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Kenyan court dismisses Rastafarians’ bid to legalise cannabis
Kenya’s High Court has rejected a bid by the Rastafari Society of Kenya to allow cannabis use for religious worship, ruling that the country’s drug laws do not breach constitutional protections for freedom of religion and belief. The decision is significant because it preserves Kenya’s strict ban on cannabis while also signalling that any change…
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UK proposes overnight social media limits for 16 and 17-year-olds
The UK government has proposed a default overnight social media curfew for 16 and 17-year-olds, which would make apps such as Instagram, TikTok and YouTube unavailable from midnight until 06:00 unless teenagers choose to switch the setting off. Ministers say the curfew, alongside default restrictions on features such as auto-play and infinite scroll, is meant…
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SEN. BLUMENTHAL, REP. TAKANO: Congress can fund veterans’ care without taking benefits from disabled heroes
This Fox News opinion article by Senator Richard Blumenthal and Representative Mark Takano argues that Congress should not pay for expanded veterans’ legislation by reducing disability benefits for other former service members. The authors say the House is preparing to vote on the Take Care of America’s Veterans Act, but they oppose the Republican proposal…
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OpenAI Staffers Are Funding a Rival Super PAC to Take on Their Boss
A group of current and former OpenAI employees have donated more than $215,000 to Guardrails Alliance, a new super PAC campaigning for stricter regulation of advanced AI companies. The move puts some rank-and-file staff in direct political opposition to OpenAI president and cofounder Greg Brockman, whose support for the pro-industry super PAC Leading the Future…
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Kamala Harris draws furious backlash as she hits out at ICE for fatally shooting migrant as he fled traffic stop
The article reports that Kamala Harris faced strong criticism after condemning US Immigration and Customs Enforcement over the fatal shooting of a migrant who was allegedly fleeing a traffic stop. The story matters because it combines a fatal law-enforcement incident with an immediate political dispute over immigration, policing and how senior politicians respond before the…
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England risks building new ‘death traps’ as experts warn of overheating crisis
Planning experts have warned that England could continue building homes and other buildings that dangerously overheat during heatwaves unless planning rules are strengthened and climate protections are prioritised. The concern matters because overheating poses a direct risk to health, especially for older and vulnerable people, and comes as research suggests about 2,700 people died during…
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Labour must stop just writing a cheque for benefit claimants, says McFadden
Pat McFadden has said Labour should move away from merely paying health and disability benefits and instead focus more on helping people who can work into jobs. He argued that government should offer more than financial support alone, while stressing that people who will never be able to work must still be protected. The comments…
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I investigated Palantir’s foothold in the British state – and what I found should worry us all | Peter Geoghegan
This Guardian opinion article argues that Palantir has become deeply embedded in the British state, especially through its £330 million NHS federated data platform, and says that should alarm the new government. Peter Geoghegan contends that weak regulation, political access and strong media backing helped the US data and surveillance company expand rapidly, while evidence…