#2017 Governors' Cup

[hockeyreport]

Canes GM Waddell Steps Down, Tulsky Named Interim GM

Tom Dundon, Owner and Governor of the National Hockey League’s Carolina Hurricanes, today announced that President and General Manager Don Waddell has resigned from his position with the organization. Additionally, Eric Tulsky has been named interim general manager, and a full search has begun for a permanent general manager. Darren Yorke will support Tulsky with managerial duties while continuing in his role as assistant general manager. Waddell joined the Hurricanes as president on July 1, 2014, and oversaw team business operations for each of the last 10 seasons. He was then named the ninth general manager in franchise history on May 8, 2018, and Carolina won at least one round in the Stanley Cup Playoffs during each of his six seasons in charge of hockey operations. The Hurricanes have sold out each of their last 67 games at PNC Arena, including regular season and postseason, marking the longest sellout streak in franchise history. The Detroit, Mich., native previously served as general manager of the Atlanta Thrashers from 1998-2010 and won the Stanley Cup as an assistant general manager with the Detroit Red Wings in 1997-98. Tulsky has spent 10 seasons with the Hurricanes, originally joining the organization as a consultant in 2014, and then becoming a hockey analyst in 2015. He was named manager of hockey analytics in 2017, before being promoted to vice president of hockey management and strategy in 2018. Since being named assistant general manager in 2020, Tulsky has been involved in all player personnel decisions, overseen pro scouting and the team’s hockey information department, and assisted with player contract negotiations, salary cap compliance, and other hockey-related matters. The Philadelphia, Pa., native holds a B.A. in chemistry and physics from Harvard University and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley.

[coldivine]

jack quaid + he/him + cis male – have you seen edward 'eddie' kohler around los angeles? the thirty-two year old is usually jamming to saturnine by mystery jets. word around the city is that they’re charismatic, yet, they can also be calculated, but you didn’t hear that from me. they’re currently an actor / screenwriter / businessman and are typically seen walking the streets of los angeles with their daily cup of black coffee. when i think of them, i think of heavily annotated scripts, blue hues hidden by expensive sunglasses after a rough night, frequently flipping off cameras just because. let’s hope the city treats them good!

*     𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐊𝐒: wanted connections / spotify playlist.

hey, everyone!! this is zazz ( she/her, twenty2, gmt ) bringing you mr. edward kohler. here you’ll find all the info you need to get to know him. if you wanna plot, hmu on discord or through private messages!!

*     ⸻     𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑  𝐎𝐍𝐄.

name: edward john kohler. date of birth: november 3, 1990. zodiac sign: scorpio sun, pisces rising, taurus moon. place of birth: los angeles, california. current residence: hollywood hills, los angeles, california. occupation: actor, screenwriter and co-founder of vault TV. education: new york university tisch school of the arts. sexuality: heterosexual. gender + pronouns: cis man, he/him. relationship status: married.

*     ⸻     𝐋𝐀𝐘𝐄𝐑  𝐓𝐖𝐎.

positive traits: charismatic, dynamic, clever, easygoing, friendly. neutral traits: observant, big-thinking, sometimes sarcastic. negative traits: entitled, calculating, self-indulgent, greedy, stubborn. likes: nice suits, parties and clubs, cats, retro music, late-night drives. dislikes: overplayed songs on the radio, long phone calls, social media, hypocrites, sci-fi movies. habits:  gesturing when speaking, smirking, glancing at his watch, cracking his knuckles, shaking his right leg when seated. alcohol? cigarettes? drugs? sometimes. yes. sometimes.

*     ⸻     𝐁𝐈𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐘.

edward had the great luck of being born the only child of an emblematic family. as far as it is known, the kohlers have had a foot in the entertainment industry since the beginning of the golden age of hollywood. aside from those countless years of nepotism, his parents have known names: his father, robert, is the ceo of a media company and former politician, serving two terms as the governor of california (2003 - 2011), and his mother, barbara, is most known for being a former child actress, now author and talk show host. for him, growing up meant being able to do whatever he wanted - he just had to say the word. many possibilities roamed his mind, but the thought of continuing his family's legacy was far more interesting than anything else.

with the help of his name, he started acting when he was just a child, appearing in movies and some children-aimed shows. that same success followed him through his teenage years when he started taking it seriously. after he graduated high school, he got into new york university tisch school of the arts, pursuing drama and earning a bachelors in fine arts upon graduation, in 2015. he quickly moved back to los angeles, getting minor roles here and there until he landed his breakout in a 2017 horror film, "grinning soul". since then, he hasn't stopped - successfully acted in various roles, wrote some pieces himself, and founded vault tv, a horror-focused entertainment company, with his spouse, luciana labaki, whom he married in 2018 after dating for a short time. the pair tied the knot on the grounds of a wedlease, a type of marital contract lasting five years; after those years are up, the couple has the choice to renew or split amicably. privately separated for some time now, none of the parties have yet asked for the termination of the contract since vault tv has been added to it as collateral and would automatically pass to the full ownership of the one breaking their agreement.

*     ⸻     𝐇𝐄𝐀𝐃𝐂𝐀𝐍𝐎𝐍𝐒.

he has already been featured on some of forbes lists, like "30 under 30".

has some sort of connection to literally everyone with power or reputation, at least in california. his family has always been very well-connected and he knows how to take advantage of that.

besides the usual form of acting, he loves to voice act, stating that he finds it really entertaining.

he is super friendly and considers he has a bunch of friends.

music is an unknown passion of him, often used as an escape. he plays guitar and piano and absolutely loves it.

*     ⸻     𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐌𝐎𝐆𝐑𝐀𝐏𝐇𝐘.

› 𝐅𝐈𝐋𝐌.​

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF SARAH BULLEN (1995) - thomas bullen.

SLIP AND FALL (1999) - elliott moss.

INJURY PROGRAM (2007) - richie evans.

LEARN TO SEE (2010) robbie (voice role).

THE CLEANUP (2014) - kevin fisher.

GRINNING SOUL (2017) - william kennedy.

THERE IS NO ONE HERE (2018) - vincent leyton.

23 MINUTES AWAY (2019) - hugo.

RIVER, RUN (2021) - river sullivan.

INVOCATION (filming) - david.

TWO NIGHTS IN LAS VEGAS (filming) - harry walker

SWEET SYRUP (announced) - august mcgee.

› 𝐓𝐄𝐋𝐄𝐕𝐈𝐒𝐈𝐎𝐍.

IF YOU'RE FEELING SMART (1998 - 2002) - cooper (64 episodes, main cast).

THE QUANTUM PARADOX (2006 - 2008) - mitch (46 episodes, main role).

TRULY, MADLY, DERANGED (2012-2015) - jimmy becker (24 episodes).

› 𝐕𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐎 𝐆𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐒.

CHASING SHADOWS (2016) - seamus (voice role & motion capture performance).

A NOIR TALE (2021) - josiah schäfer (voice role, english version).

[calciopics]

‘A lack of respect’: Brazil footballers fail to show up to Pelé’s funeral

Few of the country’s previous World Cup winners traveled to pay homage to the football legend

Some of Brazil’s best-known footballers have faced a furious backlash as fans and pundits questioned why they had failed to attend ceremonies bidding farewell to Pelé.

Hundreds of thousands of people waited for hours under a burning sun on Monday to file past the recently deceased soccer legend’s coffin at Santos’ Vila Belmiro ground.

But only a handful of Brazil’s World Cup winners made the trip 50 miles down the coast from São Paulo to pay homage, with Ricardo Kaká, Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior and Ronaldo Nazario among those singled out for criticism.

“Pelé is a citizen of the world, at the same level as Nelson Mandela or Mahatma Gandhi, but Brazilians don’t know how to recognise that,” said José Ferreira Neto, once a former Brazil midfielder and now one of Brazil’s most outspoken TV presenters.

“If they were World Cup winners and didn’t come to see Pelé, what can I say to them? At the very least it shows a lack of respect.”

Neto, who played for Santos’ archrivals Corinthians, appeared early on Tuesday morning at the 24-hour wake and was preceded by a host of dignitaries, including FIFA president Gianni Infantino; Alejandro Domínguez, head of the South American Football Confederation CONMEBOL; and São Paulo governor Tarcísio de Freitas.

Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also flew in from Brasilia less than 48 hours after being inaugurated for a third term as president.

Many of Pelé’s teammates in the all-conquering Santos teams of the 1960s have died and others are well into their 80s and in poor health.

However, several of those who played alongside him were there, including Clodoaldo Tavares de Santana, who was the only one of the legendary 1970 Brazil team to appear. Tostão (Eduardo Gonçalves de Andrade), Jairzinho (Jair Ventura Filho), Roberto Rivellino, Gérson de Oliveira Nunes and Wilson Piazza were all conspicuous by their absence.

None of those who played in the Brazil team that won their fifth and most recent World Cup title in 2002 were present and only one of the victorious 1994 side turned up, Mauro Silva, who is now vice-president of the São Paulo football federation.

One of the most controversial absences was Kaká. The FIFA World Player of the Year in 2007 said in December that Brazilians did not show enough respect for their national heroes, citing regular criticism of Neymar and Ronaldo.

Kaká did not appear in Santos and his absence was noted. “Where is Kaká, who said Brazilians don’t recognise their heroes?” wrote Walter Casagrande Júnior, an outspoken Brazilian columnist. “Well, Kaká, after what we saw at Pelé’s wake, it’s clear that it is you who don’t recognise major heroes.”

Neymar, who came through the ranks at Santos before leaving for Barcelona and becoming the world’s most expensive footballer in 2017, was another who did not appear, with his father saying his son had asked him to represent him.

Casagrande hinted that Kaká and other millionaire footballers were used to getting paid for public appearances and he also suggested that Brazil’s World Cup winners did not go because Pelé, who sometimes worked as a TV analyst, had criticised some of their past performances.

Whatever the reason, the lack of star power jarred. One observer noted that David Beckham queued for hours to see the queen while Brazilian players did not avail themselves of special access through Santos’ historic marble salon to see the man known universally as the King.

The contrast was especially dissonant given the massive outpouring of popular support shown to the local star. Pelé’s coffin was driven through Santos on Tuesday morning, from the stadium to the mausoleum where he was buried, and huge crowds turned out to accompany the procession.

“None of us are ever going to forget this,” Neto said in a message directed to the absent stars.

“Anyone can put a photo of Pelé on their Instagram,” he said about one easy tribute. “Would it cost you to have given up two days of your holidays?”

[brookston]

Holidays 2.28

Holidays

Action Line Day

Aduros Nau (Elder Scrolls)

Burgsonndeg (celebrates end of winter; Luxembourg)

Car Keys and Small Change Day

Community Day (Andalucia, Spain)

Dia de Andalucia (Day of Andalusia; Spain)

DNA Day

Floral Design Day

Gone-ta-Pott Day [every 28th]

HIV is Not a Crime Awareness Day

International Hygge Day

International Jewish Day of Constructive Conflict

International Underlings Day

Kalevala Day (Finland)

Linus Pauling Day (Oregon)

Metamour Day

National Black Heroes Day

National Customized Wheel & Tire Day

National Essay Day

National Heart Healing Awareness Day

National Koe Wetzel Day

National School Governors’ Awareness Day (UK)

National Science Day

National Time Refund Day

National Tooth Fairy Day [also 8.22]

National Vegan Lipstick Day

Nylon Day

Peace Memorial Day (Taiwan)

People’s Sovereignty Day (Benin)

Public Holiday (Kuwait)

Public Sleeping Day

Read Me Day

Smokey the Bear Day

Snowshoe Day

Spade Day (French Republic)

Teachers’ Day (Arab nations)

228 Memorial Day (Taiwan)

World Day without Facebook

World Living Conditions Survey Day (China)

World Sustainable Energy Day

World Tailor’s Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Chocolate Soufflé Day

Global Scouse Day (UK)

National Pancake Day

National Singani Day

4th & Last Wednesday in February

HCM Awareness Day [Last Wednesday]

Inconvenience Yourself Day [4th Wednesday]

Pink Shirt Day (Canada, Japan) [Last Wednesday]

School Bus Driver Appreciation Day (Minnesota) [4th Wednesday]

Teal Ribbon Day (Australia) [Last Wednesday]

Independence & Related Days

Andalusia Day (Spain)

Evanoria (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Gapla (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Independent Hidden State of Tranquility (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

Independence Recognition Day (Egypt; 1922)

Territory Day (Colorado; 1861)

Festivals Beginning February 28, 2024

Elevate Festival (Graz, Austria) [thru 3.3]

Fort Worth Music Festival (Fort Worth, Texas) [thru 3.2]

Gdakon (Gdańsk, Poland) [thru 3.3]

Launceston Cup (Australia)

Feast Days

Abercius (Christian; Martyr)

Alicia the Volcano Rabbit (Muppetism)

Anna Julia Cooper and Elizabeth Evelyn Wright (Episcopal Church (USA))

Apple Wealth Cakes Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Cake Day (Pagan)

Evil Clown Day (Pastafarian)

Fearn Tree Day (a.k.a. Alder; Celtic Book of Days)

Feast of the Martyrs of the Plague of Alexandria (Christian)

Februalia (Ancient Rome)

Frank Gehry (Artology)

Hedwig of Poland (Christian; Saint)

Heraclitus (Positivist; Saint)

Hilarius (Christian; Saint)

Ivan Albright (Artology)

John Tenniel (Artology)

Ken Kesey Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Lupicinus (Christian; Saint)

Mar Abba (Christian; Saint)

Matronalia (Day of Juno Lucina; Pagan)

Oswald of Worcester (Christian; Saint)

Proterius, Patriarch of Alexandria (Christian; Saint)

Romanus of Condat (Christian; Saint)

Rufinus (Christian; Saint)

Sabbatu (Everyday Wicca)

Saxon Cake Day (Offering cakes to the Gods & Goddesses)

Velja Noc (Spirits of the Dead visit living relatives, overseen by Veles, Lord of the Dead; Old Slavic)

Zamyaz (Ancient Persia; Everyday Wicca)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [13 of 71]

Prime Number Day: 59 [17 of 72]

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 10 of 60)

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [14 of 57]

Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [14 of 60]

Premieres

Axe Me Another or Heads You Lose! (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 28; 1960)

The Big Show, by Pierre Clostermann (Novel; 1948)

Coach (TV Series; 1989)

Dancing on Air or the Pottsylvania Polka (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 27; 1960)

Donnie Brasco (Film; 1997)

Duck Amuck (WB MM Cartoon; 1953)

Eleven Kinds of Loneliness, by Richard Yates (Short Stories; 1962)

Ernest & Celestine (Animated Film; 2014)

Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen (Final Episode of M*A*S*H; 1983)

Gravity’s Rainbow, by Thomas Pynchon (Novel; 1973)

Happy Go Lucky (Heckle & Heckle Cartoon; 1947)

Hare-Abian Nights (WB MM Cartoon; 1959)

In My Own Words, by Ne-Yo (Album; 2006)

The Jesus Rolls (Film; 2020)

Justice League: Doom (WB Animated Film; 2012)

The Lake of the Dead, by André Bjerke (Novel; 1942)

The Mambo Kings (Film; 1992)

Molly Moo-Cow and Robinson Crusoe (Rainbow Parade Cartoon; 1936)

Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie (Mystery Novel; 1934) [16]

Pieces of You, by Jewel (Album; 1995)

Pluto Junior (Disney Cartoon; 1942)

Pretty in Pink (Film; 1986)

Tombeau de Couperin, by Maurice Ravel (Suite for Piano; 1920)

Tom Jones (a.k.a. The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling), by Henry Fielding (Novel; 1749)

Trade Mice (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1938)

Train, by Train (Album; 1998)

Waco: Rules of Engagement (Documentary Film; 1997)

War, by U2 (Album; 1983)

”Weird Al” Yankovic in 3-D, by Weird Al Yankovic (Album; 1984)

Wendy (Film; 2020)

Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, by Studs Terkel (Nonfiction Book; 1974)

Today’s Name Days

Oswald, Roman, Silvana (Austria)

Bogoljub, Roman, Teofil, Vikica (Croatia)

Lumír (Czech Republic)

Øllegaard (Denmark)

Vilmar, Vilmer, Vilmo (Estonia)

Onni, Sisu (Finland)

Romain (France)

Detlev, Oswald, Roman, Silvana (Germany)

Kyra, Marianna (Greece)

Ákos, Bátor (Hungary)

Antonietta, Erminio, Romano, Teresio (Italy)

Justs, Skaidra, Skaidrīte (Latvia)

Romanas, Vilgardas, Žygimantė (Lithuania)

Maren, Marina (Norway)

Chwalibóg, Józef, Makary, Nadbor, Roman (Poland)

Gherman, Ioan, Vasile (Romania)

Zlatica (Slovakia)

Hilario, Román (Spain)

Maria (Sweden)

Chance, Chauncey, Linus, Macey, Macie, Macy (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 59 of 2024; 307 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of week 9 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Nuin (Ash) [Day 11 of 28]

Chinese: Month 1 (Bing-Yin), Day 19 (Ren-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025)

Hebrew: 19 Adair I 5784

Islamic: 18 Sha’ban 1445

J Cal: 29 Grey; Eightday [29 of 30]

Julian: 15 February 2024

Moon: 85%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 3 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Heraclitus]

Runic Half Month: Tyr (Cosmic Pillar) [Day 5 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 70 of 89)

Week: 4th Week of February

Zodiac: Pisces (Day 10 of 30)

[brookstonalmanac]

Holidays 2.28

Holidays

Action Line Day

Aduros Nau (Elder Scrolls)

Burgsonndeg (celebrates end of winter; Luxembourg)

Car Keys and Small Change Day

Community Day (Andalucia, Spain)

Dia de Andalucia (Day of Andalusia; Spain)

DNA Day

Floral Design Day

Gone-ta-Pott Day [every 28th]

HIV is Not a Crime Awareness Day

International Hygge Day

International Jewish Day of Constructive Conflict

International Underlings Day

Kalevala Day (Finland)

Linus Pauling Day (Oregon)

Metamour Day

National Black Heroes Day

National Customized Wheel & Tire Day

National Essay Day

National Heart Healing Awareness Day

National Koe Wetzel Day

National School Governors’ Awareness Day (UK)

National Science Day

National Time Refund Day

National Tooth Fairy Day [also 8.22]

National Vegan Lipstick Day

Nylon Day

Peace Memorial Day (Taiwan)

People’s Sovereignty Day (Benin)

Public Holiday (Kuwait)

Public Sleeping Day

Read Me Day

Smokey the Bear Day

Snowshoe Day

Spade Day (French Republic)

Teachers’ Day (Arab nations)

228 Memorial Day (Taiwan)

World Day without Facebook

World Living Conditions Survey Day (China)

World Sustainable Energy Day

World Tailor’s Day

Food & Drink Celebrations

Chocolate Soufflé Day

Global Scouse Day (UK)

National Pancake Day

National Singani Day

4th & Last Wednesday in February

HCM Awareness Day [Last Wednesday]

Inconvenience Yourself Day [4th Wednesday]

Pink Shirt Day (Canada, Japan) [Last Wednesday]

School Bus Driver Appreciation Day (Minnesota) [4th Wednesday]

Teal Ribbon Day (Australia) [Last Wednesday]

Independence & Related Days

Andalusia Day (Spain)

Evanoria (Declared; 2017) [unrecognized]

Gapla (Declared; 2019) [unrecognized]

Independent Hidden State of Tranquility (Declared; 2009) [unrecognized]

Independence Recognition Day (Egypt; 1922)

Territory Day (Colorado; 1861)

Festivals Beginning February 28, 2024

Elevate Festival (Graz, Austria) [thru 3.3]

Fort Worth Music Festival (Fort Worth, Texas) [thru 3.2]

Gdakon (Gdańsk, Poland) [thru 3.3]

Launceston Cup (Australia)

Feast Days

Abercius (Christian; Martyr)

Alicia the Volcano Rabbit (Muppetism)

Anna Julia Cooper and Elizabeth Evelyn Wright (Episcopal Church (USA))

Apple Wealth Cakes Day (Starza Pagan Book of Days)

Cake Day (Pagan)

Evil Clown Day (Pastafarian)

Fearn Tree Day (a.k.a. Alder; Celtic Book of Days)

Feast of the Martyrs of the Plague of Alexandria (Christian)

Februalia (Ancient Rome)

Frank Gehry (Artology)

Hedwig of Poland (Christian; Saint)

Heraclitus (Positivist; Saint)

Hilarius (Christian; Saint)

Ivan Albright (Artology)

John Tenniel (Artology)

Ken Kesey Day (Church of the SubGenius; Saint)

Lupicinus (Christian; Saint)

Mar Abba (Christian; Saint)

Matronalia (Day of Juno Lucina; Pagan)

Oswald of Worcester (Christian; Saint)

Proterius, Patriarch of Alexandria (Christian; Saint)

Romanus of Condat (Christian; Saint)

Rufinus (Christian; Saint)

Sabbatu (Everyday Wicca)

Saxon Cake Day (Offering cakes to the Gods & Goddesses)

Velja Noc (Spirits of the Dead visit living relatives, overseen by Veles, Lord of the Dead; Old Slavic)

Zamyaz (Ancient Persia; Everyday Wicca)

Lucky & Unlucky Days

Lucky Day (Philippines) [13 of 71]

Prime Number Day: 59 [17 of 72]

Sensho (先勝 Japan) [Good luck in the morning, bad luck in the afternoon.]

Umu Limnu (Evil Day; Babylonian Calendar; 10 of 60)

Unfortunate Day (Pagan) [14 of 57]

Unlucky Day (Grafton’s Manual of 1565) [14 of 60]

Premieres

Axe Me Another or Heads You Lose! (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 28; 1960)

The Big Show, by Pierre Clostermann (Novel; 1948)

Coach (TV Series; 1989)

Dancing on Air or the Pottsylvania Polka (Rocky & Bullwinkle Cartoon, S1, Ep. 27; 1960)

Donnie Brasco (Film; 1997)

Duck Amuck (WB MM Cartoon; 1953)

Eleven Kinds of Loneliness, by Richard Yates (Short Stories; 1962)

Ernest & Celestine (Animated Film; 2014)

Goodbye, Farewell, and Amen (Final Episode of M*A*S*H; 1983)

Gravity’s Rainbow, by Thomas Pynchon (Novel; 1973)

Happy Go Lucky (Heckle & Heckle Cartoon; 1947)

Hare-Abian Nights (WB MM Cartoon; 1959)

In My Own Words, by Ne-Yo (Album; 2006)

The Jesus Rolls (Film; 2020)

Justice League: Doom (WB Animated Film; 2012)

The Lake of the Dead, by André Bjerke (Novel; 1942)

The Mambo Kings (Film; 1992)

Molly Moo-Cow and Robinson Crusoe (Rainbow Parade Cartoon; 1936)

Murder on the Orient Express, by Agatha Christie (Mystery Novel; 1934) [16]

Pieces of You, by Jewel (Album; 1995)

Pluto Junior (Disney Cartoon; 1942)

Pretty in Pink (Film; 1986)

Tombeau de Couperin, by Maurice Ravel (Suite for Piano; 1920)

Tom Jones (a.k.a. The History of Tom Jones, A Foundling), by Henry Fielding (Novel; 1749)

Trade Mice (Oswald the Lucky Rabbit Cartoon; 1938)

Train, by Train (Album; 1998)

Waco: Rules of Engagement (Documentary Film; 1997)

War, by U2 (Album; 1983)

”Weird Al” Yankovic in 3-D, by Weird Al Yankovic (Album; 1984)

Wendy (Film; 2020)

Working: People Talk About What They Do All Day and How They Feel About What They Do, by Studs Terkel (Nonfiction Book; 1974)

Today’s Name Days

Oswald, Roman, Silvana (Austria)

Bogoljub, Roman, Teofil, Vikica (Croatia)

Lumír (Czech Republic)

Øllegaard (Denmark)

Vilmar, Vilmer, Vilmo (Estonia)

Onni, Sisu (Finland)

Romain (France)

Detlev, Oswald, Roman, Silvana (Germany)

Kyra, Marianna (Greece)

Ákos, Bátor (Hungary)

Antonietta, Erminio, Romano, Teresio (Italy)

Justs, Skaidra, Skaidrīte (Latvia)

Romanas, Vilgardas, Žygimantė (Lithuania)

Maren, Marina (Norway)

Chwalibóg, Józef, Makary, Nadbor, Roman (Poland)

Gherman, Ioan, Vasile (Romania)

Zlatica (Slovakia)

Hilario, Román (Spain)

Maria (Sweden)

Chance, Chauncey, Linus, Macey, Macie, Macy (USA)

Today is Also…

Day of Year: Day 59 of 2024; 307 days remaining in the year

ISO: Day 3 of week 9 of 2024

Celtic Tree Calendar: Nuin (Ash) [Day 11 of 28]

Chinese: Month 1 (Bing-Yin), Day 19 (Ren-Xu)

Chinese Year of the: Dragon 4722 (until January 29, 2025)

Hebrew: 19 Adair I 5784

Islamic: 18 Sha’ban 1445

J Cal: 29 Grey; Eightday [29 of 30]

Julian: 15 February 2024

Moon: 85%: Waning Gibbous

Positivist: 3 Aristotle (3rd Month) [Heraclitus]

Runic Half Month: Tyr (Cosmic Pillar) [Day 5 of 15]

Season: Winter (Day 70 of 89)

Week: 4th Week of February

Zodiac: Pisces (Day 10 of 30)

[wikiuntamed]

Top 5 @Wikipedia pages from yesterday: Wednesday, 24th January 2024

Welcome, ongi etorri, velkommen, 欢迎 (huānyíng) 🤗 What were the top pages visited on @Wikipedia (24th January 2024) 🏆🌟🔥?

1️⃣: Nikki Haley "Nimarata Nikki Haley (née Randhawa; born January 20, 1972) is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 116th governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017 and as the 29th United States ambassador to the United Nations from January 2017 to December 2018. A member of the Republican Party,..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0? by Gage Skidmore

2️⃣: 2023 AFC Asian Cup "The 2023 AFC Asian Cup is the ongoing 18th edition of the AFC Asian Cup, the quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It involves 24 national teams after expansion in 2019, with Qatar the defending champions.On 17 October 2022, the AFC..."

3️⃣: XXXTentacion "Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion gained a cult following among his young fanbase during his..."

Image by State of Florida

4️⃣: 2023 Africa Cup of Nations "The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, known in short as the 2023 AFCON or CAN 2023 and for sponsorship purposes as the TotalEnergies 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, is the ongoing 34th edition of the biennial African association football tournament organised by Confederation of African Football. It is hosted..."

5️⃣: Australian Open "The Australian Open is a tennis tournament held annually at Melbourne Park in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The tournament is the first of the four Grand Slam tennis events held each year, preceding the French Open, Wimbledon, and the US Open. The Australian Open starts in the middle of January..."

Image by Tennis Australia and Landor Australia

[dribolopdapipol]

Rain or Shine drags Magnolia to Game 7 for last PBA finals ticket

James Yap with another reliable performance for Rain or Shine. PBA IMAGES ANTIPOLO — Just as their foes were reaching for the dagger in the very arena where they have emerged unscathed and crowned as champions, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters looked calm and collected, giving themselves a fightback of their own in Game 6 of the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals. The Elasto Painters leaned on the marksmanship of Rey Nambatac and yet another steady performance by James Yap to fend off Magnolia, 91-81, and forge a decider for the last remaining Finals berth, Friday night at Ynares Center here. “I just told the players to enjoy this game, to keep it simple and it worked,” said coach Caloy Garcia, whose squad managed to extend the series after falling in three consecutive meetings. “I told them to not think about whatever happens and asked each one of them to play their game and stay relaxed,” he added. And it showed. Yap led all of Rain or Shine’s scorers with 16 while Nambatac and Beau Belga tossed in 15 apiece. Jewel Ponferrada added 11 more to preserve their promising start to their semifinal series. Magnolia managed to knot the affair at 62 by the end of the third quarter, all thanks to Ian Sangalang’s showing. But they had no answer for Nambatac, who started to catch fire from deep at the start of the final frame. From thereon, Nambatac and Yap took turns on scoring, snuffing out every ounce of counterattack the Hotshots mounted. “Coming into Game 7, we just have to do the same,” Garcia said of their sudden-death match scheduled this Sunday at MOA Arena in Pasay. “But Magnolia, coming into such situation, have much more experience. We just have to trust each other,” he added. The victory snapped Magnolia’s eight-game streak at Ynares Center, where the Hotshots crowned Governor’s Cup champions last December. Their last loss came in Sept. 17, 2017, in the hands of TNT. Rain or Shine could also deny Magnolia a chance to get back at its tormentors in last year’s all-Filipino finals. The scores: RAIN OR SHINE 91 – Nambatac 16, Yap 16, Belga 15, Ponferada 11, Torres 8, Norwood 8, Rosales 7, Ahanmisi 5, Daquioag 2, Mocon 2, Borboran 1. MAGNOLIA 81 – Sangalang 19, Lee 18, Jalalon 14, Herndon 9, Brondial 6, Melton 5, Reavis 4, Barroca 3, Ramos 3, Dela Rosa 0, Pascual 0, Abundo 0. Quarters: 21-17, 41-35, 62-62, 91-81. Written by: Denison Rey A. Dalupang https://bit.ly/3GEXxGa

[marattsirelson]

Al-Bakar Quietly Resigns Chief Executive Chair at Qatar Airways

Al-Bakar Quietly Resigns Chief Executive Chair at Qatar Airways https://ift.tt/1LASHif   The flag carrier announced Al-Baker will resign his position on November 5, 2023, to be succeeded by Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) chief operating officer Badr Mohammed Al-Meer.   Baker Credited for Modernizing Airline and Controversial Comments Al-Baker spent his life in business and aviation, credited in his official Qatar Airways biography as an Economics and Commerce graduate who worked his way up the nation’s Civil Aviation Directorate. In 1997, Al-Baker was elevated to the office of CEO, with the goal of transforming the nation’s airline.   Over his 27-year career, Al-Baker transformed the regional carrier to an aviation giant, flying to over 130 destinations around the world. The airline says his leadership led to the advancement of the business class QSuites in 2017, creating the first ever double-bed product for the cabin. In addition to leading Qatar Airways, Al-Baker also led several of Qatar’s aviation businesses, including Hamad International Airport, Qatar Aviation Services, and Qatar Duty Free. Among his honors are the French Legion of Honor, the CAPA Centre for Aviation Executive of the Year in 2017, and twice served as the chair of the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) Board of Governors.   His reign at the airline did not come without controversy. In 2015, America’s legacy carriers accused Qatar Airways – along with fellow Middle East airlines Emirates and Etihad Airways – of accepting illegal subsidies from their governments. In response to some of the rhetoric, Al-Baker said of former Delta Air Lines CEO Richard Anderson: “Let him come face me in any forum…I will hang him on a wall.” He also once called U.S. flight attendants “grandmothers,” said an airline’s chief executive “…Has to be led by a man, because it’s a very challenging position,” and once threatened to leave the Oneworld alliance when Qantas objected to Qatar expanding into Australia.   The airline gave no details to why he was leaving the position, instead opting to thank him for his leadership and contributions to the 2022 FIFA World Cup held in the country.   Replacing him in the post is Badr Mohammed Al-Meer, who has held the COO title for Hamad International Airport since 2014. In a paid question-and-answer discussion in Forbes Middle East, the executive noted his thoughts on the importance of the airport and his plans for airport expansion. Under his “Phase A” plan, the airport seeks to serve 58 million flyers per year, adding a second hotel, and increasing the number of lounges.   Share your thoughts about the legacy of Akbar Al-Baker on the FlyerTalk Forums.   Feature image: Joe Cortez for FlyerTalk via FlyerTalk – The world's most popular frequent flyer community https://ift.tt/A6z5dyK October 23, 2023 at 05:59PM

[kbanews]

Welcoming World Cup U-17, JIS Built with FIFA Benchmarks but Considered Below PSSI Standard and Plans to be Renovated?

JAKARTA | KBA – The government through the Minister of Youth and Sports Dito Ariotedjo plans to renovate the Jakarta International Stadium (JIS). The reason, he said, was that the stadium initiated by the Governor of DKI Jakarta for the 2017-2022 period, Anies Baswedan, would be used as the venue for the U-17 World Cup. Prasetyoadi, a JIS designer, said that since the beginning the stadium that…

[brewyork]

A look back at beer in the Cuomo era

Disgraced former governor Andrew Cuomo speaks at the state’s Wine, Beer, and Spirits Summit in 2014

Governor Kathy Hochul has taken office, and the era of Andrew Cuomo ruling New York is over. He leaves as a disgraced politician, a bully, a womanizer, an egomaniac, and… a champion of New York’s beer scene. For all of Cuomo’s awful character flaws, he did see over the largest expansion of the beer industry New York has seen since the 19th century influx of German immigrants. While a lot of that was larger market forces at work, his administration did work hard to support the industry through its growth spurt, starting in 2012 when he held the first of several Craft Beverage Summits, which led to immediate changes in regulations that made it easier for breweries to operate, down to changes that allowed brewers to pour their own beer at beer festivals for the first time. He also tasked the State Liquor Authority with improving turnaround times for licensing and creating a less adversarial relationship between the agency and its licensees.

That same year, the state legislature passed the Farm Brewery Act, which gave special privileges to breweries that sourced a portion of their raw materials from New York State. That led to a boom in beer agriculture, as hop farms, barley growers, and malt houses became necessary to support the demand. The portion that’s required to be sourced from New York is currently at 60%, and rises to 90% starting in 2023. The state provided research grants and funding to help boost beer agriculture under Cuomo, most recently with Cornell AgriTech announcing $300,000 in state funding will help them launch a hop breeding program — something long sought-after by New York’s brewers to help create new varietals unique and ideal for the state’s climate.

The disgraced former governor also had a role in celebrating the best of the state’s beer with in the New York State Beer Competition and the Governor’s Cup, which launched in 2017. The annual event, run by the New York State Brewers Association in concert with Taste NY and the New York State Fair, was a professionally-judged, categorized competition of beers from across the state, with the intention of pouring the winners at the State Fair in Syracuse each year to further promote the industry. Indeed, this year’s Taste NY Pavilion will host several of the state’s breweries, both sampling and serving their beverages for fair-goers.

Of course, much of that goodwill went out the window in Cuomo’s final year in office, when after granting sweeping new privileges to breweries in the initial onset of the Covid-19 Pandemic, the ex-governor essentially created a game of whack-a-mole with dizzying sets of Executive Orders that seemed to do nothing to protect public health, but did do plenty to frustrate brewery owners, who had to scramble to find food to serve, adjust their hours and capacity based on state rules that seemed constantly in flux, overhaul on-site service protocols, and change delivery rules with barely 24 hours’ notice.

While Cuomo’s ego will likely lead him to take credit for a boom in beer that brought the state from a few dozen breweries to over four hundred during his tenure, it’s the people who opened those breweries who should get the credit for helping grow an industry that expanded at nearly the same rate nationally as it did in New York. And with an estimated $4.8 billion impact on the state’s economy, new Governor Kathy Hochul would be wise to continue to support the beer industry — and her track record of including brewery visits on her trips around the state are a pretty good indication that she will.

[felipeandletizia]

Felipe and Letizia retrospective: June 14th

2005: Attended a military event

2006: Soccer match between Spain and Ukraine for the 2006 World Cup in Leipzig, Germany

2007: Commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the June 15, 1977 elections

2010: Velazquez Award.

2011: Celebration of the 200th anniversary of Royal and Military Order of San Fernando and of the Royal and Military Order of San Hermenegildo

2011: Opening of a conference on skin cancer hosted by the Spanish Association Against Cancer in Salou.

2013: Audience at la Zarzuela & Closing of the World Cities Summit Mayors Forum in Alhóndiga, Bilbao

2016: Presentation of the platform of contents accessible in television of Telefónica in Madrid; Celebrated the military order of San Hermenegildo in Madrid and Visited the US Embassy in Madrid to sign the book of condolences for the victims of Orlando’s attack.

2017: Visited the Students Residence (Residencia de Estudiantes) in Madrid (1, 2, 3, 4)

2018: Oath of the new Culture and Sports minister, D. José Guirao Cabrera & Received by the Governor of the State of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, and his wife, Donna Edwards, upon their arrival at the New Orleans International Airport ahead of their official visit to New Orleans, San Antonio and Washington, USA (1, 2)

2019: Audiences at la Zarzuela (1, 2, 3, 4)

2021: Event where the King was awarded the 1st Medal of Honor of Andalusia in Sevilla. & Soccer match between Spain and Sweden for the group phase of “UEFA EURO 2020” in Sevilla

F&L Through the Years: 778/??

[allthebrazilianpolitics]

Ciro Gomes: Brazilian police search the house of hopeful presidential candidate for a corruption case

[Image description: presidential candidate Ciro Gomes participates last September in a rally in favor of an alternative candidacy to Bolsonaro and Lula.]

One of the main aspiring candidates to preside over Brazil attended the arrival of the police at his house early on Wednesday with a search warrant in the framework of an old corruption investigation.   Ciro Gomes, center-left, is a veteran politician who finished third in the 2018 elections. Former minister, governor, deputy and mayor, he is a suspect along with other people in a case of alleged bribes paid by the company awarded the reform of a stadium of the World Cup.

Gomes considers that the resurrection of the case precisely now supposes a persecution of which he directly accuses the President of the Republic.  “(Jair) Bolsonaro transformed Brazil into a police state that hides under the cloak of false legality,” the politician tweeted. In his short biography on Twitter, Gomes distances himself from the many Brazilian politicians peppered with corruption scandals with the following phrase: “I was never prosecuted for theft.”

The police investigation, which began in 2017 and has now risen, pursues the alleged payment of bribes and other illicit acts framed in the crimes of money laundering, bid fraud, criminal association and giving and receiving bribes, according to the news portal G1.

It also occurs at a time when the accusations of corruption that led dozens of politicians to jail dissolve like a sugar cane.  With Brazil fully immersed in the pre-electoral campaign, Gomes has immediately received the solidarity of the most prominent politician on the left flank, but from whom he is separated by apparently irreconcilable personal differences: Lula da Silva.  The former president has affirmed that Ciro Gomes and his brother Cid, a federal senator, “deserve respect” and that “their houses were unnecessarily invaded, without being questioned or taking into account the ideal life trajectories of both.”

Continue reading.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 12.18 (after 1940)

1944 – World War II: XX Bomber Command responds to the Japanese Operation Ichi-Go offensive by dropping five hundred tons of incendiary bombs on a supply base in Hankow, China. 1944 – The Supreme Court of the United States issued its decision in Korematsu v. United States supporting Franklin D. Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066 which cleared the way for the incarceration of nearly all 120,000 Japanese Americans, two-thirds of whom were U.S. citizens, born and raised in the United States. 1957 – A violent F5 tornado wipes out the entire community of Sunfield, Illinois. 1958 – Project SCORE, the world's first communications satellite, is launched. 1966 – Saturn's moon Epimetheus is discovered by astronomer Richard Walker. 1972 – Vietnam War: President Richard Nixon announces that the United States will engage North Vietnam in Operation Linebacker II, a series of Christmas bombings, after peace talks collapsed with North Vietnam on the 13th. 1973 – Soviet Soyuz Programme: Soyuz 13, crewed by cosmonauts Valentin Lebedev and Pyotr Klimuk, is launched from Baikonur in the Soviet Union. 1977 – United Airlines Flight 2860 crashes near Kaysville, Utah, killing all three crew members on board. 1977 – SA de Transport Aérien Flight 730 crashes near Madeira Airport in Funchal, Madeira, Portugal, killing 36. 1981 – First flight of the Russian heavy strategic bomber Tu-160, the world's largest combat aircraft, largest supersonic aircraft and largest variable-sweep wing aircraft built. 1995 – A Lockheed L-188 Electra crashes in Jamba, Cuando Cubango, Angola, killing 141 people. 1999 – NASA launches into orbit the Terra platform carrying five Earth Observation instruments, including ASTER, CERES, MISR, MODIS and MOPITT. 2002 – California gubernatorial recall: Then Governor of California Gray Davis announces that the state would face a record budget deficit of $35 billion, roughly double the figure reported during his reelection campaign one month earlier. 2005 – The Chadian Civil War begins when rebel groups, allegedly backed by neighbouring Sudan, launch an attack in Adré. 2006 – The first of a series of floods strikes Malaysia. The death toll of all flooding is at least 118, with over 400,000 people displaced. 2006 – United Arab Emirates holds its first-ever elections. 2015 – Kellingley Colliery, the last deep coal mine in Great Britain, closes. 2017 – Amtrak Cascades passenger train 501, derailed near DuPont, Washington, a city in United States near Olympia, Washington killing six people, and injuring 70 others. 2018 – List of bolides: A meteor exploded over the Bering Sea with a force over 10 times greater than the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima in 1945. 2019 – The United States House of Representatives impeaches Donald Trump for the first time. 2022 – Argentina win the 2022 FIFA World Cup final, defeating title holders France 4–2 on penalties following a 3–3 draw after extra time.

[wikiuntamed]

Top 5 @Wikipedia pages from yesterday: Tuesday, 23rd January 2024

Welcome, bem-vindo, välkommen, tervetuloa 🤗 What were the top pages visited on @Wikipedia (23rd January 2024) 🏆🌟🔥?

1️⃣: 2023 AFC Asian Cup "The 2023 AFC Asian Cup is the ongoing 18th edition of the AFC Asian Cup, the quadrennial international football tournament organised by the Asian Football Confederation (AFC). It involves 24 national teams after expansion in 2019, with Qatar the defending champions.On 17 October 2022, the AFC..."

2️⃣: Nikki Haley "Nimarata Nikki Haley (née Randhawa; born January 20, 1972) is an American politician and diplomat who served as the 116th governor of South Carolina from 2011 to 2017 and as the 29th United States ambassador to the United Nations from January 2017 to December 2018. A member of the Republican Party,..."

Image licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0? by Gage Skidmore

3️⃣: 96th Academy Awards "The 96th Academy Awards is an upcoming ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), which will honor the best films of 2023, and is expected to take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, on March 10, 2024. The ceremony, to be televised..."

4️⃣: XXXTentacion "Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion gained a cult following among his young fanbase during his..."

Image by State of Florida

5️⃣: 2023 Africa Cup of Nations "The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, known in short as the 2023 AFCON or CAN 2023 and for sponsorship purposes as the TotalEnergies 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, is the ongoing 34th edition of the biennial African association football tournament organised by Confederation of African Football. It is hosted..."

[dribolopdapipol]

Rain or Shine drags Magnolia to Game 7 for last PBA finals ticket

James Yap with another reliable performance for Rain or Shine. PBA IMAGES ANTIPOLO — Just as their foes were reaching for the dagger in the very arena where they have emerged unscathed and crowned as champions, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters looked calm and collected, giving themselves a fightback of their own in Game 6 of the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals. The Elasto Painters leaned on the marksmanship of Rey Nambatac and yet another steady performance by James Yap to fend off Magnolia, 91-81, and forge a decider for the last remaining Finals berth, Friday night at Ynares Center here. “I just told the players to enjoy this game, to keep it simple and it worked,” said coach Caloy Garcia, whose squad managed to extend the series after falling in three consecutive meetings. “I told them to not think about whatever happens and asked each one of them to play their game and stay relaxed,” he added. And it showed. Yap led all of Rain or Shine’s scorers with 16 while Nambatac and Beau Belga tossed in 15 apiece. Jewel Ponferrada added 11 more to preserve their promising start to their semifinal series. Magnolia managed to knot the affair at 62 by the end of the third quarter, all thanks to Ian Sangalang’s showing. But they had no answer for Nambatac, who started to catch fire from deep at the start of the final frame. From thereon, Nambatac and Yap took turns on scoring, snuffing out every ounce of counterattack the Hotshots mounted. “Coming into Game 7, we just have to do the same,” Garcia said of their sudden-death match scheduled this Sunday at MOA Arena in Pasay. “But Magnolia, coming into such situation, have much more experience. We just have to trust each other,” he added. The victory snapped Magnolia’s eight-game streak at Ynares Center, where the Hotshots crowned Governor’s Cup champions last December. Their last loss came in Sept. 17, 2017, in the hands of TNT. Rain or Shine could also deny Magnolia a chance to get back at its tormentors in last year’s all-Filipino finals. The scores: RAIN OR SHINE 91 – Nambatac 16, Yap 16, Belga 15, Ponferada 11, Torres 8, Norwood 8, Rosales 7, Ahanmisi 5, Daquioag 2, Mocon 2, Borboran 1. MAGNOLIA 81 – Sangalang 19, Lee 18, Jalalon 14, Herndon 9, Brondial 6, Melton 5, Reavis 4, Barroca 3, Ramos 3, Dela Rosa 0, Pascual 0, Abundo 0. Quarters: 21-17, 41-35, 62-62, 91-81. The post Rain or Shine drags Magnolia to Game 7 for last PBA finals ticket appeared first on Philippine Basketball Association. https://bit.ly/3Gtxlhw

[newstfionline]

Headlines: Friday, September 25, 2020

Tea prices (WSJ) The price of wholesale tea is up 50 percent since March, hitting $3.16 per kilogram, up from $2.13 per kilogram back in March. We’re still not at the $3.29 per kilogram demanded in October 2017, but the price hike is showing little sign of stopping. Every day 3.7 billion cups of tea are consumed, with half the U.S. population consuming tea daily, most of whom like it iced. Tea production is down in major producers like Sri Lanka and India.

California Plans to Ban Sales of New Gas-Powered Cars in 15 Years (NYT) California plans to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered cars statewide by 2035, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday, in a sweeping move aimed at accelerating the state’s efforts to combat global warming amid a deadly and record-breaking wildfire season. In an executive order, Governor Newsom directed California’s regulators to develop a plan that would require automakers to sell steadily more zero-emissions passenger vehicles in the state, such as battery-powered or hydrogen-powered cars and pickup trucks, until they make up 100 percent of new auto sales in just 15 years. Ramping up sales of emissions-free vehicles in California will be an enormous challenge over a relatively short period of time, experts said. Last year, only 8 percent of the nearly two million passenger vehicles sold statewide were battery-electric or plug-in hybrid vehicles. The order would affect only new-vehicle sales, the governor’s office said. It would not prevent Californians from owning cars with internal combustion engines past 2035 or selling them on the used-vehicle market.

Venezuela’s broken oil industry is spewing crude into the Caribbean Sea (Washington Post) The sun had risen over the Caribbean Sea when Frank González spotted “the stain”—an oil slick on the water that stretched for miles. “The sea looked like butter, because of the thickness of the water,” said González, a fisherman who saw the spill this month while working off the coast of Venezuela’s Falcón state. “It was painful to see.” Venezuela’s once powerful oil industry is literally falling apart, with years of mismanagement, corruption, falling prices and a U.S. embargo imposed last year bringing aging infrastructure to the brink of collapse. As the government scrambles to repair and restart its fuel-processing capacity, analysts are warning that ruptured pipelines, rusting tankers and rickety refineries are contributing to a mounting ecological disaster in this failing socialist state. Oil workers say the gushing crude soiling the coast of Falcón state this month came from a cracked underwater pipeline linked to attempts to restart fuel production at the aging Cardón refinery. Not far from the oil slick, fishermen say, is a jetting geyser of natural gas from a second broken pipeline.

France tightens virus measures, unveils new ‘danger zones’ map (Reuters) France’s health minister unveiled a map of coronavirus “danger zones” around the country on Wednesday and gave the hardest-hit local authorities, including that of Marseille, days to tighten restrictions or risk having a state of health emergency declared there. Olivier Veran told a news conference the country would be divided into zones by alert level with Marseille, the second-largest city, and the French Caribbean island of Guadeloupe for now the only two areas put on the “maximum” alert level. Like other European countries where the infection rate has soared in the past month, France has been gradually tightening limits on public and private gatherings locally, hoping it will be enough to contain the disease and avoid a second national lockdown. Among other measures, there will be a ban on public gatherings of more than 10 people and, in “maximum” alert level areas like Marseille, bars and restaurants will be closed from Saturday.

Protests Reignite After News of Secret Belarus Inauguration (Foreign Policy) Longtime Belarusian President Aleksandr Lukashenko was sworn in to extend his 26-year rule at a secret ceremony in Minsk on Wednesday, emphasizing the embattled leader’s shrinking authority and increasingly precarious hold on power. No prior announcement was made regarding the ceremony, prompting thousands of protesters to flood the streets of Minsk to rally against Lukashenko once the news broke. Opposition leaders, who have put immense pressure on Lukashenko since he claimed victory in a landslide on Aug. 9 amid widespread accusations of voter fraud, called the inaugural ceremony a “thieves’ meeting” and a “farce.” In a statement, a spokesperson of the U.S. State Department said that “the United States cannot consider [Lukashenko] the legitimately elected leader of Belarus.” The European Union has already said it doesn’t recognize Lukashenko as president.

In India, engineers and MBAs are turning to manual labor to survive the economic crash (Washington Post) On a recent muggy afternoon in southern India, Earappa Bawge hacked at the ground with a pickax, his white shirt pasted to his back. Each dull thud reminded him of how far his hopes had fallen. Just months ago, the 27-year-old engineer was poring over project files in an air-conditioned room at a factory hundreds of miles away. The job was a ticket out of rural poverty for Bawge’s entire family, who had sacrificed for years so he could complete his studies. Now he was back in the village where he was born, propelled by a wave of economic destruction rolling across India during the pandemic. To survive, Bawge began digging ditches under a public works program. Alongside him were a former bank employee, a veterinarian and three MBA students. At the end of the day, each received $3.70. “If I don’t work, we don’t get to eat,” said Bawge, flicking beads of sweat from his brow. “Hunger trumps any aspiration.” As India’s economy reels in the aftermath of one of the world’s strictest lockdowns, a rural employment program has emerged as a lifeline for some of the tens of millions left jobless. The government program—which aims to guarantee 100 days of unskilled work in rural areas—was intended to combat poverty and reduce the volatility of agricultural wages. Now it is a potent symbol of how the middle-class dreams of millions of Indians are unraveling.

China to let in more foreigners as virus recedes (AP) Foreigners holding certain types of visas and residence permits will be permitted to return to China starting next week as the threat of the coronavirus continues to recede. The new regulation lifts a monthslong blanket suspension covering most foreigners apart from diplomats and those in special circumstances. Beginning Monday, foreign nationals holding valid Chinese visas and residence permits for work, personal matters and family reunions will be permitted to enter China without needing to apply for new visas, according to the regulation. Those whose permits have expired can reapply. Returnees must undergo two weeks of quarantine and follow other anti-epidemic measures, the regulation said.

Xinjiang crackdown continues (The Guardian) China has built nearly 400 internment camps in Xinjiang region, with construction on dozens continuing over the last two years, even as Chinese authorities said their “re-education” system was winding down, an Australian think tank has found. The network of camps in China’s far west, used to detain Uighurs and people from other Muslim minorities, include 14 that are still under construction, according to the latest satellite imaging obtained by the Australian Strategic Policy Institute. In total ASPI identified 380 detention centers established across the region since 2017, ranging from lowest security re-education camps to fortified prisons.

Grand Theft Ayatollah (Foreign Policy) Iran’s elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is investing in a new video game in which Iranian paramilitaries rescue George Floyd from U.S. police, according to Khosro Kalbasi, a reporter for Iran’s independent Financial Tribune. It’s not the first time Middle Eastern powers have used video games and cartoons to make foreign-policy commentary: In 2018, a pro-Saudi group produced an animated video depicting Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman commanding a successful invasion of Iran.

Lebanon asks world’s help ‘trying to rise from its rubble’ (AP) Facing an economic meltdown and other crises, Lebanon’s president on Wednesday asked for the world’s help to rebuild the capital’s main port and neighborhoods that were blown away in last month’s catastrophic explosion. President Michel Aoun made the plea in a prerecorded speech to the U.N. General Assembly’s virtual summit, telling world leaders that Lebanon’s many challenges are posing an unprecedented threat to its very existence. Most urgently, the country needs the international community’s support to rebuild its economy and its destroyed port. Aoun suggested breaking up the damaged parts of the city into separate areas and so that countries that wish to help can each commit to rebuilding one. Earlier Wednesday, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for swift formation of a government to be followed by tangible steps to implement economic, social and political reforms. Lebanon’s government resigned under pressure in the wake of the port explosion, and Prime Minister-designate Mustapha Adib has been unable to form a new government amid a political impasse over which faction gets to have the Finance Ministry, as well as other disputes. “Without such action, the country’s ability to recover and rebuild will be jeopardized, adding to the turmoil and hardship of the Lebanese people,” Guterres added.

Israel’s Netanyahu brings his dirty laundry to Washington. Literally. (Washington Post) Most politicians go to great lengths to conceal their dirty laundry. And then there’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Over the years, the Israeli leader has developed a reputation among the staff at the U.S. president’s guesthouse for bringing special cargo on his trips to Washington: bags and suitcases full of dirty laundry, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter. The clothes are cleaned for the prime minister free of charge by the U.S. staff, a perk that is available to all foreign leaders but sparingly taken advantage of given the short stays of busy heads of state. “The Netanyahus are the only ones who bring actual suitcases of dirty laundry for us to clean,” said one U.S. official, who like others spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the details of a foreign leader’s visits. “After multiple trips, it became clear this was intentional.” Israeli officials denied that Netanyahu overuses his American hosts’ laundry services, calling the allegations “absurd,” but they acknowledged that he has been the target of laundry-related accusations in the past. In 2016, Netanyahu sued his own office and Israel’s attorney general in an effort to prevent the release of his laundry bills under the country’s freedom of information act. The relatively minor accusation joins a longer list of corruption allegations that have threatened the 70-year-old leader’s hold on power and triggered protests in Israel this month.

Australian offers free coffee, chat from his kitchen window (AP) It all started when Rick Everett walked out of his home in Sydney and put up a sign on his kitchen window that read: “Free coffee to combat the virus.” It was March, and the Australian acrobat had lost his job during the coronavirus pandemic. With more free time, he felt he could help out others in need. And he knew how to bake and cook after managing a chocolate and coffee shop and a pizza restaurant. When he started, he said the window would be open whenever he was home. He stressed that it wasn’t a coffee shop business; he just wanted to do something nice and meet his neighbors for a friendly chat during a difficult time. “Think of it as popping over to your mates for a coffee only it is a friend you have not met yet,” he wrote on a sign. “I am not selling anything. This is a gift and all it will cost you is a smile.” Soon his neighbors began to stop by, bringing him everything from cakes and loaves of bread to a six-pack of beer. Strangers began to recognize him on the street and wave hello. “It’s like I live in a small town again, and it’s really beautiful,” he said. “And what’s even more beautiful is people ring my coffee bell just to talk,” he said. “They don’t even want a coffee! They don’t want to take anything from me, but they’re most happy to have a conversation with me, which is really nice.”