Latest news with #Dey
Hamilton Spectator
a day ago
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Capital Power still waiting for Alberta data centre powering opportunity
Capital Power Corp. says it's holding out for an opportunity to power a large-scale data centre at its Genesee Generating Station, but Alberta's grid operator is not currently making enough electrical connection capacity available for the size of project it's chasing. The power plant southwest of Edmonton now runs entirely on natural gas instead of coal after a $1.6-billion multi-year revamp, allowing it to boost its capacity by around 60 per cent while cutting greenhouse gas emissions by 40 per cent. Capital Power chief executive Avik Dey has said it would be the perfect site to exclusively power a data centre. Those are huge facilities housing the computing firepower needed for artificial intelligence and other applications. It can take an enormous amount of power to run and cool them. The Alberta government has set a goal of attracting $100 billion in data centre investments over five years. The Alberta Electric System Operator said last month it has received requests from 29 proposed data centre projects representing more than 16,000 megawatts — more than 11 times the City of Edmonton's load. To accommodate that surge in demand, the AESO has placed a temporary limit on the projects wanting to connect to the grid — 1,200 megawatts between now and 2028 — in order to ensure system reliability. Capital Power was among those raising concerns about the interim limit. Dey told analysts on a conference call Wednesday that it wants to pursue a 1,000-megawatt project, but doesn't see something that big moving forward with a potential partner under the grid operator's current Phase 1 limits. It's taking a pass on pursuing something smaller at Genesee in the meantime. 'Our physical site at Genesee is incredibly advantaged for a large hyper data centre,' he said, pointing to its access to fibre, transmission and distribution infrastructure. Dey said Capital Power will look at whether it can move a project ahead under future phases of the AESO's allocation plan, and continue to advocate for the current limit to be raised. 'I think we all want the same thing here … We have a different view on how that should be allocated, but I think everyone's trying to work to the same endgame here,' he said. 'And I will concede the AESO and the utilities ministry and the government are balancing multiple needs and considerations.' Capital Power shares dropped almost six per cent in afternoon trading on the TSX to $58.55. Earlier Wednesday, the power producer said it swung to a loss in the second quarter compared with a profit last year. It said its net loss attributable to shareholders was $132 million during the quarter ended June 30, or 92 cents per diluted share. That compared with a profit of $75 million, or 51 cents per share in the same quarter last year. The loss came as revenue also dropped to $441 million, down from $774 million last year. In the quarter, the company completed its $3 billion acquisition of two power facilities in the U.S. that it says add to its flexible power generation. The company also revised its guidance for the year, raising its expected capital expenditures, adjusted earnings before certain deductions and adjusted funds from operations. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 30, 2025. Companies in this story: (TSX: CPX)
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Congress demands scraping of digital attendance system for MNREGA workers
Digitally capturing attendance of MNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) workers through web platform National Mobile Monitoring System (NMMS) that depends on photo uploads of the workers is 'unworkable' & 'counterproductive' and must be withdrawn, Congress general secretary (Communications) Jairam Ramesh said in a statement here. The Hindu had reported on Tuesday (July 15, 2025) Union Rural Development Ministry's July 8th directions to the States flagging the various ways NMMS, which was aimed at bringing in transparency, was being manipulated. Three years back the government had made it mandatory for all MNREGA workers to use this platform for marking their attendance. It required them to upload their photographs twice a day at the worksite. It was found that to meet this requirement, irrelevant photographs were being uploaded among other discrepancies. 'FAST is the self-declared motto of the Modi Government. It actually stands for First Announce Second Think,' Mr. Ramesh said in a statement here taking a dig at the government. Since its introduction, Mr. Ramesh said the Congress has highlighted the operational problems with NMMS and the government's July 8 notification is a final 'acknowledgement' of the problem. The NMMS, Mr. Ramesh said, ended up excluding many genuine workers because of internet connectivity and other reasons without effectively checking the fake workers since they can go twice a day to be photographed, get paid without working for a minute. 'However, the Modi Government, post its acknowledgment of the issue, has identified solutions that are worse than the problem,' he said. Engaging the administration from top to bottom to verify the photos is going to waste the precious time of MNREGA functionaries. He demanded that the government must affirm 'task-based payments' which is the essence of MNREGA. Nikhil Dey, founder member of Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan, said, that the July 8th order is a confession that NMMS doesn't work but the solution offered is misplaced and misdirected. 'The government is paying the MNREGA labourer for the work carried out not simply for showing up. A photo, even if clicked twice a day doesn't show whether any work was carried out,' Mr. Dey said. Instead of imposing newer and more complicated measures on the workers, Mr. Dey argued that the government must hold the supervisory authorities and the engineers accountable. 'A worker is paid on the basis of measurements by the engineers, first in carving out the work and then in appraising how much of it has been done. Instead of tasking the entire administration to look at photographs, shouldn't the government come up with monitoring mechanisms for supervisory authorities and engineers. Let them need to produce geo-tagged and geo-fenced photographs of the times they go to the field,' Mr. Dey said.
Business Insider
14-07-2025
- Health
- Business Insider
A doctor who studies how a healthy gut can prevent colon cancer does 3 simple things to lower his risk
Colon cancer is rising in people under 50, and poor gut health could be part of the problem. Dr. Neelendu Dey studies whether gut microbes can be harnessed to prevent and treat colon cancer. To reduce his colon cancer risk, he eats lots of fiber and plays sports. More people under the age of 50 are getting colon cancer — but it's unclear why. A doctor who researches the link between the disease and our gut microbes has a theory. "I don't want to give the message that microbes are the entire thing. But we know that there are significant correlations between how much we have of various microbes and cancer," Dr. Neelendu Dey, an associate professor at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle, told Business Insider. Trillions of microbes live in our colon lining, and research suggests the more diverse they are the better our health and the lower our chances of developing diseases including colon and other forms of cancer, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and depression. What we eat and our environment affect the make-up of what's known as the gut microbiome, for instance, ultra-processed foods and being sedentary are thought to harm it. More young people are being diagnosed with colon cancer. Business Insider is telling their stories and helping readers understand how to prevent the disease and what could be causing the spike. If you would like to share your story or expertise, please contact Kim Schewitz: kschewitz@ Dey's lab researches how microbes could be used to prevent and treat colon cancer, but everyone's gut microbiome is unique, he said. By understanding how individual microboes respond to different ingredients, they hope to provide personalized dietary recommendations to prevent precancerous polyps from forming. Dey is 45, the age the American Cancer Society recommends those with an average risk of colon cancer start getting colonoscopies every 10 years. To lower his colon cancer risk, first and foremost, Dey said he follows official advice to get screened. Those at higher risk, for example, with a genetic predisposition, can talk to their doctor to decide if earlier screening is necessary. But Dey also makes diet and lifestyle choices to look after his gut microbiome, in the hopes of reducing his colon cancer risk. "The microbiome, I believe, is a long-term player in improving our health," he said. "Working with our microbiome is akin to, let's say, practicing the violin every day if you want to be a good violinist." 1) Eat fiber at every meal Dey tries to incorporate some fiber into each of his meals, because there is strong data to suggest they can boost gut health over time. Fiber is found in plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, beans, and oats, and it feeds the "good" bacteria in the gut. A 2018 study based on The American Gut Project analyzed the stool samples and eating habits of 10,000 people, and found that those who ate 30 types of plant foods a week had more diverse microbiomes than those who ate 10 or fewer. Being of South Asian descent, Dey often makes Indian dishes, many of which contain lentils, chickpeas, and spices. "Good" microbes don't all eat the same type of fiber. That's why the authors think eating lots of different types leads to a more diverse microbiome. 2) Avoiding ultra-processed foods Ultra-processed foods, which can range from foods such as protein bars to oven pizza, are made using ingredients you wouldn't find in a typical kitchen. They contain additives like emulsifiers and gums, often come in plastic packaging, and are designed to be hyperpalatable, making them easy to overeat. UPFs have been linked to a host of serious health problems, including colon cancer, but are ubiquitous in modern America. For this reason, Dey tries to avoid them when possible, but knows it's not realistic to cut them out entirely. "When I can control it, certainly I do. If I have the time, I would rather grab the apple than the processed bar that contains an apple," he said. 3) Exercising regularly Dey is part of a kickball team and exercises independently, too. He does this because, as well as boosting heart health and helping him maintain a healthy weight, working out is beneficial for gut health. Regular exercise can help food move through the digestive system more quickly, reducing the time the colon is exposed to toxins. Studies suggest that working out can also increase the number of "good" microbes in the gut, improving diversity. "Certainly, exercise — I find, and I think others find — has huge benefits for gut health," Dey said.
Boston Globe
14-07-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Nantucket's workers are living on the margins
The island town of charming cobblestone streets lined with shops selling handmade $400 caftans and high-end restaurants offering $50 lobster rolls is experiencing the same imbalance that has wracked other vacation destinations. In Spain, seasonal workers live in tent cities on Ibiza. Day laborers in the Hamptons have formed encampments. In Frisco, Colorado, ski instructors, ER nurses and others can live in their cars and vans in a parking lot if they can show proof that they are working in the area. 'Nantucket has 10 years or less before the entire island is owned by island conservation entities or seasonal homeowners,' said Brian Sullivan, 50, who is a principal broker at Fisher Real Estate and has lived on Nantucket for 28 years. Even families living on the island earning well into six figures are struggling to find affordable options. Advertisement Among Nantucket's full-time workforce are teachers, police officers, municipal workers, health care workers, firefighters and landscapers, many of whom commute by ferry, live in overcrowded or substandard conditions, or are homeless. Advertisement Efforts to create housing that is attainable for households with lower incomes have included a program called Lease to Locals, which gives a stipend to property owners willing to turn their short-term rentals into year-round residences. But the initiatives have been slow starting or are not large enough to meet the demand. And then there's opposition. 'The most frustrating phrase that I hear a lot is 'I'm not opposed to affordable housing, but,'' said Brooke Mohr, a member of Nantucket's Select Board. 'Generally, the 'but' is 'not here near me. Not there. Not more in this location.'' On Nantucket, the problem is hidden behind ocean views and cottages. 'Having your friends know that you are struggling can add a layer of stress on top of an already-challenging personal situation,' Mohr, 64, said. One solution could be the curbing of short-term rentals, which have been the subject of lengthy legal battles and town votes. But homeowners have pushed back, saying stays of 31 days or less are a way to afford the mortgage and benefit the island's economy. At a town meeting in May, Penny Dey, 66, a real estate broker who has lived year-round on the island for 49 years, said, 'It is a fundamental property ownership right to rent your home responsibly, and it's reckless not to safeguard that right for future generations.' Dey, who serves as chair of the Nantucket Housing Authority and as vice chair of the Town of Nantucket Affordable Housing Trust Fund, said the local economy depends on tourism and vacationers depend on the seasonal housing because the island lacks large-scale hotels. Advertisement 'Short-term rentals have been blamed for everything on Nantucket except erosion,' Dey said. Life is not a beach For the local government, addressing the disparity is critical. Marjani Williams, 47, works full time for the local Public Works Department collecting trash, mowing town lawns and maintaining roadside cleanup. She moved to Nantucket from Mississippi in 2023 for what she called 'a better living.' In Mississippi, the minimum wage is $7.25 per hour; on Nantucket, she's making around $67,000 annually. She lived in a basement apartment for a year, without a lease, and had to leave in the summer of 2024. 'I had nowhere to go,' Williams said. 'So I got all of my stuff, put it in my vehicle and went to the beach.' Then she heard a knock on her car window. A police officer told her that sleeping overnight on a Nantucket beach was prohibited. So she left that beach and went to another one, where she ran into a co-worker who, unbeknownst to her, was also homeless. Her co-worker was sleeping on a couch in the exercise room at the Public Works Department. Williams followed suit and slept on a love seat in the department's storage unit, a few hundred feet from the town's dump. 'I love my job,' Williams said, 'whether it is picking up a dead deer, patching potholes or cutting the grass. I have no family here. My co-workers are all just like my big brothers. They teach me and push me to get my different licenses, and I love them for that, but it's very stressful.' Williams and her co-worker did what locals call the 'Nantucket shuffle,' moving monthly from one temporary solution to another. This year she found a year-round apartment rental after moving three times. Advertisement Andrew Patnode, 36, who heads the Public Works Department, was shocked to learn that Williams and another employee were staying in the building and had been homeless. He is desperate to retain his employees. The high turnover rate is 'costly and exhausting,' he said. 'A lot of turnover doesn't exactly lead to day-to-day success.' The summer influx Last fall, Ed Augustus, secretary of the state Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities, visited Nantucket to better understand its housing crisis. At the Chamber of Commerce's conference room, he sat at a large table packed with local officials, leaders and affordable-housing advocates. 'Massachusetts as a whole, the country as a whole, is facing a housing crisis. There is no question about it,' Augustus said at the meeting. 'But the way it manifests itself is unique on the island.' Nantucket has anywhere from 14,255 to 20,300 full-time residents, depending on the source, the U.S. census or a local study. In the summer, that number swells to 65,000 to 100,000, depending on which official you ask. Whatever the number, the influx taxes the local workforce. Police Chief Jody Kasper sat at the head of the conference room table. Kasper, 50, formerly the police chief in Northampton, Massachusetts, moved to Nantucket in 2023. She earns over $200,000 a year and resides in a rental unit with her wife, who works for the Nantucket public school system. It's Kasper's third rental home on the island in less than two years because she took what she could find -- short-term rentals. 'The newest 20 police officers, myself included, don't own a home here on the island, and the probability of them ever acquiring a home is almost zero,' Kasper said. Advertisement Like Patnode, Kasper described a frustrating churn of employees, which she attributed to the housing shortage. 'We invest a lot of time and energy and, of course, city money into training new people, and then we get them here and they get a couple of years under their belt,' she said. 'The hardest losses are when we are losing officers to other municipal departments.' Fire Chief Michael Cranson said that around 10% of his department members live off-island because they can't afford housing. They commute by ferry from more affordable communities, like those on Cape Cod. 'We try to adjust the firefighter's schedule so that it will be more conducive to commuting,' Cranson, 53, said. Despite creative and flexible scheduling, the department, which currently has 41 firefighters, can still fall short, the chief said. In July 2022, the storied Veranda House hotel, an island landmark, was engulfed by flames. 'On the mainland, we would have had close to eight communities to help us fight that fire. We just don't have that luxury here,' said Cranson, who spent 27 years working at a fire station in Rhode Island before moving to Nantucket in 2022. 'We ended up calling Hyannis and a couple of other towns on the Cape, and they came over, but it took them two hours to get here. Thank God the ferries were running that day.' In July, Cranson was permitted to hire two additional firefighters. The firehouse works in four shifts, with two of nine firefighters and two of 10. 'We are certainly in a better place than we were three years ago,' Cranson said. 'But if we have some type of large-scale event, we are still going to need to request help from off-island.' Advertisement 'We are not moving' Under a state law that went into effect in 1969, at least 10% of Nantucket's year-round housing stock must be affordable to people with limited incomes or those with 80% or less of the area median income -- no more than $119,750 for a family of four living on Nantucket, for example. So far, 405 units that meet the requirements have been built. An additional 213 need to be developed. Since 2019, Nantucket's residents have voted to appropriate $90 million toward affordable housing. But other efforts, such as a transfer tax on luxury homes to generate revenue to build affordable housing and a project for 156 condominiums with 39 designated for lower-income households, have been blocked. Some residents have voiced concerns about traffic, fire safety and environmental harm. Many of the island's year-round homeowners arrived in the 1980s and '90s, Sullivan, the real estate broker, said at the fall meeting. 'They bought homes for $285,000. They are entering retirement now and selling their homes for $2.8 million,' he said. Between 1,200 and 1,500 year-round residents are seeking stable housing, according to Anne Kuszpa, executive director of Housing Nantucket, an island-based nonprofit that develops and manages rental and homeownership opportunities for year-round residents. And those full-time residents are more diverse: In the past two decades, the island has attracted Latino people and immigrants from several countries. Over 43% of Nantucket's public school student body is Hispanic. Eleven languages and 17 countries are represented in the four island schools. Eillen Taveras, 46, moved to Nantucket in 2006 to work as a Spanish translator in the public school system and an interpreter for the hospital. Taveras also co-owns a cleaning business, is a justice of the peace and has a real estate license. 'Living here on a single salary would be very difficult,' she said before adding that leaving is not an option. Dominican-born and now a U.S. citizen, she got married on the island; she had two children who are native islanders; and she got divorced on the island. 'My two kids, all they know is Nantucket,' said Taveras, who currently works as a human resource specialist for the public schools. 'When I told them that we might have to move, they were like 'No way. We are not moving. We are staying in our home.' So it's just hard.' Her family stayed afloat through the Nantucket Education Trust, a nonprofit that provides rental housing to a select crop of teachers. Currently, the trust has 12 units that house 16 public school staff members. 'Unfortunately, 12 units do not even make a dent in our housing need, with the school district employing a total of approximately 360 full-time employees,' said Elizabeth Hallett, the superintendent. Joanna De La Paz, an administrative assistant of curriculum in the school system, rented a bedroom in a house with four other boarders, without assistance. They shared a kitchen and a bathroom. 'Most people renting out rooms won't let you use the kitchen,' De La Paz, 27, said. 'You have to buy food every day. I got lucky.' Even grocery shopping, however, is out of reach for many residents. About 21% of the island's year-round population is food insecure, and 47% of public school students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, according to data from the school system and a report funded through the state agriculture department. Born in Puerto Rico, De La Paz moved to Nantucket from the Dominican Republic about three years ago, attracted by the nearly $65,000 annual salary she was offered. Eventually her husband, a carpenter from the Dominican Republic, moved in with her. She said that many immigrants in the area are attracted to salaries that are higher than in other parts of the country. 'Most of the immigrants here are working in landscaping or carpentry, and sometimes they are being paid $25 an hour, which is a lot for them,' she said. But that wage cannot support a comfortable life on the island. In the spring, De La Paz moved into a one-bedroom apartment in the recently constructed Wiggles Way rental development for income-qualified households. In 2021, Taveras bought a four-bedroom home for $880,515 through Nantucket's Covenant Program, which creates a stable housing option for year-round islanders earning less than 150% of the area median income. 'The housing authorities on Nantucket have been doing a great job, and good things are happening,' Taveras said, 'but more people keep coming, and the island is so small and there is limited space to build more.' This article originally appeared in
Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘Speaks for rights of workers': Tripura CITU head Manik Dey hits back as minister Sudhangshu Das slams Bharat Bandh call
Tripura Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) president and CPI(M) central committee leader Manik Dey on Tuesday said the state government was 'trying to confuse' people on Wednesday's Bharat Bandh. The BJP-led governments at the Centre and the state have caused a severe crisis in the lives of workers, he added. Dey's remarks came against the backdrop of Tripura minister Sudhangshu Das saying that the Bharat Bandh or nationwide workers' strike on Wednesday would fail. Das also attacked the Communists, saying they were agents of 'anti-national, anti-democratic, anti-traditional China and Pakistan'. 'The ruling party is trying to confuse some people about the nationwide strike…They are trying to act as if they are in favour of employment. It is surprising to see those who are trying to create a jobless country speak in this country. The strike is meant to speak for the rights of workers,' Dey, the former Tripura transport minister, said. 'Massive gas prices, CNG price hike, petrol and diesel price hike, insurance premium hike, and tax burdens on different sections of workers were seen in the last few years. Transport sector workers, construction workers, tea garden workers and workers of different sectors are reeling under a severe crisis,' he added. Apart from expressing confidence that the Bharat Bandh would be a success, Dey urged BJP activists struggling under the current economy to join the strike. Dey's comments came after Das, the minister of Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Animal Resource Development, and Fisheries, posted a message on Facebook. 'The dream of the leftist Communists, agents of anti-national, anti-democratic, anti-traditional China and Pakistan, is that one day they will call for a general strike across the state, and with their words, all the people of the state will leave all their daily activities and sit at home. But time and again, the people of the state have thwarted their wishes and dreams. And on the 9th, the same is going to happen, the strike of these Maoist leftists will fail. So, go and see the Chinese agents, and let the people live in peace,' Das said in his post. In a video message on Tuesday, the minister stated that the Left parties were attempting to create unrest in the state and regain power through unfair means. The strike has been called to create disturbance and test the organisational strength of the Communist parties, the minister claimed, and urged people to reject the 'anti-employment' strike. In response, Dey said, 'These comments were made to confuse people. This minister has been making such comments for a long time. These comments will turn out to be ridiculous…Communists have a long history of staying with the people in favour of their rights.' Last week, the state government had issued a notification asking all departments to submit a report on employee attendance on Wednesday to the general administration department by noon on the same day. A forum of 10 trade unions had earlier announced a nationwide general strike on Wednesday and expressed hopes that over 25 crore workers engaged in different sectors, including banking, insurance, postal, mining, construction, etc., would take part in the protest.
