#public-interest

#public-interest

Media coverage of Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis's all-but-announced candidacy for president is already in full frenzy, and so far the script is exactly as his handlers would like it to be.The governor regularly opens up new fronts in the culture wars, sowing alarm over critical race theory, transgender rights, or border policies.

Margaret Ferrier should do the right thing and resign after the former SNP MP lost an appeal over a proposed 30-day Commons ban, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has said.The Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP, who now sits as an independent, could now face a by-election after she breached Covid rules in 2020 by travelling by train from Scotland to England while positive for the virus.

Abortion law in England and Wales has been settled by parliament and the government does not intend to change it, a justice minister has told MPs, after a woman was jailed for taking abortion pills after the legal limit.Edward Argar was speaking after opposition MPs secured an urgent question on the 162-year-old legislation underpinning abortion regulations in part of the UK, during which there were cross-party calls for an overhaul.

US Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO) and Peter Welch (D-VT) proposed legislation on Thursday to create a federal agency to oversee social media platforms and the development and use of AI systems.Under the Digital Platform Commission Act [PDF], a Federal Digital Platform Commission would coordinate with existing agencies to conduct investigations, protect folks, uphold existing antitrust laws, and even levy fines.

Ryan is a senior editor at TechForge Media with over a decade of experience covering the latest technology and interviewing leading industry figures.He can often be sighted at tech conferences with a strong coffee in one hand and a laptop in the other.If it's geeky, he's probably into it.Find him on Twitter (@Gadget_Ry) or Mastodon (@gadgetry@techhub.social)

"[UC Berkeley] is stubborn, arrogant, and they want to continue fighting this rather than take the more reasonable course of saying ... let's move on" he said."They have 15 alternative sites that they have enumerated."Apart from deciding the future of People's Park, many are watching the case for the effects it could have on a contentious state environmental law.

ChatGPT has captured people's attention and made them curious about how the chatbot could change how they search for information and do other online tasks.However, as they start using the internet in new ways, are they overlooking possible safety risks?One of the most-talked-about dangers of ChatGPT is its "hallucination" problem.

Oppressive lawsuits brought by wealthy individuals to evade scrutiny and intimidate critics are to be defined in English and Welsh law for the first time, as judges are handed powers to dismiss Slapps at an early stage.Amendments added to the economic crime and corporate transparency bill will bring a swift end to the vast majority of Slapps (strategic lawsuits against public participation), ministers claim.

Press freedom campaigners claimed a "landmark victory" today after a High Court judge threw out a libel action by a multi-millionaire Tory donor against a former Conservative MP.The verdict by Mr Justice Nicklin came after a long-running legal battle between telecoms tycoon and philanthropist Mohamed Amersi and Charlotte Leslie, ex-MP for Bristol.

The Government is at rock bottom, the Duke of Sussex has said in his High Court claim against the Daily Mirror's publisher.Harry is suing Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) for damages, claiming journalists at its titles, which also include the Sunday Mirror and Sunday People, were linked to methods including phone hacking, so-called blagging or gaining information by deception, and use of private investigators for unlawful activities.

Former Number 10 communications chief Alastair Campbell has told the High Court he and his wife were targeted by private investigators working for the publisher of the Daily Mirror.Mr Campbell, who served as spokesman, press secretary and communications director under Tony Blair when he was prime minister, gave evidence in London on Tuesday day 10 of the trial of damages claims brought by the Duke of Sussex and other high-profile figures against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over alleged unlawful information gathering at its titles.

ISLAMABAD - The Taliban's intimidation, threats and attacks on Afghan journalists are unacceptable, the U.N. said Wednesday, as it expressed concern for the future of the country's media.Many journalists lost their jobs after the Taliban takeover in August 2021, with media outlets closing over a lack of funds or because staff left the country.

Legal advice presented to ministers over a potential challenge to the UK Government's blocking of gender reforms is unlikely to be published, a spokesman for the First Minister has said.Throughout his campaign to be leader of the SNP and First Minister, Humza Yousaf said he would challenge the Section 35 order that blocked the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill but in the final debate, he said he would not fight a court battle if legal advice to the Scottish Government said it would fail.

Joran van der Sloot, who has been linked to the 2005 disappearance of an American teenager, Natalee Holloway, pleaded not guilty to extortion and fraud charges in court in Birmingham, Ala., on Friday after he was temporarily extradited from Peru to the United States.At his appearance at the Hugo L. Black United States Court House, Mr. van der Sloot spoke only to decline the services of a Dutch translator and to acknowledge that he understood the charges against him.

Joran van der Sloot, a man who has been connected to the 2005 disappearance of the American teenager Natalee Holloway, was being temporarily extradited to the United States on Thursday.He was being flown from Peru to Alabama.Mr. van der Sloot, 35, had been serving a prison sentence in Peru, where he pleaded guilty to the 2010 murder of a young woman.

People who showed up to their restaurant jobs while sick were linked to 40 percent of food poisoning outbreaks with a known cause from 2017 to 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a report released on Tuesday.Paid sick leave and other policies that support sick workers could improve food safety outcomes, according to the report, which was based on a review of 800 food poisoning outbreaks, using data provided by 25 state and local health departments.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., was among the Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee who viewed Tuesday's hearing on Supreme Court ethics as an attack on the new conservative Supreme Court supermajority, an attack by Democrats, aided and abetted by the media.Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images At Tuesday's Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, the Democrats' avowed purpose was to get the Supreme Court to write a code of conduct for itself, or in the absence of that, for Congress to write one.

A transgender student athlete challenging West Virginia's anti-trans sports ban is urging the Supreme Court to not step into the dispute after the state asked the high court to let it enforce the controversial law.Earlier this month, West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, a Republican, filed an emergency request to the court, asking it to wipe away a lower court decision so it could enforce the ban.

The Home Office faces a wave of legal claims after the UK's surveillance watchdog found a blanket policy of seizing thousands of asylum seekers' mobile phones caused significant harm.The Investigatory Powers Commissioner's Office has written to a large group of asylum seekers to notify them of their right to bring a case before a specialist surveillance tribunal.

Patients waiting for NHS care will be encouraged to use the health service's app to book their operation at a private hospital under government plans to tackle the huge care backlog.The proposal will be included in the forthcoming report of the elective recovery taskforce Rishi Sunak set up last December to come up with new ideas.

The MP for Rutherglen and Hamilton West Margaret Ferrier should be suspended from the House of Commons for 30 days for breaching Covid rules, the committee on standards has recommended.Ferrier could face a byelection as the Commons watchdog recommended she should be suspended for 30 days for breaching Covid rules.

Matt Hancock's views about the independent experts advising government, detailed in the Lockdown Files, are revealing.They were totally unreliable and wacky (Dame Kate Bingham); a totally offside loudmouth (Sir Jeremy Farrar); and a prize idiot (Prof Jon Deeks); while Prof Sharon Peacock, the amazing scientist who set up Covid-19 Genomics UK Consortium (COG-UK), was deemed a total outrage, because she didn't warn him months earlier that the Alpha variant was coming (revealing Hancock's misunderstanding of the work of these genome sequencers).

1. Patent owners are increasingly using legal tactics to limit challenges to the validity of their patents.
2. The USPTO’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board (PTAB) plays an essential role in allowing challengers to invalidate patents that are not valid or are overly broad.

The Duke of Sussex is attempting to bring a second legal challenge against the Home Office over his security arrangements in the UK.Harry is seeking the go-ahead from the High Court to secure a judicial review over a decision that he should not be allowed to pay privately for his protective security.

The Duke of Sussex is attempting to bring a second legal challenge against the Home Office over his security arrangements when in the UK.Harry is seeking the go-ahead from the High Court to secure a judicial review over a decision that he should not be allowed to pay privately for his protective security.

The Duke of Sussex did not have an expectation of privacy over a report he was allegedly punished by the King for dressing up as a Nazi, The Mirror's publisher has told the High Court.Several high-profile figures are bringing claims against Mirror Group Newspapers (MGN) over alleged unlawful information gathering at its titles The Mirror, Sunday Mirror and Sunday People.

T he parents of 14-year-old schoolboy say they face a lifetime existing in pain as his knife attacker became the first child murderer to be sentenced on television.Jermaine Cools was rushed to hospital after being stabbed near West Croydonstation in November 2021 but died from his injuries.He was the youngest victim in a record year for teen murders in the capital.

Transport for London announced on May 4 last year the day before the London council elections that the long-awaited 20bn Elizabeth line would be opening on May 24.But Mr Shapps, who at the time was Transport Secretary, claimed the announcement was an act of breathtaking political cynicism by the mayor and broke rules on political announcements being made in the run-up to elections.

Under a proposed order, which must be approved by a federal court before it can go into effect, Ring will be required to delete data products such as data, models, and algorithms derived from videos it unlawfully reviewed.It also will be required to implement a privacy and security program with novel safeguards on human review of videos as well as other stringent security controls, such as multi-factor authentication for both employee and customer accounts.

1. The FTC and DOJ have charged Amazon for violating the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) by keeping children's voice recordings from Alexa devices forever.
2. The FTC and DOJ are seeking civil penalties and injunctive relief to ensure Amazon stops collecting, using and disclosing children's

The patent examination process is rife with problems.Too often, patent law supports applicants seeking unwarranted monopolies-not the public interest.That's why we get things like Amazon's patent on white-background photography .This is especially true when it comes to software and so-called "business methods," a catchall term for patents that are often granted for trivial innovations on well-known concepts, like financial hedging .

Environmentalist Chris Packham has been awarded 90,000 in damages after winning his High Court libel claim over denied allegations he misled the public into donating to a wildlife charity.The TV naturalist sued three men for libel over nine articles which included claims he manipulated people into donating to rescue five tigers while knowing the animals were well looked after.

Facebook has not been doing enough to comply with a 2020 privacy order, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) announced Wednesday.On top of "continuing to give app developers access to users' private information" that Meta claimed had been cut off, the FTC alleges that Facebook has caused new harm.

Chris Packham does not expect to live a long life free from violence and intimidation, the High Court has heard.The TV naturalist is suing three men for libel over nine articles which included claims he defrauded and manipulated people into donating to a charity to rescue tigers while knowing the animals were well looked after.

Employees of the social media site said there wasn't enough preparation for the Twitter Spaces event.A photo illustration showing the account of Twitter owner Elon Musk, tweeting about a Twitter Spaces event he hosted with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis on May 24, 2023.Scott Olson / Getty Images On Wednesday night, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) announced his 2024 bid for the GOP nomination for president in a Twitter livestream that was marred by glitches and technical difficulties.

"By rubber-stamping projects like these, Joe Biden is putting his own climate legacy at risk."Climate protestors march up Connecticut Avenue towards the White House Correspondents' Dinner at the Washington Hilton on April 29, 2023 in Washington, DC.Samuel Corum / Getty Images Biden administration officials are seeking to revive yet another major fossil fuel project in Alaska that climate advocates are warning would have 10 times the emissions impact of another recently-approved fossil fuel project in Alaska, infuriating climate advocates and experts.

Merck has submitted new patents that could allow the company to maintain its monopoly on the drug until at least 2036.Jonathan Brady / PA Images / Kena Betancur / Getty Images / Truthout Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) have raised concerns that pharmaceutical giant Merck's request to extend the patent for a top cancer drug could represent another move from Big Pharma to abuse the patent system and maintain a monopoly on a life-saving drug.

1. No Gods for Drowning by Hailey Piper is an engaging novel about a teenage girl's journey of self-discovery and resilience in the face of tragedy.
2. The story's themes of family, friendship, and identity are explored through powerful and poignant imagery and storytelling.

A damning independent report into the unsolved 1987 murder of British private detective Daniel Morgan has finally been published - following an intervention by the Home Office to delay it - in which the Metropolitan Police are accused of institutional corruption over their failure to bring Morgan's killer to justice.

In today's ExchangeWire news digest: Meta has warned scams related to ChatGPT are on the rise; Reach attributes fall in revenue to changes at Facebook; and TikTok parent ByteDance scraps the free tier of its Resso music streaming service.Meta reports rising ChatGPT scams
Meta Platforms has said that it had identified malware traffickers using public interest in ChatGPT to trick users into downloading malicious apps and browser extensions.

A child murderer will be sentenced on television for the first time in England and Wales following a successful legal challenge by the media.Marques Walker, 17, can now be identified as the killer of Jermaine Cools, who at the age of 14 was the youngest victim of fatal knife crime in 2021.Jermaine was stabbed as he lay defenceless on the ground outside a chicken shop in Croydon, south London, on November 18 2021.

It's pathetic.It's sad.It's embarassing.How many full grown adults in the public sphere who claim expertise in community engagement, civic life, and government policy completely fail to demonstrate any meaningful understanding or commitment to the simplest ethical concept called conflict of interest.

WREXHAM, Wales In the Welsh language, the virtually untranslatable word hiraeth" (pronounced here-ayeth) describes a blend of nostalgia and longing for a time that can never be recreated.For Wrexham, a working-class town in northern Wales, it was a feeling that came to define a postindustrial malaise that descended in the 1980s as the last remaining coal mines shuttered their rickety gates and, later, the furnaces at the nearby steelworks ran cold.

A Quebec judge declared last month, as he acquitted a man who had been accused of threatening and harassing his neighbor, that Canadians have a God-given right to give someone the middle finger.The man who was acquitted, Neall Epstein, had been arrested outside his home in Beaconsfield, a suburb southwest of Montreal, in May 2021 and charged with criminal harassment and uttering death threats.

P&O Ferries is confident of avoiding a fine for sacking nearly 800 seafarers without notice.The annual report of the DP World-owned ferry operator, seen by the PA news agency, said its directors think an ongoing inquiry by the Insolvency Service will not result in any punishment.Some 786 of the company's workers were made redundant without consultation on March 17 2022, leading to widespread criticism from politicians and trade unions.

Baroness Heather Hallett will not have a panel in the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, Rishi Sunak has decided in an attempt to speed it up.In a written statement to Parliament, the Prime Minister said the investigation into the response to the pandemic will be most efficient and swift if its chairwoman sits without a panel.

"Rule 45(d)(2)(B) does allow for nonparties to shift costs for discovery compliance in certain circumstances....But, in the broader context of Rule 45, courts routinely deny or limit requests for fees and costs to those arising from court-compelled production."Under 28 U.S.C.Section 1782, parties engaged in (or expected to engage in) foreign litigation are empowered to seek discovery in the United States for use in the foreign litigation.

The SNP MP Margaret Ferrier is facing a possible by-election as a parliamentary standards watchdog recommended she should be suspended for 30 days.The Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP was found to have damaged the reputation of the Commons and put people at risk after taking part in a debate and travelling by train while suffering from Covid.

Covid rulebreaker Margaret Ferrier could face a by-election as a Commons standards watchdog recommended she should be suspended from Parliament for 30 days.The Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP was found to have damaged the reputation of the Commons and put people at risk after taking part in a debate and travelling by train while suffering from Covid-19.

The College of Policing has said people charged with a crime should have no reasonable expectation of privacy.Its statement came after media bosses raised concerns following proposed changes to the college's guidance which stated forces across England and Wales no longer should name those charged with crimes including indecent exposure, domestic violence or child sexual abuse, instead advising that individuals can be named.

The College of Policing has said they do not want to do anything that would undermine open justice, following an outcry from media chiefs over plans to keep the names of suspects accused of many serious offences secret.Media bosses raised concerns after proposed changes to the College of Policing's media relations guidance stated that forces across England and Wales no longer should name those charged with crimes including indecent exposure, domestic violence or child sexual abuse, instead advising that individuals can be named.

What's going on with the Danish health system?The government in Denmark is trying to tackle a health system under pressure.Nurses are leaving the profession, waiting times for operations have increased by 50 percent over the last three years and there's concern that soon patients' health will be compromised.

The mother of a housebound disabled woman who killed herself following a benefits cut has welcomed the chance of getting justice for her daughter after winning her legal battle for a fresh inquest into her death.Jodey Whiting, 42, from Stockton-on-Tees, died in February 2017 around two weeks after her disability benefit was stopped when she did not attend a work capability assessment.

I believe in the power of local news.Strengthening American democracy depends on more engaged and informed citizens at the local level.But in today's fractured media environment, there are fewer credible options for consumers to turn to for their news.Local broadcast news can help fill this void.My company, Standard General, is acquiring broadcaster Tegna because I want to build a new company that will be a leader in preserving and enhancing community news, investing in newsrooms and programming targeted to local audiences, and adapting in a rapidly changing technical and competitive environment.

Jean Faut, who pitched two perfect games in a remarkable career with the South Bend (Ind.)Blue Sox of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, died on Feb. 28 in Rock Hill, S.C.She was 98.Her death, in a hospice, was confirmed by her son Kevin Winsch.Faut (pronounced fawt) joined the league three years after it was introduced as a way to maintain public interest in baseball when many major league players had gone off to fight in World War II.

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails A Catholic priest has accused the Government of censoring the streets of the UK and attempting to criminalise silent prayer after being cleared of charges claiming he intimidated service users near an abortion clinic.

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Senior policing figures have condemned disturbing remarks about the appearance of the officer leading the search for missing mother-of-two Nicola Bulley.Rishi Sunak and his home secretary Suella Braverman have expressed concern since Lancashire Police publicly revealed three weeks into the unprecedented search that the 45-year-old had been struggling with alcohol and menopause when she went missing in St Michael's on Wyre.

Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email A diving expert involved in the search for missing mother Nicola Bulley has defended his team's involvement in the investigation.A body was found in the River Wyre by two dog walkers not far from where the 45-year-old went missing three weeks ago.