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EU launches the Youth Empowerment Fund to support young people contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:19 GMT

The European Commission and the world's largest youth organizations, the “Big Six”, announced a partnership to launch the EU Youth Empowerment Fund, markingthe first anniversary of the Youth Action Plan for EU External Action, the EU's policy framework for a strategic partnership with young people to build a more resilient, inclusive and sustainable future. As a flagship initiative of the Youth Action Plan, and designed by, with and for young people, the EU Youth Empowerment Fund is a €10 million pilot initiative, to be implemented through the Global Youth Mobilization (GYM). It will provide and facilitate access to vital resources for young people to contribute to the sustainable development of their local communities and societies in EU partner countries across the world to reach the objectives of Agenda 2030, in line with the EU's Global Gateway strategy.During the Fund's launch in Nairobi, International Partnerships Commissioner Jutta Urpilainen said: “Our Youth Action Plan has ...

Empowering Democracy: Protecting Freedom of Expression and Media Integrity in Uzbekistan

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:19 GMT

Freedom of speech, opinion and information is a fundamental human right. According to Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, everyone has the right to freedom of opinion and expression; this right includes the freedom to hold opinions without interference and to seek, receive and impart information and ideas through any media and regardless of frontiers - writes Azamjon Farmonov, Head of the public association "Legal Support" in Human Rights of Uzbekistan.In addition, Arthur Sulzberger, publisher of The New York Times, noted that without free speech and reliable information, the rules of democracy and public trust will continue to crumble. In this regard, the role of the media is increasingly important, since free and independent media play a crucial role in ensuring democratic changes.Uzbekistan is actively cooperating with international partners with the aim to strengthening freedom of the media, enhancing the civic responsibility and moral courage of journalists...

Word Game: Oct. 6, 2023

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:19 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — SERPENT (SERPENT: SER-pent: Snake.)Average mark 34 wordsTime limit 40 minutesCan you find 40 or more words in SERPENT? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — AMBASSADOR aboard abroad adsorb amass armada arms aroma madras mass morass moss bard bass basso boar board boss brad brass broad sabra samba soar soda sora sorb dorm drab dram drama dross ramada road roamTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at [email protected].

Ask Amy: I want to change my children’s names, but one of them may not be happy about it

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:19 GMT

Dear Amy: I have two children, ages 5 and 10. I have been a single mother for the past four years after a decade of abuse from their father and a resulting restraining order. The court awarded me sole custody of the children.Unfortunately, both children have their father’s last name.I’m ready to move forward with changing their last names to my surname because I am their mother and sole caregiver.The 5-year-old is too young to remember his father and is as excited as a 5-year-old can be about the change, but the 10-year-old has mixed feelings.I think it’s better to do this change sooner rather than later, though I am cautious of the identity conflict a name change can bring.– MatrinameDear Matriname: You state that you want to move forward with this name change because you are your children’s mother and sole caregiver, but your decision here should be more about them and less about you.I agree that your 10-year-old’s feelings should very much be taken into account as you make ...

Hijacked Hope: Why a Decade of Mass Protest Backfired

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:19 GMT

The 2010s bore witness to a decade of massive global protests, from the seismic events of the Arab Spring to the birth of Occupy Wall Street and the fervor of the Umbrella Movement in Hong Kong. But what tangible accomplishments emerged from these impassioned movements? This week on Deconstructed, Ryan Grim is joined by Vincent Bevins, a veteran foreign correspondent and author of “If We Burn: The Mass Protest Decade and the Missing Revolution.” Bevins and Grim discuss the Arab Spring and the mass anti-austerity demonstrations in Brazil, and scrutinize the unsettling reality that, in numerous instances across various nations, conditions either stagnated or took a more repressive turn. Bevins details how more organized and, oftentimes, more authoritarian forces — ranging from organized groups to governments — were adept at harnessing the unrest, co-opting it, and ruthlessly quashing these burgeoning movements.Transcript coming soon.The post Hijacked Hope: Why a Decade of Mass Prote...

DC-area road closures, parking restrictions for Army Ten-Miler

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:19 GMT

The Army Ten-Miler is coming back to the D.C. area this Sunday, Oct. 8. Thousands of people are expected to take part in the 39th annual event.The race takes participating U.S. service members, veterans and their family members on a scenic tour of the District’s landmarks, looping from the Pentagon to the middle of the National Mall and back again.Proceeds from the event go toward Army Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation programs.Drivers may be slowed down by the dash, with road closures and parking restrictions throughout the District and in the areas of Crystal City, the Pentagon and Rosslyn in Virginia.Here are the street closures that will be in effect for the event:DCAccording to D.C. police, from 5 a.m. to noon, these streets will have Emergency No Parking signs:Seventh Street from Independence Avenue to Maryland Avenue, SWNinth Street from C Street to Independence Avenue, SW14th Street from Constitution Avenue to the 14th Street Bridge14th Street Bridge (HOV lanes only)...

Mongolia, the land of Genghis Khan, goes modern with breakdancing, esports and 3×3 basketball

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:19 GMT

HANGZHOU, China (AP) — There’s a minor sports revolution going on in Mongolia, the giant landlocked Asian country most associated with Genghis Khan and famous for its “three manly sports” of archery, horse racing and, the most prestigious, wrestling.The two-week Asian Games offer a glimpse at a changing Mongolia, a vast nation sandwiched between China and Russia with only 3.3 million people. Its ancient history is slowly giving way to the modern, including a growing passion for youth sports with breakdancing at the forefront.Yes, breakdancing.“There’s a huge potential in Mongolia to showcase that we are a powerhouse in breaking,” 25-year-old Khandjav Myagmarjav, the only woman on the four-person Mongolia breaking team at the Asian Games, told The Associated Press.Breaking is included in next year’s Paris Olympics, so that’s the next big stage for Mongolia to show off its moves.Despite its roots in street dance in urban America, the sport has surprisingly deep connections in Mo...

Two Legia Warsaw players held after scuffles with police following Europa Conference game in Alkmaar

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:19 GMT

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland’s prime minister and soccer authorities demanded explanations from the Netherlands on Friday as two Legia Warsaw players were detained after scuffles with police following the Europa Conference League match at AZ Alkmaar.Portuguese player Josue and Serbian Radovan Pankov, who had been taken off the team bus by police, remained in custody while the rest of the squad returned to Poland.It was not immediately clear what provoked the scuffles after Legia lost 1-0 to Group E rival Alkmaar on Thursday. Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki, who is campaigning ahead of Oct. 15 parliamentary elections, said he had tasked Poland’s diplomats to investigate the matter.Morawiecki said on X, previously Twitter, that “Polish players and fans must be treated according to law. We do not agree to law violations.”The secretary general of Poland’s PZPN Football Federation, Lukasz Wachowski, said he is demanding explanations from his Dutch counterparts and UEF...

China keeps raking in the golds as it dominates Asian Games on home soil in Hangzhou

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:19 GMT

HANGZHOU, China (AP) — Chinese swimmer Wu Shutong took Asian Games gold Friday in the 10-kilometer race, finishing seconds ahead of her competition from Japan in the more-than two-hour race, which she swam just days after her 18th birthday. “I find it a little hard to believe,” she told reporters. Wu spent most of the race behind Japan’s Airi Ebina and her Chinese teammate Sun Jiake, but was able to turn it up a notch near the end as Ebina started to slightly falter.“She didn’t have the strength and couldn’t speed up, so I accelerated to catch up,” Wu said. “I just swam as hard as I could, nothing too tactical.” Wu finished with a time of 2 hours, 3 minutes, 36.4 seconds, only 8.5 seconds ahead of Ebina and 21.5 seconds ahead of Sun. Taiwan’s Teng Yu-Wen was more than four minutes behind in fourth place. Wu, who turned 18 on Tuesday, said she felt lucky to be able to celebrate her birthday at the Asian Games. “Competing in the Hangzhou Asian Games is my gift for my...

The Girl Scouts are discontinuing a cult-favorite cookie

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:36:19 GMT

Girl Scouts won't sell the Raspberry Rally this cookie season. Girl Scouts won't sell the Raspberry Rally this cookie season. New York (CNN) — The Girl Scouts are discontinuing a popular cookie just a year after its debut sparked a frenzy.Raspberry Rally won’t be sold this upcoming cookie-sales season, which runs January to April 2024, Girl Scouts of the USA has announced. The Rallies was introduced last year as a “sister” cookie to the iconic Thin Mints, a crisp mint-flavored cookie encased in chocolate, but in the Raspberry Rally, the cookie was replaced with a bright pink berry-flavored one. It was dipped in the same chocolate coating as its sibling.The Rallies were the Girl Scouts’ first-ever cookie to be excl...