European parliament urges EU to draw up standardised consent-based definition of rape

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Eight EU members continue to include force or violence in their definitions in national criminal codes

The European parliament has called on the EU to draw up a standardised consent-based definition of rape, in what legislators described as a crucial step towards addressing the patchwork of laws, some of them insufficient, that currently exist across the bloc.

On Tuesday, 447 of the parliament’s 720 MEPs voted to approve a report calling for a common definition of rape, centred on “only yes means yes,” prompting a loud round of applause in the chamber in Strasbourg.

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89-year-old man arrested over Athens double shooting

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Multiple people injured when gunman opened fire inside a social security office and later an appeals court

An 89-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of shooting and wounding several people in attacks on government buildings in Athens.

Hours after the double shooting in the Greek capital, authorities announced a suspect had been detained in the western port city of Patras, reportedly attempting to flee to Italy. His arrest followed a countrywide manhunt.

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Justice department files new criminal charges against ex-FBI director Comey

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Subject of charges remains unclear, after earlier case over congressional testimony was dismissed

The justice department filed new criminal charges against James Comey, the former FBI director, on Tuesday, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Comey was charged over a picture he posted on Instagram last year in which sea shells were arranged to say “86 47”, CNN and the Associated Press reported. The post was taken as a threat to Donald Trump. The number 86 can be used as shorthand for getting rid of something, and Trump is the 47th president. Comey subsequently deleted the post and apologized, saying he didn’t realize the numbers were associated with violence. “It never occurred to me, but I oppose violence of any kind so I took the post down,” he wrote on Instagram.

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U.S. weighs Iranian proposal that would open Strait of Hormuz but delay nuclear talks – The Washington Post

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  1. U.S. weighs Iranian proposal that would open Strait of Hormuz but delay nuclear talks  The Washington Post
  2. Trump Is Dissatisfied With Iran’s Plan to Reopen Strait of Hormuz  The New York Times
  3. Iran Offers a New Proposal to End War  WSJ
  4. U.S. appears cool on Iran proposal to end war and reopen Hormuz without a nuclear deal  NBC News
  5. Iran offers to reopen Strait of Hormuz if US lifts its blockade and the war ends, officials say  AP News
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US soldier pleads not guilty to charges of betting on Nicolás Maduro’s ouster

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Prosecutors allege Gannon Van Dyke won $400,000 using insider information to bet on Maduro raid on Polymarket

The US army soldier charged with winning $400,000 by using insider information to bet on the removal of the ousted Venezuelan president Nicolás Maduro pleaded not guilty to fraud charges on Tuesday.

Gannon Ken Van Dyke, 38, entered the plea in US district judge Margaret Garnett’s courtroom in Manhattan. Van Dyke sported a shaved head and wore a black blazer, jeans and brown shoes as he arrived to the courtroom with his lawyers, Zach Intrater and Mark Geragos.

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IDF blows up 2 vast Hezbollah attack tunnels built with ‘direct guidance’ from Iran – The Times of Israel

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  1. IDF blows up 2 vast Hezbollah attack tunnels built with ‘direct guidance’ from Iran  The Times of Israel
  2. WATCH: IDF dismantles largest Hezbollah tunnel network in southern Lebanon  The Jerusalem Post
  3. IDF locates Hezbollah weapons cache in children’s bedroom during op. in southern Lebanon  Yahoo
  4. "The Human Shield in White": The Military Role of Hezbollah’s Health System  Alma Research and Education Center
  5. Large explosion in southern Lebanon causes earthquake in northern Israel  Anadolu Ajansı
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Teen mariachi trio detained by ICE to open for Kacey Musgraves in Texas

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Gámez-Cuéllar brothers were arrested alongside parents in February and later released after bipartisan backlash

Three teenage mariachi musicians who were temporarily detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in February have been tapped to open for country singer Kacey Musgraves at several upcoming shows in Texas.

On Monday, Musgraves announced that the Gámez-Cuéllar brothers Antonio, 18; Caleb, 14; and Joshua, 12, would join her for performances at Gruene Hall from 3 to 5 May as part of her Middle of Nowhere tour.

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What Made an ex-Mossad Chief Say He’s ‘Ashamed to Be a Jew’ – Haaretz

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  1. What Made an ex-Mossad Chief Say He's 'Ashamed to Be a Jew'  Haaretz
  2. 'The settlers are winning now': West Bank activists aiding Palestinians are increasingly targets themselves  The Forward
  3. Ex-Mossad chief says Israeli settler violence reminds him of the Holocaust  Middle East Eye
  4. Settler pogroms in Palestine are part of Israels policy  malaysiasun.com
  5. Violence by Israeli settlers in West Bank surges during Iran War, human rights groups say  Yahoo
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Virginia Giuffre’s brother criticizes King Charles III for not meeting survivors of Epstein abuse

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Sky Roberts said survivors ‘still fighting to be heard’ after king, whose brother Andrew was accused of assault by Giuffre, did not meet with them

The brother of the late Virginia Giuffre criticized King Charles III for not meeting with survivors of Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse during his visit to the United States this week.

“Survivors are here sitting with members of Congress, still fighting to be heard, still pushing for real accountability, while many of the powerful figures connected to these systems remain just out of reach, unable to acknowledge survivors face to face,” Giuffre’s brother Sky Roberts said. “You would expect this to be a moment for the king to give a message to the world that he stands with survivors.”

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Bosnia signs up to Trump-linked pipeline to reduce Russian gas dependence – Al Jazeera

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  1. Bosnia signs up to Trump-linked pipeline to reduce Russian gas dependence  Al Jazeera
  2. US signs energy and AI deals with Balkan countries as its influence widens  Reuters
  3. Croatia, Bosnia sign pipeline deal to reduce dependency on Russia  AP News
  4. EU risks fallout with US over Trump-linked Balkans pipeline plan  The Guardian
  5. Environmentalists in Western Balkans call for renewables over US gas projects  eKathimerini.com
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African migrants warned to close shops during South Africa anti-migrant march – BBC

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  1. African migrants warned to close shops during South Africa anti-migrant march  BBC
  2. Hundreds march in Johannesburg against illegal migration as shops shut over looting fears  AP News
  3. Apr 29: South Africa’s Immigration Tensions Boil Over, Senegal’s LGBTQ Crackdown Threatens HIV Care  OkayAfrica
  4. Lesufi calls on South Africans to help strengthen illegal immigration legislation  EWN
  5. Hlabisa warns of tipping point in South Africa's illegal immigration crisis  IOL
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Stranded whale Timmy swims on to barge in German rescue attempt

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Rescuers hope to move young male humpback from Baltic to North Sea after being stranded for a month near Lübeck

Rescuers trying to save a stranded humpback whale off Germany’s Baltic coast have coaxed the mammal on to a barge in the hope the vessel can take it to safety in deeper waters.

Amid intense media attention, the high-stakes rescue mission, funded by two multi-millionaires, is being watched by hundreds of onlookers, many of whom are camped nearby to monitor the spectacle.

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