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Head coach Vanni Sartini paid the price Monday for the Vancouver Whitecaps’ mediocre results this past season and subsequent first-round playoff exit. His firing came about two weeks after the Major League Soccer team won a play-in game before falling to top-seeded Los Angeles FC in a three-game series that went the distance. “The desperation on my side is absolutely there,” said Axel Schuster, the Whitecaps’ sporting director and chief executive officer. One of the reasons for the change, he said, is everyone in the organization, including himself, needs a reminder that playoff success next year is imperative. “We cannot not get there.” The Whitecaps haven’t reached the conference semifinals since 2017. In a one-hour availability with reporters, Schuster noted the team had the second-worst home record in the Western Conference this year and recorded just two points over its last seven regular-season games. He referenced the need for fresh energy from a new coach and added there was no firm timeline in place for a replacement to be named. “I had to make a professional decision (for) how we can get the biggest impact to make this step forward and to get to a progression,” he said. The Whitecaps’ late-season slump dropped them to eighth place in the West with a record of 13-13-8. Vancouver won a play-in game at Portland before dropping a 1-0 decision at LAFC in the deciding game of the series. Vancouver also won its third-straight Canadian championship this season, beating Toronto FC 4-2 on penalties after the final ended in a 0-0 tie. “I took my time with this decision, and it was not taken lightly,” Schuster said. Sartini, a 47-year-old from Florence, Italy, took over coaching duties on an interim basis in August 2021 after the Whitecaps dismissed Marc Dos Santos. He was officially named head coach that November. “For the last three years and three months, it has been an absolute honour to be the head coach of Vancouver Whitecaps FC,” Sartini said in a release. “I will always be grateful to Axel Schuster and ownership for entrusting me to be the technical lead of this club in such an important time. “Vancouver will always have a special place in my heart and my wife’s heart,” he added. He posted a record of 57-51-39 across all competitions. The exuberant Italian made headlines in November 2023 when he publicly criticized a referee following a playoff game and made a joke about being a suspect if the official were to be found dead. He was suspended for the first six games of the 2024 MLS campaign, fined US$20,000 and ordered to complete a league-approved behavioural assessment. The coach later apologized for the comments and his suspension was cut to four games. Sartini came to Vancouver in 2019 as Dos Santos’ assistant coach and spent two seasons with the first team before being named the club’s “director of methodology” and taking over coaching the U-23 team in 2020. Before joining the Whitecaps, he worked as a coach educator for the Italian Football Federation and the U.S. Soccer Federation, and coached several different clubs in Italy.

What Happened to Burke Ramsey? Updates on JonBenét Ramsey’s FamilyEDMONTON — 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 Press

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RIYADH: Achieving food security and sustainability is a top priority for Saudi Arabia as it works toward building a more inclusive economy. The Kingdom aims to accomplish this by boosting domestic production and investing in international supply chains to secure key commodities that are unavailable locally. Strategic transformations as well as enhanced international cooperation are both essential in efforts to address global food insecurity, Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, Saudi Arabia’s minister of environment, water and agriculture, said at the recent meeting of G20 agriculture ministers in Brazil. “There is a pressing need to adopt a long-term transformation for food security and nutrition,” he told decision-makers on the second day of the conference. “This underscores the need to intensify our efforts and strengthen collaboration to develop pragmatic solutions for building sustainable, healthy and inclusive food systems.” The G20 agriculture, fisheries and aquaculture ministers met on Sept. 12-13 in Chapada dos Guimaraes, Brazil, to discuss strengthening the resilience and sustainability of food systems across economic, social and environmental dimensions. These sectors are key to achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Increased efforts to boost Saudi Arabia’s food production resulted in the country announcing in September 2023 that it had achieved self-sufficiency in fresh dairy products and eggs, with surpluses available for export. In addition, the Kingdom has significantly increased domestic production of various crops, including potatoes, tomatoes, carrots and onions, as well as red meat. This progress comes from increased efforts to boost domestic food production by involving all stakeholders, including the private sector and civil society. One notable company is Topian, which was launched by NEOM in 2023. Topian aims to redefine food production, distribution, and consumption by creating sustainable, innovative solutions in five key areas: climate-proof agriculture, regenerative aquaculture, novel foods, personalized nutrition, and sustainable food supply and environmental, social and governance. Founded with the support of the Saudi Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture, Topian aligns with the goals of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 plan for national development and diversification. The company is leading efforts to ensure food security, combat climate change, and achieve net-zero emissions by 2060. “As a wholly owned subsidiary of NEOM, Topian is fully aligned with NEOM’s commitment to providing high-quality food products to the market, and promoting food security and sustainability, while contributing to the Kingdom’s self-sufficiency objectives and long-term economic goals,” said Juan Carlos Motamayor, the company’s CEO. “Topian is leading the food-security conversation to create a resilient food supply in line with the Saudi Green Initiative and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. “We are not only committing to shaping a transformative global food system, but also to setting a global benchmark by pioneering new technologies and innovative solutions to overcome food-related challenges and create a more secure, sustainable and prosperous future for all.” Topian has formed several local and international strategic partnerships with organizations committed to reshaping the future of food. These agreements include collaborations with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Tabuk University, Tabuk Fish Company, BlueNalu, Van der Hoeven Horticultural Projects, and Cargill. Through these partnerships, it aims to drive research and development, leveraging expertise to create innovative and sustainable food-production methods. The company is also committed to the NEOM CARE partnership, which focuses on educational initiatives to promote local sustainable gastronomy and develop Saudi talent through training opportunities and chef camps. Another key Saudi initiative aimed at achieving food security is the Center of Excellence for Sustainable Food Security. Founded by KAUST in 2024, the center focuses on the advancement of technology-driven solutions to help enhance sustainable food production, particularly in arid environments. Its primary goal is to translate research into practical applications that minimize the environmental impact of food systems. The center is led by Mark Tester, an expert in plant science and agriculture in arid environments, and co-chaired by Brande Wulff, a leader in crop genetics, and Peiying Hong, an expert in environmental microbiology and wastewater treatment. It aims to address key challenges in resource efficiency, crop improvement, and sustainable biosystems, with the goal of enhancing food security in Saudi Arabia and beyond while minimizing environmental impacts. “To deliver food to our plates, we need to prepare the land, improve our crops, harvest, process and distribute,” Tester told Arab News. “Together, these activities are arguably the most environmentally impactful of all human activities, using half of all the land and three-quarters of all the water we use, and the food sector is probably the second-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases. “All steps in the process need to be improved to increase sustainability, from fertilizer production and the deployment of technologies to increasing our ability to grow fresh fruits and vegetables locally, through to education to improve nutrition and reduce waste.” The center uses advanced technologies to boost sustainability in the food sector, including artificial intelligence-machine learning, Internet of Things sensors, and computer vision and robotics, all key components of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. It also employs nanotechnology, such as heat-absorbing nanoparticles that reduce heat load in greenhouses, and biotechnologies such as genomics, gene editing and modifications to enhance crops in ways previously not possible. Tester said the center has also introduced the Sustainable Food Security Edible Education Program, which is designed to “help reconnect young people with the sources of their food — ultimately plants — and to do this in a way that is fun and engaging, and in a way that kids can immediately relate to; i.e., through food.” He added: “We all get hungry, several times a day, and if we are growing at least some of our food that we then eat, it reminds us of how our meals end up on our plates. In the Edible Education Program, we help children and their teachers grow plants in the schoolyard and use these for some of their school lunches. It is immediate, direct and fun.” Saudi Arabia has actively promoted domestic and foreign investments in agriculture, Al-Fadley, the environment, water and agriculture minister, said during the G20 meeting in Brazil. Over the past four years, agricultural loans have surged, contributing to growth of 35 percent in the Kingdom’s agricultural gross domestic product.

ST. PAUL – Hunting pheasants, ruffed grouse, squirrels or rabbits offers Minnesota hunters opportunities to continue enjoying the outdoors as temperatures fall and snow blankets the landscape, the Department of Natural Resources said. Here’s a look at season dates for the small game species. Fisher, martin and bobcat trapping opens Saturday, Dec. 14, so hunters should be aware of the potential for additional traps in the woods. Hunters can find regulations and complete bag limit information on the DNR website at mndnr.gov/hunting . More information about how or where to hunt can be found on the DNR’s learn to hunt webpages at mndnr.gov/gohunting . Recorded webinars with tips on how to hunt pheasants, grouse, squirrels or rabbits are available in the webinar archive on the outdoor skills and stewardship page of the Minnesota DNR website at www.mndnr.gov/discover .We may be witnessing peak CEO exodus, according to a new report, which found that more chief executive officers have left their roles in 2024 than in any other year over the past few decades. As of November, 1,991 CEOs have announced their departures, marking the highest total on record since executive outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas began tracking CEO changes in 2002. The previous record was made just a year ago when 1,914 CEOs left their companies. That includes 167 CEOs exits last month, including Subway CEO John Chidsey and Dollar Tree CEO Rick Dreiling , although Chidsey won’t officially leave until the end of 2024. In both cases, the companies said departing CEOs would be replaced by interim leaders. Thirteen percent of all CEO replacements named in 2024 have been on an interim basis, up from 7% in 2023, according to Challenger. “The current landscape has a lot of uncertainty baked in, and companies are responding by putting temporary leaders in place. This can act as a trial run to see how the leader navigates current challenges,” the firm’s senior vice president, Andrew Challenger, said in a statement, noting that it’s “much less disruptive” to replace an interim head if necessary. So far this year, the most common reason given for a CEO’s departure has been that they “stepped down,” while almost 500 companies offered no reason. The third and fourth most common explanations were that CEOs were either retiring or seeking a new opportunity. Only 10 departures were publicly linked to allegations of sexual misconduct or professional misconduct. The non-profit and government sector recorded the most departures this year, with 438 exits, followed by the healthcare and technology sectors, according to Challenger. The entertainment sector reported 139 CEO exits, while the financial sector saw 140 CEO transitions. Here’s a handful of high-profile CEOs who exited their companies this year. Starbucks ( SBUX -1.63% ) ousted CEO Laxman Narasimhan in favor of then-Chipotle ( CMG +0.40% ) CEO Brian Niccol , while the CEO of its North America division retired . Boeing’s ( BA +1.62% ) Dave Calhoun resigned in March amid the company’s numerous crises , Hertz’s ( HTZ +5.66% ) Stephen Sherr resigned in March after leading the company through its bankruptcy, while Amazon Web Services CEO Adam Selipsky stepped down in June. Paramount’s ( PARA +0.43% ) Bob Bakish resigned in April to be replaced by a new “office of the CEO,” Nestle ( NSRGY +0.63% ) CEO Mark Schneider stepped down in August after an eight-year tenure, and Nike ( NKE -0.69% ) replaced CEO John Donahoe with company veteran Elliot Hill in October. The CEOs of Northvolt , Discover Financial , and Under Armour also left this year. At least one CEO was “replaced” with an artificial intelligence chatbot in 2024, according to Challenger. That’s still a rare approach but one that some experts have started advocating for. Chinese online gaming firm NetDragon Websoft was the first to take such a step in 2022, followed by Polish rum firm Dictador and legal tech startup Logikcull . Although official numbers won’t be published until January, several more CEOs quit or were forced out in December. Intel ( INTC +1.97% ) CEO Pat Gelsinger was ousted early this month, as was Stellantis ( STLA +0.55% ) CEO Carlos Tavares , after they lost the confidence of their respective boards. Dave & Buster’s ( PLAY +5.31% ) CEO Chris Morris resigned on Dec. 10 to lead European Wax Center as its chief executive beginning next month. Campbell’s ( CPB -0.90% ) CEO Mark Clouse is leaving the soup and snacks company to join the NFL’s Washington Commanders. The CEO of UnitedHealthcare ( UNH +2.32% ), a subsidiary of the larger UnitedHealth Group , was killed in New York City earlier this month. 📬 Sign up for the Daily Brief Our free, fast, and fun briefing on the global economy, delivered every weekday morning.

OpenAI unveils 'o3' reasoning AI models in test phase