Search Results for: Lithuania

The Cluster Munitions Coalition released its annual report on Monday detailing the use and transfer of these munitions alongside the policies and practices of countries regarding their use, and their implications on the international treaty banning cluster munitions. The 2024 report’s primary focus is on developments and challenges concerning the Convention on Cluster Munitions, the [...]

The Council of Europe opened the world’s first legally binding global treaty on artificial intelligence (AI) for signature on Thursday. Unveiled at a conference in Vilnius, Lithuania, this historic treaty sets a new international standard by ensuring that AI systems align with human rights, democratic values, and the rule of law. Formally known as the Framework [...]

The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal dismissed the appeals brought by seven activists, including businessman Jimmy Lai, against their unauthorized assembly convictions on Monday. Following the UK Supreme Court’s judgments in DPP v Ziegler and Reference re Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Northern Ireland) Bill), the activists advocated for incorporating the “operational proportionality” inquiry [...]

The Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) issued a statement on Monday confirming several of its members were contacted by the People’s Republic of China (PRC) embassies in their respective countries to “attempt to intimidate and dissuade them” from travelling to Taiwan for the upcoming annual summit held in Taipei, Taiwan. The statement noted that “ight [...]

The Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) released a press statement on Wednesday condemning the crackdown on free speech and free trial rights in Belarus in light of the convictions of 20 experts and analysts in absentia. The 20, sentenced by a Minsk court to over a decade in prison, were punished for [...]

One of the major global issues facing many nations in both the developing or developed categories is forced migration and displacement during crises. No matter which region, continent, or nation is the focus, every state, in addition to several other political players, has its own role to play in addressing this complex problem. Situational analysis [...]

Gunmen killed an Afghan citizen and three Spanish tourists in Bamyan province, central Afghanistan, on Friday evening, according to the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior Affairs. The attack also left four foreign nationals and three Afghans injured, ministry spokesman Abdul Mateen Qani confirmed. The Taliban government condemned the attack, with Qani stating, “We express our deep [...]

Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has accused Russia of a cyber attack that occurred in 2023. In a Friday press conference, Baerbock said the attack was “completely unacceptable and will not remain without consequences.” Baerbock, in a speech at a press conference with the Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs, declared that the “serious cyber attack [...]

Polish authorities arrested three people on Friday in relation to the attack on an ally of the late Russian dissident Alexei Navalny. Leonid Volkov was “brutally attacked” in mid-March outside his home in Lithuania, where he lives in exile. The arrests were announced by Polish Prime Minister, Donald Tusk, who released a statement on X [...]

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Thursday upheld Lithuania’s barring of entry to Russian pop singer Philipp Kirkorov, citing concerns about his role as a tool for Russia’s propaganda in former Soviet States. The court used Lithuania’s Law on the Legal Status of Aliens to adjudicate on the legality of the decision. Article [...]