SKOPJE: Several thousand Macedonians took to the streets in capital Skopje on Tuesday to protest against a possible change of their country’s name, as required by Greece to end a long-running row.
Defying freezing temperatures and snow, the protesters, organized by a network of several civic associations, held umbrellas in the colors of the Macedonian flag and chanted “Long live Macedonia!” and “Macedonians!”
The protesters demanded an end to ongoing talks between Macedonia’s government and their Greek counterparts aimed at solving the 25-year dispute.
Athens, which has threatened to veto Macedonia joining NATO and can block its bid to join the European Union, argues its neighbor’s use of the name suggests Skopje has claims to the territory of Greece’s historic northern region of the same name.
But Macedonia has made significant progress recently and the EU has said it is “very confident” the dispute will be settled before July.
“The name of the state must remain unchanged,” Macedonian writer Eftim Kletnikov told the crowd that gathered in front of the EU headquarters in Skopje and marched to the parliament.
Political parties, including the main opposition nationalist VMRO-DPMNE, said they were not behind the protest.
Thousands of Macedonians protest name change
Thousands of Macedonians protest name change
Winter storm snarls US holiday travel
- The National Weather Service warned of hazardous travel conditions from the Great Lakes through the northern mid-Atlantic and southern New England, with the potential for tree damage and power outages
BOSTON: More than a thousand flights were canceled or delayed across the Northeast and Great Lakes regions due to snow as thousands took to US roads and airports during the busy travel period between Christmas and New Year’s.
As of Saturday morning, New York City had received just under three inches of snow — roughly half of what some forecasts had predicted.
At least 1,500 flights were canceled from Friday night into Saturday, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware.
Newark Liberty International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport and LaGuardia Airport posted snow warnings on the social media platform X, cautioning that weather conditions could cause flight disruptions.
The National Weather Service warned of hazardous travel conditions from the Great Lakes through the northern mid-Atlantic and southern New England, with the potential for tree damage and power outages. Forecasters said the storm was expected to weaken by Saturday morning.
Ahead of the storm, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency for more than half of the state. Acting New Jersey Gov. Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency for all of New Jersey, “due to a severe winter storm causing dangerous weather conditions, including heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain.”
“This storm will cause dangerous road conditions and impact holiday travel,” Way said in a statement. “We are urging travelers to avoid travel during the storm and allow crews to tend to the roads. Drivers should plan their travel accordingly, monitor conditions and road closures, and follow all safety protocols.”
