North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-ho addresses the 72nd United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters in New York, U.S., September 23, 2017.EDUARDO MUNOZ/Reuters
Good evening,
This is the daily Evening Update newsletter, a roundup of the important stories of the day and what everyone is talking about that will be delivered to your inbox every weekday around 5 p.m. ET. If you're reading this online, or if someone forwarded this e-mail to you, you can sign up for Evening Update and all Globe newsletters here. As we continue to grow the newsletter over the coming months we'd love to hear your feedback. Let us know what you think.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
North Korea accuses Trump of declaring war, claims right to 'countermeasures'
On Saturday, President Donald Trump tweeted that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un "won't be around much longer" if North Korea acted on their threats. Now, North Korea's foreign minister Ri Yong Ho says that statement amounts to a declaration of war and his country has "every right to make countermeasures."
We recently took a deeper look North Korea's nuclear arsenal and what could happen next.
1,000 planned rental units convert to condos in wake of Ontario rent-control expansion
A new report shows more than 1,000 planned purpose-built rental units in the Greater Toronto Area have been converted into condos since Premier Kathleen Wynne's government expanded rent control in the spring. The report, commissioned by the Federation of Rental-housing Providers of Ontario, warns that already-low vacancy rates will plunge further unless policies encourage developers to build 6,250 additional new apartment units per year.
Marcus Gee recently wrote about why the Wynne government has no business meddling in the markets.
Oversupply of dentists sparks fierce competition in big Canadian cities
The price of a dental practice has almost doubled in the past five years as each dentist now has fewer patients. Prices are particularly high in Canada's biggest cities, where the cost for starting a new practice can run upward of $1-million. Adding to the competition are corporate dentistry groups and franchise operations, which are only about 3 per cent of practices in Canada now, but could be 50 per cent in 10 years.
Trump says NFL anthem protests unrelated to race
U.S. President Donald Trump said Monday that protests of NFL players who don't stand for the national anthem have nothing to do with racism. He tweeted "It is about respect for our Country, Flag and National Anthem." Players shot back disagreeing with Trump's statement. We take a look at how the showdown began and how people in the sports world are responding including the Toronto Raptors president, who says 'nobody is getting fired' if players don't stand.
Bombardier's pivotal week: Five things you need to know
Canadian transportation company Bombardier Inc. is facing a tough week ahead as the U.S. Commerce Department decides Tuesday on a trade dispute between Bombardier and Boeing. Also, the company's rail business could be exposed to greater competition as Germany's Siemens AG and France's Alstom SA are expected to announce a rail merger Tuesday.
MARKET WATCH
Canada's main stock index hit a four-month high Monday as energy shares were pumped up by stronger oil prices and financial shares also gained. The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index unofficially closed up 0.4 per cent, at 15,516.23. On Wall Street, a selloff in tech shares pushed the Nasdaq lower, and investors were cautious after the latest statement from North Korea. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.24 per cent to end at 22,296.51, the S&P 500 lost 0.22 per cent to eclose at 2,496.64 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 0.88 per cent to 6,370.59.
WHAT'S TRENDING
Stifling heat sparks concerns in Toronto-area schools without AC
Amid a heat warning that was issued Monday by Environment Canada for Southern Ontario, a second-floor classroom in a Brampton elementary school saw its temperature reach a high of 30.2 C before 11 a.m. The unseasonal temperatures are putting a strain on staff and students of Toronto and GTA-based schools without air conditioning. The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is asking the provincial government to address the "unbearable conditions" in classrooms.
Prince Harry, Meghan Markle make first official public appearance as a couple
Prince Harry and his girlfriend, Meghan Markle, held hands Monday afternoon as they walked toward Toronto's city hall to take in an event for the Invictus Games. For the prince and Markle, a Toronto-based actor, this is the first time they have appeared together as a couple at an official event.
TALKING POINTS
Against all odds, Jimmy Kimmel is now essential viewing
"Kimmel's audience tends to be non-aligned, happy to be imperturbable about political issues and battles. When Kimmel tells that audience about hypocrisy, bullying and lies, he's telling people who are more likely to be influenced." - John Doyle
As a pioneer of political protest in sport, I know Trump has fuelled the fire
It is about the issues of injustice, inequity and intolerance across communities of colour in this country. The drama of protests generates attention and provokes conversation, but the move from "protests to progress" is hard work, most of it out of the spotlight and down on the ground in the community rather than on the stadium sidelines before the cameras and before tens of thousands of fans and millions more watching on TV. - Harry Edwards
Merkel faces toughest coalition negotiation yet
While the German Chancellor looks set to govern for a fourth term, her Christian Democrats (CDU) are projected to suffer their worst result since 1949, with 32.5 per cent of the vote. The parliament is more fragmented than ever with six parties entering the Bundestag, and the far right Alternative for Germany (AfD) won the third-largest amount of votes (13 per cent). Ms. Merkel's power will be diluted, as her new government will hold nowhere near the 80 per cent of seats it did until now. - Claudia Chwalisz
LIVING BETTER
Sun protection a year-round necessity
This year, 7,200 people in Canada will be told they have melanoma. While research suggests sun protection has increased in the past two decades, experts say there is still too much complacency, especially among men. Half of respondents in a recent survey believe some sun exposure without sunscreen is needed to meet Vitamin D requirements (you don't) and 69 per cent said they "really like" being in the sun despite the dangers. Experts are warning UV rays can get through clouds and fog and sun protection is recommended year-round.
LONG READS FOR A LONG COMMUTE
Why Bell is spending billions to run fibre-optic cable directly to your home
As it races to keep up with faster Internet speeds from rivals such as Rogers, Bell is spending billions building its network of the future. For the past two years, technicians have been tearing up streets, sidewalks and lawns to replace old copper telephone wires – in place since the 1880s – with fibre optics to all Toronto homes and businesses regardless if the owners are Bell subscribers. But the plan is far different from that of phone giants in the United States, raising fresh questions about Bell's strategy. (for subscribers)
Evening Update is written by Jordan Chittley, Kiran Rana and Omair Quadri. 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.