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WILMINGTON, Del. , Dec. 20, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Synteq Digital (Synteq), a global provider of digital computing solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Carolina Sanchez as Vice President and Head of People. With over 15 years of demonstrated expertise in human capital strategy and organizational development, Carolina brings a wealth of experience gained from pivotal roles in high-growth startups and established companies across e-commerce, technology, healthcare, and financial services. As a seasoned HR executive, Carolina has a track record of driving transformative initiatives that balance organizational priorities with employee experience. Most recently, as Vice President of Human Resources at Kaiyo, she guided the company through a period of significant growth, expanding the workforce by 300% and building a robust HR infrastructure that supported operational excellence. Carolina is known for her ability to navigate complex challenges, foster inclusive workplace cultures, and align HR strategy with broader business goals. Carolina holds a Master's in Human Resource Management and Development and a Bachelor's degree in Social Sciences with a concentration in Psychology, both from New York University . She is also a Senior Certified Professional with the Society for Human Resource Management. "We're excited to have Carolina join our team," said Taras Kulyk, CEO of Synteq Digital. "Her extensive background in people operations is complemented by her demonstrated success in spurring organizational expansion, managing growth and deploying forward-thinking HR practices that will energize our team. Carolina's expertise will be crucial in establishing the structures and talent programs essential for realizing our long-term goals and achieving continued success." "Joining Synteq Digital is an exciting opportunity to help shape the next phase of a dynamic and forward-thinking company," said Carolina Sanchez , Vice President and Head of People. "I am committed to building a culture where employees can excel and implementing strategies that drive sustained growth and success." To learn more about Synteq Digital, please visit synteq.digital For media inquiries, please contact PR (at) Synteq (dot) digital. Synteq Digital Synteq Digital is a premier provider of infrastructure, hardware, services, and solutions for the digital mining and HPC data center sectors. Media Contact [email protected] , http://synteq.digital SOURCE Synteq Digital
The Herzfeld Caribbean Basin Fund, Inc. Announces Retirement of Thomas J. Herzfeld from the Board of Directors and Named Chairman Emeritus; Names Cecilia Gondor Chairperson; Brigitta Herzfeld Named to the BoardAuthor: MR Narayan Swamy Published by Vijitha Yapa PUBLICATIONS Rs 4,900 Veteran journalist MR Narayan Swamy’s ‘The Rout of Prabhakaran’ is a masterly twin-book chronicle on the LTTE, which includes his earlier book, ‘Inside an Elusive Mind: Prabhakaran’ (2003). The first part of his life is narrated in ‘Elusive Mind’. It lets us in on the rise of Velupillai Prabhakaran, a village boy from Velvettithurai (VVT) who, three decades later, became the unquestioned ruler of a third of Sri Lanka’s landmass. ‘The Rout’ is a dramatic account of how he lost his fiefdom by 2009, with the ultimate humiliation of being photographed lying dead, clad only in his undervest. Born in 1954, Prabhakaran was the youngest child of Velupillai, a Tamil land records clerk. The young Prabhakaran was a “loner, preferring to immerse himself in Tamil books and comics”. Although Tamil residents in VVT were politically loyal to the Lankan government, things started changing in 1956, when the government altered its official language policy, making it compulsory for Tamils to learn Sinhala “or face sack”. The book traces Prabhakaran’s early life when he “sneaked out of the backdoor of his house one night in 1972, with the police after him, determined not to give up until he gave a homeland to his people”. When he achieved this, he announced it to the world by addressing an international news conference at Killinochchi on April 10, 2002, as the de facto ruler of Jaffna. Prabhakaran “lightened up” when Balasingham, his media adviser, introduced him as the “president and prime minister of Tamil Eelam”. Global interest in him was manifest with the presence of 200 mediapersons, compared to his last such conference with only six journalists in April 1990, post the Indian Peace Keeping Force withdrawal. Prabhakaran’s elevation to this position was made possible only through a series of violent attacks on Sri Lankan (SL) positions after the SL army wrested Jaffna from him through Operation Sunshine in December 1995. However, he hit back through a series of terror attacks in the next four years, like the January 1996 bombing of the Central Bank building, massacring 1,200 soldiers in Mullaitivu garrison, bombing the Temple of Tooth in Kandy, and an attempt on President Chandrika Kumaratunga’s life in December 1999, which blinded her in the right eye. Even earlier, Prabhakaran had shown his prowess in innovative terror by organizing the first suicide truck bombing in South Asia on July 5, 1987, on SL army’s Nellady base, much like the October 23, 1983, Beirut Marine Barracks bombing by Islamic Jehad. A string of assassinations, like that of Rajiv Gandhi (1991), President R Premadasa and Minister Lalith Athulathmudali (1993), secured his place among the galaxy of global terrorist masters, on par with Osama bin Laden. Also, less than two months before the 9/11 attacks in America, Prabhakaran stunned the world by attacking the Bandaranaike International Airport and the adjoining air force base at Katunayake. The US Justice Department described it as “the most destructive act in aviation history”. He had also set up an effective parallel administration in Jaffna with his police and courts, not to mention his ships for covert arms purchases and improvised air force. Swamy mentions discovery of a 4.6-metre-long submarine in Phuket, Thailand, which the LTTE was fabricating. As a result, Chandrika was forced to seek the good offices of Erik Solheim from Norway for mediation. However, unlike Bin Laden, Prabhakaran crafted effective overseas propaganda on the sad plight of SL Tamils to draw their sympathy by opening offices in London, Paris, Geneva, Toronto and Nordic countries, using the 450,000-strong diaspora to spread his message. The author mentions that there were 40 SL Tamil newspapers in Europe alone. Many foreign academics became deeply sympathetic to the Tamil cause, which benefited LTTE’s operations. Swamy says that Indian military intervention brought about a major change in his personality for the worse: it made him heartless, despotic and intolerant even towards his colleagues. Parallelly, he had gone public on his deep antipathy towards Indian intervention, especially by the R&AW, which was echoed by Kittu. The question arises, even 37 years after the Indo-Sri Lanka Peace Accord, whether India’s policy to tame the LTTE to fall in line was based on misplaced overconfidence. The late JN Dixit mentioned in his ‘Assignment Colombo’ (1997) that the senior-most foreign ministry official to whom he reported did not know the difference between Chelvanayakam and Tiruchelvam. He also told him “not to function in the mindset of IG or GP”. He was referring to Indira Gandhi’s SL Tamil policy executed through veteran negotiator G Parthasarathy. One last point is about Kittu. Sometime in January 1993, I received a frantic call from an America-based academic to save Kittu, who had been trapped by the Indian Navy. He confided that Prabhakaran had started distrusting his top aides; he wanted Kittu to be eliminated and had leaked his presence to India so that he would commit suicide, and the blame would come on India. Oceans away from Delhi, all I could do was to alert my headquarters. It’s a must-read for all those studying statecraft on the importance of festina lente (hasten slowly) advocated by Emperor Augustus. — The writer is a former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat India.Views are personal
Questioned by deputy João Almeida (CDS-PP) about Portugal's relationship with the future administration of Donald Trump, during the parliamentary debate on the European Council on the 19th and 20th - the first chaired by the former prime minister Portuguese António Costa -, Montenegro assured that "the Portuguese Government will invest heavily in boosting bilateral relations" and urges the European Union "to do the same". The USA is, he highlighted, "a political partner, a strong ally and an increasingly relevant economic partner". Portugal is "very interested in attracting American investment and in continuing to increase tourist visits, which are the third contingent, but the most important in terms of the 'per capita' money they spend here". Former Republican President Donald Trump will succeed Joe Biden (Democrat) on January 20th, after having defeated the vice-president and Democratic candidate, Kamala Harris, in the US presidential elections on November 5.Undefeated Lady Tigers to play for Union Grove tourney championship
Hologic Statement on USPSTF Draft Cervical Cancer Screening GuidelinesAUSTIN, Texas , Dec. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- As the nurse practitioner (NP) profession looks ahead to 2025, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners® (AANP) has identified five key health trends that will impact the health care system in the coming years. "As health care trends evolve, the demand for America's 385,000 licensed nurse practitioners remains high due to their exceptional, patient-centered approach to care," said AANP President Stephen A. Ferrara , DNP. "Patients nationwide deserve access to high-quality health care, and NPs are experts in various fields, including primary care, elder care, mental health care, substance use disorder treatment and artificial intelligence (AI) innovations. Nurse practitioners are dedicated to providing evidence-based care as the health care landscape continues to change." The Top Five Health Care Trends of 2025 1. AI Technologies Can Improve Patient Care – Nurse practitioners are leading the way to improve health care access and outcomes for millions of patients and leveraging the potential of new technologies, including AI, to benefit their patients. In their constant pursuit of excellence in health care, NPs are exploring the capability of AI to analyze vast amounts of patient data from remote monitoring devices to allow more proactive interventions and added patient engagement in care. The potential for AI to automate non-clinical routine tasks, like note-taking and documentation, will allow NPs and other providers to focus even more on patient interactions. Used properly, AI can make a real difference while reducing documentation and administrative burdens. Nurse Practitioners are well-positioned to evaluate and guide the implementation of safe and effective AI technologies and must be actively involved throughout the entire AI development and integration process to improve patient outcomes. 2. Growing Demand for Elder Care – As the U.S. population ages, the rising demand for elder care requires a growing health care workforce. Every Baby Boomer will be at least 65 by 2030, with the oldest members closer to 85 – meaning 1 out of every 5 Americans will be eligible to enroll in Medicare. At the same time, the NP profession is 385,000 strong, ensuring needed access to care for patients. NPs provide care to seniors in a wide variety of settings, including telehealth and in - home care. 3. Mental Health Integration into Primary Care – NPs and other primary care providers are increasingly integrating patients' mental health into primary care screenings for both physical and mental health problems, during their visits. Mental health conditions have increased sharply since the COVID-19 pandemic, and more than 122 million people live in areas where access to treatment is limited due to provider shortages. With a strong focus on whole-patient care, NPs understand the important role mental health plays in the overall well-being of their patients. In addition, increasing numbers of psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners will play a vital role in meeting the nation's need for diagnosing, treating and managing mental health conditions. 4. Limited Access to Primary Care Services – More than a quarter of Americans reported they are not up to date on health screenings and immunizations, according to AANP's State of Primary Care in America national survey. The survey also found that nearly one-third of adults, particularly those who are younger, Hispanic or living in rural areas, reported difficulty accessing health care services. Among adults who did see a provider for primary care, nearly a third (31%) turned to telehealth or to convenient care clinics. This survey echoes AANP's 2023 survey, which found that more than 25% of respondents had waited more than two months for an appointment with a health care provider. Adopting Full Practice Authority policies removes barriers to care so patients can choose an NP to access preventive screenings and health services, which are essential to improving the health of the nation. 5. NPs Treating Patients with Substance Use Disorders – According to the National Institute on Drugs and Addiction's 2024 fact sheet, more than 40 million people in the United States had a substance use disorder (SUD), and only 6.5 percent received treatment. More than 100,000 people died from an overdose in 2021. NPs who specialize in SUD and opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment are experts in this addiction crisis, prescribing medications to aid in recovery and ensuring that their patients have access to counseling, behavioral therapy, peer support and other interventions. The American Association of Nurse Practitioners ® (AANP) is the largest professional membership organization for nurse practitioners (NPs) of all specialties. It represents the interests of the more than 385,000 licensed NPs in the U.S. AANP provides legislative leadership at the local, state and national levels, advancing health policy; promoting excellence in practice, education and research; and establishing standards that best serve NPs' patients and other health care consumers. As The Voice of the Nurse Practitioner ® , AANP represents the interests of NPs as providers of high-quality, cost-effective, comprehensive, patient-centered health care. To locate an NP in your community, visit npfinder.com . For more information about NPs, visit aanp.org . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aanp-spotlights-five-critical-health-care-trends-to-watch-in-2025-302330746.html SOURCE American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
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Rogers Appoints Laura Russell as Chief Financial OfficerQatar tribune Agencies Beijing China’s exports slowed sharply and imports unexpectedly shrank in November, in a worrying sign for the world’s No 2 economy as Donald Trump’s imminent return to the White House brings fresh trade risks. The disappointing trade figures follow other indicators showing patchy growth in November, suggesting Beijing needs to do more to shore up a faltering economy that is only likely to face further challenges next year. Outbound shipments grew 6.7 percent last month, customs data showed on Tuesday, missing a forecast 8.5% increase and down from a 12.7 percent rise in October. Of more concern for authorities, imports shrank 3.9 percent, their worst performance in nine months and dashing expectations for a 0.3 percent increase, keeping alive calls for more policy support to prop up domestic demand. Top leaders on Monday vowed to ramp up stimulus in 2025, shifting the language around China’s monetary and fiscal settings to more accommodative wording in a bid to rev up demand and entice consumers back into spending. “Global demand is not super strong, data from other major exporters like South Korea and Vietnam point to different levels of slowdown too,” said Xu Tianchen, senior economist at the Economist Intelligence Unit. “Early signs of trade frontloading in anticipation of Trump’s tariffs next year have started to emerge, but the full impact will not be felt until the coming months, especially December and January,” he added. US President-elect Trump has pledged to slap an additional 10 percent tariff on Chinese goods in a bid to force Beijing to do more to stop the trafficking of chemicals used to make fentanyl. He had previously said he would introduce tariffs in excess of 60 percent. His threats have rattled China’s industrial complex, which sells goods worth more than $400 billion annually to the US. Ahead of expected tariff hikes, exporters rushed to shift stock to US warehouses in October, anticipating shipments for fresh orders once global demand recovers. While that trend slowed sharply in November, frontloading ahead of expected tariffs may still support exports. “We expect exports to accelerate again in the coming months, supported by gains in export competitiveness and exporters front-running tariffs,” said Zichun Huang, China economist at Capital Economics. However, unresolved tensions with the European Union over tariffs of up to 45.3 percent on China-made electric vehicles threaten to open a second front in Beijing’s trade war with the West. China’s trade surplus grew to $97.44 billion last month, up from $95.72 billion in October. US tariffs pose a bigger threat to China than they did during Trump’s first term as the $19 trillion-dollar economy’s exports are one of its main growth drivers, with household and business confidence dented by a prolonged property crisis. While manufacturers reported the best business conditions in seven months in a November factory survey, suggesting stimulus is trickling through, they also warned they were receiving fewer export orders. Those trends have prompted calls by analysts and policy experts for a shift away from an economic over-reliance on manufacturing and exports. Government advisors have recommended Beijing keeps its growth target unchanged at around 5 percent next year and implements more forceful stimulus to mitigate the expected US tariffs by leaning on the country’s vast domestic consumer market. China’s economic woes prompted policymakers to act in September, with the central bank unveiling its most aggressive monetary easing since the pandemic, cutting interest rates and injecting 1 trillion yuan ($140 billion) into the financial system. China recorded large falls in imports of commodities such as vegetable oils, rare earths and fertilisers. Much of that was due to declines in commodity prices although that also helped volumes, which increased for crude oil, coal and copper. Top policymakers are expected to meet this week to set key targets and policy intentions for next year. Investors will be watching for remarks that suggest Beijing will prioritise the consumer sector in its policies, having focused this year mostly on upgrading its export-reliant manufacturing sector. Economists expect China’s imports will recover in the coming months, not least because policymakers are expected to expand the fiscal headroom next year. “Robust fiscal expenditure, much of it likely directed toward investment, should boost demand for industrial commodities in the coming months,” Capital Economics’ Huang said. Copy 13/12/2024 10
INDIANAPOLIS — More than 170 million Americans use TikTok , but for how much longer ? Unless it's spun off from its Chinese parent company, the platform could disappear from app stores by Jan. 19. Supporters of the federal measure say TikTok poses a national security risk because of the information that could be collected from users by the Chinese-owned company. "We cannot rule out that the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) could use it," Avril Haines, U.S. Director of National Intelligence, said during a Congressional hearing in March. But banning TikTok faces a lot of opposition, including from social media influencers and small business owners who say it could cost them. "You are voting against my small business. You are voting against me getting a slice of my American pie," business owner Summer Lucille told CNN earlier this year, aiming her comments at lawmakers. "This is where entertainment happens," entrepreneur and content creator Max Klymenko said on CNN. "This is where commentary and analysis of the entertainment world happens. This is where education happens." More Videos Next up in 5 Example video title will go here for this video Next up in 5 Example video title will go here for this video Experts say the issue is a unique debate that revolves around free speech issues, national security concerns and potentially significant economic implications. "This is why it has been so challenging to come to a negotiated solution," said Sarah Bauerle Danzman, associate professor of International Studies at Indiana University and a fellow at the Atlantic Council . "In many respects, this seems quite unprecedented, although I will say that there is reporting that in the past, the U.S. has kind of required the sale of Chinese ownership in other social media applications that just didn't end up becoming such a prolonged battle." Bauerle Danzman said if the ban does move forward, it would not result in a "dramatic shutdown" on all users' phones. "Instead, if the Chinese owner ByteDance, does not divest from TikTok, what will end up happening is that the app stores where you get your apps will not allow people to download new versions of the app," Danzman said. "And over time, the quality of TikTok will degrade as people will be unable to update to the most recent version. And then, people will sort of drop off of being able to use it as the current version becomes obsolete." On Monday, Dec. 9, TikTok asked a federal appeals court to pause the impending ban until the U.S. Supreme Court reviews the case. But it's not clear at this point if the Supreme Court will take it up.The owners of a Colorado funeral home who let nearly 190 bodies decay in a room-temperature building and gave grieving families fake ashes pleaded guilty on Friday to corpse abuse. Jon and Carie Hallford, who own the Return to Nature Funeral Home, began storing bodies in a decrepit building near Colorado Springs as far back as 2019 and gave families dry concrete in place of cremated remains, according to the charges. The grim discovery last year upended families’ grieving processes. Plea deals reached between the defendants and prosecutors call for Jon Hallford to receive a 20-year prison sentence and Carie Hallford to receive 15 to 20 years in prison. Over the years, the Hallfords spent extravagantly, prosecutors say. They used customers’ money and nearly $900,000 in pandemic relief funds to buy laser body sculpting, fancy cars, trips to Las Vegas and Florida, $31,000 in cryptocurrency and other luxury items, according to court records. Last month, the Hallfords pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges in an agreement in which they acknowledged defrauding customers and the federal government. Under the agreement, prosecutors could request sentences of up to 15 years in prison for the couple. Even as the couple lived large, prosecutors said the bodies at their funeral home were decomposing. “The bodies were laying on the ground, stacked on shelves, left on gurneys, stacked on top of each other or just piled in rooms,” prosecutor Rachael Powell said. She said the family members of the bodies that were discovered “have been intensely and forever outraged.” The Hallfords each pleaded guilty to 191 counts of corpse abuse for the bodies found decaying and two instances where the wrong bodies were buried. They also agreed to pay restitution, with the amount yet to be determined. Additional charges of theft, forgery and money laundering would be dismissed under the agreements. Crystina Page’s son, David, died in 2019 and his body languished in the funeral home’s building until last year. “He laid in the corner of an inoperable fridge, dumped out of his body bag with rats and maggots eating his face for four years,” Page said outside the courtroom after the hearing. “Now every moment that I think of my son, I’m having to think of Jon and Carie, and that’s not going away.” Sentencing was set for April 18. Six people with objections to the plea agreements had asked prior to Friday’s hearing to address the court. They considered the length of the sentences under the plea deal insufficient given the Hallfords’ conduct, prosecutors said. Judge Eric Bentley said they would get a chance to speak prior to the sentencings. If the judge rejects the plea agreement, the Hallfords would be able to withdraw their guilty pleas and go to trial. Carie Hallford told the judge that while she didn’t visit the building as much as Jon, “I knew how bad it was and chose to do nothing about it.” At the close of Friday’s hearing, Bentley revoked a bond that had allowed Carie Hallford to remain free while the case was pending. She was handcuffed in the courtroom while family members of the deceased applauded. Jon Hallford already was in custody, and was in an orange jumpsuit and handcuffed for the hearing. Last month, the Hallfords pleaded guilty to federal fraud charges in an agreement in which they acknowledged defrauding customers and the federal government. Jon Hallford is represented by the public defenders office, which does not comment on cases. Carie Hallford’s attorney, Michael Stuzynski, declined to comment. Over four years, customers of Return to Nature spread what they thought were their loves ones’ ashes in meaningful locations, sometimes a plane’s flight away. Others carried their urns on cross-country road trips or held them tight at home. The bodies, which prosecutors say were improperly stored, were discovered last year when neighbors reported a stench coming from a building in the small town of Penrose, southwest of Colorado Springs. Authorities found bodies too decayed for visual identification. The building was so toxic that responders had to wear hazmat gear and could remain inside only for brief periods. The discovery of the bodies at Return to Nature prompted state legislators to strengthen what had been among the laxest funeral home regulations in the country. Unlike most states, Colorado didn’t require routine inspections of funeral homes or credentials for the businesses’ operators. This year, lawmakers brought Colorado’s regulations up to par with most other states, largely with support from the funeral home industry. ___ Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Stocks closed higher on Wall Street as the market posted The owners of a Colorado funeral home who let nearly The Supreme Court on Friday stepped into a major legal Oil company Phillips 66 has been federally indicted in connectionCUMBERLAND — Baltimore Street was home to a pedestrian mall for decades until a recently completed renovation opened it to one-way vehicle and bicycle traffic and created some parking spaces. On Tuesday, the mayor and City Council tabled a proposal that would establish rates for the 20 new parking spots. Under the plan, all parking spaces on Baltimore Street would be included in a ParkMobile app zone, and cost $2 per hour with a two-hour maximum. But folks without a cellphone wouldn’t be able to access the app, Councilwoman Laurie Marchini said, and she suggested an additional method be created to pay for the parking. She said a vote on the issue should be delayed until downtown merchants are consulted. Councilman Rock Cioni said he wanted to hold a decision until more information was available. “The app thing ... I would not know how to do that,” he said. Cumberland Mayor Ray Morriss said the technology “takes minutes” to install on a mobile phone and provides drivers flexibility to alter the time they want to be parked. Cumberland Administrator Jeff Silka said the app’s two-hour window would allow downtown patrons to dine at a restaurant and do some shopping. Booths could provide an added way to pay for parking, he said. “We’d have to buy (at least three new) kiosks,” Silka said of the need to replace the city’s “dinosaurs.” City Councilman Jimmy Furstenberg said a nearby public parking garage is convenient — only about 130 steps from the heart of downtown — and equated that distance to a typical walk between the local Walmart and its parking lot. Larry Jackson co-owns Western Maryland Music Center on Baltimore Street and is vice president of the Downtown Development Commission. He owns multiple downtown properties and serves on city boards, including the Historic Preservation Commission. Jackson on Thursday said city officials didn’t consult downtown merchants about the plan to monetize the new parking spaces on Baltimore Street. He wants the spots to remain free. “I’m totally against it,” Jackson said of charging for parking and added that so far, drivers have used “goodwill” when they use the spaces. He suggested city officials keep the spaces free for six months to a year and “see how it plays out.” The parking issue is expected to be discussed at next month’s city meeting. In other business, the mayor and council: • Heard first readings of ordinances to sell: 208-210 Virginia Ave. to Goodfellowship Social Club Inc. for $2,000; Brookfield Avenue Portion of Lot 1 in Block 28 to Sean B. and Kristie M. Thomas for $600; 31 Offutt St. to Covenant Keeper Inc. for $800; 513 Fayette St. to 817 Maryland Ave. LLC for $5,001; Greene Street PT lots 86 and 87 to Jake Shade for $100; and 118 Winton Place to Betty Fournier for $12,000. • Met privately Tuesday to discuss development of parcels on the former Memorial Hospital site, businesses that might be interested in locating on the city’s Messick Road property, terms of a new employment contract with the fire chief and board and committee appointments. • Agreed to buy 425 Central Ave. from Robyn Vandevander for the purchase price of $7,500 as part of the Central Avenue Initiative. • Agreed to place for sale 411, 415 and 425 Central Ave. • Awarded $20,000 of the Choose Cumberland Relocation Package, which uses grant funds from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development, to Keisha J. Banks as the sixth of 10 applicants.The Alberta government says it is developing rules that will shape the future of coal mining in the province, but certain notable projects remain exempt from the new plan. In 2020, the province moved to scrap a 1976 policy that limited coal development in the Eastern Slopes region. That decision opened previously off-limits areas to potential development and led to sustained public opposition. In response to the pushback, the government reinstated that policy in 2021 and launched Alberta's Coal Policy Committee . That committee released its final report in December 2021, and Alberta Energy Minister Brian Jean said the plan was intended to address its recommendations. "If coal mining is allowed, it will only be allowed to the highest possible standards," Jean told reporters on Friday. "Alberta's new standards for coal mining will be among the best in the world, and the best in Canada." Under what the government is calling the Alberta Coal Industry Modernization Initiative, the province said it would allow coal mining to take place if it met certain standards: No mountaintop removal mining would be allowed as a coal mining technique. No new open-pit coal mining would be allowed in the Eastern Slopes. New coal mining proposals would be required to use techniques which use "best water practices and prevent adding selenium into waterways." New proposals will either need to be underground mines or use mining technologies such as highwall automated underground mining, the government said. Rules under the 1976 Coal Development Policy for national parks, provincial parks, wildland parks, wilderness areas, ecological reserves, and provincial recreation areas continue, the government said. Grassy Mountain, peak to left, and the Grassy Mountain Coal Project are seen north of Blairmore on June 6. (Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press) However, the new rules do not apply to what's referred to as "advanced" coal projects. That includes the long-controversial Grassy Mountain project in southern Alberta. The Alberta energy ministry has said Grassy Mountain project qualifies as an "advanced coal project" because a project summary and environmental impact assessment were filed with regulators several years ago. Canmore tourism sector optimistic as major events shine spotlight on town in 2025 How many people does it take to run a city? In Calgary, it's about 15,000 The Municipal District of Ranchland, where the mine is located, has argued against the project moving ahead, and the Alberta Court of Appeal released a ruling in August stating it would hear arguments on the matter. The government will engage with the coal industry to develop the regulations but won't consult the general public again, citing engagement done under the Coal Policy Committee. A new coal policy will be developed by late 2025. More to come.
A former GOP lawmaker has his own theory about the reports of “mystery” drones flying over New Jersey in recent weeks. Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) told his followers on Thursday to compare his explanation of the mystery drones to Rep. Jeff Van Drew’s (R-N.J.) long-shot theory that he floated on Wednesday. This comes as residents across the state have expressed deep concerns with the drone reports despite officials reiterating that there is no known threat. Kinzinger, a strong Trump critic, suggested that the drone sightings may be coming from just one private company that is testing its own drones without breaking any laws. “My drone theory, bookmark this vs the Jeff Van Drew ‘Iran mothership’ theory: Private company testing transportation drones, and does not want to reveal their intellectual property so not fessing up... and not breaking any laws at all," Kinzinger wrote on social media platform X. My drone theory, bookmark this vs the Jeff Van Drew “Iran mothership” theory: Private company testing transportation drones, and does not want to reveal their intellectual property so not fessing up... and not breaking any laws at all Van Drew, in a Wednesday appearance on Fox News, floated the idea that the drones over the Garden State could be flying in from an Iranian “mothership” off the East Coast. “This is a national security crisis we cannot ignore,” Van Drew wrote in his post on X . “Bring them down now.” Deputy Defense Department Press Secretary Sabrina Singh debunked this claim in a press conference on Wednesday, explaining that there is no Iranian “mothership” off the East Coast. “There is not any truth to that. There is no Iranian ship off the coast of the United States and there’s no so-called mothership launching drones towards the United States,” she said. It is still not clear what these mystery drones are, but the FBI is continuing to investigate the sightings. The FBI has asked for the public’s assistance in reporting the drones to its tip line. Stories by Lauren Sforza Here's Trump's plan for the 'first nine minutes' of his presidency House Dem mocks Ramaswamy, Musk over Trump’s government-slashing plan Top Democrat jabs Trump ally MTG over new ‘DOGE’ subcommittee Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com .
TAMPA, Fla. — Baker Mayfield rubbed both arms with his hands as the story was being related, the one where his timely donation turned around the fortunes of a high school football team that lacked the necessary equipment to start the season. It’s the nearly made-for-Hollywood script of how Space Coast High in Cocoa went from 1-8 a year ago to 10-3 and the first state championship in program history. “I’ve got chills thinking about it,” Mayfield said. Jake Owens had been Space Coast’s head coach from 2012-17 but stepped away for a few years, moving to Kentucky and starting a young family. He returned to his old job to find the program in disrepair. “Obviously, the program was struggling,” Owens said. “I think in those six years they’d only won, like, four games. When I walked in, a struggling program like that, nothing was really being done behind the scenes as far as equipment and stuff goes. It was a lot of older equipment.” Stephanie Starkey, whose son, Jacob, plays linebacker and long snapper for the Vipers, graduated from the University of Oklahoma and had followed Mayfield closely. She knew about the Baker and Emily Mayfield Foundation, and reached out to the couple for help. The Mayfields responded by donating $17,900 for equipment, including 70 Riddell SpeedFlex helmets that retail for nearly $500 each, along with shoulder pads. “There was kind of narrative that we were not going to have a season,” Owens said. “That’s not the case. We were going to play no matter what. But it was in bad shape, and that’s obviously expensive. When the program ended last year, there were only 40-something kids. They didn’t have a need for a lot of equipment. “When I took over in February, there was a huge influx. We had over 70 kids come out. Not only did we have older equipment, but we also didn’t have enough. We were going to make sure we had it one way or another, but it’s expensive and funds are hard to come by in high school.” The team was among the youngest Owens had ever coached. His quarterback was a freshman. Four of the five offensive linemen were sophomores, along with the top receiver. Building a culture of winning is usually the most difficult task for any head coach. But Owens said the players were galvanized by the fact that an NFL quarterback had invested so generously in their future. “We were just floored,” Owens said. “It’s been an incredibly humbling experience to have someone like Baker to reach out and say, ‘Hey, what do you need to get this done?’ I don’t think they know how much of an impact they’ve made. “We knew we had a talented team. We knew if we did things the right way and we built the right culture, I’d won there before. I have an incredible coaching staff. They knew what it takes to win. It’s one of those incredible things that came together like a perfect storm, and Baker and Emily are a big part of that because it took so much stress out of that situation so the focus could be on football.” There is some irony that it was Mayfield who rescued the Vipers. Owens is an unabashed Cincinnati Bengals fan and rooted against Mayfield when he played for the Cleveland Browns. In fact, Owens is a Bengals season ticket holder who still hosts a podcast dedicated to talking about the team. “I will tell you that I have never rooted for another team or another player outside of Cincinnati,” Owens said. “That changed after this year. I’ve become a huge Baker Mayfield fan. He changes people’s lives. “At the end of the day, winning is very important at every level. What Baker has done more than anything is shown our players what it means to pass it along. To pay it forward. That’s going to impact our players. When they get that opportunity, they will remember that. What they’ve shown our boys is you’re never too big to help out.” Mayfield’s play on the field was inspiring as well. Starkey held a few watch parties for Bucs games on Sundays. The Mayfields’ gift ignited a Space Coast team that went 7-3 in the regular season, then advanced past Tradition Prep and Umatilla in the playoffs. “Snake Pit” signs, referencing the team’s home field, started popping up on lawns and in store windows all over town. Last weekend, the Vipers defeated Bell, 21-14, at home to claim the Sunshine State Athletic Association Atlantic 1A championship. The team that didn’t have enough equipment is now being sized for championship rings. “I tell them all the time, don’t forget about the journey it took to get here, and Baker and Emily will always be part of that journey,” Owens said. Standing inside One Buc Place during his weekly news conference Thursday, Mayfield could not stop smiling while thinking about another football team he already had helped win a championship this season. “It’s just a cool story,” he said. “I have an unbelievable platform to be able to give back, and obviously they were in the predicament of probably not having a season. Not just for the varsity. The JV, they didn’t have enough equipment. So, just being able to give back and then seeing that turn around. “All we did was get some helmets. They did the rest. They turned it around, they believed in it, and that’s what football is all about. It’s teaching life lessons, how to handle adversity, how to deal with it and push forward. Congrats to them. It’s pretty special.” ©2024 Tampa Bay Times. Visit tampabay.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.NoneOusted Syria President Bashar al-Assad Spotted In Moscow? Fact-Checking Viral Image
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