Manitoba NDP promises to search landfill for First Nations women if elected

The Canadian Press
Wed, August 9, 2023 


WINNIPEG — The leader of Manitoba's Opposition NDP is promising to move forward on the search of a Winnipeg-area landfill for the remains of two First Nations women if the party forms government after the provincial election on Oct. 3.

Wab Kinew says his party would work with the families of Morgan Harris and Marcedes Myran as well as the federal government on the best way to conduct a search of the privately run Prairie Green Landfill, but stopped short of offering funding commitments.

The governing Progressive Conservatives have said that they would not support a search of the landfill because it could expose workers to toxic material and interfere with the judicial proceedings against the man accused of killing the women.

Jeremy Skibicki has been charged with first-degree murder in the deaths of Harris, Myran and two other women.

Kinew says if the NDP are elected, he hopes a search will start soon after the party forms government.

The Manitoba Liberal Party has committed to funding 50 per cent of the costs of searching the landfill if they come into power.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2023.

The Canadian Press

Tories' Twila Grosse wins provincial byelection in Nova Scotia riding of Preston

TAKES LONG TIME LIBERAL RIDING

Elections Nova Scotia said the byelection saw the first use of an electronic ballot system in Canada during early voting

The Canadian Press
Tue, August 8, 2023 



HALIFAX — Progressive Conservative Twila Grosse has won a provincial byelection in the Nova Scotia riding of Preston, taking a seat held by the Liberals for most of the last 20 years.

Grosse beat out Colter Simmonds of the NDP and Liberal Carlo Simmons, who were both in a distant race for second place in the five-way contest about an hour after polls closed Tuesday night.

Elections Nova Scotia said Grosse captured 1,950 votes, well ahead of Simmonds of the NDP with 1,145. Liberal Simmons trailed the NDP candidate by more than 100 votes.

The byelection, called on July 7, became necessary after Liberal Angela Simmonds stepped down in April.

Health care, affordable housing, gas prices and economic development were among the main issues during the campaign.

There were 11,125 registered voters in the riding, according to Elections Nova Scotia.

Heading into the byelection, the governing Progressive Conservatives held 31 seats in the provincial legislature, followed by the Liberals with 16 seats, the New Democrats with six and one Independent.

The Liberals captured 43 per cent of the votes in the riding in the 2021 provincial election, with the Progressive Conservatives and New Democrats almost equally splitting the remaining ballots cast.

The campaign managed to generate some controversy in its closing days.

Last week, Dorothy Rice, Nova Scotia's chief electoral officer, ordered the Liberals to remove signs and other campaign material that she said contained false statements concerning a potential dump in the riding's Lake Echo area.

Rice called in the RCMP to assist with a formal investigation under the provincial Elections Act after the Liberals refused to comply with her order. She had acted on a complaint by the Progressive Conservatives over what they said was misleading material wrongly asserting that Premier Tim Houston was doing nothing to stop plans for the dump.

In a statement from the Liberal campaign for Simmons in which the candidate congratulated Grosse for her victory, party leader Zach Churchill took a parting shot at the Progressive Conservatives and Elections Nova Scotia.

"It's unfortunate that the Houston Conservatives chose to run a campaign that played on misinformation towards voters rather than speaking on its own record in government for the last two years, which was unfairly supported by Elections Nova Scotia," Churchill said.

Meanwhile, Rice hadalso asked the Progressive Conservatives to clarify signs that implored local residents to vote against the "Liberal carbon tax." She said the word "federal" should be inserted before Liberal.

Elections Nova Scotia said the byelection saw the first use of an electronic ballot system in Canada during early voting. The system allowed voters to choose a candidate on an electronic tablet in the polling station rather than marking a paper ballot.

Officials said 2,166 early votes were cast.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 8, 2023.

The Canadian Press

Fury as Alberta cuts renewables during Canada’s worst fire season ever

Leyland Cecco

TORONTO

THE GUARDIAN
Wed, August 9, 2023 

Photograph: Todd Korol/Reuters

A decision by Canada’s largest oil and gas-producing province to halt new wind and solar projects has prompted disbelief among environmental groups and economists. The move comes as the country struggles with its worst wildfire season on record, a situation that experts agree is worsened by the climate crisis and a reliance on fossil fuels.

Alberta last week announced a six-month moratorium on large solar and wind projects so it can review policies surrounding the projects’ construction and impact on the power grid, as well as rules for their eventual decommissioning.

Related: Canada: generations old and new scramble to contain fires burning at record pace

Since then, provincial and federal ministers have sparred over the controversial decision, exposing tensions between Alberta, which favours natural gas for power generation, and the governing Liberals, who have the broader ambition to decarbonize electrical grids across the country by 2035.

On Tuesday, the federal government unveiled its initial plans to transition to clean energy nationwide, ahead of its Clean Energy Strategy in 2024.

Acknowledging provinces’ responsibility for electricity infrastructure and delivery, the government also highlighted its own federal authority over environmental regulations and “strategic investments” to attain broader climate goals.

“This came as a complete shock to the industry. And it’s really a broader shock to all industries in Alberta, for a government to take such a drastic action without any consultation,” said Jorden Dye, acting director of Business Renewables Centre Canada.

Provincial officials have expressed concern over the rapid pace of investment and development of renewable-energy projects in the province – one of the sunniest and windiest regions of the country.

But Dye says that the province has successfully balanced tensions between the speed of development and residents’ concerns for decades. “We’ve conducted regulatory reviews for both coal bed methane production and the oil sands industry for years – all without pausing development,” he said, adding that the decision even hurts the oil and gas industry – an increasingly large player in the province’s renewables market.

“I’ve had many conversations over the last week, ranging from CFOs of oil and gas companies to my rural Alberta farming family. And no one can understand why this drastic of an action was taken. Because it’s just not how this province conducts business.”

Nearly C$2bn worth of projects have been proposed in recent months in the province, and Dye warns companies might look to other jurisdictions to develop them.

The decision to freeze projects is a “mistake”, the head of the Canadian Renewable Energy Association said in a statement, warning the move will weaken investor confidence in the province, which represents 75% of the country’s renewable growth since last year.

There are now nearly 3,500MW worth of wind and solar projects under construction in the province, worth more than C$2.7bn, that won’t be affected by the decision, according to reporting by the Globe and Mail. The vast majority of these projects are on private land.

With the scope of the moratorium unclear, the province’s plan could strand as many as 100 projects that were set to generate enough energy to power 3m homes and are worth at least C$25bn in investments, according to the Pembina Institute, an Alberta-based energy thinkthank.

In recent years, the province has taken controversial decisions that have united unlikely groups, most notably Alberta’s short-lived plans to open coal mining in the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. Those plans united environmentalists, ranchers and a famous country singer against the United Conservative government, which quickly backtracked.

The decision to halt renewables has baffled economists, environmental groups and business executives, whose companies are now questioning hefty investments in the province.

Nearly one-third of Alberta’s grid is powered by renewables and the province has shifted away from coal at a far faster rate than expected. When the previous New Democratic party announced in 2015 it would phase out coal power, it pledged to accomplish that feat by 2030. But the province will attain the goal this year – seven years early.

“It’s clearly an ideological decision, taken at a time when climate impacts have hit Canada so devastatingly. It is completely irresponsible to halt the deployment of cost-effective and proven climate solutions,” said Caroline Brouillette, executive director of the Climate Action Network. “The province is sending the message they’re not open for business. These projects are already happening, and they’re not only good for the environment, they’re good for the economy.”

Brouillette also pointed to longstanding issues over orphaned gas wells and leaks at tailings ponds that have left Indigenous communities fearing for the safety of their water supplies. “To the premier, massive tailings spills that endanger Indigenous communities don’t constitute an emergency – but the potential for expanding cost-effective and proven climate solutions at a time when Canada is burning somehow poses a threat,” she said.

“I really hope that logic and facts can prevail for the sake of Alberta, their economy, jobs, and access to a safe and affordable energy supply.”

UCP KILLS RENEWABLES IN ALBERTA

Renewable energy workers say Alberta's pause will wipe out season of work

video has surfaced of Rob Anderson, executive director of Smith's office, describing the renewable industry as a scam.

The Canadian Press
Wed, August 9, 2023



Alberta's decision to pause approvals of new renewable energy projects is putting the lives of thousands of workers on hold, an industry group says.

"You're asking people to put a pause on their lives," said Luisa Da Silva, director of Iron and Earth, a group that assists fossil fuel employees transition to the renewables industry. "You're asking people not to work."

A week ago, Alberta's United Conservative government announced it had directed the province's utilities regulator not to approve any more renewable energy projects, citing what it says are rural and environmental concerns. The Alberta Utilities Commission is to hold an inquiry, reporting in February.

The move stranded dozens of proposed projects worth billions of dollars in a province that had, until then, been an industry leader in Canada. The pause was widely criticized by economists and companies whose projects are suddenly in limbo.

Industry was not consulted before the move.

Alberta government figures suggest about 10,000 people work in solar and wind installation. Although that figure is dwarfed by fossil fuel employment, jobs in renewables are estimated to be growing at about 10 per cent a year, while oil and gas jobs have been declining for years.

In early 2022, there were 3,425 unfilled positions in the industry.

"I don't know what their thinking is," Da Silva said. "But I don't think it's fair to ask people to not work and to basically shut down the industry for six months."

Da Silva said the effect of the pause is likely to last much longer, as both the pause itself and the uncertainty of its result will affect planning for next year's construction season and beyond. It comes as other jurisdictions in Canada and the United States are ramping up their renewable energy.

"What's going to stop workers from going where the jobs are?" Da Silva asked. "Not much."

Sam Blackett, spokesman for Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, defended the pause.

"We can't have an affordable and reliable power grid in this province without a reliable base energy source," he said. "Today that reliable source is natural gas.

"Wind and solar power have an important supporting role to play … but only if developed in a manner that is affordable, reliable, environmentally sustainable and preserves Albertans' most precious natural landscapes and prime agricultural land."

Meanwhile, video has surfaced of Rob Anderson, executive director of Smith's office, describing the renewable industry as a scam.

The video was made for The Western Standard, a conservative news outlet, on Nov. 4, 2021, before Smith re-entered politics and was still a lobbyist for an influential business group. The video was hosted by Bruce McAllister, who now heads Smith's Calgary office.

"All this is, is a scam," Anderson said. "This isn't about the environment."

Anderson accuses foreign companies of profiteering off government programs and despoiling Alberta's landscape.

"We have one of the most beautiful, pristine landscapes in the world, especially the eastern slopes (of the Rockies)," he said. "These things (windmills) are butt-ugly."

Asked if Anderson still held those views, Blackett neither disavowed nor denied them.

Nagwan Al-Guneid, the Opposition NDP's utilities critic, said major corporations that use and supply renewable power would be surprised to hear it called a scam.

"This is a multibillion-dollar industry that has created thousands of jobs," she said. "It is insulting to Albertans and to businesses and leaders who have been working in this industry for the last few years."

Al-Guneid said legitimate concerns over land use and reclamation could easily be handled without the pause and called on the government to rescind it.

"What are we doing?" she asked. "Since when does a government shut down a booming industry?"

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 9, 2023.

Bob Weber, The Canadian Press

Canadian oil sands carbon emissions stalled in 2022 even as output grew


Updated Wed, August 9, 2023
By Nia Williams

(Reuters) -Greenhouse gas emissions from Canadian oil sands production were flat in 2022 even as output grew, an analysis by S&P Global showed on Wednesday, suggesting absolute emissions from the carbon-intensive sector could peak sooner than previously expected.

It was the first time since S&P Global began tracking emissions in 2009 that absolute oil sands emissions did not rise, apart from periods in which major market disruption caused a decline in production, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Even so, the oil sands sector in northern Alberta will still need to make significant emissions cuts to meet Canada's climate targets, said Kevin Birn, chief analyst of Canadian oil markets at S&P Global Commodity Insights.

"We expected absolute emissions to rise as they always do when there's no market disruption. The fact it stalled suggests industry may be able to achieve more than they anticipated," Birn said.

"But for industry to make large-scale absolute emissions reductions we see the need for carbon capture and storage (CCS)," he added.

A number of Canada's largest oil sands producers, including Suncor Energy and Cenovus Energy, have asked the Canadian and Alberta governments for public funding to develop costly CCS technology.

Canada is the world's fourth-largest crude producer, of which around two-thirds comes from the oil sands in the western province of Alberta.

Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is targeting a 40%-45% cut in emissions from 2005 levels by 2030, but is unlikely to get there without significant reductions from the oil and gas industry, the country's highest-emitting sector.

Oil sands emissions held steady at 81 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in 2022, while total production topped 3.1 million barrels per day (bpd), a gain of more than 50,000 bpd, the S&P Global report showed.

It attributed the flattening of absolute emissions to industry-wide greenhouse gas (GHG) intensity improvements such as using less steam in thermal oil sands projects and better operating efficiency.

A modest decline in carbon-intensive synthetic crude production, due to major maintenance turnarounds in 2022, and increased output from more efficient thermal oil sands projects also helped.

"The potential stalling of emissions growth in 2022 is a clear signal that oil sands absolute emissions will indeed peak and begin to decline, perhaps sooner than previously expected," Birn said, adding that S&P Global forecast it would happen around 2025.

(Additonal reporting by Arunima Kumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri and Paul Simao)

Canada to Sell Pipeline Stake to Indigenous Groups Through Special Vehicle

Robert Tuttle and Esteban Duarte
Wed, August 9, 2023 


(Bloomberg) -- Canada plans to sell a stake in the Trans Mountain oil pipeline to individual indigenous communities through a special-purpose vehicle, allowing the government to balance competing groups’ requests to own a piece of the controversial project.

The groups will be provided with access to capital so they don’t have to risk their own money to participate, according to a letter from Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland’s office seen by Bloomberg. The communities’ equity interest in Trans Mountain will provide them with cash flows and allow them to jointly exercise governing rights, according to the letter, which was dated Aug. 2.

The plan partly clears up how Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government will handle the sale of the pipeline that his administration saved from cancellation by buying it for C$4.5 billion ($3.3 billion) in 2018. While some indigenous groups have opposed the Trans Mountain expansion, which crosses through many of their territories, others have banded together into bidding groups to pursue stakes in the pipeline to generate revenue for their communities.

Indigenous groups that take part in the special-purpose vehicle won’t be excluded from participating in later rounds offering additional equity in Trans Mountain, the letter said. The government will soon begin discussions with indigenous groups along the pipeline’s route and shipping corridor, according to the letter.

“The Government of Canada first announced its intention to explore the possibility of Indigenous economic participation in the Trans Mountain Expansion Project in March 2019,” Katherine Cuplinskas, a spokesperson for Freeland, said in an emailed statement. “The letter sent last week represents the next step in the federal government’s commitment that Indigenous communities share in the economic benefits derived from Trans Mountain.”

The Trans Mountain expansion project was first proposed about a decade ago, back when the pipeline was owned by Kinder Morgan Inc. The project twins an existing pipeline running from Edmonton to a shipping hub near Vancouver, nearly tripling the conduit’s capacity from 300,000 barrels a day to 890,000 barrels a day.

Canada’s oil-sands industry lauded the project as a key new outlet for its crude and a way to ship more production to Asia, reducing its dependence on US markets. But a series of regulatory and legal setbacks, driven by environmental and indigenous groups, prompted the government to step in and buy the line after Kinder Morgan threatened to cancel the project.

Even after the government purchase, the cost of the Trans Mountain expansion project has more than quadrupled to C$30.9 billion amid repeated delays and construction setbacks. While some of the swelling costs may be passed onto the oil producers who will use the line, analysts say taxpayers also may be left to bear a hefty writedown on the project.

The government has long floated the possibility of selling some of the project to indigenous groups, a politically expedient move in keeping with Canada’s push to reconcile with its colonial past. Several groups representing indigenous communities emerged to seek ownership of the system.

Among those groups are Project Reconciliation, which is seeking a 100% stake in the line. Another, the Western Indigenous Pipeline Group, is a 50-50 partnership between Pembina Pipeline Corp. and many of the British Columbia communities along the line.

Due to the cost increases, Pembina is no longer seeking a 50% stake in the pipeline, but rather a 20% to 30% stake, Chief Executive Officer Scott Burrows said on an earnings call on Friday.

“When we do think about that asset in light of a larger potential gross investment size, we do think about keeping things largely similar from Pembina’s net investment,” he said. “So when you talk about sort of a smaller than 50% investment, I would say that’s where our heads are at.”

--With assistance from Brian Platt.

Bloomberg Businessweek

First Nations oil and gas sector blasts Guilbeault for lack of consultation on new subsidies framework


Local Journalism Initiative
Wed, August 9, 2023 

Stephen Buffalo, president and CEO of the Indian Resource Council of Canada (IRC), is not applauding the federal government’s recent announcement that subsidies will continue to flow to First Nations to support their economic participation in fossil fuel activities.

The continuation of those particular subsidies was one of six exemptions outlined in Canada’s framework for eliminating inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. The framework was released July 24 by Environment and Climate Change Minister Steven Guilbeault. Also identified as an exemption are subsidies that provide an essential energy service to remote communities.

The framework is in response to Canada’s 2009 commitment to phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies as part of a commitment with other G20 countries. Such subsidies, says the 2009 G20 communique, “encourage wasteful consumption, reduce our energy security, impede investment in clean energy sources and undermine efforts to deal with the threat of climate change.”

Starting in 2028, the federal government will eliminate tax breaks, financing and loan guarantees for fossil fuel projects that don’t reduce emissions.

Indigenous economic participation will continue to receive federal program and expenditure support (or measures), says the framework, as long as “the main beneficiary of the funding or measures are Indigenous peoples.”

The announcement allowing those continued subsidies “scared me more than anything,” said Buffalo. “You never know what the federal government's going to do and, for the most part, they're doing this without consultation with First Nations.”

IRC was founded in 1987 by chiefs representing oil and gas producing First Nations. Its mandate is to advocate for federal policies that improve and increase economic development opportunities for its 130-plus members. While the organization has representation from across the country, the majority of its members are located in western Canada. The organization is headquartered at Tsuut’ina Nation in southern Alberta.

The government’s actions contradict the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and Canada’s own United Nations Declaration Act (UNDA), which mandates Canada to consult and cooperate with Indigenous peoples, said Buffalo.

UNDA also commits the federal government to review all new legislation through an Indigenous lens.

“(This framework) is just being put before us and then that's the fear, because the government is really trying to implement policies without talking to the actual grassroots people,” said Buffalo. “It just seems we keep having these arguments over and over again.”

Larry Kaida, an IRC advisor and assistant to Buffalo, says the framework is an example of Canada’s continued patriarchal approach to interacting with First Nations.

“If asked, we could have told them that when they punish the fossil fuel industry, there will be ripple effects on Indigenous folks who have many joint ventures with industry,” said Kaida.

Buffalo points out that First Nations now have “better relationships with industry more than ever” and are benefitting beyond the usual opportunities of employment, spinoff companies, and contracts.

Deeper relationships have been realized in equity ownership in numerous oil and gas projects, as well as ownership in infrastructure, such as pipelines, he says.

At the end of July, the Alberta Indigenous Opportunities Corporation (AIOC) announced a loan guarantee of $103 million to Northern Lakeland Indigenous Alliance (consisting of Buffalo Lake and Kikino Métis settlements and Saddle Lake Cree, Heart Lake and Whitefish Lake First Nations) to acquire approximately 43 per cent interest in Access NGL Pipeline System operated by Wolf Midstream Canada.

“(These are) revenue streams that nations never had before…This is self-sustaining,” said Buffalo. “Those are going to get some sort of an impact,” from the framework.

Both Buffalo and Kaida also express concern with the lack of details that accompanied Guilbeault’s announcement.

“The hard part is what's the real action behind a lot of these things? They're trying to make it sound like everything's going to be good when it's going to be very difficult to access certain things,” said Buffalo.

For instance, he says, it is unclear if allowing subsidies that benefit Indigenous economic participation will give Indigenous-led groups an upper hand in ownership of the Trans Mountain Pipeline expansion. The federal government bought Trans Mountain in 2018 for $4.5 billion with the intention of selling it.

A number of First Nations and Métis-led groups have expressed interest in purchasing Trans Mountain pipeline, which is presently undergoing a 1,150-km expansion. The Trans Mountain pipeline is Canada's only pipeline system that carries oil from Alberta to the West Coast.

“We have to pursue these opportunities to meet the needs of our people and to meet the needs that the federal government doesn't want to touch,” said Buffalo.

If Canada is serious about economic opportunities for Indigenous peoples, he adds, then the federal government would consider establishing something similar to AIOC, which recently doubled its commitment to $2 billion to backstop loan guarantees for Indigenous-led projects in natural resources and other areas like agriculture in Alberta.

“I know there's a few of us that are planting the seeds of that type of…initiative or policy that the federal government can do,” said Buffalo.

Much of Canada’s support to the fossil fuel sector comes from Crown corporations and commercially viable loans. These are not included in the new framework.

Kaida is concerned about the future of the Site Rehabilitation Program, which saw federal funding of $1.72 billion funneled through the provinces through to the oil field service contractors to undertake well, pipeline, and oil and gas site closure and reclamation work at abandoned and orphaned well sites.

“Some in Ottawa still believe this was a subsidy. We saw this as land stewardship and job creation. If industry benefited, so be it,” he said.

Buffalo said the program had First Nations “in the driver’s seat,” able to set priorities and direct companies to where they wanted land reclaimed. Approximately $131 million was spent by First Nations for work on abandoned well sites and to clean up reserve lands.

“Yes, you saw industry see some benefit as it took liability off of their balance sheet, but I think the most important thing is that the First Nations were cleaning the land themselves,” he said.

As First Nations populations are growing, more land is needed, Buffalo says, and the rehabilitation program provides for some of that additional land.

Kaida is concerned that subsidies earmarked for Indigenous projects and for remote communities that still rely on diesel and gas to power their generators will end up going to bureaucracy “as they normally do. Very little trickle down to those that need it the most.”

Buffalo views the new framework as Canada’s move to get rid of the oil and gas sector.

“No one can tell First Nations about environmentalism and protection of Mother Earth. We know. But in the same sense, we have to find ways to balance protecting Mother Earth and yet having an opportunity to make our lives better as First Nations,” said Buffalo.

Windspeaker.com

By Shari Narine, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, Windspeaker.com, Windspeaker.com

CLIMATE CRISIS
No reprieve in sight for B.C.'s prolonged drought and wildfires

Nathan Howes

The Weather Network.
Wed, August 9, 2023

No reprieve in sight for B.C.'s prolonged drought and wildfires

B.C. residents hoping for a turnaround in the extended period of drought and wildfire conditions won't like what's expected weather-wise for the rest of August.

SEE ALSO: Understand how B.C.'s drought is affecting communities

The province can expect to see plenty of high-pressure ridges as the month wears on, meaning heat and a lack of rainfall will prevail, according to Kevin MacKay, a meteorologist at The Weather Network.

BCPRECIP

"We're going to be heading back up towards that 30-degree mark right through the middle of the month," said MacKay.

Above-seasonal temperatures and extended drought conditions have led to water restrictions and continued wildfires.

DROUGHTBC

Since April, much of southern B.C. has seen "well below" 50 per cent of the average rainfall, with some areas even dropping below 30 per cent, according to MacKay.

Looking ahead to the remainder of August, the dry areas will remain that way, so the wildfire season isn't likely to improve any time soon. To make matters worse, this is typically the province's busiest month for wildfires.

Before August even began, there had been 1,600 wildfires this year, burning more than 1.5 million hectares of land.

BCAREA

"It's been an unforgettable year and it's not over, yet," said Erika Berg, provincial wildfire information officer at BC Wildfire Service, in an interview with Mia Gordon, a video journalist at The Weather Network.

"It's been unprecedented in the way of an early start [with] the amount of area burned, the amount of fire on the landscape [and the] devastating losses in the wildfire community."

Thumbnail courtesy of BC Wildfire Service/Twitter.

13-year-old Da’vian Kimbrough becomes youngest soccer player to go pro in US

Wed, August 9, 2023 

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — Da’vian Kimbrough, a 13-year-old forward, signed a contract with the Sacramento Republic of the second-tier League Championship of the United Soccer League, which says he is the youngest athlete in American professional team sports.

Kimbrough, who joined the team’s youth academy in 2021, was 13 years, 5 months, 13 days when the deal was announced Tuesday.

After playing for North Bay Elite Futbol Club in Solano County and Woodland Soccer Club of Yolo County, Kimbrough scored 27 goals in 31 matches for the Republic’s under-13 team in 2021, when he was 11.

He played for the under-14 team last year, also joining the under-15 team for some matches. Kimbrough scored six goals this year as the New York Red Bulls Academy team won the Bassevelde Cup for under-13 teams in Belgium.

Kimbrough, born Feb. 18, 2010, is eligible to debut on Saturday against the Birmingham Legion.

Maximo Carrizo signed with Major League Soccer’s New York City on his 14th birthday on Feb. 28, 2008. He has yet to make his MLS debut.

___

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

The Associated Press

From upsets to record attendance, these are the trends that have emerged at the Women's World Cup

Tue, August 8, 2023 



SYDNEY (AP) — The traditional elite have been cut down to size at the Women's World Cup.

That has been the standout theme as a tournament that has already set records for attendance and goals scored enters the quarterfinals stage, and it has made for high drama.

“It’s been absolutely incredible and a great testament to some of the work that is happening around the world,” FIFA's head of women's football, Sarai Bareman, told The Associated Press. “To see the results of this World Cup brings so much meaning to the work that we do.

"It’s really special, not only for the players and the teams, but for those of us who are working on the game day in and day out.”

Soccer's world governing body FIFA is trying to grow the women's game at pace, and it seems to be having an impact.

Established nations have fallen one by one over the past two weeks, with the back-to-back defending champion U.S. team joining No. 2-ranked Germany, Brazil and Olympic gold medalist Canada by going home early.

The tournament, being co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, has produced one upset after another.

The U.S. team's penalty shootout loss to Sweden in the round of 16 ended its bid for an unprecedented three-peat of World Cup titles.

Lina Hurtig’s spot kick crossed the line by a tiny fraction and that was enough to send the pre-tournament favorites packing, and prompting questions about the future of U.S. soccer.

Two-time champion Germany opened with a thumping 6-0 win over Morocco but was beaten by Colombia and held to a draw by South Korea in the group stage. Brazil started off with a 4-0 win over Panama before losing to France and drawing with Jamaica. Both Germany and Brazil were gone before the knockouts.

Tournament newcomer Morocco, as well as South Africa, Jamaica and Colombia all advanced. The Colombians, the only team from the Americas still in contention, face England in the quarterfinals after edging Jamaica 1-0 in the round of 16.

“This World Cup has been amazing. As you can see, the gap is closing (between) the smaller teams and the bigger countries,” Jamaica's Manchester City forward Bunny Shaw said. “Women's football is growing. We've got to keep moving forward and keep pushing.”

What remains to be seen is whether the upsets are a quirk of this year's tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, or a more permanent trend.

The Associated Press takes a look at some other trends from the opening weeks:

IMPROVEMENTS IN GOALKEEPING

There have been standout performances by goalkeepers so far, with the Americans repeatedly frustrated by Sweden's Zecira Musovic in the round of 16. The Chelsea keeper produced a string of saves and was voted player of the match as the U.S dominated but couldn't find a breakthrough in the game that ended 0-0 through extra time.

Netherlands keeper Daphne van Domselaar was player of the match as the Dutch advanced to the quarterfinals by beating South Africa 2-0.

While that game saw South Africa keeper Kaylin Swart make an error to allow Lineth Beerensteyn to score, she also pulled off a string of saves to keep the Netherlands at bay.

Nigeria's captain Chiamaka Nnadozie’s made a crucial save to deny Canada's Christine Sinclair a place in history in a scoreless opening draw, earning her player of the match accolades.

“Of course everything is not perfect, but I think we are going in the right direction,” said former Germany keeper Nadine Angerer, who is part of FIFA's technical study group at the World Cup.

“What we’ve seen so far in general is that there are way better goalkeeping performances.”

Angerer said the save percentage in the group stage improved from 70% in 2019 to 77%.

IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT POSSESSION

The tactical improvement of less-established teams has been as highlight.

While teams with fewer outright stars have had to cede possession, they have still managed to be effective.

Jamaica's tactical approach saw it advance from a group that included France and Brazil without conceding a goal. It was eventually eliminated by Colombia 1-0.

“Sometimes the decision when you go into a game is ‘Do I want the ball or do I want the opponent to have the ball?’ said Jill Ellis, who coached the U.S. to two World Cup titles. “But if I want my opponent to have the ball, I want them to have it because I want them to open up because my strengths are in the transition.”

So while Japan and Spain have dominated possession, Colombia's counter-attacking threat has also been effective.

“You’re seeing the personality or the strengths of nations come to the forefront,” Ellis said. “It’s not trying to take this style for this team., it is: ‘What is my team really good at and how can I exploit that?’ I see that a lot more in this World Cup.”

TIME ADDED ON

It was a feature of the men's World Cup in Qatar last year and FIFA is continuing to clamp down on time-wasting.

Lengthy periods of stoppage time have been played, seeing games go well beyond 90 minutes during regulation time.

While that initiative wasn't continued by major domestic leagues after Qatar, the Premier League appears set to follow it up this season.

Arsenal scored an equalizer in the 11th minute of stoppage time against Manchester City in the Community Shield on Sunday before going on to win on penalty kicks.

GROWING INTEREST

The Women's World Cup has been pulling in the fans.

Australia has twice played in front of crowds exceeding 75,000 in Sydney, limited only by the capacity of the stadium.

The attendance of 1,533,545 fans so far in the first two rounds has exceeded the previous record total of 1,353,506 when the World Cup was staged in Canada in 2015.

More than 500,000 people have attended fan zones in host cities to watch games on giant screens.

While this tournament has been expanded to 32 teams, up from 24, the fact that 14 games in the first two rounds have had crowds of more than 40,000 people points to the popularity of the event.

“This World Cup has shifted from being a team-supported tournament to a globally-followed event," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said. “This is why we are witnessing the greatest Women's World Cup ever — and a record-breaking one.”

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James Robson is at https://twitter.com/jamesalanrobson

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AP Women’s World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup

James Robson, The Associated Press

Bigger bonuses could change lives for tiny teams that advance in Women’s World Cup

Wed, August 9, 2023 



MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — Players who reached the knockout round at the Women's World Cup got larger individual bonuses that can be life-changing for many of them.

FIFA designated $30,000 for the 732 players among 32 teams in the tournament field. The payout rises to $60,000 for players on the 16 teams that advanced out of group play.

The money grows to $90,000 for players in the quarterfinals and its a significant payday for many of the players, particularly those that have had financial disputes with their federations over pay and support.

Hildah Magaia, appropriately nicknamed the "Breadwinner” of South Africa's squad, helped the Banyana Banyana advance out of group play, into the knockout stage, and double her bonus.

She appropriately plans to use the money to care for her mother.

“I’ll be able to do everything for my mother because I’m the one who’s taking care of her," she said. “I’m the breadwinner, so I’ll be doing everything for my mom.”

Deneisha Blackwood, part of the Jamaica squad eliminated by Colombia in the knockouts, described the minimum payouts as a good start for her team. Jamaica has had financial difficulties and relied on crowdfunding to raise money for its travel to the tournament.

“Obviously we as players have a life outside of football and I think prize money like that rewards us in ways we can't imagine. A lot of us have bills to pay and family to take care of,” Blackwood said, “and I think for the younger generation, especially, football doesn't make you a lot of money. So for (girls) to see us doing what we love and realize that you can make a living off it — it's motivational.”

No one can ensure all the players will receive their guaranteed bonuses.

The global players union, FIFPRO, last year sent a letter to FIFA on behalf of players from 25 national teams asking for better conditions within the tournament. FIFA announced the individual bonuses of the $110 million prize pool in June.

But FIFA President Gianni Infantino said before the start of the World Cup that the federations would be responsible for distributing the payments. He was unable to make any guarantee that funds would reach the players.

FIFPRO said it was working to establish bank accounts for the players as well as an auditing process. But there have already been snags.

FIFPRO announced late Tuesday that it was assisting Nigeria's players in a dispute with their federation concerning bonus payments, camp allowances and expenses, some dating back to 2021. Nigeria narrowly missed the quarterfinals after a penalty shootout loss to England.

“The team is extremely frustrated that they've had to pursue the Nigeria Football Federation for these payments before and during the tournament," FIFPRO said. “It is regrettable that players needed to challenge their own federation at such an important time in their careers.”

In the run-up to the World Cup, South Africa players boycotted a warm-up match against Botswana because the individual payments weren't included in their contracts. The dispute ended when billionaire Patrice Motsepe, the president of the African Football Confederation, agreed to contribute $320,000 to be equally distributed among the players.

Some of the Jamaican players took to social media before the World Cup to complain about a lack of support and funding for the team. That spurred two crowdfunding campaigns to raise money for the Reggae Girlz.

The Jamaican Football Federation released a statement saying reports about the team's financial struggles had taken away from the team's accomplishments. The Reggae Girlz reached the Round of 16 but fell 1-0 to Colombia on Tuesday night.

“We of course welcome anyone who wants to contribute to the development of our national football teams, which have done well and made Jamaica proud,” the Jamaican federation said in a statement.

Nigeria forward Uchenna Kanu said the money was not the team's main motivation — playing well was. Nigeria reached the Round of 16, but fell to England on penalties after a scoreless draw on Monday.

“But of course, if we get paid that much money, of course it’ll have a huge impact on our lives," Kanu said. “We have families, we have things to take care of with money. That’s important for us as well.”

Players from the United States won a contract with U.S. Soccer last year that guarantees them equal pay with their men's national team counterparts. As part of the agreement, all tournament prize money funds are split between the two teams, with a percentage going to the federation.

The total prize pool at this Women's World Cup is more than three times the $30 million prize fund that was paid out at the 2019 Women’s World Cup in France. But it's still far less than the $440 million in prize money for the men's World Cup in Qatar last December.

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AP Sports Writer John Pye in Brisbane, Australia, contributed to this report.

Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press

For Nigeria's Super Falcons, a narrow Women's World Cup exit is the start of a journey, not the end

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APTOPIX 

WWCup

 England Nigeria Soccer
Nigeria's goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie saves a ball during the Women's World Cup round of 16 soccer match between England and Nigeria in Brisbane, Australia, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Tertius Pickard)


Nigeria's players react during a penalty shootout during the Women's World Cup round of 16 soccer match between England and Nigeria in Brisbane, Australia, Monday, Aug. 7, 2023. 

\(AP Photo/Tertius Pick



JOHN PYE
Updated Tue, August 8, 2023

BRISBANE, Australia (AP) — Chiamaka Nnadozie’s Nigeria lineup had two chances hit the crossbar in a scoreless draw, and only missed out on the Women’s World Cup quarterfinals after losing a penalty shootout against England.

By taking the European champions right to the wire, the Super Falcons proved, once again, that rankings are less important than respect for rival teams under the tournament’s expanded 32-team format.

In the group stage, Nigeria held Olympic champion Canada to a 0-0 draw, upset co-host Australia 3-2 and advanced to the knockout stage after a 0-0 draw with Ireland.

A late red card for England forward Lauren James for stomping on Nigeria defender Michelle Alozie took the focus off two tight halves of football on Monday night that could have gone either way.

Ashleigh Plumptre's left-foot strike cannoned into the crossbar in the 17th minute and her right-foot shot, moments after the ball rebounded, forced a diving save from England goalkeeper Mary Earps. Uchenna Kanu's two second-half headers went within inches.

Had any of those chances found the back of the net, it's likely Nigeria would have gone on to win a knockout match for the first time in nine trips to the Women's World Cup and England would have followed the defending champion U.S. team, No. 2-ranked Germany, Canada and Brazil through the exit.

“Coming to the World Cup we had so many dreams. So sad today, but it’s not the end,” Nnadozie, Nigeria’s goalkeeper and team leader, said. “We’ve been playing tough, tough games. There’s no easy teams. We respect them all. Right now, we have to work harder and come back stronger again.”

Nigeria’s players leave this World Cup with respect well-earned on the field that they now want matched by their national soccer federation in a dispute over bonus payments and expenses dating back to 2021.

The global player’s union FIFPRO issued a statement the morning after Nigeria's exit to say it was time to speak out and work on ensuring the players’ “contractual rights are honored and the outstanding payments are settled.”

By reaching the round of 16, each player should get $60,000 from FIFA’s prize money fund according to the escalating scale of payments guaranteed by the sport's governing body.

The union said the players are “extremely frustrated” at having to chase their federation for promised pay and expenses.

“It is regrettable,” FIFPRO said, “that players needed to challenge their own federation at such an important time in their careers.”

The federation accused FIFPRO of “shouting from far off” and said in a statement that is has “no issues with the players. It had assured them before the World Cup that they would be paid the couple of friendly matches and qualifying matches for which they were being owed appearance fees and bonuses respectively. It pledged to pay the money once the World Cup money is paid.”

Nigeria was ranked 40th the world in June but the players and coaching staff never had any doubts they could mix it with the elite teams on the biggest stage for the women's game.

“We’re not surprised to get to this stage. We believe in ourselves,” Nnadozie said. “We knew we could come here and go far. We just have to keep our heads up.”

Plumptre grew up playing as a forward in England's youth teams before making a choice to represent Nigeria, and didn't regret it for a minute.

“Football for me is more of a life journey that I’m on. I wanted to explore more of my heritage,” she said. “For me, this, even though it’s football, it’s learning. For me, there’s nothing more fulfilling. I’m disappointed in the result, but grateful I’ve had the opportunity.”

Now a center back, the 25-year-old Plumptre said the Super Falcons had set a higher bar for future performances.

“We have the expectation that we should be competing with the top-ranked teams,” she said. "We should be pushing them to the very end. We can be getting results against them. Because, not only this game have we done that, but we’ve done that throughout the group stage as well.

“We’ve proven that in this tournament and I’m sure we can do that going forward.”

Nigeria's American coach Randy Waldrum silenced his pre-tournament critics by preparing a team that went within the thickness of a crossbar of reaching the last eight at the World Cup.

“I take away that we can be and probably should be one of the top teams in the world," he said. “I certainly hope that FIFA ranking goes from 42 to a better number. More importantly, I think we’ve just shown that we’re capable of playing with anybody.”

Waldrum said Nigeria's supporters should be proud of the Super Falcons and, of course, the players should be appreciated.

“We gave everything. I certainly hope that people back in Nigeria appreciate the job that they’ve done while they’re here and I would hope that they’re happy, not upset,” he said. “I think we made the country proud and hopefully, around the world.”

Marta, Sinclair and Rapinoe among the generational talents retiring after Women's World Cup

The Canadian Press
Wed, August 9, 2023

AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) — Generational talents Marta, Christine Sinclair and Megan Rapinoe have all played in their final Women's World Cup and are leaving the game in a much different place than when they started.

Joining them in the group of players ending their international careers is Estefania Banini of Argentina, who said it's time to make way for younger players. Caroline Seger of Sweden is still playing in the tournament, but she has already said that it will be her last.

“It's emotional. Those are some of the greatest football players of all time, players that I've looked up to,” said United States captain Lindsey Horan as her eyes filled with tears. “Pinoe, Sinc, both of them I got to play with. Marta, one of the GOATs. It's hard as a football player to see these guys exiting like this, but look at how much they did for women's football. Them on the field, their character, everything. They're the reason we're all here today.”

Marta, the Brazilian player once dubbed “Pele in Skirts” by the legendary Pele himself, raised the profile of women's soccer in her home country with her dazzling play that she learned from boys on the streets of Dois Riachos.

The 37-year-old was tearful when Brazil was surprisingly eliminated from the tournament in the group stage. It was her sixth World Cup and she fell short of becoming the first player — male or female — to score in all six.

At the team's final match she looked across the field at young teammates Laurinha and Bruninha, and realized that there's more work to be done for the Brazilian national team.

“Women’s football doesn’t end here. Women’s football in Brazil doesn’t end here. We need to understand this,” she said.

Marta has scored 115 goals for Brazil, including a record 17 goals at the World Cup. She has been named the FIFA women's player of the year a record six times.

Rapinoe, 38, announced before the World Cup that it would be her last. She will play out the season with her club team, OL Reign, before retiring from the game.

She finishes as one of the most decorated U.S. players ever. In addition to two World Cup titles, and Olympic gold and bronze medals, she won the prestigious Ballon d'Or as well as a FIFA best player award. She was also awarded the nation's highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, for her social justice work.

Rapinoe was among the players who fought for, and won, equal pay with the men's national team.

Rapinoe's World Cup career ended with a missed penalty. The United States were sent out of the tournament in a shootout in the Round of 16 with Sweden after a scoreless draw. It was the team's earliest ever exit.

“It's been an honor,” Rapinoe said, her eyes welling with tears.

Sinclair's future with the Canadian national team is unsettled, although at 40 this was assuredly her final World Cup. Canada is set to face Jamaica on Sept. 26 in Toronto for a spot in the Paris Olympics next year, and Sinclair hasn't said whether she'll play.

Sinclair has scored a record 190 international goals, most among men and women. As captain of the team, she was dogged throughout the World Cup by questions about an ongoing contract dispute between the players and Canada Soccer.

The women's team has been playing without a contract for more than a year, demanding better pay and treatment.

After Canada was eliminated in the group stage, Sinclair called on her federation to support the team to avoid future early exits.

“I think more of it is like a wake-up call for our federation — the lack of a professional league, the lack of support for our youth national teams," she said. "I think you’re just going to continue to see teams reach our level, surpass us, whatever you want to call it, if things don’t change.”

Seger, 38, has been struggling with a calf injury at the World Cup. Sweden advanced to the quarterfinals, by defeating the United States on penalties after a scoreless draw, and will face Japan on Friday in Auckland. It is Seger's fifth World Cup.

Seger’s 235 appearances for Sweden are the most for any female player in Europe, and although she has two Olympic silver medals and two World Cup third-place finishes, Sweden has never won a major tournament.

“For me to be here with this national team and trying to do that, it’s my last chance. I mean, I’m not going to play any more World Cups so for me that’s the end," she said. "To be able to hopefully help the team in every way I can to bring home the gold would be of course a dream come true.”

Banini was in tears following Argentina's final match at the World Cup against Sweden. Known as the “Mendoza Messi" in reference to her hometown, she returned to La Albiceleste last year after a lengthy absence over what she said was the poor treatment of the women's team.

“I was able to fulfill what I wanted: play in the United States, play on a great team and play in a World Cup with the national team, that was my great dream. I’m living what I always dreamed of," she said. "I think I achieved everything I fought to improve, and now I have to step aside. I hope they continue fighting for women’s football."

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-womens-world-cup

Anne M. Peterson, The Associated Press

Journalists seek regulations to govern fast-moving artificial intelligence technology



NEW YORK (AP) — Several news organizations, writers and photographers groups are pushing to be involved in creating standards for the use of artificial intelligence, particularly as it concerns intellectual property rights and the potential spread of misinformation.

In an open letter sent on Wednesday, they outlined priorities for setting rules on the technology, which is developing faster than regulators can keep up with.

“We ... support the responsible advancement and deployment of generative AI technology, while believing that a legal framework must be developed to protect the content that powers AI applications as well as maintain public trust in the media,” the organizations said.

The letter was signed by The Associated Press; Gannett; the News Media Alliance, which represents hundreds of publishers; Getty Images; the National Press Photographers Association; Agence France-Presse and others.

The organizations want to make sure intellectual property owners maintain their rights when AI operators use material for training. The AP last month made a deal with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI to license the news agency's archive of news stories.

The letter also calls for artificial intelligence companies to take specific steps to eliminate bias and misinformation in the material it produces. In particular, photographers are concerned about the ability of artificial intelligence to create false images.

Seven U.S. companies that are leading AI developers agreed in July to voluntary safeguards set by President Joe Biden's administration for building their technology, but the commitments aren’t enforceable and don’t touch on intellectual property concerns.


Wed, August 9, 2023 
The Associated Press