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Kazakh ruling party wins 54% of vote in snap election

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:15:57 GMT

Kazakhstan's ruling Amanat party received 53.9% of votes in a snap parliamentary vote, official data showed on Monday (20 March). This gave President Kassym Jomart Tokayev a mandate to reform the oil-rich country in line with his social justice goals.Although no opposition parties were represented in Sunday's elections, Western criticism was less severe than usual as Europe and America seek to strengthen relations with Russia's neighbors that have been shaken since Moscow's invasion.OSCE observers stated that reforms implemented before the vote addressed some of OSCE's previous recommendations and provided "increased choice for voters", but further changes were necessary.No opposition party was able to register before the election despite a formal relaxation of registration requirements, such as the number and origin of signatures required.At least one opposition group claimed that the government deliberately denied it registration.Kazakh officials said that positive and concerning ...

Presale Codes for Noah Kahan Stick Season Summer Tour

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:15:57 GMT

If you love Vermont, but it’s the season of the sticks, you’ll be excited to hear that Noah Kahan has added dates to his Stick Season Summer tour. The Vermont singer songwriter has added six dates along the way of his fully sold out tour. The current tour launches May 26 in Lewiston, NY and wraps September 17 in Toronto, ON, but dates have been added along the way in Morrison, Syracuse, Saratoga Springs, Bridgeport, Gilford and Mansfield — see below for all dates. Passwords and presale codes for the Noah Kahan Stick Season Summer Tour tickets are as follows:Presale codes for Noah Kahan Stick Season Summer TourPresale tickets for the Noah Kahan Stick Season Summer Tour go on sale today for verified fans. We’ve been told the following presale codes and passwords may work in the following days. Details are subject to change, and vary by event date:Live Nation website presale code or password: OPENERLive Nation mobile app presale code or password: COVERTSales for the general...

Ask Amy: I can’t let go of my unrepentent cheating husband

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:15:57 GMT

Dear Amy: My husband of 34 years has been cheating on me for years.When I confronted him last year and told him I knew everything, he said he doesn’t remember doing it. That’s an odd way to answer the cheating question.My problem is that even after all the things he’s put me through (giving her money, refusing intimacy with me, etc.) I still love him.Why do I love him? I have no idea. I definitely want a divorce, but I still care for him.After confronting him last year, I have been losing my hair and have lost 12 pounds all from stress. I cry myself to sleep almost every night. I don’t know why I can’t be strong enough to let go.I have spoken to people about this, including my pastor.I need your advice on how I can let go.HurtingDear Hurting: For most people, letting go is a process that can only be taken in stages.For you, letting go would start with you accepting the reality of your situation (you’ve done that). You should then come to grips with the fact t...

Harriette Cole: My anti-college husband flipped out about son’s travel costs

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:15:57 GMT

DEAR HARRIETTE: My son is in college, and the trips to visit him or bring him home for breaks and holidays are expensive.Recently, my husband asked me how much his spring break flight cost. When I told him, he hit the ceiling. This is not news. We talked about what college would cost before my son went there.My husband seems to be totally checked out. He made one contribution to the boy’s college bills and then seemingly washed his hands of the issue.Grumbling about costs now — especially when he’s not making a single effort to help pay the bills — irks me to no end. I don’t need to hear about how expensive college is. I would appreciate more financial support, though.Oh yeah, and he has some money. He could give something if he wanted to, but he doesn’t believe in college, so he is reluctant to contribute.Please HelpRelated ArticlesAdvice | Harriette Cole: Is this a bad way to deal with a co-worker who doesn’t like me? Advic...

License Plate Surveillance, Courtesy of Your Homeowners Association

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:15:57 GMT

At a city council meeting in June 2021, Mayor Thomas Kilgore, of Lakeway, Texas, made an announcement that confused his community.“I believe it is my duty to inform you that a surveillance system has been installed in the city of Lakeway,” he told the perplexed crowd.Kilgore was referring to a system consisting of eight license plate readers, installed by the private company Flock Safety, that was tracking cars on both private and public roads. Despite being in place for six months, no one had told residents that they were being watched. Kilgore himself had just recently learned of the cameras.“We find ourselves with a surveillance system,” he said, “with no information and no policies, procedures, or protections.”The deal to install the cameras had not been approved by the city government’s executive branch.Instead, the Rough Hollow Homeowners Association, a nongovernment entity, and the Lakeway police chief had signed off on the deal in January 2021, giving police access to reside...

Lab-grown chicken is one step closer to being sold in the US

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:15:57 GMT

Americans are one step closer to being able to buy chicken grown from animal cells, also known as lab-grown meat.Good Meat, the developer of such a chicken product, announced Tuesday that it has received a so-called “no questions” letter from the Food and Drug Administration. That letter states that the administration is satisfied that the product is safe to sell in the United States. The FDA issued a similar letter to another company that makes meat from cultured chicken cells, Upside Foods, in November.That’s a big step, but it doesn’t mean shoppers will be able to try the product just yet. To get the green light to sell to consumers, both companies need the go-ahead from the US Department of Agriculture.The FDA’s letter “clears a crucial step in bringing Good Meat to restaurants and retail in the US,” Good Meat said in a statement Tuesday, adding that it “is now working with the US Department of Agriculture on necessary approvals.&#...

Portugal back with Martínez as coach, Ronaldo in the squad

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:15:57 GMT

It’s a new era for Portugal as it begins European Championship qualifying under a new coach and with Cristiano Ronaldo far away from soccer’s biggest stadiums.Portugal starts its Euro 2024 qualifying campaign at home against Liechtenstein in Group J on Thursday, with Roberto Martínez debuting as coach and Ronaldo still in the squad.It will be Ronaldo’s first appearance with Portugal since leaving Europe for Saudi club Al Nassr after a mostly disappointing stint with Manchester United. He is set to break the all-time record of appearances with a national team after tying Bader Al-Mutawa’s mark of 196 outings for Kuwait during last year’s World Cup.Martínez is taking over Fernando Santos, who quit in December after Portugal’s elimination by Morocco in the quarterfinals of the World Cup. Santos left amid the controversy of benching Ronaldo in the knockout stage of the tournament in Qatar.Santos was in charge of Portugal for eight years, leading the national team to the Euro 2016 ...

Va. Rep. Don Beyer returns to school more than 50 years after college graduation

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:15:57 GMT

For Northern Virginia Congressman Don Beyer, it’s never too late to go back to school. At 72 years old, Beyer — who represents Arlington, Alexandria City, Falls Church and parts of Fairfax County — is a part-time student at George Mason University.“I’m pursuing a graduate degree in computer science with emphasis on machine learning, and according to George Mason University, that’s the closest to quote unquote artificial intelligence,” said Beyer, a 1972 graduate of Williams College in Massachusetts.More Government NewsMore Congress NewsMore Local NewsHe said that he’s always loved learning and that many family and friends have graduate degrees.“So, in some ways, I’m just catching up at the age of 72,” Beyer said.His area of study is no cakewalk, and before tackling some computer science classes in the fall, he’s deep into building some required credits.“It turned out I needed about seven prerequisites, things I hadn&#...

Super seniors lead the way into March Madness Sweet 16

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:15:57 GMT

Jerome Tang took his time finding the right players to fit into the program he wanted to build at Kansas State.They meshed just right, taking Tang and the Wildcats to the Sweet 16 in a season that started with them being picked to finish last in the Big 12.Four have been downright super.Anchored by fifth-year seniors Markquis Nowell, Desi Sills, Tykei Greene and Abayomi Iyiola, Kansas State is heading from the Little Apple to the Big Apple to face Michigan State at Madison Square Garden on Thursday.“To have guys who have 100 college games under their belt, there are just certain things that you pick up that it doesn’t matter how talented you are that you can’t gain it except through experience,” Tang said.Super seniors have had a huge impact on the teams that have made it this far in March Madness.Nine of the 16 remaining teams have players in fifth seasons granted by the NCAA due to the pandemic. They bring experience, leadership and presence with them on these deep runs into the b...

DC man receives prison time for threatening texts, sending images of his girlfriend

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 16:15:57 GMT

A 19-year-old man is facing more than two years in prison for threatening his girlfriend and sharing images of her. Prosecutors said his case serves as a lesson for teens across the region.Threatening someone, nefariously using their image and manipulating them to gain control are all markers of an abusive relationship, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.More DC NewsMore Crime NewsThose actions led a judge to sentence the 19-year-old from D.C. to two and a half years in prison. While the unnamed man and his girlfriend were 17 years old at the time, prosecutors said he threatened to kill her before killing himself in a series of texts, saying if he couldn’t have her, no one could.The teen also sent sexually explicit videos of the girl to her mom, her co-worker and her friend in an act of revenge porn, prosecutors said.“As a result of the defendant’s threats, the 17-year-old’s family obtained a civil protection order against the defendant. Despite thi...