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Toronto woman writes account of her long struggle to bring her son’s murderers to justice – and to allow her to see her grandchildren again

Ruth MarkelBy BERNIE BELLAN When I first received an email from a publicist by the name of June Lorraine Roberts about a new book, I became immediately aware of the similarities between what June had written in her email and what happened to former Winnipegger Adam Anhang when he was murdered in Puerto Rico in 2005. I told June that I didn’t have time to read the actual book at this time, but I would want to let readers know about it.

I asked her to send me a synopsis of the book, which she did. Subsequently I asked Julie to send me more information about the author of the book, whose name is Ruth Markel.

Here is what June Lorraine Roberts sent me:
Crime stories have glamour and glitz. In “The Unveiling: A Mother’s Reflection on Murder, Grief, and Trial Life,” author Ruth Markel lifts the curtain on her own son’s murder in Florida and the tragic aftermath during which she was not even able to see her own grandchildren.

Here is what happened:
Florida State University Law Professor Daniel Eric Markel (Ruth’s son) married Wendi Adelson in 2006. They had two sons, Benjamin and Lincoln. The marriage ended in divorce in 2013. Wendi wanted to move their sons from Tallahassee to Miami. The court sided with Dan allowing the children to remain in Tallahassee.
On July 18, 2014, Dan was shot twice in the head while sitting in his car shortly after arriving home. He died the next day on July 19th.

Two hitmen, Sigfredo Garcia and Luis Rivera, were arrested for the murder of Dan and subsequently convicted. Garcia was found guilty of first-degree murder at trial, and Rivera cooperated with investigators, confessed to his role, and pleaded guilty to second-degree murder. It became apparent at the time of these arrests that Dan’s murder was a much larger case of murder-for hire and that more arrests were anticipated.
The third arrest was of Katie Magbanua, who was charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder in October 2016. Due to COVID delays she was not convicted of these charges until May 27, 2022.
New evidence brought things closer to justice when it led to the arrest of Dan Markel’s former brother-in-law, Charlie Adelson in April 2022, nearly eight years after Dan was murdered in his garage by hitmen.
Charlie was charged with first-degree murder, conspiracy to commit murder, and solicitation of murder. In addition, Wendi Adelson and her mother Donna Adelson were named as unindicted co-conspirators.

As Ruth was cut-off from any contact with her beloved grandsons in 2016, she used advocacy to inspire the Florida State Legislature to pass a grandparent visitation bill known as The Markel Act, signed by Gov. DeSantis on June 24, 2022.
The bill opens a legal path for grandparents in the event a surviving parent is found criminally and/or civilly responsible for the death of the other parent while preserving the surviving parent’s rights.
“The Unveiling” is part memoir and part crime story. The book tells us about Ruth’s reflections during the pandemic, the impact of the media, the grief, and the advocacy that has helped her to move forward.

About the author, Ruth Markel:
Ruth Markel is a noted author, public speaker, and the president of RNM Enterprises, a leading management consulting firm. She has worked in senior management positions in both private and public sectors for the past forty years.
Ruth has lectured on issues concerning negotiation and advancement in organizations at the University of Toronto, the London Business School, and Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University.)
Due to the circumstances surrounding the murder of Ruth’s son Dan Markel, she has appeared on 20/20 ABC, Inside Edition, and Dateline NBC, and participated in the hit podcast “Over My Dead Body,” by Wondery.
In 2016, Ruth was cut-off from any contact with her grandsons. With support from Dan’s friends and extended networks, Ruth used advocacy to inspire the Florida State Legislature to pass a grandparent visitation bill known as The Markel Act.
The bill opens a legal path for grandparents in the event a surviving parent is found criminally and/or civilly responsible for the death of the other parent while preserving the surviving parent’s rights.
Ruth hopes to use her platform and the media coverage that is inevitable around the trial and the publicity of Dan’s case to make sense of, provide consolation and counsel for a horrific and powerlessness situation. And that her story will help others through the experiences of their grief from murders, victims of violence and grandparent alienation.

“The Unveiling: A Mother’s Reflection on Murder, Grief, and Trial Life”
By Ruth Markel
240 pages
Published by Post Hill Press, September 2022

 

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Features

The Tech That Never Sleeps: Inside the Always-On Engines of No Limit Casinos

In communities across Canada, including Winnipeg’s dynamic Jewish community, technology has become an integral part of daily life, whether through synagogue livestreams, local cultural programming, or real-time coverage of global events affecting Israel and the diaspora. Modern digital infrastructure, while often unseen to the public, runs continuously behind the scenes, enabling information networks that never stop. The same notion of ongoing connectivity drives the 24-hour digital entertainment platforms.

One example of this infrastructure is seen in online gaming settings, where real-time data systems enable experiences that are meant to run without interruption. The global online gambling industry is expected to increase from around $97.9 billion in 2026, with internet penetration and mobile connectivity continuing to climb globally. As a result, readers interested in how these platforms work often consult a comprehensive list of No Limit casino platforms to gain a better understanding of the ecosystem.

While conversations about casinos sometimes center on the games themselves, what’s underneath the narrative is technical. Behind every digital table or interactive game is a network of servers, verification tools, live data processors, and uptime monitoring systems that must run continually. Unlike traditional venues that close at night, online platforms rely on always-on design, which means that their software infrastructure must run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, independent of player time zones.

Infrastructure That Never Closes

Although Winnipeg readers may be more familiar with the servers that power newsrooms, streaming services, and community websites, the technology center of global platforms shares similar concepts. Modern digital systems rely significantly on distributed cloud computing, which means that data is handled simultaneously over several geographical locations rather than in a single location.

This layout increases credibility while also allowing platforms to run consistently even when millions of people are actively accessing the system. Similarly, big cloud providers operate worldwide networks of data centers capable of providing near-constant uptime. According to reliability measures released by major cloud providers, such as Google Cloud infrastructure reliability overview, modern corporate systems typically aim for uptime levels greater than 99.9 percent.

That figure may sound abstract, yet it corresponds to only a few minutes of disturbance every month. In fact, ensuring such regularity needs sophisticated monitoring systems that identify faults immediately, quickly divert traffic, and maintain redundant backups across different continents. Unlike early internet platforms, which relied on a single server room, today’s large-scale systems function as interconnected worldwide networks.

Real-Time Data: The Pulse of Modern Platforms

While infrastructure keeps systems operating, real-time data engines guarantee that information is constantly sent between users and servers. These systems handle massive amounts of data per second, including player activities, system status updates, and verification checks. Although the public rarely observes these operations, they are the digital pulse of today’s internet platforms.

Real-time computing has also revolutionized industries known to Canadian readers. Financial markets, for example, use comparable high-speed data processing to quickly update stock values across trading platforms. The same logic applies to global logistical networks, airline scheduling systems, and even newsrooms that monitor breaking news as it occurs.

This is essentially one of the distinguishing features of modern digital infrastructure: information no longer moves in batches, but rather continuously over high-capacity data pipelines. Regardless of how complicated these systems are, they must stay reliable and safe, which is why developers invest much in automated monitoring and predictive maintenance.

Security and Verification in the Always-On Era

Technology that never sleeps must also be self-verifying. Modern digital platforms use multilayer security systems to identify suspicious conduct, validate user identities, and safeguard critical data. Many of these procedures remain in the background, but they are extremely important for preserving confidence in online services.

Unlike older internet platforms, which depended heavily on passwords, newer systems often include behavioral analytics, device identification, and automatic danger detection. These technologies work silently, yet they examine patterns in real time, detecting unacceptable behavior before it spreads throughout a network.

The larger IT sector has made significant investments in these measures. Organizations such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology cybersecurity framework overview give guidelines for software developers throughout the world in designing resilient digital systems. Similarly, academic research from universities continues to investigate how internet infrastructure can stay safe while yet allowing for large-scale connectivity.

Lessons for the Wider Digital World

Although talks regarding entertainment platforms often focus on user experiences, the underlying technology symbolizes a larger revolution in the digital economy. Today’s online systems must run constantly, expand fast, and stay safe even under high demand. While normal user may only observe the automatic interface on their screen, the real story is the engineering it takes to maintain that experience.

While technology develops very quickly, one thing remains constant: systems meant to function indefinitely need both intelligent engineering and meticulous management. Despite their complexity, these digital engines have become the silent basis for modern life, powering everything from local news websites to global platforms that never sleep.

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Features

ClarityCheck: Securing Communication for Authors and Digital Publishers

In the world of digital publishing, communication is the lifeblood of creation. Authors connect with editors, contributors, and collaborators via email and phone calls. Publishers manage submissions, coordinate with freelance teams, and negotiate contracts online.

However, the same digital channels that enable efficient publishing also carry risk. Unknown contacts, fraudulent inquiries, and impersonation attempts can disrupt projects, delay timelines, or compromise sensitive intellectual property.

This is where ClarityCheck becomes a vital tool for authors and digital publishers. By allowing users to verify phone numbers and email addresses, ClarityCheck enhances trust, supports safer collaboration, and minimizes operational risks.


Why Verification Matters in Digital Publishing

Digital publishing involves multiple types of external communication:

  • Manuscript submissions
  • Editing and proofreading coordination
  • Author-publisher negotiations
  • Marketing and promotional campaigns
  • Collaboration with illustrators and designers

In these workflows, unverified contacts can lead to:

  1. Scams or fraudulent project offers
  2. Intellectual property theft
  3. Miscommunication causing delays
  4. Financial loss due to fraudulent payments
  5. Unauthorized sharing of sensitive drafts

Platforms like Reddit feature discussions from authors and freelancers about using verification tools to safeguard their work. This highlights the growing awareness of digital safety in creative industries.

What Is ClarityCheck?

ClarityCheck is an online service that enables users to search for publicly available information associated with phone numbers and email addresses. Its primary goal is to provide additional context about a contact before initiating or continuing communication.

Rather than relying purely on intuition, authors and publishers can access structured information to assess credibility. This proactive approach supports safer project management and protects intellectual property.

You can explore community feedback and discussions about the service here: ClarityCheck


Key Benefits for Authors and Digital Publishers

1. Protecting Manuscript Submissions

Authors often submit manuscripts to multiple editors or publishers. Before sharing full drafts:

  • Verify the contact’s legitimacy
  • Ensure the communication aligns with known publishing entities
  • Reduce risk of unauthorized distribution

A quick lookup can prevent time-consuming disputes and protect original content.


2. Safeguarding Collaborative Projects

Digital publishing frequently involves external contributors such as:

  • Illustrators
  • Designers
  • Editors
  • Ghostwriters

Verification ensures all collaborators are trustworthy, minimizing the chance of intellectual property theft or miscommunication.


3. Enhancing Marketing and PR Outreach

Promoting a book or digital publication often involves connecting with:

  • Bloggers
  • Reviewers
  • Book influencers
  • Digital media outlets

Before sharing press kits or marketing materials, verifying email addresses or phone contacts adds confidence and prevents potential misuse.


How ClarityCheck Works

While the internal system is proprietary, the user workflow is straightforward and efficient:

StepActionOutcome
1Enter phone number or emailSearch initiated
2Aggregation of publicly available dataDigital footprint analyzed
3Report generatedStructured overview presented
4Review by userInformed decision before engagement

The platform’s simplicity makes it suitable for authors and publishing teams, even those with limited technical expertise.


Integrating ClarityCheck Into Publishing Workflows

Manuscript Submission Process

  1. Receive submission request
  2. Verify contact via ClarityCheck
  3. Confirm identity of editor or publisher
  4. Share draft or proceed with collaboration

Collaboration with Freelancers

  1. Initiate project with external contributors
  2. Run ClarityCheck to verify email or phone number
  3. Establish project agreement
  4. Begin content creation safely

Marketing Outreach

  1. Contact media or reviewers
  2. Verify digital identity
  3. Share promotional materials with confidence

Ethical and Privacy Considerations

While ClarityCheck provides useful context, it operates exclusively using publicly accessible information. Authors and publishers should always:

  • Respect privacy and data protection regulations
  • Use results responsibly
  • Combine verification with personal judgment
  • Avoid sharing sensitive data with unverified contacts

Responsible use ensures the platform supports security without compromising ethical standards.


Real-World Use Cases in Digital Publishing

Scenario 1: Verifying a New Editor

An author is contacted by an editor claiming to represent a small publishing house. Running a ClarityCheck report confirms the email domain aligns with publicly available information about the company, reducing risk before signing an agreement.

Scenario 2: Screening Freelance Illustrators

A digital publisher seeks an illustrator for a children’s book. Before sharing project details or compensation terms, ClarityCheck verifies contact information, ensuring the artist is legitimate.

Scenario 3: Marketing Outreach Safety

A self-publishing author plans a social media and email campaign. Verifying influencer or reviewer contacts helps prevent marketing materials from reaching fraudulent accounts.


Why Verification Strengthens Publishing Operations

In digital publishing, speed and creativity are essential, but they must be balanced with security:

  • Protect intellectual property
  • Maintain trust with collaborators
  • Ensure financial transactions are secure
  • Prevent delays due to miscommunication

Verification tools like ClarityCheck integrate seamlessly, allowing authors and publishing teams to focus on creation rather than risk management.


Final Thoughts

In a world where publishing is increasingly digital and collaborative, verifying contacts is not just prudent — it’s necessary.

ClarityCheck empowers authors, editors, and digital publishing professionals to confidently assess phone numbers and email addresses, protect their intellectual property, and streamline communication.

Whether managing manuscript submissions, coordinating external contributors, or launching marketing campaigns, integrating ClarityCheck into your workflow ensures clarity, safety, and professionalism.

In digital publishing, trust is as important as creativity — and ClarityCheck helps safeguard both.

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Features

Israel’s Arab Population Finds Itself in Dire Straits

Jacob Simona stands by his burning car during clashes with Israeli Arabs and police in the Israeli mixed city of Lod, Israel Tuesday, May 11,2021.

By HENRY SREBRNIK There has been an epidemic of criminal violence and state neglect in the Arab community of Israel. At least 56 Arab citizens have died since the beginning of this year. Many blame the government for neglecting its Arab population and the police for failing to curb the violence. Arabs make up about a fifth of Israel’s population of 10 million people. But criminal killings within the community have accounted for the vast majority of Israeli homicides in recent years.
Last year, in fact, stands as the deadliest on record for Israel’s Arab community. According to a year-end report by the Center for the Advancement of Security in Arab Society (Ayalef), 252 Arab citizens were murdered in 2025, an increase of roughly 10 percent over the 230 victims recorded in 2024. The report, “Another Year of Eroding Governance and Escalating Crime and Violence in Arab Society: Trends and Data for 2025,” published in December, noted that the toll on women is particularly severe, with 23 Arab women killed, the highest number recorded to date.
Violence has expanded beyond internal criminal disputes, increasingly affecting public spaces and targeting authorities, relatives of assassination targets, and uninvolved bystanders. In mixed Arab-Jewish cities such as Acre, Jaffa, Lod, and Ramla, violence has acquired a political dimension, further eroding the fragile social fabric Israel has worked to sustain.
In the Negev, crime families operate large-scale weapons-smuggling networks, using inexpensive drones to move increasingly advanced arms, including rifles, medium machine guns, and even grenades, from across the borders in Egypt and Jordan. These weapons fuel not only local criminal feuds but also end up with terrorists in the West Bank and even Jerusalem.
Getting weapons across the border used to be dangerous and complex but is now relatively easy. Drones originally used to smuggle drugs over the borders with Egypt and Jordan have evolved into a cheap and effective tool for trafficking weapons in large quantities. The region has been turning into a major infiltration route and has intensified over the past two years, as security attention shifted toward Gaza and the West Bank.
The Negev is not merely a local challenge; it serves as a gateway for crime and terrorism across Israel, including in cities. The weapons flow into mixed Jewish-Arab cities and from there penetrate the West Bank, fueling both organized crime and terrorist activity and blurring the line between them.
The smuggling of weapons into Israel is no longer a marginal criminal phenomenon but an ongoing strategic threat that traces a clear trail: from porous borders with Egypt and Jordan, through drones and increasingly sophisticated smuggling methods, into the heart of criminal networks inside Israel, and in a growing number of cases into lethal terrorist operations. A deal that begins as a profit-driven criminal transaction often ends in a terrorist attack. Israeli police warn that a population flooded with illegal weapons will act unlawfully, the only question being against whom.
The scale of the threat is vast. According to law enforcement estimates, up to 160,000 weapons are smuggled into Israel each year, about 14,000 a month. Some sources estimate that about 100,000 illegal weapons are circulating in the Negev alone.
Israeli cities are feeling this. Acre, with a population of about 50,000, more than 15,000 of them Arab, has seen a rise in violent incidents, including gunfire directed at schools, car bombings, and nationalist attacks. In August 2025, a 16-year-old boy was shot on his way to school, triggering violent protests against the police.
Home to roughly 35,000 Arab residents and 20,000 Jewish residents, Jaffa has seen rising tensions and repeated incidents of violence between Arabs and Jews. In the most recent case, on January 1, 2026, Rabbi Netanel Abitan was attacked while walking along a street, and beaten.
In Lod, a city of roughly 75,000 residents, about half of them Arab, twelve murders were recorded in 2025, a historic high. The city has become a focal point for feuds between crime families. In June 2025, a multi-victim shooting on a central street left two young men dead and five others wounded, including a 12-year-old passerby. Yet the killing of the head of a crime family in 2024 remains unsolved to this day; witnesses present at the scene refused to testify.
The violence also spilled over to Jewish residents: Jewish bystanders were struck by gunfire, state officials were targeted, and cars were bombed near synagogues. Hundreds of Jewish families have left the city amid what the mayor has described as an “atmosphere of war.”
Phenomena that were once largely confined to the Arab sector and Arab towns are spilling into mixed cities and even into predominantly Jewish cities. When violence in mixed cities threatens to undermine overall stability, it becomes a national problem. In Lod and Jaffa, extortion of Jewish-owned businesses by Arab crime families has increased by 25 per cent, according to police data.
Ramla recorded 15 murders in 2025, underscoring the persistence of lethal violence in the city. Many victims have been caught up in cycles of revenge between clans, often beginning with disputes over “honour” and ending in gunfire. Arab residents describe the city as “cursed,” while Jewish residents speak openly about being afraid to leave their homes
Reluctance to report crimes to the authorities is a central factor exacerbating the problem. Fear of retaliation by families or criminal organizations deters victims and their relatives from coming forward, contributing to a clearance rate of less than 15 per cent of all murders. The Ayalef report notes that approximately 70 per cent of witnesses refused to cooperate with police investigations, citing doubts about the state’s ability to provide protection.
Violence in Arab society is not just an Arab sector problem; it poses a direct and serious threat to Israel’s national security. The impact is twofold: on the one hand, a rise in crime that affects the entire population; on the other, the spillover of weapons and criminal activity into terrorism, threatening both internal and regional stability. This phenomenon reached a peak in 2025, with implications that could lead to a third intifada triggered by either a nationalist or criminal incident.
The report suggests that along the Egyptian and Jordanian borders, Israel should adopt a technological and security-focused response: reinforcing border fences with sensors and cameras, conducting aerial patrols to counter drones, and expanding enforcement activity.
This should be accompanied by a reassessment of the rules of engagement along the border area, enabling effective interdiction of smuggling and legal protocols that allow for the arrest and imprisonment of offenders. The report concludes by emphasizing that rising violence in cities, compounded by weapons smuggling in the Negev, is eroding Israel’s internal stability.
Henry Srebrnik is a professor of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island.

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