In this Monday, April 21, 2017, file photo, U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at Fort Myer in Arlington Va. during a Presidential Address to the Nation. North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency, Tuesday, described Trump as a leader who frequently tweets "weird articles of his ego-driven thoughts" and "spouts rubbish" in response to tough talk in Washington and Seoul over threats posed by the North's nuclear and missile programs. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)The Associated Press
TOP STORIES
Trump shifts course, strengthening commitment to war in Afghanistan
Donald Trump says the U.S. must keep up its fight in the Afghanistan war, but he is holding off on setting a number for a troop increase. "Conditions on the ground, not arbitrary timetables, will guide our strategy from now on," he said in an address last night. The President's views on the war in Afghanistan have changed over the years. In 2013, Trump called for a withdrawal. But by 2015, he said he "would leave troops there begrudgingly." While Trump ran on an "America first" economic agenda, his actions have proved that he's willing to intervene abroad. Besides this announcement, Trump previously ordered a surprise missile strike on Syria and has escalated tensions with North Korea.
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Liberal ministers go to Canada-U.S. border to warn migrants against crossing
The Liberal government is stepping up its efforts to warn prospective border-crossers against making their way to Canada. Two cabinet ministers made the trip to facilities near the border in Quebec, a province that has seen 3,800 crossings so far this month. "It's very important … that people understand very clearly that Canadian law applies, and we will be assiduous in enforcing that law, and people should not think that border hopping is a desirable or productive thing to do," Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said. The remarks come just after Justin Trudeau said those coming to Canada illegally won't gain a fast track to residency.
Petronas considers acquiring minority stake in LNG Canada
Less than a month after Petronas scrapped its planned Pacific NorthWest LNG project, the Malaysian company is looking at acquiring a minority stake in a separate B.C. liquified natural gas venture. The state-owned firm is eyeing a 15-per-cent stake in the LNG Canada project led by Royal Dutch Shell. Petronas reportedly wants to move natural gas from its properties in northeast B.C. to foreign markets. It's also exploring options to transport B.C. natural gas through already-built pipelines to the U.S. Gulf Coast. (for subscribers)
Denis Shapovalov's Rogers Cup performance captivated Canada, but can he top it?
At only 18, Canadian Denis Shapovalov stunned the tennis world with his win over Rafael Nadal at the Rogers Cup last week. Now ranked at No. 69 on the ATP Tour, he's looking to prove that his run to the semi-finals wasn't just a one-off fluke. That quest begins today, when Shapovalov will play his first of three qualifying matches en route to a potential spot in the main draw of the U.S. Open.
HEALTH PRIMER
Brain scans reveal impact of contact sports even on young, healthy athletes: study
Even young healthy athletes who play sports like soccer and basketball have differences in their brains, a new Canadian study has found. The findings show changes to the brain that bear similarities to concussions, according to researchers at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto. The study examined the brains of 65 varsity athletes playing in collision sports like football and rugby, contact sports such as soccer and basketball, and non-contact sports like swimming or golf. The more contact in a sport, the greater the impact on the brain, the study found.
MORNING MARKETS
European stocks broke a three-day losing streak on Tuesday, building on gains in other markets boosted by signs of a global economic recovery and rising commodity prices. The meeting of policy makers in Jackson Hole, Wy., will dominate the week. Tokyo's Nikkei was down slightly while Hong Kong's Hang Seng was 0.9 per cent higher at 5:15 a.m. ET. The Shanghai composite was flat. In Europe, the FTSE 100 and Germany's Dax were both up 0.6 per cent and the Paris CAC was 0.4 per cent higher. New York futures were up. The Canadian dollar was trading at 79.50 cents (U.S.).
WHAT EVERYONE'S TALKING ABOUT
In the U.S. South, the difference between remembering the past and honouring it
"Public monuments are never just about the past. What we choose to memorialize, and how, is more about the present, what we want to remember, and how we hope to shape the future. History should not be forgotten, and it shouldn't be buried. But we don't have to build statues to errors, or evil. And we don't have to maintain memorials to great acts of wrongdoing, just because they are "part of history." There's a difference between remembering and honouring. The former is necessary. The latter is a choice, and in some cases, after the facts of history are faced honestly, a choice that should be revisited and reversed." – Globe editorial
The Trump ship may finally be sinking
"The most notable departure of the week may not be Mr.Bannon, but long-time Trump ally Carl Icahn, an infamous 81-year-old corporate raider who has been bailing Donald Trump out since his bankruptcy-prone 1980s real estate heyday. … When Mr. Trump loses protective power brokers such as Carl Icahn, it indicates his ship may truly be sinking. Mr. Trump will continue to pander to his bigoted base, but that base cannot protect him from the consequences of his actions." – Sarah Kendzior
Canada needs to take its green trade to the global market
"The expansion of the climate-change policy agenda in Canada and throughout most of the world creates growing interest in clean technology and services that can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and other negative environmental effects. Much of the clean-tech discussion in Canada has focused on the domestic market for the production and consumption of low-carbon energy. But there is a much larger business opportunity waiting in the international green-trade market." – Glen Hodgson and Brent Dowdall, senior fellow and senior manager, respectively, at the Conference Board of Canada (for subscribers)
MOMENT IN TIME
World-famous paintings stolen from Oslo's Munch Museum
Aug. 22, 2004: It was a quiet morning at Oslo's Munch Museum, with a few dozen visitors leisurely strolling through the exhibits. But the tranquillity was shattered when two armed men burst in, waving pistols, on this morning 13 years ago. The men forced security guards to the ground, and paused to ask for directions – they didn't know where to find what they were looking for. The robbers were shown to the main gallery, where they snatched Edvard Munch's The Scream and Madonna from the wall, and then fled in a waiting Audi. The Scream is a piece of Expressionist work said to symbolize existential angst; Madonna is a more sensual piece, depicting the naked torso of a woman with a red halo over her head. The two famed paintings are worth more than $100-million (U.S.). They were recovered two years after the crime and three men were jailed for their involvement in the robbery. – Eleanor Davidson
Morning Update is written by Arik Ligeti.
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