The 'Les Flammes' awards in Paris celebrate the diversity of rap music

France is holding its first awards ceremony for the genre, which considers itself under-represented at other music awards.


By Djaïd Yamak
Published today 


The stage of the Les Flammes award ceremony at the Théâtre du Châtelet, in Paris. 

The first Les Flammes ceremony, which aims to celebrate rap and "popular cultures" more broadly, is being held on Thursday, May 11, at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. The "historic and iconic venue," according to organizers Tom Brunet and Yoan Prat, founders of Yard Media, embodies the academization of hip-hop and the musical currents associated with it. Hosted by comedian and actress Fadily Camara, the ceremony will be punctuated by the presentation of 21 awards and numerous musical performances. Fourteen artists will perform live. Among them, Dinos, Ronisia, Gazo, Enchanted Julia and Prince Waly.

The ceremony fills the gap, according to the two organizers, left open by the Victoires de la Musique awards which have never managed to really take hold of rap music and the sub-categories associated with it. But in France, these genres top the charts and earn the most streams.

From 2007 to 2019, rap was included in the Victoires de la Musique category for Urban Music Album of the Year. "The term 'urban' is reductive. Rappers rap. They don't 'urban.' They are not urbanists," the founders insisted. However, the pair does resort to the term "urban", so that "those who use it understand what we are talking about," while simultaneously promoting the term "popular cultures."

The "s" on "cultures" is justified by the diversity of the musical currents associated with rap, exemplified by the multiple Flamme awards to be handed out during the ceremony. Two distinctions value African and Caribbean influences: the Flamme for the Caribbean song and the Flamme for the Afro song. The R'n'B song of the year will be awarded to a song composed in collaboration between artists. Stromae, Disiz and Tiakola are vying for the Flamme for New Pop Album of the Year.

Transparent voting system

The top honors were broken down by gender, Male Artist Flamme and Female Artist Flamme of the Year. "We assembled a committee made up 100% of women in the industry. They voted and helped us make the decision to gender the categories so that women would be better represented at the ceremony," said Tom Brunet and Yoan Prat. Lyon rapper Lala & ce, a former member of the 667 collective, is competing alongside Aya Nakamura and Cape Verdean singer Ronisia for the Flamme of the Female Artist of the Year. Dinos, Gazo and Tiakola are vying for the male artist award.

The organizers wanted to make the voting system transparent. "The public often criticizes the ceremonies for not knowing who the people who vote are," said Yoan Prat. For each category, a shortlist of 10 artists was established by a group of journalists. Out of the 17 categories submitted to the vote, nearly 140,000 Internet users, who account for half of the vote, then ranked their choices. To ensure that the weight of the fan communities did not skew the voting, the other half of the voting panel was formed by a jury of industry professionals, journalists and public figures.

French mayor resigns after death threats and arson over plans to host refugees

Yannick Morez, the mayor of a town in western France, was a regular target of far-right protests. He complained of 'a lack of support from the state' when he stepped down.


 AFP
Published today

Demonstrators take part in a protest against a reception center for asylum seekers in front of the town hall of Saint-Brevin-Les-Pins, in western France, on April 29, 2023. Their sign reads "Open your eyes, Stop Immigration, Stop the drop of our status, let's organize the return of clandestine people, deliquents and foreign criminals." 

FRED TANNEAU / AFP

Yannick Morez, mayor of Saint-Brevin-les-Pins in western France, resigned on Wednesday, May 10, after being targeted by the far right over plans to move a center for asylum seekers. Morez faced death threats and an arson attack on his home. His resignation comes as support for the far right swells and mainstream parties seek to channel anti-immigration sentiment in an increasingly tense political environment.

Morez said late on Wednesday he was stepping down "for personal reasons" − while complaining of "a lack of support from the state." His announcement has prompted responses from the highest levels of French politics.

French President Emmanuel Macron on Twitter described the attacks against him as "outrageous" and expressed his "solidarity" with Morez and his family. 

"What has happened is very shocking, and I want to assure the mayor of my full support," Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne said on Thursday during a visit to La Reunion, a French Indian Ocean territory. She added that she wanted to "protect mayors better (...) intervene sooner to support them, to identify their difficulties and back them up better."

Months of protests

Saint-Brevin, a seaside town at the mouth of the Loire River near the western city of Nantes, has been racked for months by protests against plans to move existing asylum accommodation to a site close to a primary school. The town has hosted migrants since the so-called Jungle camp near Calais on France's north coast was dismantled in 2016.

Morez said in March that there had "never been the slightest problem" with asylum seekers in the years they had been hosted in his town. But beyond repeated demonstrations organized by far-right party Reconquete led by former presidential candidate Eric Zemmour against the move, Morez's home was targeted in an arson attack on March 22 that is the subject of a criminal investigation.

Parti Socialiste chief Olivier Faure posted on Twitter that "it's shameful that the state did not grasp the scale of what was happening to him and did not back him up. It's shameful to continue normalizing the far right."

MPs from the far-right politician Marine Le Pen's Rassemblement National (RN) party did not join other lawmakers in standing to pay their respects to Morez following his resignation on Wednesday. The re-branded former Front National, whose policies still in large part center on hostility to Islam and immigration, is riding high in the polls.

Recent surveys suggest its figurehead Le Pen would beat Macron if there were a re-run today of last year's election run-off. Meanwhile, Macron's ministers are racing with the conservative Les Républicans party to bring new immigration bills before France's Assemblée Nationale lower house, in which no party has a majority.

'Crisis' measures come into force in drought-hit southern France

Issued on: 11/05/2023 -

01:52

A series of crisis measures, including banning the sale of swimming pools, have come into force in the Pyrenees-Orientales region of southern France, which is in the grip of its most severe water shortage since the 1950s.

In major climate step, EPA proposes 1st limits on greenhouse gas emissions from power plants

The Biden administration is proposing new limits on greenhouse gas emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants, its most ambitious effort yet to reduce planet-warming pollution from the nation’s second-largest contributor to climate change

ByMATTHEW DALY Associated Press
May 11, 2023


WASHINGTON -- The Biden administration proposed new limits Thursday on greenhouse gas emissions from coal- and gas-fired power plants, its most ambitious effort yet to roll back planet-warming pollution from the nation’s second-largest contributor to climate change.

A rule unveiled by the Environmental Protection Agency could force power plants to capture smokestack emissions using a technology that has long been promised but is not in widespread use in the U.S.

"This administration is committed to meeting the urgency of the climate crisis and taking the necessary actions required,'' EPA Administrator Michael Regan said during Thursday's announcement.

The new rule will “significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired power plants, protecting health and protecting our planet,'' Regan said. The plan would not only “improve air quality nationwide, but it will bring substantial health benefits to communities all across the country, especially our frontline communities ... that have unjustly borne the burden of pollution for decades,'' Regan said in a speech at the University of Maryland.

If finalized, the proposed regulation would mark the first time the federal government has restricted carbon dioxide emissions from existing power plants, which generate about 25% of U.S. greenhouse gas pollution, second only to the transportation sector. The rule also would apply to future electric plants and would avoid up to 617 million metric tons of carbon dioxide through 2042, equivalent to annual emissions of 137 million passenger vehicles, the EPA said.

Almost all the coal plants — along with large, frequently used gas-fired power plants — would have to cut or capture nearly all their carbon dioxide emissions by 2038, the EPA said. Plants that cannot meet the new standards would be forced to retire.

The plan is likely to be challenged by industry groups and Republican-leaning states, which have accused the Democratic administration of overreach on environmental regulations and warn of a pending reliability crisis for the electric grid. The power plant rule is one of at least a half-dozen EPA rules limiting power plant emissions and wastewater treatment.

“It's truly an onslaught” of government regulation “designed to shut down the coal fleet prematurely,'' Rich Nolan, president and CEO of the National Mining Association, said in an interview before the rule was announced.

In a call with reporters on Wednesday, Regan denied that the power plant rule — or any other regulation — was aimed at shutting down the coal fleet even though he acknowledged, “We will see some coal retirements.”

The proposal “relies on proven, readily available technologies to limit carbon pollution” and builds on industry practices already underway to move toward clean energy, he said.

Coal provides about 20% of U.S. electricity, down from about 45% in 2010. Natural gas provides about 40% of U.S. electricity. The remainder comes from nuclear energy and renewables such as wind, solar and hydropower.

Tom Kuhn, president of the Edison Electric Institute, which represents U.S. investor-owned electric companies, said the group will assess whether the EPA's proposal aligns with its commitment to provide reliable, clean energy.

Carbon emissions from the U.S. power sector are at the same level as in 1984, while electricity use has climbed 73% since then, Kuhn said.

The EPA rule would not mandate use of equipment to capture and store carbon emissions — a technology that is expensive and still being developed — but instead would set caps on carbon dioxide pollution that plant operators would have to meet. Some natural gas plants could start blending gas with another fuel source such as hydrogen, which does not emit carbon, although specific actions would be left to the industry.

Still, the regulation is expected to lead to greater use of carbon capture equipment, a technology that the EPA said has been "adequately demonstrated" to control pollution.

Jay Duffy, a lawyer for the Boston-based Clean Air Task Force, said the EPA rule is likely to “propel deployment of carbon capture” technology far above current usage. “It’s a way for (fossil fuel) plants to operate in a decarbonized world," he said before the rule was announced.

"Industry innovates and over-complies,'' Duffy said, citing a 1970s EPA rule that required power plants to use sulfur dioxide scrubbers. At the time, there were only three commercial scrubber units operating at U.S. power plants and just one vendor. Within a few years, there were 119 sulfur scrubbers installed and 13 vendors, Duffy said in an essay posted on the group's website.

More recently, the U.S. power industry exceeded emissions goals set by the Obama administration in its Clean Power Plan, even though the plan was blocked by the courts and never implemented.

Still, the scope of the power plant rule is immense. About 60% of the electricity generated in the U.S. last year came from burning fossil fuels at the nation’s 3,400 coal and gas-fired plants, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

“These rules are a big deal,'' said David Doniger, senior strategic director for climate and clean energy at the Natural Resources Defense Council. The power plant rules are crucial to meeting President Joe Biden's goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2030 and eliminate carbon emissions from the power grid by 2035, he and other advocates said.

“We need to do this to meet the climate crisis,'' Doniger said.

The proposal comes weeks after the Biden administration announced strict new tailpipe pollution limits that would require up to two-thirds of new vehicles sold in the U.S. to be electric by 2032 and months after Biden announced rules to curb methane leaks from oil and gas wells.

The rules follow climate action by the 2021 infrastructure law and billions of dollars in tax credits and other incentives from the Inflation Reduction Act, approved last year.

While Biden has made fighting global warming a top priority, he has faced sharp criticism from environmentalists — particularly young climate activists — for a recent decision to approve the contentious Willow oil project in Alaska. The massive drilling plan by oil giant ConocoPhillips could produce up to 180,000 barrels of oil a day on Alaska’s petroleum-rich North Slope. Environmental groups call Willow a “carbon bomb” and have mounted a social media #StopWillow campaign.

The new plan comes 14 years after the EPA declared that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public health. President Barack Obama tried to set limits on carbon pollution from U.S. power plants, but his 2015 Clean Power Plan was blocked by the Supreme Court and later was rolled back by President Donald Trump.

Last year, the Supreme Court limited how the Clean Air Act can be used to reduce climate-altering emissions from power plants. The 6-3 ruling confirmed the EPA's authority to regulate carbon emissions from power plants but said it could not force a nationwide transition away from the use of coal to generate electricity.

The EPA said its new rule will give plant operators flexibility to meet the new standards in a method of their choosing. And instead of creating one limit that all power plants must meet, the agency said it will set a range of targets based on the size of the plant, how often it is used and whether it is already scheduled for retirement.

___

Follow the AP's coverage of climate change at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment.

Czechs announce major pension, tax reform to rein in debt

Prime Minister Petr Fiala's government has come under fire from low-income voters over record inflation 

Issued on: 11/05/2023

Prague (AFP) – The Czech government presented an extensive tax and pension reform on Thursday designed to curb soaring public debt due to the Covid pandemic and the war in Ukraine.

Presenting the "Czechia in Shape" programme, Prime Minister Petr Fiala said its goal was "to fundamentally reverse the trend of growing debt" and make the pension system sustainable.

"The pace of the debt growth in our country is horrific," Fiala told reporters.

The EU member of 10.5 million people was hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and topped the global statistics for per capita deaths for several months.

In 2019, before the pandemic hit Europe, the Czech government's debt reached 28.3 percent of gross domestic product (GDP).

Last year, it stood at 42.6 percent.

The government will cut spending in the government sector, curb subsidies, and raise the real estate tax and corporate income taxes from 2024.

It will also introduce changes to extend the pension age.

Labour and Social Affairs Minister Marian Jurecka said the retirement age would be set on the basis of life expectancy from 2025, against the current 64 years.

The average Czech should receive a pension for 21.5 years, Jurecka told reporters.

"Around 2050, we will have one working person per one pensioner, this is why the change is crucial," Jurecka said.

He added the state would also tighten the rules for early retirement.

Fiala's government will also replace the current three value added tax (VAT) rates of 10, 15 and 21 percent with two set at 12 and 21 percent, said Finance Minister Zbynek Stanjura.

Vital goods such as foodstuffs, housing and healthcare will be taxed at 12 percent against the current 15 percent.

The government also expects to raise taxes on alcohol, tobacco and gambling, and has scrapped VAT on books.

Fiala's centre-right government -- in office since late 2021 -- threw its support behind Ukraine after it was invaded by Russia in February 2022.

It has provided Ukraine with substantial military and humanitarian aid and received almost 500,000 war refugees, which also had an effect on its spending.

The economic plan has to be passed by parliament, but is expected to pass easily as the government holds a majority of 108 votes in the 200-member lower house.

Fiala's government has recently come under fire from low-income voters staging several rallies in Prague over record inflation and falling living standards.

© 2023 AFP

Fiala’s Government Sees Lowest Popularity Rating Since 2013

Czech News Agency April 19, 2023

Prague, April 19 (CTK) – The government of Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala (ODS) has the lowest popularity rating since the cabinet of Petr Necas (ODS) in 2013, according to a poll conducted by the Public Opinion Research Center (CVVM) between late January and 20 March.

Czech citizens mostly criticise the cabinet’s program, performance and individual members, as well as the prime minister himself and the way he communicates with the public.

In all of these aspects, Fiala’s cabinet has lower popularity ratings than at any time during the two cabinets of Andrej Babis (ANO; 2017-2021), the cabinet of Bohuslav Sobotka (CSSD; 2014-2017) and the caretaker cabinet of Jiri Rusnok (2013-2014), despite the fact that Babis’s first government and the Rusnok cabinet were ruling without the confidence of the Chamber of Deputies.

The only lower rating than Fiala’s was for Necas’s cabinet in a February 2013 poll. Necas’s government underwent extensive personnel changes during its three years in power and ended by resigning in summer 2013 after a police raid in the government offices.

Negative assessments of Fiala’s government outweigh the positive ones. For example, only 24% of respondents were satisfied with the members of the government, while 71% are dissatisfied overall. The prime minister is rated negatively by 64% of people and positively by 32%. While 69% of Czechs are dissatisfied with the government’s actions, only 27% are satisfied. The cabinet’s communication with the public is assessed negatively by 66% of respondents and positively by 30%. The smallest margin between positive and negative evaluations is for the government’s program, with which 30% of Czechs are satisfied, compared to 59% that are not

Compared to the previous survey in August and September 2021, which evaluated Babis’s government, the share of dissatisfied people in each case has increased by up to 15 percentage points. The evaluation of the prime minister has changed the least; in the previous survey, 62% of people were dissatisfied with Babis as PM, while in the current survey, 64% of respondents evaluate Fiala negatively.

The poll found that older people are less satisfied with Fiala’s cabinet in all aspects, while people from higher-income households and with better living standards are more satisfied. Right-wing voters are generally more satisfied with the current government. Strong dissatisfaction with the cabinet was expressed mainly by supporters of the opposition parties ANO and Freedom and Democracy (SPD), as well as non-voters.

The current cabinet has been facing rising prices and other impacts of the Russian attack on Ukraine, which started last February. Over the past few months, protests against the government have been held repeatedly in the Czech Republic. On Sunday, thousands of people demonstrated at Wenceslas Square in Prague, with speakers calling for strikes and the resignation of the government.

In March, some of the participants in one demonstration tried to enter the National Museum building and tear down a Ukrainian flag.

Last September, around 70,000 people gathered at a protest rally calling for the government’s resignation. The organisers criticised the government over soaring energy prices and the pro-Western stance of the current cabinet.

The survey was conducted by CVVM from 31 January to 20 March on a sample of 861 Czech residents over the age of 15.

Appointed in December 2021, the Fiala cabinet comprises the three-party Spolu alliance of ODS, the Christian Democrats (KDU-CSL) and TOP 09, as well as the Mayors and Independents (STAN) and the Pirate Party.

LIKE OTHER PROFESSIONAL SPORTS

Threats and shared gold after cheating row rocks eSports final

Issued on: 11/05/2023

eSports is being contested at the Southeast Asian Games in Phnom Penh 

© TANG CHHIN Sothy / AFP


Phnom Penh (AFP) – An eSports final at the Southeast Asian Games has been rocked by cheating allegations that led to the gold medal being shared between two countries on Thursday.

Singapore and Indonesia were jointly awarded gold but instead of basking in victory some players reported receiving online threats.

The dispute arose during a final for the first-person shooter Valorant in the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh on Wednesday.

Indonesia's players complained to officials that their opponents were using an in-game camera which allowed them to track players' movements, saying it was not allowed under the rules.

Singapore disputed the tactic was not permitted, leading to players and officials wrangling over the rules well into the early hours.

Singaporean player Tidus Goh said on Twitter that they had "played by the rules that were conveyed to us".

He and teammate Marcus "nephh" Tan reported receiving threats online over the furore.

A Thursday morning restart of the final was agreed upon, with a points penalty for Singapore.

But when play looked set to finally resume, Indonesia said they would forfeit the match, saying it was unfair the rules had not been made clear.

Eventually the Southeast Asian Games Federation ruled that the gold medal would be shared.

"A lot of this came up from a lot of miscommunication," Indonesia head coach Yohannes Paraloan Siagian told AFP.

"We have nothing against our opponents," he added.

"It was more that we felt that the way this event was being run did not make for a fair, balanced playing field."

Explaining the joint gold, the coach said he thought the Southeast Asian Games had opted for a solution "that caused the least amount of distress all round".

When the medals were awarded -- along with joint bronzes for the Philippines and Vietnam -- the Singapore players were not on the podium, having flown back home.

A spokesperson for the Singapore National Olympic Council said it accepted the decision and congratulated Indonesia on the joint victory.

"We are pleased to win Singapore's first gold medal in eSports," it added.

Frengky Ong, secretary general of the Esports Federation of Indonesia, said: "We accepted the joint-golds decision by considering our commitment to respect the brotherhood between countries which SEA Games upholds strongly."

© 2023 AFP

Turkish candidate Muharrem Ince drops out of presidential race

NEWS WIRES
Thu, 11 May 2023 

© Adem Altan, AFP

Third-party candidate Muharrem Ince on Thursday withdrew from Turkey's tight presidential election in a shock move that increased the chances of an opposition first-round victory.

The 59-year-old announced his decision after being targeted by an online smear campaign that included doctored images of him meeting women and riding around in fancy cars. The secular nationalist picked up 30.6 percent of the vote when he challenged President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in 2018 presidential polls.

He then quit the main opposition party and launched his own movement that began to pull votes away from secular leader Kemal Kilicdaroglu -- the joint candidate of the anti-Erdogan bloc.

"I'm withdrawing my candidacy," Ince told reporters ahead of Sunday's vote. "I am doing this for my country."

(AFP)

'Today their eyes are open': Will earthquake hurt Erdogan at the ballot box?

Issued on: 11/05/2023

02:30

With turkey voting in crucial elections on Sunday, opposition leaders are hoping anger in the south-east at the government’s response to two devastating earthquakes in February could derail Recep Tayyip Erdogan's bid to extend his 20 years in power. Our reporters went to take the pulse of the city of İskenderun - which Erdogan won by a big margin at the last election.

'Real partner': Erdogan's rival seeks softer foreign touch

Anne CHAON
Thu, May 11, 2023 

Turkey was expelled from a US fighter jet programme for acquiring Russian missiles

If it comes to power in Sunday's elections, the Turkish opposition led by Kemal Kilicdaroglu pledges to restore trust with Washington and Europe while mending ties with Syria.

A regional power of 85 million people and NATO's bridgehead in the Middle East, Turkey gradually detached itself from Western allies during President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's 21-year rule.

Ahmet Unal Cevikoz, a former ambassador and special adviser to Erdogan's main rival, thinks a diplomatic reversal and a transition to more democratic rule go hand in hand.

"Most of our problems with the European Union stem from the lack of democracy in Turkey," Cevikoz told AFP ahead of the tight parliamentary and presidential polls.

A return to the rule of law, which Western states accuse Erdogan of eroding during his second decade in power, will change Turkey's image abroad, Cevikoz said.

"It will become a very real partner," he promised.

Turkey's accession talks with the European Union froze over, less than a decade after it applied to join in 1999.

European powers such as France held reservations about admitting the majority Muslim nation, and Erdogan began to feel resentful as the talks dragged on.

Cevikoz said it was vital to revive the process because it "helps the democratisation of the country".

A member of Kilicdaroglu's secular CHP party, Cevikoz also backs extending a 2016 migrants deal with the EU.

Brussels sent billions of euros to Ankara in return for Turkey hosting roughly five million people fleeing war-torn countries, particularly neighbouring Syria.

Cevikoz said the opposition wants to "revitalise and review (the deal) to make it more effective".

The CHP also plans to launch the Syrians' "voluntary and dignified" return, which Cevikoz views as part of a broader reassessment of Turkey's and the EU's migration stances.

"The (migration) problem concerns Europe as much as Turkey," he said. "But the EU does not have a migration policy."

- Erdogan's 'mistake' -

Turkey has become one of NATO's most unruly members in the latter years of Erdogan's rule.

Cevikoz stressed the importance of Turkey's membership of the US-led military alliance, which was shaken by Erdogan's decision to purchase advanced missiles from Russia.

Washington expelled Turkey from its F-35 stealth fighter programme in retaliation.

Analysts felt that Moscow had successfully inserted a wedge in Ankara's relations with the West.

"Turkey's national defence is very much enhanced by its membership of NATO", Cevikoz said.

He called the Russian purchase "a mistake" that "cost us a lot".

Turkey's position in NATO has been further complicated by its refusal to let Sweden join the bloc in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Ankara wants Stockholm to extradite suspects it links to a Kurdish insurgency and a failed 2016 coup attempt.

Sweden has been toughening its anti-terrorism laws in response to Turkey's pressure, planning to put new legislation before parliament on June 1.

Cevikoz recognised Stockholm's "progress", saying this "will certainly ease the way for Sweden's membership".

- 'Balance' with Russia -

At the same time, Cevikoz signalled no significant break from Erdogan's approach to Moscow.

Wartime trade with Russia has boomed despite Turkey's decision to supply Kyiv with weapons.

Erdogan benefitted from a pre-election rebate on Russian energy and used his Kremlin ties to set up truce talks in the first months of the Ukraine war, boosting his stature at home.

"Turkey has always pursued a very balanced approach during the Cold War," Cevikoz said.

"Why not continue the same kind of balanced approach?".

"After the resolution of the Ukrainian conflict, there is the future architecture of European security" to consider, he said.

Such logic, similar to that adopted by French President Emmanuel Macron, worries Washington.

So does the region's reconciliation with Syria, which Cevikoz wholeheartedly backs.

Ankara's ties with Damascus were severed when Erdogan began backing rebel efforts to topple Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in 2011.

But Syria this week was readmitted to the Arab League, and Erdogan is now courting a summit with Assad, which Damascus is refusing until Turkey pulls all its troops out of Syria.

"We want to resume an unconditional dialogue" with Syria, Cevikoz said.

ach/zak/gil

MACHISMO MISOGYNY

Madrid Open apologises for denying women's doubles finalists speeches

Victoria Azarenka of Russia returns the ball to Ipek Oz of Turkey (not pictured) during their women's singles match of the Qatar TotalEnergies Open tennis tournament at Khalifa International Tennis and Squash Complex in Doha on February 13, 2023. 

(Photo by KARIM JAAFAR / AFP)

Agence France-Presse (AFP)/AFP

The mens' doubles finalists were allowed to speak to the crowd after their matches

Staff Writer, Agence France-Presse (AFP)

May 11, 2023

LIFESPAINTENNIS

Madrid Open organisers apologised Thursday after not allowing the women's doubles finalists to make speeches after the match at the tournament last week, amid allegations of sexism.

The mens' doubles finalists were allowed to speak to the crowd after their matches.

Victoria Azarenka and Beatriz Haddad Maia beat Jessica Pegula and Coco Gauff in the women's final on Sunday but were not given a microphone to let them address the crowd.

"We sincerely apologise to all the players and fans who expect more of the Mutua Madrid Open tournament," said Madrid Open CEO Gerard Tsobanian in a statement on Twitter.

"Not giving our women's doubles finalists the chance to address their fans at the end of the match was unacceptable and we have apologised directly to Victoria, Beatriz, Coco and Jessica."

Tsobanian said the tournament was working with the WTA to improve their process in the future.

"We made a mistake and this will not ever happen again," he added.

American player Pegula criticised the tournament at a news conference in Rome on Tuesday.

"Did I think we were not going to be able to speak? No. I've never heard of that, like, in my life," she said.

"I don't know what century everyone was living in when they made that decision."

Women's singles finalist Iga Swiatek had criticised the tournament in her speech on Saturday over their late finishes, saying it was "not fun" to play at 1am (2300GMT).

Winner Aryna Sabalenka joked about a birthday cake she was given the day before in her speech, which was smaller than the one the tournament gave men's champion Carlos Alcaraz.

The Madrid Open also face complaints about the ball girl's outfits, which some fans said were "sexualised"

SMITH PARTIES AS ALBERTA BURNS

Wildfires abate slowly in western Canada

AFP
Wed, May 10, 2023

Fields and forests destroyed by wildfires in Alberta in western Canada on May 10, 2023

A lull in high temperatures brought some relief on Wednesday from wildfires in Alberta in western Canada as reinforcements arrived to help battle the blazes.

In total, 76 forest and brush fires remained active in the province compared to 110 a few days ago, authorities said. Twenty-three are still considered uncontrolled.

Several Canadian provinces -- as well as the US states of Oregon and Alaska -- sent reinforcements to fight the wildfires, which authorities said could flare again as high temperatures return over the weekend.

"We're very happy to have new resources coming in from our colleagues across Canada and colleagues in the United States. And I think that's going to be a much needed boost for firefighters who have been at this, some of them around the clock, for quite a while," Christie Tucker, a spokeswoman for the relief effort, said at a news conference.

The number of evacuees from fire-hit areas dipped to 24,000, down from almost 30,000 last weekend, authorities said.

At least one oil company, Tourmaline, has reopened seven of its nine facilities in Alberta, one of the world’s largest oil producing regions. The other two facilities were expected to start up "in the next couple of days," it said in a statement.

Alberta has experienced a hot, dry spring that has been conducive to fire outbreaks. The vast majority of the fires are human-caused.

Mayor Allan Gamble of Parkland County voiced relief that "all of our evacuated residents" returned home and two highways leading to the county have reopened.

In the northern part of the province, some Indigenous villages were deeply affected, such as the Cree community of Little Red River.

"There’s been a huge loss of infrastructure, no lives thank God, but 4,000 people are evacuated, over 150 homes... have been destroyed or demolished," said Patty Hajdu, federal minister of Indigenous Services.

In Yellowhead County, including Evansburg (west of Edmonton), residents were allowed to return home on Wednesday morning.

"The wildfire risk has been reduced thanks to firefighting efforts and the shift in weather," the county said in a statement.

However, it warned that "wildfires may still be active in the area."

In Fox Creek, cooler temperatures and reduced wind allowed firefighters to fortify containment lines to prevent fires from spreading.

"Don't let the skyline and current clear skies deceive you. This fire is out of control and burns deep into the ground. It is a sleeping giant. The situation can change quickly," the county said in an advisory.

bur-tib/tjj/jh

UCP LEADER AND ACTING PREMIER DANIELLE SMITH HAD A QUICK WILDFIRE UPDATE FOR THE MEDIA, NO QUESTIONS ALLOWED AS USUAL, BECAUSE SHE HAD TO RUN OFF TO A FORMAL FUND RAISER.

When questioned by a reporter, Smith did admit to attending Calgary campaign events Saturday, but said the wildfires have remained her No. 1 priority.

Party leaders walk fine line of an emergency during election campaign

Social Sharing

• Facebook
• Twitter
• Email
• Reddit
• LinkedIn

Pollster says there could be perils in underestimating or 

capitalizing on a crisis

Scott Dippel · CBC News · Posted: May 07, 2023 

Alberta’s two main provincial political party leaders are in communication during the election campaign due to the growing wildfire situation across the province. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press)

The leaders of the United Conservative and New Democratic parties are pledging to focus on the needs of the more than 24,000 people forced out of their homes by wildfires in northern and central Alberta.

The crisis is hitting during a high stakes provincial election set for May 29. Recent polls show the two top parties are running neck and neck with a sizeable portion of the electorate undecided.

In her role as premier, UCP leader Danielle Smith said she's keeping NDP leader Rachel Notley in the loop on what's happening with the government response to the wildfire situation.

Notley has some background on these situations, given she was premier when a major fire threatened Fort McMurray in May 2016.

It was the largest wildfire evacuation in Alberta's history as more than 88,000 residents were forced to flee to safety.

Both Smith and Notley say that public safety is the top priority in this situation.

Smith said at a news conference on Saturday that she doesn't think at this point that the fires could delay the entire election.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she thinks the election will go ahead as planned. (The Canadian Press)

She's hopeful the election will go ahead as planned.

But what ultimately happens in some communities will depend on how the situation plays out in the days ahead.

"These are localized matters and Elections Alberta informed me that they would be making local accommodations," said Smith.

"The hope — I think — that everyone has is that we will make sure that we get through the immediate crisis that we're in, and get people back into their communities."

 Even though there is an election on, Smith said the provincial government is still on duty and looking out for public safety.

"I want Albertans to be assured that there is a stable, functioning government that is here to support them throughout this unprecedented crisis."

Smith attended an election event in northeast Calgary on Saturday afternoon with one of her candidates.

Notley said that her party has suspended local campaigns in six ridings directly affected by the wildfire situation.

The ridings include:  Drayton Valley-Devon, Lesser Slave Lake, Central Peace-Notley, Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland, West Yellowhead and Grande Prairie-Wapiti.

During Saturday's news conference, Smith also confirmed that two candidates have officially suspended their campaigns — Minister of Forestry, Parks and Tourism Todd Loewen — who is running in the Central Peace-Notley riding and Andrew Boitchenko in the Drayton Valley-Devon riding. 

"He was telling me today about a personal property that he owns where you've got three fires that are converging at once," Smith said referring to Loewen.

"So he's got a number of reasons why he needs to take a step back from the campaign and I support him doing that."

A smoke column rises from a wildfire near Shining Bank, Alta. on May 5, 2023. (Alberta Wildfire/Handout via Reuters)

The NDP leader said the situation will be monitored daily. But for now, her plan is to continue the election campaign in other parts of Alberta that are not directly affected by the wildfires.

She said she's offered her assistance to Smith.

"We are quite sincere in our offer to participate in the emergency planning committee. I think that we have experience and advice that we can offer and I think it helps depoliticize what should be a laser focus on public safety," said Notley.

A longtime political commentator and pollster, Janet Brown, said the two leaders have a fine line to walk when a crisis like this lands during a provincial election.

A principal with Janet Brown Opinion Research, she said the party leaders need to be mindful how their actions are perceived by voters even as the overall campaigns continue.

"The biggest mistake you can make is to look like you are underestimating the impact to the people involved and the second biggest mistake you can make is to look like you're capitalizing on the situation," said Brown.

As for bringing Notley into the loop by sharing information about the wildfire situation, Brown called it an essential move by Smith.

She pointed to the example Notley set in 2016 during the Fort McMurray fire emergency when she consulted frequently with then opposition leader Brian Jean.

• Alberta election officially underway with Calgary the first stop for NDP and UCP leaders

• Provincial state of emergency declared in Alberta as wildfires spread and more residents flee

"Events like this have to transcend politics. I don't think the electorate would tolerate anything else," she said.

"It's just good government to include the opposition in a crisis like this."

For now, even as the two opponents are locked in a fight for who will lead the province after the May 29 election, the party leaders need to be seen as working cooperatively in the best interests of those who live in the fire zones.

Notley offers wildfire insight to Smith as some provincial campaigns are suspended

Author of the article: Stephanie Babych

Postmedia
Published May 06, 2023 

Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley provided a response on the wildfire situation in the province in Calgary on Saturday, May 6, 2023. 

PHOTO BY DARREN MAKOWICHUK 

With more than 24,500 Albertans having been evacuated from their homes by Saturday morning due to wildfires, Alberta NDP Leader Rachel Notley offered insight to her political rival, UCP Leader Danielle Smith, on leading the province through significant wildfire evacuations.

More than 100 wildfires are burning in Alberta, causing mandatory evacuations of Drayton Valley, Edson, parts of Strathcona County and several other regions of the province.

Notley said during a press conference on Saturday afternoon that she’s willing to provide Smith with any insight from her past experience with the Fort McMurray wildfire crisis in 2016.

“We tried to put ourselves in the position of the folks who were being evacuated. We tried to put ourselves in the position of the people who left their homes and we said, ‘If I was that person, what would I need in order to help make this easier?’ And we worked backward from that position,” said Notley.

She said it’s important the evacuees have all the information they might need through multiple channels of communication so they know what’s happening. It was also imperative the government make comprehensive health and mental health support accessible to Albertans in 2016, Notley explained.

Notley said she has reached out to Smith’s office to offer a phone call.

“This may well be a unique situation, having this kind of provincial emergency in the middle of a campaign. We are quite sincere in our offer to participate in the emergency planning committee. We have experience and advice that we can offer,” said Notley

At a late afternoon press conference, Smith told reporters that her office has been in touch with Notley’s office, and she looks forward to getting her advice. Smith acknowledged Notley has been through this kind of situation before.

A smoke column rises from wildfire EWF031 near Lodgepole, Alberta, Canada May 4, 2023.

 PHOTO BY ALBERTA WILDFIRE /via REUTERS

The NDP officially suspended seven local campaigns that are being impacted by the wildfires, including Drayton Valley-Devon, Lesser Slave Lake, Central Peace-Notley, Lac Ste. Anne-Parkland, Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville, West Yellowhead and Grande Prairie-Wapiti.

A planned NDP press conference on health care scheduled for Saturday morning was cancelled.

The NDP leader said it’s too early to say if a delay of the election is necessary.

“If we’re still in this position further down the road, we might have to have that conversation. But at the same time, right now, our primary focus should be public safety, getting these fires under control and getting folks back into their communities,” said Notley.

Smith said two UCP candidates have chosen to suspend their campaigns, but did not give any indication that the party would ask others to suspend their campaigning.

When questioned by a reporter, Smith did admit to attending Calgary campaign events Saturday, but said the wildfires have remained her No. 1 priority.

“I had some commitments that I kept today but I’m heading to Edmonton tonight, and I’ll be spending all day tomorrow assessing the situation on the ground,” she said.

UCP candidate for Drayton Valley-Devon Andrew Boitchenko said Friday that his campaign was pausing events and door-knocking out of respect and support for those displaced.

“Please be patient with us as myself, and a large portion of my team, are either displaced or volunteering with supporting evacuees or fire operations,” said Boitchenko.

UCP candidate for Central Peace-Notley Todd Loewen said Saturday he would be temporarily pausing his election campaign until further notice.

“My mind is not on politics or campaigning, at this time. It is on supporting and helping my surrounding communities as much as possible without distraction,” said Loewen.

Smith said she fully supports these candidates in their decision to step back form campaigning. She indicated that other candidates in areas threatened by fire are not really campaigning but rather are on the ground, assisting where they can and reporting back to the province.

At an earlier press conference Saturday, Smith said she asked Elections Alberta for information prior to the election on how a natural disaster like wildfires might impact the election on May 29.

“The feedback that I got would be that it would be very unusual to move Election Day. For those communities, if they remain impacted, they would be planning for advance polls,” said Smith. “I think at this stage, it’s a bit early to make any additional call.”

It’s anticipated Elections Alberta would make local accommodations for those impacted by evacuations, Smith explained.

She said she will reach out to Notley — the Leader of the Official Opposition — if the situation escalates in the coming weeks to see if she might have any further advice.

“At the moment, I believe the position of Elections Alberta would be that they would continue,” said Smith.

The provincial election is scheduled for May 29.

 'There's nothing left': Wildfires ravage Canada's Alberta

Issued on: 11/05/2023 -

01:28

Tens of thousands have fled the Canada's Alberta as wildfires rip through the province, destroying hundreds and thousands of hectares of countryside. Cooler temperatures have brought some relief, but 76 forest and brush fires remained active in the province as of Wednesday, compared to 110 a few days ago.