Dismiss stale pull request approvals when new commits are pushed

Published 25 July 2020 Share close Share page Copy link About sharing A public consultation has closed on changes to Scotland's hate crime laws, which opponents say could have a damaging effect on free speech. Ministers argue the bill offers great protection for victims at a time when the number of cases is on the rise. Scottish Labour's James Kelly said he had 'serious reservations', especially over the offence of stirring up hatred. But Scotland's justice secretary said people's freedom of expression was not under attack. As you are reading this news story on the BBC news website I am going to hazard a guess that you probably believe that freedom of expression is a fundamental human right. And that you think without the right to free speech many other freedoms may be threatened? You would probably also agree that it is wrong actively attempt to stir up hatred against … [Read more...] about Free speech row over new hate crime bill in Scotland

The Department of Internal Affairs has hit back at Rotorua Lakes Council after its rejection of Three Waters reform, saying it "stands up” to scrutiny. It follows Rotorua Lakes Council’s blunt rebuttal of the reform at a full council meeting on Thursday, which saw just one councillor – Trevor Maxwell - continuing to defend it. The reform , announced in June last year, would create four water service entities to take over responsibility for the three waters – drinking, waste and stormwater – from councils. Originally an opt-in programme, it was made mandatory in October last year and had been met with opposition from some, including at least 31 councils nationwide. READ MORE: First tranche of 'better off' funding from Three Waters about to start flowing Big cost projects may affect service levels at SDC Govt could have a 'revolution on its hands' if it pursues proposed water reforms STUFF Local Government Minister Nanaia Mahuta says the … [Read more...] about Rotorua’s Three Waters rejection: DIA says reform ‘stands up’ to scrutiny, new funding hinted

Shameless Boris Johnson has told friends he will "smash on" despite a string of resignations. The Prime Minister is said to have declared "I'm not going anywhere” despite Rishi Sunak , Sajid Javid and his Solicitor General all resigning last night. But MPs have other ideas - with a string of Tories from across the spectrum reading him the “last rites”. While the Cabinet are now mostly firm, the PM is being rocked by a string of junior resignations from government. Between 6pm on Tuesday and 2pm on Wednesday 21 MPs resigned from the government - nine ministers, nine parliamentary private secretaries, two trade envoys and one Tory vice chair. Back bench MPs across the spectrum, from moderate ex-ministers Chris Skidmore and Nick Gibb to culture war Red Wallers Jonathan Gullis, Tom Hunt and Lee Anderson, have charged over the top. For so many MPs, the revelation the PM knew about claims against MP Chris Pincher, then promoted him repeatedly, then “forgot” he’d been told, is … [Read more...] about All the Tories brutally turning against Boris Johnson’s leadership as MPs ‘read last rites’

Published 1 hour ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing A tiny primary school in the Yorkshire Dales which has only 11 pupils could close next year. Governors at Fountains Earth Church of England Primary School in Lofthouse, Nidderdale, said there was no sign of pupil numbers growing in future. They said they had "with a heavy heart" started the process of applying for a consultation for closure. Chair of governors Abi Broadley said: "Our decision has not been taken lightly." She added: "Despite the best efforts of our headteacher, staff and governors, we cannot overcome the challenges of having such low pupil numbers. "We feel that we have exhausted all options to us to provide the right educational, social and emotional provision." Public meeting School leaders said the wide age range in classes meant delivering a varied, thorough curriculum and the … [Read more...] about Yorkshire Dales school with 11 children could close

Published 7 minutes ago Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Following the shock resignation of former Chancellor Rishi Sunak, his replacement Nadhim Zahawi has said he and Prime Minister Boris Johnson want to "rebuild the economy" and get soaring inflation under control. Mr Zahawi said "nothing is off the table" in terms of cutting taxes. What are some of the options open to the new Chancellor to make good on those plans? 1. Cut VAT Mr Zahawi has said he wants to do two things: cut taxes and "bear down" on inflation. Those are not usually happy bedfellows. Cutting taxes puts more money into the economy, which drives prices up - so how can he walk this line? A temporary cut in VAT - the tax paid when buying goods and services - from 20% to 17.5%, say, would lower the price of goods and services in the basket used to calculate inflation - taxes would get cut, and … [Read more...] about Four ways Nadhim Zahawi may try to boost the economy

Auberon Waugh's death at the age of 61 is more sad than surprising. His immediate heredity wasn't promising - his father died at 62, his mother at 57 - and he suffered from ill-health all his life, partly resulting from severe wounds sustained during National Service at the age of 18. That may, in part, have accounted for the acidic personality which made him the most verbally brutal journalist of his age. Everyone who met him remarked on the contrast between his ferocity in print and his personal geniality, but this was hard to explain to those who didn't know him, especially if they had been on the rough end of his pen. Apart from health, his background shaped his career in one other respect. He spent much of his life trying to escape from the shadow of his father, the greatest English novelist of his age. This provided an obvious weapon for Auberon's enemies. Philip Larkin joked about "my projected series, Talentless Sons of Famous Fathers - Waugh, Amis, Fuller...", and for … [Read more...] about Auberon Waugh

When Corrine Rojas comes into work, Mars is waiting for her. She drives to the office, grabs a cup of coffee, and then pulls up the latest dispatches from Perseverance, a car-size NASA rover situated inside a crater in Mars’s northern hemisphere. Rojas, an operations engineer at Arizona State University, checks that the rover’s main cameras are working well, and that they took the shots scientists back home had asked for. Then, she basks in the wondrous sights of our celestial neighbor. “I am often the first person to lay eyes on photos from Mars taken by the rover,” Rojas told me. And Mars has been looking particularly good lately. That’s not to say that the planet has been working on its appearance; aside from the winds blowing around some dust, it has remained mostly unchanged for a few billion years . The difference is us, and particularly the Perseverance mission, which has captured some of the sharpest views of the Martian surface to date. The rover’s job is to search for … [Read more...] about We’ve Never Seen Mars Quite Like This

Meghan Markle has come under fire for mothering and smothering Prince Harry since Megxit. YouTube’s Body Language Guy, Jesús Enrique Rosas made this revelation in a new video. He referenced Prince Harry’s polo match in the admission and claimed, “Harry was talking to one of the attendants at the polo match, two things happened here.” “First Meghan and Harry’s bodyguard gets in the middle of the conversation, and right at the same time, Meghan who is holding his hand, pulls him away from the conversation.” Before concluding he also added, “Meghan made Harry break any contact with the person he is talking to, like a mother telling his son they are ready to go.” … [Read more...] about Meghan Markle ‘mothering and smothering’ Prince Harry?

KARACHI: Judicial Magistrate (East) Aftab Ahmed Baghi on Wednesday sought a supplementary challan of the Dua Zahra case and the call-record data of Zaheer Ahmed from April 15 to 19. During the course of the proceedings, Jibran Nasir, the counsel of Syed Mehdi Ali Kazmi, argued that the C-class challan is automatically rejected after the ruling of re-investigations in any case. Raising questions over the role of police, the lawyer said, “the suspect came to the police but he was not arrested.” He maintained that Dua was "forced to tell a lie". “Who would be responsible if Zaheer flees the country?” asked the lawyer," he maintained that the suspect should fight his case in court. At this, the judge asked the public prosecutor how did he record the statement of the suspect who is not in police custody. “Was the suspect present in Karachi on April 15 or he was in Lahore?” asked the judge and sought the call-record data of Zaheer. As per the data record of Zaheer's previous … [Read more...] about Court seeks supplementary challan of Dua Zahra case

Despite Moscow's attempts to stem any dissent against its invasion of Ukraine, some Russians are continuing to protest -- even if it means facing draconian punishment for the most benign acts of opposition. Some have paid a heavy price for their acts of protest. In the early days of the war in February, authorities moved quickly to quash demonstrations, arresting people who marched or even held blank signs, balloons in the colours of the Ukrainian flag, or other oblique references to the conflict. Critical media outlets were shut down as the government sought to control the narrative. Political opponents were singled out by President Vladimir Putin or commentators on state-run TV. Russia cracks down on independent media during Ukraine invasion Russia's brain drain: War with Ukraine prompts tens of thousands to flee abroad Lawmakers rubber-stamped measures that outlawed the spread of "false information" about what the Kremlin called a "special … [Read more...] about Russians defy crackdown to find small ways of protesting Ukraine war