advocacy group

The Seattle City Council has voted to prohibit surveillance pricing in the sale of groceries, a practice where retailers use customer data — such as shopping history, location, or personal characteristics — to set individualized prices. Consumer advocacy group Consumer Reports, which supported the measure, says the ban protects shoppers from being charged differently based on profiling. The vote has drawn attention from privacy advocates and others watching how cities regulate algorithmic and data-driven retail practices.

A photo exhibition in Lyon, France, is drawing attention to executions and human rights violations in Iran. Organisers say the images document the scale of state repression and aim to mobilise public opinion and policymakers. The exhibition is part of broader advocacy efforts by Iranian diaspora and human rights groups urging international action against Tehran's treatment of prisoners and dissidents.

Reported Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in southwest Kansas has unsettled agriculture advocacy groups in the region. The area is heavily dependent on farm and meatpacking labor, and advocates worry that enforcement actions could disrupt workforces, frighten workers, and strain agricultural operations. Details about the scale and targets of the reported activity remain limited, but farming organizations are voicing concern over its impact on rural communities.

Advocacy groups in Central Florida are calling for action after the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Haitian immigrants. The designation, which had allowed Haitians already in the United States to live and work legally, was ended, putting thousands at risk of losing their legal status. Advocates, including those in the Orlando area's large Haitian community, are pressing lawmakers to intervene and protect affected families.

Maryland lawmakers are considering giving local governments broader authority to raise taxes, a proposal that has drawn objections from housing advocacy groups. Critics warn the additional tax powers would increase costs for homeowners and price potential buyers out of the state's already tight housing market. Supporters of the measure argue localities need more fiscal flexibility to fund services, but opponents say affordability should take priority.