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The Shokz OpenFit Air earbuds are available in black, white, and pink for $99 on Amazon. They're a comfortable pair of open-ear buds with fantastic audio quality at a modest price. The six hour battery life is a bit lower than the previous OpenFit earbuds model. When I go running, I typically prefer using bone conduction headsets. They tend to stay in place better, while also keeping your ears clear to maintain situational awareness. However, last year I tried out the Shokz OpenFit earbuds and was impressed with their DirectPitch air conduction , which offers a unique alternative to bone conduction but still allows for an open-ear design. Following up with a new product, Shokz revealed the OpenFit Air wireless earbuds designed to fit a wider range of head sizes, improved comfort, and a lower price point. Also: The best earbuds you can buy: Expert tested I've been wearing the Shokz OpenFit Air for more than a week while indoor rowing, running, biking, and commuting on a train. I never had any problems with the fit of the OpenFit earbuds, but these are a bit more comfortable. The new design repositions the center of gravity closer to your ear, with the battery moved from the end up into the main body of each earbud. Shokz OpenFit Air The new Shokz OpenFit Air has a reasonable price with all of the same great features from the OpenFit, including more colors, and solid IP54 water and sweat resistance. Moving the battery makes the end hooks lighter with an open loop design for comfort and flexibility to fit more ear forms. An ultra-fine 0.75mm flexible alloy wire is surrounded by soft-touch material to ensure a great fit and stable security of each earbud. The new OpenFit Air earbuds also have less soft-touch covering and more glossy plastic material on the outer part of the main body. In my opinion, this actually gives the earbuds a bit more stylish look over the industrial plain black texture on the OpenFit earbuds. Shokz OpenFit (left) and OpenFit Air (right) Shokz will continue to sell the OpenFit model because it does have a slightly longer battery life and a lighter weight of 8.3 grams compared to the 8.7 grams for each OpenFit Air earbud. Both models sport IP54 water and sweat resistance, Bluetooth 5.2, fast charging, multipoint pairing, and no wireless charging with the case. Users should definitely install the Shokz smartphone application that supports four equalizer modes, multipoint pairing toggle, customization of tap controls on the earbuds, and quick battery status indicators for each earbud and the case. The app is also used to initiate firmware updates of the earbuds. The Shokz DirectPitch air conduction technology uses reverse sound waves to alter the audio field, resulting in overall outstanding audio quality without having to put a device in your ear. While I personally enjoy bone conduction, some people are bothered by the vibrations sent through your cheekbone to the inner ear that sometimes accompanies this technology. If you're one of those people, the OpenFit Air is a perfect alternative option. While the Shokz OpenFit Air is primarily designed to play music while working out, each earbud has two adaptive beamforming mics so you can make calls, record voice notes, or use your voice assistant while wearing the earbuds. Shokz states that background noise is reduced by 96.5% and in my testing, callers said I sounded great. If you want even more awareness of your surroundings, you can also wear just one OpenFit Air earbud at a time. Shokz supports single earbud use with both the right and left earbud. Tap controls are limited with one earbud, but I enjoy this approach while listening to podcasts and commuting on the train or riding my bike as it lets you be even more situationally aware. I tested the Shokz OpenFit Air with an iPhone, Android phone, a MacBook Pro, a Garmin watch, and an Apple Watch Ultra 2. The earbuds worked very well with all of these devices with flawless playback. If you're interested in keeping your ears open while working out and don't like bone-conduction headsets, I highly recommend the OpenFit Air, even over the OpenFit model, with its reduced price and very limited compromises made to achieve that lower price. Also: Shokz just announced its first open-ear headphones for swimmers ZDNET's buying advice Maintaining awareness while working out can be very important for runners, cyclists, walkers, and other athletes. If bone conduction isn't your thing, the Shokz OpenFit Air earbuds provide outstanding audio performance through its air conduction technology. Additionally, the current $99 price makes them a compelling option when it comes to design, battery life, performance, and features. ZDNET's product of the year: Why Oura Ring 4 bested Samsung, Apple, and others in 2024 I tested Samsung's 98-inch 4K QLED TV, and watching Hollywood movies on it left me in awe I let my 8-year-old test this Android phone for kids. Here's what you should know before buying This ThinkPad checks all my boxes for a solid work laptop. Here's why it stands outBUCHAREST, Romania (AP) — Romanian lawmakers on Monday voted narrowly in favor of a new pro-European coalition government led by incumbent Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu. The move could usher in an end to a protracted political crisis in the European Union country following the annulment of a presidential election by a top court. Parliament approved the new administration in a 240-143 vote in Romania’s 466-seat legislature. The new coalition is made up of the leftist Social Democratic Party, or PSD, the center-right National Liberal Party, PNL, the small ethnic Hungarian UDMR party and national minorities. It caps a month-long period of turmoil in which far-right nationalists made significant gains in a Dec. 1 parliamentary election, a week after a first-round presidential race saw the far-right outsider Calin Georgescu emerge as the front-runner. “It will not be an easy mandate for the future government,” Ciolacu, whose PSD party topped the polls in the parliamentary election, said in a statement Monday. “We are aware that we are in the midst of a deep political crisis,” he said. “It is also a crisis of trust, and this coalition aims to regain the trust of citizens, the trust of the people.” Romani’s 16 ministerial positions will be shared among the parties, which will hold a slim majority in the legislature. It’s widely seen as a tactical partnership to shut out far-right nationalists whose voices found fertile ground amid high living costs and a sluggish economy. President Klaus Iohannis was expected to swear in the new government later Monday. Ciolacu, who came third in the first-round presidential ballot despite polls indicating he would win the most votes, has served as prime minister since June 2023. Romania was plunged into turmoil after Georgescu’s surprise success in the presidential race, after allegations of electoral violations and Russian interference emerged. Days before the Dec. 8 runoff, the Constitutional Court made the unprecedented move to annul the presidential race. “We go through complicated times, but I think we all learned from mistakes of the past,” Ciolacu said. “I hope that together with my colleagues in the coalition, we’ll find the best solutions to get past the challenges we have in front of us.” Ciolacu said that the new government would aim to quickly organize the rerun of the presidential election in which the new coalition has agreed to put forward an agreed common pro-European candidate. George Simion, the leader of the far-right Alliance for the Unity of Romanians, which came second in the parliamentary election, said that all lawmakers from his party on Monday would vote against the Ciolacu government. In 2021, the PSD and the PNL also formed an unlikely but increasingly strained coalition together with UDMR, which exited the Cabinet last year after a power-sharing dispute. ___ Stephen McGrath reported from Warwick, England.
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Makinde donates bus to Oyo Muslim communityAP Business SummaryBrief at 1:12 p.m. ESTPaws for Thought: Get your buddies ready for the holidaysSanta Claus is coming to town, and he’s arriving by chopper on Saturday. Saint Nick will land via helicopter at the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire, 27 Navigator Road in Londonderry. Touchdown is scheduled for 11 a.m. outside the Aviation Museum. All are welcome to attend and join in welcoming the jolly old elf. Families wishing to welcome the arrival of Santa’s helicopter should be at the museum no later than 10:45 a.m. to park and then make their way to the landing observation area. After arriving, Santa will enter the museum, where he’ll visit with children one-on-one. Santa will be available until 1 p.m., when he’ll depart by fire truck courtesy of the Manchester Airport Fire Department, which will whisk him off to his next appearance. Children who speak to Santa will be rewarded with goodie bags given out by Santa’s helpers. “It’s become an annual tradition for Santa to visit us by helicopter, and we’re pleased to continue it this year,” said Jeff Rapsis, executive director of the Aviation Museum. “This close to Christmas Eve, Santa prefers to travel by chopper because the flying reindeer are resting up for the big night on Dec. 24,” Rapsis said. Santa’s visit will take place rain or shine. If the weather prevents Santa’s chopper from flying, he’ll arrive by fire truck instead. The Aviation Museum will be open free to visitors on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Following Santa’s departure, regular admission prices will be charged from 1 to 4 p.m. The Aviation Museum’s store will be open throughout the day so visitors can enjoy holiday shopping. Besides Santa’s arrival, Saturday also marks the debut of this year’s “Festival of Planes” exhibit inside the museum. The exhibit, which runs through Sunday, Jan. 19, includes more than 2,000 aviation-related toys, games and other items that celebrate the enduring childhood fascination with flight. This year’s holiday exhibit will be highlighted by a display of vintage aviation-themed board games as well as a pair of custom-made mobiles hung with model planes that will fly in formation overhead. “Many aviation careers started with a special model or toy plane under a tree or given as a birthday present,” Rapsis said. “Each year, we celebrate that connection by displaying aviation toys from our collection, some of which go back to the days of Charles Lindbergh.” The Aviation Museum is open Fridays and Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays, from 1 to 4 p.m. Admission is $10 for ages 13 and up; $5 for ages 6-12, seniors 65 and over, and veterans/active military; and free for kids 5 and under. Santa’s appearance at the Aviation Museum is made possible by generous supporters including Business NH Magazine, Manchester-Boston Regional Airport; CR Helicopters of Nashua; Common Man Roadside, Signature Flight Services; and the Manchester Airport Fire Department. The Aviation Museum of N.H. is a nonprofit 501©3 tax-exempt organization dedicated to celebrating New Hampshire’s role in aviation history and inspiring tomorrow’s aerospace professionals. For more information, visit aviationmuseumofnh.org .
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$TOCKHOLDER ALERT: The M&A Class Action Firm Continues To Investigate Merger - LBRDA, BFAC, ...GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — DJ Lagway threw two touchdown passes, Montrell Johnson ran for 127 yards and a score, and Florida upset No. 9 Mississippi 24-17 on Saturday to knock the Rebels out of College Football Playoff contention. The Gators (6-5, 4-4 Southeastern Conference), who topped LSU last week, beat ranked teams in consecutive weeks for the first time since 2008 and became bowl eligible. The late-season spurt provided another vote of confidence for coach Billy Napier, who is expected back for a fourth season. Ole Miss (8-3, 4-3), which entered the day as a 10-point favorite, lost for the first time in four games and surely will drop out of the 12-team playoff picture. The Rebels ranked ninth in the latest CFP and needed only to avoid stumbling down the stretch against Florida and lowly Mississippi State to clinch a spot in the playoff field. But coach Lane Kiffin’s team failed to score in three trips inside the red zone and dropped countless passes in perfect weather. No. 2 OHIO ST. 38, No. 5 INDIANA 15 COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Will Howard passed for two touchdowns and rushed for another, TreVeyon Henderson ran for a score and No. 2 Ohio State beat previously undefeated No. 5 Indiana. All Ohio State (10-1, 7-1 Big Ten, CFP No. 2) has to do now is beat Michigan at home next Saturday and it will earn a return to the Big Ten championship game for the first time since 2020 and get a rematch with No. 1 Oregon. The Ducks beat Ohio State 32-31 in a wild one back on Oct. 12. The Hoosiers (10-1, 7-1, No. 5 CFP) had their best chance to beat the Buckeyes for the first time since 1988 but were hurt by special teams mistakes and disrupted by an Ohio State defense that sacked quarterback Kurtis Rourke five times. Howard finished 22 for 26 for 201 yards. Emeka Egbuka had seven catches for 80 yards and a TD. No. 8 GEORGIA 59, UMass 21 ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Carson Beck threw four touchdown passes, Nate Frazier ran for 136 yards with three scores and No. 8 Georgia overwhelmed Massachusetts as the Bulldogs tried to protect their College Football Playoff hopes. Georgia (9-2, No. 10 CFP) needed the big offense from Beck and Frazier to rescue a defense that gave up 226 rushing yards. UMass (2-9) played its first game under interim coach Shane Montgomery, the offensive coordinator who retained his play-calling duties after replacing fired coach Don Brown on Monday. Jalen John led the Minutemen with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown. Georgia extended its streak of consecutive home wins to 30, the longest active streak in the Football Bowl Subdivision. No. 10 TENNESSEE 56, UTEP 0 KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Nico Iamaleava threw for 209 yards and four touchdowns to lead No. 10 Tennessee to a victory over UTEP. The Volunteers (9-2) overcame a sluggish start to roll up the impressive win. Both teams were scoreless in the first quarter, but Tennessee found its rhythm. Grad student receiver Bru McCoy, who hadn’t caught a touchdown pass this season, had two. Peyton Lewis also ran for two scores. Tennessee’s defensive line, which had no sacks in last week’s loss to Georgia, had three against the Miners. UTEP (2-9) struggled with two missed field goals and three turnovers. Tennessee’s offense came alive with 28 points in the second quarter. In the final four drives of the quarter, Iamaleava completed 11 of 12 passes for 146 yards and touchdowns to Squirrel White, Ethan Davis and McCoy. No. 11 MIAMI 42, WAKE FOREST 14 MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — Cam Ward passed for 280 yards and threw two touchdowns to Jacolby George on another record-breaking day, Mishael Powell ran an interception back 76 yards for a touchdown and No. 11 Miami pulled away late to beat Wake Forest. The Hurricanes (10-1, 6-1 Atlantic Coast Conference, No. 8 College Football Playoff) can clinch a berth in the ACC title game with a win at Syracuse next weekend. Ward completed 27 of 38 passes, plus ran for a score. He broke two more single-season Miami records, both of which had been held for 40 years by Bernie Kosar — most passing yards in a season and most completions in a season. Ward now has 3,774 yards on 268 completions this season. Kosar threw for 3,642 yards on 262 completions in 1984. Demond Claiborne had a 100-yard kickoff return for a touchdown for Wake Forest (4-7, 2-5). Claiborne also rushed for 62 yards for the Demon Deacons, and starting quarterback Hank Bachmeier was 8 of 14 passing for 86 yards and a touchdown. No. 13 SMU 33, VIRGINIA 7 CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (AP) — Kevin Jennings threw for a career-high 323 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another, and No. 13 SMU clinched a spot in the Atlantic Coast Conference championship game by routing Virginia. Isaiah Smith and Jared Harrison-Hunte each had two sacks to help the Mustangs (10-1, 7-0, No. 13 CFP) extend their winning streak to eight. They would earn an automatic bid into the expanded College Football Playoff by beating 11th-ranked Miami or 17th-ranked Clemson in the ACC title game on Dec. 7 in Charlotte, North Carolina. SMU had to get there first, and Jennings led the way again, bouncing back from an interception and a fumble to complete 25 of 33 passes to six different receivers, including TD tosses to Jordan Hudson and Matthew Hibner. Brashard Smith provided a little balance on offense, running for 63 yards and his 13th touchdown of the season. SMU’s defense overwhelmed UVa’s offensive line, sacking Anthony Colandrea nine times and allowing the Cavaliers (5-6, 3-4) just 173 yards. Special teams contributed, too, with Roderick Daniels Jr. returning a punt 48 yards and Collin Rogers making two field goals. No. 24 ILLINOIS 38, RUTGERS 31 PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Luke Altmyer found Pat Bryant for a catch-and-run, 40-yard touchdown pass with 4 seconds left, sending No. 24 Illinois to a wild victory over Rutgers. Illinois (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) was down 31-30 when it sent long kicker Ethan Moczulski out for a desperation 58-yard field goal with 14 seconds to go. Rutgers coach Greg Schiano then called for a timeout right before Moczulski’s attempt was wide left and about 15 yards short. After the missed field goal was waved off by the timeout, Illinois coach Bret Bielema sent his offense back on the field. Altmyer hit Bryant on an in cut on the left side at the 22, and he continued across the field and scored untouched in a game that featured three lead changes in the final 3:07. Rutgers (6-5, 3-5) gave up a safety on the final kickoff return, throwing a ball out of bounds in the end zone as players passed it around hoping for a miracle touchdown. Altmyer was 12-of-26 passing for 249 yards and two touchdowns. Bryant finished with seven receptions for 197 yards.
NFL hits Texans player with news he didn't want to hear ahead of their Week 12 matchup with their divisional rivals the TitansFamilies Can Enjoy Delicious Barbecue with a Little Something Special for the Kids! Kids Eat Free at Dickey's December 26, 2024 - January 31, 2025 Kids Eat Free EVERYDAY Families can now enjoy Legit. Texas. BarbecueTM while treating the kids to something special. For every $12 adult meal purchased, guests will receive a free kids' meal, perfect for the little barbecue lovers in your life. Each kids' meal features one slow-smoked meat, one homestyle side, and the iconic Lil' Yellow Cup . This offer is available for dine-in and online orders through Dickeys.com and is limited to one free kids' meal per order. "This promotion is about more than just great barbecue-it's about giving families an affordable way to come together and enjoy quality time,” said Laura Rea Dickey , CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. "Kids Eat Free is a tradition our guests love, and we're excited to extend it throughout January, making Dickey's a go-to destination for family meals this winter.” The Kids Eat Free promotion extends Dickey's existing Sunday offering to every day during this limited-time campaign, allowing families to enjoy the savings while keeping the flavor and fun alive after the holiday season. "Dickey's has always been a place where families gather and create memories over great barbecue,” said Roland Dickey, Jr. , CEO of Dickey's Capital Group. "This promotion is one way we show our appreciation to our loyal guests while continuing to share our authentic Texas flavors with every generation.” With over 80 years of barbecue expertise, Dickey's Barbecue Pit remains a family favorite for quality, slow-smoked meats and Southern-style hospitality. Don't miss out on this opportunity to enjoy great barbecue and even greater savings for the whole family. About Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. Founded in 1941 by The Dickey Family, Dickey's Barbecue Restaurants, Inc. is the world's largest barbecue concept and continues as a third-generation family-run business. For over 80 years, Dickey's Barbecue Pit has served millions with its signature Legit. Texas. Barbecue.TM Slow-smoked over hickory wood-burning pits, Dickey's barbecued meats are paired with a variety of southern sides. Committed to authentic barbecue, Dickey's never takes shortcuts-because real barbecue can't be rushed. With over 866 restaurants across eight concepts in the U.S. and several countries, Dickey's Barbecue Franchise and Dickey's Restaurant Brands continues to grow under the leadership of Roland Dickey, Jr., CEO of Dickey's Capital Group, and Laura Rea Dickey, CEO of Dickey's Barbecue Pit, Inc. Dickey's has been recognized on Newsweek's 2022 "America's Favorite Restaurant Chains" list, Nation's Restaurant News 2024 top fast-casual brands for value, and USA Today's 2021 Readers' Choice Awards. The brand has also ranked in the Top 20 of Fast Casual's "Top 100 Movers and Shakers” for four of the past five years. Additional accolades include Entrepreneur's Top 500 Franchise and Hospitality Technology's Industry Heroes list. The brand has been featured by Fox News, Forbes, Franchise Times, The Wall Street Journal, and People Magazine . For more information, visit www.dickeys.com . For information about becoming a franchise partner, visit www.dickeysfranchise.com . Attachment Kids Eat Free at Dickey's CONTACT: Louisa Garrett Dickey's Barbecue Pit [email protected]
Sunrun's RUN short percent of float has risen 3.82% since its last report. The company recently reported that it has 48.18 million shares sold short , which is 25.83% of all regular shares that are available for trading. Based on its trading volume, it would take traders 5.8 days to cover their short positions on average. Why Short Interest Matters Short interest is the number of shares that have been sold short but have not yet been covered or closed out. Short selling is when a trader sells shares of a company they do not own, with the hope that the price will fall. Traders make money from short selling if the price of the stock falls and they lose if it rises. Short interest is important to track because it can act as an indicator of market sentiment towards a particular stock. An increase in short interest can signal that investors have become more bearish, while a decrease in short interest can signal they have become more bullish. See Also: List of the most shorted stocks Sunrun Short Interest Graph (3 Months) As you can see from the chart above the percentage of shares that are sold short for Sunrun has grown since its last report. This does not mean that the stock is going to fall in the near-term but traders should be aware that more shares are being shorted. Comparing Sunrun's Short Interest Against Its Peers Peer comparison is a popular technique amongst analysts and investors for gauging how well a company is performing. A company's peer is another company that has similar characteristics to it, such as industry, size, age, and financial structure. You can find a company's peer group by reading its 10-K, proxy filing, or by doing your own similarity analysis. According to Benzinga Pro , Sunrun's peer group average for short interest as a percentage of float is 9.32%, which means the company has more short interest than most of its peers. Did you know that increasing short interest can actually be bullish for a stock? This post by Benzinga Money explains how you can profit from it. This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and was reviewed by an editor. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.Adam Gillen , renowned for his portrayal of the endearing Liam Conroy on ITV's Benidorm , has undergone a striking transformation since his time on the show. Eleven years after his debut, the actor now sports a full beard, a notable change from his previously clean-shaven appearance. Recently, Adam was seen embracing the festive spirit, donning a Santa hat alongside former co-star Tony Maudsley , who played Kenneth Du Beke on the series.The pair’s reunion made fans happy and brought back memories of their on-screen bond. In addition to his evolving appearance, Adam's personal life has blossomed. He is now engaged to Laila Zaidi, who portrayed Cyd on Benidorm. Laila shared the joyous news on social media, showcasing her engagement ring and expressing excitement about their future together. The couple, who fell in love while filming the popular ITV series in 2018, were holidaying in Croatia when Adam popped the question. Captioning an emotional picture, announcing the engagement, Laila previously wrote: "A whole week of being a diiiirty flirttttyyy thirty FIANCÉ !!!!!!! [ring emoji] [nine heart emojis]." Adam and Laila's celebrity pals were quick to pass on their congratulation as Game of Thrones star Nathalie Emmanuel commented: "Awwwww congratulations!!!" and actress Sophie Rundle added: "SO GORGEOUUUUUS!! Congratulations!!!" Fresh Meat star Greg McHugh wrote: “Congrats yous legends of love!!!!” Adam's character, Liam, was a fan favorite on "Benidorm." Initially introduced as a holidaymaker visiting his father, Les Conroy, Liam became a beloved member of the Solana resort staff. His journey on the show included working at the Blow 'n' Go Salon with Kenneth, providing viewers with memorable comedic moments. Benidorm was a British sitcom that aired on ITV from February 1, 2007, to May 2, 2018, spanning ten series. The show, created and written by Derren Litten, is set in the Solana all-inclusive hotel in Benidorm, Spain, and follows the lives of holidaymakers and staff over the course of a week each year. The ensemble cast includes characters from various backgrounds, often leading to humorous and sometimes poignant interactions. The series was known for its sharp wit, memorable characters, and its portrayal of British holiday culture. Despite its popularity, ITV announced the show's cancellation in 2018 after the tenth series. In 2019, a stage adaptation titled "Benidorm Live," also written by Derren, toured theatres across the UK and Ireland, allowing fans to relive the show's humor in a live setting. As of now, there have been no official announcements regarding a television reboot of the series. In 2022, creator Derren and the original cast reunited for a Benidorm convention. Explore Benidorm shared a video of the moment on TikTok with Derren joining Steve Pemberton, Siobhan Finneran, Oliver Stokes and Sheila Reid in front of a live audience. Pemberton, as Mick told Siobhan's Janice: "Now that we've sold that b****y hotel in Las Vegas, could this be our new big adventure?" "Have you just announced season 11 of Benidorm? Who on earth would watch it?" Derren asked as the actors jokingly shrugged their shoulders. He added: "Ladies and gentlemen, in the worlds of Madge Garvey in series seven episode two, 'Never say never. Never say never.'" Follow Mirror Celebs on Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .Expert cautions on cryptocurrency approval, backs CBN’s eNaira platformOppo A5 Pro Listing Found On Geekbench Ahead Of Its Launch, It Might Be Powered By THIS Chipset
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The Alberta government gave its citizens an Australian sack of “modern” coal for Christmas as well as a load of misinformation accompanied by a mountain of disingenuousness. Announcements, Events & more from Tyee and select partners As Billionaire Overlords Cheer Journalism’s Death, Fight Back Support the reporting you want to see in the world. Join our Tyee Builder drive and sign up by Dec. 31. In an abrupt news conference held Friday, Energy Minister Brian Jean and Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz declared that the government was changing mining policy for Alberta because the world needed more metallurgical coal. “It’s a big day,” said Jean, who has been lobbied relentlessly by the Coal Association of Canada and Australian billionaire and mining magnate Gina Rinehart to support coal mining in the Rockies. The Alberta Coal Modernization Initiative, or CIMI, said Jean, would not only develop new rules for coal mining in the eastern slopes but increase coal royalties which currently stand at one per cent. He added that “air, water and land would not be sacrificed” even though, in addition to opening the door for new underground coal mining projects, he openly embraced support for what the government classifies as a cancelled project : the Grassy Mountain open-pit coal mining development, owned by Rinehart. Yet Jean’s claims defy the geographical realities of coal mining and its environmental risks . Surface-coal mining has a long record of creating toxic dust, destroying mountains and polluting watersheds for decades. For that very reason, Alberta and federal regulators previously rejected Grassy Mountain as “uneconomic” and a significant threat to water quality and quantity in 2021. But Jean has described the project as an “advanced coal project” which supposedly makes it exempt from a current moratorium on coal mining. (The courts are challenging the minister’s interpretation .) He also said Grassy Mountain would be exempt from any new rules. A shift most Albertans oppose During the conference, neither Jean nor Schulz made any reference to what the public really wants. Repeated surveys have consistently shown that most Albertans don’t support coal mining of any kind in the eastern slopes of the Rockies. In fact, most believe the government’s only priority should be the protection of critical watersheds. Jean admitted Friday that coal development in the past had been “bad,” but that something called “responsible resource development” — a catchphrase for every speculative project in Alberta — would prevent selenium pollution, a multi-billion-dollar bane of metallurgical coal mining in neighbouring B.C. and many parts of Alberta. No viable technology has currently solved this environmental problem. “If the technology doesn’t exist, it won’t happen,” Jean responded to a media question. “But we do understand it does exist.” The news conference was so abbreviated that it is not clear what type of surface or underground mining will soon be dotting the eastern slopes in the years ahead, only that more is coming. Queries from The Tyee to the energy minister went unanswered. Reaction to the rushed announcement just five days before Christmas was swift and angry from a variety of Albertans, including former civil servants and environmental experts. Corb Lund, a popular musician who lives in southern Alberta, described the government press conference as “an Orwellian word salad meant to calm the public right before Xmas.” RELATED STORIES When Is Mountaintop Removal Not Mountaintop Removal? In Alberta, of Course! An Australian Coal Baron Subverts Alberta’s Democracy Alberta’s Coal Fight Heats Up He concluded: “Grassy Mountain is a go and we'll say anything to make it happen then let even more mines into the Rockies in after that.” Charges of ‘greenwashing’ Dr. Bill Donahue, the former chief monitoring officer and executive director of science in Alberta’s environmental monitoring branch and now an independent scientist in B.C., was equally blunt. “It is all greenwashing bullshit,” Donahue told The Tyee. “It is a way to push the UCP’s original 2020 plan to open up the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains to coal mining, and now we’ll make a case for it again.” He called the announcement “a farce.” Contrary to claims made by Jean that one unspecified coal mining generated revenues as high as $200 million, Donahue said the industry acted as a minor economic player with extreme environmental costs in the province. “For most years in recent history the total provincial coal royalties average around $10 million a year. It is not even a rounding error in terms of provincial budgets.” In his view, claims the government would strengthen regulation in consultation with industry were bogus. “The existing regulations ensured that Grassy Mountain project was rejected by regulators in 2021. If you create a new regime that advocates and approves a project like Grassy as the current government is now doing, then you are weakening standards, not strengthening them.” What Alberta environment monitoring and research has consistently shown, from the McLeod River headwaters to the Crowsnest Pass, added Donahue, is that coal mining pollutes the air with toxic coal dust and contaminates distant waterways with selenium and other heavy metals (arsenic and cadmium) for decades, including long after Alberta's nominal regulatory reclamation has been completed. Moreover, the type of contaminants leaching from coal mines “significantly reduces the quality of water and its suitability for irrigation.” The fact that the Alberta government can look across the Rockies and see what is happening in Elk Valley — where mining has created a multi-billion-dollar selenium problem, complete with lawsuits — and still support coal mining here is just galling, added Donahue. Why is coal mining being supported by the UCP government “when Albertans will benefit so little from it?” he asked. David Luff, the former deputy environment minister who helped craft the 1976 Coal Policy that protected the eastern slopes, characterized Jean’s promise to guard water quality with modernized rules for coal mining as both dishonest and incorrect. “If this were true, the government would not permit any new coal mining in the eastern slopes and require that all lands disturbed by coal exploration and development be reclaimed within the next three years,” Luff told The Tyee. Jean had offered in his news conference that an approach called highwall mining would prevent wider environmental harm. Luff said, “There are currently no coal mines operating anywhere in the world — even those using high-wall mining technologies that prevent 100 per cent of the selenium produced at the mine site from entering watersheds downstream.” Luff added that Northback has already calculated that its proposed mining project will leach 10 micrograms per litre of selenium concentration into downstream waterways — a target 10 times higher than the Government of Alberta guideline for the pollutant. “This information alone should be enough evidence to stop Northback in its tracks,” he told The Tyee. The Alberta’s government new scheme to revive coal mining in the Rockies also failed to include the overwhelming democratic wishes and interests of its citizens, Luff said. “The Government must undertake extensive consultation and engagement regarding the public's vision for the eastern slopes and a set of guiding principles that both the government and the Alberta Energy Regulator would follow to achieve the public's vision,” he said. “The discussion doesn't begin with the development of a new modernized coal policy. The discussion begins with a new modernized eastern slopes policy.” ‘The government hasn’t listened’ Laura Laing and her husband’s ranch is in the municipal district of Ranchland, whose inhabitants overwhelmingly oppose coal mining in the headwaters of the Old Man River as a dramatic threat to water quality. She called Jean’s comments totally disingenuous. “The government hasn’t listened. Saying no open-pit or mountain-top removal does not say no surface coal mining, or no new coal development in this landscape. Albertans aren’t falling for it.” Open-pit mining underway in Elk Valley, BC, on the west side of the Rockies across from the proposed Grassy Mountain project. Photo by Callum Gunn. In 2020, former premier Jason Kenney opened the Rockies to Australian coal speculators when he abruptly cancelled the 1976 Coal Policy that effectively banned open-pit mining in the Rockies. He justified the gutting of protections as needed modernization. And he did so just before a public holiday. But unprecedented public protests forced the Kenney government to backtrack and restore the Coal Policy in 2021. Ever since, the UCP government of Danielle Smith has actively sought ways to support the Australian coal lobby and whittle away at protections for the eastern slopes. Rinehart’s company claims the massive project will right historic wrongs by reclaiming pits and gouges on the mountain left by previous miners. “Wow, that’s smart,” said Jean. “They are looking at something that wasn’t reclaimed properly, they are going to require the company to reclaim it properly, and at the same time they are going to do it economically and not cause environmental problems. That’s a great solution.” The facts speak otherwise. Katie Morrison, executive director for the Southern Alberta chapter of CPAWS, noted that “the previous mine disturbance is 12 per cent of the proposed new project footprint, with an additional eight per cent disturbance by roads and oil and gas developments. It is nonsensical to justify such a massive increase in disturbance and associated long-term and potentially unresolvable risks to air and water quality, species at risk, health, Treaty rights, and many others, in the name of reclamation.” She and other critics don’t understand why Jean calls the destruction of an intact mountain just to reclaim 12 per cent of old mining damages “smart.” Morrison added that Jean’s announcement clearly put the interests of the coal industry ahead of the public interest in the province. She also called the conference a bad case of déjà vu: “The government was highly criticized in May 2020 for quietly rescinding the 1976 Coal Policy on the Friday of a long weekend, without any prior consultation with Albertans.” And now they’ve done the same thing again. A selective referendum Jean’s coal modernization announcement comes on the heels of a fraudulent referendum on the future of coal mining held in the Crowsnest Pass. Fossil fuel lobbyists and the Smith government openly supported the referendum in an attempt to manufacture an illusory social licence for the Grassy Mountain project. When Is Mountaintop Removal Not Mountaintop Removal? In Alberta, of Course! read more Referendums can be blunt instruments. They typically offer a false choice: jobs and prosperity or unemployment and despair. Research has shown they can seduce voters with promises based on corporate or government propaganda with no accountability. As a consequence, they often produce decisions based on limited and biased information or the overstated benefits of some development. That’s exactly what the Grassy Mountain referendum did. It deceptively asked Crowsnest Pass residents if they supported Rinehart’s coal project without mentioning an inconvenient fact: the proposed project is located in the municipal district of Ranchland where almost all residents are opposed to the scheme. An Australian Coal Baron Subverts Alberta’s Democracy read more Asking residents of one geographic location to make judgements on a foreign-owned project actually located in another jurisdiction completely undermines the spirit of democracy. (Incredibly, UCP supporters and the local council for Crowsnest Pass now want to annex part of Ranchland where the mine will be located.) The referendum also excluded a quarter of the tax-paying property owners in the Pass because they did not live there full-time and would have voted no to a mine. Alberta’s Coal Fight Heats Up read more Furthermore, the municipality of Crowsnest Pass also did not disclose its own conflict of interest in sponsoring a referendum. In 2021 the council signed a secret agreement drafted by Rinehart’s company to provide water from the York River water license for the Grassy project. The agreement doesn’t expire until 2028. In a slick corporate campaign, Rinehart’s company spent millions on trying to buy local support and even drove citizens to the polls. It won the referendum by promising jobs and prosperity even though foreign-owned coal mines have a poor track record of delivering either jobs or prosperity. The CEO of Rinehart’s Northback Holdings, Mike Young, has called the recent “yes” vote in the municipality of Crowsnest Pass “a mandate for responsible development.” Young also explained the explicit reason for UCP government intervention on Rinehart’s behalf: “Premier Smith requested a local referendum and voters have given a clear message. The decisive victory shifts the focus to the next steps by the premier and the need to provide clarity on regulatory processes and to provide certainty for resource investment in general.” And that’s what Jean’s modernization announcement was all about. But the so-called modernization policy has cruelly ignored the economic interests of people who depend on fresh water from the mountains in southern Alberta. In particular the framing of the referendum directly disenfranchised more than 200,000 Albertans who live downstream of the mining project, and whose water quality and quantity would be dramatically affected by a mine located in the headwaters of the Old Man River watershed. That was the blunt conclusion of a 2021 regulatory decision that Brian Jean and his government now seek to openly overturn by providing exemptions for billionaire lobbyists, along with deceitful rhetoric about “modernization.” Read more: Alberta