Kodi Sale Is Legal In The United Kingdom... Unless It Has Pre-Loaded Illegal Add-Ons

Kodi boxes are digital television boxes sold widely in the mainstream market in Amazon and even Tesco. But these Kodi Boxes are the legal versions -- the illegal ones come with add-ons and copyright infringing software that allows for streaming from illegal channels. These "fully-loaded" Kodi Boxes -- the sale and use thereof -- is illegal in the United Kingdom.

Or at least everyone believes so. A landmark case in Hartlepool is guilty as charged for selling Kodi Boxes with modifications and add-ons allowing end-users to stream networks restricted for pay-per-view and other paid programming. Malcolm Mayes sold his customers Kodi Boxes  that could watch the Premier Football League without having to pay anything.

According to National Trading Standards Lord Toby Harris, the conviction of Mr Mayes -- having him pay £250,000 for the retail of modified Kodi boxes as a fine for his illegal criminal activities -- should send a clear message that any person or business "selling or operating such a device" are in breach of existing copyright laws in the United Kingdom. 

However, the laws apply only to retail and not end-usership, which has many Kodi owners of "illegal Kodis" fearing imprisonment for purchasing the devices. According to the UK Federation Against Copyright Theft (FACT), the device itself is legal even when loaded with illegal applications. Customers are even free of trouble if they bought a "clean" Kodi box and download the illegal applications.

Avoid The £500 Fine For The Wrong Child Seats By Reading This

New year, new car seat rules. It feels that way at least in the United Kingdom.

In the United Kingdom, driving with your children in tow could earn you £500 once you break the rules. The new rules as of March 1, tomorrow, would be as follows:

If your child is below 12 years old or below 135 centimetres in height, they are required to wear a seatbelt at all times. The seatbelts must be diagonal or the lap belt must be fastened tightly.

Children below two years of age and weighing under 9 kilograms are required to travel in a baby carrier rather than a child seat. Children below 15 months must ride in a rear-faced seat. If your seat is weight-based, it must remain rear-faced until the child reaches 13 kilograms.

Only in case of emergencies can children travel without car seats. But driving a child without proper child seats further than 1 kilometre is automatically an offence.

No new specifications on car seats exist -- meaning parents with existing child seats they are still using will not be fined. However, high-backed booster seats are encouraged to protect children on the roads. Seat requirements for the child's age, height and weight are mandatory else the parent will face a £500 fine.

UK Receives Assurances That UK 'Dual Citizens' Will Have Passage Into The United States

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson had lobbied and secured free entry and passage for UK's dual citizens according to one of US President Donald Trump's advisers. The statement comes after the US President had signed an executive order that would bar entry to the US against individuals from Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.  The world met the US President's first executive order with an immense backlash in social media and other channels.

The UK Foreign Secretary received word from one of Donald Trump's advisers that the ban only applies to the seven nations mentioned. However, UK Prime Minister Theresa May had condemned the policy, having her to urge the Foreign Secretary to "fight for British rights" in entering the United States.

Despite the US allowances on the British, activists in the country had protested against Donald Trump and the signed travel ban. Thousands of citizens attended marches in Downing Street to force 

UK Prime Minister Theresa May to cut short her state visit to Donald Trump as a form of protest. The Telegraph reports that 800,000 people have signed the petition to decline her visit to the United States.

 According to Amnesty UK Director Kate Allen, the protests were significant as the US ban was a failure to serve proper human rights and to uphold basic human decency. According to Allen, Trump's administration had "willfully demonised" children, women and men fleeing war-torn countries who are in need of help despite these individuals who are running away from predators including "torturers and mass murderers."

IPB Is Now In Full Force; All Emails And Phone Calls Effectively Under Government Surveillance

"1984" Author George Orwell's technophobia and societal satire has finally come true -- in 2017.

The UK's Investigatory Powers Bill -- now the Investigatory Powers "Act" -- will place all UK citizens under a heavy surveillance routine. Every UK citizen is now effectively under government surveillance as new powers to gather and retain data on citizens and new ways to use technology companies' user database for government security causes are introduced.

The controversial bill -- also known as the "Snooper's Charter" -- will allow the government to collect Internet Connection Records. Intelligence agencies and police could then stop modern crime and prosecute said individuals using information evidences.

 According to Amnesty International's Policy Director Bella Sankey, the UK is entering a "sad day" as the bill was passed last month. She said she agreed with Prime Minister Theresa May's approach to security for the UK but the measures are invasive and "won't do the job."  Sankey said that the Act opens "every detail of every citizen's online life up to state eyes" and can "drown authorities in data."

Sankey urged a "campaign for a surveillance law fit for the digital age" and must "continue to the courts." Despite public resentment, the bill pushed through as MPs quietly passed the bill.