Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
An Israeli airstrike killed a Hezbollah commander Monday in southern Lebanon, the latest in an escalating exchange of strikes across the border that have raised fears of another Mideast war even as the fighting in Gaza exacts a mounting toll on civilians. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was holding more talks with Arab leaders as part of a diplomatic push to stop the war from spreading further.
Back in Gaza, Israel said it has largely wrapped up major operations in the north though fighting and bombardment continue. Israeli forces are now focusing on the central region and the southern city of Khan Younis, where thousands more Palestinians fled. Israeli officials say the fighting will continue for many more months as the army seeks to dismantle Hamas and return scores of hostages taken during the militants’ Oct. 7 attack. The offensive has already killed more than 23,000 Palestinians and left a quarter of its residents facing starvation.
- ‘Indiscriminately striking’ civilians is war crime, Pope Francis says in major speech
- Ontario woman fears pregnant sister-in-law won’t qualify for family program to escape Gaza
- Opinion: A reprieve for Israel’s democracy
Gildan’s board stands firm on former CEO’s ouster
Directors of Gildan Activewear Inc. are standing firm in their controversial decision to sack Glenn Chamandy, saying that in recent years he had become an ineffective leader who was barely in the office as he became increasingly focused on “personal pursuits.”
In an open letter to the Canadian clothing company’s shareholders, directors paint a picture of a CEO who was flailing from one strategy to another as he struggled to scale an increasingly complex business. They also accuse him of violating company policies related to the safeguarding of corporate information.
Kimberley Fire Fighter Chad Koran lights prepared piles of deadfall and forest debris during a prescribed burn in the Kimberley Nature Park just outside of Kimberley, BC on November 8, 2023.Gavin John/The Globe and Mail
A prescribed burn in B.C. offers a glimpse at firefighting’s future
The St. Mary’s fire destroyed seven homes in the First Nations community of Aq’am within hours. It put more than 500 homes under evacuation alert and sent plumes of choking smoke into the summer sky. But the fire is also notable for what it didn’t burn. Months before the blaze, in April, Aq’am had carried out a prescribed burn on its biggest reserve, Kootenay 1, a swath of forest and pasture that covers about 75 square kilometres just east of the Canadian Rockies International Airport.
“I’m absolutely convinced that the prescribed burn kept the wildfire from moving toward the airport – and right over it, towards Wycliffe and Marysville and Kimberley,” said Scott Driver, director of fire and emergency services for the city of Cranbrook, referring to nearby communities.
Lead claimant Alan Bates speaking outside the High Court in London, after the first judgment was handed down in claims against the Post Office over its computer system. Picture date: Friday March 15, 2019.Sam Tobin/The Associated Press
Television drama on Britain’s Post Office scandal leads to growing calls to exonerate victims
A popular television drama in Britain has not only attracted millions of viewers, it has prompted calls to exonerate the victims of a scandal that has gripped the country’s Post Office for more than 20 years.
Mr. Bates vs. The Post Office tells the story of the hundreds of people who ran postal outlets in their communities and were held liable by the Post Office for financial shortfalls caused by a glitch in the company’s accounting software. Post Office executives refused to accept that the software was at fault and ruthlessly went after branch managers, demanding large repayments and pursuing criminal charges.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Flight PS752: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau joins mourners in Richmond Hill, Ont., this afternoon to mark four years since the Iranian military shot down the Ukraine International Airlines jetliner shortly after its take-off from Tehran.
Transportation: The Manitoba government is promising $12-million to improve a highway intersection where a crash last year killed 17 people.
Politics: The new government House leader is defending Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s free stay at a Jamaican resort, saying he followed the rules in accepting the benefit.
The 2024 Golden Globes: The Globe and Mail presents the good, bad and downright ugly moments from the awards show that, against the odds, continues to exist.
Labour: Will advancements in artificial intelligence enable a three-day workweek? Certain billionaires (including Bill Gates and Jamie Dimon) think so, but some experts disagree
Finance: Canada’s biggest banks are facing a myriad of new taxes and costly regulatory changes, and analysts say these pressures are among the biggest threats to already squeezed profits in the sector.
Listen to The Decibel: The Globe’s economics columnist David Parkinson will tell us what this year’s financial forecast looks like.
Health: Self Care Through Hair, a new initiative from Black Mental Health Canada, is trying to leverage the barber-client rapport that has built deep relationships. Through the program, BMHC provides mental-health training to barbers and hairdressers.
Sheldon Walker, gives 15 year-old Khaleel English a haircut at Klean Kut Barbershop in Scarborough, Toronto, Saturday Jan. 6, 2024.Christopher Katsarov/The Globe and Mail
MARKET WATCH
Tech stocks rally as bond yields fall; Boeing curbs gains on Dow
Canada’s main stock index rose Monday despite losses in the energy sector, while U.S. markets also gained, led by a more than two per cent rise for the Nasdaq. Losses from Boeing dragged the Dow down after getting the go-ahead for airlines to inspect jets that were grounded after a dramatic landing over the weekend.
According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 gained 66.19 points to end at 4,763.51 points, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 319.70 points to 14,843.77. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 216.44 points to 37,682.55. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index was up 137.36 points at 21,074.91.
The Canadian dollar traded for 74.78 cents US, compared with 74.92 cents US on Friday.
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TALKING POINTS
Why is the federal government so inept in policing apps like TikTok?
“As they stand, privacy legislation deprives citizens of meaningful protection, federal funding priorities are out of alignment with values and needs, and gaps exist in law and policy that the government shows no urgency to fill. Unless they change, Ottawa’s policies and practices will continue to pose significant challenges in addressing the harms we see perpetuated on social media.” – Matt Malone
Canada is haunted by problematic place names, but we have the power to change that
“Changing names to reflect today’s values may seem like a can of worms. But for all the anxiety about “tradition,” it’s worth pointing out that the “historical” argument for keeping current place names as they are often runs into a conundrum – after all, the original Indigenous place names have a much older and deeper history.” – Lauren Beck
LIVING BETTER
Healthy Mediterranean Eating With Olives, Olive Oil And BreadGetty Images/iStockphoto
Trying to improve the way you eat? Here are the best (and worst) diets
To determine the 2024 rankings, a panel of 43 leading experts carefully evaluated 30 diets across 11 categories. For the seventh year in a row, the Mediterranean diet scored top spot in the U.S. News and World Report’s annual January ranking of best diets. Other notable winners were the DASH diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) and the MIND diet, a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH approaches. To read more about a healthy eating plan that’s right for you, and to find out which diets ranked as the losers, read the full article today.
- Also: Want to be a more fit adult? Exercise like a kid
TODAY’S LONG READ
As Canada seeks to define its place in the world, the fight for global influence has never been hotter
Countries around the world are on an embassy-building spree, opening up new missions and expanding their diplomatic presence at a clip rarely seen before. In the past decade alone, more than a thousand new embassies have been opened globally, according to research by the Frederick S. Pardee Center for International Futures.
Even so, Canada is at risk of being left behind in the new global race for influence. Despite the recent embassy openings, research by The Globe and Mail found that in 2022 Canada had the least embassies and consulates of the world’s top-10 largest economies.
Evening Update is written by Sierra Bein. If you’d like to receive this newsletter by e-mail every weekday evening, go here to sign up. If you have any feedback, send us a note.