Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Russia has pulled out of a deal that allowed for the safe export of Ukrainian grains through the Black Sea, a move expected to lead to a spike in global food prices.
The deal had been in place since last July and brought 33 million tonnes of grain to market, which the United Nations credited with helping lower food prices by 20 per cent. The World Food Programme – which is battling food shortages in Afghanistan, Yemen and East Africa – bought 80 per cent of its wheat from Ukraine during the first half of this year.
A spokesperson for Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky suggested his country may attempt to continue using the Black Sea for grain trade without the Kremlin’s co-operation. The Russian navy currently controls access to Ukrainian ports, and it is unclear how warships would deal with any commercial vessels that attempted to sail through their blockade.
- Attack on Crimean Bridge kills couple, wounds 14-year-old daughter
- Thousands of Ukraine civilians are being held in Russian prisons. Russia plans to build many more
‘Aggressive’ wildfire shuts B.C. highway as military and officials set to meet
An “aggressive” wildfire that exploded in size over the weekend has cut off a portion of Highway 20 on the central coast of B.C., while more than a dozen new blazes have been sparked since Sunday.
No evacuation orders have been issued for the fire, which is among more than 360 burning in the province, with 23 listed by the wildfire service as fires of note.
Canada is currently experiencing the worst wildfire season of the 21st century. There are more than 880 wildfires currently burning across Canada, with more than 575 deemed out of control. Most of the fires are in Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. More than 10 million hectares of land has been scorched – the worst in the country’s recorded history – with months of wildfire season still left.
Indigenous leaders say they do not accept Premier’s comments on landfill search
Indigenous leaders say a search of a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of women can be done safely and must go ahead.
Police believe the remains of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran are in the privately run Prairie Green landfill north of Winnipeg.
The leaders say they do not accept Manitoba Premier Heather Stefanson’s comments that the province will not fund a search because of health and safety risks to searchers. A federally funded feasibility study previously said a search of the landfill is feasible, although toxic materials and asbestos pose a risk to workers.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Heatwave strikes Europe: Southern Europe is at the start of brutally hot week with temperatures expected to top 40 degrees Celsius. Experts are warning people to stay inside, drink water and limit exercise.
Nike ends sponsorship of Hockey Canada: Nike’s permanent withdrawal is part of the ongoing fallout from Hockey Canada’s handling of allegations of sexual assault last year. Nike was the last premier marketing partner to suspend its relationship in October, 2022.
Oil sands need production cuts to hit federal emissions targets, analysis says: Canada’s oil sands will likely have to slash up to 1.3 million barrels a day of possible production to meet 2030 federal emissions-reduction targets, according to an analysis by commodity data firm S&P Global. The cuts would result in the loss of somewhere between 5,400 and 9,500 jobs.
Experimental drug slows Alzheimer’s: The experimental drug donanemab from Eli Lilly has been shown to slow the progression of memory and thinking problems associated with Alzheimer’s by about a third. The rate doubles to 60 per cent if the drug is started early when patients are only mildly impaired.
Minneapolis police agree to court-enforced reforms: Three years after the police killing of George Floyd, a Minnesota judge has approved a reform agreement for the city’s police. Police will no longer be allowed to conduct consent searches on pedestrians or vehicles, nor searches based on the apparent smell of marijuana. Officers are also required to de-escalate and have been limited in their use of tasers and chemical irritants such as pepper spray.
MARKET WATCH
Canada’s commodity-heavy main stock index edged lower on Monday as weaker-than-expected Chinese economic data dragged materials and energy stocks down. U.S. markets, which are less tied to resource sectors, ended in the green.
The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index ended down 35.28 points, at 20,226.79.
The S&P 500 was up 17.37 points at 4,522.79, the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 76.32 points to 34,585.35, and the Nasdaq Composite gained 131.25 to 14,244.95. The loonie traded for 75.77 cents U.S.
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TALKING POINTS
Alberta, and the rest of Canada, are woefully unprepared for the coming immigration boom
“There’s a long list of reasons for Canada to open its arms to newcomers from around the world – but when you invite half a million new people to the country every year, you better be prepared. And it’s looking more and more like we’re not. It goes beyond the affordable-housing crunch and whether everyone will have access to primary health care.” – Kelly Cryderman
We are starting to understand the long-term effects of the pandemic
“We are now better understanding the fallout from the pandemic both in terms of economic and mental health. We have been tracking views on the future standard of living for more than a decade and they are more negative than ever today. Back in 2012, 37 per cent of Canadians felt that the next generation would have a lower standard of living than what we have now; this has increased to a whopping 65 per cent of respondents ... What were tepid numbers a decade ago are very worrisome today.” – Nik Nanos
LIVING BETTER
The first rule of getting in shape: Don’t quit
Researchers are now finding that how much weight people lift, how many sets they do and how often they work out has only a minor impact on how much muscle is gained. Whether you’re training for a marathon, hitting the weights or simply trying to improve your health, science is proving that what you do while exercising matters much less than whether you stick with a consistent routine.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Canadian volunteers in Ukraine worry Western interest may be waning as war passes 500-day mark
Paui Hghes and his 21 year old son Mackenzey Hughes run their volunteer initiative which reportedely raised 700.000 dollars. Kharkiv, Ukraine. 13 Jul 2023Anton Skyba
The war for Ukraine is now more than 500 days old. To some Canadian volunteers who have been on the ground delivering aid for most of that time, Western fatigue with the conflict is becoming almost as dangerous an enemy as the invading Russian army.
Yesterday marked Paul Hughes’ 500th day in Ukraine. He initially planned to fight the Russians with a gun in his hand. He now delivers food, medicines and other goods to cities on and near the front line, using minivans that display large Canadian flags on their hoods.
April Huggett said Sunday was her 207th day in the war zone. The 34-year-old native of Castlegar, B.C. left her life and family behind in Canada after she saw social media images of the massacre of Ukrainian civilians in Bucha last year.
Both Mr. Hughes and Ms. Huggett are used to the risks that come with driving in and out of the range of Russian artillery fire. But just as the Ukrainian army is reliant on Western military support in its battle with the Russian army, their humanitarian efforts depend on maintaining interest – and convincing people to keep their wallets open – in Canada and other Western countries.
Evening Update is written by Hope Mahood. 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.