MPs in Georgia agree draft of ‘repressive’ foreign agents bill amid protests pred 1 dnevom, 8 urami in 24 minutami Legislation is seen as similar to an anti-democratic Russian law and Brussels has said it would undermine hopes of EU membershipGeorgian lawmakers have agreed an early draft of a controversial “foreign influence” bill, sparking fresh street protests against the legislation criticised for mirroring a repressive Russian law.The bill has sparked outrage in Georgia and concern in the west, with many arguing it undermines Georgia’s bid for European Union membership. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Tory rebellion against Sunak smoking ban rekindles leadership talk pred 1 dnevom, 8 urami in 46 minutami Prospective contenders Badenoch, Braverman, Jenrick and Mordaunt abstained or voted against the ban In his speech to the Tory faithful at the Conservative party conference in Manchester in October, Rishi Sunak declared that he wanted to ban smoking for future generations.His announcement – confirming a plan first reported by the Guardian – was met with applause from grassroots members then. But Tuesday night’s vote demonstrates the challenges for a Tory prime minister championing what his own side deems an archetypal “nanny state” policy. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
State Labor MPs call on Albanese government to expand visa access for Palestinian refugees pred 1 dnevom, 9 urami in 11 minutami Letter from 17 mostly NSW MPs says there must ‘never again’ be a repeat of people’s visas being cancelled while they are in transitFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastSeventeen state Labor MPs have called on the Albanese government to expand visa access for Palestinian refugees escaping violence in Gaza, warning of “distressing reports” of practical difficulties coming to Australia.The group, who wrote to the federal government on behalf of Labor Friends of Palestine, called for “a clear, consistent approach”, warning that there must “never again” be a repeat of people’s visas being cancelled while they are in transit or trapped in airports.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Clustering of AI firms in south and east of England will foil levelling up – report pred 1 dnevom, 9 urami in 11 minutami Hi-tech ‘golden triangle’ of Oxford, Cambridge and London risks deeper regional inequalities, says thinktankInvestments in new technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) are “profoundly skewed” towards the “golden triangle” of Oxford, Cambridge and London, and risk deepening existing regional inequalities in England, according to research.Ministers have promised to level up the country, narrowing the gap between the best- and worst-performing areas, but the rapid rollout of generative AI and automation could cut against that aspiration, according to the Institute for the Future of Work (IFOW). Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Mammoth mayhem: elephant escapes circus and roams Montana streets pred 1 dnevom, 9 urami in 21 minutami Animal recaptured without harm, local outlet reports, and is safe with handlers after escaping Jordan World CircusAn elephant escaped from the circus and ambled through the streets of Butte, Montana, before being recaptured without harm, local news reported.NBC Montana showed a video of the enormous pachyderm walking across a busy multi-lane street in front of stopped cars and gawping drivers. A later picture showed the elephant standing on a suburban house’s lawn. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
California pilot and his dog survive plane crash after swimming to shore pred 1 dnevom, 9 urami in 37 minutami The Piper PA-32, a single engine plane, crashed off the coast across from Trump’s LA golf club in Ranchos Palos VerdesA pilot and his dog survived a plane crash off the California coast, swimming to shore where they were met by authorities responding to the incident.A 911 call came in on Sunday afternoon at 5.22pm about a plane crashing into the ocean off the coast across from the Trump National Golf Club Los Angeles, in Ranchos Palos Verdes, the Los Angeles county sheriff’s department said on Tuesday. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Whistleblower urges Boeing to ground all 787 Dreamliners after safety warning pred 1 dnevom, 9 urami in 48 minutami Engineer Sam Salehpour calls on planemaker ahead of testimony before Senate homeland security committeeA whistleblower has urged Boeing to ground every 787 Dreamliner jet worldwide after warning they are at risk of premature failure ahead of a high-profile hearing on Capitol Hill.The planemaker has been grappling with its latest crisis since a cabin panel blowout in January raised fresh questions about the production of its bestselling commercial jet, the 737 Max. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Netanyahu aims to trap west into war across Middle East, warns Iranian diplomat pred 1 dnevom, 10 urami in 11 minutami Iran’s chargé d’affaires in London said his country would respond more severely if Israel attacked it again in ‘another mistake’Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking to trap the west into a total war across the Middle East that would have incalculable consequences for the region and the world, Iran’s top diplomat in the UK has claimed, in his first interview since Tehran launched an unprecedented missile and drone attack against Israel at the weekend.Seyed Mehdi Hosseini Matin also warned that if Israel made “another mistake” by launching an attack on Iran, there would be a response from Iran that was stronger, more severe, and administered without a warning like that issued before the weekend attack. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
MPs vote for smoking ban despite Tories’ division over policy pred 1 dnevom, 10 urami in 40 minutami Rishi Sunak suffers blow to his authority as 57 of his own MPs vote against his plan and over 100 abstainA ban on smoking for future generations moved a step closer last night, but Rishi Sunak suffered a blow to his authority after dozens of Conservative MPs voted against it.The House of Commons voted by 383 to 67 in favour of the prime minister’s plan to make it illegal for anyone born in 2009 or later to buy tobacco products in the UK. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
What is Rishi Sunak’s anti-smoking bill and will it pass? pred 1 dnevom, 10 urami in 58 minutami Health leaders have welcomed plan to create smoke-free generation – but PM is facing trouble from some Tory MPsRishi Sunak’s tobacco and vapes bill aims to create the UK’s first smoke-free generation, in a landmark public health intervention. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
