Evening Update: Alice Munro, Canadian author who won Nobel Prize for Literature, dies at 92

Good evening, let’s start with today’s top stories:

Canadian author Alice Munro has died at 92. She had been living with dementia for at least 12 years.

Munro was the first Canadian to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2013, for being a “master of the contemporary short story.” Born to a farming family in 1931 in a small Ontario town, Munro began writing short stories as a teenager. The landscape of rural Ontario was the lifeblood of her imagination.

She died last night at her care home in Ontario. Her death was confirmed by her family. Funeral arrangements are pending.

• Obituary: Alice Munro, master of short stories, wove intense tales of human drama from small-town life
• Books: Alice Munro is gone, but her lives of girls and women continue
• In photos: Alice Munro, renowned Canada author, dead at 92

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Canada ramps up diplomacy to prepare for possible Trump presidency

Canadian government officials are pushing to pre-empt policies that could damage the country ahead of a potential Trump presidency. The full-court press aims to avoid a repeat of 2016 when a Trump victory caught Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet by surprise. Most of the current effort, led by Ambassador Kirsten Hillman and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, is public-facing, entailing cabinet ministers, provincial premiers and Canadian business leaders fanning out across the U.S. to build relationships with American counterparts. Read more from The Globe’s U.S. correspondent here.

House of Commons committee to consider launching probe of TD Bank’s anti-money-laundering violations

As U.S. regulators and law enforcement continue a lengthy investigation into Toronto-Dominion Bank, a House of Commons committee is considering probing failings in the bank’s anti-money-laundering practices. The finance committee will hold a meeting Friday afternoon to discuss allegations that TD failed to report money laundering related to the trafficking of illegal drug fentanyl, which would mark Ottawa’s first public conversation on the matter.

• Opinion: At TD Bank, the best job in banking is up for grabs

Prince Edward Island proposes banning tobacco sales to anyone born after a certain date

The government of Prince Edward Island is proposing banning tobacco sales to anyone born after a certain date. If adopted, it would make PEI one of the first jurisdictions in the world to prohibit tobacco sales to a new generation of young people. The government hasn’t proposed a specific age for a blanket ban, but suggested those born on or after Jan. 1, 2009 could face restrictions. The idea behind such a ban is that it would discourage young people from ever taking up smoking. Read more here.

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ALSO ON OUR RADAR

Wildfires: A wildfire near Fort McMurray in Alberta has forced out hundreds of people, so that crews can fight the blaze.

Trump hush-money trial: In his second day on the stand, Michael Cohen repeatedly placed his former boss at the centre of the plan to pay off porn star Stormy Daniels and falsify business records to cover it up.

Railways: Via Rail’s ridership rose in 2023, to around 4.1 million passengers last year. But it’s still not as high as the ridership record hit in 2019, with five million passengers.

Middle East: Israelis marked a subdued Independence Day under the shadow of the war in Gaza, immediately after the country marked an emotional Memorial Day.

• Meanwhile: Palestinians in Israel demand refugee return on ‘Nakba’ anniversary
• Elsewhere: Israeli flag raised at Ottawa City Hall with no public ceremony as Canadians mark national day

Car thieves: Anyone convicted of stealing a car in Ontario will have their driver’s licence suspended for at least 10 years, the province says, with those convicted three times of car theft facing suspension for life.

British courts: Two men appeared in court in England today, charged with planning to attack and kill members of the Jewish community and others with automatic weapons.

Reader callout!: How do your drinking habits change during the NHL playoffs? The Globe wants to hear all about it.

Health: Fertility treatment can be highly expensive. Factor in that the industry is secretive about fees, and it can become even harder to plan for a child.

Who’s a good dog?: Pups, pooches and their people face traditional judging in the 148th Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. See photos here.

Meme stocks: Why are meme stocks rallying again? GameStop and AMC shares have surged once more as Roaring Kitty reappeared online. Find out what all of this means.

MARKET WATCH

Wall Street’s main indexes all advanced and the Nasdaq scored a record closing high. Canada’s main stock index, however, ended lower for a third consecutive day as a drop in oil prices weighed on energy shares.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index closed down 15.83 points at 22,243.34. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 126.60 points at 39,558.11. The S&P 500 index was up 25.26 points at 5,246.68, while the Nasdaq composite was up 122.94 points at 16,511.18.

The Canadian dollar traded for 73.24 US cents.

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TALKING POINTS

Coming soon to a loved one near you: the crisis in caregiving

“Canada is facing a caregiving crisis that will only get worse without real action.” This stark warning came from the Canadian Centre for Caregiving Excellence (CCCE), as it cautions that a “perfect storm” is brewing when it comes to caring for our aging loved ones.” – André Picard

For Palestinians, the disaster unfolding in Rafah triggers painful memories

“Palestinians around the world fear they will face a mass exodus similar to the one that took place in 1948. To Palestinians, the parallels to the Nakba of 1948 are indisputable.” – Raja G. Khouri

Are the campus protests just noise? A look back at the anti-apartheid movement offers insights

“Perhaps the closest historical analogue to the present-day campus protests occurred in the mid-1980s, as students mobilized against the South African apartheid regime. Indeed, student activists today have deliberately borrowed the traditions, tactics, symbols and language of arguably the most successful social movement of the 20th century for their campaigns.” – Daniel Manulak

LIVING BETTER

How to become a better runner

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Long-distance runners be mindful that strength training may actually be a key ingredient to acing your next race. While training on your feet is key to making it to the finish line, supplementing with strength training can improve endurance and speed, and help reduce the risk of injury. Read more.

TODAY’S LONG READ

War-displaced Ukrainians call on Ottawa for a simplified pathway to permanent residency

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Ukrainians in Canada who fled from war now have no way of staying, after the Canada-Ukraine authorization for emergency travel program, which allowed them to temporarily come to Canada, ended in March. They are now urging the federal government to create a streamlined pathway to permanent residency, saying they do not qualify for many existing programs. Read more from Lidiia Karpenko here.

• Related: Ukraine to allow some prisoners to join the military in effort to boost ranks

Evening Update is written by Maryam Shah. 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.