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A4 U.S. NEWS
Tuesday 1 March 2022
Georgia Senate passes bill ending gun license requirement

By SUDHIN THANAWALA lence, saying the guns
ATLANTA (AP) — The Geor- themselves were not to
gia Senate passed a Re- blame. Republican Sen.
publican-backed bill Mon- Matt Brass of Newnan cited
day that would do away the invasion of Ukraine.
with the need for a license "Ask yourselves, 'What
to carry a handgun in pub- would a Ukrainian citizen
lic — eliminating a current say about their right to take
background check re- up and bear arms?'" Brass
quirement. said.
Democrats said the mea- Democratic Sen. Elena Par-
sure would fuel gun deaths ent of Atlanta said the bill
and proposed an amend- advanced the agenda of
ment that would expand "extremist gun groups" and
background checks, but was among a slew of mea-
the GOP-controlled Senate sures on "wedge issues" that
defeated it. Senate Bill 319 were being pushed this
passed 34-22 along party year. It would not protect
lines and now goes to the crime victims, she said, cit-
state House. ing the school shooting in
Facing a primary challenge Parkland, Florida, and last
from Republicans including year's slayings at three At-
former U.S. Sen. David Per- lanta-area massage busi-
due, Georgia Gov. Brian nesses.
Kemp has backed the re- "We know what we need to
vocation. He says Georgia do to protect our commu-
residents should have their Republican state Sen. Jason Anavitarte of Dallas speaks to a House subcommittee, Jan. 25, 2022, nities," she said. "But we're
constitutional rights pro- at the capitol in Atlanta. doing the opposite."
tected and be able to pro- Associated Press Sen. Nan Orrock, an Atlan-
tect themselves and their ta Democrat, suggested
families amid a spike in vio- and safety. Opponents would remove an unnec- who appeared high during those who voted for the
lent crime. and supporters also cited essary burden on people a camping trip in eastern bill would have blood on
More than 20 other states recent violence, including seeking to exercise their Georgia and wondered their hands because the
allow concealed weapons the invasion of Ukraine. Second Amendment rights. what would have hap- legislation would continue
in public without a permit, Sen. Jason Anavitarte of "Today, we empower good pened if he had been un- "the bloody trail of people
according to Stateline, an Dallas, a Republican spon- people, law-abiding peo- able to afford the fee for a injured and killed with gun
initiative of the Pew Chari- sor of the so-called consti- ple," Anavitarte said. gun permit. violence here in our state."
table Trusts. tutional carry legislation, Republican Sen. Chuck "What would have been The bill would do away with
Monday's vote was pre- said criminals were unlikely Payne of Dalton, another the outcome that day?" he the need for a license to
ceded by a lengthy de- to go through the state's bill sponsor, recalled flash- asked. carry a handgun in pub-
bate that included familiar permit process. Republi- ing his pistol when his family Other Republicans pushed lic — either openly or con-
arguments about gun rights cans have argued the bill was approached by men back on concerns of vio- cealed on one's body. q

MIT severs ties with Russian school after Ukraine invasion

officials and foreign policy ing with MIT researchers ment effort to create a sci-
experts have long voiced leading Skoltech projects ence and technology hub
concerns about the po- to make sure students can akin to California's Silicon
tential for espionage and complete their research Valley or Massachusetts'
technology theft arising and academic work. Kendall Square.
from MIT's partnership with About 21 faculty members As part of the agreement,
the school, which has and 38 students and post- MIT helped recruit stu-
close ties to Russian Presi- doctoral researchers at dents and faculty, hosted
dent Vladimir Putin's gov- MIT are impacted by the Skoltech students at MIT,
ernment, GBH News re- change, though none are and allowed MIT instruc-
ported. currently at the school in tors to teach and pursue
"This step is a rejection of Moscow, The Boston Globe research at the Russian
the actions of the Russian reported. school, the Globe report-
Students walk past the "Great Dome" atop Building 10 on the
Massachusetts Institute of Technology campus, April 3, 2017, in government in Ukraine," The Skolkovo Institute of ed.
Cambridge, Mass. MIT said in a statement Science and Technology "We affirm our steadfast
Associated Press posted on the program said in a statement to the belief in our colleagues
website. "We take it with newspaper it has nine on- at Skoltech," MIT said in its
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) Ukraine. deep regret because of going projects with MIT statement. "They are fellow
— The Massachusetts Insti- The Cambridge university our great respect for the and remains "in close con- scholars who have devot-
tute of Technology is sev- said it notified the Skolkovo Russian people and our tact with our colleagues at ed themselves to an ethos
ering ties with a research Institute of Science and profound appreciation for MIT." of openness and who have
university it helped estab- Technology in Moscow on the contributions of the MIT partnered with the contributed their own ex-
lish more than a decade Friday that it was exercis- many extraordinary Rus- nonprofit Skolkovo Foun- pertise and knowledge to
ago in Russia, citing the ing its right to terminate the sian colleagues we have dation in 2011 to establish build a unique and pio-
country's "unacceptable MIT Skoltech Program. worked with." the research university as neering academic center
military actions" in invading Federal law enforcement The university said it is work- part of a Russian govern- in Russia."q