Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
NDP, Liberal pharmacare negotiations include talks to fund birth control
The federal government is considering including birth control as part of its negotiations with the NDP on the new pharmacare bill that is in the works, three sources told The Globe and Mail.
The Globe reported in December that diabetes medications could be covered under the deal as well. Right now, the government is considering several drugs that fall under the contraceptive or diabetes categories.
Under contraceptives, for example, a source said negotiations continue over whether the government would only pay for pills or whether intrauterine devices would also be covered.
Read more:
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Law enforcement respond to a shooting at Union Station during the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl LVIII victory parade on February 14, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri.David Eulitt/Getty Images
One dead, several injured in shooting at Kansas City parade for Chiefs Super Bowl win
At least one person was killed Wednesday in a shooting at the Kansas City Chiefs Super Bowl parade, police say.
Kansas City Police Chief Stacey Graves said at a news conference that one person is dead and up to 15 were injured. It’s not clear how many were injured by gunshots. Graves said two people had been arrested.
This is a developing story, follow our story online for updates.
How Ukraine overcame a naval blockade and devastated seaports to resume crucial agricultural exports
Agriculture is a huge part of Ukraine’s economy. Sunflower oil, wheat, barley, corn and rapeseed are its top exports.
As Russia began its military campaign against the country – back in 2014 with the annexation of Crimea – President Vladimir Putin evidently determined that the fastest way to cripple the Ukrainian economy was to damage or destroy the agricultural industry, including the ports. The country’s functioning ports fell to just six now from 18.
After the collapse of a negotiated safe-corridor initiative that allowed the movement of Ukraine’s grain, the country was faced with a decision: invent a relatively safe corridor of its own or rely on expanded Danube ports to continue the exports but at highly reduced levels. They chose the former. Read the full story on how clever design along with the Ukrainian military and its intelligence arm was integral in carving out a new path.
Read more:
Israel vows action against Hamas in Rafah amid global calls for restraint
Israel is urging civilians to evacuate Rafah, the last refuge for Palestinians in southern Gaza, before pressing ahead with its military offensive against Hamas in the city, said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The leader is under growing international pressure to hold off on the planned assault. He gave no indication of when the offensive may take place or where the hundreds of thousands of Palestinians may go once it begins.
He made the comments after talks in Cairo on a possible ceasefire and hostage exchange ended without a result.
Read more:
- Toronto police to investigate pro-Palestinian march outside Mount Sinai Hospital
- Israeli hostage families fly to The Hague to press ICC to investigate Hamas
- Robyn Urback: Trudeau’s both-sides games on the war in Gaza are repugnant
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
McGill takes down painting: McGill University has taken down a painting attributed to famous Indigenous artist Norval Morrisseau and has decided to launch an investigation amid concerns that it contains similarities to works that are part of a massive art fraud probe.
Indonesia election: Indonesians voted today in one of the world’s largest and most complex elections, spanning thousands of islands and three time zones, to choose a successor to President Joko Widodo along with thousands of other office holders. Final results will be released in March, but early counts suggest a first-round victory for Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto.
Canadian major junior hockey lawsuit: A new class-action lawsuit alleges Canadian major junior hockey leagues violate antitrust laws in the United States by colluding to restrict the negotiation powers of players.
Nuclear fusion: Canada and Britain have agreed to co-operate on the development of nuclear fusion. They said they will encourage regulators, government agencies, universities, laboratories and private companies to combine efforts on fusion-related research. Neither countries committed any new funding under the arrangement.
Atlantic snowstorm: Winter storm warnings remain in effect for parts of Nova Scotia and much of Newfoundland and Labrador as a large snowstorm continues to to pummel Atlantic Canada. It slammed Nova Scotia on Tuesday night and dumped enough snow across the province to force the closing of many schools.
National security threat: The head of the House intelligence committee said today he had information about a serious national security threat and urged the administration to declassify the information so the U.S. and its allies can discuss how to respond. He did not provide any details on the nature of the threat.
MARKET WATCH
Wall Street ends higher, lifted by Uber, Lyft and Nvidia
Wall Street ended higher on Wednesday as ride-hailing platforms Lyft and Uber rallied, while Nvidia displaced Alphabet as the U.S. stock market’s third most valuable company. Canada’s main stock index gained more than 300 points or almost 1.5 per cent Wednesday on broad-based strength.
According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 gained 47.34 points to end at 5,000.13 points, while the Nasdaq Composite gained 202.43 points to 15,859.15. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 145.33 points to 38,418.61. The S&P/TSX composite index closed up 304.43 points at 20,889.40.
The Canadian dollar traded for 73.80 cents US compared with 73.77 cents US on Tuesday.
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TALKING POINTS
Let’s drop the curtain on Ottawa’s dumb political theatre
“The media and political class bear responsibility for the dumb-ification of public discourse, but so do voters.” – The Editorial Board
By detaining journalists doing their job, police in Canada threaten the public interest
“Police have a job to do – but so do journalists. Ours is the constitutionally protected work of identifying stories to cover, gathering information, documenting events and asking questions on behalf of the public.” – Brent Jolly, Ethan Cox
LIVING BETTER
Is buckwheat the new quinoa?
Quinoa was the darling of the 2010s but a different grain is set to have its moment this year. Buckwheat is not related to wheat at all, but is a type of seed that is technically classified as a grain. It’s gluten-free, has tons of antioxidants and is made up of about 10 per cent protein – a little less than quinoa. It’s nutty and toasty and has plenty of uses. Check out this recipe for buckwheat pancakes or waffles to start incorporating the healthy grain into your diet.
TODAY’S LONG READ
ROM unveils $130-million plan to turn controversial Crystal into a more open, welcoming space
A model of the Royal Ontario Museum’s OpenROM project is photographed on Feb 5, 2024.Fred Lum/The Globe and Mail
The Royal Ontario Museum’s controversial 2008 expansion is getting a makeover with a new plan announced today. The $130-million Open ROM project is slated to remake 86,000 square feet of the museum’s main floor and add 6,000 square feet of new gallery space. It includes major changes to the Michael Lee-Chin Crystal, led more than 15 years ago by architect Daniel Libeskind. The modifications are meant to make the museum more welcoming. When the project is complete, in 2027, the ROM’s entire main floor will be free, no ticket required. See renderings of what the revitalized museum will look like.
Evening Update is written by Prajakta Dhopade. 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.