Putin’s Birthday Gift: Protests Across 29 Russian Cities

Happening in the World: Russian police arrest 290 people from 29 cities as protests occur against President Putin on his 65th birthday. Supporters of Putin’s political opponent, Alexei Navalny, organized the marches since he is serving a 20-day jail term. “I’m not satisfied with the current situation in the country. I’m not happy with the authorities. We practically don’t have freedom of speech. We have strict censorship on television, and the only contender opposed to Putin isn’t allowed in any way to take part in the elections,” says a woman from the St. Petersburg rally (CNN).

Happening in the US: Charlottesville mayor, Mike Signer, condemns a group of 50 white supremacists, including Richard Spencer, who held another rally in Charlottesville last night. Spencer and his supporters expressed that Charlottesville was repressing their speech and said that the city should “get used to the alt-right. You’re going to have to get used to white identity” (CNN). Mayor Signer tweeted: “Another despicable visit by neo-Nazi cowards. You’re not welcome here! Go home! Meantime we’re looking at all our legal options. Stay tuned.”

Happening in NYC: Robert Caro, the pulitzer-winning author of The Power Broker — “arguably the greatest tale of New York architecture out there” — will be at the New Yorker Festival today in the Upper West Side partnered with Colm Tóibín, author of the novel Brooklyn, which has now become a major motion picture (Thrillist).

Happening on campus: Classics Club is hosting a study break today from 1:00-3:00 PM in Lefrak 113 (ground floor of Barnard Hall). Come “critique” Disney’s Hercules!

Overseen: Word on the street is that a legitimate photoshoot took place by Dodge. A man in a suit posed on the Columbia lion.

Midterm Tip: Sleep.

Image via Public Domain