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Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Memorial Day observed: North Country honors those who gave all
NORTH COUNTRY — The most solemn of America's national holidays was observed in towns, hamlets and cities throughout the North Country. TWO SERVICES HELD NEAR ELIZABETHTOWN ELIZABETHTOWN — American Legion Post 113 conducted two Memorial Day services, Monday. The first was at the Essex County Veterans Cemetery in Wadhams. At the end of first service, the participants moved to the Village Park in Elizabethtown. Newman Tryon American Legion Adjutant emceed the ceremonies and read a list of those who gave their lives for our country from the towns of Lewis and Elizabethtown. Tryon recounted the history of the Essex County Veterans Cemetery in Wadhams which has interred 103 Veterans in its 19 years. He also thanked Danny and Angie Wallace who spearheaded the Hometown Heroes banners program every year. Rev. David Sullivan of the Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd, himself a Veteran, officiated at both the opening and closing prayers. Ash White lifted her voice in singing the Star-Spangled Banner. Representing the Legion Auxiliary Lena Robetoy placed a wreath at the WWII monument. Amid crosses signifying America's wars and conflicts the program concluded with the playing of 'Taps.' Heroes remembered in Keene Valley KEENE — At the foot of the Adirondack's Great Range in Keene Veterans Monument Park American Legion Post 1312 Commander Tom Both told of the purpose of Memorial Day. Rev. Susie Allen led those gathered for a moment of prayer. Peter Slocum gave a short history of Veterans of early Keene. Amy & Peter Nelson lifted their voices in singing 'America the Beautiful.' Rev. Allen said, 'They left our peaceful Valley to protect freedom and justice. Each hoped that their conflict to be the last for peace of all mankind.' Slocum traced Keene's heroes going back to the Revolutionary War. In particular there was Eli Hull who at age 12 tried to enlist, but General Washington would not allow it. However Hull and three sons enlisted for the War of 1812 in Plattsburgh. A traditional Legion ceremony was provided by Post 1312 Chaplain Robert Lewis and Commander Emeritus Larry House. This was followed by the Borealis singers performing, a simple but powerful message, 'Dona Nobis Pacem,' (Grant us Peace); the refrain of which is repeated as the only lyrics. A salute by the Post 1312 Rifle Squad echoed through the hillside as did. 'Taps' performed by Lynn Dewalt. Perhaps the most poignant moment of the ceremony was the song, 'Travelin Soldier,' sung by Lauren Whitney accompanied by Amy Nelson on guitar. It tells the story of an 18 year-old soldier heading to Vietnam. He meets a waitress with whom he corresponds. At a football game at the girl's high school after the National Anthem and Lord's Prayer, the local soldiers who died in the war are announced. The soldier's name is on the list, but only the girl recognizes his name. She mourns for him as stated in the line 'One name read and nobody really cared but a pretty little girl with a bow in her hair,' a scenario that has unfortunately been repeated countless times. SOLDIERS HONORED, EULOGIZED IN WESTPORT WESTPORT — The morning fog emanating from nearby Lake Champlain added another dimension to remembrances of the past and those who gave their lives for this country. The program started with Felix Haskins performing 'America the Beautiful' on the cello. This was followed by Westport Town Supervisor Michael Tyler welcoming more than 125 in attendance and leading them in the 'Pledge of Allegiance.' Ashley Rodriguez sang 'The Star Spangled Banner' which was followed by Pastor Barbara Jackson of the Westport federated Church giving the invocation. Jackson said in part, 'We give thanks to those who saw the need and stepped up. They gave the most precious gift they had. Help us be worthy of their sacrifices.' The keynote speaker was Lt. Col. (retired) Andrew Beal who served three deployments in Iraq and two in Afghanistan, while receiving three Bronze Stars. Beal eulogized the heroics of WWI Army Veteran William W. Morrison, Sr. and WWII Army Veteran Frank Dougal. Morrison was with the 76th Infantry known as the Liberty Bell Division. He survived trench warfare while living in foxholes on the front lines. 'He never asked for glory,' said Beal. Dougal was with the combat engineers Keystone Division in Normandy and the Ardennes Forest. His unit had to crawl through mines and booby traps with machine gun fire strafing overhead. Then it was off to liberate Paris and on to Germany where they encountered what was called 'the Hurricane Force.' There were many casualties as they slogged through knee deep mud. On Dec. 17, 1944, Dougal and many of his comrades were captured during the Battle of the Bulge. He then endured the horrors of a POW camp before being liberated. Veterans George Maffey and Dick Fritz laid wreaths, followed by Taylor Haskins playing 'Taps' and final remarks by Tyler and a benediction by Pastor Jackson.
Daily Maverick
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Maverick
The irony — Trump's refugees could have moved to Orania, our in-house enclave for fearful Afrikaners
When President Cyril Ramaphosa meets US President Donald Trump for vexed trade and bilateral talks at the White House on Wednesday, there will be no way to sidestep their disagreement over the controversial white Afrikaner repatriation programme. Like so many South Africans, my jaw dropped incredulously when a group of at least 49 of my compatriots waved the Star-Spangled Banner at Dulles International Airport last Monday after fleeing South Africa. The arrival in the US of these funded, fast-tracked refugees, about whom we still know very little, comes from an executive order in February when Trump declared that Afrikaners, particularly farmers, were victims of unjust racial discrimination and deserved asylum status. Even minority interest groups like the Solidarity Movement and AfriForum, who have led the campaign against the South African government, cautioned against Trump's invitation to the 'persecuted' minority, saying they did not plan to go anywhere. White Afrikaners have been here for centuries – their roots dig deep into South African soil. Judging from the satirical memes and public outcry in South Africa over the past week, Trump's embrace of a single group of this formally advantaged white group has had somewhat of a nation-building effect. The rebuttals to Trump have been well aired: South Africa has flaws, and the Rainbow Nation has frayed, but to commit white Afrikaner genocide is not among them. Persuasive arguments have been led from Afrikaans voices including Max du Preez, the founding editor of Vrye Weekblad, a weekly anti-apartheid newspaper. Columnist and editor Tim Cohen pointed out the irony that Trump's refugees had left on the same day that South Africa's athletics team, 'which is thoroughly and fabulously multiracial', triumphed at the World Athletics Relays championship in Guangzhou, China. Pointing out Trump's exceptionalism for Afrikaners, specialist crime writer Caryn Dolley imagined what would happen if Trump extended his embrace to communities who had suffered under apartheid and continued to be endangered by daily realities of crime, poverty, inequity, violence and gangsterism. Another option The irony of Trump's successful asylum seekers is that they had another option, closer to home. South Africa has its own in-house enclave for disaffected, fearful white Afrikaners who do not feel they belong in the new South Africa under black majority rule. It is in a place called Orania. It lies in the Northern Cape. This weird little privately owned town was established by Carel Boshoff, the son-in-law of the architect of apartheid, Hendrik Verwoerd. It is home to whites only, a symbol of past racial segregation and exclusion. Orania came about as a separate volkstaat (homeland) during a tense transition period in 1991, three years before the country's first democratic elections and a year after the release of ANC leader Nelson Mandela. There is no doubt that this self-governed community of Orania exists, thanks to the legacy of goodwill and big-heartedness of visionary leaders such as Mandela. If there was ever an obvious target from so-called genocidal groupings, this would be it. And yet, to date, I know of no recorded incident, beyond recent campaigns by parties like the EFF, to have it disbanded. As a longtime reporter and editor, I witnessed the tumultuous transition from apartheid to the new South Africa. I saw the joy and relief of returning political refugees who had been forced into painful exile in real fear of their lives, real fear of persecution. I still believe in the nonracial democratic project, no matter how infuriatingly challenged we are when it comes to inequity, poverty, violent crime and corruption. A few days before Trump's refugees landed in the US, I went to a jazz concert at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town. Thirty-one years into the new South Africa, the crowd was still mostly white and privileged; white households still earn nearly five times more than black households on average. The band was led by a South African drummer of Indian descent, Kesivan Naidoo, currently based in Switzerland. He brought an international group of musicians with him – from France, Brazil, Spain and Botswana. He wanted to show off the spirit of his home country to his international artists. The band closed with a freedom composition, with interspersed recordings of Mandela's rousing nonracial liberation speeches. The audience rose to their feet in collective memory, dancing and applauding at the reminder of our magical democratic achievement, which still flickers. Now we hold our breath in anticipation of how the interaction between Ramaphosa and Trump will unfold on Wednesday. The folly of America's new refugees has exacerbated tensions, but is a sideshow to the serious matters of trade and tariffs. It is also a decoy for Trump's anger at South Africa's genocide case against Israel before the International Court of Justice, which many have interpreted as a key reason he has a beef with South Africa. Ramaphosa is likely to hold his own, but display grace and forbearance. He first responded in typical diplomatic fashion, denying claims of genocide and saying he looked forward to engaging with Trump. Later, he commented that Trump had got the 'wrong end of the stick'. And on the sidelines, perhaps Ramaphosa will even venture a rendezvous with Trump's refugees who are praying that the grass is greener on the other side in Idaho, Minnesota, Nevada, or wherever they may be right now. I suspect that is what Mandela – Ramaphosa's mentor – would have done. He would wish them all the best. Thirty-one years into democracy, South Africa is fumbling its way in new territory under a government of national unity, after the ANC lost its 50% majority in the 2024 elections. Yes, the future is uncertain, but that is the global norm right now. What is certain is that despite our challenges, we still live in a democracy that upholds the rule of law, and in which misguided policies are open to legal challenge. Our Constitution protects diversity, equity and inclusion. This covers human dignity and self-determination for all – even those who opt to live in the white enclave of Orania, or further afield.
Perth Now
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Aussie TikTok family's move to America slammed by fan
A famous Aussie family has divided fans after making the bold choice to pack their bags and move across the world. TikTok sensation Kat Clark and her 14-year-old daughter Deja have traded in their Australian home for a life guided by the Star-Spangled Banner. The two influencers — who boast a combined following of more than 10 million on TikTok — celebrated their departure from Australia with their family last week. 'We decided to host a going-away thing, because obviously we don't know when we will see my family next,' Kat said. 'I am really sad about leaving my grandma . . . she is 93 this year. 'Obviously, if something did happen, I would be on the first flight back home, but it's still sad knowing I won't be as close to them.' The Gold Coast family hired a caterer and a decorator to create a US-themed party. If you'd like to view this content, please adjust your . To find out more about how we use cookies, please see our Cookie Guide. It featured a giant USA light-up sign, an expansive themed charcuterie board, a US-styled chocolate cake, and classic American foods. The decision has been met with mixed reactions from fans, most expressing concern over the current political climate in the US. 'I'm sorry, no opportunity could convince me to move to America (right now) it's literally turning into a hell hole,' one user said. Another user said: 'Why on earth anyone would want to move to America from Australia is beyond me' American theme Credit: Supplied Others were more understanding, reminding the family they could always come back. 'We respect your decision, you can always come back if it isn't working out!' Kat Clark's eldest daughter Latisha Clark, 22, has decided to stay in Australia. It is yet to be revealed which of the 50 states the Clarks have chosen to call home, however there is speculation it will be somewhere in California.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
U.S. Welterweight Bashes Canada, Then Guess What Happens vs. Canadian In UFC Bout
U.S. welterweight Charles Radtke talked smack about Canada, then got smacked silly by Canadian Mike Malott in their UFC bout in Montreal on Saturday. (Watch the videos below.) Malott (12-2-1) floored Radtke (10-5) with a left hook in the second round and rained punches on the American as he lay on his back before the referee stopped the bout. MIKE MALOTT GETS IT DONE IN ROUND 2 🇨🇦 # — ESPN MMA (@espnmma) May 11, 2025 With tensions between the U.S. and Canada at perhaps an all-time high due to President Donald Trump's tariffs and talk of annexing Canada, Radtke ratcheted up the adversarial hype during a prefight press conference. He referenced Canadian hockey fans who booed the 'Star-Spangled Banner' before the Americans played in the same arena during the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. 'I don't give a shit about hockey,' Radtke said. 'That's not my gig. But what I do hold dear is I grew up on a bison ranch with my grandfather, who's a sergeant major in the Marine Corps, and when you all booed the national anthem, somebody's going to have to pay for that.' "When y'all boo the [U.S.] national anthem, someone's going to have to pay for that."Charles Radtke doesn't plan to hold back against Canadian Mike Malott at UFC — OutKick (@Outkick) May 9, 2025 The American also refused to shake Malott's hand at one point. Huge ovation for Canada's own Mike Malott after Charles Radtke refuses to shake his hand 🇨🇦 # — Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 9, 2025 But the victor took the high road when boos erupted for his opponent in the post-fight interview. (Fans repeatedly chanted 'fuck you, Radtke' during the bout.) 'Hey, no, don't boo him,' Malott said. 'We're celebrating now. That's done. We're cheering. This is our time. No negativity, just positivity, baby. And when it comes to defending this country in the octagon, know one thing, Canada: I stand on guard for thee.' Malott's tailoring of a line from 'O Canada' was a knockout. Boxer Dry Humps Opponent On Tyson-Paul Undercard. Fans Aghast. Mike Tyson's Naked Butt Makes Surprising Pre-Fight Appearance Jake Paul Wins Decision Over Mike Tyson
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Could Utah host an outdoor NHL game?
Fireworks explode during the Star-Spangled Banner before the NHL Winter Classic outdoor game featuring the Chicago Blackhawks and St. Louis Blues at Wrigley Field, Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024, in Chicago. | Erin Hooley, Associated Press If you thought the 16,000-seat Delta Center got loud at hockey games this season, wait until the Utah Mammoth play at Rice-Eccles Stadium. NHL commissioner Gary Bettman spoke at a press conference inside the Delta Center on Wednesday, where, among many other things, he discussed Utah's potential to host an outdoor game. Advertisement While speaking on how 'crazy' it seemed for Smith Entertainment Group to leave the team name voting up to the fans, Bettman stated that the NHL '(does) crazy pretty well,' mentioning the two outdoor games to be played in Florida next year as examples. 'Florida?' shouted a voice from the crowd. 'We'll have one here, too,' Bettman responded. 'We've already done a site visit.' Once the discussion was opened up to media questioning, he provided more details. 'I believe we can pull all the things together that need to be pulled together,' he said. 'Just up the road, there's a nice stadium. We have to schedule these things a little bit in advance, but it's on our radar.' Advertisement The building to which he's referring is likely Rice-Eccles Stadium, where the University of Utah plays its football games. It holds 51,444 people for football, and those numbers typically don't change much when stadiums host hockey. Fans cheer during the national anthem before the NHL Winter Classic hockey game played outside at Wrigley Field. | M. Spencer Green, Associated Press Once the Florida Panthers play the Winter Classic next season, the Mammoth will be the only active franchise to have never participated in an outdoor game. Would they be able to sell alcohol at an outdoor NHL game in Utah? Most conversations about a potential outdoor game in Utah included a question about how they would be able to sell beer. Neither Rice-Eccles Stadium nor LaVell Edwards Stadium, where BYU plays, permit alcohol sales. Advertisement The league ran into this issue at the 2019 Winter Classic at Notre Dame Stadium. At the time, the school did not permit alcohol sales — but it made an exception for the NHL. The University of Utah does allow the sale of alcohol at some on-campus events with approval from a vice president, so perhaps the NHL could get an exception. It comes with a word of caution, though: Notre Dame Stadium ran out of food and alcohol early in the game. The NHL would be wise to over-prepare this time around — especially with the amount of beer Utah hockey fans consumed at the Delta Center this season. How do outdoor NHL games work? Outdoor NHL games typically use football or baseball stadiums. The league has a pair of portable rinks that it can set up virtually anywhere, so there's no need to alter the field in any permanent way. These games are about much more than the two points in the standings available to the competing teams: They're spectacles for both the fans and the players to enjoy. Advertisement The 2025 Winter Classic between the Chicago Blackhawks and the St. Louis Blues featured a fan festival, interactive games, opportunities for fans to take pictures with the Stanley Cup and a pop-up shop replicating Wayne Gretzky's childhood basement. Participating teams usually introduce special edition jerseys for outdoor games. It would be the perfect chance for the Mammoth to unveil a powder blue jersey. Teams have also made it tradition to walk into the game in matching costumes, often based on a local culture or industry.
