With spring underway, the environment is undergoing a myriad of changes affecting cities and entire countries.  

Happening in the World: Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated from northern regions of Kazakhstan due to flooding caused by melting snow. These have been the worst floods to hit the area in decades and, according to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, it was the worst natural disaster in Kazakhstan for 80 years. The country is currently housing 12,000 people in temporary shelters and has moved 60,000 farm animals to safe areas. Close by in Russia, an oil refinery has stopped operations due to the flooding as water levels in certain areas are expected to rise faster than they have in the past 100 years. According to Russian authorities, 4,500 people have been evacuated from the Orenburg region. (BBC)

Happening in the US: The Republican National Convention, R.N.C, is set to start July 15, in Milwaukee and the city’s most popular restaurants and venues are worried at the slow pace in which events are being scheduled. Republicans involved in the convention planning state that fund-raising is actually ahead of schedule and that bookings are actively being made. According to Rick Snow, Bradley Symphony Center’s vice president of facilities and building operations, states that things will start coming together in the final weeks of planning. However, the opposite is occurring in Chicago, where the Democratic National Convention is set to take place a month after the R.N.C. as restaurants and venues are booked to capacity. (NYT) 

Happening in NYC: A public school in Brooklyn sustained damages to its gymnasium following the earthquake on Friday. However, classes will resume on Monday as city officials confirmed the rest of the building is safe. The gymnasium obtained vertical and step-shaped cracks in its interior walls, resulting in a partial vacate order to be issued by inspectors. However, school activities will continue for students outside of the building. (Gothamist) 

Happening in Our Community: On Monday, April 8, from 12 to 1:30 pm, the East Central European Center and the Harriman Institute are hosting a talk on the recent volumes of A Global History of Hungary. The event will be led by Visiting Assistant Professor Ferenc Laczó and will focus on the formation of the Pannonian Plain and the early spread of human settlement and agriculture. For more information on the event, look here. 

Image via Wikimedia Commons.