NoneTIOHTIÀ:KE ( MONTREAL ), QC , Nov. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ - Calling all youth in Canada , Mexico and the United States ! Are you ready to act now to support North American communities and preserve our shared waters, lands and air? The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) is pleased to announce the launch of the second edition of its Generation of Environmental Leaders Program (GELP). This exciting program supports young leaders in accessing seed funding and developing the necessary skills to make a real and meaningful impact in their communities and beyond. The selected youth will benefit from a year-long mentorship program, networking opportunities across North America , receive C$15,000 in seed funding and the chance to present their solutions to North America's top environmental officials as part of the CEC's annual Council Session in the summer of 2025. It's time to act now. The GELP invites young people from North America to support communities and preserve our shared waters, lands and air. The program is aimed at youth who are 18–35 years old and are part of a team such as, but not exclusively, youth-led organizations, youth-led associations, nongovernmental organizations, not-for-profit youth-led businesses, and teams of youth innovators and entrepreneurs interested in building their businesses. Here's what the current GELP cohort is saying. "The mentorship provided by the GELP has greatly helped me grow as a person and has made me feel more comfortable stepping out of my comfort zone, especially in areas like preparing for presentations and managing stress. Today, I feel much more at ease speaking in front of an audience!"—Alexandre Savard, Encore! Biomatériaux, Canada . "The seed funding provided through the GELP was a wonderful opportunity to kickstart some of our project's most important activities. Thanks to this support, we were able to initiate the implementation of an Environmental Management Unit, a step that will foster restoration and conservation of the area." —Ana Cristina Posadas García, Strategy for the Restoration and Conservation of the Ciénega of Tamasopo Wetland, RAMSAR Site, Mexico . "As members of the inaugural GELP cohort, we have had the privilege of connecting with individuals and organizations driven to be a power for good in the environmental and climate space. These experiences have been the catalyst for additional award nominations and the formation of collaborative partnerships that we believe will further grow our work at the intersection of justice and an equitable energy transition."—McKenna Dunbar and Jake Barnet , Electrivive: An Equitable Building Electrification Workforce Redevelopment Tool, United States . We're giving youth the resources to succeed and lead. In addition to building capacity for youth, this program accelerates youth leadership by expanding youth environmental networks and providing seed funding for creative solutions to flourish, particularly at the local level. During the year-long mentorship program, youth leaders receive advice from experts to help advance their solutions and guidance on various elements of their projects, including how to pitch their solutions and other project development and management topics such as risk management, budgeting, outreach and fundraising. The program supports impactful and enduring community-driven activities and establishes a robust youth network across North America . The GELP also provides extended networking opportunities for participants. The selected solutions are presented to the public and selected teams can engage with the CEC's Joint Public Advisory Committee and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Expert Group , and Government officials and experts, during the CEC Council Session , an ideal platform to showcase the impactful ideas at the ministerial level. Requirements for participation. Applicants must demonstrate that their solutions can address or respond to critical issues related to supporting our communities and preserving our shared waters, lands and air across North America . Submissions should be practical, effective, achievable and propose sustainable solutions to an identifiable environmental problem. They should also be context-specific and consider the unique characteristics of the community or region targeted by the project. The eligibility and evaluation criteria prioritize solutions that have established a clear objective and will have a significant impact on local communities and their environment: Priority is given to proposals submitted by diverse youth who identified or developed their solutions jointly with communities, including community members who traditionally do not have access to decision-making spaces. Submission deadline : Completed submissions must be uploaded to the submission platform by 23:59 local time on 12 January 2025 . Click here to learn more about the program, the submission guidelines and criteria, and to apply. For more information about the Generation of Environmental Leaders Program and the submission process, please join us for a virtual information session on 17 December 2024 from 13:00–14:00 Eastern Time (12:00–13:00 Central Time) and (10:00–11:00 Pacific Time), available with simultaneous interpretation in English, French and Spanish. If you would like to know more about CEC initiatives, opportunities and efforts, you can sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media . Media Contact Patrick Tonissen Head of Communications +1 (438) 885-8463 View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cecs-generation-of-environmental-leaders-program-now-open-to-north-american-youth-302314604.html SOURCE Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC)
UCF and Tulsa will test their mettle against each other on Saturday afternoon in the Orange Bowl Basketball Classic in Sunrise, Fla. The Knights will make their first appearance in the event since recording a two-point loss to Missouri in 2022, while Tulsa's last trip to the Orange Bowl Classic was a loss to Florida State in 2012. UCF (7-2) may have something to prove being away from Addition Financial Arena. The Knights are 7-0 at home, whereas a November trip to the Greenbrier Tip-Off in West Virginia produced an 86-70 loss to Wisconsin and a triple-overtime setback against LSU. The Knights relied heavily on their defense in Sunday's 66-51 win over Tarleton State. After a sluggish start offensively, UCF found its rhythm during a 37-point second half. Jordan Ivy-Curry finished with a game-high 16 points and freshman center Moustapha Thiam collected 10 points, nine rebounds and six blocks. UCF's Big 12 opener draws closer (at Texas Tech, Dec. 31), but head coach Johnny Dawkins remains focused on daily improvement. "I feel a sense of urgency to get better, not with regards to Big 12 play to be quite frank, but every game," Dawkins said. "I don't look too far in the future. Pretty much I've always been in the moment as a player and as a person, and so for me it's about just getting better because it's our standards." Tulsa (4-6) looks to stop a three-game slide following a 70-66 home loss to Southern University last Saturday. Keaston Willis scored in double figures for the sixth time this season, netting a season-high 23 points off the bench. But Isaiah Barnes, one of three Golden Hurricane players to start all 10 games, was injured in the first half and played only eight minutes. To complicate matters, head coach Eric Konkol's team is 0-6 when trailing at halftime. "We got to get some guys healthy that can be healthy for next Saturday (against UCF)," Konkol said. "We got a couple other guys dealing with some different things, but then (also) having some planning to figure out what's the best way going forward for this group." --Field Level MediaEsco Technologies director Valdez sells $349,049 in stock
Of all the public policy issues legislators wrestle with, the issue of chronic homelessness is easily among the most frustrating. It’s frustrating to think of all the billions of tax dollars that have been spent on a myriad of programs intended to reduce homelessness in our state, without an appropriate return on that huge investment. The issue is even more challenging now than it was just a few years ago because of the Legislature’s failed drug-decriminalization experiment. That made the homelessness crisis immeasurably worse, especially in Washington’s urban communities. But instead of going on about the many flaws in state government’s approach to addressing chronic homelessness, I would rather put a spotlight on a local approach that gives me hope, during this season of hope. It’s called the Good Neighbor Village (GNV), and will be constructed in the Spanaway Lake area of Pierce County. The groundbreaking ceremony took place Nov. 21. The GNV is the product of a unique public-private partnership between Pierce County and the Tacoma Rescue Mission. It is modeled on the Community First! Village in Austin, Texas. Two of my former Senate Republican colleagues took the lead on this for Pierce County: county executive Bruce Dammeier and Steve O’Ban. But even more exciting to me, Democrats and Republicans on the county council joined together to support this solution. The vision of these villages is to empower people to be good neighbors, in a literal sense, with those who are chronically homeless — people who have lived more than a year, sometimes decades, on the streets. These people were often driven to the streets by addictions, mental illness, other disabilities, or a combination of those conditions. Pierce County has approximately 900 chronically homeless residents, nearly 125 of whom are military veterans. Having no suitable housing options, they are the people we see living in the rights-of-way, parks, and doorways — the “visible homeless,” as former Sen. O’Ban puts it. Many of the chronically homeless have lost the basic skills necessary to work and even socially interact with others. The model for the GNV seeks to restore those skills by creating a community in which formerly homeless people and their new neighbors all live in tiny homes. In a sense, the village will act as the social safety net which so many chronically homeless people have lost, because bridges to family members and friends have been burned. The feeling of community offered by the GNV approach is what seems to separate it most from the “housing first” strategy advocated elsewhere in our state. An example of the latter is the Partnership for Zero project in King County that collapsed in September 2023, less than 18 months after it launched. The flaws of the housing-first approach are exposed in a raw, unflinching way in a recently released documentary, “Behind Closed Doors.” It was produced by the partnership of ChangeWashington and filmmaker V Ginny Burton, and is easily found through an internet search for the title and filmmaker’s name. The interviews featured throughout the film reveal how most residents of several Seattle housing projects continue to use illegal drugs, violence is an everyday occurrence, and staff has no ability to help those who seek addiction or mental health treatment. The film also explores how housing-first policies are a huge drain on government resources, including law enforcement. Amazingly, the state’s Homeless Housing Strategic Plan for 2024-2029, which was quietly released by the Department of Commerce on Sept. 1, clings to the idea that the cost of housing and lack of housing in our state are the key drivers of homelessness. The plan criticizes the “criminalization” of homelessness — meaning the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Grants Pass v. Johnson that allows communities to enforce rules against camping and sleeping in public. However, the plan goes out of its way to downplay any connection between substance use and homelessness, or mental health and homelessness. Income inequity, systemic racism and natural hazards made the list of “structural pressures” that influence the risk of homelessness, but not substance use or mental illness. If simply sheltering someone was the answer, you have to ask why King County was so quick to pull the plug on the Partnership for Zero, especially after the King County executive repeatedly promised it would help formerly homeless people get their lives back. The GNV plan in Pierce County is for 285 microhomes, common buildings and a farm. Behavioral-health treatment, and drug and alcohol treatment will be provided. Vocational and recreational activities will be offered. But most of all, the village approach offers something less tangible, which the housing-first approach clearly seems to lack: the opportunity, as one of my former Senate colleagues puts it, to live in a community that offers dignity, accountability, and hope — and feel like a human being again. If all of this sounds too good to be true, know that getting it off the ground was a challenge. In Austin, three sites were opposed by surrounding communities because of fear that bad experiences might follow. But finally, a location was found. Pierce County and the Tacoma Rescue Mission initially identified four potential sites for the Good Neighbor Village. The one they chose is in the middle of an area with a significant chronic homelessness problem. Nearly 70% of the 191 encampments Pierce County cleaned up between 2019 and this past year — at a cost of $1.07 million — were in the Spanaway area or neighboring Parkland. Fear of the unknown caused some around the future Pierce County village to protest as well. Their objection was not to the concept, but to the location — and their apprehension is totally understandable. However, just as the Community First! Village in Austin won its neighbors over, I’m willing to bet Pierce County’s commitment to excellence will ensure the Good Neighbor Village is a good neighbor to other residents of the Spanaway-Parkland area. In fact, former Senator O’Ban says the county and Tacoma Rescue Mission agreed the first 50 microhomes would be set aside for homeless people from the immediate area. There is no question the issue of chronic homelessness, as frustrating as it is, will again be high on the legislative agenda in 2025. Considering what we know about the Good Neighbor Village effort in Pierce County, versus the failures of the housing-first approach, this would be a good time to revisit the state’s approach to addressing chronic homelessness. Instead of focusing on how much money there is to spend, let’s talk about how the money is spent. I am reluctant to pour even more money into programs and services that pretend addictions and mental illness are not major drivers of chronic homelessness. I would rather look at investing in a housing model that is honest about the causes of chronic homelessness and responds to them in a way that offers real hope to our homeless neighbors. That’s how we can make our state better. ••• Sen. John Braun of Centralia serves the 20th Legislative District, which spans parts of four counties from Yelm to Vancouver. He became Senate Republican leader in 2020.
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Lanka Milk Foods (CWE) PLC (LMF) has set an extraordinary benchmark at its Ambewela Farms, achieving a record-breaking daily milk production of 62,000 litres from a single source. This represents a truly massive growth from the 3,000 litres to 60,000 liters per day recorded. When the company took over the facility from the state sector in 2001 it started with less than 3000 liters daily production. Now contributing 20 million litres of milk annually to Sri Lanka’s national supply, Ambewela Farms exemplifies the transformative power of modernisation, expertise, and relentless dedication. This achievement is the result of years of meticulous planning, significant investments and implementing innovative farming practices. A major milestone was reached in 2019 with the introduction of two automated dairy housing and milking systems, part of a 5-billion-rupee investment in modernisation. The farms’ success stems not only from infrastructure but also from forward-thinking practices. An advanced breeding programme using sexed semen from globally renowned stud bulls has enabled the production of high-yielding cows locally. These genetically superior cows, comparable to the best commercial herds worldwide, produce an impressive 12,000 litres per 305-day lactation cycle. Nutrition also plays a vital role in sustaining these high yields. With guidance from international nutritionists, the farm employs precision feeding systems tailored to meet the needs of high-yielding cows. Additionally, purpose-bred grass varieties, imported and cultivated on the farm’s pastures, provide optimal nutrition. Advanced feeding and care systems for calves ensure superior growth and early maturity, resulting in continual improvements in herd productivity. This has resulted in dairy cows at Ambewela Farms producing an average of up to 40 litres of milk per cow, per day. General Manager Farms, Sarath Bandara said, “This milestone has been made possible through a collaborative approach, blending international expertise with the knowledge and dedication of our local teams. Having combined global knowledge with local expertise and commitment, we’ve set a new standard for dairy production in Sri Lanka. We remain committed to uplifting the dairy industry and supporting national self-sufficiency through improved productivity and quality excellence.” The impact of the developments at Ambewela Farms reaches far beyond its own operations, as LMF shares its success with local farmers by providing high-quality offspring from its herds, empowering them to enhance productivity and adopt best practices. This is improving efficiency and self-sufficiency across Sri Lanka’s dairy industry, while bolstering Island’s food security, and highlights the potential of combining advanced technology, expert guidance, and sustainable practices.Drone sightings spread beyond New Jersey as officials express outrage over federal response
“President’s visit to China to boost bilateral trade, expedite FTA signing”Brighton were booed off after their winless run was stretched to six Premier League games by a frustrating goalless draw against away-day strugglers Brentford. Albion dominated for large periods on a foggy evening at the Amex Stadium and hit the woodwork inside four minutes through Julio Enciso. Bees goalkeeper Mark Flekken also made a string of important saves before being forced off injured in the 36th minute, albeit his replacement Hakon Valdimarsson was rarely tested on his Premier League debut. Brentford, who remain without a top-flight away win this term, had an early Yoane Wissa finish ruled out for offside following VAR intervention but barely threatened, despite an improved second-half showing. The Seagulls remain 10th ahead of Monday’s trip to Aston Villa, with Thomas Frank’s visitors a position and two points below moving towards their New Year’s Day showdown with Arsenal. Brighton have plummeted from second place to mid-table amid a poor run of form which has increased scrutiny on head coach Fabian Hurzeler. Seagulls chief executive Paul Barber called for perspective from fans in his programme notes after revealing he revealed emails “full of doom and gloom” following the recent 3-1 home defeat to rivals Crystal Palace. Enciso, one of two players recalled by Hurzeler following Saturday’s 1-1 draw at West Ham, almost gave Albion a dream start. A poor pass from Bees goalkeeper Flekken was intercepted by Carlos Baleba and, following a neat layoff from Joao Pedro, Paraguay forward Enciso curled against the right post. Brentford arrived in Sussex with the worst away record in the division, having previously taken a solitary point from 24 available this term. Flekken saved well from Baleba and then collected a tame header from the unmarked Enciso before the away side thought they had snatched a 13th-minute lead. After being slipped in by Mads Roerslev at the end of a swift counter-attack, Wissa thumped high into the net beyond Seagulls keeper Bart Verbruggen only to be ruled marginally offside. Flekken made further saves from Brajan Gruda and Matt O’Riley before hurting himself keeping out a deflected Kaoru Mitoma cross and being replaced by 23-year-old Iceland international Valdimarsson. Brentford remained on the back foot and, aside from Wissa’s disallowed effort, offered little going forward in a one-sided opening period which somehow ended level. Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke produced a crucial block to deny Wissa as the west London club began the second half brightly before Christian Norgaard’s ambitious effort deflected wide amid groans from increasingly restless home fans. Hurzeler responded with a triple change, introducing Yasin Ayari, Simon Adingra and Yankuba Minteh in place of O’Riley, Gruda and Mitoma. Albion forward Pedro then escaped punishment in the 76th minute after swinging an arm at Bees substitute Yehor Yarmoliuk without making contact before defender Ben Mee became the second visiting player to depart injured. The introduction of Solly March in the 88th minute for his first appearance since suffering a serious knee injury in October last year briefly lifted the mood on the terraces. But, following a frantic five minutes of added time, some Seagulls supporters vented their displeasure at full-time as their club’s wait for victory goes on.Police in Georgia on Saturday fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse pro-EU protesters rallying for a ninth consecutive day against the prime minister's decision to shelve talks on joining the bloc. The Caucasus nation has been engulfed in turmoil since the governing Georgian Dream party declared that it had won a disputed October 26 election. The party's critics have accused it of creeping authoritarianism and of steering the country back towards Russia. Thousands of defiant pro-EU protesters in Georgia rallied Friday after the prime minister claimed victory in a "battle" against the opposition. Tens of thousands have taken to the streets since the election to protest against alleged electoral fraud. Fresh rallies took place across the country after Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze announced last week that Georgia would not hold talks on European Union membership until 2028. Police have fired tear gas and water cannon against pro-EU protests in Tbilisi and hundreds of arrests have been made, triggering outrage at home and mounting international condemnation. France, Germany and Poland condemned what they called the government's "disproportionate" use of force against protesters and opposition leaders in a joint statement Friday. On Saturday, riot police moved in with water cannon to disperse the rally outside the parliament building, making arrests as the crowd retreated a few metres (yards), an AFP reporter witnessed. Tear gas was later deployed and groups of protesters reportedly spread across the city, blocking traffic along the capital's key thoroughfare. Georgia's rights ombudsman, Levan Ioseliani, said police "had no legal grounds for the dispersal of peaceful rally." He called on the interior ministry "to immediately halt the dispersal of the protest, cease the detention of participants, and refrain from using special measures, ensuring that protesters can continue their demonstration peacefully." Thousands blocked the street outside parliament on Friday, with some blowing whistles and others setting off firecrackers. "People will continue the protest," said one demonstrator, 23-year-old Giorgi, wearing a Georgian flag and a back scarf pulled over his nose. "They're patient, I will be here for the rest of my life if it is necessary to save my country." Separate protests were held outside Georgia's public broadcaster -- accused of being a government propaganda tool -- as well as the education ministry and the country's tourism administration offices. Thousands have also staged anti-government rallies in the second city of Batumi on the Black Sea coast. On Friday, a court in Tbilisi put a 19-year-old youth activist in pre-trial detention on charges of "organising, leading, and participating in group violence". Zviad Tsetskhladze told the judge "the rule of law has been crushed. "Our actions are a form of resistance, aimed at preserving the rule of law, defending democracy, and protecting the rights of every individual." The prime minister on Friday praised his security forces for "successfully neutralising the protesters' capacity for violence". "We have won an important battle against liberal fascism in our country," he told a news conference, using language reminiscent of how the Kremlin in Russia targets its political opponents. "But the fight is not over. Liberal fascism in Georgia must be defeated entirely," Kobakhidze said. With both sides ruling out a compromise, there appeared to be no clear route out of the crisis. The leader of the opposition Lelo party, Mamuka Khazaradze, said the government "has resorted to arresting young activists and political opponents out of fear of relentless public protests and growing civil disobedience by public servants." Masked officers have raided several opposition party offices and arrested opposition leaders earlier this week, while around 300 people have been detained at rallies. On Friday Nika Gvaramia, leader of the opposition Akhali party, was sentenced to 12 days in prison. Alexandre Elisashvili, leader of the Strong Georgia opposition group, was remanded in custody for two months of pretrial detention. More trouble is expected after December 14, when Georgian Dream lawmakers elect a loyalist to succeed pro-Western President Salome Zurabishvili. She has vowed not to step down until the parliamentary polls are re-run. Local media has also reported protests across the country, including in the cities of Batumi, Kutaisi, Zugdidi, Rustavi and Telavi. Critics of Georgian Dream are enraged by what they call its betrayal of Tbilisi's bid for EU membership, enshrined in the constitution and supported by around 80 percent of the population. Several ambassadors, a deputy foreign minister, and other officials have resigned over the suspension of EU talks. Georgian Dream, in power for more than a decade, has advanced controversial legislation in recent years, targeting civil society and independent media and curbing LGBTQ rights. Brussels warned such policies were incompatible with EU membership, while domestic critics accuse the government of copying Russia's playbook. Rights ombudsman Ioseliani has accused the police of "torture" against those arrested. ub-im/rscShould the U.S. increase immigration levels for highly skilled workers?
An online debate over foreign workers in tech shows tensions in Trump's political coalition