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Dodik’s Prison Sentence Commuted to Fine
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national Court has approved a request from Bosnian Serb leader Milorad Dodik to replace his one-year prison sentence with a financial penalty. Dodik is the President of Republika Srpska (RS), Bosnia’s Serb-majority entity, and was first convicted in relation with his implementation of laws by-passing Constitutional Court décisions in RS, despite orders…
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Facial ID Flaw: Video Game Avatars Bypass UK Age Verification Systems
Under the UK’s recently enacted Online Safety Act, websites hosting adult content are required to implement robust age verification systems. However, some users have already identified ways to bypass these measures—most notably by leveraging realistic in-game assets from video games such the Death Stranding franchise to deceive facial recognition tools. The law, enforced from July…
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Bosnia Revokes Dodik’s Presidency
On August 6, the Central Election Commission of Bosnia and Herzegovina—the country’s top electoral authority, responsible for organizing elections and enforcing electoral and transparency laws—revoked the mandate of Milorad Dodik as President of Republika Srpska (RS), Bosnia’s Serb-majority entity. This action follows the confirmation in August of Dodik’s one-year prison sentence and subsequent six-year prohibition…
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El Salvador’s Constitutional Changes: A Move to Authoritarianism or Unfair Targeting?
Submitted by Ludwig Bauer, a seasoned geopolitical analyst specializing in Latin American politics and conflict dynamics, with the concluding analysis and outlook authored by the Golden Raven team. El Salvador’s Legislative Assembly approved constitutional changes to abolish presidential term limits and extend each presidential term to six years on Thursday, leading to fierce criticism from…
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Bosnia’s Court Upholds Dodik’s Prison Sentence; Dodik Defies Verdict
Bosnia and Herzegovina’s national Court has upheld the one-year prison sentence and six-year ban on holding office for Milorad Dodik, the President of Republika Srpska–Bosnia’s Serbia-majority entity–following the appeal court’s confirmation of the conviction The ruling stems from Dodik’s defiance of decisions made in July 2023 by Bosnia’s High Representative, Christian Schmidt, who had blocked…
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From Switzerland to Afghanistan, US Tariffs Expose Blind Spots in Trade Logic
Trump’s New Tariffs Target Allied and Adversary Nations Alike.The United States (US) is set to implement a new round of tariffs on August 7 as part of its revised trade strategy under the Trump administration. The tariffs, ranging from 10% to 41%, are calculated based on bilateral trade imbalances and apply to dozens of countries including two drawing particular attention: Afghanistan and Switzerland.…
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Georgian Dream: Turns from the West, Invests in the EU
A new report by Transparency International Georgia reveals that leading figures of the ruling Georgian Dream party, including senior officials and their families, are increasingly investing in European Union (EU) countries by acquiring real estate, registering businesses, and securing EU citizenship for family members. The report identifies 18 individuals linked to the ruling party with…
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EU’s Latest Energy Sanctions on Russia: Impact or Illusion?
In response to the ongoing War in Donbas, the European Union (EU) implemented its 18th sanctions package in July, introducing further restrictions on Russian oil exports. The new measures include a revised price cap—15% below market value—and the blacklisting of 100 additional tankers. These steps aim to reduce revenues from Russian oil and disrupt the…
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Kyiv Passes Law Limiting Anti-Corruption Agencies’ Independence
On July 22, Ukraine’s parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, adopted a law reducing the independence of the National Anti-Corruption Bureau (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO). The official justification is to strengthen national security by removing alleged Russian infiltration and to centralize control over anti-corruption bodies during wartime for more effective oversight. Passed with…
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Georgian Teen Jailed Over EU Protests as Prosecutor Vacations in Spain
A 19-year-old Georgian student, Saba Jikia, has been sentenced to four years and six months in prison for assaulting a police officer during protests in December 2024. The demonstrations were sparked by the ruling Georgian Dream party’s announcement that it was suspending efforts toward European Union integration. Jikia was convicted of kicking a Special Task…