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Culture news

Russian court jails playwright and director for 'justifying terrorism'

Yevgenia Berkovich and Svetlana Petrichuk were handed prison sentences of six years each, the latest development in an unrelenting crackdown on dissent and freedom of expression in Russia.

Georgia

Georgia's president says she will veto 'Russian law'

Salome Zourabichvili has joined public demonstrations against a law that could turn Georgia away from Brussels and towards the Kremlin.

Georgia

Georgia's parliament approves controversial 'Russian law'

President Salome Zourabichvili said she would veto the legislation but the ruling party pressed ahead with the controversial bill.

World News

EU urges Georgia to stick with democratic path to EU membership

The so-called "Russian law" risks jeopardizing Georgia's ambition to join the European Union. 12 member states have asked the EU to clarify whether the law will lead to the potential suspension of membership talks.

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Tech News

TikTok sues US to block new ban law citing threat to free speech

ByteDance, the Chinese owners of the popular app, are citing the First Amendment, the provision of the US Constitution that protects free speech.

Culture news

J.K. Rowling will not be prosecuted after social media comments

J.K. Rowling's comments about Scotland’s new hate crime laws "are not assessed to be criminal", police have said, confirming that no further action would be taken.

Culture news

Why is J.K. Rowling daring police to arrest her?

The Harry Potter author has dared police to arrest her, while prime minister Rishi Sunak has seemingly backed Rowling’s views that the Scottish hate crime law changes could threaten free speech.

Europe News

Euroviews. Will the Brussels spyware scandal finally convince the EU to act?

The incoming EU lawmakers have a choice: confront and act against the menace of spyware to ensure our safety and the integrity of our democracy or become its next targets, Shubham Kaushik and Chloé Berthélémy write.

Culture news

Iranian singer Shervin Hajipour sentenced to prison for protest anthem

Singer Hajipour received a three-year, eight-month sentence on charges of “propaganda against the system” and “encouraging people to protest.” He won a Grammy last year, presented by US first lady Jill Biden, for his song 'Baraye' - "a powerful and poetic call for freedom and women’s rights.”

Health news

Refusing to wear a mask during COVID was not free speech, court rules

Not wearing a mask during the COVID health emergency isn’t a free speech right, a court in the US has ruled.

Culture news

Facebook at 20: Is the social media platform really dying?

Once a way to keep in touch with college friends, the Franken-platform now has very little resemblance to the Facebook of yesteryear. Can it still claim to be culturally-relevant?

Culture news

Berlin Film Festival appeals for travel ban lift for Iranian directors

Calls are intensifying for Iranian authorities to drop all charges against two filmmakers and for their travel ban to be lifted.

Work

eBay fined €2.7M for harassing couple with spiders and cockroaches

"The company’s employees and contractors involved in this campaign put the victims through pure hell,” said Josh Levy, acting Massachusetts US Attorney.

Poland

Companies pull ads from Polish TV station after Auschwitz comments

TV Republika are in hot water after commentators on the station said 'migrants should be sent to Auschwitz or be branded'.

Culture news

Salman Rushdie stabbing trial postponed due to forthcoming memoir

It has been ruled that Salman Rushdie's attacker is allowed to seek material related to Rushdie's upcoming memoir about the attack before standing trial. A new date has not yet been set.

Culture news

Why might the trial of Salman Rushdie's attacker be delayed?

The man charged with repeatedly stabbing Rushdie is reportedly entitled to the manuscript of the author's new memoir, “Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder,” as part of his trial preparation.

Culture news

Russian poet jailed for reciting verses against war in Ukraine

Between late February 2022 and early December 2023, an estimated 19,847 people have been detained in Russia for speaking out or protesting against the war, according to a rights group.

Poland

Polish populist nationalists occupy state television premises

The sit-in comes as Prime Minister Donald Tusk continues his mission to reform state television and radio in the country.

Culture news

Calls intensify for Iran to drop charges against celebrated directors

Filmmakers are calling on Iranian authorities to drop charges against directors Behtash Sanaeeha and Maryam Moghadam, who have been banned from travel.

Culture news

Poland’s new government must restore artist freedoms, NGO says

Poland’s nationalist government dismantled artistic freedoms over eight years but Donald Tusk’s coalition can and should undo the damage, according to the Artistic Freedom Initiative.