Iran seeks to criminalise all contact with foreign media in latest ‘chilling’ crackdown pred 1 dnevom, 15 urami in 59 minutami As photojournalist sentenced to 15 years, rights groups warn law would turn civic engagement into security crimeIran has taken the first step towards criminalising contact with foreign media, in a move human rights groups have said attempts to “sever the entire Iranian society from the rest of the world”.For journalists, researchers and even ordinary citizens, the proposed law being discussed by Iranian lawmakers this month could make speaking to international audiences and groups a potential criminal act and restrict coverage of events such as January’s mass anti-regime protests. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
National lottery faces questions over new boss’s record in gambling industry pred 1 dnevom, 15 urami in 59 minutami MPs tell regulator they are ‘deeply concerned’ over interim CEO Phil Walker’s roles at William Hill and Game NationThe national lottery is facing questions over its new boss’s record in the gambling industry, including a lucrative role in the 24-hour slot machine sector singled out by the prime minister as a blight on British high streets.Allwyn UK, which holds a licence to run the Lottery until 2034, said last week that it had appointed William Hill’s former UK and Ireland boss Phil Walker as its interim chief executive, replacing Andria Vidler. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Autism and ADHD care complaints more than triple in five years in England pred 1 dnevom, 15 urami in 59 minutami NHS ombudsman warns of years-long waits and patients paying thousands to go private as demand for services soarsComplaints about autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder services in England have more than tripled in five years, official figures show, with the NHS ombudsman warning of years-long waits and patients paying thousands of pounds for private care.One woman was removed from an ADHD medication waiting list without warning after almost four years, leaving her without the support she needed for about six months. Another patient was given an autism assessment lasting just 50 minutes that failed to follow guidance from the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, while a man referred to an ADHD service that was not yet operational ended up paying almost £4,000 for private treatment. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Two Dan Sullivans to appear on Alaska’s US Senate ballot in November’s midterm elections pred 1 dnevom, 16 urami in 11 minutami The incumbent senator Dan S Sullivan has condemned ex-school teacher Dan J Sullivan, claiming he is running at the behest of Democrats to confuse supportersRepublican senator Dan S Sullivan will be joined on the November ballot in Alaska by a challenger with a nearly identical name from the same party, election officials confirmed on Tuesday, adding a twist to what is expected to be one of the most hotly contested races of the midterms.The Republican senator is running for a third term against Democrat Mary Peltola, a former US House representative whom polls show is neck-and-neck with him in a state that hasn’t sent a Democrat to the Senate since 2008. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Call to ban marmot hunting in France as campaigners say they are ‘killed for fun’ pred 1 dnevom, 16 urami in 59 minutami Protests and petitions planned amid growing concerns over impact of climate crisis on numbers of Alpine rodentAnimal rights campaigners are gearing up for protests and petitions aimed at persuading the French government to ban the hunting of Alpine marmots.Open season on the rodents, members of the squirrel and groundhog family, begins in September, a few weeks before they go into a long winter hibernation. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Man on trial for Daphne Caruana Galizia murder claims he was framed pred 1 dnevom, 16 urami in 59 minutami Yorgen Fenech tells jury he had nothing to do with killing and alleges top adviser to Malta’s then PM was instigatorA businessman on trial for the murder of the journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has spoken about the charges for the first time in court since his arrest seven years ago, telling the jury he was framed by police and had nothing to do with the killing.During four days of questioning by defence and the prosecution lawyers, Yorgen Fenech, 44, accused the most senior adviser to Malta’s prime minister of giving the go-ahead for the murder. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Iran faces strait of Hormuz paradox as strategic value of chokehold erodes pred 1 dnevom, 16 urami in 59 minutami Internal calls to end war get louder as Gulf neighbours plan alternative pipelines to cut reliance on waterwayIs the strait of Hormuz, recently cited by the office of the Iranian supreme leader as “the pillar of Iran’s new security order”, and as transformative as possessing a nuclear weapon, in reality becoming a fast-diminishing asset, leaving Iran increasingly vulnerable to the new planned US wave of economic sanctions?It is the key debate that is raging inside Iran, with many different conclusions being drawn for Tehran’s negotiating strategy. Those who warn the strait’s value as a chokehold on the world economy will erode, leaving the country without foreign exchange reserves, argue that Iran’s negotiators should seek a deal soon. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Antisemitism royal commission ends hearings but delays report to avoid ‘distraction’ from Bondi anniversary pred 1 dnevom, 17 urami in 4 minutami Commissioner Virginia Bell resists push to extend antisemitism inquiry noting need for timely recommendationsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCommissioner Virginia Bell says she will delay – by four days – handing down her final report into antisemitism and social cohesion, in order not to distract from commemorations of the Bondi terror attack.On Wednesday, the last day of public hearings of the royal commission, Bell resisted a public push to extend the commission’s work. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Fears for ‘gregarious’ local celebrity Sammy the elephant seal in Victorian bird flu hotspot pred 1 dnevom, 17 urami in 28 minutami Seals and sea lions often communicate by touch and share spaces with wild birds, placing them at risk of infection from H5N1 virusFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastSince H5 bird flu arrived in Portland, Victoria, the situation has been “pretty grim” with many dead and suffering birds on the beach, and the dilemma of how to dispose of the carcasses, according to local resident Lynn Murrell.But since the first confirmed case in a fur seal on Sunday at Beachport, South Australia – a two-hour trip over the border – people have been worried for their local “pet seal”, known as Sammy. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
Nine CEO confident new AI laws will deliver a ‘world of growth in publishing’ as network slashes costs pred 1 dnevom, 17 urami in 30 minutami Matt Stanton says company has ‘good pipeline’ of AI deals ahead even as it aims to cut $160m in costsFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastThe head of Nine Entertainment sees a “world of growth in publishing” on the horizon backed by laws designed to force tech platforms into commercial deals, even as the network cuts costs across its newsrooms.Parliament passed revamped media bargaining laws last week, clearing the way for levies on global tech platforms that fail to strike deals with Australian news outlets for the use of their journalism. Continue reading...(The Guardian)
