AN Alabama prosecutor has dropped a manslaughter charge against a woman who lost her unborn child after being shot in the stomach during a fight.
Marshae Jones was arrested last week after a grand jury concluded she intentionally caused the death of her foetus by initiating a fight while knowing she was pregnant. Alabama is one of the dozens of states in America which have foetal homicide laws that allow criminal charges to be brought when foetuses are killed in violent acts.
Jones’s arrest sparked outrage across the country, with advocates for women’s rights calling it another attempt to charge women for crimes relating to their pregnancies. She was five months pregnant when 23-year-old Ebony Jemison shot her in December during an argument.
ELSEWHERE a pro-democracy politician in Hong Kong has expressed concerns the situation with protests could worsen after police arrest more than a dozen people following protests earlier in the week.
Counciller Claudia Mo said: “I am terribly worried that a massive kind of round-up of protesters could trigger very negative sentiment on the part of the young. It could get worse.”
Police arrested 12 people who attempted to disrupt a ceremony on Monday, which marked the anniversary of Hong Kong’s return from Britain to China in 1997. The city’s legislature will be unable to meet for three months following extensive damage done by protesters, including fire prevention and electronic voting systems needing repaired.
MEANWHILE in France the lower parliament has approved a pioneering tax on internet giants like Google, Amazon and Facebook.
The bill aims to stop multinationals from avoiding taxes by setting up headquarters in low-tax EU countries. Currently these companies pay almost no tax in the countries where they have large sales, such as France. The tech industry warned it could lead to higher costs for consumers to use the sites.
The move could also affect US companies including Airbnb and Uber, as well as those from China and Europe. The Bill goes to the Senate next week and the French Government hope other countries will follow suit.
AND finally, a student from Australia said he was feeling “very good” following his released after a week in detention in North Korea.
Alek Sigley, 29 had been out of contact with family in friends in Japan and Australia since Tuesday last week. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: “Alek is safe. Swedish authorities advised the Australian Government that they met with senior officials from the DPRK yesterday and raised the issue of Alek’s disappearance on Australia’s behalf.”
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