Quote of the Day: ‘Oasis' in the Mountains Beckons the War-Weary
Tetiana Bezsonova, who fled Pokrovsk, Ukraine, a year ago, on her arrival in Mukachevo, the region of Transcarpathia that has seen few attacks in the three years since Russia's full-scale invasion.
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Forbes
3 days ago
- Forbes
Floods Impact Big Bend And Other Texas Travel Destinations
Flood waters left debris, including vehicles and equipment scattered in Louise Hays Park on July 5 in Kerrville, Texas. (Photo by) Getty Images The country mourns for so many people killed or injured—and properties ruined or damaged—in the Texas floods. Parks and travel destinations also took a hit. The Kerrville Folk Festival Foundation, which presents popular music events throughout the year canceled its Oct. 10-12 Welcome Home Fest 2025. 'Right now, our focus is on providing relief, shelter and hospitality to those affected by this disaster,' the foundation states on its website. 'We're pouring our energy into supporting our neighbors.' The flooding has closed Kerrville's Louise Hays Park for day use and through traffic 'until further notice,' the City of Kerrville's website says. 'This closure encompasses the Kerrville Rivertrail and all access points. Kindly refrain from attempting to enter these facilities through any access points.' Kerrville sits on the banks of the Guadalupe River River, which overflowed and tragically swept away many summer campers and others. The city in the Texas Hill Country is about a two-hour drive west from Austin and a one-hour drive north from San Antonio. Other areas also suffered damage, as far away as Big Bend National Park, a 388-mile, six-hour drive from Kerrville. 'The tourism infrastructure in Texas has taken a major hit,' the trade website Travel and Tour World reports. 'Popular tourist destinations like state parks, historic landmarks and natural reserves have been either temporarily closed or severely damaged.' Search and rescue teams navigate upstream in an inflatable boat on the flooded Guadalupe River on July 4 in Comfort, Texas. (Photo by) Getty Images Local businesses dependent on tourism have faced a sharp decline in visitors. 'Hotels, bed and breakfasts and local restaurants that once thrived during the summer tourism season have seen a significant drop in foot traffic,' Travel and Tour World says. 'With much of the local population displaced or involved in recovery efforts, businesses are struggling to stay afloat.' At Big Bend National Park, which welcomed 561,469 visitors last year, there are numerous road closures. The park has 304 miles of paved and gravel roads. 'The road to Santa Elena (Route 16) is closed due to water and debris,' the Big Bend Daily reported on July 20. 'Most dirt roads are closed, check the visitor center for updates. Your safety is your responsibility, be prepared to self-rescue.' The park's website says that due to heavy rain and flooding over the past few days, the following steps have been taken until further notice: Hot Springs Road is closed. The road between Cottonwood Campground and Santa Elena Canyon is closed. Old Maverick Road is closed. Old Ore Road is closed. Dagger Flat isclosed. Most dirt roads in the park are closed. Most backcountry drive-in campsites are closed. 'After storms, debris and standing water may be present in low-lying areas along Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive and the road between Panther Junction and Rio Grande Village,' the park service says. 'Please exercise extreme caution when driving any road in the park. Do not drive into low water crossings if water is flowing across the road.' Many Texas businesses are pitching in to help the recovery effort. Austin's Meanwhile Brewing Co. and the Uptown Sports Club , for example, have announced they will donate all proceeds from their Summer Backyard Barbecue Series to The Community Foundation of the Hill Country to support the Kerr County Flood Relief Fund. The barbecue event brings together chefs, brewmasters, musicians and local vendors on four days, starting July 25 and three days in August.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Yahoo
29 "Normal" Things From Other Countries That I, An American, Absolutely Cannot Believe Are Real
Contrary to popular belief, most of us Americans are well aware we're not the center of the universe. Admittedly, though, we do get a little set in our ways. Recently, the question was posed on Reddit: "What's something totally normal in your country that would shock most Americans?" and honestly, from leaving babies outside to walking around barefoot, these 29 "normal" things from other countries are actually pretty mind-blowing: 1."My family is from Ecuador, specifically Guayaquil, so I visit often. On Saturday nights, there is a rollercoaster cart that drives around town, drifting, doing donuts, and going super fast while playing music. It's the shape of a worm, so they call it 'el gusanito' [little worm]. It picks people up like every other block, and it costs 25 cents to ride. There are no limits to how many people can get on per cart. I even saw a stray dog catch a ride once. It's so unsafe but super fun. That would never happen in the States." undefinedundefinedundefined 2."When people die, we put up little posters — printed obituaries [necrologs] — on the walls of buildings all around town and close to places the person liked to frequent. They have a little picture of the person, their date of birth and death, and a message of mourning from the family. I'm from Bulgaria." undefinedundefined 3."Sauna naked with friends. Sauna naked with family. Sauna naked with strangers." undefinedundefinedundefined 4."Having to pay for public restrooms." undefinedundefined 5."Walking around in public in bare feet. Very common to see supermarket shoppers and such with no shoes on, and no, it's not a class thing, all kinds of people do it. Not beating the Hobbit allegations, I guess." undefinedundefined 6."This really only occurs in Ontario and Quebec, but the whole bagged milk thing seems to really freak them out." undefinedundefinedundefined 7."If you get sick on your vacation, you go to the doctor, and the company has to give you your days back." undefinedundefinedundefined 8."Here in Germany, our pharmacies only sell medicine, no snacks, makeup, or random stuff. The first time I visited the US, I thought I was in the wrong store." undefinedundefined 9."Taking your shoes off to go into a school. In Japan, they typically wear indoor shoes. I grew up in the States, so I thought it was normal to wear outdoor shoes inside. Never even put any thought into my shoes being dirty until after I moved to Japan. Now, there is no way that I'd even want to wear my outdoor shoes inside my house." undefined 10."I lived in Spain for a few years as an American. One of the biggest differences was the fact that their whole family lives together indefinitely. In a home the size that would fit a starter family in America, they have their grandparents, aunts, uncles, etc., and they all take care of each other. As someone who was forced to move out at 18, that fascinated me." undefined 11."A man walking along a street with a massive machete is no cause for alarm and wouldn't even get an eyebrow raised." undefined 12."The one with which I shocked my fellow Americans, since I used to live in Japan, was how it wasn't uncommon to see a 5-6-year-old child riding the train to school unaccompanied. I thought it was a beautiful testament to the culture. In the U.S., you would have your child taken away for neglectful parenting." undefinedundefined 13."Boyfriends and girlfriends (or partners) sleeping together at each other's houses from about age 14-15 years old. (Denmark here). Parents would rather have this than kids sneaking around and getting into bad situations." undefinedundefinedundefined 14."We can have 'snap elections,' and not wait for two or four years of stupidity to play out." undefinedundefined 15."The maternity leave is fucking bonkers, to the point where I've had colleagues that I didn't even meet due to them being out on maternity for like three to four years. Plus, you accrue paid leave during this time at a rate of one month per year, so you can extend it by almost half a year off." undefined 16."You are allowed to have sex outside/in nature. There are no specific rules, but you have to be mindful of other people who might be outside as well. So you are encouraged to seek out areas that are less visited. And you are not allowed to harass or accost others. If by chance you pass by someone having sex, you are encouraged to just move on." undefined 17."Anything without rice is just a snack, no matter how big the portion is." undefined 18."In Australia, an independent election authority that draws election boundaries in a non-partisan way. A respected, independent judiciary where almost no one can recall the names of our judges. A universal pharmaceutical scheme that heavily subsidizes medication for the entire population." undefinedundefined 19."University fees are relatively low. We generally pay off our student loans in our twenties (South Africa). We're paying R70k [just under $4,000] per annum for our son to do Chemical Engineering. His 4-year degree will be around R280k, which is around $16,000. Most of my American friends still have student loans of around $50,000." undefinedundefined 20."28 days annual leave." undefinedundefinedundefined 21."When I (American) was in Bavaria, there was a nice little cafe with outdoor seating not far from the lodge I was staying at. It wasn't very far from a photo/art studio that had a bunch of their photos on display in their storefront, which included quite a few really tasteful and elegant nudes. Right in front of the studio was a bus stop as well, where kids of all ages would embark/disembark, paying the studio photos zero mind at all. I pictured how that studio would be mobbed in full pitchfork and torch style in America, even considering displaying a fraction of that artwork anywhere remotely near a public area, especially with frequent kid traffic." undefinedundefinedundefined 22."Hospitality staff don't have to rely on tips in order to receive a survivable wage each month." undefinedundefined 23."Free healthcare." undefinedundefined 24."Police don't carry guns and can't shoot a person just because they felt afraid." undefinedundefinedundefined 25."In India, men walk holding hands." undefinedundefinedundefined 26."Sweden: The government helps pay for childcare. Women can take a year or more of maternity leave from their job. And it's pretty much a cashless society. Never have a need to carry Krona." undefinedundefined 27."Our babies sleep outside, in prams/strollers. No matter the weather (snow/rain/sun). We leave them in our garden, in our courtyards (if we live in flats), outside restaurants/cafés. It's totally safe (but we do use baby monitors, so we can hear when our kids wake up or know when they get too hot). I'm in Denmark. I think it's the same in Norway, and probably Sweden." undefinedundefined 28."Here in Austria, we get paid for 14 months of the year. A double month for summer and a double month for Christmas." undefined finally, "Sex education for children in Norway is not subtle. There's a children's series about puberty on the state-run channel that doesn't use innuendo or drawings. They just use naked people of all ages. There's also a show where kids ask naked adults questions about their bodies. And by kids, I mean 10-year-olds. They don't beat around the bush with sex ed here." undefined Now, I've gotta know — if you're not American, what are some normal things from your home country that you think Americans totally wouldn't believe are real? Let us know in the comments. And if you'd like to remain anonymous, you can fill out the form below.
Washington Post
09-07-2025
- Washington Post
Perilous journey: A gay Tanzanian man's quest for freedom across the English Channel
ECAULT FOREST, France — Isaac stared down at his sandals and wondered out loud how suitable they'd be for the ordeal ahead: A perilous crossing of the English Channel, where scores of desperate people before him have drowned trying to reach the U.K . The 35-year-old from Tanzania never expected, or wanted, to be here, surviving hand-to-mouth in a makeshift woodland camp in northern France, with dozens of other migrants. They, too, fled conflict, oppression, poverty and other miseries for the hope, however uncertain, that life someplace else — somewhere, anywhere — must surely be better.
