Latest news with #WildandFree
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Celtic-daft Snoop Dogg announces catering plan for Parkhead which ‘fans will love'
The music legend previously hinted he could INVEST in Celtic too Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) RAP superstar Snoop Dogg has never hidden his love for Celtic - and now he's announced a new catering plan for Parkhead that "fans will love". The legendary music star, 53, revealed that he wants to open his own pop-up burger bar at the stadium. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 4 Snoop Dogg has been a Celtic fan for 20 years 4 And now he has revealed he wants to open a pop-up burger joint at Celtic Park Credit: Alamy 4 He even said he would come and personally serve Hoops fans at Parkhead Credit: Alan MacGregor Ewing Snoop is known to be a big Celtic fan and has been spotted in the green and white hoops on several occasions. He was given a Hoops top back in 2005 and has declared himself a fan ever since. Snoop congratulated the club for their title win in 2022 and had hoped to party with the players when he performed in Glasgow the following year. While that didn't materialise, he said in the following years that he would love to come to Celtic Park. And the US rapper said if his new burger van idea takes off, he would personally come and serve food to Hoops fans. Fans of the Young, Wild and Free singer will know that he enjoys cooking and is close friends with celeb chef Gordon Ramsay. The Celtic fans are gonna love it, and to make sure they are just right, Snoop is going to be serving them himself Snoop Dogg He has also appeared on numerous cooking shows, including one with top chef Martha Stewart. And he even released his own cookbook called Crook to Cook: Platinum Recipes from Tha Boss Dogg's Kitchen. So Snoop said he knows his cheese and bacon beef burgers would go down a treat with Scots at Parkhead. Speaking to the Sunday Mail, he said: "There has always been the opinion that food at sports stadiums is never good, but that ain't got to be the case. Snoop Dogg cries at Jeremy Beloate's tear-jerking performance of The Impossible Dream on The Voice 'People know that Snoop is a cook, and I would love to bring a pop-up burger to a sports stadium to show fans that food at stadiums can be good. 'It's got to be Celtic Park man, I mean, where else am I going to bring it." He added: "The Celtic fans are gonna love it, and to make sure they are just right, Snoop is going to be serving them himself.' However, he promised not to take his food over to Celtic's Old Firm rivals. SWEET INVITE BACK in February, Snoop Dogg revealed he wants to catch Oasis on their sold out tour this summer. At the time, he extended the invite to the Celtic PLAYERS to join him. He's also revealed he hops Oasis star Noel - who has a soft spot for Celtic himself - will able to sort him out. At the time, he said: "People know I never need an excuse to come visit Scotland, but yeah, for real, I need to come and see Oasis this summer. "I tried to sign Noel back in 2009 when he had left Oasis, it just never quite happened - but the main thing is the have got back together. "It's a good thing for the music industry. The city I want to see them in is Edinburgh, of course it is. "If I reach out, I know my boy Noel is going to hook me up with tickets. "It would be cool if a couple of the Celtic players could come with me. I'll have to see what Noel can do." Snoop said: "Am I going to bring my burgers to Rangers as well? Nah, I think we will give that a miss!' It comes after Snoop revealed he'd love the chance to INVEST in the Parkhead club late last year. Taking inspiration from Ryan Reynolds' co-ownership of Wrexham, he said at the time: "I love what Ryan has done with Wrexham. It's just a great story. "Investing in a sports team has been something I have been looking at for a long time. "If the chance came to invest in Celtic, I would be crazy not to take a look at it. "I have watched so much soccer in Europe, but I have never seen fans like the Celtic fans. There is something so special about them."
Vancouver Sun
4 days ago
- Sport
- Vancouver Sun
Know before you go: Some of the 'Chronic' problems expected for Snoop's B.C. Lions concert
You may be Young, Wild and Free , but if you try to light up a joint for Snoop Dogg, B.C. Place stadium security will tell you to Drop it Like it's Hot , and escort you out of the building while lecturing you on making Bad Decisions . In short, if the roof is open for the B.C. Lions' home-opener and pre-game concert on June 7, it won't be to let the smoke out. 'That will be a weather decision, not a ventilation decision,' B.C. Place general manager Chris May said with a chuckle. 'As long as it's nice weather, the decision is up to (the Lions), but I'm sure if it's a beautiful day, that it'll be open. 'As much as I would love to be able to say yes, we are a completely non-smoking, non-vaping venue, so that is not allowed,' he added, referring to the chronic hopefuls in the crowd. Get top headlines and gossip from the world of celebrity and entertainment. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sun Spots will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. While those weed hopes have been snuffed out, there's an alternative for the Snoop hardcores: Gin and Juice . 'We have a Dylan's gin bar. It's in Section 213, and that bar will be a gin and juice bar for the game,' said May. 'They're going to have three different gin and juices — a classic Dylan's gin and OJ; a Gin and Juicy, which is Dylan's gin with tangerine, mint and tonic; and then they're going to have a Gin and Juicier, which is a Dylan's gin with pineapple, orange guava and a splash of lime.' The perfect pairing for it will be The Dogfather, a bacon-wrapped, all-beef hotdog, with hot honey aioli, and pineapple, mango and jalapeño salsa. Edmonton Elks at B.C. Lions Saturday, June 7, 7 p.m. TV: TSN. Radio: AM730 Pregame concert 5:45, Doors open 4:45 The Lions' annual pre-game concerts, a tradition that started after Amar Doman purchased the team in 2021, have grown in popularity every year. One Republic started the trend, followed by LL Cool and 50 Cent in the following seasons, with the crowds increasing including last year's capacity crowd of 53,788 for 50 and the Calgary Stampeders game. Tickets reached the 50,000-sold threshold on Friday, a week out from the game. May had three words for those planning to attend next week's game. 'Show. Up. Early,' he said. 'We have seen, actually, over the past seasons, people arriving closer and closer to game time overall. The (best) way to get in quickly is to show up right at doors (open) time and get in the building. Doors open at 4:45 p.m., Snoop's supposed to be on at 5:45; do not show up at 5:30 thinking that there's going to be no line and you're going to be able to walk straight in. Show up early. 'With the incredible job that (owner) Amar (Doman) and (president) Dwayne Vienneau have done with his team around this opening game, it's really becoming an event. And that brings with it, every year, a whole new demographic of people that may not come to regular Lions games or be used to things and how it works here.' Another major trip-up for new attendees to B.C. Place: the bag policy. Opaque bags larger than 6.5 by 8.5 inches (16 by 21 centimetres) aren't permitted, and clear plastic bags can't be bigger than 12 x 12 x 6 (30 x 30 x 15 cm). Diaper bags and medically necessary items are exempted from this rule. But leave the purses, backpacks, camera bags and rolling luggage at home. Same for selfie sticks, vuvuzelas and tripods. Further details can be found on the B.C. Place website by clicking here . Gin & Juice — $10.75: The Classic — Dillon's Gin & Orange Juice Gin & Juicy — $12.75: A Refreshing Twist — Dillon's Gin, Tangerine, Mint, Tonic Gin & Juicier — $12.75: Tropical Flavours — Dillon's Gin, Pineapple, Orange, Guava, Splash of Lime The Dogfather — $17.25: Bacon wrapped foot-long all-beef wiener, hot honey aioli, pineapple, mango and jalapeño salsa Prime Rib Sundae — $23: Sliced Prime Rib, mashed potato, crispy onions, red wine demi, Yorkshire pudding The stadium has had some massive crowds in recent years, the most recent being the 53,387 who showed up to see Lionel Messi and Inter Miami play the Vancouver Whitecaps on April 25. That game, from a logistics standpoint, went smoothly. Not so much for the Argentine superstar and his team, which lost the game 2-0. 'When we look back at our last year to 12 months, we've had more sold-out stadium events and large crowds than we've ever had before,' said May. 'And our team is on it. We're not perfect, and at every event, we try to get better and provide a better experience and a smoother experience. 'We didn't do anything substantially different for Messi; there were a few precautions taken because of his personal profile and the security of the team, but we didn't change, really, how we operated. We didn't change how we did bag checks. We didn't change how the gates operated. We generally did keep that the same. 'I will say that I think we may be the only stadium that Messi has played out of in North America where there wasn't an attempt of someone to get on the field. That's saying something.' No drama. No pressure. No problem. This year, the B.C. Lions get to focus strictly on football. The quarterback carousel that spun the locker-room out of control last year is consigned to history. Vernon Adams Jr. has found a new home with the Calgary Stampeders, and Nathan Rourke has got a full off-season and training camp under his belt, and comes into 2025 leading a united locker-room. There's no championship game pressure, with the Grey Cup in Winnipeg this year. The pressure's on the Blue Bombers — after five straight trips to the big game, they've lost the past three. No Touchdown Pacific or 'home' game played in a neutral site, either. Every home game is at B.C. Place. Here's what you need to know about the Leos this year: The stadium is right smack downtown at 777 Pacific Blvd. There are parking garage options off of Expo Blvd and Beatty St., but the Stadium-Chinatown Skytrain stop lets you off just steps from the gates. There is also a bike valet available for those wanting to pedal to the game and leave their bicycle in safety. Pro tip for getting in the building: use Gate G, which is down the stairs to the right of Gate H off of Terry Fox Plaza. The Doggfather: Saturday, June 7, vs. Edmonton, 7 p.m. The season kicks off with the annual pre-game concert, this time from legendary rapper Snoop Dogg. Tickets have already cracked the 50,000 mark, and the 50/50 is also already a guaranteed $150,000. Come early, as doors open at 4:45. Summer Camp: Saturday, June 21 vs. Winnipeg, 4 p.m. Here's the best way to celebrate the end of the school year and kick off summer vacation. There will be 'camping-style' pre-game festivities, a chance to cheer on Grade 7 and Grade 12 grads at a halftime graduation walk, and the new Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? show. Watermelon Smash: Saturday, July 19, vs. Saskatchewan, 4 p.m Games with the Roughriders are always one of the most well-attended of the year. And this year the Lions are bringing in even more watermelons for the pregame fruit smashing. The event provides money for the Greater Vancouver Food Bank, and the leftover watermelons go to the B.C. Farmers Association to be used as livestock feed. Family Traditions: Sunday, July 27, vs. Hamilton, 4 p.m. 'Everyone's looking for the thrill, but what's real is family.' CFL games are fast, furious and all about family. This game celebrates the generations of Lions fans who together share their love for the great CFL and Lions tradition. Show N Shine: Saturday, Aug 16, vs. Montreal, 4 p.m. There will be 350 classic cars, super cars and B.C. Lions Hot Wheels cars — 7,500 of the die-cast toys going first through the gates — in a massive show and shine in front of B.C. Place. Game tickets will double as admission into the PNE. Campus Clash: Friday, Sept. 12, vs. Ottawa, 7 p.m. Time to show your college pride; all attendees are encouraged to represent their alma mater by wearing their school sweaters or colours and/or sitting in designated student sections. Orange Shirt Day Game: Friday, Sept 26, vs. Toronto, 7 p.m. The Lions have been long-time partners of the First Nations, and for the fifth straight year, they will honour Canada's National Day For Truth and Reconciliation. It includes the Orange Shirt giveaway, Indigenous marketplace featuring authentic arts, crafts, and food; and live musical entertainment by Indigenous artists. The Gravy Bowl: Saturday, Oct. 4, vs. Calgary, 4 p.m. The fall tradition continues and for the third straight year fans will be greeted with a large beer garden and free(!) Thanksgiving turkey carvings, topped off with the classic pie-eating contest. Also of note it's the return of Vernon Adams Jr. to B.C. Place, after being traded to the Stampeders in the off-season. Wild Wild West: Friday Oct. 17, vs. Edmonton, 7:30 p.m. The Lions wrap up their home schedule with a second battle against the Elks. The West Division is always wild, and this game will celebrate country and western culture. There will be special performances by the Uproar Dance Team, a mechanical bull on the concourse, a lasso performer and, for the first time, a country music halftime show. There are options available for just about any budget. Single-game tickets are as low as $17 plus fees and taxes, while season-ticket packages range from $200 for the nine home games, all the way to $2,000 for premium field-side seats. Here are some of the best offerings the Lions have: The White Spot Family Pak : A family of four gets four game tickets and a White Spot gift card worth $50 for $99 dollars before taxes and fees. That's a screaming deal, possibly the best in town. The Quarterback Club : One adult season ticket, one youth season ticket, all nine home games for $200. The Wings Express : Love chicken wings? Love football? Hate driving? This is for you. The Lions have teamed up with Wings Express to bus fans to and from the six weekend home games. Participating Wings locations are in Abbotsford, Burnaby, Chilliwack, Langley, Port Moody, Richmond, Surrey and Tsawwassen, for games June 7 (against Edmonton), June 21 (Winnipeg), July 19 (Saskatchewan), July 27 (Hamilton), Aug. 16 (Montreal) and Oct. 4 (Calgary). Each restaurant will have different specials and pricing, with charter buses arriving at B.C. Place 45 minutes before game time, and leaving 30 minutes after the game to return to the pickup point. Flexibility options : The Lions have three-game packs, half-season season ticket packages, and flex packs. The latter gives 10 individual tickets which can be used over a minimum of two games, or spread out over all nine home games. Unsure of the best place to book your seats at B.C. Place? The best place for those with kids, young or old, is in the Family Zone: the upper end zone area between Sections 246-251. There are family washrooms, breastfeeding pods, and that's where the kids club is. Fanatics want to be behind the benches close to the action, and that's between Sections 207 and 213. The closer to field level, the better. For those wanting to harass the visiting team, Sections 216-219 border their bench. Due to construction at B.C. Place, there is no standing room area this season. Let's start with the suds, first. • Beer Express (Coors, Molson, Heineken, Granville Island, Hop Valley) — Sections 208, 213, 219, 240, 401, 415, 442, and 454) • The Thirsty Pigeon (specialty beer concession) — Sections 234 and 248) On to the food … • Dawson's Hot Dogs — Sections 201, 214, 227, 233, and 241 This is the place to snag the value package, including the $7.50 kids meal. There's also a $5 menu, including beer, hot dogs nachos and popcorn. • Dawson's Deluxe gourmet hot dogs — Section 244 • Beast on Fire grill — Sections 217 and 236 • Beast Unleashed grill — Section 230 • Bombay South Asian Kitchen — Section 220 • Boom Kitchen bowls — Section 210 • Pizza Pizza — Sections 222 and 249 • Lionsgate Grill (burgers and tenders) — Sections 215, 228, 242, and 254 • Seoul Food Korean Fried Chicken — Section 206 • Snack Shack self serve — Section 212 • The Mac Bar (Mac & Cheese) — Section 207 • The Poutinerie — Sections 212 and 239
IOL News
20-05-2025
- Health
- IOL News
Another 100 endangered vultures killed
Wild and Free Wildlife Rehabilitation is a non-profit organisation located in Mpumalanga, South Africa, committed to nurturing cooperative relationships between humans and native wildlife. Established by Deidre Joubert, their mission focuses on mitigating human-wildlife conflicts through education, preventive strategies, and responsible conduct. Image: Supplied More than 100 vultures have died in another significant poisoning incident, this time in the Lionspruit Game Reserve near Marloth Park, Mpumalanga. Africa's only vulture-focused conservation organisation, together with Wild and Free Rehabilitation Centre in Mpumalanga, confirmed the incident, saying 92 White-backed vultures of which 90% were breeding adults, nine hooded vultures and one male adult White-headed vulture, were killed. The scene was located through real-time GPS tracking of several vultures previously rehabilitated and released by Vulpro and Wild and Free. On detecting abnormal movement, Vulpro notified Wild and Free who then contacted the Nkomazi municipal field rangers. Together, the team responded immediately to find a catastrophic scene with multiple carcasses lying around a warthog carcass. There were no survivors. Two more carcasses were discovered by air, thanks to SANParks who joined in on the search. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ This deliberate act has caused irreparable damage to already declining vulture populations and underscores the growing and devastating impact of poisoning on South Africa's critically endangered vulture populations, the organisations said. Together with expert toxicologist and director of Griffon Poison Information Centre, Dr. Gerhard Verdoorn, and with the help of Dr Peet Venter, samples have been collected and will be submitted for toxicological testing to identify the poison used and supporting possible legal action. 'The scale of this poisoning is devastating and appears to be part of a much bigger, targeted operation. With multiple incidents taking place in various regions across the Lowveld recently, we suspect they are aimed at detracting us from a bigger and even more devastating event in the near future. "We are calling on the government and the national vulture poisoning working group to address the crisis before it's too late. To lose this number of vultures, let alone adult breeding birds during breeding season is an ecological crisis. We are genuinely terrified of what next is going to occur,' said Vulpro CEO Kerri Wolter. In response to this incident and the growing frequency of poisoning cases, Vulpro is appealing to all rehab centres in the Lowveld to stop releasing vultures in the area until such threats are fully investigated and mitigated. Just days ago, Vulpro formalised a long-standing partnership with Wild and Free Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, based in Hectorspruit. Together, the two organisations have established a vulture emergency response unit in Mpumalanga, delivering rapid on-site field response to poisoning and injury cases, expert veterinary care at Wild and Free's on-site clinic and long-term rehabilitation and monitored releases through Vulpro's national programme. With support from conservation groups, WeWild Africa and Over and Above Africa, this initiative links veterinary expertise, field operations, and conservation strategy across provincial boundaries, unified in the mission to stop vulture extinction. 'This is not just about one event. It's about a systemic threat to our natural balance. We are fighting for every egg, every nest, and every vulture's future. Through science, integrity, and collaboration, we will hold the line,' said Wolter. Earlier this month, more than 100 vultures died in a mass poisoning at the Kruger National Park. The incident in the Mahlangeni Section of the Park was detected by the Endangered Wildlife Trust's (EWT) wildlife poisoning surveillance and detection system which triggered an alert, flagging suspicious activity in a remote section of the park. Within hours, a joint SANParks and EWT team mobilised, arriving on site. There, they discovered the grim reality: a mass poisoning event involving hundreds of vultures. This was the result of an elephant carcass laced with highly toxic agrochemical pesticides - poison laid by poachers to harvest body parts for the illegal wildlife trade. Cape Times
