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☆ Turkey says EU is 'unjust and biased' on membership bid
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

European Union (R) and Turkish flags fly at the business and financial district of Levent in Istanbul, Turkey September 4, 2017. REUTERS/Osman Orsal/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsANKARA, Nov 9 (Reuters) - The European Commission's annual report on Turkey's long-stalled EU membership bid is "unjust and biased", the Turkish foreign ministry said. "We categorically reject unfounded claims and unjust criticisms, particularly on the political criteria and the Chapter on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights," the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement. The Turkish ministry said the allegations were unfair and highlighted "the insincerity of EU's approach and a clear double-standard", adding that fundamental rights issues were contentious even among EU member states. Turkey's bid to join the EU has been frozen for years after having launched membership talks in 2005.

Persons: Osman Orsal, Turkey's, Huseyin Hayatsever, Robert Birsel Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, European, Fundamental, Turkish, EU, Thomson Locations: Levent, Istanbul, Turkey, Rights ANKARA, Turkish, Israel, Gaza

“Namely, long-standing and well recognized fundamental rights of freedom of speech, expression, due process, and parental rights. Two advocacy groups and an attorney who works with sexual assault victims sued the state and Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador over the law earlier this year. They also argued that the law infringes on the Fourth Amendment right to travel between states, as well as the right to travel within Idaho. “The state can, and Idaho does, criminalize certain conduct occurring within its own borders such as abortion, kidnapping, and human trafficking. The prosecutors did not invoke the so-called “abortion trafficking” law in that case.

Persons: Grasham, Raul Labrador, Lourdes Matsumoto, ”, wasn't Organizations: Debora, Fund, Indigenous Idaho Alliance, Prosecutors Locations: U.S, Idaho, Nampa, Northwest

Under North Dakota’s law, health care providers can be charged with a felony for performing gender affirmation surgeries on minors, punishable by up to 10 years’ imprisonment and/or a $20,000 fine. Opponents said such surgeries are not performed on minors in North Dakota, and that the ban on gender-affirming care would harm transgender youth, who are at increased risk for depression, suicide and self-harm. The law exempts minors who were already receiving gender-affirming care, and allows for the treatment of “a minor born with a medically verifiable genetic disorder of sex development." At least 22 states have adopted bans on some or all gender-affirming care for minors since 2021. Meanwhile, at least 13 Democrat-controlled states have new laws or executive orders seeking to protect access to gender-affirming care for minors.

Persons: he'll, ”, Brittany Stewart, Judge Jackson Lofgren, Doug Burgum, Stewart, “, ” Stewart, Joe Quinn, Quinn, Geoff Mulvihill Organizations: N.D, U.S, North, Republican, Republican Gov, Democrat, Associated Press Locations: BISMARCK, North Dakota, Dakota, Alabama , Arkansas, Georgia, Indiana , Kentucky, Montana, Tennessee, Alabama , Kentucky, Cherry Hill , New Jersey

☆ This city never slept. Now with China tightening its grip, is the party over?
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-03 | by ( Chris Lau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +16 min

China’s message at the time was that even if change was coming to Hong Kong, its spirit of “anything goes” would be staying put. People gather outside a restaurant on a near-empty street in the Soho area of Hong Kong. Officials say they were “fluorescent.”A Hong Kong government spokesman told CNN this week that the activities were “well-received by local residents and tourists”. Under Hong Kong’s pandemic restrictions, live music was all but banned in small venues for more than 650 days. Months before the virus emerged, China had been tightening its grip on Hong Kong in response to pro-democracy protests that had spread throughout the city.

Persons: Hong Kong, Boy George, Grace Jones, Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold, China’s, Deng Xiaoping, China –, Deng, Deng’s, –, Noemi Cassanelli, Hong, John Lee, “, ”, Gary Ng, Covid, Benson Wong, Wong, Lan Kwai Fong, Cassanelli, Hong Kongers, Kongers, Ng, Yan Wai, ” Yan, hasn’t, Billy H.C, Kwok, Richard Feldman, Feldman, Becky Lam, ” Lam, “ They’ll, ” Feldman, Kwai Fong, Marco Chan, Chan, ” Allan Zeman, Allan Zeman, Lan, CNN “ They’ll, they’ll, Lam, Hong Kong’s Organizations: Hong Kong CNN, East, West, Britain, Occupy Central, National Security, Michelin, CNN, Hong, Tai Hang, National, Hong Kong Wine, HKSAR, Immigration Department, Chinese University of Hong, Soho Association, Netflix, “, Lan Kwai Fong Group, Hong Kong, Shady Locations: China, Hong Kong, Asia, Hong, Soho, Japan, Singapore, Tai, Thailand, Lan Kwai, expats, Britain, Canada, Australia, Natixis, Chinese University of Hong Kong, Lan, revelers, California, Central, Shenzhen, Hong Kong’s Central, Bangkok, Shanghai, Taipei, Petticoat

☆ The UK AI summit's narrow focus on safety and existential risk means the real issues are being ignored, an AI ethicist says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-02 | by ( Beatrice Nolan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The UK's AI safety summit kicks off on Wednesday. Several groups have criticized the UK government's focus on the existential risks of AI. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe UK's AI safety summit kicked off on Wednesday, but the event is already surrounded by criticism. Hickok is not the only one to raise concerns about the current rhetoric around AI safety. "The UK should not let the AI safety agenda displace the AI fairness agenda," she said.

Persons: —, Merve Hickok, AGI, Hickok, Rishi Sunak Organizations: Service, Center, AI, Policy

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — European officials widened a ban on Meta’s “behavioral advertising” practices to most of Europe on Wednesday, setting up a broader conflict between the continent’s privacy-conscious institutions and an American technology giant. The decision by the European Data Protection Board represents a sharp escalation of a tussle that began in Norway, where privacy officials imposed a daily fine of 1 million kroner — roughly $90,000 — on Meta for obtaining that data without adequate consent. The latest decision “unjustifiably ignores that careful and robust regulatory process,” the company said in a statement following the European board's action. Tobias Judin, head of the international section at the Norwegian Data Protection Authority, said Meta's proposed steps likely won't meet European legal standards. “They continue with their unlawful activities to this very day, simply because breaking the law is so profitable.”

Persons: Meta, “, Tobias Judin, Meta's, wouldn't, ” Judin Organizations: FRANCISCO, —, Facebook, European Data Protection, Meta, Norwegian Data Protection Authority Locations: Europe, American, Norway

☆ Joe Biden: Democrats dismiss worries about president’s reelection bid as Dean Phillips launches primary challenge
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-28 | by ( Edward-Isaac Dovere | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +12 min

CNN —President Joe Biden is just as low in the White House’s internal polls as in any of the public ones. But while Biden advisers are dismissive of Rep. Dean Phillips’ primary challenge launched this week, they are also annoyed about it. Still, they remain confident that Biden is Democrats’ best option in 2024. Boyle told CNN this week that between the war in Israel and Gaza and the chaos of House Republicans electing their new speaker, he had not had “one conversation with anyone” about Phillips. Asked if he was worried about Phillips being a factor even back home in their state’s primary, Walz laughed.

Persons: Joe Biden, Mike Donilon —, —, Donilon, Biden, Dean Phillips, Donald Trump, Kamala Harris, Tim Walz, Phillips, Walz, “, ‘, ’, Ron, Brendan Boyle, ”, ” Boyle, daydreaming, Harris, Emanuel Cleaver, ” “ Joe Biden, ” Ben Wikler, ’ Phillips, Gretchen Whitmer, Louis, “ We’ve, ” Biden, Trump –, Trump, ” Harris, St . Louis, Boyle, Democratic Sen, Dianne Feinstein’s, Gavin Newsom, California politicos, Nancy Pelosi, Jamie Raskin, Raskin, Biden’s Organizations: CNN, ’, GOP, Democratic, Center, American, Florida Gov, president’s, MAGA Republicans, Democrat, Granite, Democrats ’, Biden, Democratic National Committee, Trump, “, New Hampshire Democrats, Republicans, Los Angeles Times, California Gov, Senate, Maryland, House Democratic Locations: Washington, Florida, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, St, Louis, Wisconsin, Concord , New Hampshire, Michigan, Israel, St ., Gaza, Minnesota, California

☆ Anti-Black racism is rising in EU countries, led by Germany, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Francois Murphy | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

VIENNA, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Racism towards Black people is growing in Europe, with Germany, Austria and Finland showing the highest rates of discrimination and harassment, a survey of first- and second-generation Black immigrants in 13 EU countries published on Wednesday found. In Austria and Germany the proportion was 64% - almost twice the previous level of 33% in Germany and a significant increase from the 42% recorded in Austria six years earlier. "It is shocking to see no improvement since our last survey," FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty said. The highest national rate was 54% in Germany, followed by Finland and Austria. The FRA report included a series of recommendations for EU member states such as properly enforcing anti-discrimination legislation and considering a motivation based on racial bias as an aggravating circumstance when setting penalties for crimes.

Persons: Michael O'Flaherty, Ipsos, Francois Murphy, Aurora Ellis Organizations: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, FRA, Thomson Locations: VIENNA, Europe, Germany, Austria, Finland, Saharan Africa, Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden

☆ Anti-Black Racism Is Rising in EU Countries, Led by Germany, Study Finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-25 | by ( Oct. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Francois MurphyVIENNA (Reuters) - Racism towards Black people is growing in Europe, with Germany, Austria and Finland showing the highest rates of discrimination and harassment, a survey of first- and second-generation Black immigrants in 13 EU countries published on Wednesday found. In Austria and Germany the proportion was 64% - almost twice the previous level of 33% in Germany and a significant increase from the 42% recorded in Austria six years earlier. "It is shocking to see no improvement since our last survey," FRA Director Michael O'Flaherty said. The highest national rate was 54% in Germany, followed by Finland and Austria. The FRA report included a series of recommendations for EU member states such as properly enforcing anti-discrimination legislation and considering a motivation based on racial bias as an aggravating circumstance when setting penalties for crimes.

Persons: Francois Murphy VIENNA, Michael O'Flaherty, Ipsos, Francois Murphy, Aurora Ellis Organizations: European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights, FRA Locations: Europe, Germany, Austria, Finland, Saharan Africa, Belgium, Denmark, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden

☆ Britain aims for global leadership role with AI safety summit
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-18 | by ( Martin Coulter | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Britain will host the world's first global artificial intelligence (AI) safety summit next month, aiming to carve out a role following Brexit as an arbiter between the United States, China, and the European Union in a key tech sector. The Nov. 1-2 summit will focus heavily on the existential threat some lawmakers, including Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, fear AI poses. Sunak, who wants the UK to become a hub for AI safety, has warned the technology could be used by criminals and terrorists to create weapons of mass destruction. Critics question why Britain has appointed itself the centre of AI safety. "We are now reflecting on potential EU participation," a spokesperson told Reuters.

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Rishi Sunak, Sunak, Alan Turing, Kamala Harris, Demis, Matt Clifford, Clifford, we're, Stephanie Hare, Elon Musk, Geoffrey Hinton, Britain, OpenAI, Marc Warner, it's, Vera Jourova, Brando Benifei, Dragos Tudorache, Benifei, Jeremy Hunt, Martin Coulter, Matt Scuffham, Mark Potter Organizations: REUTERS, European Union, Britain's, EU, Bletchley, Google, San, Reuters, China . Finance, Politico, Thomson Locations: Britain, United States, China, England, British, France, Germany, London, U.S, San Francisco, Beijing, Europe

☆ Europe is investigating Elon Musk's X about Israel-Hamas misinformation, violence on the app
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( Jonathan Vanian | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Thierry Breton, the European commissioner for the internal market, said on X that the European Union's executive arm, the European Commission, is investigating whether X is complying with the Digital Services Act. The act went into effect in late August, requiring platforms that have over 45 million monthly active users in the EU to scan for and remove illegal content from their services and to detail their methodologies. Breton sent a letter to X owner Elon Musk expressing concern about the spread of disinformation and "violent and terrorist" content on the service and urging Musk to respond within 24 hours time. "We continue to respond promptly to law enforcement requests from around the world, including EU member states," X said in the letter. "At the time of receipt of your letter, we had not received any notices from Europol relating to illegal content on the service."

Persons: Elon Musk, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Fatih Aktas, Thierry Breton, Breton, Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, Linda Yaccarino, X Organizations: Turkish, United Nations, UN, Anadolu Agency, Getty, European, European Commission, Digital Services, DSA, EC Locations: New York, United States, European, Israel

☆ Yandex's Yango in talks with Dutch watchdog over data protection
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/John Sibley/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsCompanies Yandex NV FollowAMSTERDAM, Oct 12 (Reuters) - Yango, the ride-hailing app owned by Russian tech group Yandex NV (YNDX.O), said on Thursday it is in talks with the Dutch Data Protection Agency to demonstrate that it adheres to European rules on data transfer and storage. The Dutch Data Protection Agency on Thursday confirmed it is also investigating Yango. Yango said the Finnish and Norwegian probes showed "Yango's personal data processing does not pose any imminent threat to the fundamental rights and freedoms" of European users. "As we have always stated, data of Yango users cannot be obtained from the service by Russian authorities outside of the established international procedures, for example, involving Interpol." Yandex is in the process of trying to separate its core Russian businesses from the international operations registered in the Netherlands.

Persons: John Sibley, Yango, Toby Sterling, Jane Merriman Organizations: REUTERS, Russian, Dutch Data Protection Agency, Nasdaq, Interpol, Thomson Locations: London, Britain, AMSTERDAM, Russia, Netherlands

☆ World reacts to Hamas attack on Israel
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa Acquire Licensing RightsOct 8 (Reuters) - The Palestinian Islamist group Hamas launched the biggest attack on Israel in years on Saturday. Germany condemns these attacks by Hamas and stands by Israel," Scholz said on social media. However, Morocco's Islamist PJD party, which had been the largest in parliament until elections in 2021, praised the Hamas attack as "a heroic act" and "a natural and legitimate reaction to daily violations". EUROPEAN UNIONEU Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen said: "I unequivocally condemn the attack carried out by Hamas terrorists against Israel. INDONESIA"Indonesia is very concerned about the increasing escalation of the conflict between Palestine and Israel," the foreign ministry the world’s largest Muslim-majority country said on X.

Persons: Mahmoud Issa, Antony Blinken, Lloyd Austin, Tor Wennesland, Volker Tuerk, MAHMOUD ABBAS, WAFA, Abbas, Ali Khamenei, Yahya Rahim Safavi, Nasser Kanaani, ISNA, OLAF SCHOLZ, Scholz, EMMANUEL MACRON Macron, Abraham, JOSEP BORRELL, Borrell, JUSTIN TRUDEAU, JAMES, Ursula von der Leyen, TAYYIP ERDOGAN, Erdogan, Israel, MIKHAIL BOGDANOV, Bogdanov, VOLODYMYR ZELENSKIY Zelenskiy, Israel's, ANDRZEJ DUDA, I'm, Duda, PETR PAVEL, Pavel, Giorgia Meloni, KISHIDA, Kishida, Faki Mahamat, Yoweri Museveni, Jan Harvey, Andrew Cawthorne, Ros Russell, Barbara Lewis, Toby Chopra Organizations: REUTERS, Hamas, UNITED, State Department . U.S . Defense, of Defense, Human, Palestinian, Abraham Accords, Israel, Twitter, EU Commission, Hezbollah, Rockets, State, African Union, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Gaza, Israel, Palestinian, IRAN, Palestine, Jerusalem, CHINA, State, Germany, SAUDI ARABIA, Egypt, MOROCCO Morocco, EU, Muscat, Oman, Canada, QATAR, MIKHAIL BOGDANOV Russia, Iran, Lebanese, Poland, Japan, KUWAIT Kuwait, EMIRATES, UAE, INDONESIA, Indonesia, KENYA, X, UGANDA, Uganda

☆ A tech CEO says he likes to take customer support calls because some leaders go their 'entire career without ever meeting a customer'
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( Sawdah Bhaimiya | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The founder and CEO of Proton, Andy Yen, likes to take up customer calls or answer support tickets. Yen told the BBC that by doing this he can keep track of what customers actually need from the firm. Andy Yen, the founder and CEO of Proton, was interviewed by the BBC for its CEO Secrets Series . "You can actually go your entire career without ever meeting a customer because customers don't come in and talk to you." AdvertisementAdvertisement"This can mean answering customer support tickets, taking up customer calls, or being on a sales call, because if you don't do this you can really lose track of what your customers actually need from you."

Persons: Andy Yen, Yen, —, Uber's Dara Khosrowshahi, Khosrowshahi Organizations: Proton, BBC, Service, EU, Meta, Google Locations: Geneva, Switzerland

☆ EU accession: List of countries to join the bloc
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

CANDIDATE COUNTRY STATUSTURKEY (candidate since 1999). While still officially a candidate country, Turkey's accession talks with the EU have long been frozen, largely over human rights and governance concerns. It was given the green light for accession talks in 2020 after changing its name from Macedonia to North Macedonia to satisfy Greek sensitivities. The small Balkan country applied for EU membership in 2008. Since 2016, the EU has had a Stabilisation and Association Agreement with Kosovo that serves as a basis for its accession path.

Persons: Viktor Yanukovych, Jan Strupczewski, Mark Heinrich Our Organizations: Union, EU, NORTH, European Commission, Commission, Thomson Locations: BRUSSELS, Granada, TURKEY, NORTH MACEDONIA, Macedonia, North Macedonia, Bulgaria, MONTENEGRO, SERBIA, ALBANIA, EU, Albania, MOLDOVA, Moldova, UKRAINE, Kyiv, Russia, Ukraine, Crimea, BOSNIA, HERZEGOVINA, Bosnia, GEORGIA, Georgia, Tbilisi, KOSOVO, Brussels, Kosovo, Serbia

What began as tentative support for legislative reforms and congressional power to decriminalize abortion has swelled into the so-called green wave, a political movement for abortion rights. In 2022, Colombia’s Constitutional Court issued a sweeping judgment that decriminalized abortion until 24 weeks of pregnancy. This is because criminalization denies more than access to a single health care service; it carries broader social harms. In Brazil, abortion criminalization betrays the constitutional promise of universal care. In Brazil, Black and brown women, poor and young women and women from the most vulnerable regions of the country are more likely to have abortions, to be arrested for having them and to die from them.

Persons: criminalization Organizations: Mexico’s, World Health Organization Locations: Colombia’s, Brazil

Details of how the Taliban intend to expand and manage mass surveillance, including obtaining the U.S. plan, have not been previously reported. "At the present we are working on a Kabul security map, which is (being completed) by security experts and (is taking) lots of time," he said. The Taliban strongly denies that an upgraded surveillance system would breach the rights of Afghans. A July U.N. monitoring report said there were up to 6,000 Islamic State fighters and their family members in Afghanistan. The Afghan "home base" locations of Islamic State fighters are in the eastern mountainous areas, said Schroden.

Persons: Ali Khara, Abdul Mateen Qani, Washington, didn't, Qani, Amrullah Saleh, Saleh, Jonathan Schroden, Matt Mahmoudi, ETIM, ETIM couldn't, Afghanistan Thomas West, Mohammad Yunus Yawar, Charlotte, Jonathan Landay, David Kirton, Liz Lee, Katerina Ang Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Islamic, Huawei, U.S, of Interior, Reuters, U.S.A, U.S State Department, RIC, Bloomberg News, Foreign Ministry, NATO, Center for Naval, Protect Journalists, Taliban, Amnesty International, East Turkestan Islamic, Security, Special, State, Ece Toksabay, Thomson Locations: China, Kabul, Afghanistan, Rights KABUL, Islamic State, —, Turkey, Turkish, Pakistan, United States, East Turkestan, Xinjiang, State, Russian, Charlotte Greenfield, Islamabad, Washington, Shenzhen, Beijing, Ankara

☆ Head of Hong Kong journalists' group sentenced to jail for obstructing police
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Jessie Pang | Thomson Reuters | Jessie Pang Joined Reuters In After An Internship. She Covers Hong Kong With A Focus On Politics | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Ronson Chan, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) arrives the West Kowloon Magistrates Courts after been charged with obstructing police, in Hong Kong, China September 22, 2022. Ronson Chan, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, was detained and handcuffed by two plainclothes officers while covering a story after he failed to hand over his personal identity card. The journalist cannot leave Hong Kong and had to surrender his travel documents. The Hong Kong Journalists Association is one of the last major professional groups in Hong Kong advocating fundamental rights and press freedoms, following the enactment in June 2020 of a national security law by Chinese authorities. ($1 = 7.8156 Hong Kong dollars)Reporting By Jessie Pang; writing by Greg Torode; editing by Mark Heinrich and Toby ChopraOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Ronson Chan, Tyrone Siu, Hong Kong's, Chan, Leung Ka, Leung, Jessie Pang, Greg Torode, Mark Heinrich, Toby Chopra Organizations: Hong Kong Journalists Association, REUTERS, Tyrone, Chan HK, Thomson Locations: Kowloon, Hong Kong, China, HONG KONG, Britain, Beijing

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s top court opened a session Friday that will decide whether abortion up to the 12th week of pregnancy will be decriminalized nationwide. He then said he opposes abortion although he believes women should be allowed the choice as a matter of public health. The girl, who was 10 when she was raped, was in her 29th week when the abortion was finally carried out. The survey of 2,002 Brazilian women found higher rates of abortion among those with less education and income. Wealthier Brazilian women for many years travelled to the United States or Europe to get abortions without facing risks and legal obstacles they find at home.

Persons: —, Rosa Weber, Weber, ” Weber, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Debora Organizations: SAO PAULO, Brown University Locations: Santa Catarina, Brazil, United States, Europe, Argentina

☆ 'I don't want to die:' How 14 youth advocates in Hawaii are fighting climate change by taking the state to court
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-22 | by ( Yoonji Han | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Hawaiian youth advocates sued the state's transportation department over greenhouse-gas emissions. Amid the escalating climate crisis, Nishida and 13 other Hawaiian youth advocates sued the Hawaii Department of Transportation in 2022 over transportation-related greenhouse-gas emissions. The lawsuit, Navahine F. v. Hawaii Department of Transportation, is scheduled to go to trial next summer. Transportation emissions made up the largest share of energy-sector emissions in Hawaii in 2017, according to a 2021 report by the Hawaii Department of Health. Youth plaintiffs gather before the start of the Navahine F. v. the Hawaii Department of Transportation hearing at the First Circuit Environmental Court in Honolulu on January 26.

Persons: Taliya Nishida, Nishida, Navahine, Andrea Rodgers, Rodgers, KawahineʻIlikea, Taliya, Mesina, Kalā, Rylee, Elyse Butler Organizations: Service, Hawaii Department of Transportation, . Hawaii Department of Transportation, Transportation, Hawaii Department of Health, Trust, cocounsel, Court, Department of Transportation Locations: Hawaii, Maui, Montana, Honolulu, Waimea, United States

Bukele said that if El Salvador had listened to external critics — including some at the United Nations — the tiny Central American country would again be the murder capital of the world. They are irrefutable.”More than 72,000 people have been arrested under a state of emergency Bukele requested in March 2022 after a surge in gang violence. Political Cartoons View All 1169 ImagesIn March, the U.N. human rights office expressed concern over the year-long crackdown, noting widespread human rights violations, thousands of unsubstantiated arrests and dozens of in-custody deaths. In 2015, El Salvador was considered one of the world’s most violent as it recorded 6,656 homicides, or about 106 per 100,000 people. Bukele mentioned the Central American and Caribbean Games that El Salvador hosted in June and the upcoming Miss Universe competition that will come to El Salvador in November, as well as international surfing competitions that Bukele has promoted.

Persons: — El, Nayib Bukele, Bukele, El Salvador, ” Bukele, Salvadorans, El, “, ” Organizations: UNITED NATIONS, General, United Nations, El, Legislative, National Civil Police, Central American, Caribbean Games, Miss Locations: — El Salvador, American, El Salvador

Here's a look at what lawmakers have voted on:MENTAL HEALTH SYSTEMPolitical Cartoons View All 1160 ImagesSenators on Thursday signed off on putting two proposals before voters next March that would help transform the state's mental health system and address the state’s worsening homelessness crisis. A proposal by Sen. Susan Eggman would overhaul how counties pay for mental and behavioral health programs. Irwin said her bill would bring “the single largest expansion” of the state’s mental health system. Under current state law, local government said their hands are tied if a person refuses to receive help. The legislation is part of the state’s ongoing efforts to reform its mental health system.

Persons: Gavin Newsom, Jacqui Irwin, Sen, Susan Eggman, Newsom, Irwin, Republican Sen, Brian Jones, it's, Eggman, Anthony Portantino, it’s, ” Portantino, Adam Beam Organizations: Democratic Gov, Republican, Hollywood, Business, Workers, LAW, Democratic, Associated Press Locations: SACRAMENTO, Calif, California, Southern California, Newsom's

Paris CNN —France’s highest court on Thursday upheld the government’s ban on students in public schools from wearing the abaya, a long, robe-like garment often worn by Muslim women, in a decision that rights groups warn will lead to more discrimination. The ban has its legal foundation in a law passed in 2004 forbidding the wearing of “conspicuous” religious symbols in French schools. Action Droits Des Musulmans (ADM), the Muslim rights group that filed the appeal, argued that the ban infringes on “fundamental rights,” such as the right to personal freedom. Macron said the ban was not “stigmatizing” anyone, but “people who push the abaya” are. Last year lawmakers backed a ban on wearing the hijab and other “conspicuous religious symbols” in sports competitions.

Persons: Musulmans, Vincent Brengarth, “, Gabriel Attal, ”, ” Attal, Emmanuel Macron, Macron, – Organizations: Paris CNN — France’s, ADM, Twitter, United Nations Human Rights Locations: Republic, France

Ron DeSantis appointed a co-founder of Moms for Liberty, a “parental rights” group that has sought to take over school boards in multiple states, to the Florida Commission on Ethics on Wednesday. Tina Descovich was named to the nine-member, Tallahassee-based commission, which investigates alleged breaches of public trust by elected and appointed officials, as well as state employees. Moms for Liberty started with Descovich and two other Florida women fighting COVID-19 restrictions in 2021. Along with Descovich, DeSantis also appointed South Florida attorney Luis Fuste to the commission. Another vacancy on the ethics commission was created in June, when former member Jim Waldman's term ended.

Persons: Ron DeSantis, Tina Descovich, Descovich, ”, DeSantis, Luis Fuste, Glen Gilzean, Gilzean, Jim Waldman's Organizations: — Republican Gov, Liberty, School Board, Florida Coalition of School, Heritage Foundation, Republican, Southern Poverty Law Center, South, Florida Senate, Central, Walt Disney, Disney Locations: TALLAHASSEE, Fla, Florida, Tallahassee, Brevard County, Tampa, Philadelphia, South Florida, Central Florida

CNN —Public schools in France have been turning away students for breaking a new national ban on the abaya, a long, robe-like garment often worn by Muslim women, as a rights group filed an appeal against the prohibition. A total of 67 girls returned home rather than remove their abayas, Education Minister Gabriel Attal told CNN affiliate BFMTV on Tuesday. The ban has its legal foundation in a law passed in 2004 banning the wearing of “conspicuous” religious symbols in schools. “They say that the abaya is a religious dress, but it’s not at all, it’s not a religious dress, it’s a traditional dress, it’s a dress that all girls wear, both veiled and non-veiled, and so it’s a bit of a problem,” she said. French President Emmanuel Macron has defended the ban, saying it is not “stigmatizing” anyone but “people who push the abaya” are.

Persons: Gabriel Attal, Attal, Musulmans, Vincent Brengarth, ”, Stephane Mahe, Brengarth, Nabil Boudi, it’s, Luke, Julie, Denis, Emmanuel Macron, Hugo Travers, Macron Organizations: CNN — Public, CNN, BFMTV, State Council, Reuters, ADM, Agence, France Presse Locations: France, France’s, Nantes, Villette, Lyon, Paris, Seine

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