With meteorologist Jaclyn Whittal
Hello, royal watchers. This is a special edition of The Royal Fascinator, your dose of royal news and analysis. Reading this online? Sign up here to get this delivered to your inbox. The revelations just kept coming Sunday night as Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, gave Oprah Winfrey — and a worldwide television audience — their view on why they had to leave the upper echelons of the Royal Family. The reasons were many, but amid all they had to say, there was one statement that stood out and seems particularly serious for the House of Windsor: Meghan's declaration that a senior member of the Royal Family had worries about the colour of the skin of their first child before he was born. In an interview Monday on CBS This Morning, Winfrey said Harry told her neither Queen Elizabeth nor Prince Philip were part of conversations about Archie's skin colour. "I think it's very damaging — the idea that a senior member of the Royal Family had expressed concern about what Archie might look like," Carolyn Harris, a Toronto-based royal author and historian, said in an interview late Sunday night. Meghan told Winfrey the concern had been relayed to her by Harry, and when questioned further on it, Harry refused to offer more specifics, saying it's a "conversation I'm never going to share." And that, Harris suggests, speaks to the seriousness of the matter. "It's very clear that Harry didn't want to go into details feeling that it would be too damaging for the monarchy." WATCH | Royal Family expressed concerns about son's skin colour, Meghan tells Oprah: It will take time to digest the impact of all that Harry and Meghan had to say to Winfrey. But some early comments in the British media this morning suggest Harry and Meghan's account will have a profound impact. "They have revealed the terrible strains inside the palace. They have drawn a picture of unfeeling individuals lost in an uncaring institution. They have spoken of racism within the Royal Family. This was a devastating interview," the BBC's royal correspondent, Jonny Dymond, wrote in an online analysis. "But Harry describing his brother and father as 'trapped,' and Meghan revealing that she repeatedly sought help within the palace only to be rebuffed is a body blow to the institution." 'A damning allegation' The Guardian reported that Harry and Meghan telling Winfrey of conversations in the Royal Family about Archie's skin colour is "a damning allegation that will send shockwaves through the institution and send relations with the palace to a new low." Many themes and issues developed over the two-hour broadcast, which sprinkled lighter moments — they're expecting a girl, they have rescue chickens and Archie, age almost two, has taken to telling people to "drive safe" — with much more serious concerns, including the lack of support they say they received, particularly as Meghan had suicidal thoughts. WATCH | Meghan had suicidal thoughts during royal life: "A theme that emerges again and again, and it's something that Harry explicitly states in the interview, is the Royal Family being concerned with the opinion of the tabloid press," said Harris. "This may very well have influenced decisions not to speak out about the way Meghan was being treated and that may have influenced some other decisions as well." One of those might be the question of security, something that was of considerable concern to the couple when they learned royal support for it would be withdrawn. "The Royal Family has frequently in the past received bad press regarding minor members ... receiving security,"said Harris. 'Negative headlines' "There were a lot of negative headlines regarding Beatrice and Eugenie continuing to receive security and their father's [Prince Andrew's] insistence they receive security despite being comparatively minor members of the Royal Family who do not undertake public engagements representing the Queen." There was also a sense out of Sunday's interview that issues that troubled the Royal Family in the past may still be a worry now. "Even in the 21st century after all of the problems that the Royal Family encountered in the 1990s with the breakdowns in the marriages of Prince Charles and Prince Andrew … there still doesn't seem to be a consistent means of mentoring new members of the Royal Family," said Harris. Meghan said she had to Google the lyrics for God Save the Queen, and was filled in at the last minute about having to curtsy to Elizabeth just before meeting her for the first time. Queen Elizabeth, Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, pose for a picture at a Buckingham Palace reception following the final Queen's Young Leaders Awards ceremony in London on June 26, 2018. Both Meghan and Harry spoke warmly of the Queen during the interview Sunday night.(John Stillwell/Reuters) Throughout the interview, Harry and Meghan repeatedly expressed respect and admiration for the Queen, if not for how the Royal Family as an institution operates. But there is considerable murkiness around just who may be responsible for some of the more serious issues they raised. "We know they respect the Queen and have a good personal relationship with the Queen. We know that Meghan had a conflict with Kate but says Kate apologized and Meghan forgave her and she doesn't think Kate's a bad person," said Harris. Lacking 'specific details' "But when it comes to who made racist comments about Archie's appearance or who was dismissive directly of Meghan's mental health, [on] that we don't have specific details." High-profile royal interviews such as this — particularly one by Harry's mother Diana, in 1995 — have a track record of not turning out as the royal interviewees may have intended, and it remains to be seen the lasting impact of this one. Harris sees parallels with Diana's interview, as she "spoke frankly" about a lack of support from the family, and felt that she had been let down by Prince Charles. Meghan spoke with Winfrey before they were joined by Harry.(Harpo Productions/Joe Pugliese/Reuters) Harry talked of hoping to repair his relationship with his father — "I will always love him but there's a lot of hurt that happened" — but said he felt really let down, and noted a time when his father wasn't taking his calls. Harris expects the interview will prompt further critical scrutiny of Charles, and Harry's older brother Prince William. The relationship with William has already been under intense scrutiny, and is clearly still a delicate matter for Harry, who hesitated noticeably before responding as Winfrey pressed him on it. "Time heals all things, hopefully," Harry said. How Buckingham Palace responds to all this remains to be seen. Generally, the public approach in matters such as this is silence, and a determination to be seen as carrying on with regular duties. Whether a member of the family might make a more informal comment — say in response to a question from someone at a public event — also remains to be seen. WATCH | Meghan says Royal Family failed to protect her and Prince Harry: But from what did emerge Sunday evening, there is a sense that whatever efforts the House of Windsor has made to put a more modern face on the monarchy, they appear not to have yielded the fruit that might have been hoped. "There's been some elements of modernization, but it's very clear that the institution has difficulty adapting to the needs of individuals who marry into the Royal Family," said Harris. "It's clear that Meghan came away from her experiences feeling that she was not supported or mentored in her new role." Sign up here to have The Royal Fascinator newsletter land in your inbox every other Friday. I'm always happy to hear from you. Send your ideas, comments, feedback and notes to royalfascinator@cbc.ca. Problems with the newsletter? 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Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam said on Monday China's planned changes to the electoral system, denounced by pro-democracy activists, could further delay a vote for the city's legislature, but she was still uncertain on the timing. China's rubber-stamp parliament, the National People's Congress (NPC), is expected to approve on Thursday a resolution that will reduce democratic representation in Hong Kong institutions and vet any candidates for "patriotism". The measures will tweak the size and composition of Hong Kong's legislature and the committee selecting the chief executive further in favour of pro-Beijing figures.
Grand Valley will contribute a larger slice of the pie as a conservation authority asked for more funding to make up for a pandemic-related shortfall. “This is probably one of the most difficult budgets we have had in recent years,” said Chris White, chair of the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA). “COVID-19 and its ongoing impact on the conservation authority has made it a moving target.” The overall increase to the municipal levy is 2.5 per cent. The Town of Grand Valley’s levy allocation represents an increase of 5.3 per cent. This is impacted by how the conservation authority levy is prorated for the participating watershed municipalities. The town will pay a general levy of $33,396 for 2021 to the conservation authority as directed by the council. The town paid $31,711 to the organization in 2020. “The Town of Grand Valley’s property assessment is growing at a faster pace than other watershed municipalities, which is why it is higher than the overall 2.5 per cent municipal levy increase,” said Lisa Stocco, manager of communications for the conservation authority. This equates to an average of about $11.09 per watershed resident, an increase of 12 cents per watershed resident compared to the 2020 budget. This comes as staff from the authority presented a draft budget to the town. They proposed a $32 million budget with reserves of $2 million. The town is part of 26 municipalities or regions, in the Grand River watershed, transferring money to the authority. The GRCA board approved the budget on Friday, Feb. 26. Municipalities will contribute $12.2 million in the general municipal levy to the conservation authority in 2021, about 38 per cent of the conservation authority’s total budget. “We recognize that our municipal partners, a major source of our funding, continue to face significant challenges,” said White. “Our staff and our board worked hard to ensure the budget was balanced. In 2021, COVID-19 will continue to pose challenges as we continue to work through the global pandemic.” These include $1 million in special projects, $31 million to expenditures, and a general municipal levy of $12,225.00. “The GRCA provides critical flood mitigation services, as well as unparalleled outdoor recreation opportunities, which continue to be vital to ensuring the health and well-being of the residents in our communities throughout the Grand River watershed,” said White. They also received federal and provincial grants such as $700,000 from the water and erosion control infrastructure (WECI) program and $640,000 from the source protection program grant. Included in this is a capital spending budget for water quality management equipment, software systems and gauge equipment for its flood forecasting and warning program, as well as significant maintenance for dams and dikes. “In 2021, WECI funds will be applied to the costs associated with the capital and maintenance of these structures,” said Stocco. “We are planning a WECI project in 2021 for Luther Dam to replace the stop logs. Major upgrades were completed to Luther Dam in 2012.” It also includes funds for regular maintenance, major repairs and new construction. Some of the major capital projects planned within the conservation areas include expanding the north side gatehouse, new fencing at Elora Gorge, and bridge replacement and Harris Mill masonry repairs at Rockwood. The GRCA continues to work on the updates and implementation of a drinking water source protection plan for each of the four watersheds in the Lake Erie source protection region, including the Grand River watershed. Along with supporting municipalities and other agencies in implementing the plans, the focus in 2021 will continue to be completing updates to the Grand River Source Protection Plan. This includes the development of water quantity policies, updating water quality vulnerability assessments, and developing the annual progress report for the Grand River Source Protection Plan. Joshua Santos, Local Journalism Initiative reporter, Orangeville Banner
RIMOUSKI, Que. — Val d'Or Foreurs goalie Jonathan Lemieux made 38 saves on 39 shots in a 4-1 win over the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada in Rimouski Sunday. Up 2-0, Lemieux allowed his lone blemish in the second period when Simon Pinard scored to reduce the deficit to a goal for the Armada. The Foreurs would then score two more goals to put the game out of reach for Blainville-Boisbriand (16-8-2-0). Armada goalie Olivier Adam allowed three goals on 35 shots. Val d'Or added their fourth goal in an empty net. Nathan Legare, Emile Lauzon, Justin Robidas, and Justin Ducharme each scored a goal for Val d'Or (23-3-2-2). --- HUSKIES 3 TIGRES 1 GATINEAU— Samuel Richard made 35 saves on 36 shots in a 3-1 Rouyn-Noranda Huskies win over the Victoriaville Tigres. Edouard St-Laurent, Samuel Johnson, and William Rouleau each scored a goal for the Huskies. Brooklyn Kalmikov scored Victoriaville's lone goal. --- CATARACTES 5 DRAKKAR 3 CHICOUTIMI—Justin Bergeron scored a pair of goals and added an assist in a 5-3 Shawinigan Cataractes win over the Baie-Comeau Drakkar Sunday. Mavrik Bourque, Vasiliy Ponomarev, and Xavier Bourgault each scored a goal for the Cataractes. Raivis Kristians Ansons, Xavier Fortin, and Alex Labbe scored for Baie-Comeau. --- PHOENIX 3 OLYMPIQUES 2 (OT) GATINEAU—Justin Gill scored the game-winning goal with 26 seconds left in overtime to give the Sherbrooke Phoenix a 3-2 win over the Gatineau Olympiques. Anthony Munroe-Boucher and Milo Roelens also scored for Sherbrooke. Zachary Dean and Alexei Prokopenko scored for Gatineau. --- SAGUENEENS 3 REMPARTS 0 CHICOUTIMI—Pierrick Dube, Tristan Pelletier, and Hendrix Lapierre each scored a goal in a 3-0 Chicoutimi win over Quebec. Lapierre assisted on Pelletier's goal before scoring one of his own in the third. Sagueneens goalie Alexis Shank made 20 saves in the victory. --- VOLTIGEURS 3 OCEANIC 1 RIMOUSKI— Charlie De Fonseca scored twice in a 3-1 Drummondville Voltigeurs win over the Rimouski Oceanic. Justin Cote also scored for Drummondville. Rimouski's lone goal came from Xavier Cormier. --- This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2021. The Canadian Press
Earlier this month, Loren Hughes, a longtime resident of the U.S. Virgin Islands, noticed specks of an oily substance covering his home, as well as those owned by his neighbors. For Hughes, 46, it brought back memories of the last time St. Croix's long-idled refinery was operating, roughly a decade earlier. The refinery restarted last month, bringing back hundreds of jobs - but for nearby residents, they say it also brought difficulty breathing, headaches and watery eyes.
The couple weren't afraid to get candid during their sit-down with Oprah.
NEW YORK — It’s sleepy by Donald Trump’s standards, but the former president's century-old estate in New York's Westchester County could end up being one of his bigger legal nightmares. Seven Springs, a 213-acre swath of nature surrounding a Georgian-style mansion, is a subject of two state investigations: a criminal probe by Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. and a civil inquiry by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Both investigations focus on whether Trump manipulated the property's value to reap greater tax benefits from an environmental conservation arrangement he made at the end of 2015, while running for president. Purchased by Trump in 1995 for $7.5 million, Seven Springs drew renewed scrutiny as he prepared to leave office and was on the cusp of losing legal protections he had as president. Vance issued new subpoenas in mid-December, and a judge ordered evidence to be turned over to James' office nine days after Trump departed Washington. Other Trump legal woes, such as inquiries into his attempts to influence election officials and payments made on his behalf to women alleging affairs, have dominated the headlines. But former Manhattan prosecutor Duncan Levin said white-collar investigators go wherever the paper trail leads. “While a tax issue related to a conservation arrangement might not be as sexy as a hush-money payment, prosecutors are likely to focus on any violation of law that they find,” Levin said. “Remember, the authorities got Al Capone on tax evasion.” Seven Springs is an outlier in a Trump real estate portfolio filled with glossy high-rises and gold-plated amenities. It is listed on his website as a family retreat, although Trump hasn’t been there in more than four years. At the heart of the estate is the mansion built as a summer getaway in 1919 by Eugene Meyer, who went on to become Federal Reserve chairman and owner of The Washington Post. In 2006, while pushing a plan to build luxury homes on the property, Trump floated the idea that he and his family were going to move into the mansion, but that never happened. Brand new, the 28,322-square-foot dwelling featured more than a dozen bedrooms, an indoor swimming pool, a bowling alley and a tennis court. Meyer's daughter, the late Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham, was married at Seven Springs in 1940. In her memoir “Personal History,” Graham described ambivalent emotions about going there, writing: “The older I got, the more I disliked the loneliness of the farm, but in my childhood days, it was, as I wrote my father when I was 10, ‘a great old Place.’” At one point, Meyer owned about 700 acres. A philanthropic foundation established by him and his wife, Agnes, gifted 247 acres to the Nature Conservancy and the remaining land and buildings that made up Seven Springs to Yale University in 1973, after Agnes Meyer's death. The estate changed hands again when the foundation took it back from Yale and operated a conference centre there before passing the real estate holdings to Rockefeller University, which eventually sold it to Trump. Trump paid about $2.25 million under the list price for Seven Springs, acquiring the land as part of an effort to jumpstart his fortunes after a series of failures in the early 1990s, including casino bankruptcies and the sale of his money-losing Trump Shuttle airline. Trump envisioned transforming it into his first championship-calibre golf course, with an exclusive clientele and lofty membership fees. He hired an architecture firm to plot fairways and greens but abandoned the effort when residents voiced concerns that lawn chemicals would contaminate neighbouring Byram Lake, a local source of drinking water. Trump’s then tried building houses. He proposed putting up 46 single-family homes, and after that plan also met community opposition, 15 mansion-sized dwellings which he described in 2004 as “super-high-end residential, the likes of which has never been seen on the East Coast.” The project was held up by years of litigation and no homes were ever built. In 2009, Trump made a splash by allowing Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi to pitch his Bedouin-style tent on the Seven Springs property north of New York City because he had no other place to stay for a U.N. visit. Trump initially suggested he didn’t know Gaddafi was involved, but later conceded he “made a lot of money” renting the land to the Libyan leader. Local officials halted work on the tent and Gaddafi never stayed there. His development plans dashed, Trump opted for a strategy that would allow him to keep the property but reduce his taxes. He granted an easement to a conservation land trust to preserve 158 acres (60 hectares) of meadows and mature forest. Trump received a $21 million income tax deduction, equal to the value of the conserved land, according to property and court records. The amount was based on a professional appraisal that valued the full Seven Springs property at $56.5 million as of Dec. 1, 2015. That was a much higher amount that the evaluation by local government assessors, who said the entire estate was worth $20 million. Michael Colangelo, a lawyer in the New York attorney general's office, outlined the central question involving the Seven Springs easement at a hearing last year regarding a dispute over evidence. “If the value of the easement was improperly inflated, who obtained the benefit from that improper inflation and in what amounts?” Colangelo said. “It goes without saying that the attorney general needs to see the records that would reflect the value of that deduction, as it flowed up to intermediate entities, and ultimately to Mr. Trump, personally.” A message seeking comment was left with Trump’s spokesperson. In the past, the Republican ex-president has decried the investigations as part of a “witch hunt.” Seven Springs caught investigators’ attention after Trump’s longtime personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen told a congressional committee in 2019 that Trump had a habit of manipulating property values — inflating them in some cases and minimizing them in others to gain favourable loan terms and tax benefits. Cohen testified that Trump had financial statements saying Seven Springs was worth $291 million as of 2012. He gave copies of three of Trump's financial statements to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform during his testimony. Cohen said the statements, from 2011, 2012 and 2013, were ones Trump gave to his main lender, Deutsche Bank, to inquire about a loan to buy the NFL's Buffalo Bills and to Forbes magazine to substantiate his claim to a place on its list of the world's wealthiest people. Trump, on his annual financial disclosure forms while president, said the property was worth between $25 million and $50 million. New York's attorney general was first to act. James issued subpoenas to commercial real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield for records relating to its assessment work on Trump’s behalf; to law firms that worked on the Seven Springs project; and to Trump’s company, the Trump Organization, for records relating to its annual financial statements and the conservation easement. James also subpoenaed zoning and planning records in 2019 from the three towns Seven Springs spans. Vance followed with his own subpoenas in December. One town clerk said investigators were given “boxes and boxes of documents” in response. They included tax statements, surveying maps, environmental studies and planning board meeting minutes. James’ investigators have interviewed Trump’s son, Eric Trump, an executive vice-president at the Trump Organization and the president of the limited liability company through which it owns Seven Springs; Trump’s chief financial officer, Allen Weisselberg; and lawyers Trump hired for the Seven Springs project who specialize in land-use and federal tax controversies. The investigators have yet to determine whether any law was broken. Vance, who like James is a Democrat, hasn’t disclosed much about his criminal probe, in part because of grand jury secrecy rules. The district attorney's office has said in court papers that it is focusing on public reports of “extensive and protracted criminal conduct at the Trump Organization.” Documents filed in connection with the criminal investigation — buoyed by a U.S. Supreme Court ruling last month granting Vance access to Trump’s tax records — have listed Seven Springs among possible targets. Along with the mansion, Seven Springs has a Tudor-style home once owned by ketchup magnate H.J. Heinz, and smaller carriage houses that Trump’s adult sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, have said served as “home base” when they visited the estate to hike and ride ATVs. During his presidency, Trump himself opted for higher-profile properties like his Bedminster, New Jersey golf course and his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, where he’s been living since leaving the White House. The New York Times reported last year that Trump’s tax records showed he classified the estate not as a personal residence but an investment property, enabling him to write off more than $2 million in property taxes since 2014. ___ Follow Michael Sisak on Twitter at twitter.com/mikesisak Michael R. Sisak, The Associated Press
Chinese private equity firm Primavera Capital Group, an early investor in billionaire Jack Ma's Ant Group, is raising a new U.S. dollar-denominated fund of up to $5 billion, two people with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters. The firm, an avid investor in China's tech startups, is targeting $4 billion for its fourth dollar fund, with a hard cap at $5 billion, said the people, who declined to be identified as information related to the fundraising is confidential. Primavera, which has offices in Beijing and Hong Kong, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Ontario pharmacists start a COVID-19 vaccine program this week at 330 locations to provide the AstraZeneca vaccine to customers aged 60 to 64 as lockdown restrictions ease in two major regions.
Freezing temperatures and a lack of appropriate snow pants didn't stop one family from tobogganing down a hill. Brad Brown and his son, Dylan, slid down Murray’s Mountain Park wearing swim trunks. The challenge was part of the Polar Plunge for Special Olympics Ontario. Brown said ride down wasn't the only chilly part. “My son looking at me trying to push off, and I told him to wait,” said Brown. "He’s pointing behind me, I look up, and there’s the mascot standing there with a bucket of cold water. He threw it on me just as I went down the hill.” He had an idea they would throw ice water on him as they were talking about it before. He thought it would happen as he made his way down, but they splashed at the top. Despite everything, Brown said it was worth it. “I’d do it again, absolutely,” said Brown. “It’s for a great cause.” Brown is one of the basketball coaches for Special Olympics Dufferin. He is also involved in curling and bocce ball. His son is an athlete with autism. He and his colleagues, of about four coaches, participated in various activities. As a group, they set a goal of $3,000 and raised $6,020. He set a goal of $300 himself and has surpassed the amount with $460. His son raised $430 himself as well. Special Olympics sports are modified so athletes can play at their level and pace. “A lot of these special athletes don’t have a whole lot,” said Brown. “A lot of our athletes are older, in their 30s, 40s and 50s, some of them. They look forward to these (games). It’s such a fabulous organization and cause because a lot of them can’t play regular sports.” About 70 per cent of the funds raised will be sent to Special Olympics Dufferin, with the remaining 30 per cent going to the parent organization, Special Olympics Ontario. His colleagues dipped in a lake or river to raise awareness and money for the organizations. He would have been in the annual event in Shelburne but wanted to stay local to help stop the spread of COVID-19. Joshua Santos, Local Journalism Initiative reporter, Orangeville Banner
Née en 1892 à Lisbon, dans le Maine, soeur Marie-Raphaël (Amélie Bérubé) des Soeurs dominicaines de l’Enfant-Jésus décède à l’âge de 87 ans. Le parc de la rue Le Mercier à Matane rappelle son nom. En 1935, elle fonde le premier hôpital dans l’ancien Hôtel Belle Plage vacant depuis 1933 avec 30 chambres meublées. Elle l’a dirigé jusqu’en 1943. Rappelée à Québec Alors que sont entreprises des démarches pour la construction de ce qui deviendra, en 1950, l’actuel hôpital, soeur Marie-Raphaël est rappelée à Québec pour occuper le poste d’économe générale de sa communauté. À travers ses occupations, elle trouve le temps de fonder, en 1956 à Québec, le Pavillon Saint-Dominique des Soeurs dominicaines, un centre de soins de longue durée. Tant de bonheur Le 6 décembre 1975, à l’occasion d’une cérémonie soulignant le 40e anniversaire de l’arrivée des Soeurs dominicaines à Matane, soeur Marie-Raphaël déclare : « Nous avons goûté tant de bonheur dans ce milieu choisi (…) Si les premières heures ont eu des souffrances, elles ont été submergées par la bienveillance et l’aide de ceux qui nous facilitaient la tâche ». En 1824, augmentation d’une lieue de front du territoire de la seigneurie par le comte Dalhousie, gouverneur du Canada, en faveur de Jane McCallum, et de ses enfants issus de Simon Fraser. Donc à trois lieues et demie de front. En 1892, élection générale au Parlement de Québec; le conservateur Edmund James Flynn (1847-1927) s’empare du comté de Matane. Lorsque le premier ministre du Québec, Louis-Olivier Taillon démissionna de ses fonctions en juin 1896, il est désigné premier ministre et commissaire des Travaux publics du 11 mai 1896 au 24 mai 1897. Né à Percé, il est le fils de James Flynn, pêcheur, et d’Elizabeth Tostevin. Réélu dans Gaspé en 1897 puis en 1900, élu dans Nicolet. Il ne s’est pas représenté en 1904. Chef de l’Opposition de 1897 à 1904, il a été, enfin, candidat conservateur défait dans Dorchester aux élections fédérales de 1908. En 1909, engagement de Luc Duret comme constable spécial à 10 $ par mois pour remplacer Félix Desrosiers et Charles Bouffard révoqués. En 1992, le traversier Camille-Marcoux parvient à quitter le port de Matane après avoir été immobilisé 9 jours par la présence d’une banquise de 7 mètres d’épaisseur. Romain Pelletier, Initiative de journalisme local, Monmatane.com
WATERFORD, Pa. — Jill Biden sees a teachable moment in the depths of the coronavirus pandemic. The first lady sat in a socially distanced circle in the library at Fort LeBoeuf Middle School in Pennsylvania, listening and taking notes as parents expressed relief that the school had reopened and their kids were back in the classroom. One mother talked about the “bumpy patches” of online learning and said reopening “has been so to the T” that she doesn't worry about her son and daughter. Another mom said the district included parent input and she was comfortable her children were in a “safe environment.” A teacher herself, Biden praised the small circle of parents, teachers and administrators for working together to help reopen Fort LeBoeuf. And she repeated a message she had delivered earlier that day while visiting Benjamin Franklin Elementary School in Meriden, Connecticut. “We've been through really tough, hard times, but I think the one good thing about educators that I love — and that includes the cafeteria workers, the bus drivers, the teachers, everyone involved — is we’ve all learned from this," Biden said of the pandemic and its emotional, social and human toll. “We’re all going to take everything that we’ve learned and are going to turn it into opportunity to make things better for students as we move forward," she said. ___ The first lady seems intent on turning every aspect of her new job into an opportunity, for that matter, especially anything related to her triple passions for education, fighting cancer and supporting military families. A few days after she became first lady, Biden told governors' spouses during a virtual meeting at the White House that her new platform is “one that I would never let go to waste.” She's long been focused on education, having taught at a high school, a psychiatric hospital and community colleges for more than three decades. She's still teaching, virtually from the White House, and pining for the day she can go back to the classroom. Finding a cure for cancer also motivates her and President Joe Biden. The couple lost son Beau to brain cancer in 2015 at age 46. Her parents died of cancer and one of her sisters had a stem cell transplant. Doctors also gave the dreaded breast cancer diagnosis to four of her girlfriends within a one-year period in the 1990s. The Bidens also advocate for service members and their families, an appreciation that stems from Beau Biden's service in the Delaware Army National Guard, including a deployment to Iraq. Jill Biden intends to revive a military family support program that she led with former first lady Michelle Obama when Biden's husband was President Barack Obama's vice-president. Jill Biden quickly set her agenda as first lady by highlighting all three of her longtime causes in her first weeks. She has been busy with virtual meetings, teaching her community college English class, official travel, running errands in the Washington area and moving the family’s dogs into the White House. Even the light blue scrunchie she wore in her hair has gone viral. Biden, known for springing surprises and practical jokes, also is intent on injecting some levity into things as her husband faces daunting crises: She woke him up to show him giant hearts she had displayed on the White House front lawn for Valentine's Day. “She’s off to a fast start, and I think a very solid one,” said Myra Gutin, author of “The President’s Partner: The First Lady in the Twentieth Century.” ___ The first lady is also keeping a robust travel schedule despite the pandemic. Her first official outing was to a non-profit community health centre in Washington to highlight services for cancer patients. From there, she made a detour to personally deliver chocolate chip cookies to National Guard troops stationed at the U.S. Capitol. She recently travelled to Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond to tour its Massey Cancer Center, where researchers study the socioeconomic and cultural factors that contribute to disparities in cancer outcomes. In the coming days, Biden plans to visit U.S. military installations in Washington state and California and hear from families about their needs. Biden also met virtually with the leaders of teachers’ unions, the spouses of defence officials and governors, military kids and their teachers, and government cancer researchers, among others. She sent prerecorded remarks to several conferences, and taped a public service commercial with Champ and Major, the family German shepherds, urging people to wear face masks. Tammy Vigil, author of “Melania & Michelle: First Ladies in a New Era,” said Biden's experience as the spouse of a longtime U.S. senator and vice-president was an asset that helped her quickly put together a staff. She also didn't need time to figure out the issues she wanted to focus on. ___ There apparently are no incognito errand runs for Jill Biden. Unlike some recent first ladies who tried to hide their identities on unofficial outings in the Washington area, as Michelle Obama once did on a shopping run to Target, Jill Biden goes out as herself. Stephen Bota said he knew a VIP visit was in the offing when plainclothes U.S. Secret Service agents showed up unannounced at his DuPont Circle newsstand in late January, but they left him to guess about who it would be. Hours later, Jill Biden walked through the door. “I was kind of, ’Oh my God, it’s the first lady,” Bota, an immigrant from Kenya who owns The Newsroom, recalled in an interview. He and his employees — just his wife and sister-in-law — are featured in a photo with the first lady now on display in the store. “I told her that we are so grateful that she came to see us,” Bota said. Biden also bought coffee at Brewer's Cafe in Richmond and confections at The Sweet Lobby on Capitol Hill, both of them Black-owned. The president, for his part, stopped his motorcade after church one Sunday for son Hunter Biden to pick up a bagel order. “She seems more inviting,” Vigil said, noting that everyone can relate to running errands. With the purchases, the Bidens appear to be encouraging support for small businesses, which generate most of the jobs in the U.S. but are struggling to survive the pandemic. They also seem to be signalling that they will be participants in city life. Former President Donald Trump went only to his hotel near the White House or his golf club in northern Virginia. For dinner in a city with a robust restaurant scene, he opted to dine exclusively at the hotel restaurant. His wife, Melania Trump, never made a show of outings in the Washington area in an unofficial capacity. ___ After Jill Biden released a photo of herself at the counter of The Sweet Lobby, the boutique bakery wasn't the only thing that became an instant hit. The powder blue scrunchie holding up the first lady's hair went viral. Biden said she had no idea until daughter Ashley called to tell her. “I said, ‘What scrunchie?’ I didn't know what she was talking about,” the first lady told talk-show host Kelly Clarkson during an interview at the White House. “I still don't understand it.” Darlene Superville, The Associated Press
Marcellin Gbazaï n’est pas un Bleuet comme les autres. Unique chauffeur de taxi d’origine africaine de Saguenay, fier de l’être, il se joue de ses clients pour casser la peur des différences. « Le taxi, c’est un autre genre de clientèle, ce sont des vieilles madames, ce sont de vieux monsieurs, raconte-t-il, le sourire en coin. Une fois, une madame est montée dans mon taxi. Avant de monter, ça a pris dix minutes ! Elle regardait par la fenêtre, pas certaine. D’abord, elle voit les tresses rastas. Elle voit les piercings. Elle voit le noir. Elle voit mon masque. Moi… je riais sous mon masque ! Je me disais, “toi, je vais t’avoir, t’inquiète”. Elle prend de longues secondes à ouvrir la porte et, finalement, monte dans le taxi. Je lui dis “bonjour”. Elle ne me répond même pas. “Madame, vous avez passé une belle journée ?”. Elle ne me répond pas. “Vous savez quoi, aujourd’hui, il fait beau, c’est malade !” Rien. Là, on arrive, je gare le taxi et je dis : “Alléluia ! Vous êtes arrivée saine et sauve !” Et là, elle rit, incapable d’arrêter. À un moment donné, j’avais presque peur tellement elle riait. Elle me dit : “Monsieur, vous savez quoi, vous avez réussi à m’enlever ce que j’avais dans ma tête.” » Ces moments de rire, de bonheur et de légèreté, c’est le véritable salaire de Marcellin Gbazaï. « C’est ça qui montre qu’au Saguenay, il y a de l’espoir. Un client qui est satisfait, c’est une âme gagnée pour le vivre-ensemble. » Avec un clin d’œil, il confie tout de même obtenir d’excellents pourboires. « Mon boss me dit : “Comment tu fais ?” J’ai pas le choix. Je suis en mission pour dire aux gens qu’on va vivre ensemble. » Également chauffeur d’autobus, l’Ivoirien d’origine carbure à ce vivre-ensemble. « Quand je parle du vivre-ensemble, il n’y a pas de blanc, il n’y a pas de noir, il n’y a pas de vert. C’est une seule personne. Nous sommes des êtres humains condamnés à vivre ensemble. » Depuis son arrivée à Saguenay « sur un coup de tête », il n’a cessé d’aimer son nouveau pays. « L’accueil des Saguenéens, c’est incomparable. Moi, je les appelle les Africains blancs. C’est la même énergie. Ils ne te connaissent même pas et ils te disent d’aller visiter leur maison. Monte ! Va où tu veux ! Vas-y !, dit-il en feignant l’incrédulité. Quoi ? Je suis passé par Nice. En France, même si je suis chez des amis, je reste au salon ! » C’est au Saguenay qu’il trouve d’ailleurs l’amour. Les yeux pleins de vie, il dit « voir ses enfants grandir dans le monde que Martin Luther King avait rêvé ». Et n’allez pas lui parler de vivre ailleurs que dans le royaume qu’il fait sien. « Moi, je ne me vois pas comme un Noir. Je me vois comme un Bleuet pure laine. Ma couleur là, non. C’est Marcellin le Saguenéen. Ça s’arrête là. » À pleins gaz Pour remplir sa mission vers le vivre-ensemble, Marcellin Gbazaï ne s’arrête pas à son taxi, qu’il nomme « son bureau de sensibilisation ». Lorsqu’il est arrivé dans la région, il y a 11 ans, il a ouvert la première épicerie africaine de la région. Même si elle est maintenant fermée depuis six ans, les gens lui en parlent encore. « Parmi ma clientèle, 60 % n’était pas africaine, elle était saguenéenne », rappelle-t-il. Peu après, il a publié un magazine sur l’immigration nommé Terre d’accueil, que des difficultés financières ont contraint à la fermeture. Qu’importe, il travaille maintenant sur un projet d’organisme, nommé « Vivre-ensemble ». « Quand on parle du racisme aujourd’hui, c’est tous les jours. N’attendons pas que les gens meurent pour se souvenir de l’importance de la sensibilisation et du vivre-ensemble. Mieux vaut prévenir que guérir. Tous les jours, il faut chercher à faire des projets. Les gens oublient vite. » Il aura fallu une pandémie pour qu’il « reprenne son souffle ». En temps normal, il ajoute à son horaire déjà surchargé des visites dans toutes les écoles de la région. De Baie-Comeau jusqu’à Dolbeau-Mistassini, il y instille le vivre-ensemble. Conte, exposition, musique, danse : tout peut servir à ouvrir les perspectives. « Tout ce que je fais, ce n’est pas anodin, c’est ma manière de sensibiliser. » Par exemple, devant une classe difficile, il se remémore avoir donné un devoir sur les origines du café. « Le lendemain, une des élèves me revient en me parlant de son père. Parce que son père n’aimait pas les Noirs, elle-même me dit ça. La professeure me dit que ça a changé la vie de son père. Son père a appelé à l’école. Il voulait s’excuser. Il ne savait pas d’où venait son café du matin. Ça vient de la Côte d’Ivoire, du Brésil, du Ghana. La petite fille, elle a été ma messagère. » Tout cela ne se fait pas sans récolter quelques insultes au passage. C’est le destin de ceux qui innovent se dit-il. « Une personne ouvre la porte, et les autres rentrent. » Ses concitoyens le traitent parfois de fou, mais rien ne l’ébranle. « Il faut te calmer. On est au Saguenay ici. Tu sais, les gens, ils n’aiment pas les trucs de Noirs », lui a-t-on dit un jour. Pas démonté du tout, Marcellin Gbazaï réplique. « De quoi vous parlez, là ? Je le vois quand je donne des cours de danse africaine. Ils adorent ça ! » Sa persévérance a certainement fait évoluer les mentalités à Saguenay. Il dit avoir vu de nouvelles épiceries ethniques ouvrir, les noms de famille se diversifier, les politiques évoluer. « Il faut apprécier le peu qu’on a d’abord et, ensuite, on passe à autre chose. » Jouer au trait d’union Il n’y a pas que la méfiance des locaux qu’il doit désarmer, mais celle des nouveaux arrivants aussi. « Des fois, quand il y a des Africains qui me voient dans mon taxi, ils ont peur d’ouvrir la portière, fait-il en riant. La sensibilisation, c’est pas juste chez les Saguenéens. Non ! C’est aussi les Africains, les immigrants. Il faut leur faire comprendre que, si tu restes dans ton coin en pensant que c’est tout blanc, le Blanc va aussi penser que c’est tout noir. Si tu ne penses pas que tu n’es que noir, si tu penses que tu as le droit d’être ici, que tu respectes ce qu’on te demande, que tu fais ton travail et que tu n’emmerdes personne, parle aux gens et tu verras qu’ils sont ouverts. » Pour atteindre sa cible du vivre-ensemble, Marcellin Gbazaï fait flèche de tout bois. Il organise aussi en temps normal quantité d’événements pour croiser les parcours. Les immigrants ne sont pas que des travailleurs, concède-t-il, mais des humains avec des besoins sociaux. « On veut des immigrants pour travailler en région. Mais ils viennent et puis ils partent ! Ils font ça tout le temps. Le gouvernement paye des millions, des billets d’avion pour venir visiter. Oui, c’est beau. Ils viennent deux ans, trois ans et après repartent. Il manque quelque chose. Il manque l’accompagnement. Il manque les activités pour qu’ils se sentent ici chez eux. C’est sur ce truc-là que je veux travailler. Je ne m’arrêterai pas. » Pour tous ceux qui sont intéressés, Marcellin Gbazaï les attend les bras ouverts. « Envoie-moi un message ! Je vais te montrer que le premier jour quand tu viens, tu es chez toi. Le deuxième jour, tu es chez toi. Toute la vie que tu passes au Saguenay, tu es chez toi. » Jean-Louis Bordeleau, Initiative de journalisme local, Le Devoir
When Elon Musk's Tesla became the biggest name to reveal it had added bitcoin to its coffers last month, many pundits were swift to call a corporate rush towards the booming cryptocurrency. Yet there's unlikely to be a concerted crypto charge any time soon, say many finance executives and accountants loath to risk balance sheets and reputations on a highly volatile and unpredictable asset that confounds convention. "When I did my treasury exams, the thing we were told as number one objective is to guarantee security and liquidity of the balance sheet," said Graham Robinson, a partner in international tax and treasury at PwC and adviser to the UK's Association for Corporate Treasurers.
CALGARY — Kevin Koe's Wild Card Two team defeated Canada's Brad Gushue 9-7 on Sunday night to hand the defending champions their first loss at the Canadian men's curling championship. Down one with hammer coming home, Koe put the pressure on by sitting three. Gushue was a tad heavy with his final draw and Koe picked it out for the victory. Koe improved to 4-0 after seven draws at the WinSport Arena while Gushue fell to 2-1. In other late games, Quebec's Michael Fournier beat Prince Edward Island's Eddie MacKenzie 10-4, Ontario's John Epping crushed Nunavut's Peter Mackey 16-1 and Nova Scotia's Scott McDonald defeated Greg Smith of Newfoundland and Labrador 11-4. Koe is hoping to win a record fifth career Tim Hortons Brier title as skip. Gushue, from St. John's, N.L., has won the Brier in three of the last four years. Quebec and Ontario moved into a second place tie in Pool B at 3-1. Gushue was tied in fourth place with Saskatchewan's Matt Dunstone. Koe's Alberta-based team beat P.E.I. 12-5 in the morning draw. "Our schedule is a little back-heavy in terms of the favourites in the pool, which is probably a good thing," Koe said after the early win. "We've (had) a few games to figure some stuff out and play some real games for the first time in a long time. "Now we're looking forward to the challenges ahead." Gushue offered a significant test from the start, opening with hammer and scoring a deuce when Koe was heavy with his last draw. The defending champion had rare back-to-back misses in the second end and Koe took advantage by scoring three. Koe made a draw for two in the sixth for a 5-3 lead but Gushue pulled even with a hit for a pair. Koe was forced to one in the eighth and Gushue made a draw for two to take the lead in the ninth. With the victory, Koe improved to 38-26 in career head-to-head matchups against Gushue. In the afternoon draw, Wayne Middaugh - who's throwing fourth stones for the injured Glenn Howard on Wild Card Three - led the Ontario-based rink to a 12-2 rout of Yukon's Dustin Mikkelsen. Middaugh moved into a first-place tie with idle Manitoba atop the Pool A standings at 2-0. "Now we've hopefully learned a few things and we can keep playing at a good level with the really top teams that are here," Middaugh said. With the game well in hand, Howard came on for the last two ends to play lead for the first time in his long career. He has moved into the alternate role at the 10-day event as he's nursing sore ribs. New Brunswick's James Grattan dropped a 6-5 decision to Alberta's Brendan Bottcher to leave both teams at 2-1. Wild Card One's Mike McEwen and Northern Ontario's Brad Jacobs were also 2-1 after afternoon victories. McEwen's Manitoba-based rink topped B.C.'s Steve Laycock 10-7 while Jacobs beat Greg Skauge of the Northwest Territories 7-5. Ontario, Quebec and Saskatchewan picked up morning wins. Epping defeated McDonald 12-7, Fournier trounced Mackey 15-1 and Dunstone doubled Smith 6-3. Nova Scotia was alone in sixth place in Pool B at 2-2, ahead of P.E.I. (0-3), Nunavut (0-3) and Newfoundland and Labrador (0-4). B.C. (0-2), N.W.T. (0-3), and Yukon (0-3) remained winless in Pool A. The preliminary round continues through Thursday night. The top four teams in each pool will advance to the two-day championship round. The semifinal and final are set for March 14. The champion will represent Canada at the world men's curling championship next month in the same Canada Olympic Park venue. This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2021. Follow @GregoryStrongCP on Twitter. The Canadian Press
Durham Region’s medical officer of health says the region is in “very good shape” with vaccine distribution and administration. In a recent update to the region’s health and social services committee, Durham Region Medical Officer of Health Dr. Robert Kyle says clinics opening Monday, all those ages 80 and older can now book their appointment to be vaccinated, noting the vast majority of seniors living in long-term care and high-risk retirement homes in Durham Region, as well as most healthcare workers, have been vaccinated. “We were tasked by the government to develop a plan that when fully operational, will allow vaccination of approximately 10,000 clients per day,” says Kyle, noting there will be at least one clinic in each of the eight municipalities. As of Monday, March 8, two clinics will be open: Durham College and Ontario Tech University in Oshawa, and the other in Pickering. “The staging of the opening dates (of the other clinics is) a sign that we are ramping up, staffing up,” he adds. According to the Durham Region Health website, The Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex in Clarington will open on Tuesday, March 9, followed by the opening of the McKinney Centre in Whitby on Monday, March 15. Uxbridge Arena, Scugog Arena and Rick MacLeish Memorial Community Centre Arena will open on a rotating basis beginning March 15. Finally, the Audley Recreation Centre in Ajax will open on Tuesday, March 16. The mobile clinic will also continue to vaccinate additional Phase 1 populations as required, Kyle notes. However, he says the region can’t get too far ahead of the vaccine supply. “While I say the maximum capacity is 10,000 clients per day, the number of clinic sites and available appointments will depend on vaccine supply,” Kyle continues. Furthermore, Kyle says the region’s communications plan is “robust” and has been developed to “promote vaccine awareness, accurate evidence, informed information, and timely and accurate information.” “We’re building on key messages from the Ministry of Health and the go-to place for all things COVID vaccine is durham.ca/covidvaccines,” he says, noting the website is updated on an ongoing basis. Courtney Bachar, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Oshawa Express
La gestion de l’aide d’urgence aux entreprises a amené la création d’un comité tactique au Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean au début de la crise, une initiative qui pourrait être appelée à rester pour soutenir le développement économique régional. Le comité a été mis en place par l’organisme de concertation économique Développement économique 02, lorsque les municipalités régionales de comté (MRC) ont reçu la responsabilité à travers la province d’administrer l’aide d’urgence aux entreprises annoncée par Québec en avril. À l’image des mesures sanitaires, les fonds, programmes et critères d’admissibilité changeaient constamment, autant du côté de Québec que d’Ottawa, et les intervenants régionaux avaient eux-mêmes de la difficulté à s’y retrouver, afin de pouvoir accompagner les entreprises. « Il est arrivé une multitude de fonds, chaque semaine, on était tout le monde perdu, alors c’est pour ça qu’on s’est dit : “Est-ce qu’on peut se parler régionalement ? ” », explique Claudia Fortin, administratrice au sein de l’organisme qui relève de la Conférence régionale des préfets du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. C’est ainsi qu’un « comité tactique élargi » a vu le jour. Le comité stratégique, nommé Comité d’intervention régionale, a rassemblé plusieurs acteurs économiques régionaux habitués à collaborer, mais qui ne se retrouvaient pas autour d’une même table. Des rencontres en ligne ont été tenues chaque semaine, d’avril à juin. En plus des responsables du développement économique régional déjà présents au sein de Développement économique 02, des représentants régionaux du ministère de l’Économie, de Services Québec, de Tourisme Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, de la Société de développement économique ilnu de Mashteuiatsh, d’Investissement Québec, de Développement économique Canada pour les régions du Québec, et un représentant des sociétés d’aide au développement des collectivités (SADC) régionales ont notamment pris part aux rencontres. Harmoniser l’administration La concertation des acteurs a permis entre autres d’harmoniser l’administration de l’aide d’urgence, de gagner en efficacité et de mettre en commun les pratiques. Les MRC devaient alors elles-mêmes bâtir les formulaires de demandes de prêts et assurer l’analyse des dossiers pour coordonner l’aide d’urgence aux entreprises frappées par les impacts de la pandémie de COVID-19. « À travers la dernière année, les directeurs de développement économique ont tellement travaillé à développer ces expertises-là et ces harmonisations-là que ça a permis justement à nos entreprises de survivre », estime pour sa part le maire de La Doré, Yanick Baillargeon, qui occupe la présidence de Développement économique 02 depuis décembre. Développement économique 02 n’était pas en mesure d’indiquer le nombre d’entreprises qui ont reçu un prêt dans la région et l’aide d’urgence totale dont la région a bénéficié jusqu’à maintenant. « On a eu besoin les uns des autres » Le comité stratégique, qui a pris une pause pendant l’été, a repris ses rencontres hebdomadaires à l’automne, en réduisant cependant le nombre de participants. Le comité est toujours actif aujourd’hui et pourrait reprendre une formule plus élargie à l’image de celle connue au printemps, à la demande de certains acteurs qui ont apprécié la concertation qui en a découlé, a indiqué Mme Fortin. « On a eu besoin les uns des autres, c’est surtout ça, souligne-t-elle. La force de la concertation, elle est là. Tout seul, c’était trop une grosse bouchée pour chacun, dans nos territoires, mais le fait qu’on était tout le monde ensemble, et qu’on partageait ça, ça a vraiment aidé. » Fonds de relance La concertation des acteurs régionaux a aussi mené à un sondage des entreprises régionales, afin d’identifier leurs besoins pendant la crise. Un fonds de relance régional de 750 000 $ a également été lancé en septembre, le Fonds de relance 02. L’initiative financée par Desjardins, Rio Tinto et les cinq MRC de la région proposait une subvention aux entreprises. Les demandes ont été nombreuses, si bien qu’en décembre, toutes les sommes étaient réservées. Le nombre d’entreprises et les projets soutenus seront connus ultérieurement. + LE BRAS FINANCIER DE LA CONFÉRENCE DES PRÉFETS Peu connu du public, Développement économique 02 agit en fait comme bras financier de la Conférence régionale des préfets du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean. Développement économique 02 vu le jour en réaction à l’annonce, en 2014, de l’abolition des centres locaux de développement (CLD) par le gouvernement Couillard. « En 2015, quand le gouvernement a décidé de mettre la hache dans les CLD, on trouvait ça dommage de perdre toute une expertise et une concertation qu’on avait autour du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean », explique Yanick Baillargeon, président de Développement économique 02. Le Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean comptait alors, depuis le début des années 2000, sur une association régionale rassemblant les CLD régionaux. Même si le modèle des CLD subsiste toujours aujourd’hui dans la province dans certaines municipalités régionales de comté (MRC), alors que d’autres ont choisi de rapatrier les services à l’interne ou de les transférer à un autre organisme, Développement économique 02 est demeuré en place afin d’assurer cette concertation sur le plan économique régional. « Dans toutes les régions du Québec, on doit être un des seuls qui a ce genre d’organisme de développement économique en concertation », souligne M. Baillargeon, qui est également préfet de la MRC du Domaine-du-Roy. L’élu, maire de La Doré, compte d’ailleurs solliciter un second mandat à la tête de la petite municipalité lors des élections municipales, cet automne. Le conseil d’administration de Développement économique 02 est composé de cinq responsables du développement économique des MRC de la région et de cinq élus, qui sont actuellement quatre préfets de MRC ainsi que la mairesse de Saguenay, Josée Néron, la municipalité ayant le statut de ville-MRC. Développement économique 02 chapeaute différents projets, comités et initiatives, en lien avec les enjeux de transport ferroviaire, les retombées économiques ou encore de l’emploi dans la région. « On n’est pas connu, mais on est dans l’action », souligne pour sa part Claudia Fortin, administratrice au sein de l’organisation. L’organisme, en étant lié à la Conférence régionale des préfets, est également distinct de la Table régionale des élus du Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, qui a en quelque sorte repris le relais de la défunte Conférence régionale des élus (CRÉ), les CRÉ ayant été abolies en 2015. Myriam Gauthier, Initiative de journalisme local, Le Quotidien
WASHINGTON — The United States and South Korea have reached agreement in principle on a new arrangement for sharing the cost of the American troop presence, which is intended as a bulwark against the threat of North Korean aggression. The State Department's Bureau of Political-Military Affairs said the deal includes a “negotiated increase” in Seoul's share of the cost, but it provided no details. The Bureau wrote on Twitter that the agreement, if finalized, would reaffirm the U.S.-South Korean treaty alliance as “the linchpin of peace, security and prosperity for Northeast Asia.” The negotiations had broken down during the Trump administration over a U.S. demand that Seoul pay five times what it previously had paid. The U.S. keeps about 28,000 troops in South Korea. The Wall Street Journal, which was first to report the agreement, said it would last through 2025. Robert Burns And Matthew Lee, The Associated Press
OUAGADOUGOU, Burkina Faso — A series of explosions at a military barracks in Equatorial Guinea killed at least 20 people and wounded more than 600 others on Sunday, authorities said. President Teodoro Obiang Nguema said the explosion at 4 p.m. local time was due to the “negligent handling of dynamite” in the military barracks located in the neighbourhood of Mondong Nkuantoma in Bata. “The impact of the explosion caused damage in almost all the houses and buildings in Bata," the president said in a statement, which was in Spanish. The defence ministry released a statement late Sunday saying that a fire at a weapons depot in the barracks caused the explosion of high-calibre ammunition. It said the provisional death toll was 20, adding that the cause of the explosions will be fully investigated. The country's president said the fire may have been due to residents burning the fields surrounding the barracks. State television showed a huge plume of smoke rising above the explosion site as crowds fled, with many people crying out “we don’t know what happened, but it is all destroyed.” Images on local media seen by The Associated Press show people screaming and crying running through the streets amid debris and smoke. Roofs of houses were ripped off and wounded people were being carried into a hospital. Equatorial Guinea, an African country of 1.3 million people located south of Cameroon, was a colony of Spain until it gained its independence in 1968. Bata has roughly 175,000 inhabitants. Earlier, the Health Ministry had tweeted that 17 were killed. The ministry made a call for blood donors and volunteer health workers to go to the Regional Hospital de Bata, one of three hospitals treating the wounded. The ministry said its health workers were treating the injured at the site of the tragedy and in medical facilities, but feared people were still missing under the rubble. The blasts were a shock for the oil rich Central African nation. Foreign Minister Simeón Oyono Esono Angue met with foreign ambassadors and asked for aid. “It is important for us to ask our brother countries for their assistance in this lamentable situation since we have a health emergency (due to COVID-19) and the tragedy in Bata,” he said. A doctor calling into TVGE, who went by his first name, Florentino, said the situation was a “moment of crisis” and that the hospitals were overcrowded. He said a sports centre set up for COVID-19 patients would be used to receive minor cases. Radio station, Radio Macuto, said on Twitter that people were being evacuated within four kilometres of the city because the fumes might be harmful. Following the blast, the Spanish Embassy in Equatorial Guinea recommended on Twitter that “Spanish nationals stay in their homes." ___ Joseph Wilson reported from Barcelona, Spain. ___ A previous version of this story was corrected to show that state television is TVGE, not TGVE. Sam Mednick And Joseph Wilson, The Associated Press
ATLANTA — Even in the strangest NBA All-Star Game of them all, LeBron James was still the perfect captain. Team LeBron showed off its high-flying and long-range skills during a dominating run to close out the first half, setting up a 170-150 romp over Team Durant in the league's 70th midseason showcase Sunday night. This one sure was different than the previous 69 All-Star contests. Determined to pull off an exhibition that is huge for TV revenue and the league's worldwide brand, the NBA staged the game in a mostly empty arena in downtown Atlanta, a made-for-TV extravaganza that was symbolic of the coronavirus era. Even with intense safety protocols in place, two players didn't even make it to tipoff. Philadelphia stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons were ruled out because they got haircuts from a barber who tested positive for COVID-19. But once the game began, it fell right in line with the three previous All-Star outings with the captain format. The top vote-getters in each conference pick the teams, a duty that James has earned all four years. He's now 4-0, having defeated Stephen Curry's squad in 2018 and teams selected by Milwaukee's two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo the last two years. This time, James drafted his two former adversaries to assemble a dominant squad that blew away Kevin Durant's team. Antetokounmpo was the game MVP after shooting 16 of 16 for 35 points. Curry chipped in with 28 points, while Damian Lillard had 32. James spent most of the night admiring his drafting skill, playing less than 13 minutes and finishing with four points. The only good thing for Durant: He didn't have to participate in this shellacking, sitting out the game with an ailing hamstring. Bradley Beal led Team Durant with 26 points. On a night highlighting Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Team LeBron swept the first three quarters and was first to reach the final target score, earning a total of $750,000 for its charity, the Thurgood Marshall College Fund. The game got out of hand late in the second quarter. With scant defence being played, Team LeBron took turns dunking off alley-oop passes. Chris Paul delivered back-to-back lobs that Lillard and Curry slammed through. Then, it was Paul on the receiving end of a payback pass from Curry. After showing they could handle shots up close, Team LeBron headed outside in the final seconds of the half. Lillard pulled up for a 3-pointer from the half-court line. Not to be outdone, Curry knocked down one from virtually the same spot. The atmosphere at State Farm Arena was downright eerie compared to a normal All-Star Game. Instead of a packed house, with A-list celebrities crammed into prime courtside seats, this game was attended by a smattering of hand-picked guests. They had plenty of room to spread out in a 17,000-seat venue that was essentially transformed into a giant television studio, with socially distanced spectators kept far from the court. Towering video screens were set up behind the benches. Vegas-style lights flashed around the arena. Recorded crowd noise blared over the sound system. The entertainment was provided by the host Atlanta Hawks, who didn't have any players in the game but were represented by their cheerleaders, drum line and DJ. To address fears that one of its biggest events would become a super-spreader for a virus that has killed more than a half-million Americans, the NBA pared down its usual weekend-long ritual of extravagant parties, gridlocked streets and people watching This All-Star Game was a one-night-only event, with a pair of skill competitions held shortly before the game and the Dunk Contest squeezed into the halftime break. The players flew in Saturday afternoon and were largely confined to a nearby hotel except for their time on the court. “This is when everyone in basketball all over the world comes to one city,” James said during a Zoom call before the game. “We’re able to sit back and go, ‘Wow, this is the game we have built.’ It’s a beautiful weekend for all walks of life, on the floor and off the floor. "But I'm sitting here in my hotel room, isolated. My family’s not here. I’m by myself. It’s just different, to say the least, compared to previous years.” TIP-INS Team Durant: Zion Williamson of New Orleans started the game in place of Embiid. The Pelicans forward had 10 points. Team LeBron: Paul had 16 assists. ... Lillard ended the game with another long 3-pointer. UP NEXT The 71st All-Star Game will be held Feb. 20, 2022, at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in Cleveland. The 2023 game is set for Salt Lake City, followed by Indianapolis in 2024. ___ Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at https://twitter.com/pnewberry1963 His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paulnewberry ___ More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Paul Newberry, The Associated Press
