In this April 9, 2017, file photo, former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon steps off Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base, Md.Alex Brandon/The Associated Press
Good evening and happy Friday,
This is the Evening Update newsletter, a roundup of the important stories of the day and what everyone is talking about, delivered to your inbox every weekday around 5 p.m. 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 get your feedback. Let us know what you think.
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Trump fires Bannon as chief strategist
Stephen Bannon, the former Breitbart executive and head of the far-right wing of the Trump White House, is out. On Tuesday, after the White House faced a firestorm of criticism following the Charlottesville, Va., white supremacist rally, U.S. President Donald Trump declined to support Mr. Bannon publicly.
Countrywide manhunt under way after 14 killed in Spanish attacks
Spanish police shot dead five would-be attackers in a town south of Barcelona early Friday morning after a van attack in the Las Ramblas district on Thursday killed many and injured dozens more.
The city observed a moment of silence on Friday and a crowd chanted, "I am not afraid" in Catalan. The method of the initial attack – a van ramming into a crowded area – has become increasingly common. Since July, 2016, 125 people have died in similar attacks in London, Nice, Berlin and now Barcelona. We've broken down what we know so far about the attacks.
Political scientist Colin Clarke examines what can be done when a car is used as a terror weapon.
At least two killed, six wounded in stabbings in Turku, Finland
At least two people are dead after a man went on a stabbing rampage in a market square in Turku, a city in southwest Finland. Police were able to apprehend the suspected attacker after shooting him in the leg. Neither a motive nor an identity has been established for the man. Officials initially asked people to stay away from the city centre, but residents have since been allowed to return.
Swedish prosecutors to charge Bombardier employee with bribery
A Bombardier employee will be charged with bribery, Swedish prosecutors said, after he and several other people at the company were allegedly involved in a scheme to seal a $340-million deal. The 37-year-old Russian man, who remains unnamed, was arrested after he was suspected of conspiring with Azerbaijani officials in a 2013 rail equipment deal. Prosecutors said they obtained evidence after a raid of Bombardier's Swedish offices last October.
MARKET WATCH
Canada's main stock index fell Friday, pushed down by losses in bank shares and gold miners, concerns about a stronger loonie and a higher inflation rate. The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index ended down 0.54 per cent at 14,952.33. U.S. stocks also fell as investors were nervous about U.S. President Donald Trump's agenda after the ouster of Stephen Bannon. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.35 per cent to 21,674.51, and the S&P 500 lost 0.18 per cent to end at 2,425.55. Oil prices jumped as the greenback fell and U.S. crude was flat on the week.
WHAT'S TRENDING
"Ignoring your hateful rhetoric would have made us complicit in your words and actions. Supremacy, discrimination and vitriol are not American values. Your values are not American values," the U.S. President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities announced in its resignation letter.
TALKING POINTS
Presidenting 101: Intro to denouncing racism
"Denouncing white supremacists is basically Presidenting 101, a lesson easily learned and applied. It's an instruction I imagine coming right after 'Press lips to baby, remove lips. Fairly quickly. Under no circumstances eat the baby, no matter how much you think the baby looks like a beautiful cake. Do not even sample the baby. Do not sniff the baby. Do not lick the baby. You are a 21st-century American politician, you kiss babies and you condemn white supremacists.' " – Tabatha Southey
Teaching youth to code is more than just a 'fad'
"Margaret Wente referred to kids learning code as 'cute,' but I would argue that more fitting words include 'essential,' 'world changing,' or maybe just 'about damn time.' Ms. Wente, teaching kids how to code isn't a fad. It's the future." – Shopify CEO Tobi Lütke
What can really be done about foreign influence in elections?
"That foreign actors should be prevented from meddling in the electoral affairs of another nation is a given. But as Brexit and the U.S. election have demonstrated, it is likely happening far more than we suspect, in ways we can't imagine." – Gary Mason
LIVING BETTER
Yoga has been known to have many benefits for both the body and the mind, but if you're one of the people who find the traditional practice boring, then you might want to try aerial yoga. It can be a fun fitness adventure – but be warned, there is the potential for injury.
LONG READS FOR THE WEEKEND
A tale of two shootings: How the Mob controls marijuana and why it is impossible to expel them
One of the Trudeau government's stated policy goals for ending marijuana prohibition is to divert the profits reaped by gangsters toward legitimate shareholders. But an investigation by The Globe's Greg McArthur and Molly Hayes offers a glimpse into the insidious nature of organized crime, finding that criminal groups easily exploited loopholes in the federal government's old medical-marijuana licensing regimes. (for subscribers)
A protected place and a long-awaited victory for the Inuit
The Globe's Margaret Wente is in Nunavut, spending 12 days as the Canada C3 Expedition circumnavigates the Canadian Arctic to mark Canada 150. She finds a magnificent yet forbidding place and a historic agreement set to make the Lancaster Sound marine conservation area the largest protected region in Canada, ensuring that no one will drill for oil in the Northwest Passage. (for subscribers)
Have a great weekend!
Evening Update is written by Mayaz Alam, Omair Quadri and Kristene Quan. 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.