future - Germany: Greens stay bullish despite attacks in Bavaria

German city reveals plans to banish cars from its centre

Telegraph

23-09-19 19:21


The German city of Hanover has announced plans to ban cars from its inner city as part of a major traffic overhaul. The city will remove almost all of its 4,000 street-side parking spots and impose a speed limit of 20 kph (12 mph) on one-way streets leading to 11 multi-storey car parks. The freed-up space will be used to extend cafes and terraces and to plant more trees. The city's conservative opposition has criticised the plans, claiming they will harm the viability of the city centre by making people travel further.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2023/09/19/hanover-reveals-plans-banish-cars-inner-city-streets/
House Budget Plan Proposes Commonsense Welfare Changes

American Enterprise Institute

23-09-19 18:57


The House Budget Committee, headed by Chairman Jodey Arrington (R-TX), today released a draft budget proposal detailing the majority’s spending priorities and proposed changes across a range of government benefits and programs.

Several policies would promote higher levels of work among welfare recipients, which is especially necessary while benefit rolls remain elevated despite plentiful job openings.

According to recent research by our AEI colleague Angela Rachidi, less than one-third of households collecting SNAP benefits in 2019 included a current worker, and just 6 percent of SNAP-collecting households included a full-time worker. Since then, SNAP caseloads and especially benefit levels and program costs have grown considerably, and most current SNAP household heads are working age and not disabled.

Meanwhile, labor force participation rates remain historically low, especially for US natives. For example, the Center for Immigration Studies recently reported that, for US-born men ages 25 to 54 without a bachelor’s degree, labor force participation declined from 89.4 percent in 2000 to just 84.4 percent in April 2023, when the US unemployment rate was 3.4 percent, matching lows last seen in the 1960s. Better connecting current benefit recipients with work will increase their earnings and, coupled with generous tax credits for low-income workers, significantly raise their household incomes. That combination—earnings plus benefits—is the key to reducing poverty and ensuring that our welfare system promotes hope and upward mobility—not a lifetime of dependency.

Here’s how this proposal seeks to achieve all of that.

First, it would strengthen work requirements for recipients of cash welfare, food stamps, and public housing subsidies. That’s a familiar call from conservatives, and for good reason. In the past, work-based reforms of the nation’s cash welfare program successfully helped millions of low-income single parents increase their earnings, reducing their levels of poverty and dependence on welfare checks. But similar policies were either never applied to other programs, or have been regularly waived, and even the work requirements for cash welfare lost their bite over time. The bipartisan Fiscal Responsibility Act enacted in May adjusted some work requirements for cash welfare and food stamps, but other Republican-proposed reforms were left out. More needs to be done to connect millions of current benefit recipients with work, and that’s what these proposed reforms seek to do.

Other changes assumed in the budget also promote more work over welfare and other benefit receipt. For example, we understand the budget assumes extending the current-law requirement that child tax credit claimants have valid Social Security numbers that authorize them to work in order to claim those work-based benefits. That requirement expires in 2025 and ought to be extended. The Congressional Budget Office in 2022 found that extending this requirement would yield over $24 billion in savings over 10 years. Other assumed changes would strengthen work search requirements for unemployment benefit recipients, close loopholes that inappropriately expand eligibility for food stamps, and narrow benefit eligibility for noncitizens, consistent with longstanding US law.

As the Budget Committee considers these incremental changes, they should also review more comprehensive changes proposed in American Renewal: A Conservative Plan to Strengthen the Social Contract and Save the Country’s Finances. That AEI publication, edited by Rachidi and former House Speaker Paul Ryan, was released last fall. A chapter in that volume authored by Rachidi, Scott Winship, and one of us (Matt Weidinger), titled “A Safety Net for the Future: Overcoming the Root Causes of Poverty,” suggested a series of changes to promote more work and stronger families, backstopped by reforms to the financing of welfare programs. Those changes would reduce current financial incentives for state governments to prioritize bigger caseloads and instead financially reward states for realizing smaller caseloads and a larger number of recipients working. Other proposals in the volume focus on reforms to health care and disability benefits, as well as the tax code. These should be of interest to the Budget Committee, too, as it continues its important work.

Increasing upward mobility means helping more of our neighbors make the transition off the benefit rolls and into work. The Budget Committee is doing the right thing to seek more upward mobility and is off to a good start. But even if the changes in today’s proposal are enacted, there will still be much more left to do.

Learn more: Putting This Year’s Poverty Numbers in Context | Two Sentences Will Strengthen SNAP’s Support for Work | Work Is Essential to the American Dream | Labor Department Report Finds Pandemic Unemployment Program Had a Staggering 36 Percent Improper Payment Rate

The post House Budget Plan Proposes Commonsense Welfare Changes appeared first on American Enterprise Institute - AEI.


https://www.aei.org/center-on-opportunity-and-social-mobility/house-budget-plan-proposes-commonsense-welfare-changes/

Culture Secretary on increase in streaming: TV audiences will not be left behind

The Independent

23-09-19 23:01


UK Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer has stated that the rise in streaming platforms should not come at the expense of those who still rely on terrestrial television. Speaking at the Royal Television Society (RTS) Cambridge Conference, Frazer will outline a new plan to maximise the potential of the TV industry and ensure that traditional methods of watching TV remain accessible. The announcement comes as an Ofcom report revealed that the percentage of people watching traditional TV each week has fallen from 83% in 2021 to 79% in 2022.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/lucy-frazer-culture-secretary-carolyn-mccall-government-ofcom-b2414678.html
Letter from Human Rights Watch to President Xi Jinping

Human Rights Watch

23-09-21 10:00


September 21, 2023

Re: China’s Forcible Repatriation of North Korean Refugees

Dear President Xi Jinping,

We are writing to express our concern about the resumption of forcible returns of North Koreans detained in the People’s Republic of China to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK or North Korea), which had stopped since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. We are concerned regarding news of North Korea’s border reopening, with the registration of around 200 athletes, coaches and officials to attend the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China (23 September to 8 October 2023),[1] and your government’s resumption of forcible repatriations of reportedly 2,000 North Koreans detained in China.[2]

The 2014 United Nations Commission of Inquiry on human rights in the DPRK (DPRK COI) found that the North Korean government committed crimes against humanity against persons forcibly repatriated from China.[3] According to the DPRK COI, North Koreans who flee their country are at risk of torture, sexual and gender-based violence, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance and even execution and forced abortion and infanticide upon their forcible repatriation.[4] However, China, which is a party to the UN Refugee Convention and Protocol and the Convention against Torture, which codify the principle of non-refoulement, continues to arbitrarily detain and hold North Korean escapees waiting for North Korea’s border opening to forcibly return them.[5]

The DPRK COI recommended “China and other States” to “respect the principle of non-refoulement” and “abstain from forcibly repatriating any persons to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, unless the treatment there, as verified by international human rights monitors, markedly improves.”[6] There has been no documentation of such improvement of treatment in North Korea. On 16 December 2013, the DPRK COI wrote a letter to Beijing summarizing its “concerns relating to China’s policy and practice of forced repatriation of DPRK citizens [including] particular concern about Chinese officials providing specific information on such persons to DPRK authorities,” and urging Beijing to “caution relevant officials that such conduct could amount to the aiding and abetting of crimes against humanity where repatriations and information exchanges are specifically directed towards or have the purpose of facilitating the commission of crimes against humanity in the DPRK.”[7]

However, China’s policy and practice of forced repatriation of North Koreans has continued since then. During the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention and the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment sent a letter to Beijing bringing to its attention information concerning “the arrest, detention and threat of repatriation of at least 1,170 individuals of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) in China, who have been arrested and detained for over a year since the borders between the DPRK and China were shut in January 2020 due to COVID-19 concerns”.[8] The letter also referred to information that “on 14 July 2021, [the Chinese government] repatriated over 50 individuals of the DPRK who had been detained over a year in Shenyang”.

At a conference entitled “Actions to Tackle Forced Repatriation of North Korean Escapees in China” held in Seoul on September 7, 2023, James Heenan, the Representative of OHCHR Seoul, stated that: “Credible reports suggest a large number of North Koreans have been reportedly detained by Chinese authorities [over the] last three years but whom the DPRK would not accept back into the country due to the border closure and other COVID-19 prevention measures. As the DPRK begins to reopen its borders, these individuals could be repatriated at any time. For those that do not wish to return, the repatriation would be forcible”.[9]

The UN Special Procedures, including the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea and the Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances, and treaty bodies, especially the Committee against Torture and Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, have repeatedly called upon China to respect the principle of non-refoulement for North Korean escapees.[10] Various countries have made the same recommendations to China during its Universal Periodic Reviews.[11]

China claims to address North Korean escapees in accordance with China’s domestic law, international law and humanitarian principles. However, China has failed to institute the “screening process” for North Korean asylum seekers or to provide them with “temporary identity certificates issued by public security organs” under article 46 of the Exit and Entry Administration Law, enacted in 2012.[12]

China justifies the deportation of North Koreans under the bilateral treaties with North Korea such as the Bilateral Agreement on Mutual Cooperation for the Maintenance of State Safety and Social Order (July 1998), which provides in article 4(1) that those “who do not hold legal documents or have used a crossing point not specified in the documents will be treated as illegal border crossers” and in article 4(2) that “[i]llegal border crossers will be returned to the other side with information on their identity and specific situation.” However, such bilateral treaties cannot enable the forced return of North Korean refugees in violation of the principle of non-refoulement under article 33 of the Refugee Convention and article 3 of the Torture Convention.

Moreover, any humanitarian consideration should result in the granting of a legal status for the North Korean escapees and the stopping of their deportations back to North Korea where torture, sexual and gender-based violence, forced abortion, imprisonment in brutal labor camps and even executions await them. We note that the UN Refugee Agency in 2004 categorized North Korean escapees in China as “persons of concern” meriting humanitarian protection and proposed that China create a special humanitarian status for them to provide them with temporary documentation, access to services, and repeatedly called for protection against refoulement.[13]

The official slogan of the 19th Asian Games Hangzhou 2022 is “Heart to Heart, @Future.” As Martin Luther King, Jr. said, we will not only win our freedom for ourselves, we will so appeal to your heart and conscience that we will win you in the process, and our victory will be a double victory. In this regard, we urge you to officially end the policy of forcible repatriation of North Korean escapees and to implement the procedure for the individualized determination of refugee status.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Signature organizations and individuals (as of September 21, 2023):

Individuals

David Alton

Independent Crossbench Member of the House of Lords & Co-chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on North Korea

Sonja Biserko

Former Commission of Inquiry (COI) member on the situation of human rights in the DPRK & current chair at the Helsinki Human Rights Committee in Serbia

Roberta Cohen

Co-Chair Emeritus of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK)

Marzuki Darusman

Former UN Special Rapporteur/Commission on Inquiry (COI) member on the situation of human rights in the DPRK

Lee Yanghee

Former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar & Former Chairperson of the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child

Tomás Ojea-Quintana

Former UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK

Suzanne Scholte

Seoul Peace Prize Recipient & President of Defense Forum Foundation (USA)

Organizations

ACAT - Belgique (Action des Chrétiens pour l’Abolition de la Torture)

ACAT - France (Action des chrétiens pour l’abolition de la torture)

ACAT Germany (Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture)

ACAT UK (Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture)

Advocates for Human Rights

Anti-Death Penalty Asia Network (ADPAN)

Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD)

Asociación Pro-Búsqueda de Niñas y Niños Desaparecidos

Association of Family Members of the Disappeared

Balay Alternative Legal Advocates for Development in Mindanaw, Inc. (BALAOD Mindanaw)

Centro para la Apertura y el Desarrollo de América Latina (CADAL)

Christian Solidarity Worldwide (CSW)

Citizens’ Alliance for North Korean Human Rights (NKHR)

Commission for Disappeared and Victims of Violence (KontraS)

Committee for Human Rights in North Korea (HRNK)

Death Penalty Focus

Disarmament and Non-Violence

Federal Association of Vietnamese Refugees in the Federal Republic of Germany

Families of the Disappeared (FoD)

Free Jonas Burgos Movement

German Coalition to Abolish the Death Penalty (GCADP)

HanVoice

Human Rights Hub

Human Rights Watch (HRW)

Human Rights Without Frontiers (HRWF)

Ikatan Keluarga Orang Hilang Indonesia (IKOHI)

International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED)

International Coalition to Stop Crimes against Humanity in North Korea (ICNK)

International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex (ILGA) Asia

Italian Federation for Human Rights (FIDU - Federazione Italiana Diritti Umani)

Judicial Reform Foundation (JRF)

Karapatan Alliance Philippines (KARAPATAN)

Korean War POW Family Association

Legal Literacy

Madres de Plaza de Mayo - Línea Fundadora

Network for North Korean Democracy and Human Rights (NKnet)

Non-Violence International

North Korea Freedom Coalition (NKFC)

Peace and Hope International

Safeguard Defenders

Save North Korea

Stepping Stone

Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty (TAEDP)

THINK

Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG)

UK All-Party Parliamentary Group on North Korea

Viet Tan

World Coalition Against the Death Penalty (WCADP)

[1] Kyodo News, “North Korea eyes sending 200-strong delegation to Asian Games in China”, May 13, 2023, North Korea eyes sending 200-strong delegation to Asian Games in China (accessed September 5, 2023).

[2] Report of the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the DPRK to the General Assembly (October 13, 2022), A/77/522, para. 9 (“The Special Rapporteur has received information that as many as 2,000 escapees from the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea are currently detained in China as “illegal migrants” and are at risk of being repatriated to their country once the border reopens.”), A/77/522 (accessed September 5, 2023).

[3] Report of the detailed findings of the commission of inquiry on human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (7 February 2014), A/HRC/25/CRP.1, para. 1098-1114, https://undocs.org/A/HRC/25/CRP.1 (accessed September 5, 2023).

[4] Id., paras. 380-434.

[5] Id., paras. 435-477.

[6] Id., para. 1221(a).

[7] Id., para. 1197.

[8] Joint allegation letter to China by Tomás Ojea Quintana, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea; Miriam Estrada-Castillo, Vice-Chair of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention; and Nils Melzer, Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, JAL CHN 8/2021, August 23, 2021, https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=26571 (accessed September 5, 2023).

[9] Ha Chae-rim, “UN Human Rights Office Head Says “North Korean escapees in danger of torture if repatriated to North Korea; China should not forcibly repatriate” [유엔인권사무소장 “탈북민 북송시 고문위험…中, 강제송환 안돼”]”, Yonhap News, September 7, 2023 [in Korean], 유엔인권사무소장 "탈북민 북송시 고문위험…中, 강제송환 안돼" | 연합뉴스 (accessed September 10, 2023).

[10] Committee on the Elimination of Discrimination against Women, Concluding observations on the ninth periodic report of China (May 31, 2023), CEDAW/C/CHN/CO/9, para. 29, CEDAW/C/CHN/CO/9 (accessed September 5, 2023); Committee against Torture, Concluding observations on the fifth periodic report of China (February 3, 2016), CAT/C/CHN/CO/5, paras. 46-48, CAT/C/CHN/CO/5 (accessed September 5, 2023); Committee against Torture, Concluding observations on the fourth periodic report of China (December 12, 2008), CAT/C/CHN/CO/4, para. 26, CAT/C/CHN/CO/4 (accessed September 5, 2023).

[11] Report of the Working Group on the Universal Periodic Review: China (including Hong Kong, China and Macao, China) (December 4, 2013), A/HRC/25/5, paras. 186.66, 186.241, 186.242 and 186.243, A/HRC/25/5 (accessed September 5, 2023).

[12] Exit and Entry Administration Law of the People’s Republic of China (Adopted at the 27th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Eleventh National People’s Congress on June 30, 2012), http://english.www.gov.cn/archive/laws\_regulations/2014/09/22/content\_281474988553532.htm (accessed September 5, 2023).

[13] The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Press Release, UNHCR chief calls on states to respect non-refoulement after North Koreans deported from Laos, May 30, 2013, https://www.unhcr.org/news/news-releases/unhcr-chief-calls-states-respect-non-refoulement-afternorth-koreans-deported (accessed September 7, 2023); Shin Hyon-hee, “UNHCR ups efforts to protect N.K. defectors,” Korea Herald, March 2, 2014, UNHCR ups efforts to protect N.K. defectors (accessed September 7, 2023).


https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/09/21/letter-human-rights-watch-president-xi-jinping

Worth the risk? How Fiona fueled fears around waterfront development on P.E.I.

CBC

23-09-21 13:50


One year after a storm surge caused by post-tropical storm Fiona swept away 13 cottages on Prince Edward Island, residents are calling for action to protect against future storm damage. Waterfront property owners are increasingly concerned about the risk of flooding and erosion, and are seeking guidance on how to mitigate these risks. The PEI government is working on new development guidelines for at-risk properties, expected to be released soon. Residents are calling for stricter building codes and more stringent regulations to ensure that new structures are resilient to storm surges. The PEI Real Estate Association has reported that while the number of waterfront lots sold has decreased since the storm, sales of coastal homes and cottages have increased. However, buyers are now asking more questions about erosion risk and storm surge protection. Some residents are taking their own measures to reduce the risk of damage, such as raising their cottages or repairing seawalls. Researchers are also working to improve modelling tools to assess future risks to waterfront properties.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-fiona-waterfront-development-concerns-1.6972460
London theatre: the best shows to book for half term

Telegraph

23-09-21 16:49


The Telegraph has compiled a handy guide to the best half-term theatre shows in London. The guide includes insights from expert critics, age recommendations for each production, and information on discounted tickets. Some of the highlighted shows include "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child," "Matilda The Musical," "Six," "Back to the Future: The Musical," "Frozen the Musical," "The Ocean at the End of the Lane," "Grease," "The Lion King," and "Mrs Doubtfire."

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/london-theatre-half-term-shows/
Government faces backlash after slashing climate budget

Guardian

23-09-21 16:21


The Swedish government is facing a huge backlash – including threats of no-confidence votes against its climate minister – after slashing the country’s climate budget while admitting that it will dramatically increase carbon dioxide emissions. The minority-run coalition, which has been in power for just under a year, announced on Wednesday it would be cutting funding for climate and environmental measures next year by 259m krona (£19m) and introducing tax cuts on petrol and diesel.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/21/swedish-government-faces-backlash-after-slashing-climate-budget
Faraday Future names insider Matthias Aydt as new Global CEO

Reuters

23-09-21 20:41


Faraday Future Intelligent Electric (FFIE.O) has announced that Matthias Aydt will be its new Global CEO, effective September 29. Aydt will replace Xuefeng Chen in this role.

https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/faraday-future-names-insider-matthias-aydt-new-global-ceo-2023-09-21/
Matt Hancock taken to task over lockdown affair on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins

Telegraph

23-09-21 20:02


Former SAS veterans interrogated Matt Hancock on the reality TV show Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins over his lockdown affair in order to understand his decision-making, according to the soldiers involved. The blindfolded former health secretary is aggressively questioned by special forces operators in the programme, with scenes showing them shouting at him, accusing him of weak leadership, and pushing him into a river. Hancock admits to letting himself down and lacking leadership in the affair. The former cabinet minister's decision-making is a particular focus of the interrogation, with the SAS staff wanting to understand his actions.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/21/matt-hancock-celebrity-sas-who-dares-wins-lockdown-affair/
B.C. court cites Korean filial tradition in payout to parents over son’s death

The Globe and Mail

23-09-21 19:40


A judge in British Columbia has awarded over $327,000 to the parents of a teenager who was killed in 2019 for the "likely hypothetical future" care their son would have provided under Korean tradition. The teenager, Eric Shim, died at the age of 17, just three months before he was to graduate from high school. The ruling states that Shim would have continued the Korean tradition of hyodo, or showing gratitude towards his parents. The parents had asked the court for $1.1 million to $1.6 million, claiming that their son would have taken over their two restaurants and made generous financial contributions to them. However, the judge ruled that the son would have provided about 20% of his future income to his parents, resulting in the awarded amount of $327,634.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-bc-court-cites-korean-filial-tradition-in-payout-to-parents-over-sons/
B.C. court cites Korean filial tradition in payout to parents over son's death

The Toronto Star

23-09-21 19:23


A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has awarded over $327,000 to the parents of a teenager killed in 2019 for the "likely hypothetical future" care their son would have provided under Korean tradition. The parents sued the driver and his insurer, claiming that their son would have continued the Korean tradition of hyodo, or showing gratitude towards his parents. The judge ruled that the son would have provided about 20% of his future income to his parents, subtracting expenses and adding services such as translation, driving, and guidance.

https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/b-c-court-cites-korean-filial-tradition-in-payout-to-parents-over-sons-death/article_0e357fbe-82b2-502e-b0cd-d979d682a736.html
Dark Mofo the latest casualty in wave of festival cancellations

The Sydney Morning Herald

23-09-22 00:30


Tasmania's Dark Mofo festival, along with several other festivals, has been cancelled for next year due to changing conditions and rising costs. The festival's organisers are taking a "fallow year" in order to secure its future and plan for a return in 2025. The cancellation comes after a period of consultation with the state government to find ways to proceed with the festival in 2024. The event's artistic director, Chris Twite, stated that the goal is to create a more sustainable model for the festival's future.

https://www.smh.com.au/culture/music/dark-mofo-the-latest-causality-in-australia-s-wave-of-festival-cancellations-20230922-p5e6ry.html
California could be next state to bypass the bar exam

Reuters

23-09-21 23:03


The State Bar of California is considering a new admissions pathway that would allow law graduates to become licensed without taking the bar exam. Under the proposed program, law graduates would receive provisional licenses and work under the supervision of an experienced attorney for four to six months while being paid. They would compile a portfolio of work that would be graded by the state bar, and those who pass would become fully licensed without taking the bar exam. Supporters argue that this program would lower the cost of entering the legal profession for public interest attorneys, public defenders, and attorneys in rural areas, and it would increase the number of non-white attorneys. The proposal is similar to a program in Oregon that is awaiting final adoption by the Oregon Supreme Court. The program would require the approval of the California Supreme Court. Public comments on the proposal will be accepted for 30 days.

https://www.reuters.com/legal/government/california-could-be-next-state-bypass-bar-exam-2023-09-21/
Londonderry named International City of Peace

BBC

23-09-22 08:23


Londonderry has been declared a United Nations International City of Peace. The city and district's transition to peace over the years following the Troubles was recognised with the accolade. Londonderry and Strabane became the first local authority on the island of Ireland to sign up to the network. The initiative promotes global peace and supports the health and well-being of all communities. There are nearly 400 UN International Cities of Peace across the world.

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-66887246
Webb telescope finds source of carbon on Jupiter’s moon

The Independent

23-09-22 07:44


The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has made a new observation about Jupiter's moon Europa, which is known to have a subsurface ocean of liquid water. The observations from the JWST have shown that the carbon dioxide on Europa comes from within its subsurface ocean. This finding suggests that Europa's subsurface ocean contains carbon, which is an essential ingredient for the formation of life. Future missions to Europa will assess its potential habitability based on its chemistry, including the abundance of carbon.

https://www.independent.co.uk/space/webb-telescope-jupiter-moon-carbon-b2416449.html
Turtle protectors of Toronto’s High Park finish another season of heroism in a half-shell

The Globe and Mail

23-09-22 13:00


Toronto's High Park, famous for its cherry blossoms, is also a hotspot for turtles. The nesting season for turtles coincides with the cherry blossom season, leading to a conflict between the crowds of people taking selfies and the tiny reptiles. Turtle Protectors, an Indigenous-guided stewardship program, was founded to protect the at-risk turtles in High Park. The group has been able to protect 27 nests in its first year and 47 nests this year, with the hope of saving many more in the future.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-turtle-protectors-high-park/
Australia govt aims for sustainable, inclusive full employment

Reuters

23-09-22 12:55


The Australian government plans to focus on achieving sustained and inclusive full employment as a key objective of its economic policy. The Employment White Paper will outline initiatives and policy directions to address underutilisation in the labour market, as millions of Australians face barriers to employment despite wanting to work more. The government aims to shape the future direction of the labour market and make employment accessible to more people. The Reserve Bank of Australia estimates that the jobless rate, currently at 3.7%, would need to rise to around 4.5% to help return inflation to its target range of 2%-3%. The white paper will guide policy work on migration and investment in the skills and tertiary education sectors.

https://www.reuters.com/markets/australia-govt-aims-sustainable-inclusive-full-employment-2023-09-22/
National Trust accuses Rishi Sunak of kicking net zero ‘down the road’

Telegraph

23-09-22 17:16


The National Trust has criticised UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak for delaying the ban on new petrol and diesel cars and pushing back deadlines to end the sale of new gas boilers. The charity accused Sunak of prioritising political expediency over the country's net zero goals. The Labour Party also criticised the government's changes, claiming they would damage the economy and increase costs for families. A recent poll found that the public was divided on Sunak's decisions, but the majority did not trust the Conservatives to protect the environment.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/22/national-trust-rishi-sunak-net-zero/
Calvin Buckley: ‘I should be celebrating my daughter's birth – instead I'm trying to get justice’

Telegraph

23-09-22 20:05


A campaign is being launched by charity RoadPeace to call on the justice system to impose longer sentences on dangerous drivers who cause death or serious injury. The charity argues that sentences for dangerous driving are often minimal compared to other violent crimes, and that dangerous drivers who kill or seriously injure innocent people should face longer custodial sentences. The campaign comes after a driver who caused a crash that killed a mother and her unborn child was sentenced to just 12 years in prison. The driver had been speeding and filming on his phone at the time of the crash. The family of the victims have called the sentence “insulting” and are appealing it.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/22/calvin-buckley-frankie-dangerous-driving-car-crash-racer/
AlphaTauri makes it official: Yuki Tsunoda keeps seat for 2024

Japan Times

23-09-23 01:17


AlphaTauri has confirmed that Japanese driver Yuki Tsunoda's contract has been finalized for the 2024 Formula One season. This ensures his immediate future in the sport is secure.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2023/09/23/more-sports/yuki-tsunoda-new-contract/