An Australian state is considering making it a crime to kill or harm a fetus in the process of committing some other crime.

Experience in other countries shows that laws criminalizing harm to a fetus threaten women who have abortions, and even women who have miscarriages.

Meanwhile, in the other cases for which it is supposedly intended, it would make the penalty for any given crime unpredictable. That only makes justice less effective.

It could be reasonable to make it a crime to intentionally cause a fetus to be born with damage, or to intentionally commit certain acts of violence which are likely to cause a fetus to be born with damage. However, I doubt such things happen often enough to be worth legislating against.

"Flying fists and pelted bottles — warring politicians shock Sri Lanka."

The article suggests that the fighting in Parliament was planned in advance by Rajapaksa's supporters. If so, it fits with what he did when he was president.

At the APEC summit, US Vice President Pence warned that China's Belt and Road infrastructure programme consists of "opaque" loans with strings attached, and can lead to "staggering debt".

I am ready to believe that is true, because it's much like the situation with the loans offered by western countries and institutions, including the US and the World Bank.

In addition, there is specific evidence: Maldives' New President Warns Treasury 'Looted' During China-led Boom.

We need to set up a way for poor countries with unsustainable debt to renounce debt that was contracted by corrupt dictators. Then banksters would be less eager to lend to corrupt dictators, and they won't find it so easy to stay in power.

The bully shows characteristics of the authoritarian rulers he praises.

His supporters fit the profile of "authoritarian followers".

Airbnb will stop listing apartments in Israel's colonies in Palestine's West Bank.

I appreciate this decision, but there are several reasons not to do business with Airbnb and this doesn't cancel them.