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UN agency slashes cash aid to Syrian refugees in Jordan, raising the alarm on its funding crunch

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:40 GMT

BEIRUT (AP) — The United Nations food agency said Tuesday it will reduce monthly cash aid for 120,000 Syrian refugees living in camps in Jordan because of what it described as an “unprecedented funding crisis.” Jordan is a country of 11 million people and hosts some 1.3 million refugees from Syria, most of them living in camps across the kingdom. Nearly half of the refugees in the two largest camps in Jordan — Zaatari and Azraq — rely on the cash aid. Jordanian officials have warned that the kingdom cannot fill the gap left by international donors.The announcement by the World Food Program comes after the agency said last week it would gradually cut off 50,000 refugees in Jordan from its assistance altogether. The program had initially covered 465,000 refugees. After the complete cutoff, almost 30% of refugees still left in the program will get reduced cash amounts. The monthly cash allowance would be reduced from $32 to $21, WFP said. U.N. agencies and international humanitarian or...

Mayor Mike Johnston declares emergency over homelessness in Denver

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:40 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Newly sworn-in Mayor Mike Johnston will declare an emergency over homelessness in Denver, and with it, he has a plan to house 1,000 people by the end of the year.Johnston made the announcement in a Tuesday morning news conference, just shy of 24 hours after his inauguration. On Monday, he will activate the city's Emergency Operation Center and Joint Information Center as part of the response. Who sponsored Mayor Mike Johnston’s inauguration party? The new mayor has said addressing homelessness would be a top priority for his administration. He said on Tuesday he will focus on the following:Moving unhoused people into housing units through rapid rehousing or access to available apartmentsCalling on landlords and property owners to partner to get people access to homesHotel conversionsLooking at parcels of land in the city to open micro-communities, like those with tiny homes, to give people shelter, housing and resources like addiction help and workforce trainingRea...

Cat that lived at Coors Field for 10 years needs a new home

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:40 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Smokey, also known as the "Coors Field Cat," has called the ballpark home for the last 10 years. But as he has aged, Smokey is now looking for a quiet home where he can spend the rest of his days.The domestic medium hair cat is now up for adoption at the Animal Rescue of the Rockies.Smokey, who also goes by Blacky, Midnight and of course, the Coors Field Cat, has been cared for by a dedicated team at the stadium who brought him food every day no matter the weather. According to the rescue, Smokey spent the past 10 years exploring the ballpark, chasing mice and napping in the sun. Headed to the lake? Check for toxic algae blooms He has been a staple for fans visiting the ballpark.After 10 years, Smokey is slowing down, according to the animal rescue group. He is not as active as he once was, and he is starting to have some health problems. So, it is officially time for Smokey to retire from his unofficial post as head of pest control for Coors Field.Currently, the f...

Property tax hike funds Denver library expansions, upgrades

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:40 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Denver is putting a voter-approved tax increase to use in the library system.Last November, nearly 68% of Denver voters approved a property tax increase for a dedicated library fund. The 1.5-mill hike is expected to generate around $32 million for the library each year, according to Denver Public Library. Who sponsored Mayor Mike Johnston’s inauguration party? The dedicated funding source will allow certain locations to expand their hours, the library announced Tuesday. Five branches will now open Sundays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and offer expanded hours on weekday mornings and evenings. Here's which branches will get expanded service:Green Valley Ranch Branch Library Sam Gary Branch Library Rodolfo “Corky” Gonzales Branch Library Hadley Branch Library Hampden Branch LibraryIt's the first service expansion funded by the tax, according to Denver Public Library. More library locations are expected to add hours over time.Expanded hours are not t...

Video: Bear stuck in dumpster in Roxborough neighborhood

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:40 GMT

(KRQE) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife officials saved a bear cub trapped in a dumpster over the weekend.CPW said the cub climbed into the trash receptacle in the Roxborough neighborhood while searching for food. Bear forces closures on CU Boulder campus Wildlife experts and Douglas County Sheriff's Office deputies placed a chain link fence inside so the bear could make its way out of the dumpster.After "clambering out," the cub ran off and was reunited with its mother. In its tweet, CPW said, "Sometimes, we just need a little help from our friends."According to the CPW, Colorado black bears, which are typically active from mid-March to early November, need to consume 20,000 calories daily to be able to survive the winter months, when they abstain from eating and drinking during hibernation.

How CPW plans to avoid livestock conflict while reintroducing wolves

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:40 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) — Colorado Parks and Wildlife said Monday that it plans to reintroduce wolves in the state by this December.Gray wolves are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act, which makes it unlawful for anyone to harass, hunt, shoot, kill, trap, collect, wound or harm any animal listed in the act. Wyoming governor says he won’t donate any wolves to Colorado Earlier this year, Gov. Jared Polis vetoed a bill that could have set the plan back several years because ranchers and the Colorado Farm Bureau raised concerns about the safety of livestock.But Polis said that bill was unnecessary, and wrote “The management of the reintroduction of gray wolves into Colorado is best left to the Parks and Wildlife Commission as the voters explicitly mandated."The final Wolf Restoration and Management Plan passed on May 3. On Monday, CPW released information about how the plan will accommodate livestock concerns.Fladry, flagging interspersed on twine, is a portable barrier that CPW sai...

State House Evacuated, May Be Closed For The Day

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:40 GMT

A State House evacuation on Tuesday, the second of the day, was followed by calls from rangers for people to move away from the building and to head to nearby Boston Common. DCR rangers at about 2:20 p.m. instructed people who had left the capitol to go to Boston Common and get away from the State House. In contrast to an evacuation Tuesday morning, rangers also ordered an archway that runs between the original building and its annex to be completely cleared. Fire apparatus arrived at about 2:20 p.m. on the Bowdoin Street side of the building. A ranger advised people who left the building that it would be a “long time” before people were allowed back in and suggested people find a comfortable place to go. Just before 2:30 p.m., a State Trooper said, to cheers from some on Bowdoin Street, “Folks, the building’s probably going to be closed for a few hours, possibly the rest of the day. I recommend the 21st Amendment.” Gov. Maura Healey walked out of build...

State: Record 101 Pedestrians Died On Roads In 2022

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:40 GMT

The number of pedestrians and bicyclists involved in on-the-road accidents in Massachusetts is on the rise after record-lows in 2020, with the most pedestrian fatalities on record occurring in 2022.A recent department of transportation assessment on the safety of so-called vulnerable road users — those who use the roads but not in a motor vehicle, including pedestrians, bicyclists, roller bladers, and others — showed that 101 pedestrians died in crashes in 2022. The previous high of 83 pedestrian deaths was recorded in 2012, according to MassDOT data.Bicyclist fatalities were also high in 2022, with 10 cyclists dying on the road, but did not spike to peaks reached in some previous years.Every state is required to prepare a vulnerable road user assessment under the new federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. MassDOT has been collecting and analyzing data, and will next focus on doing outreach and using this information to identify projects to improve road safety....

Mayo Clinic Minute: What does a diagnosis of dense breasts mean?

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:40 GMT

Sonya Goins | (TNS) Mayo Clinic News NetworkA recent Food and Drug Administration rule requires healthcare providers to notify people if they have dense breasts. Studies have shown that dense breast tissue can make it more difficult to detect breast cancer early.Dr. Kristin Robinson, a Mayo Clinic breast radiologist, says women with dense breast tissue are at a slightly increased risk of developing breast cancer compared to women without, and that’s why early detection is so important.“About 50% of women have dense breast tissue,” says Dr. Robinson.Dr. Robinson says you can’t tell by looking at a woman whether she has dense breasts. She says people with dense breasts have less fat and more glandular and connective tissue in their breasts.“When we see a woman’s mammogram, that dense tissue, that fibroglandular tissue, looks white, whereas the fat looks dark or like a black color. So, when we’re looking at a mammogram, the more white tissue we...

Electrical fire at State House forces evacuation of building, state police say

Published Thu, 20 Feb 2025 11:11:40 GMT

Boston firefighters responded to an electrical fire at the State House Tuesday afternoon, a spokesperson for the state police said.Boston firefighters responded in mass just after 2 p.m. and quickly gathered on Derne Street, where several trucks started extending their ladders towards upper-story windows.State police spokesman Dave Procopio said no injuries were reported and “at this time, it appears the fire was confined to the basement.”“The fire is in a transformer room in the building’s sub-basement. Companies are awaiting electrical utility to cut power before they make entry to extinguish the fire. There are smoke conditions in other parts of the building,” Procopio said in a statement just before 3 p.m.A spokesperson for the Boston Fire Department confirmed companies were responding but did not have additional details.​Hundreds of staffers, lawmakers, and members of the public calmly flooded into a private parking lot before officials asked everyone to...