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UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United States is spearheading the first United Nations resolution on artificial intelligence, aimed at ensuring the new technology is “safe, secure and trustworthy” and that all countries, especially those in the developing world, have equal access. Unlike Security Council resolutions, General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but they are an important barometer of world opinion. The U.S. draft calls on the 193 U.N. member states and others to assist developing countries to access the benefits of digital transformation and safe AI systems. It “emphasizes that human rights and fundamental freedoms must be respected, protected and promoted throughout the life cycle of artificial intelligence systems." She said the resolution “aims to build international consensus on a shared approach to the design, development, deployment and use of AI systems,” particularly to support the 2030 U.N. goals.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, “, ”, Sullivan, Linda Thomas, Greenfield, Joe Biden’s Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, United Nations, U.S . National, General, Associated Press, United States, Lawmakers, European Union, U.S Locations: United States, U.S, European, China

☆ North Carolina judges block GOP effort to reshape state’s election boards
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Fredreka Schouten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —A bipartisan panel of judges in North Carolina has ruled that the Republican-controlled state legislature improperly tried to seize control of state and local election boards from Democratic Gov. The state Board of Elections, for instance, currently has three Democrats and two Republicans. Previous efforts by Republicans in the General Assembly to change the makeup of election boards have been rejected by the courts, and by voters in a 2018 referendum. Republican state lawmakers who pushed the change had argued that it would bring bipartisan balance to decision-making around elections. Several lawmakers had accused state election officials of reaching a “collusive settlement” with Democratic litigants to extend the deadline to count absentee ballots during the 2020 election.

Persons: Roy Cooper –, North Carolina’s, –, Cooper, “ infringes, ”, ” Lauren Horsch, Sen, Phil Berger, What’s, Paul Newton, you’ve, Donald Trump, Joe Biden’s Organizations: CNN, Republican, Democratic Gov, Republicans, State, North, North Carolina General, Assembly, North Carolina Senate, ” Locations: North Carolina, ”, Carolina

In late November, the panel temporarily blocked the new structures for the State Board of Elections and boards in all 100 counties from taking effect while Cooper’s lawsuit was heard. The state elections board has five members appointed by the governor — a format going back over 100 years — from candidate lists provided by the major parties. Currently, county boards are five members, with state board members naming four positions and Cooper one. Should the board changes be upheld by courts in the coming months, new appointments could happen as general election campaigning heats up and voting approaches. The elections board lawsuit is one of many that Cooper has filed over the past seven years challenging General Assembly laws that he argues unlawfully weakens his position.

Persons: Roy Cooper, Cooper's, infringes, ”, Edwin Wilson, Andrew Womble, Lori Hamilton, Hamilton, Wilson, Phil Berger, Tim Moore's, Cooper, they've, Donald Trump, —, weren't Organizations: Carolina’s GOP, Democratic Gov, GOP, State Board, Democrat, Democratic, Associated Press, Cooper, General Assembly, Republican, General, Republicans Locations: RALEIGH, N.C, Carolina’s, ”

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A top Democratic Virginia lawmaker vowed Wednesday to keep language enabling a proposed relocation by the NBA’s Washington Wizards and NHL’s Washington Capitals to Alexandria out of the state budget lawmakers will take up later this week. Glenn Youngkin's plan to lure the teams across the Potomac River with a $2 billion development district featuring a new arena. Moving forward, if the arena is excluded from the budget, Youngkin has a few options. Virginia governors have the ability to seek amendments to legislation, so he could attempt to put the arena language back in the budget. Democrats, who control both General Assembly chambers, could lose Youngkin’s support for some of their own priorities if they kill the arena deal.

Persons: Sen, Louise Lucas, Glenn Youngkin's, Lucas, Macaulay Porter, Youngkin, Democratic Del, Luke Torian, Lucas ’, Ted Leonsis, “, doesn't, Del, Mark Sickles, Torian, we’re, Youngkin’s Organizations: Democratic, Washington Wizards, NHL’s Washington Capitals, Finance, Commonwealth, Republican Gov, Delegates, Monumental Sports & Entertainment, Monumental, Capitals, Wizards, Capital One, ”, House, Senate, Republicans Locations: RICHMOND, Va, Alexandria, Washington, Virginia, Hampton Roads

Mark Harris has won the Republican nomination for a U.S. House seat in North Carolina, giving the pastor a second chance to go to Washington after a 2018 absentee ballot scandal. Harris will face Democrat Justin Dues in November in a district running from Charlotte east to Lumberton that was drawn to heavily favor Republicans. While the investigation led to charges against several people and some convictions, Harris wasn’t charged, cooperated with investigators and called for a new election. Harris did not run again, however, and the seat was won by Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Bishop. In addition, Republicans Bishop and U.S. Rep. Patrick McHenry decided not to run again, opening their Republican-dominated districts to new representation.

Persons: Mark Harris, Harris, Allan Baucom, Justin, Harris wasn’t, Dan Bishop, Bishop, ”, Kelly Daughtry, Brad Knott, Daughtry, Addison McDowell, Mark Walker, Patrick McHenry Organizations: Republican, U.S, Union, U.S . House, State Board, Republican U.S . Rep, Blue Shield, U.S . Rep, Democratic, Republicans, Assembly, Republicans Bishop Locations: North Carolina, Washington, state's, Union County, Charlotte, Lumberton, District, Smithfield, Raleigh, 6th, North Carolina's

☆ Middle East Crisis Head of U.N. Aid Agency Says Israel Is Trying to Undermine Its Work
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Victoria Kim | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

He warned on Monday that the worst might be yet to come in Gaza if humanitarian services collapse. The head of the United Nations agency providing aid for Palestinians in Gaza has said that his organization was being targeted with a “deliberate and concerted campaign” to undermine its operations when its services are most needed. Israel’s accusations in January prompted 16 donor countries, including the United States, to suspend about $450 million in funding. The court, the United Nations’ highest judicial body, has ordered Israel to take immediate steps to facilitate the aid Gaza desperately needs and is weighing whether Israel has committed genocide in its war in Gaza. Israel has a long history of friction with UNRWA, which was founded in 1949 and is one of the oldest U.N. agencies.

Persons: Philippe Lazzarini, Lazzarini, Israel, ”, ” Mr, Benjamin Netanyahu, Matthew Miller, Biden, “ Organizations: UNRWA, United Nations, United Nations Relief, Works Agency, General Assembly, International Court of Justice, Palestinian, U.S . State Department Locations: Geneva, Gaza, New York, Israel, United States

☆ Van Jones: There’s hope and despair in what happened to my home state
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-02 | by ( Van Jones | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Many were shocked last year when the Tennessee legislature dramatically expelled state representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson. When I was a legislative intern, the state of Tennessee was controlled by the Democrats and my boss was a man named Jimmy Naifeh. But even in my Southern home state, no opponent tried to score cheap political points based on his Arab background. Left-leaning or moderate Tennesseeans have virtually no say in their state legislature on the political matters that govern their lives. Van Jones, with Justin Pearson and Justin Jones CNNSo even on issues like gun violence — on which a large majority of Tennesseans in both parties would like “red flag” laws — nothing gets done.

Persons: Anderson Cooper ”, Van Jones, Justin Jones, Justin Pearson, Gloria Johnson, Pearson, Jones, —, Jimmy Naifeh, I’m, won’t, Odessa Kelly, Kelly, Matthew Shoaf, Shoaf Organizations: CNN, GOP, Tennessee House, Tennessee Capitol, Tennessee, Democrats, Democratic Party, Tea Party, Republican, Justin Jones CNN, Odessa, Democratic, Congressional District, The, The Tennessee General Assembly Locations: Tennessee, Nashville, Lebanese, American, . Tennessee, Democratic, Tennessee’s, The Tennessee, Odessa, Sumner County

☆ How a Slow-Moving Court Became the Center of the World’s Hottest Debate
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-26 | by ( Amanda Taub | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack on Israel had many unpredictable consequences, but the elevation of the International Court of Justice to global public attention is a particularly unexpected one. In December, South Africa brought a case against Israel alleging violations of the Genocide Convention, and last week the court held hearings on a separate matter regarding Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. And although the court’s enforcement powers are limited, its public hearings, at a time of intense interest in the conflict, give it considerable power to shape, and reflect, global opinion. The court’s conspicuous role is partly a coincidence of timing: The U.N. General Assembly requested that the court in The Hague issue a nonbinding advisory opinion on the legality of Israel’s occupation back in January 2023. It’s unlikely we’d be discussing those hearings in detail if war had not broken out in the meantime, and if South Africa had not filed its genocide case in the same court.

Organizations: International Court of Justice, Convention, General Assembly Locations: Israel, South Africa, Gaza, The Hague

☆ Virginia lawmakers to sharply limit "alarming" number of patrol dog attacks on state prisoners
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-24 | by ( Hannah Beckler | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

AdvertisementLegislation to severely restrict the use of attack-trained patrol dogs in Virginia state prisons has passed the state legislature, receiving overwhelming bipartisan support in the House and passing unanimously in the Senate. Patrol dogs have been used to attack or intimidate prisoners in eight states in recent years. The new law could dramatically impact the use of patrol dogs at six high-security prisons where, according to incident reports obtained by BI, patrol dogs have been regularly used to attack men who refuse to leave their cells or who are involved in one-on-one altercations. When pressed by lawmakers on BI's findings that Virginia deployed patrol dogs 18 times more often than any other state, Elam said that the number of bites in Virginia was "alarming." The new legislation regulating patrol dogs in Virginia prisons passed the House on February 8 82-15 with overwhelming bipartisan support.

Persons: —, Holly Seibold, Michael Webert, Marcus Elam, Elam, we've, Kyle Gibson, Webert, Seibold, Glenn Youngkin, Christian Martinez Organizations: Business, Service, House, Democrat, Republican, BI, Virginia Department of Corrections, Department of Corrections Locations: Virginia, Arizona

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Historic hearings are opening on Monday at the United Nations’ top court into the legality of Israel’s 57-year occupation of lands sought for a Palestinian state. Israel captured the West Bank, east Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip in the 1967 Mideast war. It has built 146 settlements across the West Bank, according to watchdog group Peace Now, many of which resemble fully developed suburbs and small towns. An additional 200,000 Israelis live in settlements built in east Jerusalem that Israel considers to be neighborhoods of its capital. Israel’s annexation of east Jerusalem, home to the city’s most sensitive holy sites, is not internationally recognized.

Persons: Israel, ”, Omar Awadallah, Yuval Shany, It’s Organizations: United Nations ’, International Court of, General Assembly, of Justice, West Bank, Palestinian, Palestinian Foreign Ministry, Hebrew University, Israel Democracy Institute, Hamas, South, African National Congress Locations: HAGUE, Netherlands, Palestinian, Israel, Gaza, Jerusalem, Jordan, Egypt, South Africa, israel

☆ Israel-Hamas War: Live Updates
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Ephrat Livni | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +3 min

Image Six days of hearings began at the International Court of Justice in The Hague on Monday. Credit... Peter Dejong/Associated PressThe International Court of Justice in The Hague began hearing arguments on Monday on the legal consequences of Israel’s decades-long occupation of Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem and the West Bank. It will not be legally binding on Israel, and the country has ignored such opinions from the court before. The United Nations General Assembly first asked the top U.N. court to consider Israel’s activities in Palestinian territories more than two decades ago. In 2004, the court concluded that a wall that Israel was building around the territories violated international law.

Persons: Peter Dejong, Riyad al, ” Omar Awadallah, Israel, ”, Clive Baldwin Organizations: International Court of Justice, ., Associated, Court of Justice, West Bank, Maliki, Palestinian Foreign Ministry, United Nations, United Nations General Assembly, Governments, Human Rights Watch Locations: The Hague, East Jerusalem, United States, Britain, China, Russia, Israel, Gaza

☆ ‘Our people are here to stay:’ World Court hears arguments over Israeli occupation of Palestinian-claimed land
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( David Shortell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Fifty-two countries will participate in arguments at The Hague over the six-day hearing – more than any other case heard by the court in its history. Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza in the 1967 Six-Day War. Israel today has full administrative and security control over 60% of the West Bank area while the PA has nominal control over Palestinian population centers. There are an estimated 700,000 Israeli settlers illegally living in the West Bank. All Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law and by much of the international community.

Persons: ”, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu’s, Riyad al, ” al, Maliki Organizations: CNN, Court of, Hague, UN, Assembly, Hamas, Israel, West Bank, Palestinian Authority, Maliki, West Bank . Locations: Israel, South Africa, Gaza, Hague, East Jerusalem, Oslo

“It isn't just sort of creepy,” said Washington state Rep. Vandana Slatter, the sponsor of a law her state adopted last year to rein in unauthorized use of health information. X-Mode was also found to have sold location data to the U.S. military. In Virginia, legislation that would prohibit the issuance of search warrants, subpoenas or court orders for electronic or digital menstrual health data recently cleared both chambers of the Democratic-controlled General Assembly. “The next step to enforcing an abortion ban could be accessing menstrual health data, which is why I’m trying to protect that data,” Favola said in a committee hearing. “The software supply chain is extremely polluted with location tracking of individuals,” he said.

Persons: Roe, ”, Vandana Slatter, “, Albert Fox Cahn, Sen, Ron Wyden, Wyden, He’s, It's, Washington's, Andrea Frey, Democratic Sen, Barbara Favola, Glenn Youngkin, ” Favola, Favola, “ It’s, Republican Sen, Mark Peake, Youngkin's, Sean O'Brien, he's, ___ Mulvihill, Frank Bajak, Sarah Rankin Organizations: Democratic, Supreme, Wade, Oregon Democrat, Intelligence, The Veritas Society, Wisconsin, Federal Trade Commission, Securities Exchange Commission, FTC, ., Democrat, Republicans, Connecticut, Assembly, Virginia Gov, Republican, Yale Privacy, Associated Press Locations: U.S, Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin, Massachusetts, Nevada, York, California, Maryland, ” Illinois, Hawaii , Illinois, Maine , Maryland , Massachusetts , Missouri, South Carolina, Vermont, In Virginia, Cherry Hill , New Jersey, Boston, Richmond , Virginia

☆ World Court Holds Hearings on Israel's Occupation of Palestinian Territories
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +4 min

By Stephanie van den BergTHE HAGUE (Reuters) - A record 52 states will present arguments about the legal consequences of Israel's occupation of the Palestinian territories at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), the U.N.'s highest legal body. The ICJ's six days of hearings starting on Monday come after the U.N. General Assembly asked the court in 2022 for an advisory, or non-binding, opinion on the occupation. It is the second time the U.N. General Assembly has asked the ICJ, also known as the World Court, for an advisory opinion related to the occupied Palestinian territory. “The International Court of Justice is set for the first time to broadly consider the legal consequences of Israel’s nearly six-decades-long occupation and mistreatment of the Palestinian people,” said Clive Baldwin, senior legal adviser at Human Rights Watch. While Israel has filed a written statement with the court, it has not asked to participate in the hearings.

Persons: Stephanie van den Berg, Omar Awadallah, Israel’s, ”, Clive Baldwin, Josie Kao Organizations: HAGUE, Reuters, International Court of Justice, General Assembly, Palestinian Foreign Ministry, Israel, West, General, West Bank, Court of Justice, Human Rights Watch, Governments, Court, United Nations Locations: Palestinian, Israel, Gaza, West Bank, East Jerusalem, Palestine, Egypt, West, Africa, Holy City, Jerusalem, United States, Russia, China, South Africa

Twenty-seven other states allow open carry of guns without a permit, including nearly every state in the Deep South. To encourage training, the Senate bill would pay at least $4 million to hold free classes across the state. The Senate's version left plenty of supporters of the open carry idea unhappy, including gun rights groups. Palmetto Gun Rights said it believes in “100% firearms liberty” and is an affiliate of the National Association for Gun Rights. He put the blame squarely on the South Carolina House, saying last week that representatives are keeping “the ‘revolving door’ for career violent criminals wide open.”

Persons: ”, Bobby Cox, Shane Massey, “, Tommy Dimsdale, Henry McMaster’s, don’t Organizations: COLUMBIA, South Carolina's General Assembly, Republican, National Rifle Association, Palmetto, Rights, South, South Carolina Republicans, Palmetto Gun Rights, National Association for Gun Rights, Gov, South Carolina House Locations: South Carolina's, Greer, South Carolina, “

Special elections Tuesday could provide a high-stakes assessment of how suburban voters feel about the border, abortion rights, the two leading presidential candidates and whether the House of Representatives should be led by Democrats or Republicans. In another race, to fill a vacant seat in the Pennsylvania General Assembly, Democrat Jim Prokopiak is in a close race against Republican Candace Cabanas. But it’s the New York race that has the attention of election-watchers because of its amplified importance in the closely divided House of Representatives. Should Democrats prevail in the toss-up election, they'll flip the seat held by Santos and give themselves some momentum heading into November. Pilip has cast Suozzi as weak on border security, a powerful issue in a state where migrants have been transported after coming over the southern border.

Persons: George Santos, Democrat Jim Prokopiak, Republican Candace Cabanas, Santos, Don Levy, Tom Suozzi, Mazi, Levy, Pilip, Suozzi, Bill Cunningham, Tom Bonier, Bonier, Cunningham, Joe Biden Organizations: Democrats, Voters, Republican, Assembly, Democrat, York, GOP, Siena College Research Institute, Democratic, Rep, Federal, Commission Locations: , New York, Pennsylvania, York, New York

The problem underscores a widely held consensus that Virginia’s mental health care system is in urgent need of reform, due to what Gov. Improving mental health care became a priority in the U.S. like never before as the pandemic brought new levels of isolation, fear and grief, in addition to pre-existing crises such as rising drug overdose deaths and the struggles burdening teen girls. Survey data from the U.S. Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration found that in 2022, about half of adults with any mental illness did not receive treatment. Elsewhere in the U.S., states' policy concerns and approaches to improving mental health care have varied. Mental health was listed as a budget priority in most states in an analysis by the National Association of State Budget Officers.

Persons: — John Clair, Clair, ”, Glenn Youngkin’s, Virginia’s, we’ve, Brian Hepburn, —, John Littel, ” Littel, Youngkin, they're, it’s, Katherine McGuire, candor, he's, “, ____ Geoff Mulvihill Organizations: Clair's, Marion Police Department crisscross, Marion, Army, Gov, Republican, Mental Health Services Administration, National Association of State Mental Health, National Association of State, American Psychological Association, “, Assembly Locations: RICHMOND, Va, Virginia, U.S, Cherry Hill , New Jersey

“My fellow Marylanders: you know me," Hogan begins in a video released by his Senate campaign. When he announced his decision not to run for Senate two years ago, Hogan expressed confidence he could win. The rarely open Maryland Senate seat already has drawn U.S. Rep. David Trone into the Democratic primary, as well as Angela Alsobrooks, the county executive of Prince George's County in the suburbs of the nation's capital. Hogan was only the second Republican governor to ever win reelection in Maryland, a state where Democrats outnumber Republicans 2-1. Running on fiscal concerns as a moderate Republican businessman, Hogan tapped into voter frustration over a series of tax and fee increases to defeat then-Lt. Gov.

Persons: Larry Hogan, hasn't, Hogan, Donald Trump, “, ”, Mitch McConnell, Democratic Sen, Chris Van Hollen, Sen, Ben Cardin, Trump, Nikki Haley, David Trone, Angela Alsobrooks, Prince George's County, Gov, Anthony Brown, Freddie Gray, Maryland’s, Charles Mathias, Mathias Organizations: — Former Maryland Gov, U.S . Senate, GOP, Republican, Maryland, United States Senate, Democrats, Democratic, Senate, “, United Nations, South Carolina Gov, Maryland Senate, Rep, Prince, Seven Republicans, Republicans, General Assembly, National Guard, Republican U.S Locations: ANNAPOLIS, Md, Republican U.S, U.S, Maryland, Prince George's, Trone, Baltimore, Vietnam

There's broad agreement that some kind of public comment time management is necessary in Virginia's sessions, which generally run no longer than 60 days. When the opponents' six minutes ran out after only three speakers, Watts attempted to cut the group off. Gilbert also suggested the limited public comment could have been by design in this instance. By the end of the public comment, then-sponsor Sen. Chap Petersen, a Democrat, threw up his hands and said: “Do what you want with the bill. She also questioned why the Senate is not taking online public comment in subcommittees or allowing the submission of written public comments.

Persons: —, “, ”, Sally Hudson, Del, Vivian Watts, Watts, Michael Grey, Melinda Wallin, Ryan Mehaffey, I'd, Wallin, We've, ” Watts, ” Wallin, legislates, capitols, can’t, Todd Gilbert, Gilbert, Sen, Chap Petersen, Megan Rhyne, Joan Porte, she’s, Creigh Deeds, Deeds, “ there's Organizations: Capitol, University of Virginia, GOP, Democrat, Delegates, Virginia Coalition, Open Government, League of Women Voters, Democratic Locations: RICHMOND, Va, Spotsylvania County, Richmond, Virginia

McLEAN, Va. (AP) — A Virginia Senate committee on Tuesday rejected legislation that would have allowed a referendum on a casino in the wealthy suburbs of the nation’s capital. The committee rejected a motion to kill the bill outright, instead opting to carry the bill over to 2025 for future consideration. A study commissioned in 2019 by the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Committee found that a northern Virginia casino could generate $155 million annually in tax revenue, more than any of the other casinos built in Virginia. Virginia voted in 2020 to allow locations in five cities, subject to referendum. Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth and Norfolk all voted for a casino; Richmond voters twice rejected a proposed casino in that city.

Persons: Sen, Louise Lucas, Lucas, ” Sen, Jennifer Boysko, David Marsden, Marsden, ” Marsden, “, Scott Surovell, Connie Hartke, ”, “ We're Organizations: Senate Finance, Assembly, Fortune, Fairfax, Audit, MGM, Reston Citizens Association, Richmond Locations: McLEAN, Va, Virginia, Fairfax County, Tysons, ”, National Harbor, Potomac, Reston, Petersburg, Bristol, Danville, Portsmouth, Norfolk, Richmond

Since most Americans last voted for Congress, thousands of people have been added to certain voting districts — and subtracted from others — under new political maps enacted following court rulings. Here's a look at how voting districts have changed — or could change — before the November elections and what affect that could have on the battle for control of Congress. Perhaps the most notable is Florida, where a trial judge in September ruled that U.S. House districts pushed by Republican Gov. Litigation over congressional districts also is lingering in Arkansas, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and Wisconsin. The reshaping of voting districts matters, but doesn't necessarily pre-determine the outcome of elections.

Persons: George Santos, Ron DeSantis, “, ”, Chris Warshaw, Warshaw, Jeffrey Wice Organizations: Republicans, GOP, George Santos of New, Supreme, Republican, Assembly, Democratic, New, New York Legislature, Republican Gov, Florida Supreme, George Washington University, Voters, New York Law, Redistricting Locations: November’s U.S, Alabama , Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina . New York, New, George Santos of, George Santos of New York, U.S, Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, New York, Florida, Arkansas , South Carolina , Tennessee , Texas , Utah, Wisconsin

ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia's Senate passed a bill Tuesday that would revive a new commission that some Democrats say is aimed at disrupting Fulton County District Fani Willis' prosecution of former President Donald Trump. “This has never been about the district attorney from Fulton County,” Robertson said on the Senate floor. However, the panel was unable to begin operating after the state Supreme Court in November refused to approve rules governing its conduct. Robertson's bill and a separate bill approved by the Georgia House of Representatives remove the requirement that the state Supreme Court approve the rules. The state Senate voted for the change 29-22, mostly along party lines.

Persons: —, Fani Willis, Donald Trump, Republican Randy Robertson, ” Robertson, Brian Kemp, Republican State Sen, Rick Williams, “, Sen, Elena Parent, Parent, Robertson, Willis, Colton Moore Organizations: ATLANTA, Republican, Commission, Georgia Gov, Georgia, House, Republicans, Republican State, “ Prosecutors, General Locations: Fulton County, Georgia, Atlanta, Chattahoochee

☆ Brazil's Candidate to Head Interpol Says Time for Non-Western Leader
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Anthony Boadle and Ricardo BritoBRASILIA (Reuters) - Interpol should elect a new head from a developing nation to diversify the organisation and boost its credibility as crime becomes increasingly globalised, Brazil's candidate to head the international police agency, Valdecy Urquiza, told Reuters. This would help Interpol strengthen global cooperation to combat transnational crime, said Urquiza, currently Brazil's Federal Police Director for International Cooperation. Interpol's executive committee will elect a new secretary general Feb. 13 for a five-year term, succeeding its current head, Juergen Stock of Germany. The selected candidate will be put to Interpol's General Assembly in November. "Interpol cannot be used for geopolitical ends, so it is important that the secretary general comes from a neutral country, and Brazil has that.

Persons: Anthony Boadle, Ricardo Brito, Valdecy Urquiza, Urquiza, Britain's Stephen Kavanagh, Faisal Shahkar, Moscow, Brazil's, Ros Russell Organizations: Ricardo Brito BRASILIA, Reuters, Interpol, Federal Police, International Cooperation, Juergen, Germany, Police Services, Assembly Locations: Europe, United States, Nawa, Zambia, Pakistan, Lyon, France, Russia, Ukraine, Brazil

☆ Lowitja O’Donohue, trailblazer for indigenous Australian rights, dead at 91
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-05 | by ( Lianne Kolirin | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Lowitja O’Donoghue, one of the most respected and influential Aboriginal activists in Australian history, has died at age 91. Other titles included Australian of the Year in 1984, Australian National Living Treasure in 1998 and many others. O'Donoghue won many accolades and titles for her fierce campaigning for the health and rights of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Mark Baker/AFP/Getty ImagesIn 2010, the Lowitja Institute was established in her honor, to promote the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. “Aunty Lowitja dedicated her entire lifetime of work to the rights, health, and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Persons: Lowitja, O’Donoghue, Pope John Paul II, O'Donoghue, Mark Baker, Anthony Albanese, Albanese, ”, Nana Organizations: CNN, Torres Strait, of, British Empire, Royal Adelaide Hospital, United Nations General, Getty, Lowitja, Aboriginal Locations: Adelaide, of Australia, British, Irish, Indulkana, South Australia, Australian, AFP, Australia

The South Carolina Supreme Court reversed course last summer when it upheld the ban after striking down a similar version. An earlier lawsuit by Planned Parenthood argued that the law violated patients' right to privacy. Susanna Birdsong, a lawyer for Planned Parenthood South Atlantic, responded that abortion providers have had to make that more conservative interpretation because of the “onerous penalties” for noncompliance. Planned Parenthood has stopped providing abortions when “early embryonic electrical activity” is visible by ultrasound, the group wrote in Monday's filing. “We’re righting for every inch of ground in South Carolina," Birdsong said.

Persons: Taylor Shelton, Katherine Farris, Ultrasounds, Shelton, dismissively, —, — Shelton, “, ” Shelton, John Kittredge, Shane Massey, ” Massey, Susanna Birdsong, Birdsong, Pollard Organizations: COLUMBIA, Republican, South Carolina, South, South Carolina General Assembly, Associated Press, America Statehouse News Initiative, America Locations: South Carolina, Charleston, North Carolina, Wilmington

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