Police clash with stone-throwing protesters as Eritrean tensions flare up in a central German town.

By Dietrich Knauth NEW YORK Bankrupt crypto exchange FTX received U.S. court permission on Wednesday to liquidate cryptocurrency

Dressed in a full-body protective suit, an elderly pest control worker could last no more than 15 minutes spraying pesticide along a Hong Kong pavement before...

Campaigners are calling on the Government to extend paid paternity leave from two to six weeks in the UK after research found it could reduce the gender pay gap. A report from the Centre for Progressive Policy think tank (CPP) and charity Pregnant Then Screwed (PTS) analysed Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) data to explore the economic and health impacts of extending the statutory entitlement to paternity leave and pay. It shows that countries with more than six weeks of paid paternity leave have a 4.0% smaller gender wage gap and 3.7% smaller labour force participation gap – the proportion of men and women in the workforce. The analysis also suggests that closing gender employment gaps in all UK authorities would increase economic output by £23 billion. We have the worst paternity benefit in Europe which is negatively impacting children, gender equality and the economy Joeli Brearley, Pregnant Then Screwed It comes as the UK has the least generous paternity leave entitlement in Europe with a statutory entitlement of two weeks and pay of £172 a week, which is 44% of the national living wage. The researchers also looked at PTS data from 1,735 mothers and 1,805 fathers, finding that just 18% of prospective parents say they or their partner could afford to take six weeks of paternity leave at the current statutory rate of pay. However, this changed to 57% if the leave was paid at 90% of their income, as statutory maternity pay is for women. The analysis also suggests that for 20% of fathers, no parental leave options were available to them following the birth or adoption of their child. The organisations further commissioned a YouGov pool, which found that 65% of mothers with children under the age of 12 thought increasing paid paternity leave would have a positive impact on mothers’ readiness to return to work while 83% thought it would have a positive impact on mothers’ mental health. Campaigners from CPP and PTS are now urging ministers to extend the statutory leave entitlement, to pay it at 90% of income in line with currently statutory maternity pay and to ensure paternity leave is available to all working fathers and partners. They are also calling for the Government to enhance existing maternity rights to reduce financial hardship, the gender employment gap, and the gender pay gap. Joeli Brearley, chief executive and founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, said: “We finally have evidence that boosting paternity leave will reduce the gender pay gap, improve the health of both parents and it will benefit the economy. “Paternity leave is not a luxury but a necessity.” Rosie Fogden, head of research and analysis at CPP said: “While long-held societal norms about gendered parenting roles are shifting, the UK’s parental leave system has not kept pace. “As our findings show, it is still very difficult for many fathers and second parents to be able to afford to take leave when their children are born, and this has serious consequences for both parents’ mental health.” Ms Brearley added: “If our next Government wants to set out a positive vision for the future, then thriving families must be central to their campaign. “We have the worst paternity benefit in Europe which is negatively impacting children, gender equality and the economy. “We are calling on the government to increase the length of non-transferrable paternity leave to a minimum of six weeks at 90% of income, in line with current statutory maternity pay.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live My teenager gets all their news from TikTok – should I worry? How to take care of pets in the heat Struggling with menopause symptoms in the heat? An expert shares tips

More than half of young people in the UK have used an AI chatbot such as ChatGPT in the last year to help them with schoolwork, emails or their job, research suggests. Nominet’s latest annual Digital Youth Index, which examines young people’s online habits and attitudes, suggests that while most young people (94%) feel safe online, 76% said they had been exposed to an upsetting experience. That is a 7% rise on last year, with young people reporting an increase in exposure to fake news and hate speech, both up 4%, as well as sexual content, up by 6%. The study, conducted by Opinium, surveyed 4,000 people aged between eight and 25 in the UK. While society at large grapples with artificial intelligence at all levels, it’s encouraging to see young people embracing technology so quickly and using it in their daily lives Paul Fletcher, Nominet The young people surveyed claimed to spend an average of between four and five hours a day online – mostly on social media, chatting with friends or accessing entertainment. Most (95%) of those asked said they were on at least one social network, including children who are under the age limit for some of those services. According to the study, X, formerly known as Twitter, was identified as the platform where the most respondents (77%) had seen distressing content. On AI, the study showed that 53% of those asked said they had used an AI chatbot and were curious about how they could use them in their lives, while 54% said they were concerned about the impact AI could have on jobs in the future. Nominet chief executive, Paul Fletcher, said: “While society at large grapples with artificial intelligence at all levels, it’s encouraging to see young people embracing technology so quickly and using it in their daily lives. “We must continue to encourage this inquisitive nature from the next generation – and despite their adoption of AI, many still have concerns about the potential impact on their future. “When it comes to online safety, it looks like young Brits are growing in confidence, but the rise in exposure to upsetting content highlights that tackling online harm remains important to young people.” The study also indicated that 14% of young people lack access to a laptop or desktop computer, while 15% did not have broadband access at home. Meanwhile, 11% said they had to change or cancel their internet package this year as a direct result of the cost-of-living crisis. “Our data shows us the reality that despite young people’s lives and their education system going online, a concerning 14% of two million of them still don’t have access to a laptop or desktop computer, and this has the potential to significantly disadvantage those that would benefit the most,” Mr Fletcher said. Read More Businesses embracing generative AI but fear cyberattacks, survey finds Police to trial use of drones as first responders to emergencies Apple to adopt system to improve texting between iPhones and Android devices ICO seeks permission to appeal against Clearview AI tribunal ruling Users of iPhones can now check bank balance from Wallet app VR tool aims to help rail passengers spot and safely tackle sexual harassment

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The number of abortions being performed in Indiana has fallen significantly in advance of the implementation of the state’s abortion ban at the beginning of August, state reports showed. Indiana, for now, remains one of a handful of states in the Midwest that does not have any major restrictions on abortion. But that is about to change, following a state Supreme Court ruling that the ban passed by the Republican-controlled state legislature last year does not violate the state constitution. That ban is now set to take effect on the first day of next month, at which point abortion will be almost completely banned in the state. The Associated Press first reported on the falling abortion numbers. It’s a seismic shift from last year, when the number of abortions performed in Indiana increased by 22 per cent – the numbers were boosted by patients from states like Kentucky and Ohio who travelled to the state to receive care after their home states passed bans. Of the 9,529 abortions performed in Indiana in 2022, 1,827 people came from other states to receive care. But the month-by-month numbers tell a somewhat different story. The monthly abortion rate dropped by a third or more in the final months of last year as the state’s abortion ban briefly took effect before it was blocked by a court order. This year, in advance of the looming ban, the number of abortions being performed in the state has continued to fall off. Observers believe that decline has happened in part due to the fact that people are fearful and anxious about the looming ban. “We have seen a lot of fear and a lot of misunderstanding of patients who believe that abortion access has been restricted and isn’t available in Indiana,” Dr Amy Caldwell, an Indianapolis obstetrician who performs abortions for Planned Parenthood, said last week. She said anxiety has increased among those who do not understand the legal battle taking place in the state. Two of the seven clinics that provide abortions in Indiana, a Planned Parenthood facility in Indianapolis and a Whole Woman’s Health Center in South Bend, also reported performing no abortions during the first three months of the year. The Whole Woman’s Health Center has closed, while Planned Parenthood cited staff training issues for its gap in care. That facility told the Associated Press that it is now performing abortions again. Indiana residents may soon, however, have to travel to other states to receive abortion care. Abortion remains legal in neighbouring Illinois and Michigan as well as Minnesota and Pennsylvania further afield. It also remains legal for the time being in Iowa, though a possible special session of the state legislature could change that later this year. The splintering of the abortion landscape following the reversal of Roe v Wade by the Supreme Court last year has created a scenario in which certain areas of the country lack access to abortion care while the status quo in other areas has remained largely unchanged. Every state in the southeast, for instance, has passed an abortion ban – though South Carolina’s ban for now remains blocked in court. Read More Iowa's Republican governor calls a special legislative session to revive abortion restrictions Ohio man guilty of raping a 9-year-old who traveled for legal abortion gets life sentence US prepares for potential end of Roe v Wade - live When will there be a Roe v Wade decision? Why these prosecutors are refusing to enforce anti-abortion laws

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