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Brian Bohannon, Geoff Collins, and More Possible Head Coach Candidates for TempleHear ye, hear ye, the official town crier of Sidney, B.C. is set to hang up his hat after more than 20 years in the role. Kenny Podmore, the official town crier of the municipality, is retiring after lending his vocal talents to the community for more than two decades – first as the Deputy Town Crier in 1998, then as the Official Town Crier in 2003. “Throughout this time, he approached his role with professionalism and passion,” said Sidney Mayor Cliff McNeil-Smith in a statement to CHEK News on Thursday. “By sharing his unique gifts as an orator with the community, Kenny enhanced countless local events and ceremonies.” In a social media post Wednesday , the town said that Podmore’s “captivating voice and presence” helped elevate countless parades, events, and openings of new facilities and businesses. The municipality says it’s planning to hold an event to celebrate his retirement sometime in early 2025, though an exact date has not been set yet. The town says details will be released in the near future. “Kenny Podmore’s outstanding service as Sidney’s Official Town Crier has been greatly appreciated by Council, Town staff, and community members,” said the mayor. “We thank Kenny for his dedication and long service to our community.” SEE ALSO: Duncan eliminates town crier position
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The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Friday hospitals have only two days' fuel left before they must restrict services, after the UN warned aid delivery to the war-devastated territory is being crippled. The warning came a day after the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence minister Yoav Gallant more than a year into the Gaza war. The United Nations and others have repeatedly decried humanitarian conditions, particularly in northern Gaza where Israel said Friday it had killed two commanders involved in Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war. Gaza medics said an overnight Israeli raid on Beit Lahia and nearby Jabalia resulted in dozens killed or missing. Marwan al-Hams, director of Gaza's field hospitals, told reporters all hospitals in the Palestinian territory "will stop working or reduce their services within 48 hours due to the occupation's (Israel's) obstruction of fuel entry". World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Friday he was "deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of 80 patients, including 8 in the intensive care unit" at Kamal Adwan hospital, one of just two partly operating in northern Gaza. Late Thursday, the UN's humanitarian coordinator for the Palestinian territories, Muhannad Hadi, said: "The delivery of critical aid across Gaza, including food, water, fuel and medical supplies, is grinding to a halt." He said that for more than six weeks Israeli authorities "have been banning commercial imports" while "a surge in armed looting" has targeted aid convoys. Vowing to stop Hamas from regrouping, Israel on October 6 began an air and ground operation in Jabalia and then expanded it to Beit Lahia. Gaza's health ministry says the operation has killed thousands. The UN says more than 100,000 have been displaced from the area, and an official told the Security Council last week that people "are effectively starving". Issuing the warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, the Hague-based ICC said there were "reasonable grounds" to believe they bore "criminal responsibility" for the war crime of starvation as a method of warfare, and crimes against humanity including over "the lack of food, water, electricity and fuel, and specific medical supplies". A furious Netanyahu said: "Israel rejects with disgust the absurd and false actions and accusations made against it." He said the judges were "driven by anti-Semitic hatred of Israel". On Friday, he thanked his Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban for his show of "moral clarity" in inviting him to visit in defiance of the ICC warrant, which Orban branded "political". Hungary currently holds the rotating EU presidency. US President Joe Biden, whose country is Israel's top military supplier, called the warrants against Israeli leaders "outrageous", but other world leaders supported the court. Irish Prime Minister Simon Harris said Netanyahu would be arrested if he set foot in the country. Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron on Friday discussed efforts towards a ceasefire in Lebanon, the White House said. The ICC also issued a warrant for Hamas military chief Mohammed Deif, saying it had grounds to suspect him of war crimes and crimes against humanity over the attacks on Israel that sparked the war, and including "sexual and gender-based violence" against hostages. Israel said it killed Deif in July, but Hamas has not confirmed his death. On Thursday, a UN representative said an Israeli raid on Palmyra in Syria this week was "likely the deadliest" by Israel on the country so far. On Friday, a war monitor said the strikes killed 92 pro-Iran fighters. Israel again bombed Gaza on Friday. In Gaza City, just south of Jabalia, one man who said he took his cousins to hospital after a strike urged "the world... to put an end" to the war. Belal, who gave only his first name, said 10 members of his family had been killed. At least 44,056 people have been killed in Gaza during more than 13 months of war, most of them civilians, according to figures from Gaza's health ministry which the United Nations considers reliable. Hamas triggered the war with the deadliest attack in Israeli history, which resulted in the deaths of 1,206 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally of Israeli official figures. The war expanded to Lebanon in late September when Israel escalated air strikes against Iran-backed Hezbollah and later sent ground troops into southern Lebanon, after nearly a year of tit-for-tat cross-border exchanges which Hezbollah said were in support of Hamas. Lebanon says more than 3,580 people have been killed in the country, most of them since late September. Israeli strikes again targeted Hezbollah's south Beirut stronghold and south Lebanon on Friday, the official National News Agency said. Thousands of UN peacekeepers are based in southern Lebanon and have reported coming under attack numerous times, blaming both Israel and "non-state" actors. On Friday, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Hezbollah was probably behind a rocket attack that lightly wounded four Italian peacekeepers. bur-ami/srm/kir
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Carmina Bayombong, InvestEd founder —ATEC PHOTOS Philippine startups continue to show what they can do to bring innovation to people’s lives—and their hard work is not left unnoticed. At the latest Asia Technology Entrepreneurship Conference (Atec) Startup Competition in Hong Kong this month, two Filipino enterprises were recognized as the region’s best innovators in their respective categories. InvestEd, a financing platform that lends to students who need aid in paying tuition, won in the artificial intelligence and digital solutions category. The company, employing a proprietary credit-scoring algorithm, extends loans to unbanked students, making financing accessible. It targets the students who are part of the socioeconomic classes C, D and E. According to its website, InvestEd has helped thousands of students from 2,162 universities across 64 provinces. “InvestEd envisions a world where every young dreamer has no barriers to success,” the company says. InvestEd was founded by Carmina Bayombong, who holds an industrial engineering degree from the University of the Philippines. She has devoted her time to training the youth in financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Bayombong was recognized as Forbes Asia’s 30 Under 30 honoree for finance and venture capital in 2021. In 2019, she was also named as the South Asia and Oceanian laureate at the Cartier Women’s Initiative awards. Sari-sari store enabler Packworks, meanwhile, emerged as the winner in the smart commerce and logistics category. Packworks provides digital solutions to over 300,000 sari-sari stores so they can make their operations more efficient. Its suite of products includes tools for pricing, inventory management and sales tracking. “We aim to provide constant ways to improve the country’s supply chain through accessible and scalable technology that empowers small business owners that drives progress and inclusivity,” says the company on its website. The trio of Hubert Yap, Bing Tan and Ibba Bernardo brought Packworks into reality in 2018. The founders initially wanted a solution that would link multinational companies to sari-sari stores. But they eventually decided to focus on microentrepreneurs instead after realizing how technology can change the way they operate for the better. Atec is the biggest alumni-led technology conference in Asia. The annual startup competition celebrates the excellence of enterprises that develop new and cutting-edge products. In this year’s competition, the 40-member selection committee screened 106 applications, whereby 32 semifinalists were shortlisted. FETED Packworks CEO Bing Tan (center) receives the Atec award (smart commerce and logistics category). A startup can join the competition after getting a nomination from an alumni organization that is part of Atec. In this case, both InvestEd and Packworks were backed by the Harvard Club of the Philippines Global. Last year, homegrown Mayani won the Emerging Market Solutions Impact Award. A social enterprise linking over 139,000 smallholder farmers to retail and commercial consumers, this startup has helped a lot of indigenous farmers in Zambales. According to a study by local market research firm Uniquecorn Strategies, the majority or 75 percent of the Philippine startups were keen on achieving profitability over growth to reduce dependency on investor funding. Next on the list of priorities are customer experience and product development at 55 percent each. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . More than half or 55 percent of the founders surveyed expect to become profitable within the next one to two years. INQCatherine, Princess of Wales is to host her annual Christmas carol service at Westminster Abbey on Friday, her biggest event in her return to royal duties after ending her chemotherapy. A specially-designed illustration by British artist Charlie Mackesy - which embodies the service's themes of kindness, love and empathy - will feature on the Order of Service. Families affected by the Southport knife attack will be among the 1,600 guests at the event. It comes at the end of a difficult year for Catherine, after her cancer diagnosis in March, followed by months of treatment. The illustration says: "How did I help?" with the answer "you were by my side, which was everything" - expressing the carol concert's message of showing solidarity for those in need. The children's illustrator, who is is known for his bestselling book The Boy, The Mole, The Fox And The Horse, said: "I hope it reminds us of the beauty of being there for each other at Christmas." Ahead of the carol concert, Kate sent a letter to guests calling for "love, not fear". Each stage of Kate's return to the public eye has made headlines, but this week will have seen her at two major events - the emir of Qatar's state visit and this Together at Christmas carol service. And more than any of the events so far this year, this concert will place the princess centre stage rather than in a supporting role. This will be her big personal moment - after a year of health worries described by the Prince of Wales as "brutal" for their family. There will be famous performers at the concert, including Richard E Grant, Paloma Faith, Olivia Dean and Gregory Porter, along with guests who have worked hard to help others in their communities. It is intended to show support for those who have had tough years, including families of those caught up in the Southport knife attacks, whom the princess visited in October. Olympic and world-champion cyclist Sir Chris Hoy, who also received a cancer diagnosis this year, will be among those lighting candles. But much of the focus will be on Catherine, Prince William and other Royal Family members at the service. The language in the run-up to the carol concert has been strikingly emotional, calling for greater empathy for those facing difficulties. "Love is the light that can shine bright, even in our darkest times," Catherine wrote in a letter to guests invited to the concert, which is being recorded for an ITV programme on 24 December. In her letter, Catherine writes about the importance of compassion, "gentle words or a receptive ear, an arm around an exhausted shoulder, or silently being by someone's side", and "the love that we show ourselves and the love we show others - love that listens with empathy, love that is kind and understanding, love that is forgiving, and love that brings joy and hope". And guests will be able to leave a message on a "kindness tree" outside the abbey. Whether a reflection of her own experiences of ill health in such a high-profile role, or addressing a social-media generation that expects more emotional openness, it is a very different tone from traditionally understated royal messages. It has a similarly personal approach to Catherine's video on social media in September, when she announced she had finished her chemotherapy treatment, with its message of hopeful endurance: "Out of darkness, can come light, so let that light shine bright."
EDMONTON — The Alberta government has announced plans to ban new mountaintop removal and open-pit coal developments on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, but the new rules wouldn't apply to advanced projects like a contentious mine proposed for the Crowsnest Pass. Energy and Minerals Minister Brian Jean announced Friday the new policies expected in late 2025, along with a round of consultations with industry players on how to implement them. Jean said under the "long overdue" rule revamp, all coal mining projects would be held to the highest environmental standards. "Our job will be to develop a policy that will attract investment and create jobs while respecting and protecting the air, land, water and wildlife," he said. Jean said royalty revenues are also to be “substantially increased,” with rates to be revised after the consultations. "They're too low. We're going to bring them up," he said of the province's current rates. The new bans wouldn’t apply to advanced proposals, including the proposed Grassy Mountain open-pit mine in the Crowsnest Pass, which has been fought by environmental groups and communities downstream. Alberta Energy Regulator hearings into that project are to continue in January. Jean said the Grassy Mountain project, which aims to reclaim a site that was mined over 60 years ago but was never properly restored, would be monitored closely if approved. He said the province needs to find innovative ways to clean up those contaminated sites. "I hope (Albertans) look at us and say, 'Wow, that's smart. What a smart government,'" he said. Concerns over coal mining blew up in spring 2020, when the province announced it would remove rules that had protected the eastern slopes of the Rockies from open-pit coal mining since 1976. Public reaction was swift and angry, and the United Conservative Party government reinstated the protections and stopped selling exploration leases. Friday's announcement also comes three years after the government received a report and recommendations on the issue, including public feedback ranging from environmental concerns to dissatisfaction with the regulatory process. Jean said the COVID-19 pandemic, last year's provincial election and fights with the federal government over resource jurisdiction led to the delay of the new initiative. NDP Leader Naheed Nenshi said the plan to collect more royalties represents a plan to increase production in Alberta, with no economic benefit and a lot of environmental risk. "They may want to mess around with the rates, but what they really are trying to do is increase the amount of coal mining in the province," he said. He said the policy previously in place since 1976 was lifted for a brief period so the UCP could "sneak" a few projects through the regulatory process. "It's economically illiterate. It's not going to create the jobs and the economic benefits that we need in Alberta," Nenshi said. Under the new rules, companies would be required to show they can prevent toxic selenium from leaching into watersheds. Jean said technology, including "high wall mining" to catch overburden, the layer of soil and rock that sits above coal, would be used to keep it in check. But NDP environment and protected areas critic Sarah Elmeligi said she's skeptical technology to remove selenium from waterways works at scale, outside a lab. "That technology doesn't currently exist and, if it does, I would love to see it." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 20, 2024. Lisa Johnson, The Canadian PressP200 billion PH solar facility breaks ground in Nueva Ecija
NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK: HYATT CENTRIC SOUTH BEACH MIAMI DEBUTS ELEVATED STYLE AND LUXURYMany are still waiting for Solana to reach high targets, but there’s a new opportunity catching attention in the crypto world. An AI-driven coin, currently priced at just $0.06, is predicted to soar to $100. This potential explosion offers a fresh chance for investors seeking significant gains in emerging AI and blockchain fusion. CYBRO, the AI-driven multichain platform, is accelerating its timeline for listing on major exchanges after a standout presale performance. The platform raised $7 million and drew nearly 20,000 investors, positioning itself as a frontrunner in decentralized finance innovation. During its presale, CYBRO’s token price surged 450%, climbing from $0.01 to $0.055. The token is set to debut at $0.06 on major crypto exchanges including Gate.io, and the listing is planned on December 14th. CYBRO aims to democratize access to decentralized finance with tools such as staking, farming, and lending. Its presale marked key milestones, including: CYBRO App Launch: Over 30 vaults offering competitive APYs, tailored to diverse investor strategies Blast Index Debut: A one-click investment feature that simplifies DeFi participation by integrating with lending protocols Platform Growth: Laying the groundwork for a streamlined, user-centric DeFi ecosystem. The platform’s roadmap through 2025 promises to build on its foundation with advanced features such as leverage farming, lending aggregators, and enhanced AI-powered tools. CYBRO’s listing comes amid growing interest in AI-driven financial platforms. With the momentum from its presale and a planned listing price of $0.06, the project is set to draw increased attention from both retail and institutional investors. As CYBRO prepares for its market debut, its combination of strong fundamentals and rapid growth positions it as one to watch in the evolving DeFi landscape. Prepare for Lift-Off: CYBRO’s presale success is just the beginning Solana and SOL: A Scalable Platform for Decentralized Apps Solana is a blockchain platform that focuses on scalability and supports apps, competing with platforms like Ethereum and Cardano. It aims for faster transactions through its design and offers flexible development options across multiple programming languages. SOL is Solana’s own cryptocurrency and plays a central role in its network. It facilitates transactions, runs custom programs, and rewards supporters. SOL holds value by underpinning Solana’s operations, rewarding participants, and giving users access to various projects on the platform. Unlike some platforms, Solana doesn’t rely on splitting its network or adding extra layers to improve scalability, aiming to attract developers and investors with its high-capacity network suitable for hosting demanding products and services. While established coins like Solana (SOL) show limited short-term potential, CYBRO presents a unique opportunity. CYBRO is a technologically advanced DeFi platform that allows investors to maximize their earnings through AI-powered yield aggregation on the Blast blockchain. With features such as high staking rewards, exclusive airdrops, and cashback on purchases, CYBRO ensures a superior user experience with seamless deposits and withdrawals. By focusing on transparency, compliance, and quality, CYBRO stands out as a promising project attracting strong interest from major investors and influencers. R ead also: How this $0.06 AI token could outpace Ripple and Cardano by 2025