内容摘要：What happens during and after delivery also makes a difference. The national rate for cesarean sections, which are more likely than vaginal births to lead to complications, is about 16% in Norway and 32% in the U.S.

What happens during and after delivery also makes a difference. The national rate for cesarean sections, which are more likely than vaginal births to lead to complications, is about 16% in Norway and 32% in the U.S.

It began with a warning in January from veterinarians in the disputed Himalayan region, where the cat population has soared over the past years, partly because of stray cats roaming free and pet stores bringing in ever more costly breeds to keep up with local demand.A stray cat looks out from the window of a house in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

A stray cat looks out from the window of a house in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Thursday, Feb. 13, 2025 (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)A shopkeeper plays with kittens on display inside a pet shop in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, March 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)A shopkeeper plays with kittens on display inside a pet shop in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Monday, March 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)

The vets said there’s been an uptick in infections among the feline population due to lack of vaccination and mishandling of strays.What was meant to be a cautionary note was misinterpreted. Video clips and news reports started claiming that cats transmit potentially deadly infections to humans, and that cat-borne diseases can cause miscarriages among women.

Days later, the region’s animal husbandry department issued a statement saying there’s no harm in keeping cats as pets as long as proper hygiene is maintained.

Doctors and medical staff attend to a sick and injured pet cat inside Kashmir veterinary hospital in Srinagar, Indian controlled Kashmir, Friday, Feb. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Mukhtar Khan)But the candidate who may ultimately decide the outcome is one who won’t appear on the runoff ballot.

Sławomir Mentzen, a 38-year-old far-right politician and beer producer from the central city of Torun, finished third in the first round of voting on May 18, with nearly 15% of the vote. Though eliminated, his supporters — often young, anti-establishment, and deeply skeptical of both Brussels and Poland’s political establishment — have become the most sought-after constituency in the country.Both remaining candidates have gone out of their way to court Mentzen and his base. In recent days, each man traveled to the north-central Polish town of Torun, famous for being the birthplace of astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus, to appear on Mentzen’s YouTube channel, where he has built a following with a mix of libertarian economics, nationalist rhetoric, and anti-EU invective.

His influence highlights a broader shift in Polish politics, where the far right — once considered a fringe force — is increasingly shaping the national agenda. It’s also part of a larger trend of hard-right parties gaining traction across Europe.Far-right Confederation party’s presidential candidate Sławomir Mentzen speaks to supporters in Saturday,Warsaw, Poland, May 10, 2025. (AP Photo/Czarek Sokolowski)