Latest news with #Potter
The Hill
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Hill
Restoring your right to fix your car
Freedom means owning what you buy, whether it's a Jeep Wrangler for your family or a rugged Jeep AEV J8 Milspec built for our troops. But there's a problem. In today's landscape, automakers are locking you out of fixing your own vehicles. They hoard the tools, software and know-how needed for repairs, in effort to establish a monopoly over auto repair. That's not just un-American — it's a threat to our liberty and security. Take this story from an active-duty logistics officer, knee-deep in South Korean mud, stunned to hear her Marine mechanic couldn't fix a broken generator. Why? 'Because of the warranty, ma'am.' A civilian corporate policy paralyzing our military? That's a SNAFU we cannot tolerate. Imagine MASH's Radar O'Reilly telling Colonel Potter his World War II Willys Jeep is down because the manufacturer says so. Absurd! Thankfully, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth gets it. He's demanding right-to-repair rules for all Army contracts, new and old, so our troops can keep equipment running in war zones without waiting on a corporate help desk. This saves taxpayer dollars, boosts readiness and cuts bureaucratic nonsense. And what's good for our military is good for every American. In Congress, I'm backing the bipartisan REPAIR Act. This bill forces automakers to share the tools, data and information needed for you, your local mechanic or independent shops to fix your car. No more gatekeeping. No more monopolies. Right now, 63 percent of repair shops struggle with routine fixes because automakers withhold data. Half send cars to dealerships, jacking up costs by $3.1 billion annually. Independent shops, employing nearly 5 million Americans and generating $500 billion a year, are the backbone of our communities. They're often the only option for families miles from a dealership. The National Federation of Independent Business says 90 percent of its members support right-to-repair. It's a no-brainer. With car prices soaring and the average vehicle now 12.6 years old, families rely on trusted local garages charging 36 percent less than dealerships. These shops earn loyalty through honesty, skill and fair prices. But modern cars aren't your granddad's Chevy. They're packed with computer systems — 1,000 to 3,000 chips in even basic models. Hybrids and EVs? Even more. Without access to diagnostic codes and repair manuals, mechanics are blindfolded. Automakers claim they're protecting proprietary tech and warranties. Fine. The REPAIR Act ensures transparency without compromising cybersecurity, safety or intellectual property. It's about your right to fix what you own — not handing over trade secrets. This bill unites Republicans and Democrats because it's common sense. It's about freedom, competition and fairness. Congress needs to quit stalling and pass the REPAIR Act. Let's put Americans back in the driver's seat — literally. Rep. Warren Davidson (R-Ohio) represents Ohio's 8th congressional District in the United States House of Representatives. He spent 15 years starting, acquiring and growing manufacturing companies before replacing former Speaker John Boehner in the United States House.
The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Health
- The Irish Sun
JK Rowling slams ‘hapless' NHS bosses who suspended nurse for complaining about trans doc using female changing rooms
AUTHOR JK Rowling has slammed "hapless" NHS bosses for suspending a nurse who challenged a trans doctor in the female changing rooms. was Advertisement 4 JK Rowling has slammed NHS bosses for their 'hapless and unprofessional' behaviour Credit: twitter/jkrowling 4 Sandie was suspended from work in January 2024 Credit: Iain Masterton 4 Dr Upton - a biological male - made an allegation of bullying and harassment Credit: Alamy Sandie was suspended from work at the Victoria Hospital in Kirkcaldy, Fife, in January last year after made an allegation of bullying and harassment. But she was The Writing on social media, Rowling fumed: "This is Nicola Sturgeon's legacy. Advertisement Read more News "... a government that publicly backs the hapless, unprofessional, ideologically captured health board that's persecuting a nurse for asserting her legal right to a single-sex changing room." Ms Peggie's solicitor Margaret Gribbon said that the nurse - who has worked at the health board for 30 years - was "relieved and delighted" after being cleared of the allegations. In a statement, Ms Gribbon said: "On Tuesday 14 July, the evening before the resuming of her tribunal, Sandie Peggie received confirmation from Fife Health Board that following a disciplinary hearing, none of the gross misconduct allegations against her were upheld. "This follows a disciplinary hearing on 25 June, which considered four gross misconduct allegations: two relating to patient care failures, one of 'misgendering' Dr Upton, and one relating to her encounter with Dr Upton in the workplace female-only changing room on Christmas Eve 2023. Advertisement Most read in The Sun "Sandie is relieved and delighted that this 18-month-long internal process has concluded and cleared her of all allegations." It comes as an employment tribunal brought by Ms Peggie against the health board is set to resume this week. has been a prominent women's rights campaigner and has often been vocal on what she calls "sex-based rights" for several years. The Advertisement Gender row nurse cleared of gross misconduct She joked she had a "new favourite BBC presenter" after Martine overruled her autocue which referred to "pregnant people" being at risk during the recent hot weather . Rowling has come under fire for comments made in the past towards trans people. In 2020, the esteemed author slammed the growing trend of replacing "biological sex" with "gender identity". Her stance, that declared "sex is real", led to death threats, but also moulded her into a figurehead for the "gender-critical" movement. Advertisement Activists accused her of transphobia in 2020 when replying to an article with the headline: "Opinion: Creating a more equal post Covid-19 world for people who menstruate." She tweeted: "'People who menstruate'. I'm sure there used to be a word for those people. "Someone help me out. Wumben? Wimpund? Woomud?" Her remarks led to criticism from Potter actors Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, who ignored the fact her books had made them famous to launch a string of attacks. Advertisement It was Rowling's beloved group For Women Scotland which also launched a long-running legal battle with the Scottish government over how a "woman" was defined in Scottish law. The Scottish government had argued people with gender recognition certificates (GRCs) should be protected from sex-based discrimination, meaning a transwoman would be considered a woman. However, campaign group For Women Scotland claimed this only applied to people born as a female. In April, the Supreme Court's landmark judgement ruled that it was unanimously determined "sex is binary" and that female-only spaces must be protected on the basis of biology. Advertisement 4 Rowling has come under fire for comments made in the past towards trans people Credit: Getty
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
‘Harry Potter' stars Emma Watson and Zoe Wanamaker banned from driving on same day
©Evening Standard Harry Potter stars Emma Watson and Zoe Wanamaker have both been banned from driving by the same court over speeding offences. Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the film franchise, was caught out by a camera in Oxford last July, while Wanamaker – Madam Hooch in the Potter series – broke the limit in Newbury last August.
Observer
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Observer
Harry Potter series to debut in 2027
Filming has begun on a Harry Potter TV series that will debut in 2027, bringing the Hollywood hit to the small screen for the first time. Adapted from the wildly popular books, which have also yielded blockbuster films and stage shows, the latest outing for the boy who lived is being filmed at Warner Bros. Studios in Leavesden, Britain, the studio said Monday. While no exact release date has been confirmed, the show will be available on the HBO Max streaming platform. The franchise sees the eponymous Potter plucked from non-magical obscurity and thrust into a wizarding world in which he and his close friends Ron and Hermione battle against the forces of darkness. With the mega-selling books' author JK Rowling among its executive producers, the show is envisaged as "a decade-long series" featuring a new cast from the films. Potter will be played by Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton will star as Hermione Granger, and Alastair Stout will take on the role of Ron Weasley. Established stars will appear alongside them, with John Lithgow playing headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Paapa Essiedu as Severus Snape and Nick Frost as Rubeus Hagrid. Rowling has faced accusations of transphobia in recent years for placing an emphasis on biological sex over gender identity in comments about trans women. She denies the accusation. —AFP
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
‘Harry Potter' star Emma Watson banned from driving for six months
Former 'Harry Potter' star Emma Watson has been banned from driving for six months after being caught speeding. The 35-year-old British actress and activist was clocked driving her blue Audi at 38 miles per hour in a 30-mph zone in Oxford, England, on the evening of July 31 last year. She did not appear for the brief hearing at High Wycombe Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, where she was fined £1,044 ($1,400) and disqualified from driving, according to PA Media. Shortly after Watson's case was heard, the court considered a separate speeding offense involving her former 'Harry Potter' co-star, Zoë Wanamaker. The celebrated stage actress, who played Quidditch referee Madam Hooch in the franchise's first film, received the same sentence as Watson after she was caught driving at 46 mph in a 40 mph zone in Berkshire, southeast England in August last year, PA reported. According to the news agency, both actresses had nine penalty points on their licenses before the speeding incidents occurred. On Wednesday, District Judge Arvind Sharma endorsed three further points on their licenses for the latest offences, which triggered automatic six-month bans under UK law. CNN has reached out to Watson's representatives for comment. A representative for Wanamaker declined to comment. The parallel rulings mark a curious convergence for two actors whose careers once intersected in the halls of Hogwarts, and who now find themselves off the road at the same time. Watson, who rose to global fame playing Hermione Granger across all eight 'Harry Potter' films, has since pursued a parallel path in academia, filmmaking and women's rights advocacy. Her post-'Potter' screen work includes leading roles in 'Beauty and the Beast' and Greta Gerwig's 'Little Women.'
