Latest news with #AstridRiecken
Yahoo
14-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How Trump's USAID Freeze Threatens Global Democracy
A vigil has been placed at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 8, 2025. Credit - Astrid Riecken—ThePresident Donald Trump is a disrupter-in-chief. His political rise is inextricably linked to his willingness to break with American norms. Yet his decision to abruptly freeze nearly $72 billion in U.S. foreign aid has still managed to send shockwaves at home and abroad—because of just how much it would undermine American interests and global stability. The decision marks a dangerous retreat from America's defense of freedom around the world. USAID was established by President John F. Kennedy and the National Endowment for Democracy was a product of Ronald Reagan's vision to foster global democracy. Together, they have defended countless in the face of abhorrent human rights abuses, and served as a bulwark against corruption and authoritarian creep. USAID, with its partners in civil society, have been first defenders of U.S. interests for over 60 years. It provides as much as 40% of global aid and the sudden funding freeze creates a power vacuum that enemies—including China, Russia, and Iran—will step in to fill. As Kennedy once said: '[U.S. aid cuts] would be disastrous and, in the long run, more expensive. Our own security would be endangered and our prosperity imperiled.' Read More: Inside the Chaos, Confusion, and Heartbreak of Trump's Foreign-Aid Freeze In mere days, the funding freeze has achieved what the Presidents of Russia and Belarus have desired for several decades: taking an axe to the remnants of independent media in the former Soviet countries. Meduza, which provided independent coverage on topics censored by the Putin regime, now faces an uncertain future. Tellingly, Moscow praised Trump's move. In Ukraine, USAID backed the Anti-Corruption Action Center—which exposes oligarchic corruption. In Southeast Asia, the program supports the Freedom Collaborative, which works to rescue victims of human trafficking from cyber scam compounds that defraud millions of dollars from U.S. citizens each year. China Labor Watch, supported by NED, combats the forced labor of Chinese workers by carrying out investigations, supporting victims of trafficking, and advancing the enforcement of laws. Gutting the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)—a George W. Bush initiative—also endangers millions of lives across Africa. These initiatives and countless others are now in peril. President Jimmy Carter once declared that 'every American embassy should be looked upon as a haven for those who suffer from human rights abuse.' Indeed, the U.S. Government gave literal shelter to Cardinal József Mindszenty, who opposed the communist dictatorship in Hungary, between 1956 to 1971. As a Hungarian-American, I deeply honor the legacy of the 1956 revolution, which lasted 12 days before Soviet troops crushed it. Supporting democracy is personal to me. My family and friends back home have spent over a decade living with the consequences of democratic backsliding. Me and my organization, Action for Democracy, have even been targeted by the pro-Putin premiership of Viktor Orbán. I thought I had found a safe haven in America—where the defense of democracy is a national value that binds us all. We must carry the torch forward. The U.S. is a nation of immigrants uniquely qualified to support global democracy. By activating our diaspora communities and channeling their energy, knowledge, and resources, we can persist even when the federal government wavers. Cities, states, private citizens, and civil society groups must now step up and step in. We should all choose and adopt a cause we support abroad, in addition to those who already donate at home. Read More: Foreign Aid Is Retreating. The Church Must Not The rest of the world has a duty, too. Democracies must mobilize their own resources on a new scale. The European Endowment for Democracy should be strengthened and its mission made global. The U.K. has a unique chance to leverage its Britain Reconnected strategy. Canada should double down on its Pro-Dem Fund and its leading role in the Media Freedom Coalition. South Africa should revitalize the African Renaissance and International Cooperation Fund to further its vision of a democratic, conflict-free continent. Brazil should leverage its position as the largest democracy in South America to fill in the gap left by the U.S.'s retreat. Brazil and South Africa, as democratic members of BRICS, should exploit their weight in the organization to counteract the potentially corrosive efforts of authoritarian members. We have no time to waste. The need for humanitarian aid is a moral and strategic imperative to keep America free and safe—and the hope for a more democratic world alive. Contact us at letters@
Yahoo
13-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Winter storms in photos: Chicago, Washington, D.C., NYC and Boston blanketed with snow as millions see wintry weather
Lucy Estelle Wetkin, 11, sleds off a jump in front of the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. () A series of winter storms swept across the United States this week, bringing snow, sleet and freezing rain to millions of Americans from coast to coast. Nearly 200 million people across 40 states were under some sort of winter weather advisory, according to the National Weather Service. The first storm dumped over a foot of snow in parts of the Appalachians and mid-Atlantic, including Washington, D.C., which was blanketed by over 6 inches of snowfall on Tuesday. The White House, National Mall and U.S. Capitol were covered in white. Snow blankets the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. (Astrid Riecken/Washington Post via Getty Images) A person holds a small snowman in front of the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday. () People walk past the Capitol in a snowstorm in Washington, D.C., Tuesday. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) Advertisement Newsletter: The Yodel Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. Sign up By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. A view to the White House in Washington, D.C., Tuesday. (Alex Brandon/AP) Bushes are covered with snow in front of the White House on Wednesday. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) The Washington Monument is seen from the Lincoln Memorial as snow covers the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Wednesday. () Snow covers the sign outside the State Department in Washington, D.C., Wednesday. () Advertisement The snow made for a picturesque setting in the nation's capital and other cities along the Interstate 95 corridor, where snowfall rates were an inch an hour in some spots. (It also made for lots of shoveling.) A person clears snow in Howard Beach, Queens, N.Y., on Sunday. (Theodore Parisienne/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) Additional snow fell in the New York City area, which saw up to half a foot of snow during last weekend's storm. A third system was expected to bring heavy snow to the Sierra Nevadas and Rockies as well as heavy rain to California before bringing the potential for more snow and ice to the Plains, Midwest and Northeast. Photographers have been capturing wonderful images of this week's wintry weather, some of which we've collected here. A woman walks through a snow-covered path in Centreville, Md., on Wednesday. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images) Snow is reflected in Chicago's Cloudgate sculpture on Wednesday. () A worker clears snow from a sidewalk in Chicago Wednesday. () Advertisement A pedestrian crosses K Street NW, in Washington D.C., during a snow shower on Tuesday. (Robert Miller/The Washington Post via Getty Images) As snow falls Tuesday night in downtown Silver Spring, Md., a man tries to ride an electric bike on the sidewalk. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post via Getty Images) People walk through snow at the Capitol, Tuesday. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Hansen Chen, left, and June Liu enjoy the snow-covered scenery at Little Seneca Lake in Boyds, Md., on Tuesday. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post via Getty Images) Advertisement The MBTA Mattapan-Ashmont Trolley makes it through the snow on Feb. 9 in Boston. () A street scene in Brooklyn, N.Y., on Saturday during a winter snowstorm. (NDZ/Star Max) Which pandemic-era purchases do you still love or regret? Tell us! Next month will mark the fifth anniversary of the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. And we all remember the early days of the lockdown, and the things we were doing — and buying — while we were stuck at home. We want to hear from you! What are some of your pandemic-era purchases? What was your best lockdown purchase? And what pandemic purchase do you regret the most?
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Winter storms in photos: Washington, D.C., New York City and Boston blasted with snow as millions see wintry weather
A person holds a small snowman in front of the Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. () A series of winter storms swept across the United States this week, bringing snow, sleet and freezing rain to millions of Americans from coast to coast. Nearly 200 million people across 40 states were under some sort of winter weather advisory, according to the National Weather Service. The first storm dumped over a foot of snow in parts of the Appalachians and mid-Atlantic, including Washington, D.C., which was blanketed by over 6 inches of snowfall on Tuesday. The White House, National Mall and U.S. Capitol were covered in white. Snow blankets the National Mall in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday. (Astrid Riecken/Washington Post via Getty Images) People walk past the Capitol in a snowstorm in Washington, D.C., Tuesday. (Jacquelyn Martin/AP) A view to the White House in Washington, D.C., Tuesday. (Alex Brandon/AP) Advertisement Newsletter: The Yodel Trusted news and daily delights, right in your inbox See for yourself — The Yodel is the go-to source for daily news, entertainment and feel-good stories. Sign up By signing up, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy. Snow covers the U.S. Capitol grounds on Wednesday morning after a winter storm. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images) Bushes are covered with snow in front of the White House on Wednesday. (Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP via Getty Images) The snow made for a picturesque setting in the nation's capital and other cities along the Interstate 95 corridor, where snowfall rates were an inch an hour in some spots. (It also made for lots of shoveling.) Additional snow fell in the New York City area, which saw up to half a foot of snow during last weekend's storm. A person clears snow in Howard Beach, Queens, N.Y., on Sunday. (Theodore Parisienne/New York Daily News/Tribune News Service via Getty Images) People clear snow in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday night. () Advertisement A third system was expected to bring heavy snow to the Sierra Nevadas and Rockies as well as heavy rain to California before bringing the potential for more snow and ice to the Plains, Midwest and Northeast. Photographers have been capturing wonderful images of this week's wintry weather, some of which we've collected here. As snow falls Tuesday night in downtown Silver Spring, Md., a man tries to ride an electric bike on the sidewalk. (Photo by Sarah L. Voisin/The Washington Post via Getty Images) A pedestrian crosses K Street NW, in Washington D.C., during a snow shower on Tuesday. (Robert Miller/The Washington Post via Getty Images) People walk through snow at the Capitol, Tuesday. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin) Hansen Chen, left, and June Liu enjoy the snow-covered scenery at Little Seneca Lake in Boyds, Md., on Tuesday. (Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post via Getty Images) Advertisement The MBTA Mattapan-Ashmont Trolley makes it through the snow on Feb. 9 in Boston. ()
Washington Post
30-01-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Crowded airspace and D.C.'s deadly plane crash
Emergency response units from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C., search the crash site on the Potomac River on Jan. 30. (Astrid Riecken/The Washington Post) On Wednesday night, an American Airlines plane and an Army Black Hawk helicopter collided in midair near Reagan National Airport. Both aircraft crashed into the Potomac River in Washington. D.C. officials believe the three soldiers in the helicopter and all 64 passengers and crew aboard the airplane were killed. Today on 'Post Reports,' host Elahe Izadi and transportation reporter Lori Aratani break down what we know about the collision, the close calls faced around Reagan National Airport in the recent past, and President Donald Trump's baseless claims that diversity, equity and inclusion programs within the Federal Aviation Administration were to blame for the crash. Today's show was produced by Bishop Sand and Rennie Svirnovskiy. It was mixed by Sam Bair and edited by Reena Flores. Thanks to Teddy Amenabar, Blair Guild, Evan Hill, Jorge Ribas, Chris Rowland, Kyle Swenson and Clarence Williams. Subscribe to The Washington Post here.
