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Voting Begins in Parliamentary and Local Elections, A Key Step in Building a Just Kazakhstan

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:23:23 GMT

Legislative elections are taking place today in Kazakhstan to elect members of the Mazhilis, the lower house of parliament, and the maslikhats, local representative bodies.Significant changes have been made to the electoral system in comparison to previous elections following constitutional amendments last year. A proportional-majoritarian model is being used for the first time since 2004, where 30 per cent of Mazhilis members are elected in single-member districts. The threshold for political parties to gain seats in parliament has been lowered from seven to five per cent. Other changes include an “against all” option on the ballots, and a 30 per cent quota for women, youth, and persons with special needs in party lists, both prior to the election and in the distribution of mandates.Seven political parties are competing in the election, including two new parties that are able to participate due to simplified party registration rules. A total of 281 candidates from seven party lists...

UK Foreign Secretary Visits Kazakhstan, Meets President Tokayev

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:23:23 GMT

Kazakhstan is the United Kingdom’s primary trading partner in Central Asia, Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs of the UK James Cleverly said during his meeting with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev in Astana as part of his first visit to the nation on March 18. According to the President’s press office, Tokayev and Cleverly spoke about strengthening bilateral cooperation in political, trade, economic, investment, and humanitarian fields.“Your visit will give a very strong impetus to further enhance mutual cooperation between Kazakhstan and the UK. I took note of your recent speech at the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office that outlined the long-term vision for British foreign policy. Indeed, it is a very important speech,” Tokayev said. The Kazakh President expressed appreciation for the positive dynamics of relations with the UK. “I would like to assess our mutual cooperation as very successful, particularly, in the economic sphere and...

Ask Amy: I turned down the job because of the interviewer’s question (and the no-pants thing)

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:23:23 GMT

Dear Amy: I’m a recently married woman in my mid-20s, looking for a new job.Recently, during an interview with a private school, I was asked about my pregnancy plans. The question was if I had a “plan for balancing children with work.”I coldly said, “My husband and I have spoken about it, and we’re not concerned.”I got offered the job but didn’t take it because of that question, as well as a “no pants” policy for women.When I told the company that I was declining the job, I told them my reasons, and I included a link to the EEOC about pregnancy discrimination, which included a recommendation to not ask that question in interviews. They responded with a general reply wishing me well in the future.Was there a better way to handle it?KDear K: “A no pants” policy? Wouldn’t that upset the children? (I thought that only television anchors could get away with going “no-pants” at work.)Kidding aside, your choice to turn down this position was obviously a good one. Your follow-up was appropr...

Pepper-grinder move unwelcome in Japan high school tourney

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:23:23 GMT

TOKYO (AP) — Lars Nootbaar’s imaginary pepper-grinder was the talk of World Baseball Classic games in Japan, but the fun-loving gesture by the St. Louis Cardinals outfielder does not appear welcome in Japan’s popular high school baseball tournament.When a player for Tohoku High School twisted his two fists together — imitating Nootbaar — after getting on first base Saturday, the umpire told him to stop.Hiroshi Sato, manager for Tohoku High School, defended his player. Tohoku lost to Yamanashi Gakuin Senior High School 3-1 at Koshien Stadium in Osaka.“It’s so popular the whole nation is talking about it,” Sato was quoted as saying in the nationally circulated Mainichi newspaper and other Japanese media.“The children are just having fun. Why do adults have to put a stop to it,” said Sato, who played for Tokyo’s Yomiuri Giants.“We should be thinking more about how children can freely enjoy baseball.” High school baseball tournaments are extremely popular in Japan. Maj...

Rain Returns this Sunday

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:23:23 GMT

A front is reaching South Florida this morning, leading to milder temperatures and an increased chance for rain later today and especially into tonight.Sunday will not be a washout but rain chances will gradually increase throughout the day. If you have any outdoor plans, your best bet will be to have them this morning because most areas will likely be dry under partly to mostly cloudy skies. Around midday, temperatures should peak into the upper 70s to low 80s which is about normal for this time of the year. Throughout the afternoon, we’ll begin to see showers and even isolated thunderstorms develop and move in from the south. Therefore, showers should begin in the Keys first, then reaching Broward by the evening or post-sunset hours. The rain won’t be widespread so rain chances peak at a 50% chance by the evening.The rain does become more widespread overnight tonight, however, with rain likely likely all across South Florida. A light to moderate rain is forecast throug...

Provocative Putin makes surprise trip to occupied Mariupol

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:23:23 GMT

A provocative Vladimir Putin made a surprise weekend visit to Russian occupied Mariupol, one of the symbols of Ukrainian resistance.Mariupol, a port city on the Sea of Azov, is located in Ukraine’s Donetsk Oblast and this is the Russian president’s first trip in the region since the start of his war against Ukraine in February 2022. Mariupol fell to Russia last May, after the Kremlin failed to seize Kyiv. The battle for Mariupol was one of the war’s longest and bloodiest, as Moscow’s troops carried out some of their most notorious strikes. The Russian assaults included an attack on a maternity ward, which the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) said was a war crime, and the bombing of a theater that was clearly marked as housing children. It is the closest to the front lines Putin has been since the yearlong war began. The move is likely to be seen as particularly provoking to Ukrainians. The trip to Mariupol came after Pu...

US House speaker calls for probes as Republicans slam potential Trump indictment

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:23:23 GMT

U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Saturday said he would direct House committees to investigate the Manhattan district attorney’s potential prosecution of former President Donald Trump.Trump on Saturday predicted on Truth Social that he would be arrested next week in the probe over his handling of a hush-money payment during his 2016 presidential campaign, prompting a slew of Republican allies to express their outrage.McCarthy said the Manhattan DA’s move would be “an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk as he pursues political vengeance against President Trump,” and said that he is “directing relevant committees to immediately investigate if federal funds are being used to subvert our democracy by interfering in elections with politically motivated prosecutions.”Rep. Chip Roy said an indictment of the former president would be “politically-motivated” — a symptom of what Roy called a “politicized ‘justice’ system that will be (i...

Howie Carr: Massachusetts House leadership gets huge payoffs with their inflated titles

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:23:23 GMT

I hope that if new Auditor Diana DiZoglio does get to audit the legislature, she will take a long hard look at the proliferation of phony-baloney jobs in “leadership,” and the huge payoffs that come with the absurdly inflated titles.It’s not as out-of-control as what’s been going on at the University of Massachusetts. But then, there are only 200 solons who must be paid off on Beacon Hill.Base pay now for legislators is $73,655 (plus the travel allowances of $15,000–20,0000). But only the most hopeless lames (even by state-rep standards) subsist on the minimum.Just about every hack is getting bonus money for their “leadership,” even Republicans. For instance, Rep. Brad Jones, the leader of the ever-dwindling GOP minority, made $85,212.64 extra last year on top of his then-base pay of $70,537.22.Then there’s the House Speaker, Ron Mariano, age 76. His “bonus” will be $109,163 this year, up from $90,893 last year. Plus the travel dough. For sure, Mistah Speakah is staying ahead of Bid...

NFL Notes: Breaking down the Patriots, AFC East

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:23:23 GMT

The AFC East proved to be one of the best and most competitive divisions in the conference last season.That distinction is not likely to change given how the teams have already managed to reload and fortify less than a week into free agency.What could change, however, is the pecking order from top to bottom.The Bills, while still the favorite, aren’t a lock to win their fourth straight division title as all of the teams below have their sights on making a move and unseating the champs.For starters, the second-place Dolphins have strengthened their defense, most notably with the acquisition of cornerback Jalen Ramsey and linebacker David Long, while the Jets are in the process of seriously upgrading the one position that held them back last season – quarterback.Aaron Rodgers is headed to the Big Apple if and when the Packers and Jets can work out the details on trade compensation.The Patriots?They’ve made some moves, and added some nice players on the offensive side of the ball, alth...

Qatar charges ex-finance minister with bribery, embezzlement

Published Fri, 21 Feb 2025 15:23:23 GMT

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Qatar announced Sunday the nation’s former finance minister faces charges including bribery and embezzlement from his time in the post.Ali Sharif al-Emadi was arrested in May 2021, with little about his case being made public. In a short statement on the state-run Qatar News Agency, prosecutors accused al-Emadi of the crimes and said he would face trial in a criminal court. It wasn’t immediately clear if al-Emadi had a lawyer. The state news report also did not elaborate on how much money the former minister is accused of stealing. Al-Emadi rose to prominence in the Gulf Arab emirate as the current emir ascended the throne and after overseeing the transformation of Qatar National Bank into the largest lender in the Middle East. Once one of Qatar’s most powerful officials, al-Emadi also served as chairman of the bank, on the board of Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund and as president of the executive board of long-haul carrier Qatar Airways....