Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini was acquitted by a Sicilian court Friday on charges of kidnapping and dereliction of duty over his refusal to allow a boat carrying migrants to dock in Italy. The prosecution’s request for a six-year prison sentence and civil claims for over one million euros in damages was ruled unfounded. [...]

Exactly three years ago, I came back to Russia after treatment following my poisoning. I was arrested at the airport. And for three years, I’ve been in prison. And for three years I’ve been answering the same question. Prisoners ask it simply and directly. Prison officials inquire about it cautiously, with the recorders turned off. [...]

UN Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo on Wednesday expressed deep concerns about the escalating tensions on the Korean Peninsula, emphasizing that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea) is continuing to carry out a five-year military plan launched in January 2021 rather than complying with its international obligations. DiCarlo noted that the constant nuclear program includes [...]

A UN special rapporteur on Thursday urged the Liberian government to strengthen efforts to combat all forms of trafficking in persons. The UN Special Rapporteur on trafficking in persons Siobhán Mullally urged the Liberian government to prioritize the rights of trafficking victims. She emphasized that such rights include access to assistance and protection through safe [...]

The Lithuanian Constitutional Court ruled on Wednesday that a provision of a law that prohibits the spread of information about same-sex relationships to minors is unconstitutional. The court found that Clause 16 of Article 4(2) of the Law on the Protection of Minors from the Negative Influence of Public Information (Law on the Protection of [...]

The United Nations General Assembly on Thursday adopted a resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) regarding Israel’s obligations to facilitate humanitarian aid for Palestinians. The General Assembly adopted the resolution with significant support — 137 votes in favor and 12 against. The initiative was spearheaded by Norway and supported [...]

The Vaucluse criminal court in Avignon, France, convicted 51 men including the main defendant Dominique Pelicot in a rape trial on Thursday. The case sparks debates on adding the consent element to the current definition of rape under the French Criminal Code. Dominique admitted to drugging and raping his now ex-wife, Gisele Pelicot, and inviting [...]

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) granted waiver requests from California on Wednesday that allow the state to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. California requested the waivers for its Advanced Clean Cars II Rule and Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation. Section 202(a) of the Clean Air Act requires EPA to develop applicant [...]

The Georgia Court of Appeals removed Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from the election interference case against president-elect Donald Trump and 18 others on Thursday over Willis’ previously undisclosed relationship with special prosecutor Nathan Wade. The appeals court agreed with the trial court that the relationship created an “appearance of impropriety,” and found that [...]

The European Parliament condemned ongoing human rights violations in Azerbaijan on Thursday, urging the country’s government to release Armenian prisoners and cease its repression of civil society. In a resolution passed with 434 votes in favour, members of the European Parliament (MEPs) highlighted alleged rights violations in Azerbaijan including the suppression of activists, journalists, and [...]