Meteorologist Tyler Hamilton with more.
WASHINGTON — Members of President Donald Trump’s failed presidential campaign played key roles in orchestrating the Washington rally that spawned a deadly assault on the U.S. Capitol, according to an Associated Press review of records, undercutting claims the event was the brainchild of the president's grassroots supporters. A pro-Trump non-profit group called Women for America First hosted the “Save America Rally” on Jan. 6 at the Ellipse, an oval-shaped, federally owned patch of land near the White House. But an attachment to the National Park Service public gathering permit granted to the group lists more than half a dozen people in staff positions for the event who just weeks earlier had been paid thousands of dollars by Trump’s 2020 reelection campaign. Other staff scheduled to be “on site” during the demonstration have close ties to the White House. Since the siege, several of them have scrambled to distance themselves from the rally. The riot at the Capitol, incited by Trump’s comments before and during his speech at the Ellipse, has led to a reckoning unprecedented in American history. The president told the crowd to march to the Capitol and that “you’ll never take back our country with weakness. You have to show strength, and you have to be strong.” A week after the rally, Trump was impeached by the House of Representatives, becoming the first U.S. president ever to be impeached twice. But the political and legal fallout may stretch well beyond Trump, who will exit the White House on Wednesday before Democrat Joe Biden takes the oath of office. Trump had refused for nearly two months to accept his loss in the 2020 election to the former vice-president. Women for America First, which applied for and received the Park Service permit, did not respond to messages seeking comment about how the event was financed and about the Trump campaign’s involvement. The rally drew tens of thousands of people. In a statement, the president’s reelection campaign said it “did not organize, operate or finance the event.” No campaign staff members were involved in the organization or operation of the rally, according to the statement. It said that if any former employees or independent contractors for the campaign took part, “they did not do so at the direction of the Trump campaign.” At least one was working for the Trump campaign this month. Megan Powers was listed as one of two operations managers for the Jan. 6 event, and her LinkedIn profile says she was the Trump campaign's director of operations into January 2021. She did not respond to a message seeking comment. The AP’s review found at least three of the Trump campaign aides named on the permit rushed to obscure their connections to the demonstration. They deactivated or locked down their social media profiles, removed tweets that referenced the rally and blocked a reporter who asked questions. Caroline Wren, a veteran GOP fundraiser, is named as a “VIP Advisor” on an attachment to the permit that Women for America First provided to the agency. Between mid-March and mid-November, Donald J. Trump for President Inc. paid Wren $20,000 a month, according to Federal Election Commission records. During the campaign, she was a national finance consultant for Trump Victory, a joint fundraising committee between the president’s reelection campaign and the Republican National Committee. Wren was involved in at least one call before the pro-Trump rally with members of several groups listed as rally participants to organize credentials for VIP attendees, according to Kimberly Fletcher, the president of one of those groups, Moms for America. Wren retweeted messages about the event ahead of time, but a cache of her account on Google shows at least eight of those tweets disappeared from her timeline. She apparently removed some herself, and others were sent from accounts that Twitter suspended. One of the messages Wren retweeted was from “Stop the Steal,” another group identified as a rally participant on a website promoting the event. The Jan. 2 message thanked Republican senators who said they would vote to overturn Biden’s election victory, including Josh Hawley of Missouri and Ted Cruz of Texas. She also retweeted a Jan. 1 message from the president promoting the event, as well as promotional messages from one of the president’s son, Eric Trump, and Katrina Pierson, a Tea Party activist and a spokesperson for Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Wren did not return messages seeking comment, and locked her Twitter account after the AP reached out to her last Monday to ask her about her involvement in the Trump rally and the tweets she had removed. Several days later, she blocked the AP reporter. Maggie Mulvaney, a niece of former top Trump aide Mick Mulvaney, is listed on the permit attachment as the “VIP Lead.” She worked as director of finance operations for the Trump campaign, according to her LinkedIn profile. FEC records show Maggie Mulvaney was earning $5,000 every two weeks from Trump’s reelection campaign, with the most recent payment reported on Nov. 13. Maggie Mulvaney had taken down her Twitter account as of last Monday, although it reappeared after an AP reporter asked her about the account’s removal. On Sunday, the same day the AP published this report, she blocked that AP reporter on Twitter. Maggie Mulvaney retweeted several messages on Jan. 6, including one from the president that urged support for the Capitol Police. Trump's Twitter account has been suspended, but the message could be seen in a cache of her Twitter account captured by Google. She also retweeted a message from her uncle, urging Trump to address the nation. Maggie Mulvaney did not respond to messages seeking comment. The insurrection at the Capitol prompted Mick Mulvaney to quit his position as Trump’s special envoy to Northern Ireland. He told CNBC a day after the assault that remaining in the post would prompt people to say “‘Oh yeah, you work for the guy who tried to overtake the government.’” The leaders of Women for America First aren’t new to politics. Amy Kremer, listed as the group’s president on records filed with Virginia’s state corporation commission, is “one of the founding mothers of the modern day tea party movement,” according to her website. Her daughter, Kylie Jane Kremer, is the organization’s treasurer, according to the records. The IRS granted Women for America First tax-exempt status as a social welfare organization a year ago, with the exemption retroactive to February 2019. The AP requested that the group provide any tax records it may have filed since then, but received no response. In a statement issued the same day rioters attacked the Capitol, Amy Kremer denounced the assault and said it was instigated after the rally by a “handful of bad actors,” while seeming to blame Democrats and news organizations for the riot. “Unfortunately, for months the left and the mainstream media told the American people that violence was an acceptable political tool,” she said. “They were wrong. It is not.” The AP reviewed social media posts, voter registrations, court files and other public records for more than 120 people either facing criminal charges related to the Jan. 6 unrest or who, going maskless during the pandemic, were later identified through photographs and videos taken during the melee. The review found the crowd was overwhelmingly made up of longtime Trump supporters, including Republican Party officials, GOP political donors, far-right militants, white supremacists, off-duty police, members of the military and adherents of the QAnon myth that the government is secretly controlled by a cabal of Satan-worshiping pedophile cannibals. Videos posted on social media in the days following the Capitol attack shows that thousands of people stormed the Capitol. A Capitol Police officer died after he was hit in the head with a fire extinguisher as rioters descended on the building and many other officers were injured. A woman from California was shot to death by Capitol Police and three other people died after medical emergencies during the chaos. Trump’s incendiary remarks at the Jan. 6 rally culminated a two-day series of events in Washington, organized by a coalition of the president’s supporters who echoed his baseless accusations that the election had been stolen from him. A website, MarchtoSaveAmerica.com, sprung up to promote the pro-Trump events and alerted followers, “At 1 PM, we protest at US Capitol.” The website has been deactivated. Another website, TrumpMarch.com shows a fist-raised Trump pictured on the front of a red, white and blue tour bus emblazoned with the words, “Powered by Women for America First.” The logo for the bedding company “My Pillow” is also prominent. Mike Lindell, the CEO of My Pillow, is an ardent Trump supporter who’s falsely claimed Trump didn’t lose the election to Biden and will serve another four-year term as president. “To demand transparency & protect election integrity,” the web page reads. Details of the “DC PROTEST” will be coming soon, it adds, and also lists a series of bus stops between Dec. 27 and Jan. 6 where Trump backers can “Join the caravan or show your support.” Kimberly Fletcher, the Moms for America president, said she wasn’t aware the Trump campaign had a role in the rally at the Ellipse until around New Year's Day. While she didn’t work directly with the campaign, Fletcher did notice a shift in who was involved in the rally and who would be speaking. “When I got there and I saw the size of the stage and everything, I’m like, ‘Wow, we couldn’t possibly have afforded that,’” she said. “It was a big stage. It was a very professional stage. I don’t know who was in the background or who put it together or anything.” In addition to the large stage, the rally on the Ellipse featured a sophisticated sound system and at least three Jumbotron-style screens projecting the president's image to the crowd. Videos posted online show Trump and his family in a nearby private tent watching the rally on several monitors as music blared in the background. Moms for America held a more modest “Save the Republic” rally on Jan. 5 near the U.S. Capitol, an event that drew about 500 people and cost between $13,000 to $14,000, according to Fletcher. Justin Caporale is listed on the Women for America First paperwork as the event’s project manager. He’s identified as a partner with Event Strategies Inc., a management and production company. Caporale, formerly a top aide to first lady Melania Trump, was on the Trump campaign payroll for most of 2020, according to the FEC records, and he most recently was being paid $7,500 every two weeks. Caporale didn’t respond to requests for comment. Tim Unes, the founder and president of Event Strategies, was the “stage manager” for the Jan. 6 rally, according to the permit paperwork. Unes has longstanding ties to Trump, a connection he highlights on his company’s website. Trump’s presidential campaign paid Event Strategies $1.3 million in 2020 for “audio visual services,” according to the campaign finance records. The company declined to comment for this story. Another person with close ties to the Trump administration, Hannah Salem, was the rally’s “operations manager for logistics and communications,” according to the permit paperwork. In 2017, she took a hiatus from the consulting firm she founded and spent three years as senior White House press aide, “executing the media strategy for President Trump’s most high-profile events,” according to her company bio and LinkedIn profile. Last week, within minutes of an AP reporter sending her a LinkedIn message asking about her involvement in and understanding of what happened on Jan. 6, Salem blocked the reporter and did not respond to questions. ___ Smith reported from Providence, Rhode Island. ___ Associated Press researcher Rhonda Shafner in New York and Associated Press writer Zeke Miller contributed to this report. Richard Lardner And Michelle R. Smith, The Associated Press
TORONTO — An enforcement blitz that uncovered numerous violations of COVID-19 prevention protocols across big-box retailers in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas will broaden its scope to include the rest of the province in the weeks ahead, the province's labour minister said Sunday. Monte McNaughton said the initial wave of inspectors combing retailers for those eschewing masks and ignoring physical distancing guidelines found only 70 per cent of sites they visited were adhering to the public health measures intended to curb the spread of the virus. He called the results disappointing, pledging to expand the enforcement efforts to other parts of the province as well as additional industries at risk from COVID-19 outbreaks. "We'll be expanding that in the days and weeks to come across the whole province," McNaughton said in a telephone interview. "We're going to continue targeting bad actors and we'll continue issuing fines and close them down if we have to." The initial blitz involved 50 inspectors fanning out across Toronto, Hamilton and surrounding municipalities to observe the scene at multiple big-box retailers, which are among the businesses allowed to keep their doors open under Ontario's current stay-at-home order. McNaughton said big-box stores would remain a key target during the provincewide expansion. The ministry issued a document late last week saying inspections would also involve workplaces which reported COVID-19 outbreaks and businesses focused on manufacturing, warehousing, distribution centres and food processing. Word of the expansion comes amid growing pressure to quell soaring COVID-19 case counts across Ontario, which showed little sign of abating over the weekend. The province reported 3,422 new cases of COVID-19 and another 69 deaths on Sunday, up more than 10 per cent from levels recorded the day before. The bulk of the most recent diagnoses remain in Toronto and nearby Peel Region, where 1,035 and 585 new infections were identified in the past 24 hours. Windsor-Essex County, York Region and Niagara logged another 254, 246 and 186 cases respectively. Meanwhile, the City of Hamilton announced the province had told it to temporarily cease administering first doses of both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines to most people. The city said only residents, staff and essential caregivers at long-term care homes and high-risk retirement homes would continue to get their initial shots after Pfizer-BioNTech announced it was delaying international shipments of its vaccine while upgrading facilities in Europe. Those who have already received an initial dose will receive their booster, it said. A spokeswoman for the Minister of Health did not say how many regions received a similar directive or why first doses of the Moderna vaccine were also being paused. And as the vaccine rollout continues at a slightly slower pace, McNaughton said he was hopeful the weekend enforcement blitz would help reign in numbers of new infections. The inspectors visited 110 retailers on Saturday alone and found 31 violations of COVID-19 protocols, he said, noting that amounts to a compliance rate of just over 70 per cent. They issued 11 formal warnings and 11 tickets, he added. McNaughton said he'd hoped the compliance rate would be much higher. "Every business, every supervisor and every worker out there has to do more today than at any point during this pandemic to keep people safe and to be vigilant," he said. The blitz, which continued Sunday, is part of an array of measures the province unveiled in recent days to toughen its approach to COVID-19. Ontario recently ordered people to only leave their homes for groceries, medical appointments, exercise and work that can't be completed remotely. Stores selling non-essential goods have been forced to temporarily close and operate solely through e-commerce and curbside pickups. The most common violations inspectors found big box stores contravening were linked to screening of customers and staff, masking protocols and physical distancing problems, McNaughton said. The Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development says it has conducted more than 34,000 COVID-19 related workplace inspections and halted unsafe work 55 times throughout the pandemic. It is in the process of hiring an additional 100 health and safety inspectors and doubling the number of phone lines at the provincial Health and Safety Contact Centre, where violations can be reported. Individuals found violating the Occupational Health and Safety Act can be fined up to $100,000 and imprisoned for as long as a year, while corporations can be fined up to $1.5 million per charge. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 17, 2021. Tara Deschamps, The Canadian Press Note to readers: This is a corrected story. A previous version carried an incorrect spelling of Monte McNaughton's first name.
The latest numbers on COVID-19 vaccinations in Canada as of 10:30 p.m. ET on Sunday Jan. 17, 2021. In Canada, the provinces are reporting 27,451 new vaccinations administered for a total of 570,742 doses given. The provinces have administered doses at a rate of 1,505.944 per 100,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to the provinces and territories for a total of 761,500 doses delivered so far. The provinces and territories have used 74.95 per cent of their available vaccine supply. Please note that Newfoundland, P.E.I., Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and the territories typically do not report on a daily basis. Newfoundland is reporting 3,506 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 5,291 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 10.104 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Newfoundland for a total of 11,175 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.1 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 47.35 per cent of its available vaccine supply. P.E.I. is reporting 1,502 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 5,102 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 32.163 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to P.E.I. for a total of 8,250 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 5.2 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 61.84 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Nova Scotia is reporting 3,769 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 7,600 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 7.788 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Nova Scotia for a total of 23,000 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.4 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 33.04 per cent of its available vaccine supply. New Brunswick is reporting 2,713 new vaccinations administered over the past seven days for a total of 7,732 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 9.912 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to New Brunswick for a total of 17,775 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.3 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 43.5 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Quebec is reporting 8,838 new vaccinations administered for a total of 146,694 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 17.144 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Quebec for a total of 162,175 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 1.9 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 90.45 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Ontario is reporting 11,007 new vaccinations administered for a total of 200,097 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 13.622 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Ontario for a total of 277,050 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 1.9 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 72.22 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Manitoba is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 13,539 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 9.832 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Manitoba for a total of 33,625 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.4 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 40.26 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Saskatchewan is reporting 3,232 new vaccinations administered for a total of 20,159 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 17.096 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Saskatchewan for a total of 24,400 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 2.1 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 82.62 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Alberta is reporting 4,374 new vaccinations administered for a total of 85,935 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 19.522 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Alberta for a total of 84,175 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 1.9 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 102.1 per cent of its available vaccine supply. British Columbia is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 75,914 doses given. The province has administered doses at a rate of 14.794 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to British Columbia for a total of 99,475 doses delivered so far. The province has received enough of the vaccine to give 1.9 per cent of its population a single dose. The province has used 76.31 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Yukon is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 1,184 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 28.372 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Yukon for a total of 7,200 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 17 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 16.44 per cent of its available vaccine supply. The Northwest Territories are reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 512 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 11.348 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to the Northwest Territories for a total of 7,200 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 16 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 7.111 per cent of its available vaccine supply. Nunavut is reporting zero new vaccinations administered for a total of 983 doses given. The territory has administered doses at a rate of 25.383 per 1,000. There were zero new vaccines delivered to Nunavut for a total of 6,000 doses delivered so far. The territory has received enough of the vaccine to give 15 per cent of its population a single dose. The territory has used 16.38 per cent of its available vaccine supply. *Notes on data: The figures are compiled by the COVID-19 Open Data Working Group based on the latest publicly available data and are subject to change. Note that some provinces report weekly, while others report same-day or figures from the previous day. Vaccine doses administered is not equivalent to the number of people inoculated as the approved vaccines require two doses per person. The vaccines are currently not being administered to children under 18 and those with certain health conditions. This report was automatically generated by The Canadian Press Digital Data Desk and was first published Jan. 17, 2021. The Canadian Press
Rudolph Neufeld, or Rudy as he liked to be called, was an active man and a jokester who never took himself too seriously. "He would be anyone's No. 1 cheerleader. He just was always optimistic. No matter what the situation was, he could find something positive to say or something sarcastic or smartass to say to sort of break the monotony of the negativity," said Paula Neufeld, his elder daughter. Neufeld, who had lived for decades in North Vancouver, B.C., in a house he helped build, carried that optimism and thirst for life with him even after he was diagnosed with dementia in his early 70s, when he still went to the gym three times a week. He died two days before Christmas from multiple organ failure after he became infected with COVID-19. He was 81. Neufeld's family had checked him into the Lions Gate Hospital in North Vancouver, B.C., in November for what they thought would be a short stay to monitor his reaction to new medication. Instead, he contracted COVID-19 during an outbreak at the hospital, leaving him bed bound and isolated. After weeks of limited interaction, his family says his health deteriorated and they were left with just 15 minutes to say goodbye. They hope that sharing his story makes others think of real people — seniors who are isolated from their families during the pandemic — instead of numbers when statistics are released on COVID-19 cases and deaths. 'A wonderful, wonderful human being' Neufeld was an avid cyclist, kayaker and cross-country skier who enjoyed travelling with his wife of more than 50 years, his daughter said. At parties, he could often be found with a glass of Chardonnay in hand, mingling with the crowd. "He would always acknowledge the odd wallflower sitting alone at a party, go over and make sure they didn't feel left out in a group. He was a wonderful, wonderful human being," Paula Neufeld said. He leaves behind his wife, two daughters and two grandchildren. WATCH | Paula Neufeld says losing a loved one to COVID-19 leaves a gaping hole in the lives of family and friends: About eight years back, Neufeld was diagnosed with vascular dementia after a procedure and later developed Alzheimer's disease. Neufeld continued living at home with his wife and daughter, so when he began acting up after he was prescribed new medication, his family felt they had no choice but to get him admitted to hospital. He was checked into Lions Gate Hospital on Nov. 18, 2020, and the family expected he'd remain there for a few days. But two days later, a COVID-19 outbreak was declared at the hospital. Neufeld says her family received a phone call from staff saying the facility was locked down and no one was allowed in or out. "My dad was basically stuck in there," Paula Neufeld said. 'It was a waiting game for 13 days' She said her father received limited interaction and was confined to his bed. Later, after the family complained, he was confined to a wheelchair instead, she said. He then developed a fever and a COVID-19 test came back positive. "They said palliative care only and basically said, 'He is going to die from this,'" Neufeld said. "Basically, it was a waiting game for 13 days." Neufeld died on Dec. 23. The outbreak at Lions Gate Hospital was declared over the next day. In total, 59 people were infected, including 31 patients. In total, 13 people died. Paula Neufeld says she struggles with the fact her father caught COVID within the hospital and says she is frustrated with a "lack of support" from Vancouver Coastal Health. She wants to know why the hospital didn't test all the patients after the first case was detected, why others weren't moved out from that wing, and why her father had to stay in the hospital until the outbreak was over. "To me that increases the chances of getting COVID," she said. "The whole time, I was worried about him going into care getting COVID ... the frustration for me is that he caught it while in hospital," she added. 'Devastated by the loss of life' In a statement, Vancouver Coastal Health said it can't speak to the specifics of the case due to patient privacy. However, it said patients were not required to stay in the hospital and could self-isolate at home, but patients who were in the unit affected by the outbreak were not able to transition into long-term care. The health authority also said that prior to the outbreak being declared, all patients on the affected unit were tested for the virus and a number of those tests came back positive. "When a COVID-19 outbreak is declared in an acute care setting, our immediate priority is to initiate our outbreak response," the heath authority said in the statement. That response includes early identification and prompt isolation of cases, testing and monitoring of all staff and patients, infection prevention and control, and direct communication with families, it said. "We are saddened by the impact of COVID-19 on residents and staff and are devastated by the loss of life and impact on families," the statement said. 'We will never know how much longer we had with him' Regardless of age, every person who dies from COVID-19 leaves a gaping hole in the hearts of loved ones, Paula Neufeld said. "These numbers are people and these people are loved by other people and are a significant part of other people's lives. Someone [who] is higher in age, doesn't mean their quality of life is worth less than anyone else," she said. "My father had the right to live his life until Alzheimer's decided he doesn't, and COVID cut that short, and we will never know how much longer we had with him."
A powerful earthquake that struck Indonesia's Sulawesi island last week has killed at least 84 people and displaced more than 30,000, according to search and rescue agency (Basarnas) data on Monday. The 6.2-magnitude quake, one of a string of disasters to hit Indonesia in recent weeks, struck West Sulawesi early Friday morning, sending thousands fleeing from their beds. As search and rescue operations continued on Monday, Basarnas official Didi Hamzar told a news conference that 84 people were confirmed to have died.
WASHINGTON — U.S. defence officials say they are worried about an insider attack or other threat from service members involved in securing President-elect Joe Biden’s inauguration, prompting the FBI to vet all of the 25,000 National Guard troops coming into Washington for the event. The massive undertaking reflects the extraordinary security concerns that have gripped Washington following the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol by pro-Trump rioters. And it underscores fears that some of the very people assigned to protect the city over the next several days could present a threat to the incoming president and other VIPs in attendance. Army Secretary Ryan McCarthy told The Associated Press on Sunday that officials are conscious of the potential threat, and he warned commanders to be on the lookout for any problems within their ranks as the inauguration approaches. So far, however, he and other leaders say they have seen no evidence of any threats, and officials said the vetting hadn't flagged any issues. Lolita C. Baldor, The Associated Press
Il réside à Matane, mais travaille pour des médias aux quatre coins du monde. Depuis 2013, Sébastien Thibault réalise chaque année une flopée de contrats d’illustrations, environ 200 à 250, à temps plein dans son petit bureau de Matane. Il a été primé maintes fois à l’étranger malgré l’univers compétitif, et est arrivé à s’y faire une place de choix. Après avoir grandi à Matane, Sébastien Thibault quitte sa ville natale au début des années 2000 pour s’installer à Québec le temps de ses études universitaires. Il fréquente l’Université Laval, où il a étudié en communication graphique. Et comme il a toujours aimé dessiner et les illustrations, il s’inscrit à un cours optionnel d’illustration d’édition. « J’ai vraiment eu un déclic dans ce cours. J’ai adoré qu’on puisse faire des illustrations pour supporter des enjeux, ou même amener le lecteur à lire sur un sujet », s’est enthousiasmé Sébastien. Enfin, il reçoit son diplôme en 2003 et devient graphiste dans une firme de graphisme et marketing, Audace, située à Sainte-Anne-des-Monts. Mais il n’a pas commencé immédiatement à faire de l’illustration d’édition; il a fallu attendre quelques années avant que Thibault se lance dans le monde illustré. Il a donc exécuté un retour en région pour travailler dans la firme gaspésienne, emploi qu’il a déniché alors qu’il était encore aux études. Et même s’il travaillait à Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, il a continué à vivre à Matane, en faisant des aller-retours lorsqu’il le fallait. C’est en 2005 environ que Sébastien commence à illustrer, uniquement comme passe-temps, juste pour s’amuser. Tout de même, il gardait en tête son expérience d’illustration éditoriale qu’il avait encore envie d’explorer. Il contacte alors le média montréalais Urbania, qui a été son premier client. « J’ai commencé à collaborer avec eux, et réussi à me faire un mini portfolio d’illustrations éditoriales », a-t-il expliqué. De fil en aiguille, il offre ses services à d’autres clients québécois. Il accède à la reconnaissance internationale grâce à son agente, Anna Goodson. Avant qu’elle le représente, il suivait son travail de près, ainsi que celui d’un de ses artistes, Lino, également illustrateur québécois. « C’était un beau rêve d’être représenté par Anna, car elle représentait plusieurs illustrateurs qui m’intéressaient et que je suivais », a ajouté Thibault. Et en 2021, cela fera 10 ans que Goodson le représente et que la paire travaille ensemble. Au début de leur collaboration, Sébastien dessinait à temps partiel, jusqu’à temps que les contrats s’accumulent peu à peu et que son horaire soit trop rempli, tous les soirs et fins de semaine. Il est donc arrivé à une croisée des chemins : arrêter sa carrière d’illustrateur d’édition, ou démissionner de son emploi de graphiste. En 2013, il devient donc illustrateur à temps plein. « Finalement, je suis toujours aussi occupé et je suis constamment à la maison », a-t-il blagué. « Mais ça a été une décision bénéfique. » Lâcher sa firme de graphisme lui a fait un pincement au cœur, mais c’était impensable pour lui de continuer sur sa lancée. « Au final, je préfère l’illustration, car c’est plus personnel. Les gens peuvent t’identifier à travers tes images. Tandis qu’un graphiste, tu travailles pour le client, selon ses demandes et envies uniquement. » Les contrats à l’étranger sont alors montés en flèche. Parmi ses clients récurrents, on distingue le New York Times, The Guardian, le magazine Time, The Wall Street Journal, Le Monde, le magazine québécois L’Actualité, et le journal suisse Neue Zürcher Zeitung. « Je travaille beaucoup avec les magazines et les journaux, mais ça a beaucoup évolué avec le temps, car les médias ont évolué eux aussi. Certains sont passés de l’imprimé au web », a-t-il dit. Un processus de création complexe En créant une illustration, il doit prévoir que l’image puisse être adaptable en plusieurs formats. Son travail débute par la réception d’un texte d’un client, que ce soit l’article complet ou un court résumé du sujet. Il s’y base donc pour débuter, en décortiquant le texte pour trouver les passages marquants. Il en écrit les idées ressorties et produit un remue-méninges. Il s’inspire ensuite de ses idées pour exécuter 3 à 5 esquisses à la main par crayon à plomb sur papier. Puis, il photocopie les croquis et les envoie au client. Après un certain temps, le client lui dit ce qu’il en pense et choisit l’idée la plus forte. « Ce qui est drôle, c’est que ce n’est souvent pas l’idée que j’ai choisie à la base », ajoute-t-il. Sébastien passe donc au produit final. Il travaille de manière digitale à partir de sa tablette graphique, en redessinant cette fois l’illustration sur la tablette. « Le format digital, c’est beaucoup pour gagner du temps. Les délais de livraison ont beaucoup changé depuis 10-15 ans. Avant, les illustrations faites à la main étaient envoyées par courrier recommandé, et ça prenait 3 jours à recevoir. Aujourd’hui, tu peux faire une illustration et dans cinq heures, il faut qu’elle soit livrée », a précisé Thibault. Le délai le plus court qu’il est capable de faire, c’est environ 4 heures, ce qui est demandé pour le New York Times ou The Guardian. Et pour un contrat qu’il décrit de « normal », comme le magazine L’Actualité, un produit peut lui prendre 3 à 5 jours. En effet, il prend deux jours pour fabriquer ses idées, le directeur artistique réfléchit une journée, et puis deux jours de plus pour terminer. Les délais serrés sont toujours un peu difficiles selon lui, mais « c’est en pratiquant qu’on s’améliore ». Après cinq ans à dessiner pour The Guardian, il sait que tous les deux mardis du mois, il aura un contrat à produire pour le média britannique. « Chaque fois, je me dis que j’aimerais couper le contrat, car c’est trop de stress. Encore cette semaine, j’ai dit à ma blonde, je pense que je vais arrêter ça, je suis tanné. Et elle me répond, ça fait 5 ans que tu me dis ça », a-t-il ri. Ces contrats ajoutent certainement de l’adrénaline dans son quotidien, à ses dires. Parmi sa clientèle préférée, il mentionne les magazines L’Actualité et Québec Science. « À l’Actualité, ils veulent quelque chose d’éclaté, alors généralement j’ai une grande liberté. Travailler avec Québec Science, c’est aussi exaltant. Ils traitent souvent de sujets nichés plutôt ennuyants pour le grand public, et le but est de les rendre intéressants. » Thibault a d’ailleurs développé des façons de faire pour s’inspirer et trouver des idées lors d’un syndrome de la page blanche. Tout d’abord, il essaie d’identifier l’émotion dégagée dans un texte, que ce soit la colère, la peur ou l’indignation. Sinon, il tente de dégoter le côté accrocheur en le greffant à quelque chose de surprenant pour créer un effet surréaliste. À Matane pour rester Né à Matane en 1980, il a habité avec sa famille au centre-ville. Depuis sa tendre jeunesse, Sébastien a toujours été très créatif. « J’ai pas mal toujours dessiné et au secondaire, je faisais des affiches de spectacles pour mes amis », a-t-il précisé. C’est aussi à Matane qu’il complète son cégep en arts. En terminant son baccalauréat à Québec, il n’a pas été difficile pour lui de revenir dans sa région d’origine. « J’aime la région, j’aime la tranquillité. J’ai un bon réseau ici aussi, mais je m’y plais. Je trouve qu’on vit dans un milieu où on peut facilement s’accomplir. En ville, je serais un illustrateur parmi tant d’autres alors qu’ici, c’est facile de se faire connaître rapidement. » Questionné sur un possible déménagement, il répond : « pourquoi j’irais en ville ». Il choisit Matane pour la qualité de vie et le rapport à l’argent. « On peut vivre pour beaucoup moins ici que dans les grandes villes. Je pense que les gens l’ont réalisé dans la pandémie : c’est précieux d’avoir de l’espace, une grande maison, de la nature, une cour, et plus de liberté. » Père de deux petites filles, sa famille y est établie désormais. C’est aussi partie prenante de la raison qu’il a dû quitter son emploi de graphiste pour la firme Audace, car il n’avait plus de temps pour passer du temps avec ses enfants, alors que normalement il apprécie les sorties en nature. Pour l’instant, il confirme vouloir rester à Matane. Regard en avant Pour ses illustrations, il multiplie les prix et reconnaissances internationaux depuis plusieurs années, preuve de son succès retentissant. Certaines entreprises le contactent pour ses services, mais il se permet de refuser lorsqu’elles ne concordent pas avec ses valeurs. Dans le futur, il souhaite tout de même se laisser surprendre par les nouveautés à venir. À court terme, il travaille avec la santé publique de la Nouvelle-Écosse sur une campagne de sensibilisation aux règles à suivre pour ralentir la propagation de la COVID-19. À long terme, il espère peut-être illustrer des livres, chose qu’il a déjà faite auparavant. En effet, Sébastien a illustré deux romans, le plus récent étant Bobo, chronique de la petite douleur de Hugo Léger, et le premier, Le Feuilleton d’Ulysse de Murielle Szac, pour lequel Thibault a produit 250 illustrations, et plus de 85 000 exemplaires ont été vendus. Thibault affirme aimer varier ses contrats et ses clients. Par exemple, il a récemment travaillé avec la compagnie téléphonique Fizz pour des publicités. « C’est le fun d’avoir quelque chose de différent à faire, c’est là qu’on voit que l’illustration peut avoir des chemins très différents. » Il continue également d’illustrer pour lui, pour le plaisir de la chose, et de plus en plus, dit-il. « Comme j’envoie toujours plusieurs esquisses à mes clients, ça veut dire qu’il y a toujours quelques idées intéressantes qui sont finalement rejetées. Alors quand j’ai le temps, je reprends des illustrations sur des sujets plutôt génériques. » Et il s’amuse à les développer.Claudie Arseneault, Initiative de journalisme local, Mon Matane
NEW ORLEANS — Tom Brady's best game in three tries against New Orleans kept the Buccaneers moving on in the NFL playoffs, and has Saints quarterback Drew Brees headed home — perhaps for good. Brady and the Bucs' offence turned three Saints turnovers, including two interceptions of Brees, into touchdowns, and Tampa Bay beat New Orleans 30-20 in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs Sunday night. Two of those touchdowns came on short passes to Mike Evans and Leonard Fournette. And after Brees was intercepted by linebacker Devin White in the middle of the fourth quarter, Brady drove the Bucs to the 1, from where he scored himself to all but ensure his 14th trip to a conference championship game — his first in the NFC. That game will take place in Green Bay next week, where the 43-year-old Brady will try to advance to his 10th Super Bowl in a showdown with Packers All-Pro QB Aaron Rodgers. Meanwhile, the Brees era in New Orleans could be over after 15 seasons. The game may have been the last in the Superdome for the 42-year-old Brees, who is under contract for one more year but has not discussed any plans to play beyond this season, and has sometimes hinted at his impending retirement. While just 3,750 tickets were distributed in the 73,000-seat Superdome to comply with local COVID-19 restrictions, the fans made themselves heard with an eruption of cheers when Brees took the field for New Orleans’ first offensive series. If it was his last game, it won't be one he'll want to remember. The NFL's all-time leader in completions and yards passing was 19 of 34 for 134 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions. Brady finished 18 of 33 for 199 yards in what often resembled more of a defensive struggle. Unlike his previous two meetings with the Saints — both losses — he was not intercepted and largely avoided pressure, taking only one sack. After Brees' third interception on a tipped pass late in the fourth quarter, the Bucs were able to close out the game with Brady, in his first season with Tampa Bay after 20 with New England, taking a knee. The Saints led 6-3 when Brees, while trying to flee pressure, underthrew Michael Thomas and was intercepted by Sean Murphy-Bunting, who raced 36 yards along the sideline to the Saints 3. Brady hit Evans one play later to put the Buccaneers up 10-6. The Saints answered, helped by a drive-extending third-down defensive holding call on Murphy-Bunting. New Orleans drove to its 44 before unleashing a trick play. Kamara took a direct snap and gave the ball to receiver Emmanuel Sanders on a reverse Sanders lateraled back to Jameis Winston. The reserve QB launched an accurate pass down the middle to Tre'Quan Smith for a 56-yard score. Ryan Succop’s 37-yard field goal capped an up-tempo Bucs drive powered by Fournette’s 40 yards from scrimmage, tying the score at 13 to end the half. Brees’ 16-yard pass to Smith put the Saints ahead 20-13, and New Orleans appeared primed to build on that lead when Brees completed a third-down pass to Jared Cook across the 50. Bucs safety Antoine Winfield Jr. stripped Cook from behind and White snagged the loose ball as it bounced to him, returning it 18 yards to the New Orleans 40. Five plays later, Brady hit Fournette over the middle for a 6-yard score. Succop’s 36-yard field goal made it 23-20 before White’s interception of a pass intended for Kamara gave the Buccaneers the ball at the New Orleans 20. STATS Fournette finished with 107 yards from scrimmage, 63 on the ground. Kamara had 105 yards from scrimmage, with 85 on the ground. Thomas was held without a catch in his final game of an injury-plagued season. INJURIES Buccaneers: Linebacker Jack Cichy went out with an elbow injury in the first quarter. Saints: Deonte Harris, who returned the first Tampa Bay punt 54 yards to set up a field goal, left with a neck injury in the first half. UP NEXT The Bucs will try to advance to the second Super Bowl in franchise history with Brady, no stranger to high-stakes games in cold weather after his two decades in New England. New Orleans might have to ponder life without Brees. ___ More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Brett Martel, The Associated Press
The mayor of Cornwall, Ont., and the grand chief of the nearby Mohawk community are both denouncing unfriendly notes recently left on the windshields of cars with out-of-province licence plates. While Ontario is under a stay-at-home order due to the spread of COVID-19 and Quebec has an overnight curfew starting at 8 p.m., many of those cars come from Akwesasne, a Mohawk Nation territory that straddles both the interprovincial and international border. "There are people in Akwesasne who have Quebec, Ontario, New York plates," Mayor Bernadette Clement said. "They are very regularly in Cornwall, in grocery stores, doing all of the things that are allowed ... purchasing essential goods, seeking essential services like medical care." Clement said she first heard about the notes last week after city councillor Todd Bennett posted a photo of one on Facebook. Bennett, who works at the city's Farm Boy grocery store, had seen the note posted on a car in the parking lot and recognized it as a vehicle from the Akwesasne Mohawk Territory. "You are not from this province. You are not wanted here," the note read. "Go home, stay home." 'Jurisdictional nightmare' In a Facebook post, Clement wrote that it had been confirmed that multiple notes were indeed placed on vehicles belonging to people from Akwesasne. Leaving angry notes on windshields "doesn't send the right message at a time when ... we have to get through this together," she told CBC News Sunday. Grand Chief Abram Benedict also wrote an open letter on Facebook after hearing about the notes, explaining the "jurisdictional nightmare" residents of Akwesasne deal with on a regular basis and expressing hope they were written out of "ignorance and misunderstanding ... and not racism." In an interview, Benedict said community members had also told him about looks and comments they'd received in Cornwall while accessing essential services. "It's very disappointing when we learned of people receiving those notes," he said. "It's disheartening as well to know that people aren't so welcoming." Benedict said he understands concerns about cross-border travel, but he hoped people would understand Akwesasne's unique geographical situation. Since posting his open letter, Benedict said he's received positive feedback from people in both communities, as well as apologies from Cornwall residents who hadn't understood the exact situation before. "We're hopeful ... individuals will take a moment to reflect upon what has been said [and make sure we] as a region get through this together," he said. "We don't need, you know, divisive things like this getting in the way." Time for self-reflection Clement, who also spoke about the issue during a Facebook Live broadcast, said she understands the pandemic has been difficult and that many are feeling frustrated by the restrictions. Still, she urged residents to use this time for self-reflection rather than recrimination, and raise complaints with elected officials rather than taking matters into their own hands. "We really are in this together," she said. "And if we start to support divisive action, I think that that will harm us in the long run."
The Windsor-Essex County Health Unit (WECHU) reported 270 new cases and no additional deaths on Sunday. Since the pandemic began, there have been 11,022 COVID-19 cases recorded in Windsor-Essex and 255 deaths, according to WECHU. Right now, there are 2,172 known active cases in the region. Among today's cases, 20 are outbreak-related, nine are close contacts of confirmed cases, three are community acquired and 238 are still being investigated. There are 102 people in hospital in the region, with 18 in the ICU. There are 48 ongoing outbreaks. Three are active at Windsor Regional Hospital, two on the Ouellette campus and one on a unit of the Met Campus. One community setting, Assisted Living Southwestern Ontario, has been in outbreak since Jan. 3. Outbreaks are active at 23 workplaces: Five in Leamington's agricultural sector. Four in Kingsville's agricultural sector. Four in Windsor's health care and social assistance sector. One in Leamington's health care and social assistance sector. One in Lakeshore's health care and social assistance sector. One in Windsor's food and beverage service sector. One in Windsor's manufacturing sector. One in a personal service setting in LaSalle. Three in public administration settings in Windsor. One in a retail setting in Essex. One in Essex's finance and insurance sector. There are 21 active outbreaks at long-term care and retirement facilities: Chartwell Leamington in Leamington with one staff case. Regency Park in Windsor with two resident cases and one staff case. Richmond Terrace in Amherstburg with two staff cases. Chartwell Royal Marquis, with one resident case and one staff case. Harrow Woods Retirement Home, with five resident cases and two staff cases. Seasons Retirement Home in Amherstburg, with three staff cases. Devonshire Retirement Residence in Windsor, with 31 resident cases and four staff cases. Chartwell Royal Oak in Kingsville, with three staff cases. Rosewood Erie Glen in Leamington, with 30 resident cases and four staff cases. Chateau Park in Windsor with four staff cases. Leamington Mennonite Home with seven staff cases. Augustine Villas in Kingsville, with 51 resident and 14 staff cases. Sunrise Assisted Living of Windsor, with 11 resident cases and eight staff cases. Huron Lodge in Windsor, with 44 resident cases and 26 staff cases. Sun Parlor Home in Leamington, one resident case and 10 staff cases. Banwell Gardens Care Centre in Windsor, with 115 resident cases and 53 staff cases. The Shoreview at Riverside in Windsor, with 28 resident cases and 11 staff cases. Extendicare Tecumseh, with 83 resident cases and 57 staff cases. Berkshire Care Centre in Windsor, with 94 resident and 60 staff cases. The Village at St. Clair in Windsor, with 150 resident cases and 122 staff cases. Village of Aspen Lake in Tecumseh, with 53 resident cases and 25 staff cases.
SEOUL, Korea, Republic Of — South Korea's president on Monday urged the incoming Biden administration to build upon the achievements and learn from the failures of President Donald Trump's diplomatic engagement with North Korea. A dovish liberal and the son of northern war refugees, Moon Jae-in had lobbied hard to help set up Trump’s three summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, but their diplomacy stalemated over disagreements over easing crippling U.S.-led sanctions for the North’s disarmament. Biden has accused Trump of chasing the spectacle of summits rather than meaningful curbs on the North’s nuclear capabilities. North Korea has a history of staging weapons tests and other provocations to test new U.S. presidents, and Kim vowed to strengthen his nuclear weapons program in recent political speeches that were seen as aimed at pressuring the incoming Biden administration. The South Korean leader has been desperate to keep alive a positive atmosphere for dialogue in the face of Kim's vows to further expand a nuclear and missile program that threatens Asian U.S. allies and the American homeland. And while Moon acknowledged that Biden is likely to try a different approach than Trump, the South Korean leader stressed that Biden could still learn from Trump's successes and failures in dealing with North Korea. During a mostly virtual news conference in Seoul, Moon claimed that Kim still had a “clear willingness” to denuclearize if Washington and Pyongyang could find mutually agreeable steps to decrease the nuclear threat and ensure the North’s security. Most experts see Kim's recent comments as further evidence he will maintain his weapons program to ensure his regime's survival. When asked about the North’s efforts to increase its ballistic capacity to strike targets throughout South Korea, including U.S. bases there, Moon said the South could sufficiently cope with such threats with its missile defence systems and other military assets. “The start of the Biden administration provides a new opportunity to start over talks between North Korea and the United States and also between South and North Korea,” which have stalled amid the stalemate in nuclear negotiations, Moon said. The erosion in inter-Korean relations have been a major setback to Moon, who met Kim three times in 2018 while expressing ambitions to reboot inter-Korean economic engagement held back by U.S.-led sanctions against the North. During Trump’s first summit with Kim in June 2018, they pledged to improve bilateral relations and issued vague aspirational vows for a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula without describing when and how it would occur. But the negotiations faltered after their second meeting in February 2019 when the Americans rejected the North Korean demands for major sanctions relief in exchange for the dismantling of an aging nuclear reactor, which would have amounted to a partial surrender of its nuclear capabilities. Moon said that Trump and Kim’s agreement in their first meeting was still relevant and the Biden administration should take lessons from the failures of their second meeting. Kim Tong-Hyung, The Associated Press
Organizers of a planned rally in support of farmers in India say the event was unfairly shut down before it could begin in Surrey on Saturday. A statement from an unidentified group affiliated with the event, set to take place in Cloverdale, said the planned protest complied with all COVID-19 guidelines and should have been allowed to go forward. Since late November, farmers in India have been protesting in the northern states of Punjab and Haryana, saying that new laws being implemented by the Indian government will deregulate crop prices and devastate their earnings. Since then, car rallies have been organized in cities like Vancouver, Calgary and Charlottetown to show solidarity. Event volunteer Pindie Dhaliwal wrote in the statement that RCMP "unfairly targeted and unnecessarily undermined a protest planned in compliance with public health orders." "The RCMP squandered an opportunity to have meaningful dialogue and ensure the rights of the public to peacefully protest were protected," she wrote in part. Meghan McDermott, a lawyer with the BC Civil Liberties Association, wrote in the statement that "shutting down of this protest organized by a racialized community is an affront to the constitutional right to protest." "This was an event that took safety measures and provincial health orders seriously but was arbitrarily and unjustly shut down by the Surrey RCMP even before any opportunity for alleging non-compliance arose," McDermott said. RCMP cite concerns around gathering Elenore Sturko, a spokesperson for Surrey RCMP, said police moved to shut down the protest upon hearing that it would feature a stage and food vendors, which raised concerns about people leaving their vehicles and congregating. "We don't want people to be afraid that we're taking efforts to try to extinguish their voices, that is not our intention," Sturko said, adding that police want to ensure a "fine balance" between the rights of people and ensuring they remain safe. "What makes this different from our perspective was that they were going to bring in DJs and vendors and those are the kinds of things that don't really go in line with keeping people in their cars and keeping people from congregating," Sturko said. "It was just a risk that was too great at this time so we had to unfortunately, working with the city, keep that gathering from taking place." Sturko said RCMP were unable to identify and coordinate with a formal organizer of the event, and encouraged organizers of future rallies to reach out to RCMP and the city to ensure events can go forward safely. "If you are planning something, we would ask that you work with us," she said. "It doesn't mean that we're getting rid of the right to protest in Surrey. We want to strike that balance to make individual voices heard and make sure we're doing everything we can to keep the public safe."
Four people were handed tickets for violating public health orders in Moose Jaw on Saturday. A police news release said officers monitored a gathering at a location near Main Street N. and Thatcher Drive W. on Saturday. During the gathering, a police news release said officers observed "a number" of violations of the current public health orders. Four people were given tickets through the public health orders. Police said their investigation was ongoing. It was not immediately clear if the tickets were distributed to organizers or participants of the gathering, and aside from police commenting that the tickets were distributed for violation of the health order, there was no other information available. A request for comment from the Moose Jaw Police Service was not immediately returned. More from CBC News:
Lionel Messi lost his cool after another Barcelona collapse on Sunday, hitting an opponent away from the ball and being sent off for the first time while playing with the Catalan club in the team’s 3-2 loss to Athletic Bilbao in the final of the Spanish Super Cup. Iñaki Williams' goal in extra time gave Athletic the lead and a come-from-behind win. Barcelona had little chance of recovering when Messi swung his right arm toward the head of an Athletic player while trying to free himself. Messi was shown the red card following a video review. The card came in his 753rd appearance with Barcelona. He has been sent off twice with Argentina, including in his national team debut in 2005. The other red card with Argentine came in the 2019 Copa America. Messi could face a lengthy suspension for his ejection on Sunday. After Athletic scored in the 90th minute to seal a 2-2 draw and force extra time, Williams netted the title-clinching goal with a neat curling shot from just inside the area, with the ball hitting the far post before going into the top corner. “Because of what it meant for the team, this is the best goal of my career,” Williams said. The goal three minutes into extra time secured Athletic its third Super Cup title, and first since it beat Barcelona in the 2015 final. The Basque Country club also won the title in 1984. Barcelona was seeking its 15th Super Cup title, and third in the last five seasons. It was also looking to end its title drought after going without a trophy last season, something that hadn't happened since 2007-08. The team got off to a slow start this season and trails Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid in the Spanish league. Messi, who asked to leave Barcelona in the off-season but had his request denied, had been doubtful to play in the final because of an unspecified fitness issue that had caused coach Ronald Koeman to leave him out of the semifinal against Real Sociedad on Wednesday, when Barcelona prevailed in a penalty shootout. He helped set up Antoine Griezmann's first goal on Sunday but was far from his best throughout the match at the La Cartuja Stadium in Seville. Barcelona opened the scoring with a shot from the middle of the area by Griezmann in the 40th minute but Athletic equalized two minutes later with a close-range strike by Óscar de Marcos after a well-placed cross by Williams. Griezmann put Barcelona ahead with another shot from inside the area in the 77th but Athletic evened the match again with Asier Villalibre finding the net following a set piece in the 90th. Villalibre was the player hit by Messi in the final minutes as the players tangled together outside the area. The ball was already on the left side of the area when the incident happened. Athletic, which beat defending champion Real Madrid 2-1 in the other semifinal, had a 57th-minute goal disallowed by video review because of offside following a header by Raúl García, who had netted twice in the semifinal. The final was the third match in charge for Athletic coach Marcelino García Toral. His debut had been against Barcelona in a league game at home, when Messi scored twice to help the Catalan club recover from an early goal by Williams and secure a 3-2 victory. “The players deserve all the credit for this achievement,” the new coach said. “They defeated Real Madrid and Barcelona to be able to win this trophy.” Accompanying the Athletic squad in Seville was Aritz Aduriz, the club’s former striker who was forced to retire last season because of a hip injury. When Athletic defeated Barcelona in 2015, the Spanish Super Cup final was still played in two legs between the Spanish league and Copa del Rey winners. This year’s edition was moved to southern Spain after the coronavirus pandemic stopped it from being played in Saudi Arabia for a second straight season. The tournament’s revamped Final Four format includes the top two finishers in the Spanish league and the finalists of the Copa del Rey from the previous season. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports ___ Tales Azzoni on Twitter: http://twitter.com/tazzoni Tales Azzoni, The Associated Press
Selena Gomez is back, but in Spanish!
The chief executive of social media platform Parler, popular with American right-wing users but which virtually vanished after the U.S. Capitol riot, posted a brief message on the company's website. A little over a week ago, Apple Inc suspended the Parler from its App Store, shortly after Alphabet-owned Google banned it from Google Play. Amazon.com Inc then suspended Parler from its web hosting service, effectively taking the site offline unless it can find a new company to host its services.
South Korean President Moon Jae-in said on Monday that U.S. President-elect Joe Biden should hold talks with North Korea to build on progress that President Donald Trump had made with leader Kim Jong Un. Biden takes office on Wednesday amid a prolonged stalemate in negotiations aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear and missile programmes in exchange for U.S. sanctions relief. Moon, who had offered to be a mediator between Pyongyang and Washington, said he will seek an early chance to promote North Korea as Biden's foreign policy priority so that he will follow through on an agreement reached by Trump and Kim at their first summit in Singapore.
Homicide detectives are investigating an early morning shooting in west Edmonton that left one man dead. Police were called to the area of 105th Avenue and 157th Street just after 6:15 a.m. on Sunday to investigate a weapons complaint. According to a news release, officers found a man inside a residence who was suffering from life-threatening injuries. He was treated and taken to hospital where he later died. The homicide section has taken over the investigation and are asking anyone in the area with video surveillance of the neighbourhood to contact police. An autopsy has been scheduled for Tuesday.
The Canadian Red Cross has been deployed to help manage a major outbreak at a long-term care home in Barrie, Ont. that has left 62 residents and 43 staff infected with COVID-19. At least nine residents at Roberta Place have died as of Sunday. Stephanie Barber, a spokesperson for the 140-bed Roberta Place, confirmed the numbers to CBC News in a statement Sunday. The numbers are higher than the province's most recent update on the home and several doctors had sounded the alarm about the scale of the outbreak on Twitter, suggesting the infections may be driven by a variant of COVID-19 first discovered in the U.K. Barber said that the home cannot confirm that, but further testing is underway. Dr. Kelley Wright, a family physician in the Barrie and Orillia area, says the high number of residents and staff who have fallen ill has put a massive strain on the home — calling it "overwhelming." "I had to tell a daughter who has two parents in this home that very likely both of her parents were going to pass away," Wright said. "One of them has passed away and we're unfortunately waiting for the other one." Wright is one of four physicians currently volunteering at the home to help manage the outbreak. In a news release Sunday, NDP leader Andrea Horwath called for the help of the Canadian Armed Forces and Red Cross to manage the dire situation at the home. "Behind the walls of some nursing homes, there is a horrifying humanitarian crisis playing out," said Horwath. "Physicians are calling for help at Roberta Place, and we hear the urgency. We're asking Doug Ford not to let these people continue to suffer without the province doing anything to ease their struggle and help save lives." Wright said what the home needs now is registered staff, and questions why the province had not deployed teams to the long-term care facilities dealing with severe outbreaks. At this time, she says the physicians volunteering at the home are dedicated to helping contain the outbreak and keep communication open between patients and their families. "The volunteer physicians have offered their services for as long as it takes, we're trying our best to communicate with families right now," Wright said. Krystle Caputo, a spokesperson for Ontario's minister of long-term care posted a statement to Twitter on Sunday blaming the rise in community spread for putting the seniors and staff at risk. "We remain committed to doing everything we can, along with our partners, to help stabilize the home and have it return to normal operations," the statement reads. Public health officials administered 71 vaccines to residents and staff members at the home on Saturday, Barber said. Barber said the home is "pleased" to be getting support from the Red Cross.
MILAN — Juventus’ nine-year stranglehold on the Serie A title was at risk of unraveling after a 2-0 loss at Inter Milan on Sunday. Nicolò Barella scored one goal and set up another for former Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal as Inter moved level on points with city rival AC Milan atop the table. Juventus, which has won the Italian league every season since 2011-12, was left in fifth place and seven points behind the leaders — and the deficit could stretch to 10 points if Milan wins at Cagliari on Monday. In the first matchup between Inter coach Antonio Conte and Juventus counterpart Andrea Pirlo — who played for Conte at Juventus and is coaching for the first time this season at any level — it was the veteran Conte who took home the bragging rights. Inter took control early on when Vidal leapt over Danilo to head in a cross from Barella. Having returned to Serie A at the start of this season, it was Vidal’s first goal in the Italian league since his last score for Juventus in 2015. Inter’s second exposed problems in Juventus’ defence, as Barella ran onto a long through ball from Alessandro Bastoni and sprinted past Gianluca Frabotta and Giorgio Chiellini to finish off a counterattack. The last time Inter beat Juve without conceding was in April, 2010 — shortly before the Nerazzurri secured their last Serie A title. “It was important for me and for the squad,” Vidal said. “It was a tough game against the strongest team in Italy. Today we showed that we can fight for the title. It gives us confidence and belief that we can go all the way.” Key Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt missed the match with the coronavirus, as did Juan Cuadrado and Alex Sandro. Juventus doesn’t have much time to regather itself, as it faces Napoli in the Italian Super Cup on Wednesday. NAPOLI ROUT Lorenzo Insigne scored two and set up another as a stunning first-half performance saw Napoli blow Fiorentina away, winning 6-0 to move into the top four. Napoli moved third, six points behind the leaders. Gennaro Gattuso’s team got off to a brilliant start as Insigne scored in the fifth minute. Fiorentina had chances and hit the crossbar but Napoli was clinical with its opportunities. Diego Demme doubled Napoli’s lead in the 36th following a classic counterattack and Insigne set up Hirving Lozano for the third two minutes later. The match was all but over when Piotr Zielinski added another on the stroke of halftime. Insigne doubled his tally with a second-half penalty after Tiémoué Bakayoko was tripped by Fiorentina midfielder Gaetano Castrovilli. Substitute Matteo Politano capped a dominating Napoli performance in the final minute. CROTONE SURPRISE Simy scored twice as bottom-of-the-table Crotone surprisingly beat Benevento 4-1 for only its third win of the season. Crotone, which had only scored 16 goals in its previous 17 league matches, remained bottom, however, two points from safety. Also, high-scoring Atalanta was surprisingly held to a scoreless draw at home by relegation-threatened Genoa. Filip Ðuricic converted a stoppage-time penalty for Sassuolo to rescue a 1-1 draw at home to Parma, which would have moved out of the drop zone with a win. ___ Dampf reported from Rome. ___ More AP soccer: https://apnews.com/Soccer and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Daniella Matar And Andrew Dampf, The Associated Press
