Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Latest developments from the Israel-Hamas war
In a televised statement today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his country is preparing a ground invasion of Gaza. However, he declined to provide any details on the timing or other information about the operation.
He said the decision on when forces would go into the blockaded Palestinian enclave would be taken by the government’s special war cabinet. Meanwhile, The Wall Street Journal reported Israel has agreed to delay an expected invasion of Gaza for now so that the United States can rush missile defences to the region to protect American troops there, citing U.S. and Israeli officials.
U.S. President Joe Biden condemned attacks by “extremist” Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the West Bank as the U.S. tries to stop Israel’s war with Hamas from spreading. “I continue to be alarmed about extremist settlers attacking Palestinians in the West Bank. Pouring gasoline on fire is what it’s like,” he said. Biden also said he believes Israel needs to defend its citizens while protecting innocent civilians in Gaza who are victims of the conflict.
- Follow our live coverage here.
- Reports of use of white phosphorus in attacks in Lebanon increase tensions in an already tenuous situation
- Listen to The Decibel: The Rafah border crossing’s significance for Gaza
‘Anywhere we go war is following us’: Those who fled Ukraine face a new conflict zone in Israel
A view shows a rocket being launched from the Gaza Strip towards central Israel, as seen from Ashkelon in southern Israel October 25, 2023.AMIR COHEN/Reuters
Dozens of Jewish-Ukrainian children are recovering in a youth centre just outside Tel Aviv, having fled war for the second time in two terrifying years. The children were living in a group home in northern Ukraine when explosions woke them on Feb. 24, 2022, the first morning of the Russian invasion. A plan was quickly developed to evacuate the more than 100 children and the group home’s staff to what seemed like the safety of Israel.
As Mark MacKinnon reports, on Oct. 7, the nightmare was repeated for 40 of the children when air raid sirens screamed over their new home in Israel. They were just 10 kilometres from the Gaza Strip, and Hamas fighters were pouring through holes in the Israeli security perimeter, killing and kidnapping men, women and children.
This is the daily Evening Update newsletter. If you’re reading this on the web, or it was sent to you as a forward, you can sign up for Evening Update and more than 20 more Globe newsletters here. If you like what you see, please share it with your friends.
India resumes processing of visas for Canadians amid diplomatic crisis
The Indian government has resumed processing visa applications by Canadians, after recently suspending the service when relations between the two countries took a dramatic downturn. The Indian High Commission in Canada said today that it will begin processing visa applications at its diplomatic mission in Ottawa as well as at consulates in Toronto and Vancouver, ending a suspension that began in September.
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Interest rates: The Bank of Canada held interest rates steady today while downgrading its forecast for economic growth and warning that inflationary risks have increased. That means the policy rate remains at 5 per cent, the highest level in 20 years, with the bank saying it’s prepared to raise rates again if inflation remains high.
Alberta and the CPP: Ontario is asking Ottawa for an urgent meeting of finance ministers to discuss Alberta’s proposal to withdraw from the Canada Pension Plan, saying the idea could cause “serious harm” for retirees across Canada.
- Opinion: What to make of Alberta’s unrealistic CPP withdrawal demand of half the assets
New U.S. House Speaker: Republicans elected Rep. Mike Johnson as House Speaker today, placing a deeply conservative but lesser-known leader to the seat of U.S. power and ending political chaos in their majority, for now. While not the party’s top choice for the gavel, the deeply religious and even-keeled Johnson has few foes and an important GOP backer: Donald Trump, who said, “I think he’s gonna be a fantastic speaker.”
- Analysis: Republicans’ choice as Speaker strains metaphors for calling in an untested backup
Air Canada: Air Canada is being accused in the British House of Commons of delaying a British MP from boarding a flight “because his name is Mohammad.” Labour MP Clive Betters said Mohammad Yasin was pulled aside for questioning at London’s Heathrow airport “for a considerable period” while other lawmakers he was travelling with were allowed through. Yasin was eventually allowed on and received apologies from the airline, he said, but it was important to put his experiences on the parliamentary record because of their “racist and Islamophobic nature.” Air Canada said today that its staff followed procedure.
Living with roommates: A growing number of Canadians are living with roommates longer than they ever expected. We spoke to three women in Vancouver, Toronto and Halifax about how living with roommates is helping them make ends meet. Listen here.
MARKET WATCH
U.S. stocks tumbled today as Alphabet shares slid after the Google parent posted disappointing earnings and as U.S. Treasury yields rose, reviving fears that interest rates could stay higher for longer.
The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX Composite Index ended down 38.64 points or 0.2 per cent at 18,947.85, its lowest closing level since October last year. The losing streak was the TSX’s longest since June.
The S&P 500 lost 60.91 points or 1.43 per cent to end at 4,186.77 points, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 318.65 points or 2.43 per cent to 12,821.22. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 105.45 points or 0.32 per cent to 33,035.93.
Got a news tip that you’d like us to look into? E-mail us at tips@globeandmail.com. Need to share documents securely? Reach out via SecureDrop.
TALKING POINTS
For Jewish people, the Hamas massacre has resurfaced painful family trauma
“It wasn’t just the largest number of Jews killed in a single day since the Holocaust – although that would be traumatizing enough – but the horrific way in which civilians including children and babies were murdered.” – Marsha Lederman
Is the parochial Pierre Poilievre ready for this war-ravaged world?
“Aside from attacking Mr. Trudeau, Mr. Poilievre mainly offers generalities on his own intentions. That may be okay in normal times, but these are far from normal times. Before long, he could be making decisions on whether Canada goes to war, decisions like those made around Iraq and Afghanistan.” – Lawrence Martin
As America’s attention turns elsewhere, Europe must do more for Ukraine
“I visited the military cemetery in Lviv to lay flowers on the grave of a volunteer soldier called Yevhen Hulevych, whom I met last December, shortly before he was killed near Bakhmut. I was shocked to see that the forest of fresh graves had almost doubled in size since I was last there.” – Timothy Garton Ash
Looking past high interest rates at the next big risk to your personal finances
“The big story in personal finance is no longer interest rates – it’s recession risk.” – Rob Carrick
LIVING BETTER
The sprint to sobriety: Is athletic culture going alcohol-free?
As evidence of the negative health effects of liquor crystallizes, high-level athletes, weekend warriors and many in between are reconsidering how much they should drink.Carlos Osorio/Supplied
Kathleen Lawrence, a 39-year-old runner from Toronto, developed a habit of enjoying a few drinks every Friday over the past decade. This ritual didn’t stop her from completing a marathon in 2 hours 49 minutes, making her a contender for the top 10 in any marathon in the country. But over the past year, Lawrence has cut her alcohol intake in half, attributing the move to more awareness about the negative effects of the substance, but also to the rising availability of quality, non-alcoholic options. Alex Cyr writes about athletes kicking alcoholic drinks here.
- Also: Natalie MacLean talks ‘wine mom’ culture, sexist marketing and how to cut back without going sober
TODAY’S LONG READ
New Zealand looks to the future of climate-friendly travel
Queenstown Airport in New Zealand. Flights from most major Australian cities to Auckland or Queenstown take three hours, and according to Air New Zealand, a three-hour sustainably powered flight could be possible by 2030.Roady NZ/Supplied
Wildfires, flooding, extreme heat: If this summer’s headlines are any indication of the future, changing how we travel to minimize our impact on the planet is a goal that can’t be achieved a moment too soon. Maryam Siddiqi writes about three popular New Zealand destinations that have taken on an ambitious project to make their tourism economy carbon-zero by the end of 2030.
- Also: Marathon race organizers adjust to new climate reality
Evening Update is written by Maryam Shah. 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.