| For more US parents, paid family leave becomes reality Posted: 17 May 2018 12:04 PM PDT ![For more US parents, paid family leave becomes reality]( "For more US parents, paid family leave becomes reality") It's clear father and son share a strong bond – one that Alptekin attributes to being able to take time off work the first few weeks after Isa was born. It was, Alptekin recalls, a "pretty hectic" time, with its mountains of diapers and sleepless nights. Currently, California is one of four US states that provide paid family leave.
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| The soft power of openness to other languages Posted: 17 May 2018 11:26 AM PDT ![The soft power of openness to other languages]( "The soft power of openness to other languages") One type of "soft power," however, is often overlooked: a generosity toward languages. In recent months, the island nation of Taiwan, which has been conquered by several foreign forces in recent history, is moving fast to embrace its language diversity. Last year, it gave "national status" to the mother tongues of minority indigenous groups, many of whom live in the mountains.
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| Could power of the euro rein in Poland and Hungary where rule of law has not? Posted: 17 May 2018 09:26 AM PDT ![Could power of the euro rein in Poland and Hungary where rule of law has not?]( "Could power of the euro rein in Poland and Hungary where rule of law has not?") The transformation of this commuter hub is just one of hundreds since Poland joined the European Union in 2004: 4 billion euros ($4.7 billion) in EU funds over the past decade have supported nearly 600 projects in Warsaw alone. In the period 2014 to 2020, the EU has earmarked 86 billion euros ($102 billion) for Poland, making it the largest recipient of aid in the bloc. As Poland's ruling Law and Justice party (PiS) and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán clash with Brussels over attempts to rein in their judiciaries, media, and civil society, billions of euros are at stake. The proposals are a sign of just how significant the rift between Eastern and Western Europe has become in the EU, as former Soviet countries grapple with state capture and stunted democratic transformation.
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| How these women crochet sleeping mats for homeless people out of plastic bags Posted: 17 May 2018 04:00 AM PDT ![How these women crochet sleeping mats for homeless people out of plastic bags]( "How these women crochet sleeping mats for homeless people out of plastic bags") On Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m., women from Winter Valley senior housing in the Boston suburb of Milton, Mass., gather around a table to chat, snack on baked goods, and crochet. This particular group of about a dozen women has been meeting almost every week for more than a year, converting bags into six-foot-long water-resistant mats. The finished mats are delivered to Pine Street Inn, a service center in Boston for homeless people.
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