Latest news with #George
IOL News
2 hours ago
- Business
- IOL News
Plans to extend iSimangaliso Wetland Park into Mozambique by 2025
The iSimangaliso Wetland Park Image: File Consultation processes and efforts to extend KwaZulu-Natal's iSimangaliso Wetland Park into Mozambique as a Transboundary World Heritage Site are underway. This was one of the big six priorities announced by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) Minister Dion George during the budget vote on Friday. George referred to KISS – Kruger National Park, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, iSimangaliso Wetland Park Icon Status Strategy, which the DFFE is elevating into engines of ecological protection, job creation, inclusive tourism, and community empowerment. George added that iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority is advancing its commercialisation strategy, with 62 contracts already signed and new revenue from tourism concessionaires set to flow directly to the entity from 1 September 2025. 'South Africa's biodiversity is a powerful engine for development. The revised National Biodiversity Economy Strategy will unlock 397,000 jobs and inject R127 billion annually into the economy by 2036 through eco-tourism, bioprospecting, and sustainable game meat production,' he said. George said his department's 2025 and 2026 allocation is R9.08 billion. Transfers and subsidies to public entities such as South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI), SANParks, iSimangaliso, and SA Weather Service will account for approximately R5.5 billion. George stated that the Fair Industry for Lions, Leopards, and Rhinos (FILLER) prioritises ethical and sustainable management of lions, leopards, rhinos, and elephants. 'This year, we are finalising the Elephant Heritage Strategy. Through Fishing for Freedom, we are securing sustainable access, supporting small-scale fishers, and combating illegal harvesting that threatens biodiversity and food security,' he said. George also emphasised that the DFFE is doubling down on financial discipline and identified significant cost-saving opportunities, including discussions with international donors, private partners, and philanthropies. Bheki Manzini spokesperson for iSimangaliso Wetland Park Authority explained that the government of Mozambique is currently embarking on a process of inscribing its Maputo National Park as a Transboundary World Heritage Site through the extension of the existing iSimangaliso Wetland Park World Heritage Site. 'To this effect, the Government of Mozambique has contacted the Government of South Africa, soliciting support for this initiative. It is a requirement from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) that a supporting letter from the country whose existing site will be extended into the envisaged transboundary heritage site be part of the submission,' he explained further.
Buzz Feed
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
Celebs Who Are Actually Nice In Real Life
BuzzFeed Community members recently told us about their most memorable and heartfelt celebrity encounters, and the stories are so sweet, I need you to read them right now!! "I saw John Krasinski (who, no lie, has always been my dream boat celeb) at the Tate. This guy is so, so tall!! I embarrassingly chased him down to the Münch special exhibit ticket line and stood behind him awkwardly until he was about to be next. I tapped him on the shoulder and, even more embarrassingly, said, 'John?' LIKE I KNEW THE GUY! He turned around and acted unfazed, asked why we were there, and asked us where we were doing our art history grad school in London — as if he actually wanted to have a convo! He said, 'Oh, well, this is the place to be!' I asked him the same question, and he said, 'My wife is from here.' And I had the kahunas to say, 'Oh, Emily, of course!' LIKE I KNEW HER TOO! We took several pictures because he said, 'Do you like how you look?' Ha! I think I had that pic as my profile pic for years." "Paul McCartney. I met him at a press conference at the Ritz-Carlton in Chicago while working as a reporter. Afterward, he talked to us one by one. During our conversation, he pulled out a large piece of paper and drew a picture, dedicating it to my sister. How nice could this guy be? They say he's the Beatle with the most PR qualities, and they are probably right." "My husband met Rihanna years ago and said she was super nice. He was working as a ground handler at an airport and was setting up something on the ramp for her private plane. She came out, approached him, asked him about his job, and they chatted for a few minutes. Not sure if she was killing time until the gate opened, or if she went out of her way to talk to him for the heck of it, but he had nothing but nice things to say about her." "I met George Takei at my state's Comic-Con. My students read his graphic novel, They Called Us Enemy, in class. At the end of the unit, I had them write a letter to him. I chose a few of them and took them with me to Comicon. I had a cover letter with them to explain what we did. George signed my copy of his book, thanked me for being a teacher and teaching his book, and said that he and Brad would read the letters in the hotel that night. They both talked to me for a few minutes and were so kind. When I returned to school from break, there was a handwritten thank-you note from George in my mailbox! He and Brad are both class acts." "Jennifer Aniston is a sweetheart. She seemed very genuine and kind. I met her in a restaurant bathroom, of all places. We talked for so long, her friend had to come and find her." "I met Lorne Michaels when I worked at a 5-star restaurant. Everyone who worked with me knew I'd been a fan of SNL since I came out of the womb, so when I picked up the phone to make the reservation and spoke with his assistant, I told them I was Lorne's biggest fan. When he arrived with his wife and son (who went to a local boarding school), they were so kind, and he said, 'Oh, I heard you're my biggest fan, and that's amazing because I don't have fans — the cast always has fans!' I almost died. I gave them my favorite table, which they were thrilled with, and when he got up to leave, he left me an envelope with a pretty sweet bonus tip inside. I wasn't usually tipped for doing my work, so it wasn't necessary, but it was so thoughtful and appreciated. You'd never know he was famous or rich at all." "I've met Harry Styles several times; he is so nice and considerate. He actually put off going out with his team just to sit and talk to my 15-year-old daughter and me. I'm sure he was exhausted, but he seemed to enjoy relaxing and chatting with us. My daughter will most likely live on that memory for years to come!" "I met Matthew Gray Gubler after he did a talk years ago at my college! Only the first 100 people who got tickets were supposed to be able to do a meet and greet. He said 'rules were made to be broken' and that he would stay and meet with everyone until they kicked him out. Not only was he incredibly sweet to me (literally introduced humble and posed for a goofy pic), but he seemed so genuinely kind to everyone there. Just amazing energy all around." "Carol Burnett. I was returning from Indonesia and had a layover in San Francisco, where I saw Carol Burnett. I would not have bothered her, except I had her biography in my purse. When I approached her, she was so excited that I was reading her book. We talked until our planes called to board them. She even signed the book. What a lovely lady." "Not long before Stan Lee died, I met him at his final East Coast appearance. My son had made a Spider-Man comic book for him. He was thrilled! He read it aloud, laughed joyfully at the ending (Doc Oc forgot to put batteries in his machine), and made me promise to encourage my son and his gift. I did, and he hugged me. He was so kind! I cried when he died. I think of him often and like to think he's with his beloved wife now." "Will Ferrell is awesome. He almost doesn't seem to recognize that he's one of the most famous movie stars in the world. He makes incredible eye contact with strangers and will sit and talk to anyone. You can just tell when a person is full of themselves and when they are not, and he is not." "A friend and I visited my boyfriend while he was doing security at a jazz festival in Malibu. He told us Adam Sandler and his family had been there all day, and tons of people took pictures with him. We ran back to the car to grab the digital camera, looked up, and saw Adam, his pregnant wife Jackie, and their toddler leaving. We went up to them. Adam was clearly done for the day, but his wife said, 'Honey, let me hold [toddler's name] and you can take a picture.' We handed him the camera and he took a selfie with us. Still have that picture on my fridge. Love the Sandman!" "Stellan Skarsgard. I met Stellan on a flight from Washington, D.C., to Stockholm, Sweden. He was such a kind, lovely man, and even after a long, tiring flight, he walked with me down to the luggage claim and collected and carried his own bags. We talked about his kids and what movies and projects his sons were currently doing. He was just amazing and completely normal. I've always admired his work, and now I'm even more impressed with him as a person. I watch anything he's cast in, as well as his sons; they definitely inherited his talent." "Clint Eastwood. He was friends with the dad of one of my friends, and we were at my friend's dad's cabin in northern California to party. We were surprised when his dad showed up, and we had to hide the party evidence (his dad was a DA). We did not expect his dad to be there…but Clint was with him, and he played frisbee in a meadow with us. We sort of pretended we did not recognize him. I think he had fun being normal for a bit. Nice person." "I can only speak from my perspective, but Tom Hardy was cool to work with. I know select people, including Charlize Theron, have criticized him. But context is also important. It's easier to see how somebody could be grumpier working in the deserts of South Africa for weeks on Mad Max, which had to be an incredibly challenging shoot, than in urban Atlanta while shooting the first Venom. But whenever he walked by me and my crew, he would light up, call us 'buddy,' give us bro hugs, and sometimes stop and chat. He did this pretty much from the first time we met him, and he never stopped." "In the spring of 1981, I was 15 years old, a sophomore in high school, and working a part-time job at a small grocery store in a tiny Texas town. One of our regular customers came in and mentioned that Farrah Fawcett was outside waiting in a car. Turns out she and others were taking a break from filming the movie Murder in Texas at a ranch just up the road. As a 15-year-old boy and a huge fan of hers, I asked my boss if I could go meet her and get her autograph. I quickly asked my coworkers if they wanted to go, too. All declined. So I went alone, found the car with her sitting in the backseat, and approached her. She rolled her window down and said hello. She was gorgeous." "Ron Howard. I went to a golf prep school in South Carolina, where his son, Reed, also attended in a younger grade. He and his wife attended a tournament we were playing in Absecon, NJ. The van we rented that drove us to the airport was full, and I nervously asked him if he would drive me back with his son. It was only a 10-minute drive to the airport, but the three of them were super down to earth, and it became apparent that they were salt of the earth, humble people — also evidenced by the modest station wagon he was driving. Awesome experience and a very nice family!" "I got to meet Tom Kenny at a convention in November. He is just as darling in person as you would expect! I did a photo op with him, and I could hear him chatting with people as they went up to take their pictures. I got up and took my picture, but was so nervous I had nothing to say. I had dressed as Sara Bellum from Power Puff Girls since he voiced the mayor in the show, and as I was walking away, he called out, 'I love a scarlet lady!' I immediately let out a big giggle and skittered away. Such a gem!" "Joey Fatone. I met him at a convention, and he was so genuine and took the time to talk with everyone; it was more than just a photo op. He gave everyone a hug or a handshake and made you feel like you were talking to a friend, not a member of a superstar boy band." "I met Martin Sheen after a speaking engagement he had. He was so friendly that he even serenaded me with the song 'Cecilia' after he learned my name." "Dan Aykroyd was beyond nice! When I was in college, a friend of mine was interning at SNL and managed to sneak my friends and me after-party tickets. At the time, the cast included people like Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, and many others. We went to the after-party at a little restaurant/bar in Little Italy in downtown Manhattan. My friends and I were on a back patio sitting down, and out walks Dan Aykroyd and his brother. We were sitting there with our jaws on the floor. He immediately introduced himself and started asking us questions — who we were, what college we were attending, what we were studying — and even gave us great life advice. He sat and talked to all of us for about 30 minutes before we went back into the restaurant area, then held the door for us. Super down-to-earth! Not sure if he will ever read this, but if so, thank you, Dan, for being so nice to a star-struck college kid!" "I met Joe Pesci in a bar in NYC in 2003. He was with several security guards who were trying to keep people away from him, but a friend and I waved at him, and he came over and talked to us. We chatted for several minutes. He was extremely kind and funny!" "I used to be a lift-op at Aspen Buttermilk ski area. Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell would frequent our lift with their little kids, one of whom was Kate Hudson, who was probably 6 years old. They were the nicest folks and would always chat with us (unlike most other celebrities). Kurt is such a laid-back and down-home dude. Kudos." "One that might be surprising is Colin Hanks. It would be easy to assume he's some privileged nepo baby who has no comprehension of reality. But he is actually quite down-to-earth. We worked on a show called The Good Guys back in 2010, and we would speak to each other daily as if we were friends, telling jokes and talking about our days. He has a great sense of humor and seems pretty humble, considering his upbringing as the son of the biggest movie star of a generation. A few years later, I got to work on Bridges of Spies with his dad, and while I didn't have as many meaningful conversations with him, he also seemed very personable and approachable. It explained a lot about why Colin was the way he was." "One really awesome guy is Keith David. I worked with him on a TV show when my first daughter, Lottie, was born. He latched onto it and was delighted to talk to me about my first days of fatherhood. He even let me show him pictures of her on my phone. He remembered her name and would come in and very excitedly ask, 'How's my little Lottie?' He would genuinely listen to what I had to say, smiling and actively participating in the conversation. He would also affirm that I was experiencing some of my life's most challenging yet fulfilling moments. He also read a crew member's script, and one day, people brought posters from Platoon and The Thing, and he was happy to sign them." And: "I worked in the film industry for over 20 years. I've met a lot of celebrities through the years. More of them know how to behave with decorum than don't (at least in small interactions), and I've met many very famous and tactful celebrities. The absolute nicest, though, was Lacey Chabert. I worked on a small movie with her in Dallas, and she was always professional, even-tempered, friendly, and down-to-earth. She went to the wrap party stag and sat at a table beside my wife and me. We started a conversation and talked for a very long time about nothing at all until she had to be pulled away to do something. It was such a personable conversation that it felt like we were sitting with an old friend." Who's the nicest celebrity you've ever had the pleasure of meeting? What was your interaction like? Tell us in the comments or share anonymously using this form. Note: Submissions have been edited for length and/or clarity.
Hans India
6 hours ago
- Business
- Hans India
BESS units at solar power plants across Karnataka
Bidadi: Karnataka's Energy Minister K J George announced that battery storage systems must be installed in all solar power plants across the state in future. He was speaking at the inauguration of a fully automated 5 GWh Battery Energy Storage unit set up by Pace Digitek's Lineage Power in Bidadi. 'The solar power generated during the day must be stored for use at night. To achieve this, battery storage systems capable of storing at least two hours of solar power must be integrated into all solar power plants,' George said. He emphasised the importance of storage in strengthening renewable energy infrastructure. 'Renewable energy now contributes to 65 percent of Karnataka's total power generation. Although solar and wind energy production has grown significantly, effective storage systems are essential to capture this energy and supply it as needed. Storage ensures grid stability and enables better energy management, especially during periods of demand. The central government is also promoting storage projects to support this effort, and it is encouraging to see private companies actively participating,' he said. Highlighting Karnataka's legacy in the power sector, George added, 'Karnataka has always been a leader in the power generation. The first hydroelectric power project in Asia was established during the reign of Nalvadi Krishnaraja Wodeyar. We must continue to build on this rich legacy. A new pumped storage project is now being launched at Sharavathi with the approval of the central government. I thank Pralhad Joshi, Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy for his support and cooperation.' Detailing the state's storage roadmap, George said, 'Although Karnataka generates more power than its demand, we currently lack adequate storage. To address this, we plan to implement major storage projects, including 2000 MW through the Sharavathi Pumped Storage, 1500 MW at Varahi, 1000 MW at Pavagada, and a 2000 MW battery storage facility at Rapte. The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Sharavathi project has already been approved by the Central Electricity Authority. The project will be developed between Talakalale in Shivamogga and the Gerusoppa reservoirs in Uttara Kannada, downstream of Linganamakki.' Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi, who inaugurated the battery storage unit, said that battery storage systems are crucial for achieving Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).' The central government is placing high priority on developing storage infrastructure to ensure that solar and wind power can be effectively utilized even during non-generation hours. It is encouraging that Karnataka is leading with projects like Sharavathi and Varahi pumped storage. Battery storage also offers immense investment potential, and I urge entrepreneurs to explore opportunities in this growing sector,' he further added, 'The first revolution in India was electricity, followed by television, and then the Internet and smart phones, which transformed our lives. Now, the next big change will come through battery storage systems, which will redefine how we consume and manage power. We are all set to witness this transformation.' T D Rajegowda, MLA and Chairman, KREDL, S R Mahesh, MLA, K P Rudrappaiah, Managing Director, KREDL, Prakashnath Swamiji, Avadhoota Vinay Guruji, Venugopal Rao, Chairman & Managing Director, Pace Digitek-Lineage Power, and other dignitaries were present at the event.
New Indian Express
9 hours ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Battery storage systems must at all Karnataka solar plants: Energy Minister KJ George
BENGALURU: Karnataka Energy Minister KJ George on Friday said that battery storage systems must be installed in all solar power plants in the state. He was speaking to media on the sidelines of the inauguration of a fully automated 5GWh battery energy storage unit set up by Pace Digitek's Lineage Power in Bidadi. Since 65% of power generation in Karnataka is from renewable energy, storing it in the day and utilising it at night is ideal. 'Battery storage systems capable of storing at least two hours of solar power must be integrated into all solar power plants. Effective storage systems are essential as solar and wind power generation have significantly increased in the state. The storage unit will also help in grid stability and better power management,' George said, adding that the Union Government was also promoting storage projects. He said that although Karnataka's power generation is more, there are inadequate storage facilities. To address this, Karnataka will implement major storage projects, including 2,000 MW through the Sharavathi Pumped Storage, 1,500 MW at Varahi, 1,000 MW at Pavagada, and a 2,000 MW battery storage facility at Rapte. 'The Detailed Project Report (DPR) for the Sharavathi project has already been approved by the Central Electricity Authority. The project will be developed between Talakalale in Shivamogga and the Gerusoppa reservoirs in Uttara Kannada, downstream of Linganamakki,' he said.
NBC Sports
10 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
TruEdge Sports backs off in its criticism of George Pickens over youth camp cancellation
Earlier this week, TruEdge Sports postponed a youth football camp that was supposed to feature former Steelers (now Cowboys) receiver George Pickens. The email sent to those who purchased tickets for the camp included strong language regarding Pickens's cancellation. Now, TruEdge Sports has sent a fresh email clarifying — and apologizing for — the prior message. 'At TruEdge Sports, we take pride in fostering strong relationships with the athletes, families, and communities we serve,' the company said. 'Recently, a statement was issued regarding our scheduled youth camp with George Pickens that did not accurately reflect the full scope of communications or the context surrounding the event. 'At no point did George communicate with us directly, and our communications with George's representatives led to confusion about the camp's status and future direction. 'Regrettably, the language used in our original message mischaracterized George's intent and actions. While our frustrations stemmed from the uncertainty surrounding the event, it was never our intention to publicly question George's professionalism, integrity, or commitment to the community. We now understand that the tone and implications of our message were not only inappropriate but inconsistent with our values as an organization. 'We recognize that he was navigating a significant career transition during this time and that his team kept open lines of communication with us.' That's a far cry from the prior comments made by TruEdge Sports. The earlier message said that Pickens 'decided to walk back on his word' to attend the camp, and that his 'sudden decision to back out not only reflects a disappointing lack of accountability, but also shows a disregard for the families and children who were excited to meet him.' 'Let us say again,' the prior message concluded, 'we are incredibly frustrated by George Pickens' lack of professionalism and his decision to abandon the commitment he personally confirmed after his trade.' TruEdge is now singing a very different tune, presumably after hearing from Pickens's camp — and possibly after being threatened with potential litigation for the public criticism it heaped upon him. While the new message isn't as clear as it could have been, it seems as if TruEdge Sports is saying it had gotten the facts wrong regarding Pickens's handling of the situation. Still, the new message continues to omit an open-ended offer to fully refund the payment made for the 'George Pickens Youth Football Camp' on June 28, which has now become a camp featuring Steelers tight end Pat Freiermuth on July 20. After sending a message that tries to make things right as to Pickens, here's hoping TruEdge Sports will soon be sending a message that makes things right as to those who paid for the camp that was supposed to happen on Saturday.
