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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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Switzerland Enforces EU-Aligned Sanctions Targeting Russia
Switzerland has adopted new restrictive measures against Russia, aligning with the European Union’s 18th package of sanctions. Effective August 12, the measures extend asset freezes, restrictions on providing economic resources, and travel bans to 14 individuals and 41 entities. Those targeted include oil trading companies, defense sector suppliers — some based in third countries —…
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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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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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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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Gaza: One Death Every 12 Minutes
Islamic Relief recently published an analysis of United Nations (UN) data showing that July 2025 has become the deadliest month in Gaza in over a year and a half. Between 1 and 20 July, at least 2,382 Palestinians were killed—an average of 119 deaths per day, or one person every 12 minutes—the highest daily fatality…
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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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SBU Colonel Killed in Kyiv; The Base Claims Responsability
On July 16, the Ukrainian branch of the United States-founded group The Base claimed responsibility for the assassination of Colonel Ivan Voronych of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU). The Base is an organization founded in the United States in 2018 by Rinaldo Nazzaro, a former FBI and Pentagon contractor who has lived in Russia…