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☆ Kroger and Albertsons sell 400 stores to Piggly Wiggly’s parent company
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-08 | by ( Jordan Valinsky | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

New York CNN —Kroger and Albertsons are selling roughly 400 stores to Piggly Wiggly’s parent company in an attempt to win antitrust approval for the mega merger between the grocery stores. C&S, a privately held company, operates 500 grocery stores under the Piggly Wiggly and Grand Union banners and is also a major grocery wholesaler. On Friday, Kroger reported $33.85 billion in revenue for the second quarter, slightly under analyst estimates of $34.63 billion. Company executives said part of the quarterly loss related to economic headwinds, organized retail theft and opioid settlement payments. The largest to date is a $26 billion settlement involving several companies that began paying out last year and continues for 18 years.

Persons: New York CNN —, ” Kroger, ”, Mark McGowan, Kroger Organizations: New, New York CNN, New York CNN — Kroger, Albertsons, S Wholesale Grocers, Union, Walmart, Costco, Aldi, ., Kroger Locations: New York, Arizona , California, Colorado, Wyoming, Amazon, Aldi, Dixie, ” State

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Poland's central bank lowered its interest rates by 75 basis points on Wednesday despite the country's double-digit inflation rate. The National Bank of Poland's monetary policy council announced that it was cutting the reference rate from 6.75% to 6%, and other interest rates by the same amount. Economists had been expecting a rate cut, but not such a large one. In conditions of high inflation, central banks tend to raise interest rates, a move that can help bring down inflation over time by discouraging consumption. Interest rate cuts, on the other hand, make financing cheaper and tends to encourage consumers and businesses to spend more.

Persons: Adam Glapinski, Marek Tatala, “, Ryszard Petru, ” Petru Organizations: National Bank of, Law, Justice, Freedom Foundation, Twitter Locations: WARSAW, Poland, National Bank of Poland, Warsaw, Ukraine

☆ Here’s What It’s Like to Take the Classic Learning Test
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-06 | by ( ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Think not, my sisters, that because you must not seek to please secular persons you shall therefore want support. And as you have given up revenues, give up also all care about food -otherwise all is lost. This care leave to Him, who knows how to move all men, who is the Lord of revenues and of their possessors. God forbid this should be done; let our houses be poor and mean in every way. As for those who build large houses, they have their reasons and other pious intentions.

Persons: Teresa of Ávila’s, John Dalton

☆ India's G20 presidency risks ringing hollow as Ukraine war dashes hopes of consensus
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Clement Tan | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

US President Joe Biden, right, and Narendra Modi, India's prime minister, at an arrival ceremony during a state visit on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Thursday, June 22, 2023. One of the risks is that by elevating India's presidency of the G20 so much, there are now expectations for India to deliver some concrete breakthroughs. Russia-Ukraine impasseIndeed, the specter of Russia's Ukraine invasion has loomed large over G20 meetings for the various tracks that India has convened. He even labeled it the "biggest achievement" of India's G20 presidency so far — despite Russia and China abstaining. This development serves to buttress India's burgeoning economic clout, the basis of its greater confidence and assertiveness geopolitically.

Persons: Joe Biden, Narendra Modi, India's, haven't, Manjari Chatterjee, Modi, Manjari Chatterjee Miller, Vladimir Putin, Xi Jinping, Putin, Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, Chaudhuri, Sergei Lavrov —, Putin —, CFR's Miller, Eurasia Group's Chaudhuri, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Sumedha Dasgupta, Biden, Taiwan —, assertiveness, It's, Pravin Krishna Johns Organizations: White, Bloomberg, Getty, Indian, Shanghai Cooperation Organization, Manjari Chatterjee Miller, Foreign, Council, Foreign Relations, CNBC, Global, African Union, UN, Group Russia's, West, Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, India's, Economist Intelligence Unit, Moscow, . Warming, Apple, Pravin Krishna Johns Hopkins University's School, International Locations: Washington , DC, New Delhi, India, Ukraine, Pakistan, South Asia, Washington ,, Russia, China, Varanasi, Bali, Eurasia, Asia, U.S, . Warming India, Malaysia, Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan, Beijing

☆ Mexican Senator Xochitl Galvez hailed as opposition candidate for 2024 election
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] Mexican Senator Xochitl Galvez speaks at a rally to be announced as the opposition Broad Front for Mexico 2024 presidential candidate, in Mexico City, Mexico September 3, 2023. REUTERS/Henry Romero Acquire Licensing RightsMEXICO CITY, Sept 3 (Reuters) - Thousands of supporters celebrated the nomination of Mexican Senator Xochitl Galvez on Sunday as the 2024 presidential candidate of an opposition alliance set to take on the country's ruling party. Galvez, a spirited communicator who has energized the opposition, is seen as the main candidate to take on President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador's National Regeneration Movement (MORENA), which is due to announce its own candidate on Sept. 6. Supporters could be heard chanting "we are going to win" as they waved flags and banners supporting Galvez's nomination and the alliance. Representatives of the coalition, the center-right PAN, the leftist PRD and the once-powerful PRI party - which supported Galvez at the expense of its own challenger, Beatriz Paredes - had called for Galvez's nomination earlier in the week.

Persons: Xochitl Galvez, Henry Romero, Galvez, Andres Manuel Lopez, Lopez Obrador, Hector Chavez, Beatriz Paredes, Aida Pelaez, Fernandez, Cassandra Garrison, Alberto Fajardo, Liamar Ramos, Deepa Babington, Diane Craft Organizations: REUTERS, Regeneration, Frente Amplio, PAN, PRD, PRI, Thomson Locations: Mexico, Mexico City, MEXICO

☆ Luis Rubiales: As under-fire soccer chief stands firm, women's soccer in Spain may be preparing for new beginnings
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-03 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Spain won the Women’s World Cup for the first time last month yet, just two weeks on, no one is talking about the success. In that intoxicating, finite pocket of time, Spain’s players had the freedom to lose themselves in the victory of their lives. The decades-long battle for equality in women’s soccer, and society, has a way to go but nothing changes in silence. But beyond the headlines, this is a story which symbolizes the problems within women’s soccer and society, of women not being respected or listened to. England women’s head coach Sarina Wiegman dedicated her UEFA Women’s Coach of the Year award to the Spanish national team.

Persons: wasn’t, “, ”, Luis Rubiales ’, Rubiales, Jenni Hermoso’s, Hermoso, Luis Rubiales, Jenni Hermoso, Spain’s, ’, there’s, Ballon d’Or, Alexia Putellas, Maddie Meyer, –, Aitana Bonmatí, hasn’t, Jorge Vilda, England, Sarina Wiegman, ” Wiegman, Putellas Organizations: CNN, Spain, country’s, United, Human, Spain soccer, England, FIFA, Royal Spanish Football Federation, Spanish, soccer, TUDN, UEFA, Liga, “, Spanish national Locations: Spanish, Spain, Sydney, Eurasia, Rubiales

History of Labor DayThe first Labor Day occurred in 1882 in New York City under the direction of that city’s Central Labor Union. The New York Tribune’s reporter covering the event felt the entire day was like one long political barbecue, with “rather dull speeches.”Why was Labor Day invented? Common misconceptionsThe common misconception is that since Labor Day is a national holiday, everyone gets the day off. It became a national holiday in June 1894 when President Grover Cleveland signed the Labor Day bill into law. Because not everyone is given time off on Labor Day, union workers as recently as the 1930s were being urged to stage one-day strikes if their employer refused to give them the day off.

Persons: Jay L, Zagorsky, Grover Cleveland, Obama, “, ”, Peter J, McGuire, Matthew Maguire, Peter McGuire, Don’t Organizations: Zagorsky Labor, Labor, city’s Central Labor Union, Central Labor Union, AFL, Communist, Marxist, New York, Brotherhood of Carpenters, Machinists Union Locations: U.S, New York City, York, Oregon, Colorado , Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey

[1/2] Union workers of Sogo & Seibu hold banners which read 'on strike' in front of the company's flagship Seibu Ikebukuro store in Tokyo, Japan August 31, 2023. In a statement, Fortress said it would work with Seven & i to support Sogo & Seibu's management to maintain its workforce "to the extent possible." It plans to invest more than 20 billion yen with partner Yodobashi to renovate Sogo & Seibu's stores, it said. Sogo & Seibu's workers had the support of labour groups from rival department stores including Takashimaya and Isetan Mitsukoshi (3099.T). The Seibu Ikebukuro store is Japan's third-largest department store by sales, according to media reports, but its owner Sogo & Seibu has been in the red for the last four years.

Persons: Irene Wang, Fortress, Yodobashi, it's, Yasuhiro Teraoka, Isetan Mitsukoshi, Wakana Shuto, Stephen Givens, Ritsuko Shimizu, Mariko Katsumura, Kaori Kaneko, Rocky Swift, Chang, Ran Kim, Edwina Gibbs, Stephen Coates, Miral Organizations: Union, Sogo, Seibu, company's, REUTERS, Workers, Fortress Investment Group, Yodobashi Holdings, Rikkyo, Japan Inc, Thomson, & & ' Locations: Tokyo, Japan, U.S, TOKYO, Ikebukuro, Sogo, Seibu Ikebukuro

[1/2] Union workers of Sogo & Seibu hold banners which read 'on strike' in front of the company's flagship Seibu Ikebukuro store in Tokyo, Japan August 31, 2023. Some 900 workers at the flagship Seibu store in the bustling district of Ikebukuro are protesting the sale of Sogo & Seibu, a unit of retail giant Seven & i (3382.T), to U.S. fund Fortress Investment Group. This one-day strike - the first at a major Japanese department store in 61 years - followed months of negotiations between Sogo & Seibu management and the workers' union, and comes amid a labour shortage in Japan. Other Seibu and Sogo department stores were open for business as usual. The Seibu Ikebukuro store is Japan's third-largest department store by sales, according to media reports, but its owner Sogo & Seibu has been in the red for the last four years.

Persons: Irene Wang, Isetan Mitsukoshi, Wakana Shuto, Stephen Givens, it's, Ritsuko Shimizu, Mariko Katsumura, Kaori Kaneko, Rocky Swift, Chang, Ran Kim, Edwina Gibbs, Stephen Coates, Miral Organizations: Union, Sogo, Seibu, company's, REUTERS, Workers, Fortress Investment Group, Yodobashi Holdings, Rikkyo, Japan Inc, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, U.S, TOKYO, Ikebukuro, Sogo, Seibu Ikebukuro

☆ Japan sees rare strike as workers at landmark department store protest sale
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( Mariko Katsumura 清水律子 | Mariko Katsumura | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The slogan on the banner in the centre reads, 'Sogo & Seibu, strike solidarity'. This one-day strike - the first at a major Japanese department store in 61 years - followed months of negotiations between Sogo & Seibu management and the workers' union. Other Seibu and Sogo department stores were open for business as usual. "Considering the industry's difficulties, the conditions at Sogo & Seibu are not unique." Sogo & Seibu has been in the red for the last four years and has some 300 billion yen in debt.

Persons: Satomi Saito, Isetan Mitsukoshi, Daimaru, Wakana Shuto, Ritsuko Shimizu, Mariko Katsumura, Kaori Kaneko, Rocky Swift, Chang, Ran Kim, Edwina Gibbs Organizations: Sogo, Seibu, company's, Kyodo, Workers, Fortress Investment Group, Yodobashi Holdings, Yodobashi, Hankyu Hanshin, Rikkyo, Thomson Locations: Tokyo, Japan, U.S, TOKYO, Ikebukuro, Sogo

installed for the upcoming regional elections planned by the Russian-installed authorities, in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in Donetsk, Russian-controlled Ukraine, August 12, 2023. Russia does not fully control any of the four regions where the votes are being held - Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. Ukrainian officials say the elections are also illegal and show why it is impossible to hold any peace talks with Moscow until Russia withdraws all its troops from Ukrainian territory. The governors are all running with Russian President Vladimir Putin's endorsement having joined the Kremlin's United Russia bloc with fanfare in recent months and they face only nominal opposition. "They (Russian-installed officials) are going to walk from apartment to apartment, as they did before, talking to people.

Persons: Donbas, Alexander, Moscow's, Vladimir Putin's, Vadym Boichenko, Yevgeny Balitsky, Putin, Felix Light, Felix Hoske, Philippa Fletcher Organizations: REUTERS, Ukraine, United Nations, Assembly, Kremlin's United, Reuters, Kremlin, United, Thomson Locations: Russian, Russia, Ukraine, Donetsk, Ukraine Russia, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Crimea, Moscow, Kremlin's United Russia, Mariupol, Ukrainian, Kyiv, MOSCOW, United Russia

The Dharavi slum, about three-quarters the size of New York's Central Park, featured in Danny Boyle's Oscar-winning 2008 movie "Slumdog Millionaire". Only those who already lived in Dharavi before 2000, mostly ground-floor residents, will get free homes within the redevelopment. In interviews with Reuters, some Dharavi residents cited the billionaire's financial troubles as contributing to their concerns. Last month, a Mumbai court allowed SecLink to add Adani to its lawsuit, forcing the conglomerate to defend its position before judges. In early August, about 300 opposition supporters and residents gathered in Dharavi to object to Adani's involvement.

Persons: Adani, Gautam Adani's, Narendra Modi's, Danny Boyle's Oscar, SecLink, Eknath Shinde, Modi, Maharashtra's, Sandeep Shastri, Rajendra Korde, Radha Pawar, Srinivas, Mohammad Hasmat Ullah, Ullah, Dhwani Pandya, Aditya Kalra, Arpan Chaturvedi, Francis Mascarenhas, David Crawshaw Organizations: Adani, Consultancy, Reuters, SecLink Technologies Corporation, The, Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party, BJP, Modi's BJP, India's, Trust, Reuters ., Dharavi, Committee, Authority, Dhwani, Thomson Locations: Dubai, MUMBAI, rehouse, Dharavi, Maharashtra, The Dubai, Mumbai, Gujarat, snowballing

CNN —The soccer world has rallied behind Jenni Hermoso, leaving Spanish soccer chief Luis Rubiales looking increasingly isolated as the pressure builds on him a week after his unwanted kiss on the Spain star at the Women’s World Cup final last Sunday. It was a week ago that Rubiales kissed Hermoso after the player had collected her winners’ medal, an incident seen by millions of viewers around the world. It was a visual representation of the global solidarity which has marked women’s soccer this week. San Diego Wave shows support for Jenni Hermoso. That solidarity extended into men’s soccer too with Cadiz and Sevilla both showing their support for Hermoso at their respective matches on Saturday, while Spanish soccer icons Xavi and Iniesta voiced their disapproval of Rubiales’ behavior.

Persons: Jenni Hermoso, Luis Rubiales, Andrés Iniesta, Rubiales, Jorge Vilda, ” Vilda, Hermoso, Spain’s, Vilda, ” Hermoso, “, ”, Jenni ’, Jennifer Hermoso ”, Houston Dash, Contigo Jenni, Jenni, Alex Morgan –, Nathan Ray Seebeck, La, Iniesta, Somos Jenni, Yolanda Díaz, Jennifer Hermoso, Fran Santiago, Xavi Organizations: CNN, Spanish, Spain, FIFA, Hermoso, Milan, Atletico Madrid, Houston, National Women’s Soccer League, KS, Orlando Pride, San Diego Wave, Diego Wave, USA, Sports, Reuters, Sevilla, Getty Locations: Spain, Spanish, ”, Madrid, La Roja’s, Cadiz, Barcelona

☆ A Virginia high school told a student to remove American flags from his truck. His family opted to homeschool him instead.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-27 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

A high school senior withdrew from his school when they wouldn't let him fly a flag on his truck. A school parking policy says large flags or banners are prohibited because they are distracting. The family has started a GoFundMe for $5,000 to get the car wrapped in the American flag. Christopher Hartless said it is "bull crap" that he can't fly large American flags from the back of his pickup truck at school. After being warned to remove the flags, the school rescinded Hartless' parking pass, ABC News affiliate WSET-TV reported.

Persons: Christopher Hartless, Hartless, WFXR, Allen Kingery, Kingery, WSET Organizations: Service, Fox, Staunton River High, ABC News Locations: Wall, Silicon, Virginia, Staunton

☆ Market reactions to Powell speech
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +8 min

"It is the Fed's job to bring inflation down to our 2% goal, and we will do so," Powell said. "August has been a difficult month for the market, so it is hungry for news that will help reverse the trend. Investors are hanging on to every word, but the main takeaway is that Powell signaled that the Fed would raise rates if needed. Rather than last year's short but brutal speech, Powell opted for a longer and calmer speech. KARL SCHAMOTTA, CHIEF MARKET STRATEGIST, CORPAY, TORONTO"On balance, this is a modestly less hawkish speech than markets had feared.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Powell, CHRISTOPHER HODGE, MICHAEL GREEN, ANDRE BAKHOS, CARSTEN BRZESKI, Ann Saphir, Christine, Lagarde, ” JOSEPH LAVORGNA, “, ” STUART COLE, ” QUINCY KROSBY, there's, DAVID WAGNER, Jackson, BRIAN JACOBSEN, patting, KARL SCHAMOTTA, Bernanke, Draghi Organizations: U.S . Federal, Federal, NFP, Fed, ING, Kansas City, REUTERS, CHIEF, CPI, Global Finance, Markets, Thomson Locations: U.S, JERSEY, FRANKFURT, Kansas, Jackson Hole , Wyoming, NIKKO, LONDON, CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA, CINCINNATI , OHIO, WISCONSIN, TORONTO

P01135809, according to Fulton County Jail records - was captured glaring at the camera in the mug shot. His campaign website featured the mug shot along with a message from Trump defending his actions and asking for donations. TRIAL DATE WRANGLINGWillis originally proposed a trial date of March 4 but moved it up for Chesebro after he asked that his trial start by October. In the Georgia case, Willis has requested that arraignments begin the week of Sept. 5, though defendants in Georgia are permitted to waive those appearances and plead not guilty via court filing. Trump agreed to post $200,000 bond and accepted bail conditions that would bar him from threatening witnesses or his co-defendants in the Georgia case.

Persons: Meadows, Donald Trump's, president's, unsmiling Trump, Trump, Elon Musk, Joe Biden, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Lyle Rayworth, Rayworth, MONA LISA, Mona Lisa, Laura Loomer, Donald Trump, mugshot, Scott McAfee, Kenneth Chesebro, Fani Willis, Rudolph Giuliani, Jenna Ellis, Mark Meadows, Willis, Steven Sadow, arraignments, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Jack Smith, Bragg, Trump's, Tucker Carlson, I've, Carlson, Rich McKay, Jack Queen, Eric Beech, Costas Pitas, David Ljunggren, Jacqueline Thomsen, Kanishka Singh, Rami Ayyub, Andy Sullivan, Joseph Ax, Will Dunham, Scott Malone, Daniel Wallis, Howard Goller Organizations: Trump, White House, U.S, Capitol, Hartsfield, White, Republican Party, Republican, Democratic, Georgia U.S, Former U.S, Sheriff's, Fulton County Sheriff's, New, U.S . Justice Department, Chesebro, Manhattan, Attorney, . House, Thomson Locations: ATLANTA, Atlanta, U.S, Georgia, Fulton County, New Jersey, Jackson, Fulton, Atlanta , Georgia, New York, Washington, Miami, Milwaukee

Seafood is having a bad week in East Asia, which is bad news for a region where it’s a major part of the diet. Experts say Japan’s discharge into the ocean of treated radioactive wastewater from the ruined Fukushima nuclear power plant, which began on Thursday, does not and will not pose health risks to people who eat seafood. On Thursday, the Chinese government widened a ban on seafood imports to include all of Japan instead of only some regions. The wastewater release has been heavily politicized and fueled deep anxiety over seafood in both China and South Korea, leaving some wondering whether sushi, sashimi and other products were still safe. At Noryangjin Fish Market in Seoul on Friday, fish vending associations had put up banners urging consumers to not give in to paranoia.

Locations: East Asia, Japan, China, South Korea, Seoul

☆ In pictures: Trump supporters and protesters rally outside Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

[16/20]An anti-Trump demonstrator holds banners next to supporters of former U.S. President Donald Trump near the entrance of the Fulton County Jail, as Donald Trump is expected to turn himself in to be processed after his Georgia indictment, in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S., August 24. REUTERS/Dustin ChambersATLANTA, GA, UNITED STATES

Persons: Donald Trump, Dustin Chambers Organizations: Trump, REUTERS, Dustin Chambers ATLANTA, UNITED STATES Locations: Fulton, Georgia, Atlanta , Georgia, U.S

☆ S.Korea police arrest 16 Fukushima protesters targeting Japan embassy
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Hongji Kim | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A university student is detained while attempting to break into the Japanese embassy on the occasion of Japan releasing treated radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, in Seoul, South Korea, August 24, 2023. The protest came the day Japan began releasing treated radioactive water from the wrecked nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, a polarising move that prompted fresh, fierce criticism from around the region. A Reuters photographer on the scene saw police officers physically carry and drag protesters from the building and bundle them into a bus. A police officer at the Jongno police station in the South Korean capital said 16 people were arrested on charges of trespassing, accusing them of trying to break into the embassy. The Japanese embassy had advised its citizens on Tuesday not to approach Fukushima-related rallies in front of the embassy building, so as to "avoid getting into unnecessary trouble".

Persons: Kim Hong, Han Duck, Hongji Kim, Soo, hyang Choi, Josh Smith, Clarence Fernandez, Christopher Cushing Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Korean, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Japan, Seoul, South Korea, Rights SEOUL, Fukushima, Tokyo

☆ Gap reports another period of declining sales across all brands, warns of 'uncertain consumer'
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Gabrielle Fonrouge | In Gabrielle-Fonrouge | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

In this article GPS Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNTPedestrians walk past Old Navy and GAP stores in Times Square, New York City. The company is projecting net sales to decrease in the low double-digit range for the fiscal third quarter compared to last year's net sales of $4.04 billion. Sales declined 6% at Old Navy, on top of a sharp 13.6% decline in the prior-year period. Gap is betting Dickson can breathe new life into Gap's brands: its namesake banner, Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta. "We know that regardless of market conditions, strong brands, brands that matter, win," said O'Connell.

Persons: Drew Angerer, Katrina O'Connell, Neil Saunders, StreetAccount, Richard Dickson's, Mattel's Barbie, Dickson, Here's, Chris Blakeslee, Alo Yoga, O'Connell Organizations: Navy, GAP, Refinitiv, Old Navy, Mattel, Banana, Republic Locations: Times Square , New York City, Banana Republic, women's, men's, Gap China, North America

☆ Opinion: Russia’s uneasy neighbors
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Opinion Frida Ghitis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“All of Russia’s neighbors are under threat,” he said, “if Ukraine does not prevail.” He will find few who disagree among those neighbors. It’s why Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas, one of the most eloquent proponents of the need to support Ukraine, says Ukraine is Estonia’s own front line. Here, the exterior of Russia’s embassy has become a showcase for the contempt Estonians feel for their former master. As in Estonia, Russia’s 21st century assault on Ukraine brought echoes of Russia’s 20th century subjugation of Latvia. Genuine normalcy, a permanent sense of safety, Russia’s neighbors have discovered, will have to wait until peace returns to a secure Ukraine.

Persons: Frida Ghitis, Latvia CNN —, it’s, Lithuania —, Volodymyr Zelensky, ”, Vladimir, Putin, Raivis, “, It’s, Kaja Kallas, Michal Fludra, Ukraine —, ” Janis Melnikovs, Radio Maria, Melnikovs, there’s, Russia —, Toomas, Margit Raud, Margit, —, Galina Domenikovska, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Russia’s Organizations: CNN, Washington Post, Politics, Latvia CNN, Frida Ghitis CNN, Estonian, Russian Embassy, Ukraine Independence, NATO, Catholic, Radio, Ukraine, Kremlin, People Fleeing, Authorities, Soviet Army, Twitter Locations: Riga, Latvia, Russia, Ukraine, Moscow, Estonia, Lithuania, Denmark, Netherlands, Soviet Union, Tallinn, Estonian, Finland, Helsinki, People Fleeing Ukraine, Viru, Baltics, Russia’s, Baltic, Republic of Georgia, Crimean

☆ Radioactive Water Is Complicating Japan and Korea’s New Friendship
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-21 | by ( Choe Sang-Hun | More About Choe Sang-Hun | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

At a busy intersection in Seoul this summer, a banner from the main opposition Democratic Party barked “No!” to Japan’s plan to dump treated radioactive water from its destroyed Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific. Across the street, a placard from the governing People Power Party said the real threat was the opposition spreading conspiracy theories that would scare people away from seafood: “The Democratic Party is killing the livelihoods of our fishermen!”Japan’s imminent decision to release more than 1.3 million tons of treated water at Fukushima Daiichi, the power plant that was destroyed by an earthquake and tsunami in 2011, has raised alarms across the Pacific. But in South Korea, it has triggered a particularly raucous political debate, with the government of President Yoon Suk Yeol and its enemies slugging it out through banners, YouTube videos, news conferences and protests. What sets South Korea apart from other critics in the region is that its government has endorsed Japan’s discharge plan despite widespread public misgiving, only asking Japan to provide transparency to ensure the water is discharged properly. The authorities are running online advertisements and holding daily news briefings to dispel what they call fear-mongering by the opposition and to convince the people that the water will do no harm.

Persons: Democratic Party barked, Yoon Suk Organizations: Democratic Party, People Power Party Locations: Seoul, Fukushima, South Korea, Korea, Japan

☆ From cocktails to free rides, World Cup co-hosts fight to woo back tourists
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-19 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

In 2022, there were only about 1.4 million visitors, according to data provided by the government, still considerably below pre-pandemic levels. That’s why events like the Women’s World Cup are so important. Cities like Wellington and Auckland have catered to World Cup tourists by making public transportation free on game days for anyone with a match ticket. The extra effort has not gone unnoticed by tourists, especially those who have traveled to other World Cup events. Compared to the last Women’s World Cup in France, more businesses seem excited to welcome tourists, said US fan Carly Andler.

Persons: James Johnson, “, ” Johnson, ”, Monchy, CNN’s Richard Quest, Iain Walker, Chow Tory, Chow Tory's, Tara Subramaniam, Carly Andler, Andler, we’ve Organizations: Wellington CNN — Soccer, Football Australia, Tourism, Zealand’s Ministry of Business Innovation, New Zealand, Air New Zealand, FIFA, CNN, New Zealand’s Football Ferns, Wellington Chocolate Factory, Wellington City Council Locations: Australia, New Zealand, Tourism New Zealand, New, Tourism Australia, Cities, Wellington, Auckland, Dunedin, Hamilton, United States, Costa Rica, Spanish, Swedish, Italy, Japan, Rosebud, Bundaberg, Zealand, France

☆ Quiz: How Much Do You Know About the U.S. State Flags?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Sean Plambeck | Mitch Smith | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

Quiz: How Much Do You Know About the U.S. State Flags? You probably would have no trouble identifying the Lone Star Flag of Texas or naming a grizzly bear as the animal that appears on California's flag. It's also likely that you could pick the Wisconsin and Oklahoma flags out of a lineup — the names of those states are helpfully printed in big, bold letters on their banners. But could you name the four states that do not feature a shade of blue on their flags? With lawmakers in several states considering new designs, here’s a chance to test your knowledge on the country’s 50 state flags.

Persons: It's, here’s Organizations: U.S . State, Lone Star Flag of, Wisconsin Locations: Lone Star Flag of Texas, Oklahoma, it’s Alabama, California, Maryland, New Mexico

☆ How States Are Threading the Needle on Flag Design
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-17 | by ( Mitch Smith | Sarah Almukhtar | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +11 min

But it found that changing a state flag to make it stand out from the crowd is not a simple process. How States Are Threading the Needle on Flag Design Mitch Smith reported on the Utah flag from Centerville, Orem and Salt Lake City. And they don’t look like any other state’s flag. A version of Maine’s 1901 flagIn Michigan, a lawmaker suggested a panel to consider new flag designs. Some Utahns have already adopted the new flag design, even though it doesn’t officially become the state flag until next year.

Persons: Mitch Smith, Sarah Almukhtar, Brad Holdaway, SuAnn Taylor, “ They’re, Mr, Holdaway, Utahns, of Jesus Christ, Spencer Cox, Cox, Kim Raff, The New York Times “, ” Ted Kaye, NAVA, ” Mr, Kaye, Elizabeth Goodspeed, ”, Goodspeed, “ Hope, Laura Scofield, Doris Turner, Illinois ’, doesn’t, Chad Saunders Organizations: Republican, Beehive State, of Jesus, Gov, The New York Times, American Vexillological Association, Texas, Lone, Capitol, Democrat, Lone Star State Locations: Utah, Centerville, Orem, Salt Lake City, U.S.A, Illinois, Maine , Michigan, Minnesota, California, Rhode Island’s, Nebraska, Texas, California’s, Carolina’s, Maryland , California, South Carolina, New Mexico, South Dakota, Florida, Louisiana, Louisiana . Mississippi, Mississippi, Maine, Michigan, Utah In Utah

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