#EU: Euro. Parliament Votes To Ease Regulations On Genetically-Modified Crops

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Europe has long been a bastion of skepticism about genetically engineered organisms, but today the European Parliament voted to lessen regulatory oversight of crops created through one type of DNA manipulation: gene editing.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

CANADA: Gov't Exends Foreign Housing Purchase Ban to 2027

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The federal government is extending its ban on foreign home purchasing in Canada, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced in a release on Sunday.

The rule, which was first announced in 2022, will now be extended until the beginning of 2027. It bans foreign nationals and commercial enterprises from buying residential property in Canada, with exceptions for some international students, refugee claimants and temporary workers.

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UK: PM to Announce Teen Vaping Ban

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Disposable vapes are set to be banned in Britain as part of plans to tackle the rise in young people vaping and protect children’s health.

Prime minister Rishi Sunak is set to announce the plan to implement the ban – using powers already in place under the Environmental Protection Act – which is expected to come into force at the end of 2024 or the start of 2025, during a visit to a school on Monday.

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#UK: PM Rishi Considers Ban of Children From Social Media

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s U.K. government is studying a crackdown on social media access for children under the age of 16, including potential bans, according to people familiar with the discussions.

Ministers plan to begin a consultation as soon as January to gather evidence about the extent of potential harm to children from using social media, the sources said, asking not to be named. Another source said the plan may not be in the final draft of the rule.

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#SOUTHAFRICA: Food To Get New Front-Package Nutrition Labels

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South Africa’s health minister published draft food labelling regulations in April. These will introduce a new labelling plan, limit advertising of unhealthy foods and restrict the use of misleading health claims.

The draft regulations propose clearer food labels, which include a new triangle highlighting that the food contains ingredients that are unhealthy. These logos will be placed on the front of a product.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Drivers Face Fines For Wearing Sunglasses

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Drivers caught wearing sunglasses in the UK can be slapped with large fines of up to £5,000 according to the Highway Code.

Despite sunglasses helping to prevent the sun from blinding drivers, the Highway Code enforces that drivers should stop or slow down when affected by sunshine.

Experts warn that while many believe sunglasses heighten road safety, they may in fact be a risk due to the blinding glare by low light and reflections from puddles or oncoming traffic.

People caught wearing tinted lenses and visors that restrict visibility could be slapped with penalties ranging from points on their licence, unlimited fines and potentially disqualifications.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#CANADA: New Online Media Law Prompts Meta To Block News Sharing By Canadians

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Meta said it will follow through with a threat to block Canadians from sharing news on its platforms, after the federal government passed a law requiring digital firms to pay domestic media organizations for their content.

“We have repeatedly shared that in order to comply with Bill C-18, passed today in Parliament, content from news outlets, including news publishers and broadcasters, will no longer be available to people accessing our platforms in Canada,” the parent company of Facebook said in a statement Thursday.

The law, known as the Online News Act, is one part of a broad and contentious effort by the Canadian government to regulate the digital sphere and circumscribe the power of tech giants. Another law passed this year compelling streaming platforms such as Netflix to promote Canadian content to users in Canada also drew criticism.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: Euro Parliament Approves Battery Regulations

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A vote to approve proposals for carbon footprint labelling, recycled content, and ethical sourcing of materials in the European Union Batteries Regulation has been welcomed by trade groups.

Last week, the European Parliament voted to approve the regulation, which has been drafted by the European Commission. It got 587 votes in favour, nine parliamentarians opposed it and 20 abstained.

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#FRANCE: Twitter Could Be BLOCKED By EU, Says French Gov't Min.

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France's Digital Minister Jean-Noël Barrot waded into a growing tussle between the European Union and Elon Musk's Twitter on Monday, as he threatened the social media platform's access to the bloc.

In comments made on radio network France Info, the minister said that the U.S. company would be banned from the EU if it refused to follow the incoming European Digital Services Act, which goes into effect throughout the EU at the end of August.

"Disinformation is one of the gravest threats weighing on our democracies," said Barrot. "Twitter, if it repeatedly doesn't follow our rules, will be banned from the EU," the French minister added.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Bank of England, Parliament Consider New Crypto Regulations

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The Bank of England and the Financial Conduct Authority plan on consulting on new rules for stablecoins later this year, Cunliffe said. Last May the bank said it will regulate stablecoins that could have an impact on financial stability. Meantime, the Financial Services and Markets Bill, which will help regulators put in place rules for crypto and bring stablecoins under existing payment legislation, is nearing its final stages in Parliament.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#UK: Labour MPs to Oppose Lifting Of Fracking Ban

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Labour Party members in parliament have pledged to ban fracking “once and for all” as an opposition motion, and if elected in the next general election, calling it “an unjust charter for earthquakes."

The party is working to bring forward an opposition day motion to maintain the ban on the controversial gas extraction method, after Prime Minister Liz Truss said she would lift the ban as part of her energy security plan.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: European Parliament Mandates Universal Phone Chargers By 2024

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Europeans might soon have an easier time finding the right charging cords for each of their devices. The European Parliament approved a measure Tuesday that would require all cellphones and other small handheld electronic devices sold in the European Union to have the same USB Type-C charging port.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#CANADA: Air Canada Welcomes Lifting Of COVID Travel Restrictions

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The government of Canada recently lifted all COVID-19 restrictions on travel to, from and within the country. Airline Air Canada celebrated this decision, and in a press release posted on its website, took a bit of a dig at the government, asserting that the restrictions "were not justified by science."  

The release reads, in part, "Air Canada today welcomed the Government of Canada's decision to lift remaining COVID-19 restrictions, including requirements for wearing masks on aircraft, testing and quarantine, and the compulsory use of ArriveCan beginning October 1, 2022.

"Air Canada welcomes the removal of these restrictions, acknowledging that air travel is safe and that the measures were not justified by science."

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#RUSSIA: Bill Seeks to Regulate Issuance Of Cryptocurrencies

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Russian authorities are accelerating cryptocurrency regulation with the introduction of a new bill seeking to govern the issuance of cryptocurrencies. 

A bill under consideration before the country’s parliament spells out that individuals or companies involved in the illegal issuance of cryptocurrencies will be subject to significant fines. 

According to the bill by Anatoly Aksakov, if adopted into law, individuals will be fined up to 5,000 Russian rubles ( $90) and 30,000 ($550) for officials. Legal entities will part with a fine of between 700,000 and 1,000,000 rubles.

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#USA: New York Passes Gun Law Requiring Disclosing Social Handles

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The same week the US Supreme Court struck down the state's overly restrictive gun regulations, New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul signed a new gun control bill.

The new law, the result of a special session called by Hochul, will require people trying to purchase a handgun license to hand over a list of social media accounts they have maintained over the last three years, so officials can verify their "character and conduct."

[FULL STORY HERE]

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#RUSSIA: Lower House Considers Ban On Crypto For Domestic Uses

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The lower house of Russia's parliament is considering legislation that would bar crypto platforms from hosting purchases with crypto assets, Bitcoin.com reported.

According to Bitcoin.com, the backers of the legislation specifically want to stop the use of digital assets for real-world transactions within the Russian Federation. Crypto could still be used for international trade.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#UK: Law Would Require Labels On Digitally Altered Images In Ads

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Digitally altered advertisements featuring pictures of models with impossibly perfect bodies will have to come with a disclaimer if a doctor turned Member of Parliament succeeds in his attempt to change the law.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson is on record as supporting the legislation.

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#CANADA: Environment Minister Opposes Cutting Gas Taxes

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Claiming that “climate change is killing people in Canada,” Liberal environment minister Steven Guilbeault has said that he opposes the Alberta in Ontario provincial governments reducing the cost of fuel by cutting gas taxes, because it “goes against our efforts to fight climate change,"

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#EU: Euro Parliament Passes Crypto Regulations Critics Say Destroy Privacy

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European Union lawmakers have voted in favor of controversial measures to outlaw anonymous crypto transactions, a move the industry said would stifle innovation and invade privacy.

The proposals are intended to extend anti-money laundering requirements that apply to conventional payments over EUR 1,000 ($1,114) to the crypto sector. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#THENETHERLANDS: Parliament Close To Approving Lab-Grown Meat

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The Netherlands is one step closer to lab-grown meat. Two parties have submitted a motion in parliament to make the tasting of cultured meat possible in the Netherlands. A majority in parliament said they would vote for this motion.

Lab-grown or cultured meat is meat grown from animal cells but without any animals being killed. It is currently still banned in Europe. Researchers aren't even allowed to taste a piece. 

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.