorbikes.  


As gig workers, they are consi...
Rest of World •

India’s women gig workers fight for a better future

A year after women staged mass protests against the job conditions at India’s popular home services app, Urban Company, female gig workers face a tough present and a highly uncertain future.


A decade ago, Urban CompanyiUrban CompanyUrban Company, founded in 2014, offers on-demand domestic services in India, including repair work, carpentry, and beauty treatments.READ MORE emerged as a beacon of hope for women wanting to gain economic independence in a country with one of the lowest numbers of...
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Photos I take:

Labor Day Parade. © Debadrita Sur

Coney Island. © Debadrita Sur

Lake Ontario. © Debadrita Sur

National Hispanic Heritage Month, 2022. © Debadrita Sur

New York City subway. © Debadrita Sur

Encampment Sweep at Chinatown. © Debadrita Sur

Fenced in, Kolkata. © Debadrita Sur

Labor Day Parade. © Debadrita Sur

Audio vox pops I make:

"The imagination, like certain wild animals, will not breed in captivity."

George Orwell