News

Good afternoon. From the heart of Prince Edward County, I'm Will Pearson with your County FM News.
In international news, Iran will immediately take steps to reopen the Strait of Hormuz once a tentative deal with the U.S. is signed, according to leaked copies of an interim agreement that officials say broadly matches the deal. The accord is due to be signed in a ceremony in Switzerland on Friday. The U.S. would secure at least $300 billion to rebuild Iran after the war and work to end all U.S. and United Nations sanctions imposed on Tehran if a final agreement addressing its nuclear program is reached. Allowing Iran to sell its oil without restrictions and offering to lift all sanctions represent major concessions that outstrip the terms of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers. Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew America from that deal in his first term, declaring it the "worst deal ever." The two sides will start 60 days of negotiations over a final deal that the Trump administration insists will prevent Iran from ever developing a nuclear weapon. Much of the agreement would restore the status quo that existed before the war. Still no word on the Epstein files.
In health news, a parliamentary committee studying medical assistance in dying, or MAID, will deliver its report to Parliament today. The group of MPs and senators was asked to determine whether Canada is ready to expand assisted dying eligibility to people whose sole underlying condition is a mental illness. That expansion was set to happen next March, but many of the witnesses who testified urged the committee to exclude permanently from MAID people with psychiatric conditions. The committee is expected to recommend that the federal government pause indefinitely the expansion of MAID. Justice Minister Sean Fraser plans to review the committee’s recommendations and the testimony that informed them over the summer.
In legal news, the Parole Board of Canada has rejected Jacob Hoggard's bid for full parole. The Board found the former Hedley frontman, now a convicted sexual offender, requires professional supervision. The Board instead granted Hoggard six months of day parole at a halfway house, saying in a ruling released this week that he must test the progress he's made in prison more gradually. The Board also said it could consider allegations that did not lead to conviction in assessing the risk Hoggard might pose in the community. The 41-year-old singer is serving a five-year prison sentence after he was found guilty in June, 2022 of sexual assault causing bodily harm against an Ottawa woman in a Toronto hotel room. Hoggard told the panel he had "no understanding" of consent at the time of his offence and didn't even think about it when going into sexual encounters.
The CBC has announced its Hockey Night in Canada broadcasts have come to an end. The national broadcaster was unable to come to an agreement on a new sublicensing deal with rights-holder Rogers Sportsnet on the NHL games, including its staple Saturday night double-header broadcasts. Some on social media blamed corporate greed or insufficient government funding and expressed frustration that they'll now have to pay to watch NHL hockey. Others took the opportunity to renew calls to defund the CBC.

Finally, in traffic news, we have a report that a dump truck is blocking the westbound lane of County Road 1 and Highway 62, and traffic is backed up. As of the time of the report, the driver of the dump truck was directing traffic.
That’s your County FM News. Your Sports report is next.

Sports

Now your County FM sports.
At the FIFA World Cup yesterday, in Group J action, number 1-ranked Argentina defeated Algeria 3 – 0 on a hat trick by Lionel Messi, and Austria beat Jordan 3 – 1. That puts Argentina and Austria top of the group with three points. In Group I action, number 2 France defeated Senegal 3 – 1 through a pair of goals from Kylian Mbappe, and Norway beat Iraq 4 – 1 with a pair by Erling Haaland. France and Norway are tied for first in their group with three points.
Today, number 5 Portugal takes on Congo Democratic Republic, number 14 Colombia plays Uzbekistan, and Panama takes on Ghana. The match of the day should be number 4 England against number 11 Croatia.
In MLB last night, the Toronto Blue Jays played the first game in a three-game road trip to Boston. They beat the Red Sox 6 – 1. The remaining two games go tonight and tomorrow afternoon. The Jays are still three games below .500 and in third place in the A.L. East.
In the WNBA last night, the Toronto Tempo lost 113 – 91 to the Indiana Fever in the last of six in-season tournament games for the Commissioner’s Cup. The Tempo are 2 and 4 in Cup play. They’re in fourth place in the Eastern Conference, with a 7 and 8 record.
That’s your County FM sports.