Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
After three of his ministers resigned, Lebanon’s Prime Minister Hassan Diab took a step back himself. “I declare today the resignation of this government. May God protect Lebanon,” he said, repeating the last phrase three times.
On Aug. 6, a massive explosion at Beirut’s port left thousands injured and more than 150 dead. Improper storage of 2,750 tonnes of ammonium nitrate is believed to have lead to the destruction that has now left 300,000 without a home.
Since the explosion, Diab and many others have put the blame on decades of corruption and poor governance by a political class that has ruled Lebanon since its civil war ended in 1990. To learn more, read The Globe’s explainer on the Beirut explosion.
A group uses a chain to bring down a concrete barrier outside of parliament during an anti-government protest on August 10, 2020 in Beirut, Lebanon.Daniel Carde/Getty Images
Also happening:
- Protests have been taking place, escalating as security forces began firing tear gas at protesters.
- The head of the UN food agency said today that he’s “very, very concerned” Lebanon could run out of bread in about two and a half weeks. The majority – 85 per cent – of the country’s grain comes through the now devastated port.
- An international donor teleconference hosted by France raised a total of 252.7-million euro ($396-million) in emergency aid, organizers said. The head of the International Monetary Fund wants an audit before handing over the money.
China and Hong Kong: Who is Jimmy Lai and why was he arrested?
Lai is a media tycoon and billionaire who is one of Hong Kong’s best-known democracy advocates. Also arrested was Agnes Chow, a young politician who has worked closely with Joshua Wong, the city’s most prominent pro-democracy activist.
What happened? Lai, who has enraged Beijing with his public criticism of the Communist Party, was taken in handcuffs from his home early Monday. He was arrested along with his sons and four of his top executives.
Some context: He is accused of colluding with foreign powers, a new crime under the national security law that China put into force July 1. In effect, the new security law supersedes all local laws. Canada and other countries have issued statements of concern over the new law.
Looking forward: Critics said Monday marks a new stage in the changes sweeping Hong Kong, as Beijing asserts greater control. Lai was arrested 40 days after the law came into force, which is said to protect freedom of speech and press.
- Opinion: Cold War rhetoric has no place in the reality of the U.S.-China feud
Employees check the print quality of copies of the Apple Daily newspaper, published by Next Media Ltd, with a headline "Apple Daily will fight on" after media mogul, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, founder of Apple Daily was arrested by the national security unit, at the company's printing facility in Hong Kong, China August 11, 2020.TYRONE SIU/Reuters
COVID guidelines
Today, Andre Picard wrote an opinion piece on why clear back-to-school guidelines are necessary for parents who are out of their minds with worry, fear and guilt. With more than 5.5 million Canadian students slated to return to classes next month, figuring out these guidelines should be a top priority.
“We are concerned – obsessed, even – with making schools safe, and that’s good. But we have to concern ourselves with what children will be doing if they’re not in school,” he wrote.
In other news:
- In Quebec, students in Grade 5 and up will be required to wear masks in all common areas of school buildings, except in the classroom.
- The Public Health Agency of Canada has issued guidelines on reopening schools, recommending staggered schedules, increased ventilation and masks for children 10 and up.
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ALSO ON OUR RADAR
Canada ‘deeply concerned’ by crackdown in Belarus, says Champagne: Police brutality and protests erupted as Belarusian election officials said authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko had won a sixth term in office with 80 per cent of the vote.
- Also read: Mark MacKinnon’s piece on the police crackdown
Ottawa loosens EI requirements as part of CERB transition: The federal government is now winding down CERB and looking to transition people onto other forms of assistance. The final CERB eligibility period ends in late September, and some recipients have already received their final payments.
Black people ‘disproportionately’ arrested, charged, subjected to use of force by Toronto police: A report released this morning found that despite the fact Black people represent only about 8.8 per cent of the city’s population, they represented almost a third of all charges in the data.
Mauritius must brace for ‘a worst-case scenario’ after oil spill: Conservationists said they were starting to find dead fish as well as seabirds covered in oil, increasing fears of an ecological catastrophe despite a massive local cleanup operation.
MARKET WATCH
Energy stocks lead TSX higher
Canada’s main stock index rose on Monday, boosted by energy stocks, which tracked higher oil prices and an improvement in China’s factory data. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index was unofficially up 61.02 points at 16,588.10.
Unofficially, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 359.4 points to 27,792.88, the S&P 500 gained 9.33 points to 3,360.61 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 42.63 points to 10,968.36
Looking for investing ideas? Check out The Globe’s weekly digest of the latest insights and analysis from the pros, stock tips, portfolio strategies and what investors need to know for the week ahead. This week’s edition includes value stock picks, GIC-boosting strategies and the truth about bond ETF yields.
TALKING POINTS
Here’s a tip: It’s time to discuss how we pay workers in the service industry
Dr. Sylvain Charlebois: “A recent Canada-wide survey conducted by Dalhousie University suggests that most Canadians (56 per cent of respondents) are now in favour of including tips in menu prices. It’s a surprising change – for years, Canadians felt differently.” Dr. Charlebois is a professor and the senior director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University.
As currently comprised, the Maple Leafs do not have what it takes to win
Cathal Kelly: “But at some point, the reasons not to change become less urgent than the reasons to do so. Four years in to this circle of despair, the Leafs have reached that point.”
If we’re cancelling historical villains, why not Norman Bethune?
Patrick Luciani: “One statue that remains unmolested is the one of Norman Bethune that sits peacefully on the campus of the University of Toronto. Yet, if ever there was a statue associated with the evils of a political idea, it is the good doctor’s.”
LIVING BETTER
Mother working from home with kids.Family Veldman/iStockPhoto / Getty Images
How do you help kids play by themselves?
It’s a question The Globe’s Sarah Rosensweet has been asked a lot over the past few months in isolation during the pandemic. As kids get older, they generally get better at entertaining themselves. Some children have a harder time, even with all Sarah’s suggestions, but she says to always keep trying new things.
- Do: Communicate about when you do have free time dedicated to them, and allow them to stay close to you while they play. Create a space where they can bring all their favourite toys and where clean up is easy.
- Don’t: While your kids are getting engaged, don’t insert yourself. Let them stay in the flow and don’t interrupt their alone time.
- Other ideas: Sensory activities such as a bubble bath, a sandbox or slime can be made with household ingredients. It might take more time but could pay off if it keeps the kids preoccupied a little longer.
TODAY’S LONG READ
A mining machine is seen at the Bayan Obo mine containing rare earth minerals, in Inner Mongolia, China July 16, 2011.CHINA STRINGER NETWORK/Reuters
Analysis: Can the West’s economies ever escape China’s magnetic pull?
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and escalating Sino-American tensions, global customers are searching for alternative sources of rare earths with a renewed sense of urgency.
China is so heavily embedded in the global supply chain, it’s even known at the “the Great Assembler.” And if companies want new sources of these rare-earth metals, companies need to commit the huge amounts of capital to build them.
The Globe’s Matthew McClearn and Niall McGee explore how the search has turned out badly for firms that tried for a decade to take on Beijing’s state-controlled mining machine.
Evening Update is written by Sierra Bein. 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.