Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, applauds Col. Gen. Sergei Surovikin during an awards ceremony for troops who fought in Syria, in the Kremlin, in Moscow, Dec. 28, 2017.
Since the start of the war in Ukraine, Russia’s military leadership has been in flux. Most recently, Gen. Sergei Surovikin has been appointed as Russia’s new commander charged with leading its war effort in Ukraine. And Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán often aims criticism toward philanthropist George Soros, who is Jewish. This constant demonization of Soros, along with comments about Christianity being under threat, is making some within the Jewish community there deeply uncomfortable. Also, the driest nonpolar place on earth, the Atacama Desert, is currently covered with carpets of colorful blossoms. This natural spectacle only happens once or twice every 10 years, prompting the Chilean government to declare this region as a national park earlier this month. Plus, Khruangbin, a psychedelic rock band from Texas, teams up with Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Toure.
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