This is The World Today [View in browser](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMzF5cXhxMml2ei8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Gangland Elections [Share Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYmh4Ymg3NHJncS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) [DailyChatter] [Listen to Today's Edition](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMWN6azdrcXBhNC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa)
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~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvb3dodTVsdWlsYy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa Gangland Elections Need to Know Gangland Elections [Croatia](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcGpwaG9xN3B1di8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Zoran MilanoviÄ caused a stir last month when he announced his candidacy for Croatiaâs parliament as a member of the Social Democratic Party â with the goal of becoming prime minister. The problem was that MilanoviÄ was the president of Croatia when he made his announcement. As the Associated Press [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdDhiMnkyemNiYS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), under the Balkan countryâs constitution, the president is a nonpartisan figure who presides over ceremonies, schedules elections, and serves as an apolitical commander-in-chief of the armed forces. The nationâs constitutional court ruled that he must quit his current job if he intends to seek a new one in another elected office. After the courtâs announcement, the president wrote a short note on Facebook: âThe rivers of justice are coming,â [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvaGU1Z3Njd3hyai8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Politico. He has also called constitutional court judges âgangstersâ and âa group of thugsâ trying to suppress the prime ministerâs political rivals, [added](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvb3E4MDljaW5ydi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Balkan Insight. He [said](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYWMzMGFldXZmay8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) he would resign should he win the election on Wednesday. By Thursday morning, however, with over 94 percent of votes counted, the ruling Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) party had the largest haul of [parliament](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdnNoZDNsOHZ0ay8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa)âs seats, winning 60 out of 151 â although short of a majority. Meanwhile, itâs not out of character for the plain-speaking populist to flout the rules to run against Prime Minister Andrej PlenkoviÄ of the HDZ, say observers. Whatâs new in these elections is the level of vitriol between the two top contenders. PlenkoviÄ has run the country for much of the time since independence after the fall of Yugoslavia in the early 1990s. As Transitions Online [explained](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNXJoM205NG9tOC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), the HDZ is pro-European Union, pro-Ukraine, pro-NATO, and therefore anti-Russia. MilanoviÄ, on the other hand, is pro-Russian and should he win, aid to Ukraine will be [in jeopardy](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYjEyZXhnZmpvbS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). In March, around 27 percent of voters supported the prime minister and the HDZ, while 33 percent favored the Social Democratic Party. Smaller left- and right-wing parties garnered less than 10 percent each in support. After holding office for seven years, [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvMDh6bW50MWF3Zi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Euronews, PlenkoviÄ can boast of expanding the Croatian economy through tourism and a real estate boom, particularly along the countryâs spectacular Adriatic coast. The country has also enjoyed extensive funding for its infrastructure and other areas since joining the European Union in 2013 and NATO four years earlier. Corruption has marred PlenkoviÄâs administration, however, and eaten into his standings, as [protests](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvN28xdnNrbno0OS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) that broke out earlier this year highlighted. Croatia is the fifth-most corrupt member of the EU, [according](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvaXU0cmlhM2p6dS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) to Transparency International. Around 30 ministers have quit PlenkoviÄâs government amid corruption scandals, [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvd3hkc2l4OGFzMC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Reuters, quoting Zagreb University law professor Ivan Rimac. âThere have been affairs linked to misuse of EU funds, losses in public companies,â Rimac said. Plenkovic doesnât seem to be changing his stripes, either. Watchdogs recently decried the appointment of Ivan TurudiÄ a former judge, as Croatiaâs new prosecutor general, for instance, charging that he might be biased toward the prime ministerâs government and had maintained too cozy relations with suspects in criminal cases, [wrote](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvNG1zaGYza2NrNi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Euractiv. As critics [allege](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsveDJrbDExaXhtNC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), if PlenkoviÄ loses, he might need TurudiÄâs help. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvenNqM2lmbGxleC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Gangland Elections ~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP4RbAWh0dHBzOi8vbGlxd2lkLm5ldC9uYWQvP2tleT1BQzI3LUJEMkQtMzZBNi1CRjM4JmNsaWNrPTEmcGlkPTI0NDE3JmlkPTQ1MjExMTkmY2hhbm5lbFNsdWc9ZGFpbHktY2hhdHRlci1jaGFybG90dGUtb2JzZXJ2ZXImYnJhbmRTbHVnPWRhaWx5LWNoYXR0ZXImY2FtcGFpZ25JZD00eDVzZ3M4Zmg4JmNpdHk9JnN0YXRlUHJvdmluY2U9JmNvdW50cnk9JnBvc3RhbENvZGU9JmpvYlRpdGxlPSZhZ2U9JmludGVyZXN0cz0mY2hpbGRyZW49JmV0aG5pY2l0eT0mZWR1Y2F0aW9uPSZnZW5kZXI9JnBvbGl0aWNhbEFmZmlsaWF0aW9uPSZwZXRzPSZsYXN0SVBBZGRyZXNzPSZ3ZWJzaXRlPSZ3ZWJzaXRlUHJvZmlsZU5hbWU9VwNzcGNCCmYQ9-4gZmGbRUpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~ The World Briefly Stamping It Out Stamping It Out [United Kingdom](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdXlib2Z3bDl5Yi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) British lawmakers voted in favor of a pioneering bill that would prevent individuals born after 2009 from purchasing cigarettes, a piece of legislation that observers have described as one of strictest in the world, the BBC [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvM2V6eWV6Mm5zcS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). On Tuesday, the bill, proposed by Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, received resounding support in Parliament: It passed with a decisive vote of 383 to 67, despite opposition from senior Conservative leaders. The draft law will still need to be voted in the upper chamber before it comes into force â although some observers noted that it could become law before the countryâs general election which must happen by next January. If enacted, the ban would position the United Kingdomâs smoking regulations at the forefront globally. The proposal drew inspiration from a similar law in New Zealand, which was later repealed after a change in government. The billâs enforcement mechanisms include empowering trading standards officers to issue on-the-spot fines of more than $120 to shops caught selling tobacco or vapes to underage individuals. Revenue generated from these fines would be allocated toward further enforcement efforts. Older smokers can continue buying tobacco until they quit or pass away, but the new bill aims to gradually raise the legal purchase age each year for younger generations, effectively prohibiting them from buying cigarettes. Vaping products, though exempt from the ban, would undergo packaging changes to make them less appealing, the Washington Post [added](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdjVxb2x4ajlmdS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). Health Secretary Victoria Atkins underscored the imperative of the legislation, emphasizing that âthere is no liberty in addiction.â She championed the measure as a means to foster a âsmoke-free generation,â citing the detrimental impact of nicotine addiction on personal autonomy. The proposal comes amid concerning statistics that underscore the devastating toll of tobacco use in the UK, claiming the lives of two-thirds of long-term users and resulting in 80,000 deaths annually, according to the BBC. Smoking-related hospital admissions occur at an [alarming rate](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsveHI0czg4b3BnMC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), with nearly one admission per minute in England alone. However, key leaders of the Conservative Party, such as former Prime Ministers Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, opposed the ban. Johnson labeled it as âabsolutely nuts,â decrying what he perceived as an infringement on personal freedom. Former minister Sir Jake Berry voiced concerns over governmental intrusion into personal decisions, prioritizing individual freedom over paternalistic measures. In response, Atkins highlighted the dangerous nature of nicotine addiction, particularly among young smokers. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvY2ZjMzEyZXU3bi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) All For One All For One [Ecuador](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvcHh3c2pxNzZvcy8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Venezuela and Honduras took diplomatic actions against Ecuador this week in response to a recent police raid at Mexicoâs embassy in the Ecuadorian capital Quito earlier this month, Al Jazeera [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZXFtbXkwOHVmNS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). On Tuesday, Honduran Foreign Relations Minister Enrique Reina announced his country had recalled its charge dâaffaires from Ecuador to consult on the police raid. Separately, Venezuela said it would close its embassy and consulates in Ecuador because of the raid. The announcements marked an escalation of a diplomatic row between Mexico and Ecuador: On April 5, Ecuadorian authorities raided Mexicoâs embassy in Quito to detain former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas. Glas had been sheltering in the Mexican embassy since December to avoid arrest and imprisonment over corruption-related charges. But the police action received criticism from legal analysts and other Latin American nations as a violation of international law. Embassies and consulates are protected under international law from unauthorized entry by local law enforcement. Following the raid, Mexico responded by severing ties with Ecuador and recalling its embassy staff from the country. It also filed a complaint at the International Court of Justice calling for Ecuadorâs removal from the United Nations, pending an apology for the embassy incident. Honduran officials called the raid âa disastrous precedent,â while Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro described it as an âact of barbarism.â Meanwhile, Ecuadorian President Daniel Noboa defended the decision as necessary for upholding national security and pursuing justice. Even so, a three-member tribunal in Ecuador found that the raid was arbitrary and illegal â although it still upheld Glasâ imprisonment. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdjI2NGlqMXo0di8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Gangland Elections Featured Partner ~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0QJaHR0cHM6Ly8jVwNzcGNCCmYQ9-4gZmGbRUpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~ DailyChatter proudly recommends The Christian Science Monitor. The Monitor is one of our most trusted sources and has been delivering calm, constructive news for more than 100 years. DailyChatter subscribers can try it for free. [Sign up here](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZmloN21iMm1xZS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). Gangland Elections ~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP4RbAWh0dHBzOi8vbGlxd2lkLm5ldC9uYWQvP2tleT1BQzI3LUJEMkQtMzZBNi1CRjM4JmNsaWNrPTEmcGlkPTI0NDE4JmlkPTQ1MjExMTkmY2hhbm5lbFNsdWc9ZGFpbHktY2hhdHRlci1jaGFybG90dGUtb2JzZXJ2ZXImYnJhbmRTbHVnPWRhaWx5LWNoYXR0ZXImY2FtcGFpZ25JZD00eDVzZ3M4Zmg4JmNpdHk9JnN0YXRlUHJvdmluY2U9JmNvdW50cnk9JnBvc3RhbENvZGU9JmpvYlRpdGxlPSZhZ2U9JmludGVyZXN0cz0mY2hpbGRyZW49JmV0aG5pY2l0eT0mZWR1Y2F0aW9uPSZnZW5kZXI9JnBvbGl0aWNhbEFmZmlsaWF0aW9uPSZwZXRzPSZsYXN0SVBBZGRyZXNzPSZ3ZWJzaXRlPSZ3ZWJzaXRlUHJvZmlsZU5hbWU9VwNzcGNCCmYQ9-4gZmGbRUpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~ The Imitation Game The Imitation Game [Georgia](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvYWhsMDlienV2MC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Georgiaâs parliament passed Wednesday the first reading of a bill on âforeign agentsâ that critics warned could be used to stifle freedoms and move the Caucasus nation further away from its path to join the European Union, Reuters [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvdXUyZTlxYXNtaS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). The bill, supported by the ruling Georgian Dream party, passed after 83 of 150 legislators voted in favor â while the opposition boycotted the vote. Before the vote, protests erupted across the country and [scuffles among lawmakers](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvbTFzdWZ2a3Rpai8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) took place in parliament. The legislation, subject to two more readings, will require organizations receiving more than 20 percent of their funding from abroad to register as foreign agents. Initially introduced in 2023, the âforeign agentsâ bill was shelved following two nights of violent demonstrations. The government has said the draft legislation will promote transparency and counter foreign-imposed âpseudo-liberal values.â But many critics have compared the bill to Russiaâs âforeign agentsâ law that has been used to crack down on dissent. The EU warned that adopting the bill would hinder Georgiaâs integration into the bloc, as it contradicts core norms and could restrict civil society and media freedoms. Other Western nations also urged against its passage, but Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze defended the bill. Observers noted that the draft law has intensified divisions in Georgia, sparking opposition from various sectors, including civil society and celebrities. President Salome Zourabichvili threatened to veto the law, but parliament can override her. On Wednesday, protests erupted outside parliament, met with police force, with some chanting against the bill as âthe Russian law.â Russia denied involvement, calling the legislation a ânormal practiceâ and blaming external actors for anti-Russian sentiment. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsveDVnZGhvaDMycC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Weekly Quiz ~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP4RbAWh0dHBzOi8vbGlxd2lkLm5ldC9uYWQvP2tleT1BQzI3LUJEMkQtMzZBNi1CRjM4JmNsaWNrPTEmcGlkPTI0NDE5JmlkPTQ1MjExMTkmY2hhbm5lbFNsdWc9ZGFpbHktY2hhdHRlci1jaGFybG90dGUtb2JzZXJ2ZXImYnJhbmRTbHVnPWRhaWx5LWNoYXR0ZXImY2FtcGFpZ25JZD00eDVzZ3M4Zmg4JmNpdHk9JnN0YXRlUHJvdmluY2U9JmNvdW50cnk9JnBvc3RhbENvZGU9JmpvYlRpdGxlPSZhZ2U9JmludGVyZXN0cz0mY2hpbGRyZW49JmV0aG5pY2l0eT0mZWR1Y2F0aW9uPSZnZW5kZXI9JnBvbGl0aWNhbEFmZmlsaWF0aW9uPSZwZXRzPSZsYXN0SVBBZGRyZXNzPSZ3ZWJzaXRlPSZ3ZWJzaXRlUHJvZmlsZU5hbWU9VwNzcGNCCmYQ9-4gZmGbRUpSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjg5QGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAWg~~ Earth Time Discoveries Earth Time Global warming is widely credited for causing ice to melt at both the Earthâs poles, leading to a rise in sea levels. And that in turn is shifting water, causing our planet to spin more slowly, Scientific American [reported](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvaHNpNGhpczI1MS8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa). Combined with other forces that alter Earthâs rotation speed, this may impact timekeeping. In a recent [study](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0REaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvZ2ZkdTR6YTZwaC8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDhXA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa), scientists suggested we may soon have to delete a âleap second,â for the first time. As miles-thick ice sheets melt, their mass shifts away from the poles toward the equator, slowing down Earthâs rotation â itâs similar to how figure skaters spin rapidly on ice with their arms up around their heads, and then slow when they bring their arms down and extend them outward. For a few decades already, timekeepers have observed that our planetâs rotation has been slowing down because of other factors, including tides. They have added leap seconds to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), which most of the world uses. Those seconds are added at the end of a given day: Its last minute would be 23:59:60 instead of 23:59:59. But the study established that the slow-down induced by ice melt had also overshadowed the fact that our Earthâs rotation has actually sped up. In the last half-century, days have gotten about 0.0025 of a second shorter because of changes in the rotation of Earthâs liquid outer core, over 1,300 miles deep. Without global warming, we might have retracted that extra second sooner, but the researchers predicted a deletion would be needed by 2028 or 2029. Nonetheless, experts say leap seconds are not that relevant. The International Bureau of Weights and Measures even voted to abolish them by 2035. âThe Earth is not a perfect timekeeper,â one physicist told Scientific Alert. [Share this story](~/AASU4wA~/RgRoA3PxP0RoaHR0cHM6Ly9hLnBvc3QubGhkLmxpbmsvem1xMGlmMmwxYi8_bGhfYWlkPTQ1MjExMTkmbGhfY2lkPTR4NXNnczhmaDgmbGhfZW09dHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODklNDBnbWFpbC5jb21XA3NwY0IKZhD37iBmYZtFSlIbdHJpc3RyYW1iYWxkd2luODlAZ21haWwuY29tWAQAAABa) Thank you for reading or listening to DailyChatter. Your comments are always welcomed and appreciated. 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