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Opinion: In the global struggle with populism, elections are a salve

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:32 GMT

As Donald Trump’s star rises again even with multiple criminal indictments looming, many observers fear that anti-establishment populism in America is no longer just a flirtation, but a feature of our democratic system.More generally, it has become common to think that democracies anywhere — with their open public spheres, majoritarian institutions and propensity for a frustrating incrementalism — have fueled the rise of populist leaders and demagogues. Examples of the success of “strongmen” leaders abound in Brazil, Hungary, India, Italy, Turkey, El Salvador and the United States.But it is equally possible that the very attributes of democracy that have invigorated populism are also those that will ultimately moderate its spread. Democracies’ transparent public spheres expose populists’ corruption, and the separations of power in a democracy tend to hold populists responsible for failures of governance.New evidence suggests that elections — the hallmark of democracy itself — may be...

Summer warning: Prolonged breath holds can cause shallow water blackouts

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:32 GMT

The story of her husband’s tragic death isn’t easy to tell, but Michelle Brislen knows the dangers of shallow water blackouts are an important message to share – especially as summer break gets underway.“It was definitely part of my healing process. It still is,” Brislen, a San Clemente High School marine science teacher, said of sharing how her husband, Drew, died while he was out diving alone off Laguna Beach in 2011. “I felt it was so urgent, and I still feel that way. It’s so important.”That’s why Brislen visited to speak to the San Clemente Junior Lifeguards camp, to teach them of the dangers of shallow water blackouts, also known as underwater hypoxic blackouts, a silent killer of even the most experienced pool and ocean swimmers.Michelle Brislen, a marine science teacher at San Clemente High School, spoke to a group of junior lifeguards on June 15, 2023. (Photo by Laylan Connelly, SCNG/Orange County Register) “I don’t want to scare the kids,” Brislen said on a recent day...

Actor Julian Sands still missing after weekend search on Mt. Baldy

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:32 GMT

By Alli Rosenbloom | CNNThe search for British actor Julian Sands, who was first reported missing in January after going hiking in the San Gabriel Mountains, resumed on Saturday, according to a news release on Monday from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department.The release stated that officials “continued ongoing search efforts in the Mount Baldy wilderness for missing hiker Julian Sands. Unfortunately, Mr. Sands was not located.”Over 80 search and rescue volunteers, deputies and staff participated in the search efforts, which were supported by two helicopters and drone crews as volunteers searched in “remote areas across Mount Baldy and conducted aerial search and assessment efforts,” according to officials.The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department shared videos of the helicopters and air support participating in the search on its  Twitter page.pic.twitter.com/yeJjZlX51P— San Bernardino County Sheriff (@sbcountysheriff) June 19, 2023Officials said Monday that “des...

Simple, 1-skillet chicken breast dinner evokes summer in Provence

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:32 GMT

Sunny southern France, known for swaying fields of purple lavender buds, also is flush with all manner of aromatic herbs. Tarragon, fennel, savory, sage, marjoram, parsley, rosemary, thyme, mint, oregano and more grow wild.Any combination of them can make up the dried seasoning blend called herbes de Provence, a one-stroke flavor booster that evokes Mediterranean summer — and was introduced to Americans in the 1970s by Julia Child.We use it to great effect with bone-in chicken breast in this simple skillet dinner from our book “Tuesday Nights Mediterranean,” which features weeknight-friendly meals from the region. Before searing just the skin side of the chicken, we toss the blend with garlic, onion, bell pepper, tomatoes, zucchini and capers. We then sear the chicken and nestle it into the vegetables to roast in a 475℉ oven.Deglazing the pan with half a cup of dry vermouth is ideal for creating a sauce out of the flavorful browned bits left in the pan after searing the chicken. Dry...

Alibaba nombra nuevo presidente y CEO en la mayor reorganización empresarial de su historia

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:32 GMT

(CNN) — Alibaba está reemplazando a Daniel Zhang como presidente y CEO de la compañía a medida que el gigante tecnológico chino experimenta la mayor reorganización de su historia.Joseph Tsai, vicepresidente ejecutivo y cofundador de Alibaba, sucederá a Zhang como presidente, dijo la compañía este martes. Eddie Wu, presidente de la unidad de comercio electrónico Taobao y Tmall Group, sucederá a Zhang como director ejecutivo.Ambos nombramientos entrarán en vigencia en septiembre, y Zhang continuará desempeñándose como presidente y CEO de la unidad de nube de Alibaba.Esta es la segunda vez que Alibaba experimenta un cambio importante en el liderazgo ejecutivo en unos pocos años después de que el cofundador Jack Ma se retirara en 2019. Y se produce solo unos meses después de que la empresa anunciara su mayor reestructuración en 24 años.La compañía dijo en marzo que se dividiría en seis unidades separadas, que incluyen nube, comercio electrónico, logística, medios y entretenimiento...

Virginia primaries are open: Rising stakes ahead of November’s election

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:32 GMT

In Loudoun County, WTOP's Neal Augenstein is providing updates from a polling station.(WTOP/Neal Augenstein) In Loudoun County, WTOP's Neal Augenstein is providing updates from a polling station.(WTOP/Neal Augenstein) Party primaries are in full swing throughout Virginia, with voters selecting candidates for top prosecutor, state legislature, county board and more, ahead of a potentially game-changing election this November.Polls are open throughout Virginia until 7 p.m. Tuesday. Use this tool to find out where to vote. Remember to bring a valid form of identification with you, such as a Virginia driver’s license, U.S. passport, recent utility bill or student card — head here for a list of acceptable forms o...

Pounds of Johnsonville sausage links recalled in Colorado

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:32 GMT

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Johnsonville, LLC is recalling over 42,000 pounds of pork sausage links that may be contaminated.Approximately 42,062 pounds (4,807 cases) of Johnsonville's ready-to-eat (RTE) “Beddar with Cheddar” pork sausage links may be contaminated with very thin strands of black plastic fibers, which were discovered after a customer complained, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)."Due to the small size and flexible nature of the material, FSIS (Food Safety & Inspection Service) believes it poses a very low risk for adverse health effects if consumed, but the safety of our consumer is our primary concern, which is why we’re issuing the recall," Johnsonville said in a statement.Courtesy: U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection ServiceThe affected products are 14-ounce packages of Johnsonville Beddar with Cheddar Smoked Sausage links. The pork sausage has a "Best By" date of July 11, 2003...

$10,000 worth of snakes stolen from ‘Wild Things’ pet store

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:32 GMT

LAS VEGAS, Nevada (KVVU) — About 30 animals, including some very valuable snakes, worth at least $10,000 total, WERE stolen from Wild Things specialized pet store in Las Vegas early Saturday morning.“They took the money from the cash register. They used a hammer and literally smashed through our tanks, grabbed the animals,” said Wild Things co-owner Stephanie Tracy.“Aru Green Tree Pythons, a male and a female, about 3.5 to 4 feet. They stole the Emerald Tree Boa that had been here for over a year,” said Tracy while surveying the damage Saturday. “And to shatter the glass, that’s just pure maliciousness because all they had to do was unlock it.”Around 4:45 a.m. Saturday, surveillance cameras inside the store caught a person smashing through the tanks and shoving the snakes into a bag.“And they’re particularly mean, so it’s really surprising that that’s what he took was mean animals, so it’s somebody who really knew their way around the animals and knew exactly what they were go...

Macron wants to crash summit with Russia, China and allies

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:32 GMT

Emmanuel Macron wants to take his one-man global diplomacy to another level.The French president wishes to become the first Western leader to be invited to a BRICS summit, Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna said late Monday.“Having a dialogue is always positive, even when we don’t 100 percent agree on everything,” Colonna said at a press conference in Pretoria, where she had just met with her South African counterpart, Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor, according to French public broadcaster RFI.“We’re thinking out loud — but it’s obviously a decision that only the relevant countries can take — about the possibility of continuing this dialogue, why not at the BRICS summit or in another format,” the French minister said.South Africa will host the next summit of BRICS countries — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, all of which remain close to Moscow despite the Kremlin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine — in Johannesburg on August...

Labour vows to ‘fix the holes in Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal’

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 15:57:32 GMT

LONDON — A Labour government under Keir Starmer will “fix the holes in Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal,” including on electric vehicles, the party’s trade chief said Tuesday, promising to mend ties with the U.K.’s largest trade partner.While Labour “will not go back into the EU or rejoin the customs union or restore freedom of movement,” the party’s Shadow Trade Secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds told business leaders at the Trade Unlocked conference in Birmingham that it “would work to reset our trading relationships.”“That has to include fixing holes in the TCA,” he added, referring to the EU-U.K. Trade and Cooperation Agreement.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government is “putting our car manufacturers at risk,” Thomas-Symonds told POLITICO, and “very urgently” needs to address a mechanism in the Brexit deal taking effect at the end of the year that could impose 10 percent tariffs on electric vehicles traded with the EU.  “We’re in an urgent situation,” Thomas-Symonds said, emphas...