Latest news with #TheHouse
Scoop
6 days ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Space, Spies, Stalking, And Extra Sittings
, Editor: The House The House took urgency on Tuesday evening which extended Tuesday's sitting until lunchtime Wednesday, then it returned on Thursday morning - that time as an extended sitting. As a result, most select committees are not meeting this week. Some have had to cancel their plans or squeeze some work in at lunchtime. With a few exceptions - and excepting bills that committees are given special permission to consider outside normal rules - Select Committees and the House cannot sit at the same time. Spare a thought for submitters and those who schedule them, who have had their plans upended again by urgency. The opposition did ask the Leader of the House last Thursday whether there would be urgency this week but was told to "wait and see". Last minute reveals of urgency are not unusual. Extended sittings (like Thursday morning) are signposted a week or two in advance, but usually little warning is given for urgency. Bills under urgency Tuesday's urgency was aimed at two bills - one relating to space and the other about international crime cooperation. The Outer Space and High-altitude Activities Amendment Bill isn't so much about space as it is about the ground bases for satellites or other extra-terrestrial objects. The Minister for Space, Judith Collins was the bill's sponsor. "This bill introduces a new authorisation regime for ground-based space infrastructure. Until now, these activities have not been subject to a dedicated regulatory framework." The reason for the bill, revealed in the second reading debate, upped the interest. "During the past five years, there have been several deceptive efforts by foreign actors to establish and/or use ground-based space infrastructure in New Zealand to harm our national security. They have deliberately disguised their affiliations to foreign militaries and misrepresented their intentions. To date, these risks have been managed through non-regulatory measures, including relying on the goodwill of ground-based infrastructure operators. These measures are no longer enough." That sounds like the pitch for a thriller just begging to be written. This was a bill that the parties largely agreed on. They even agreed that urgency was reasonable, but opposition speakers complained about the push-push pace of urgency after the Committee Stage, as governing-party MPs worked to abbreviate what Labour's Rachel Brooking called "very civil, thoughtful debates." The pace really started to drag once the Budapest Convention and Related Matters Legislation Amendment Bill was the focus. Its sponsor, Minister of Justice, Paul Goldsmith said the bill "aligns New Zealand's laws with the requirements of the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime, also known as the Budapest Convention. The Budapest Convention is the first binding international treaty on cyber-crime, and it aligns members' national laws relating to computer-related offences, improves investigative techniques, and streamlines evidence sharing." Labour supported the bill but played hardball in the Committee Stage, concerned about the possibility of the convention leading to New Zealand accidentally helping countries that don't share our values control their citizens. Duncan Webb put it like this. "We need to be vigilant that we are not being unwittingly used to further either political ends or to allow a foreign state to pursue a proceeding against something that might be a crime in a foreign nation, but it certainly isn't a crime in New Zealand and shouldn't be something for which criminal sanction follows." The opposition made the Committee Stage of the Budapest bill last through most of the rest of Wednesday. The government's original plan was to pass it through all remaining stages, but late on Wednesday evening, they abandoned it after the Committee Stage and moved on to their other priorities. The Budapest Convention Bill was left with just a third reading to complete. Those were not the only interesting bills under discussion this week. Three other bills are of particular interest, relating to Health, Secondary Legislation, and Stalking. Other key bills - Health Tuesday saw the first reading of the Healthy Futures (Pae Ora) Amendment Bill which will now be considered by the Health Select Committee. Among its measures, that bill enacts health targets, and also alters or removes Māori consultation and obligations from the health administration. The Minister of Health, Simeon Brown described his bill succinctly. "This bill is about cutting through bureaucracy, restoring accountability, and most importantly, putting patients first." Opposition MPs had numerous gripes including this one from Dr. Tracey McLellan, regarding bringing Health New Zealand under the public service obligation for staff neutrality. "That is a chilling thing to do. Frontline health workers who have a professional obligation, an ethical and a legal obligation to call out things that they see in their professional practice. It is not political, it is professional, and they should not, in any way, shape, or form, have this hanging over them, this concept of-the misuse of-public service neutrality." Other key bills - Regulation Also on Tuesday, the Legislation Amendment Bill had a first reading and now heads to the Justice Committee for public feedback. The Legislation Amendment Bill has been in development for a few years, and among its aims are making secondary legislation (e.g. regulations) more easily accessible and more likely to be pruned once obsolete. Secondary legislation includes all of the various kinds of laws that don't come directly from a piece of legislation but from power that legislation delegates to ministers, ministries, agencies, councils etc. There is much more secondary legislation than primary legislation but it isn't as easy to search or access. Primary legislation is all stored on a legislation website managed by the Parliamentary Counsel Office (PCO); currently secondary legislation is not. In debate, Labour's Camilla Belich observed that, "the main big change will be the single point of access that it will allow to secondary legislation. The point of the work that we do is to try and make sure that when either primary legislation or secondary legislation has an impact on people's lives, they have access to that. It shouldn't be something which is hidden away and it shouldn't be something which is difficult to find." Don't confuse the Legislation Amendment Bill with ACT's Regulatory Standards Bill which is also going through parliament and which appears to be trying to do something rather different. The Regulatory Standards Bill has influenced the shape of the Legislation Amendment Bill though, which Opposition MPs were unhappy with in debate, despite supporting the wider effort. Other key bills - Stalking The Crimes Legislation (Stalking and Harassment) Amendment Bill had its second reading late on Wednesday. It creates a new offence specific to stalking and harassment and the myriad forms that these can take. It includes indirect harassment like undermining reputation, opportunities or relationships. The bill itself is a fascinating read as an example of how much cleverness is required to effectively draft law for crime that is, by definition, quite nebulous. Policy staff at Justice and legal drafters at PCO may have taken to heart the idiom 'to catch a criminal, you have to think like one'. National minister Erica Stanford outlined changes made to the bill as a result of public feedback to the Select Committee. "To be convicted of the new offence, the prosecution will need to prove the person engaged in a pattern of behaviour towards their victim. The committee recommended a broader definition for the pattern of behaviour. The offence will now require two specified acts within two years, rather than three specified acts within one year. This broadens the pattern of behaviour by capturing fewer acts across a longer time frame. I agree that this change will better address strategies such as anniversary-based stalking..." "A further recommendation made by the committee was to add doxing to the list of "specified act". Doxing is the publication of personal information such as addresses or contact details, including whether a stalker claims to be their victim. It encourages third parties to contact, threaten, and intimidate the victim…" "The committee also added two further important amendments to the bill. Firstly, to allow the courts to order the destruction of intimate visual to allow a court to make restraining [orders], firearm prohibition [orders], and Harmful Digital Communications Act orders, where a defendant is discharged without convictions." One more for the road - Espionage There are other bills of note on the Order Paper that the government would have hoped to progress, but progress this week has been slow. Opposition MPs have taken their time working through bills in the committee of the whole House, whether they support them or not. This will likely annoy the government, but thoroughly testing bills is the job of all MPs in the House. That sluggish pace meant the second reading of the Parliament Bill also slipped down the Order Paper (along with the third reading of the Budapest Convention Bill). One bill the House may reach is worth noting. The Crimes (Countering Foreign Interference) Amendment Bill would be a second espionage-related bill for the week. This one hopes to plug gaps in the law around things like treason, espionage and even incitement to mutiny. *RNZ's The House, with insights into Parliament, legislation and issues, is made with funding from Parliament's Office of the Clerk. Enjoy our articles or podcast at RNZ.
Indian Express
7 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
‘So-called influencers sitting outside state, paid to create false narratives': Goa tourism minister
Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Thursday slammed 'paid' social media influencers, claiming that they were spreading false narratives about tourism footfall in the state. Speaking during the ongoing legislative assembly session, Khaunte said there has been a continuous rise in tourist arrivals in Goa. 'There is no decline in tourism,' the Minister told The House. During the Question Hour, BJP MLA Michael Lobo asked 'whether the minister is aware of the decline in tourist footfall, especially the international tourists' visiting the state and questioned the methodology to calculate the data of tourist arrivals. 'Goa is not being treated as a favoured destination by some European tourists. The tourists from Europe want to come to Goa, but they want a visa-on-arrival facility. Will this happen? Visa-on-arrival will be a game-changer,' he said. Lobo, who represents Calangute constituency, also called for measures to address issues related to illegal touting, taxis and garbage disposal in the coastal belt. Rejecting Lobo's claims, Khaunte said Goa's tourism is on a 'strong upward trajectory' due to efforts and initiatives undertaken by the state and central governments. 'Flights and hotels are almost full. We (Goans) can see the growth happening. In the past six months, both airports have seen consistently high footfalls, and hotel occupancy has remained between 70 and 100 per cent all year-round,' he said. 'Many of these so-called influencers are sitting outside the state and are getting paid to create noise and circulate false narratives. But when we presented the official data, none of them countered it. If there is a decline, show the proof. We have nothing to hide… the data speaks for itself,' he said. Khaunte said Goa recorded 71.27 lakh domestic and 9.37 lakh international tourists in 2019, and in 2024, the footfall surged to 99. 41 lakh domestic and 4.67 lakh international tourists. 'This reflects a 39 per cent growth in domestic tourism compared to pre-Covid levels and a 50 per cent recovery in international tourism. These numbers clearly show that tourism is thriving,' he said. According to the data tabled by the minister in the House, between January and June 2025, 51.83 lakh domestic tourists and 2.71 lakh foreign tourists have visited Goa. A total of 1.04 crore tourists visited the state in 2024, higher than in 2023 when 86.28 lakh tourists visited. As per the data, 99.41 lakh domestic tourists visited Goa in 2024 as compared to 81.75 lakh tourists in 2023, while the number of foreign tourists rose from 4.52 lakh in 2023 to 4.67 lakh in 2024. In 2020, when the pandemic hit, 26.71 lakh domestic tourists and 3 lakh foreign tourists visited Goa. In 2021, during the second wave, only 22,128 foreign tourists and 33.08 lakh domestic tourists visited Goa. In 2022, the numbers rose to 1.69 lakh foreign tourists and 70.18 lakh domestic tourists. The Minister said Goa's post-Covid recovery has outpaced other states, and called on Goans to 'participate in building a positive narrative.' Acknowledging that the state has challenges 'like every other tourist destination', Khaunte reiterated the state's request to the Centre to facilitate a visa-on-arrival facility. 'The e-visa programme has been incorporated for over 170 countries. The visa-on-arrival facility is currently restricted to a select group of four countries, including Japan, South Korea, UAE and Russia, and is operational only at six designated metro airports. We have raised this matter with the Union Civil Aviation Minister and are planning to take it up with the Home Minister as well. We have also corresponded with the Ministry of External Affairs and are pursuing the matter to ensure that Goa is included as a visa-on-arrival airport,' he said. The Minister said that Goa has tapped into emerging markets such as Poland, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, 'which previously had limited or no direct tourism linkage with the state'. 'This growth is attributed to targeted international roadshows and sustained global destination promotion, which have expanded Goa's reach and visibility across new geographies,' he said. In the written reply on tourists' arrivals, the Minister said the tourism department compiles the data from source agencies through different modes – flights, railways, seaport and roadways.
Boston Globe
23-07-2025
- Politics
- Boston Globe
Gabbard releases new documents targeting Obama administration
The Obama administration, Gabbard wrote, was 'promoting the LIE that Vladimir Putin and the Russian government helped President Trump win the 2016 election.' Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Gabbard has won praise from Trump for her investigation into the intelligence findings and spoke at length about how the 2016 assessment was part of a witch hunt against him. Trump has been under sharp criticism for his handling of documents related to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, and his attacks on the Obama administration appear to be part of a distract-and-deflect strategy. Advertisement Gabbard reiterated her assertion that the intelligence assessment was intended to undermine Trump's presidency. 'In doing so, they conspired to subvert the will of the American people,' she wrote, 'working with their partners in the media to promote the lie, in order to undermine the legitimacy of President Trump, essentially enacting a years-long coup against him.' Advertisement The House report found that most of the judgments made by the intelligence community in 2016 were sound. But it argued that the work was rushed, as a recent tradecraft analysis by the CIA also found. The assessment that Putin had favored Trump did not follow the 'professional criteria' of the other findings, the House report said. The findings were at odds with a bipartisan series of Senate reports that later affirmed the work of the CIA and the other intelligence agencies on the 2016 assessment. The judgment about Putin's preference, the report said, was based on a single source who was biased against the Russian government. The raw intelligence was fragmentary and lacked context, the report added. The overall view of the House Intelligence Committee was well known, and members frequently took issue with the finding. But the full report with details of the CIA's work on the 2016 intelligence assessment has not been released. Trump administration officials have maintained that the 2016 intelligence review was tainted by unverified information in a dossier prepared by a former British intelligence officer, Christopher Steele. The so-called Steele dossier was mentioned in a classified annex to the report, but former officials said the CIA did not take it seriously and did not allow it to influence their assessment. Few if any of the claims in the dossier about Trump have been verified in the ensuing years. Attacking the conclusions of the 2016 assessment that Russia sought to denigrate Hillary Clinton, the Democratic nominee, and boost Trump has been a hobby horse of some of the president's supporters. Republicans have long taken particular aim at the idea that the Kremlin favored Trump, arguing instead that Russia was simply trying to sow chaos or undermine democratic institutions. Advertisement The attacks on the documents have intensified in recent weeks as first the CIA and then Gabbard's office have raised questions about the effort. Bipartisan Senate reviews have validated the CIA's work in 2016, and John H. Durham, a special prosecutor appointed by Attorney General William Barr during Trump's first term, also failed to find any evidence undermining the intelligence agencies' conclusions. While Trump's Republican supporters criticized the assessment during his first term, Trump focused much of his ire on Robert Mueller, the former FBI director appointed to investigate any ties between the Trump campaign and Russian officials. Since Trump's return to office, the CIA and Gabbard have tried to sow doubts about the assessment. Gabbard has contended that the intelligence work in 2016 was not just flawed but also amounted to a conspiracy against Trump. On Friday, Gabbard issued a report that she said exposed a 'treasonous conspiracy,' claiming senior Obama administration officials had pressured the intelligence committee to change its views on Russian meddling. The documents presented showed that the Obama administration was eager to quickly complete its work but not that the intelligence agencies altered their conclusions. Trump has praised Gabbard, after criticizing her work just weeks earlier. Referring to Gabbard's report, Trump said Tuesday that while in office, President Barack Obama 'was trying to lead a coup.' Gabbard has said she wants to end the weaponization of intelligence. She has condemned politicians for what she sees as the use of selective bits of intelligence against their opponents. While she has portrayed the release of the documents as a corrective to the errors and missteps of the Obama administration, former officials and even some allies of Gabbard have said her effort to throw a lifeline to Trump is an example of the very politicization she has vowed to stamp out. Advertisement This article originally appeared in .
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Poilievre tweaks his tone and strategy as he faces must-win byelection, leadership review
Pierre Poilievre was feeling dejected and disappointed after the stinging federal election loss in April, sources close to the Conservative leader said, and he dialed back his public appearances for the better part of two months to reassess his strategy and regroup. After that period of self-reflection, which was marked by private calls and visits with dozens of MPs, staff and supporters, Poilievre is re-emerging from a relatively dormant period — ramping up his federal byelection campaign, weighing in publicly on perceived Liberal missteps and speaking to the press. "It's been hard on him," one Poilievre confidante, who spoke to CBC News on the condition they not be named so they could speak freely about internal matters, said of the election loss. "All of us, we've had to eat some humble pie." Another Conservative source who worked closely with Poilievre on the campaign said the leader has seemed "deflated" since the loss and has been "lacking the chutzpah" he was known for in the lead-up to the national vote. To expand the potential pool of voters and beat the Liberals next time, the leader and people around him now acknowledge that some things have to change, Conservative sources said. Poilievre, long known as the ultimate attack dog politician after spending much of his career on the opposition benches, has been more subdued at his recent public outings, including at his press conference with reporters on Monday. The sloganeering, once a staple of his political messaging, has been parked — at least for now. 'Every election comes with lessons' After avoiding national interviews with some traditional media outlets for much of his leadership, Poilievre spoke to CBC Radio's The House last week. He critiqued Prime Minister Mark Carney's handling of the Canada-U.S. trade dispute — but also offered up some solutions, including a commitment to get more personally involved in American outreach if asked. Throughout the campaign, the Tory leader had said it wasn't his place to intervene. Poilievre said he didn't blame Carney "entirely" for the lack of progress on a trade deal. "He's dealing with unfair treatment by the Americans," he told host Catherine Cullen. One Conservative source close to Poilievre said the shift in tone — and temperament — is deliberate. Poilievre himself acknowledged this week an election defeat is a chance to reassess, saying "every election comes with lessons." He also suggested his leadership can't be tied just to what the Liberals are doing. "We need to present ourselves as a government-in-waiting," he said. And he told Calgary Stampede-goers at his first major speech since the election earlier this month that he won't back down despite some of the challenges that lie ahead. "We don't run away when things get hard. We dust ourselves off. We get back in the saddle and we gallop forward into the fight," Poilievre said. Top adviser Jenni Byrne still involved One thing that is not changing is Poilievre's reliance on campaign adviser Jenni Byrne to help him navigate choppy political waters. Byrne, a controversial figure among some Conservatives, has been close to Poilievre for years and managed the last election effort. The result she helped deliver on election day — one of the best Tory showings since the 1980s — is regarded by many within the party as respectable. But there are others who are deeply disappointed about letting what once looked like a certain victory slip away. Dimitri Soudas, a former senior staffer in ex-prime minister Stephen Harper's government who worked with Byrne while she was also in that office, is going public with his concerns about Poilievre's trusted adviser. In a social media post Thursday, Soudas said Byrne dropped the ball. "As my party leader says, why should donors pay for failure," he wrote. "The path to victory was obvious on January 8, 2025." Rumours of Byrne's ouster circulated in Ottawa this week, but a source close to the strategist said she's not going anywhere, and that Byrne and Poilievre are speaking often. A Conservative Party spokesperson confirmed she is still working for the party. While taking a step back since the election from liaising day-to-day with the leader of the Opposition's office, Byrne is still very much in the picture, said a source close to Poilievre. "Nothing has really changed." Byrne is advising Poilievre on the upcoming Alberta byelection in Battle River-Crowfoot and the planned party convention in Calgary in the new year, a source said, including messaging and potential speakers for that event. There's work underway behind the scenes to ensure Poilievre holds off a leadership review. That review could be prompted by a vote at January's convention, which is being held earlier than it could have been. Under the party's constitution, a vote on triggering the leadership selection process must be held after an election loss — but there's no stipulation on when exactly it should take place. A convention in the dead of winter is unusual. "The sooner the better," said one Poilievre adviser of the timing. "Why stretch it out? Let's get him in a strong position again." The Carney factor The fear among some Conservatives loyal to Poilievre is that Carney could enjoy an extended honeymoon period with strong public polling support. Recent surveys suggest an outright majority of Canadians polled think Carney's government is off to a good start. Carney is easily the most preferred candidate for prime minister among those surveyed, according to other polls. There's a risk that a prolonged polling slump could make some partisans anxious about the party's future under Poilievre. Poilievre has to contend with a growing Western separatist movement in the upcoming byelection, a potentially tricky proposition for a leader with national ambitions. He has said in recent days the province is treated unfairly and its economy was "viciously attacked" by former prime minister Justin Trudeau and his father with their energy policies. "We have to put a final end to this notion that Ottawa tells Alberta to pay up and shut up," he told reporters. The Conservative leader also faces the daunting task of matching or exceeding past Tory MP Damien Kurek's stunning nearly 83 per cent of the vote in the riding — something party sources acknowledge is not likely in this summer byelection. What party insiders are watching for is Poilievre's margin of victory. If he pulls in a lot less than Kurek's share of the vote, it could spell trouble for Poilievre's leadership.
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Nawazuddin Siddiqui's daughter Shora wins hearts with an acting video; netizens applaud and say, 'Mashallah, Shora..."
Nawazuddin Siddiqui , known for his versatility in Bollywood, seems to have a talented successor in his daughter, Shora. The actor recently shared a video on Instagram featuring 15-year-old Shora performing a short scene with another actor. Her confident performance has impressed many online, with fans already saying she's set to carry forward her father's legacy and could one day 'dominate Bollywood.' Taking the video to his Instagram handle, the actor wrote, "Can I come in… Scene one." After the video was shared, several fans commented, saying, 'She is going to dominate Bollywood." Another user mentioned, 'Mashallah Shora, good to see your adakaari. Betiyan baap ki aankhon mein chhupe khwaab ko pehchaanti hain." Director Ron Kahlon, who reportedly coached Shora in a workshop recently, also commented, 'God bless her @nawazuddin._siddiqui. It was my pleasure working with her. Never seen such raw talent!!" Nawazuddin shared with Film Companion while talking about her acting aspirations, 'My daughter is taking training right now. She herself went and got admitted to the performing arts faculty. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Homemade Recipe is Relieving Tinnitus - See It Before It Goes Away Discovery America Undo Haath jod ke teacher ke saamne (with folded hands in front of her teacher), she said, 'I want to learn acting.'" On the work front, Nawazuddin Siddiqui has an exciting lineup of upcoming projects. He will soon be seen in 'Raat Akeli Hai 2,' the sequel to the 2020 crime thriller, marking his second collaboration with director Honey Trehan . He's also part of the Indian remake of The House. In Aditya Kripalani 's upcoming film Main Actor Nahi Hoon (I'm Not An Actor), Nawaz plays a heartfelt role as a banker who dreams of becoming an actor. The film explores the emotional journey of a struggling artist. Apart from these, he also has 'Noorani Chehra' and 'Sangeen' in the pipeline, both expected to release soon in theaters. Nawazuddin Siddiqui is willing to settle legal dispute with his estranged wife Aaliya Siddiqui with THESE conditions
