Singapore’s parliament has passed legislation against “fake news”, a move that has been criticised by rights groups, journalists and tech firms over fears it could be used to clamp down on freedom of speech.
The law, which passed on Wednesday, will require online media platforms to carry corrections or remove content the government considers to be false, with penalties for perpetrators including prison terms of up to 10 years or fines up to S$1m ($735,000).
Technology giants including Google and Facebook have said they see the law giving Singapore’s government too much power in deciding what qualifies as true or false.
EU says inspectors, not announcements, determine next steps in Iran standoff
Facing threats from Washington and Tehran, the European Union keeps calm and claims the middle ground when it comes to the Iran nuclear deal. Despite a tight deadline, many say there’s time for a diplomatic solution.
It ain’t easy being Brussels, the broker and bodyguard of thebeleaguered Iran nuclear deal that US President Donald Trump wants dead.
In an effort to not just depart from but destroy the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), Washington has been threatening to sue European companies if they do business with Iran as allowed under the agreement. Iran is threatening to beef up nuclear enrichment activities in 60 days if they don’t.
Don’t expect any bureaucratic dramatics from the EU based on these threats. “While we do not accept any ultimatum,” said a senior EU official speaking on condition of anonymity, “Iran’s announcements are not a violation or a withdrawal of the nuclear deal. We will continue to abide by our commitment as long as Iran does.”
Government turns into a ‘criminal organisation’
The captured state of Guatemala
Guatemala has fought state corruption successfully, but almost unreported. Now President Morales has ordered the commission responsible for that success to leave the country. It’s all got too close.
by Clement Détry
On 19 February 2007 three Salvadoran members of the Central American Parliament (Parlacen) were heading for Guatemala in a 44 with 20kg of cocaine and $5m in cash hidden in a secret compartment. Just 20km across the border, Eduardo d’Aubuisson, William Pichinte, José Ramón González and their driver were stopped by police and taken to a spot near the village of El Jocotillo. Next morning, their remains were found in their burnt-out vehicle; autopsies revealed gunshot wounds. Four police officers were arrested for the murders soon after, but were killed while on remand. An official at the interior ministry suspected of having ordered the operation, Victor Rivera, also died a few months later.
Again in the age of ‘run, hide, fight,’ student heroes thwart a school shooter
By Eliott C. McLaughlin, CNN
Nui Giasolli had British literature class with
one of the shooters who killed a student and wounded eight others Tuesday at the school, and she shared with CNN the story of terror and heroism that unfolded once bullets began to fly.
Istanbul residents ready for rerun of mayoral vote
Turks in Istanbul will vote for the second time on June 23 after Supreme Election Board’s decision to rerun polls.
by Jeffrey Bishku-Aykul
Shortly before nightfall on the first day of Ramadan, before the evening call to prayer signified an end to the day’s fast, another important message was shared by the Supreme Election Board: the results from the city’s March mayoral election would be annulled and the opposition CHP mayor would cede his post to a temporary caretaker.
Now, Istanbul is set to hold a mayoral vote again on June 23 – a controversial decision that has divided the metropolis’ residents.
“I think it’s absurd,” said Aygul Ozkaragoz, a retired 70-year-old economist at Yeditepe University, who voted for the opposition.
