TORONTO -
Canada’s westernmost provinces experience excess deaths, Angela Merkel’s tenure as German chancellor is officially over, and the Bank of Canada is set to release its last interest rate decision of 2021. Here’s what you need to know to start your day.
1. Excess deaths: A summer heatwave and illicit drug overdoses have combined to cause a high number of excess mortalities in two of Canada’s westernmost provinces.
2. German parliament: Germany's parliament elected Olaf Scholz as the country's ninth post-Second World War chancellor on Wednesday, opening a new era for the European Union's most populous nation and largest economy after Angela Merkel's 16-year tenure.
3. Interest rate: The Bank of Canada is set today to announce what will happen to its trendsetting interest rate with job and inflation figures on the rise.
4. Smollett trial: Closing arguments are scheduled for Wednesday morning in the case against former "Empire" actor Jussie Smollett, who is accused of staging a racist, anti-gay attack against himself in downtown Chicago.
5. Canadian vaccine: Biopharmaceutical company Medicago and drug maker GlaxoSmithKline reported Tuesday positive efficacy and safety results from the Phase 3 trial of their plant-based COVID-19 vaccine.
One more thing…
Strange cube: China’s lunar rover will be investigating what appears to be a mysterious cube-shaped “hut” on the moon after spotting it recently on the horizon.
"Mysterious Hut" on the horizon, captured by Yutu 2. (Our Space)
