Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Rishi Sunak secures Conservative leadership, set to become next British PM
Former finance minister Rishi Sunak will become Britain’s youngest prime minister in modern times after he won the race to lead the Conservative Party.
One of the wealthiest politicians in parliament, Sunak, 42, is set to become Britain’s first leader of colour – and its third prime minister in less than two months - as he replaces Liz Truss, who only lasted 44 days before resigning.
The multimillionaire former hedge fund boss will be expected to launch deep spending cuts to try to rebuild Britain’s fiscal reputation. A recent mini budget by Truss, which triggered her downfall, pushed up borrowing costs and mortgage rates, and sent investors fleeing.
Read more: Indians delight in Rishi Sunak’s rise to U.K. PM on Diwali
Opinion: Rishi Sunak beat back Boris. But can he bring stability back to Britain? - Tom Rachman
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The Emergencies Act inquiry: Doug Ford summoned, plus today’s testimony
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and former solicitor-general Sylvia Jones have been summoned to appear as witnesses at the public inquiry examining the federal government’s use of the Emergencies Act. Commission lawyers said the summons was issued today after both refused multiple requests to appear.
At the hearing today, Interim Chief Steve Bell testified that the Ottawa Police Service could not have predicted the level of harm convoy protesters inflicted on city residents.
Frank Au, a senior lawyer representing the inquiry, pushed back. He pointed to intelligence that the service possessed, including that hundreds of big rigs, trucks and even heavy machinery were headed toward Ottawa, and that the potential crowd would likely be bigger “than any demo in recent history” and involved highly motivated, well-funded individuals without an exit strategy.
U.S. warns Russia of severe consequences after Moscow accuses Ukraine of “dirty bomb” plan
The United States has warned there would be severe consequences if Russia used a nuclear weapon in Ukraine, as Western countries accused Moscow of plotting to escalate the war on the pretext that Kyiv was planning to deploy a “dirty bomb” laced with nuclear material.
With Ukrainian forces advancing into Russian-occupied Kherson province, top Russian officials phoned Western counterparts yesterday and again today to tell them of Moscow’s suspicions. Russia plans to raise the issue at the UN Security Council tomorrow, diplomats said.
The foreign ministers of France, Britain and the United States rejected the allegations and reaffirmed their support for Ukraine.
Read more: Ukrainians in Kharkiv suburb living in bombed-out homes in act of defiance against Russia
All the president’s men: China’s new Communist leadership includes no women for first time in decades
Dressed in a bright-red blazer and white shirt, Chinese Vice-Premier Sun Chunlan was easy to spot among the sea of dark suits on the dais of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, as General Secretary Xi Jinping drew the Communist Party’s twice-a-decade national congress to a close last week.
Taking part in one of her last official events before she retires, Sun was the only woman standing in the spot reserved for members of the Politburo, the second-highest level of Chinese politics.
No woman has ever served on the supreme body, the Standing Committee, and for the next five years there will be no female representation on the broader Politburo, either. The 24 names revealed yesterday included no women for the first time since 1997.
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Grocers under scrutiny: The federal competition watchdog is launching a study of Canada’s grocery sector, but says it is not investigating any specific allegations of wrongdoing, and has no power to compel companies to provide information.
Ontarians go to the polls: Today is municipal election day in Ontario. Check out The Globe’s election explainer, plus 10 key mayoral races.
Suzuki signing off: Eco-activist David Suzuki, 86, says he will retire next spring from his long-running post as host of CBC’s The Nature of Things.
Diwali celebrations: People across India and beyond are celebrating Diwali with bright earthen oil lamps and dazzling, colorful lights to mark the Hindu festival that symbolizes the victory of light over darkness. Read more: Environment Canada removes reference to Diwali in GTA air quality statement
Mariah Carey books Toronto gig: The pop superstar has announced plans to bring one of her two Christmas concerts to to Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on Dec. 11.
MARKET WATCH
U.S. stocks closed higher today, as signs of economic softness suggested the effects of the Fed’s aggressive policy aimed at cooling the economy to curb decades-high inflation are beginning to take hold. Canada’s benchmark stock index also ended higher, but underperformed Wall Street largely because of sharp losses in copper stocks.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 417.31 points or 1.34 per cent to 31,499.62, the S&P 500 gained 44.59 points or 1.19 per cent to end at 3,797.34, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 92.89 points or 0.86 per cent to 10,952.61.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index edged higher 57.45 points or 0.3 per cent to 18,918.40. The loonie traded at 72.95 U.S. cents.
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TALKING POINTS
Nobody knows what happened with ArriveCan, but it sure was lucrative for some
“This is a basic transparency problem in government contracting. If the public can’t tell how much of its money went for each project, it cannot judge if money is wasted or abused.” - Campbell Clark
Pierre Poilievre’s unique family story could be an ace up his sleeve
“Poilievre’s family roots are no doubt similar to the millions of Canadians who hail from across this diverse country and from around the world. But what might make his family’s story appealing in the eyes of voters is its novelty for a conservative leader.” - Andrew Perez, public affairs strategist and political commentator
With its OPEC cuts, Saudi Arabia won the battle but will lose the war
“History shows that oil shocks always backfire on OPEC, and regional geopolitical developments are reducing how much the United States needs Saudi Arabia as an ally. Saudi Arabia’s de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman may have just overplayed his hand.” - John Rapley, political economist, University of Cambridge
LIVING BETTER
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common hormonal disorders affecting women of child-bearing age. It’s a frequent cause of female infertility and also carries significant health risks beyond the reproductive years. Making diet and lifestyle changes can help lessen PCOS symptoms, reduce its associated health risks and improve reproductive outcomes.
TODAY’S LONG READ
He the North: Masai Ujiri is the Toronto Raptors’ real MVP
anthony gebrehiwot/The Globe and Mail
Masai Ujiri was alone on the team bus when he first saw video of the moment that upended his life. The facts of what happened are well known: As the Raptors celebrated their first NBA Championship in 2019, Ujiri tried to make his way to the court and was stopped by Alan Strickland, an Alameda County sheriff’s deputy. The two got into an altercation.
On the bus in Orlando, he watched newly released body cam footage and saw what everyone would soon see: Ujiri approaching Strickland with his hand in his pocket to pull out his credentials and the sheriff’s deputy pushing him violently - once, and then again, even as Ujiri explained that he was the Raptors president. Incontrovertible proof.
On the eve of his 10th season with the team, Ujiri has the air of a man who has already won everything and is now trying to do the harder thing - win again. He’s doing it from a position of enviable security. Ujiri is the face of the franchise - a role generally held by the people who actually play the games - and enjoys a level of trust from both ownership and fans that is perhaps unique in the league. He is, after all, the guy who came to a losing team and brought it a championship.
On the sidelines that night in Oakland, however, all that success meant nothing. He was just a man, a Black man, who needed to be put in his place. And that’s part of the reason that even now, years later, the memory still hits him so hard. “It’s even getting to me now,” he says, his eyes welling up for a moment. Read the full story.
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