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Nicholas Kristof: How to break a country

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:59 GMT

TALLINN, Estonia — Vladimir Putin has compared himself to the czar Peter the Great. But to travel through Eastern Europe is to see how much he has instead caused Russian influence to shrink.I’ve been on a road trip through Poland, Ukraine and the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia — and it’s clear that Putin has managed to unite nearly everyone against Russia. Even Russian speakers who often used to feel loyalty to Moscow are now fundraising for Ukraine.One of my first memories is of a trip to Poland in the 1960s to visit my grandparents (Kristof is short for Krzysztofowicz). What I remember is that communist Poland seemed endlessly bleak and depressing. Later, when I began to travel around Eastern Europe as a law student and aspiring journalist, my main impression was that in the communist bloc, you didn’t need color film.Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Ill., who was in Vilnius, Lithuania, for the NATO summit, told me that when he first visited the country in 1979, he had the sa...

Beechnut factory site transformation proposals

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:59 GMT

CANAJOHARIE, N.Y. (NEWS10) — “Today we’re really excited about the future…hope is back in Canajoharie,” said Matt Ossenfort, the Montgomery County Executive.The renderings for the community development space that will replace the old Beech Nut baby food factory in Canajoharie were revealed today. The former factory might not look like much now but town officials see it as key to their revitalization.MORE NEWS from NEWS10Ossenfort said the construction contracts have been written up to demolish the factory, and funding has been secured for its proposed replacement. Ossenfort said the 27 acre site will be a park encompassing a community space and a trail that will join with the Erie Canal bike path that will also connect with Downtown Canajoharie. “This is  a tremendous site with all the visibility and access from the thruway. It’s not a matter of when something’s gonna be here. It’s a matter of what it’s gonna be and making sure we follow through on our commitment to the vi...

Dozens of cats to be rescued by Mohawk Hudson Humane Society

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:59 GMT

Last week, NEWS10 reported on dozens of cats taking over a property in Montgomery County. News10 is checking in to see what progress has been made in the rescuing of those cats.Edgar Moore has lived in his Montgomery County home his entire life and he's finally getting the help he needs. The Mohawk Hudson Humane Society (MHHS) is stepping up vowing to capture and take care of all those cats. Cats overwhelm homeowner in Montgomery County Several area cat rescue groups came together last week to assist but quickly learned they needed more help than they could provide.“A lot of cats and kittens are getting hit by cars out on the roadway and they went over to see what they could do to help and realized that it was going to be a very intensive effort and they needed some more resources,” said Andrew Fiumano, Director of Outreach and Humane Law Enforcement with Mohawk Hudson Humane Society (MHHS).The MHHS says their team was able to assess the situation and capture a few of the cats who...

House explosion in St. Charles injures 3 adults, 2 children

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:59 GMT

ST. CHARLES, Mo. - Five people are being treated at an area hospital after a home explosion in St. Charles late Monday morning. According to Deputy Chief Steve Brown, St. Charles Fire Department, the explosion occurred shortly before 11:40 a.m. in the 500 block of Transit Street.Neighbors said they heard the explosion, and that the home had recently been renovated on the interior.“I was sitting on the couch and heard this massive boom, like a firework,” Kara Schemkes said. “I looked outside, and the house is just kind of like, it went out on the bottom, and I immediately called 911.”  Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News SIGN UP NOW Schemkes grabbed water bottles and offered them to the family as they sat on her front lawn, watching the h...

Vandalism, short-staffing keeping Denver’s public restrooms, drinking fountains closed despite summer heat

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:59 GMT

As temperatures near triple-digits on Monday, Denverites may have to bring their own water before they go to the park.Many of the city’s parks have broken water fountains, the result of vandalism and a short-staffed Parks and Recreation department, city officials said.“We’re trying to open as many of the fountains as we can,” said Cyndi Karvaski, a Parks and Recreation spokesperson. “But we don’t have a clear timeline.”It’s not as simple as turning on the water after the winter, Karvaski said. Some of the fountains have sustained significant damage and the department has been short on plumbers.Meanwhile, 13 of the 30 permanent bathrooms at city parks are closed “due to ongoing vandalism,” Karvaski said. Parks with inoperable restrooms have an ADA-compliant portable bathroom on site.At Ruby Hill Park, for example, someone stole all the copper tubing from the bathroom, Karvaski said. In Washington Park, individuals have place...

Rep. Lauren Boebert outpaced in second quarter fundraising by a wide margin

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:59 GMT

For the second quarter in a row, Democratic challenger Adam Frisch raised appreciably more money than did Rep. Lauren Boebert, a Republican firebrand who delights in provoking political enemies, in Colorado’s closely watched 3rd Congressional District contest.Frisch, a former Aspen city councilman, brought in over $2.6 million in the period April 1 to June 30 versus Boebert’s $818,000 take during the same three months. He also outpaced the incumbent by nearly $1 million in fundraising during the first three months of the year.“Boebert continues to vote against the interests of her constituents while devoting her time to ‘angertainment’ antics that do nothing to help (the district),” Frisch said in a statement after the numbers were posted. “We can do better than Boebert, and thanks to our generous supporters, we will defeat her in 2024.”Boebert’s campaign manager, Drew Sexton, told The Denver Post the race “will be won on the strength of the congr...

I-70 closed at Eisenhower, Johnson tunnels due to vehicle fire

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:59 GMT

Interstate 70 is closed in both directions at the Eisenhower and Johnson tunnels due to a vehicle fire on the westbound side.There’s no ETA for when the highway will open, Colorado State Patrol said on Twitter.Full closure of I-70 at the Eisenhower & Johnson Tunnels for vehicle fire on westbound bore. No ETA.S1 pic.twitter.com/FgiK3To1fC— CSP Golden (@csp_golden) July 17, 2023

Lack of funding forces UN to slash food program in Haiti amid a surge in malnutrition

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:59 GMT

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — The U.N.’s World Food Program announced Monday that it is facing a shortage of funds and won’t be able to help 100,000 people in Haiti this month who urgently need assistance.The 25% cut comes as a record 4.9 million people in the country of nearly 11 million need help with finding food, the agency said.“These cuts could not come at a worse time, as Haitians face a multi-layered humanitarian crisis, their lives and livelihoods upended by violence, insecurity, economic turmoil and climate shocks,” said Jean-Martin Bauer, the agency’s director for Haiti.The agency warned that its Haiti response plan is only 16% funded, and that it won’t be able to provide food to a total of 750,000 Haitians if it doesn’t secure $121 million through the end of the year.“Unless we receive immediate funding, further devastating cuts cannot be ruled out,” Bauer said.So far this year, the World Food Program has provide...

Russia's influence in Africa

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:59 GMT

Russia is trying to use its co-operation with Africa to show the world and Russians that it continues to be an influential player on the international stage. For this purpose, it will hold a Russia-Africa summit in St Petersburg on 27-28 July. Also, Moscow is paying attention to African states, and in this way, Putin hopes to show the Russian people before the 2024 elections that Russia is not isolated, but has many international partners. This approach can be called a step of desperation. Russia's bet on support from "friendly" countries such as the UAE, Turkey, China, and a number of post-Soviet countries has completely failed. These states are gradually coming out in favour of sanctions against Russia. African countries should follow the same path, Dispatches, IFBG.Russia has become a pariah on the international stage due to its aggression against Ukraine, receiving unprecedented sanctions and a trade blockade. In connection with the arrest warrant issued by the Internationa...

More restaurants are tacking sneaky fees onto bills

Published Sat, 22 Feb 2025 10:55:59 GMT

You've probably heard about "tipflation" -- restaurants prodding customers to leave higher tips for servers and staff.Now there's another trend to watch for: Restaurants adding sneaky fees to bills.These surcharges, which typically range from 3% to 5%, are often intended to cover higher inflation, employee healthcare costs or credit-card processing charges.And to be sure, all businesses are entitled to recover their operating costs.But this isn't how you do it.These fees are intended solely to mislead customers by keeping menu prices lower, even though the total cost of a meal will be more expensive.Moreover, customers may not be aware of the added fees until the end of the meal, when the bill arrives.That is, to put it mildly, a deceptive business practice.Worse, at least tips go to underpaid servers. These surcharges almost always go to the establishment (yes, the same establishment that had the chutzpah to run a bait-and-switch on pricing).The National Restaurant Assn. says about...