Latest news with #HER
Daily Mirror
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mirror
Brits warned over 'law-breaking' 30 year hedgerow rule - when not to chop
It's frustrating when a hedge starts to overgrow into your country laneway – but Brits need to beware of one important rule before whipping out their saw. Not all hedges can be cut down whenever you feel like it. According to UK government guidance, a countryside hedgerow can't be cut down if it meets three important criteria in the realm of length, location and 'importance'. Otherwise, you risk incurring an unlimited fine. The first step to checking if you can chop a hedge down is taking out your tape measure. A hedgerow is protected if it's more than 20m long and has gaps of 20m or less in its length. It's also protected if it's less than 20m long, but meets another hedge at each end. Households with bedding plants urged to act now to stop them dying You also need to take note of where the hedge is located. A hedgerow is protected if it's growing on land used for agriculture or forestry, or for breeding or keeping horses, ponies or donkeys. It's also protected if it falls on common land, a village green, a site of special scientific interest, a protected European site such as a special area of conservation or special protection area. You also may not chop a hedge down if it is in a local or national nature reserve, or on land belonging to the state. However, it's worth remembering that a hedgerow is not protected if it's either in or marks the boundary of a private garden. But how do you tell if a hedge is 'important'? A hedge is considered important if it is at least 30 years old and meets at least one other criteria. These criteria are quite specific and include marking part or all of a parish boundary that existed before 1850, containing an archaeological feature, or being completely or partly in or next to an archaeological site listed on a Historic Environment Record (HER). A hedge is also important if it marks the boundary of an estate or manor – or if it even looks to be related to any building or other feature that's part of the estate or manor - that existed before 1600. You may also not cut a hedge down if it is part of a field system or looks to be related to any building or other feature associated with the field system that existed before 1845. advises Brits to check the County Records Office for this information. You also need to check if the hedge contains any protected species listed in the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, or any that are endangered, vulnerable and rare and identified in the British Red Data books. It's also essential to check if the hedgerow includes woody species and associated features as specified in Schedule 1, Part II Criteria, paragraph 7(1) of the Hedgerow Regulations. It's worth bearing in mind that the number of woody species needed to meet the criteria is one less in northern counties
UAE Moments
07-07-2025
- General
- UAE Moments
Today's Moon Mood: Monday, July 7, 2025
🪐 The Vibe: Today's moon in no-nonsense Capricorn has us deep in our 'get-it-done' feels. You might wake up ready to crush your to-do list, pitch that idea, or just finally clean your inbox. But here's the plot twist: your brain wants to hustle, but your body is already asking for a nap. It's giving 'burning the candle at both ends' energy — so pace yourself. 🔥 Signs Feeling It Most: Capricorn, Virgo, Taurus, Cancer 🌬️ If You're Feeling... – Hyper-focused: Use it wisely. Don't waste your productivity streak reorganizing your closet for the third time. – Irritable AF: Capricorn moons can make us feel emotionally restricted. Let it out — journal, scream into a pillow, or take a long walk. – Disconnected from people: You're not cold, you're just craving solitude to recalibrate. Honor that. 💡 Moon Mantra: 'Discipline is my magic. Rest is my rebellion.' 💫 Moon Moves to Watch: – Morning grind = strong: You might actually like your calendar today. – Afternoon slump: Big feelings under the surface — don't ignore them. – Evening reflection: Perfect time to plan, declutter, or reset your long-term goals. 🌿 Moon Mood Ritual: ✨ Capricorn Moon Grounding Check-In – Light a grounding candle (think earthy scents: sandalwood, patchouli, cedar). – Write down one long-term goal that actually excites you. – Then write down one way you can rest without guilt. (Yes, rest is productive.) 🎧 Capricorn Moon Playlist: – 'Workin' Day and Night' – Michael Jackson – 'Hard Place' – H.E.R. – 'Control' – Zoe Wees – 'Level Up' – Ciara – 'Saturn' – Sleeping at Last 🔮 Energy Crystal of the Day: Smoky Quartz – For grounding, focus, and protection from burnout. Keep it in your pocket when you need a reminder to stay calm while being a badass.
Hamilton Spectator
22-06-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
Burlington Mayor Meed Ward Spearheads National Call to End Harassment in Politics
On June 18, a group of elected representatives from all three levels of government in Ontario held a press conference to announce a new initiative called 'Elect Respect.' Burlington Mayor Marianne Meed Ward took the podium first and introduced all of the politicians who were present. 'What you see here in front of you is a testament to what this pledge is all about,' Meed Ward said. 'It is nonpartisan, we have members from two of the major political parties represented here, and all levels of government, from trustees, all the way to provincial, federal, regional, and city council members, because this issue affects all of us.' Meed Ward described Elect Respect as 'a campaign to protect and preserve democracy and an initiative to combat a toxic political culture.' 'This is about restoring civility, safety, and inclusion to our political discourse and in our decision making,' Meed Ward said. The idea for Elect Respect took root at a Halton Elected Representatives (HER) meeting, where attendees shared stories about their experiences of harassment and threats as women in politics. 'The stories were heartbreaking, tragic, and scary, and this moved well beyond any legitimate debate about policy or different perspectives on the issues that we face,' Meed Ward said. 'This was threats of physical violence and worse. So we, as women, said, 'What can we do about this?'' 'After we got finished commiserating, shedding some tears and feeling frankly scared for our democracy, we got into action and said, 'One thing we can do is lead by example,'' Meed Ward continued. This resulted in a HER pledge, which was picked up by the Canadian Association of Feminist Parliamentarians and signed by everyone in attendance at the press conference, along with several MPs and senators from the last federal Parliament. The group of women decided that they wanted various groups and demographics to be involved with the movement, including male politicians and members of the public, and thus, Elect Respect was born. The diverse group of politicians in attendance at the announcement for the initiative reflected that decision. The recent assassination of a state representative in Minnesota is a stark example of toxic and dangerous politics south of the border, Meed Ward noted. An example closer to home is the fact that 800 municipal councillors in Quebec, or 10% of people elected to local office in 2021, have since quit, with toxic democracy being a repeatedly-cited reason for leaving their positions. Meed Ward encouraged respect not only for those with whom you agree politically, but also for those with whom you may not see eye to eye. '[We need to] speak up when we witness harassment or abuse,' Meed Ward said. 'Call on appropriate authorities and agencies to intervene and take action when threats escalate.' Prior to the press conference, Halton Regional Council unanimously endorsed a resolution committing to the pledge outlined by Elect Respect. Meed Ward then passed the mic over to Pam Damoff, former MP for Oakville-North Burlington, who decided not to seek reelection this year due to threats and harassment towards her and her staff. 'She's not somebody that just sits back, she takes action,' Damoff said of Meed Ward. 'It's actually scary the way that politicians are treating each other and the way the public is treating politicians.' Damoff called out law enforcement to take threats towards politicians more seriously. 'I can't tell you the number of times I reached out to the police with threats, and most of the time the comment I got back was, 'What would you like us to do about it,'' Damoff said. 'Well, I don't know. You're the police. [They would say] 'Do you want us to call this individual?' Well, yeah, actually I do. He's threatened me or my staff, who also were subject to horrific abuse.' Zee Hamid, MPP for Milton, spoke next and echoed Meed Ward's comments about respecting those with whom we disagree. 'I realize that one of the things we do wrong as politicians is often when someone's attacked within our own party, we'll stand up for them, but across the party line, we don't as much,' Hamid said. 'And that's something that those of us who are in partisan politics need to fix.' 'It's not as bad as it is in the U.S., but it's getting there,' Hamid added, warning that Canada is slowly importing the ' dehumanization of politicians' from the United States. Meed Ward said that she felt that there was a noticeable shift in civility during the COVID-19 pandemic and shared a story of her own where a member of the public threatened to set her on fire if she attended a public meeting on a development application. After that threat was made, Meed Ward was accompanied by a security guard for almost two months, which she believes made people more hesitant to approach her, something she said further corrodes democracy. Brenda Agnew, HCDSB trustee for Burlington Wards 4 and 5, spoke about threats she faced due to her support for flying the Pride flag at HCDSB schools. 'That should never evoke threats to our family, that should never be met with [threats of] places in hell being kept for us, and we should not need to call the police or change security measures because we are voting on whether or not we are going to fly a Pride flag at our schools,' Agnew said. To sign Elect Respect's pledge and learn more about their mission, visit . The initiative invites all Canadians, not just politicians, to take a stand for respectful and inclusive public discourse. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Chicago Tribune
05-06-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Ask Anna: How to make LGBTQ+ friends as an adult
Dear Anna, My girlfriend and I (both 28, together for three years) have a solid group of friends from college and work, but we're the only queer couple in the bunch. While our friends are supportive and inclusive, we're craving connections with other LGBTQ+ people who just 'get it' without explanation. The problem is, we're not sure how to branch out at this stage of our lives. We're past the club scene and dating apps obviously aren't the right tool for friendship. We've tried a few LGBTQ+ meetups but they skewed much older than us. How do we find our queer chosen family without it feeling forced or like we're abandoning our current friendships? We want to expand our circle, not replace it, but we're struggling to know where to start. — Bad at Finding Friends Dear BFF, The struggle is real. Regardless of sexual orientation, the older we get, the harder it is to make friends. This isn't your fault. When we're younger, socialization is built into a lot of our activities. As we age, that becomes less and less true. And depending on where you live, finding friends can be especially challenging, particularly if you're in a monogamous relationship, aka not doing the dating-to-friends pipeline. I have vivid memories of being 22 and making lifelong friends with random people on the sidewalk at Pride, getting swept into their friend group like some beautiful gay fairy tale. (Fairy gayle?) Alas, those days are over. Is it because I'm too jaded to strike up conversations with strangers on sidewalks? Or because everyone's buried in their phones? Probably both, plus the fun crushing weight of adult social anxiety. But fear not! Alternatives do exist. However, like getting abs or learning TikTok dances, a certain amount of effort must be invested to get anything worthwhile out of it. Let's talk apps, because as the cliche goes, there's an app for everything now, including queer friendship. Lex has a friendship/community component that (in my opinion) works way better than using it for dating. It's text-first, so you actually get to know people's personalities instead of judging their bathroom mirror selfie game. Plus, you can join group chats based on your interests — comedy shows, writing fan-fiction, rock climbing, erotic crochet (I mean, one can dream), etc. HER also lets you switch to 'looking for friends' mode, though you'll still get the occasional person who clearly didn't read your profile and propositions you anyway. And Bumble BFF exists too — not exclusively queer, but you can be pretty obvious about what you're seeking. For IRL connections, think beyond those generic 'LGBTQ+ Meetup' events where everyone stands around awkwardly eating gluten-free wafers. Look for activity-based groups where friendship happens naturally while you're distracted by actually doing something fun. What would you enjoy doing anyway that just happens to be better with other queer humans? Book clubs where you can argue about whether that character was actually gay or just 'really good friends,' hiking groups, volunteer work that doesn't make you want to cry. Many cities have queer sports leagues ranging from serious competition to less serious. (Drunk pickleball, anyone?) Gay bar trivia nights are clutch — nothing bonds people like collectively failing to remember who won Eurovision in 2019. Pro tip: Become the lesbian social coordinator you wish existed in the world. Host a casual Pride potluck and make each of your straight friends bring one queer person they know. Your allies probably have LGBTQ+ coworkers, cousins or that person from their yoga class who has a labret piercing and a rainbow carabiner. You'd be amazed how connected we all are through the gay grapevine. Check out local LGBTQ+ centers too — many have age-specific events so you don't end up feeling like someone's mom at a college mixer or someone's granddaughter at a retirement home bingo night. (Though I've done both and can say these events also have their charms.) Remember: Building chosen family is a marathon, not a sprint (unless you're really lucky and stumble into a friend group at karaoke night/a magical sidewalk). Start with one genuine connection and let it take as long as it takes to bloom. The beauty of queer friendship is real — that instant 'finally, someone who gets it' feeling when you don't have to explain why your heart quickens during certain Chappell Roan songs or watching Cate Blanchett do literally anything. Be patient and keep searching. Happy Pride. ___
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Las Vegas grad working to change the world through equality, environmental justice
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Graduation season is around the corner, and 8 News Now is highlighting great grads from across the Las Vegas valley. Lena Lemma is trying to become the change she wants to see in the world. She said attending Faith Lutheran has shaped her interests including the arts and STEM. She's helped lead the school's multicultural club by creating a positive outlook, breaking racial barriers, and hosting a number of events including, food tasting and panel speakers. 'With these events, our main goal is to try to show our students that there are people from every race, every culture that do succeed in these fields,' Lemma stated. Lemma grew up in Ethiopia for the first six years of her childhood. In 2023, she traveled back to Ethiopia and interned at the National Institute of Education and got involved in the Higher Education Readiness (HER) program by helping young girls in rural Ethiopia pursue higher education. 'The HER program focuses on providing these girls supplies such as school books, mentors and teachers where they can go to school on a regular basis and be stable,' Lemma explained. She plans to attend the University of Toronto and study environmental chemistry and help improve drought conditions in other countries. 'My main goal in environmental chemistry is to find a way where we can combine modern technology with what we already do have with Indigenous practices that have been working in the past to create ways that these people in these harder situations survive in a more economically friendly way,' Lemma added. Lemma said focusing on her goals and being able to help others has pushed her to be better every day. 'It does make me proud that I'm getting one step closer each time I move on in my education,' beamed Lemma. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
