Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
Afghan protesters defied the Taliban for a second day, waving their national flag in scattered demonstrations that were met with renewed violence by the Taliban who are facing growing unrest.
A UN official warned of dire food shortages in this nation of 38 million people reliant on imports and experts said the country was severely short on cash, highlighting that the Taliban face the same problems as the civilian government they dethroned without the level of international aid it enjoyed.
In light of these challenges, the militants have moved quickly to suppress any dissent, despite their promises that they have become more moderate since they last imposed draconian rule on Afghanistan. Many fear the Taliban will succeed in erasing two decades of efforts to expand women’s and human rights and remake the country.
Read more:
- Canada poised to resume evacuation flights from Afghanistan as window of opportunity shrinking
- G7 calls for international ‘shared mission’ to limit crisis in Afghanistan
- Taliban’s potential president: ex-prisoner and long-time insurgent who spoke to Trump
Liberals offer big child-care benefits for long-term while Tories pitch more modest relief for short-term
The Conservative plan for a refundable tax credit for child care expenses takes aim at the thousands of Canadian parents stuck on wait lists for regulated child care spaces - families that will have to wait years for the capacity expansion at the heart of the Liberal plan for a ramp-up in subsidized care.
It’s a campaign pitch from the Tories of some benefit – now – for any family paying for child care versus the Liberal proposal of big benefits for those fortunate enough to have their kids in a subsidized spot.
But over the long term, that balance would shift under the Liberal plan to both subsidize daycare spots to bring down costs and fund the expansion of supply. Meanwhile, the Tory plan does nothing directly to expand capacity, meaning that the party is more focused on alleviating the symptoms of a strained daycare system.
The fourth wave is here – what does this mean for kids heading back to school?
Children and teenagers account for about one in five COVID-19 cases across Canada since the start of the pandemic, and some experts anticipate that figure could rise during the fourth wave as millions of unvaccinated children return to school.
Among those ages 12 to 17, about 74 per cent have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, and 53 per cent are fully vaccinated, according to the latest government data. No COVID-19 vaccine is yet approved for children under 12, but in Ontario the Pfizer vaccine is now available for those who will turn 12 this year.
We asked experts how they anticipate COVID-19 will affect children this fall.
Read more:
- Manitoba universities and college mandate COVID-19 vaccines for staff, students
- Fully vaccinated people still have high potential of spreading COVID-19 Delta variant, British study says
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Knight Therapeutics’ new CEO Samira Sakhia looks to usher in the next generation of leaders: For Ms. Sakhia, it’s a chance to prove that a immigrant and person of colour can steer one of Canada’s homegrown pharmaceutical companies at a pivotal time in its development. And if she can help usher in the next generation of business leaders still facing barriers trying to clinch top roles, even better.
Jason Kenney’s principal secretary to leave Premier’s office in the fall: Principal secretary Larry Kaumeyer, who had served as the interim chief of staff for the first half of this year, will become the chief executive of Ducks Unlimited Canada in October, a position he considers a dream job. Mr. Kaumeyer said he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to lead the Canadian arm of the hunter-founded group focused on wetland conservation.
R. Kelly sex-trafficking trial resumes with an accuser’s testimony: A key accuser at the R. Kelly sex-trafficking trial returned to the witness stand on Thursday, saying Kelly often videotaped their sexual encounters and demanded she dress like a Girl Scout during a relationship that began when she was a minor.
Meng Wanzhou’s extradition case: Everything you need to know as hearing ends with reserved decision
MARKET WATCH
Canadian stocks sank to a three-week low on Thursday, with commodity-linked sectors leading the losses, as investor fears of a slowdown in global growth dented oil and metal prices. Wall Street performance was mixed.
The S&P/TSX composite index was down 86.75 points at 20,215.36.
In New York, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 36.57 points at 34,894.12. The S&P 500 index was up 5.53 points at 4,405.80, while the Nasdaq composite was grew by 15.87 points at 14,525.91.
The Canadian dollar traded for 77.92 cents US compared with 79.18 cents US on Wednesday.
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TALKING POINTS
Will François Legault play federal kingmaker in Quebec?
“The Liberals have bent over backward since the last election to accommodate Quebec Premier François Legault, who helped revive the Bloc’s fortunes by tabling a list of “demands” during the 2019 campaign that shaped the vote’s outcome. The Premier has promised to table a new list of demands to the federal party leaders during this campaign. Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet is champing at the bit to make Mr. Trudeau’s opposition to Bill 21 an election issue.” - Konrad Yakabuski
Unions are out of step with the public on vaccine mandates
“It appears the country’s largest federal public sector union doesn’t like the idea of its members being told they must be vaccinated as a condition of their employment. What seems to be upsetting the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) the most is the idea the government could discipline those civil servants who refuse to get jabbed, up to and including termination.” - Gary Mason
Mother-daughter lifelong rift unleashes supernatural sci-fi horror in Demonic
“Supernatural horror flick Demonic marks South African-Canadian director Neill Blomkamp’s return to feature filmmaking following his 2015 dystopian blockbuster Chappie. Starring Popular’s Carly Pope, Demonic was filmed during the summer of 2020, during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s a continuation of Blomkamp’s interest in mixing handheld realism with computer generated animation and effects, but Demonic is a much more understated entry in the writer-director’s filmography, which also includes Elysium and District 9.” - Sarah-Tai Black
LIVING BETTER
Nine wines to enjoy now, including some red blends made in and inspired by the Rhône Valley
Austin Hope winery in Paso Robles got its start when Austin's father, Chuck Hope, planted a vineyard 40 years ago when there were only three wineries and less than 1,000 acres of grape vines in the region. Globe wine expert Christopher Waters explores wines that are still delicious and largely underappreciated.The Globe and Mail
A long-standing joke in the American wine trade asks: What’s the difference between a cold and a case of Californian syrah?
You can get rid of a cold.
The enormous success of cabernet across the Golden State leaves little space for lesser-known varieties such as syrah, grenache and mourvèdre to gain traction. Merlot, pinot noir and zinfandel managed to carve out a niche to captivate consumers, but the grape varieties from the Rhône Valley continue to struggle despite their ability to make incredibly enjoyable wines.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Afghan refugees in Canada plead for airlifts of family
Repeated death threats from the Taliban forced an Afghan mother to make a fateful decision. She would flee her homeland first and send for her family later.
But since arriving in Toronto as a refugee in 2019, she has been racked with fear – especially for her now 14-year-old daughter. She completed the paperwork to reunite her family and says federal immigration officials approved it in principle. Delays in processing, however, meant their flight out of Kabul never materialized.
The Taliban took over Afghanistan’s capital this past weekend. Now, the woman is pleading with Canada to get her husband, sons and daughter on an airlift out of Kabul.
Evening Update is written by Demar Grant. 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.