Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:
An auction for highly coveted 5G airwaves has netted a record-breaking $8.91-billion for the federal government, with Rogers shelling out the most at nearly $3.33-billion.
The mid-band airwaves, which are in the 3,500-megahertz range, are considered beachfront property for 5G wireless services because they are able to carry larger volumes of data over long distances. The fifth generation of wireless technology promises much faster upload and download speeds, reduced lag time and a vast increase in the number of devices that can be connected, allowing it to power everything from smart cities to driverless cars.
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Ottawa plans to move ‘very quickly’ in getting Afghan interpreters on planes to Canada
The federal government is trying to get Afghans who assisted Canada during the war and now face danger out of the country as quickly as possible, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said.
Freeland responded today to criticism after the Immigration Department released an application form for eligible Afghans to complete within just 72 hours – a timeline which the government walked back later yesterday.
Veterans and interpreters have criticized the rollout of the new measures, saying that an Adobe Acrobat application form published in English makes little sense in a country with low literacy and patchy internet, and that calls to the Immigration Minister’s office have been met by answering machines.
Under an alias at Tokyo Olympics, Russians thwart IOC’s plan to humiliate them
On Thursday night in Tokyo, as the Russian women’s fencing team came out for their gold-medal match, they played The Imperial March from Star Wars – that’s Darth Vader’s theme song.
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Over the next hour and a bit, there were shades of La Grande Armée, as the Russians stabbed the hell out of the French and sent them to ragged retreat.
It ended with Russia up on stage, screaming and doing bodybuilding poses, while the French team stood in a corner muttering at each other. No better visual representation of European relations over the past two centuries was ever painted.
That win – Russia’s eighth in Tokyo – pushed them into a tie for fourth place on the medal table. For a country that’s not at the Olympics, it sure is winning a lot of things here.
Follow The Globe and Mail’s full Tokyo 2020 Olympics coverage.
ALSO ON OUR RADAR
British Canadians frustrated by exclusion from U.K.’s new quarantine exemptions: The United Kingdom countries announced yesterday that travellers who were fully vaccinated in the United States or Europe will not have to quarantine upon arrival as of Monday. The English and Scottish governments did not provide a reason why Canada was not included in the new quarantine exceptions. In recent weeks, Canada has reported much lower new COVID-19 case counts than the U.S., the U.K. and many European countries.
Canada looks to women to bolster trades amid post-pandemic labour shortage: An intensifying shortage of skilled workers has policymakers looking at a largely untapped market for new construction workers: Women. But attracting and retaining women in the skilled trades has long proven difficult, with tradeswomen and advocates citing challenges balancing child care and on-site work, the stubborn sexism still ingrained in some workplaces, and a lack of opportunities for women to get a foot in the door.
Wilfrid Laurier University launches project to examine life and legacy of namesake: The Waterloo, Ont., institution says it aims to better understand who the former prime minister was in order to recognize the effect of its affiliation with his name. It says the Laurier Legacy Project will involve research into his life and era, “and the ways that the past continues to influence the present day.”
Michele Audette, commissioner of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls inquiry appointed to Senate: Audette was named as a senator for Quebec as part of a raft of appointments made public by the Prime Minister’s Office. Two others with political experience were among those named today: Banff Mayor Karen Sorensen and Clément Gignac, chief economist at iA Financial Group and former Quebec MNA. Also receiving appointments were David Arnot, the chief commissioner of Saskatchewan’s Human Rights Commission and Amina Gerba, a Cameroonian Canadian entrepreneur.
Habs’ sponsors satisfied with team owner’s apology for drafting Logan Mailloux: Rotisserie chicken company Groupe St-Hubert and financial services firm Desjardins Group said today they are maintaining their relationship with the Montreal Canadiens after team owner Geoff Molson issued a statement saying Mailloux’s actions “do not reflect the values” of the team. The 18-year-old defenceman was convicted of a sex crime in Sweden last year.
MARKET WATCH
Canada’s main stock index closed at a record, surpassing its previous all-time peak on July 6, with a strong showing from the materials sector. On Wall Street, U.S. stocks ended higher, boosted by robust U.S. earnings and forecasts, while data showed the U.S. economy was above its pre-pandemic level. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 0.43 per cent to 35,082.42, the S&P 500 gained 0.42 per cent to 4,418.95 and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.11 per cent to 14,778.26.
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TALKING POINTS
It’s time to get tough with vaccine resisters
“The other day the B.C. government announced a campaign to get resisters to end their holdouts. As part of it, health officials will set up pop-up clinics on beaches and parks to entice people. What’s next? Offering to come to their homes with a double chai latte? It’s ridiculous.” - Gary Mason
Alberta’s new COVID-19 policy is reckless and repugnant
“The United Conservative Party government and their irredeemable yes-woman Dr. Hinshaw have committed to a path forward that will result in the reckless waste of human life. Even more will experience long-term disability. This policy is repugnant and shows a true disregard for Albertans.” - Blake Murdoch
LIVING BETTER
Nine summer recipe ideas featuring fish and seafood
Italians have always understood how to cook whole fish. They recognize it as a simple food with a clean fresh and delicate taste. It is grilled and served with fresh herbs, vinaigrettes, relishes, pesto or excellent olive oil. The flavours are never masked, and the fish keeps its integrity. If you are grilling fish this summer, this is the right way to do it. Here are some tips, techniques and an array of sauces to impress your guests.
TODAY’S LONG READ
Open this photo in gallery
Simone Biles, of the United States, waits to perform on the vault during the artistic gymnastics women's final at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 27, 2021, in Tokyo.
Gregory Bull/The Associated Press
In Tokyo, Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka share mental-health struggles as Japan confronts workaholic culture
Japan has spent years battling high suicide rates and workaholism so prevalent that the country has created a lexicon to describe the suffocating pressure of workplace expectations and the deaths that sometimes result, and has led to the creation of an entire field of research.
So for two of the world’s best-recognized Olympians to admit their mental-health struggles on Japanese soil was, to some, a source of hope that the revelations could give some comfort to others, and maybe push change in Japan.
On Wednesday, gymnast Simone Biles pulled out of the individual all-around competition after doing the same partway through the team finals, citing her mental well-being. The American withdrew after tennis star Naomi Osaka, the final torchbearer and the world’s highest-paid female athlete, lost her match on Tuesday and pointed to the intensity of the pressure on her.
Evening Update is written by Omair Quadri. 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.