The Nicosia district court ruled that neither the legal service nor the police leaked information to the media in connection with a criminal case against a property developer in 2014.
Fact: The Legal Service has been criticized for its handling of the case of Thanasis Nicolaou, with his family and the judge questioning their actions.
International Criminal Court Prosecutor Karim Khan has requested an arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, causing a diplomatic dilemma for key member states who must balance support for Israel with backing the ICC’s actions. Some capitals, such as Paris, London, and Berlin, were informed beforehand about the plans, but many have not disclosed how they will respond if warrants are issued. Germany, in particular, faces challenges due to its support for Israel’s security and the ICC prosecutor’s independence. U.S. President Joe Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken have criticized the move, while European countries like Britain and Italy are divided over the issue. The ICC has jurisdiction over the conflict between Israel and Hamas since October 7, 2022, despite Israel not being a member of the court. The international community’s response to the arrest warrants will be crucial for the ICC’s credibility and the rule of law.
The TikTok question “Would you rather be stuck in a forest with a man or a bear?” sparked a viral trend with over 10,000 posts using the hashtags #manvsbear and #manorbear. Six out of seven women said they would choose the bear, citing reasons such as knowing what to expect from a bear and feeling safer with a bear than a man. The fear of men is a common experience among women, supported by statistics showing higher rates of violence from men. This fear may explain why most women would prefer to be stuck in a forest with a bear rather than a man.
A group of small island states, including Antigua and Barbuda and the Bahamas, secured a win on climate change in an international court. The International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS) stated that greenhouse gas emissions absorbed by the ocean are considered marine pollution, and countries are obligated to protect marine environments beyond the requirements of the Paris climate agreement. The opinion is not legally binding but can guide countries in their climate policy and serve as legal precedent in other cases.
Tens of thousands of Russians who fled to Turkey after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine have been leaving due to residency issues and soaring costs. The number of Russians with Turkish resident permits fell to 96,000, down by more than a third from 154,000 at the end of 2022. Many have headed to Serbia and Montenegro. Turkish inflation hit 70% last month, and basic banking has become difficult due to sanctions. Some Russians have also left due to struggles to get residence permits since early 2023.
The Cyprus Institute (CyI) won a Parliamentary Assembly of the Mediterranean (PAM) Award for its research and educational activities addressing the climate crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (EMME) region.
Nine Egyptian men accused of causing a deadly shipwreck off Greece had charges dropped because the Greek court had no jurisdiction to hear the case as the disaster occurred in international waters.
Julian Assange has been granted permission to appeal against extradition to the U.S. by arguing that he might not have free speech rights in a U.S. court. The appeal is based on concerns that he could be discriminated against as a foreign national. Assange is wanted in the U.S. on 18 charges related to WikiLeaks’ release of secret U.S. documents. The appeal was welcomed by his supporters, who gathered outside the court. If the ruling had gone against him, Assange could have been extradited to the U.S. within 24 hours. U.S. assurances that Assange could rely on First Amendment protections were deemed inadequate by his legal team. The appeal will now cover all 18 charges against him.
Yahya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, was imprisoned by Israel for 23 years before rising to a leadership role in the militant group. He made a speech in December 2022 promising a fierce strike against Israel, which was carried out less than a year later in an assault that killed 1,200 people. Sinwar had a history of punishing collaborators with Israel and has been devoted to the destruction of Israel and killing Jews.