Latest news with #TheWildWest
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Deep-Sea Mining: The Battle Over Earth's Last Frontier
The Wild West is alive and well — it just moved underwater. As nations and companies race to stake their claim in the deep sea, industry is moving faster than regulation can keep up. This year, the fight over deep-sea mining hit a critical turning point. In March, global negotiations at the International Seabed Authority (ISA) took center stage, only to be followed by a shocking move from The Metals Company (TMC), a Canadian firm, which is attempting to sidestep international law altogether. So, what is deep-sea mining, why is it such a big topic, and what does this mean for the planet's future? Here's everything you need to know. As demand for electric vehicle battery minerals like cobalt and nickel rises, the seafloor offers a potential source — potato-shaped rocks rich in these essential metals. Companies like TMC argue that harvesting them is less destructive than land mining and that it's urgent for the renewable energy transition. But the reality isn't so simple. Unlike land ecosystems, deep-sea habitats could take millennia to recover — if they ever do. Scientists warn of the deep sea's potential role in climate regulation, oxygen production, and biodiversity. Mining the seabed could cause irreversible damage to fragile ecosystems we're only beginning to understand. Even if deep-sea mining started today, it would take decades to compete with land supply. Meanwhile, battery technology is already moving away from cobalt and nickel and toward alternatives like lithium iron phosphate, which don't use deep-sea metals. With better recycling and continued innovation, we may never even need deep-sea mining. The International Seabed Authority (ISA) was established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1994 to regulate international waters and ensure that the seabed is managed as the 'common heritage of humankind.' The ISA comprises 169 member countries, but the U.S. never ratified UNCLOS and therefore doesn't recognize the ISA's authority (this will be important later). For years, TMC has been pressuring the ISA to draw up deep-sea regulations so they can start mining, but the rules are still incomplete. How can we draft regulations for an ecosystem we know so little about? Frustrated and losing investors, TMC took to a more aggressive tactic, announcing it would apply for a license to mine in June 2025, with or without regulations. If successful, this could open the doors to large-scale industrialization of the deep sea. At the March 2025 ISA meeting in Jamaica, negotiations were shifting toward a more science-driven, precautionary approach. But as opposition to mining grew, a desperate TMC announced plans to apply for an exploitation license in the U.S., taking advantage of outdated mining laws. These laws — written before UNCLOS and the ISA even existed — ignore international governance and decades of science. This move shocked the world. By bypassing the ISA, TMC is disregarding international law, setting the stage for a 'Wild West' approach to ocean exploitation. Rumors are circulating that President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order to open U.S. waters to deep-sea mining as well. The fear is that other major powers, like China and Russia, will follow suit, further undermining international governance. Because the U.S. is not a member of the ISA, it can legally issue a mining license to TMC under its own laws, regardless of what the ISA decides. However, this doesn't mean the fight is lost. The rest of the world can still ban deep-sea mining. Other countries, consumers, and corporations can reject deep-sea minerals, making it difficult for TMC to find buyers. Pacific nations can make mining a logistical nightmare, refusing to let vessels refuel or dock. The goal now is to make mining the deep sea so unprofitable that it collapses under its own weight before it even begins. SeaLegacy has teamed up with Sustainable Ocean Alliance (SOA), supporting their campaign for a global moratorium on deep-sea mining and ensuring that young people — those who will inherit the consequences of today's decisions — are heard in the halls of power. Eugénia Barroca, SOA's regional representative for Europe and Lusophony, attended the ISA meeting in March. She recounted her eye-opening experience: 'While deep-sea mining poses an irreversible threat to marine ecosystems, concerns are growing that industry interests could be placed above science and equity.' But despite pressure from TMC to move forward, global resistance is building. More nations are advocating for a precautionary pause or moratorium. 'It has been encouraging to see a strong coalition of states standing up for the ocean,' Eugénia said. 'Meanwhile, youth and civil society continue to play a vital role in safeguarding our planet's last untouched frontier.' The next ISA meeting in July 2025 will be pivotal in determining how the world reacts to TMC's disregard for international law. SeaLegacy will be attending with SOA, standing up for the future of our oceans. This isn't just about deep-sea mining — it's about whether a handful of billionaires get to dictate the planet's in the loop by following us and SOA on Instagram for real-time updates. If you'd like to learn more, sign up for SOA's free course on deep-sea mining and watch the Deep Rising documentary! Paul Nicklen and Cristina Mittermeier co-founded SeaLegacy in 2014. SeaLegacy's mission is to inspire people to fall in love with the ocean, amplify a network of changemakers around the world, and catalyze hands-on diplomacy through hopeful, world-class visual storytelling. For more updates on their meaningful work, learn more about SeaLegacy, and subscribe to Ripple Effect, Katie Couric Media's sustainability newsletter. The post Deep-Sea Mining: The Battle Over Earth's Last Frontier appeared first on Katie Couric Media.
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
11-year-old making her way to Carnegie Hall
DUNMORE, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — It is not just anyone who can say they played at New York City's Carnegie Hall, but an 11-year-old Dunmore girl is about to add her name to the list. Her journey to perform at the acclaimed venue has been years in the making. The arts are everything for Reilly Urbina. She acts, sings, and plays the piano. Eagle Scout dedicating time to uplift others In fact, the sixth-grade straight 'A' student at Dunmore Elementary Center has been playing ever since she began taking piano lessons when she was five years old. 'I just started playing a bunch of random notes and I'm just like 'Oh, I can really play this.' I'm pretty good at this so I worked harder so that I could get into harder songs,' said exclaimed Reilly. Reilly's mom says she knew that her daughter had a knack for music at a very young age. 'When Reilly was two, she came out singing. She wasn't even talking yet, right. She wasn't even, like, saying sentences. She was obsessed with Broadway music. I mean, she was singing 'Rent' at age three,' said Katie Urbina, Reilly's Mom. Reilly's singing became known quickly throughout the Dunmore community. 'My math teacher in 5th grade asked me if I could sing at one of the events so I'm like yeah, sure. And they heard me sing. Almost everyone cried,' said Reilly. She had the honor of singing the national anthem at a recent Dunmore Girl's High School basketball game. Another honor awaits Reilly, a piano performance in New York City. 'So I'm really glad that hard work paid off to get into Carnegie,' said Reilly. She performed the song, 'The Wild West' by Timothy Brown at her formal audition in January and was accepted to play at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in March. It took dedication and hard work to make the cut. 'I had to go to practice once a week, like, every time. And then we'd usually play about two phrases like per note,' explained Reilly. Whether she's playing for personal enjoyment, or performing for a crowd, Reilly is proof that having passion, persistence, and talent can pay off. 'She is so enthusiastic about doing things other than what she should be doing right. So, doing good in school and being kind and being a good person in society so all these extra things are just extra gifts,' said Katie Urbina. Reilly will play Carnegie Hall in March. Looking to the future, she would like to be a pediatrician or perhaps an actress when she grows up. Here's to you, Reilly. If you have a kid you think should be featured on Heres To You Kid!, send in a nomination online. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
New York Times
16-02-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
The Power Struggle Over a College Athlete's Medical Well-Being
Early in the 2014 football season, a Nike representative entered the Penn State athletic trainer's office and confronted the football team's two doctors and head trainer. The representative ran down a list of players, including the star quarterback, whose socks and shoes had recently been taped over to help stabilize previous injuries. The tape covered the Nike swoosh, and the representative wanted it stopped, court testimony showed. Soon, the coach, James Franklin, began to interfere, requiring the trainer to provide a list of players who needed their ankles taped over their shoes, along with an explanation. The episode was just one instance that troubled Scott Lynch, the head team doctor, who had begun to feel that in the face of pressure from the coach and administrators, he was the only line of defense for the athletes. He complained to supervisors about the coach's meddling with medical decisions. Ultimately, Dr. Lynch was removed from his position. Then he sued. Last year a Pennsylvania jury awarded Dr. Lynch $5.25 million in damages for wrongful termination. The trial offered a rare glimpse into how a high-profile college football team handled decisions around injuries — and revealed the pressure on trainers and doctors to greenlight students to get back on the field, despite reservations. 'College sports are broken, and I think they're beyond repair,' Dr. Lynch said in an interview. 'There's way too much money that's getting in the way of people making good decisions. Nobody's protecting the athletes.' College sports will even more closely resemble professional leagues later this year if the terms of an antitrust lawsuit settlement are approved, compelling schools to pay athletes. But unlike college athletes, professionals are represented by labor unions and have more autonomy over their medical decisions. The examples from Dr. Lynch's lawsuit date between 2015 to 2019. But there are signs that concerns still exist at Penn State and beyond. In 2022, Penn State football players themselves expressed concern around medical care, but their attempt to organize — including a request for a third-party representative on medical decisions — was opposed by the school and the Big Ten Conference and went nowhere. In October, a Louisiana State player sued the school, saying that a coach had told him he could lose his starting spot after having complained of headaches. He was diagnosed weeks later with a brain tumor. The family of a Bucknell player who died during a workout last summer says the school has not been forthcoming about what happened to their son. In a statement, L.S.U. said its health care contractor provides exceptional medical care for its athletes, but otherwise declined to comment. Bucknell said in a statement that it plans to share more information with the player's family once it is further along in its investigation. 'The Wild West' A 2019 survey by the National Athletic Trainers' Association hinted at the scope of the problem: Nearly one-fourth of the 1,800 respondents said that they did not have medical autonomy, and more than one-third said that coaches had influence on the hiring and firing of medical staff. Nearly one in five reported a coach playing an athlete who had not been medically cleared. A year before Dr. Lynch was removed at Penn State, Moira Novak was ousted as the director of athletic medicine at the University of Minnesota; she says she was viewed as an obstacle to winning when she reported what she had viewed as unethical — or illegal — behavior. 'College athletics is the Wild West when it comes to medical services,' Ms. Novak said in an interview. 'I'm sure there's some that do a decent job. But if I had a son or daughter who was a college athlete, I'd make sure they know they have to be their own advocate.' Penn State said in a statement that it was 'extremely disappointed' in the jury's verdict. The statement added that athletes participate only with the independent approval of the athletic department's medical team and that Mr. Franklin did not influence athletes' medical care. 'Throughout James Franklin's tenure, he has worked tirelessly to build a program focused on the well-being of student-athletes,' the statement said. Defense attorneys portrayed Mr. Franklin's questioning of medical decisions as the routine seeking of information. Mr. Franklin, who has seven seasons remaining on a 10-year, $85 million contract, declined an interview request through an athletic department spokeswoman, and he is not a party in the lawsuit. The coach and Penn State were dropped as defendants because of a missed filing deadline, a ruling Dr. Lynch is appealing. His former employer, Hershey Medical Center, which is owned by Penn State University Health, and his former supervisor, Dr. Kevin Black, are appealing the verdict. But the judge in the case, Andrew Dowling, wrote a recent opinion urging that the appeal by the defendants be denied because they had 'prioritized their interest of protecting the Penn State Football team and Mr. Franklin rather than the health, safety and welfare of the football players.' During the trial, the jury heard nearly a dozen stories, many corroborated, from Dr. Lynch about what he saw firsthand as the head orthopedic surgeon for the Penn State athletic department and football team doctor. The jury heard that Mr. Franklin had pressured Dr. Lynch to allow the former star running back Saquon Barkley, who had missed the previous game with a sprained ankle, to return without passing recovery protocols; urged Dr. Lynch to withhold information from a player with a knee injury so that he might return quickly; and suggested hanging a sign in the trainer's room that read 'the lazy, overweight, unmotivated and injured football player look the same.' When Mr. Franklin yelled at him, ignored him or hung up on him, Dr. Lynch held his ground — until he was removed from his job in 2019. Dr. Black told him the reason was because he was not a full-time resident of State College, Pa., but Dr. Lynch owned a condominium downtown. He did not have full operating privileges at Mount Nittany Medical Center in State College but did at Hershey Medical Center, a renowned hospital with specialists who were rare at Mount Nittany. Rob Windsor, a former defensive lineman who finished his career at Penn State and played briefly in the N.F.L., testified that during his senior season in 2019 a new head trainer, whose predecessor had been forced out, had ignored his repeated requests to meet with Dr. Lynch to discuss a knee injury. 'You had a doctor and a trainer that were standing up for the athletes, and they got rid of them both,' said Mr. Windsor, who like several others who testified said they felt conflicted about speaking out against Penn State because of their affinity for the school. 'Put up or shut up, or leave' The N.C.A.A. was founded in 1906 at the behest of President Theodore Roosevelt after a surge of deaths among college football players the previous season. The association's guiding principle: keep athletes safe. More than a century later, as college athletics became a billion-dollar business, the N.C.A.A. attempted to rein in coaches and athletic directors who were interfering with medical care. In 2017, the association made a policy change, requiring team doctors and trainers to have 'unchallengable autonomous authority.' This included keeping athletic directors and coaches out of hiring and firing decisions. The N.C.A.A. amended its bylaws last year to require schools to conduct an annual review of these policies. 'The failure is, there are no reporting mechanisms and there's no enforcement,' Brant Berkstresser, the chair of the N.A.T.A.'s council on intercollegiate athletics, said. 'A standard without a consequence is not a standard.' The N.C.A.A. has never punished a school for interfering with medical autonomy, according to the association's infractions database. An N.C.A.A. spokeswoman declined to comment. Ms. Novak, who worked from 1998 to 2017 at the University of Minnesota, said she encountered a culture averse to her efforts to protect athletes. In a memorandum to the university's Board of Regents in 2018, obtained by The New York Times, Ms. Novak detailed alleged abuses that included a coach urging an athlete who had dizziness and blurred vision following a car crash to withhold that information. The medical team became aware of it only when the athlete was hospitalized after collapsing. The University of Minnesota said in a statement that return-to-play decisions are made by medical staff and the athlete, that coaches and administrators are not involved. Ms. Novak considered a lawsuit, but she reached a settlement with the university. When she was pushed out, 'it was a very strong message to the remaining staff: Put up or shut up, or leave,' she said. Dr. Lynch's case took five years to go to trial, survived repeated attempts to dismiss and was narrowed to exclude Mr. Franklin; Sandy Barbour, the athletic director at the time; and Penn State. Also disallowed was the university's internal investigation, which was conducted by the athletics integrity officer at the time, Robert A. Boland, in collaboration with the university's general counsel. This permitted Penn State to shield the report's findings from scrutiny by asserting attorney-client privilege. The 15-page report, a copy of which was obtained by The Times, questions Penn State's rationale for removing Dr. Lynch but makes no conclusions. The jury returned a verdict in a little over two hours, on Dr. Lynch's 63rd birthday. He hopes the outcome prompts reforms that prioritize athletes' health. Steven Marino, Dr. Lynch's attorney, was not so sanguine. 'It was a devastating finding of fact, but I don't think it's enough to effect change,' Mr. Marino said. 'It should have been a $50 million judgment. This is just going to be the cost of doing business.'
