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UN: No Evidence on Genocide in Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv. AFP
Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv. AFP
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UN: No Evidence on Genocide in Ukraine

Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv. AFP
Ukrainian soldiers in Kyiv. AFP

UN investigators said Thursday they "have not found that there has been a genocide within Ukraine.”

Presenting their first report, the high-level team of investigators said they had determined that Russian authorities had committed "a wide range of war crimes" since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 -- and also warned of possible crimes against humanity.

But Erik Mose, chairman of the Commission of Inquiry (COI), said that so far they "have not found that there has been a genocide within Ukraine".

Asked about specific accusations of genocide, including the forced transfer of Ukrainian children to areas under Russian control, Mose said: "We are absolutely aware of these possibilities, and we will pursue this" if the commission's mandate is prolonged.

The investigators' report did however conclude that the forced deportations of Ukrainian children "violate international humanitarian law, and amount to a war crime".

The report highlighted numerous other Russian violations in Ukraine that it said amounted to war crimes, including widespread attacks on civilians and infrastructure, killings, torture and rape and other sexual violence.

It also said Moscow could be responsible for the even more serious "crimes against humanity", pointing to the wave of Russian attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure that began last October, and recommended further investigations.

The report also found that Ukraine forces had committed a "small number of violations" including what appeared to be indiscriminate attacks and torture of prisoners of war.

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World

Bus-truck Head-on Collision in Brazil Kills at Least 21

An ambulance arrives at the 28 de Agosto, in Manaus, Brazil, April 16, 2020. REUTERS/Bruno Kelly
An ambulance arrives at the 28 de Agosto, in Manaus, Brazil, April 16, 2020. REUTERS/Bruno Kelly
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Bus-truck Head-on Collision in Brazil Kills at Least 21

An ambulance arrives at the 28 de Agosto, in Manaus, Brazil, April 16, 2020. REUTERS/Bruno Kelly
An ambulance arrives at the 28 de Agosto, in Manaus, Brazil, April 16, 2020. REUTERS/Bruno Kelly

At least 21 people died and four others were injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a truck in the BR-373 highway in Brazil's southern state of Parana, ⁠the road operator ⁠said on Wednesday in an X post.

All the fatal victims were on the bus, Via Araucaria ⁠added.

The road was completely blocked with no estimated time for it to be cleared, according to the toad operator.

Local media reported that the bus involved in the accident belonged to the Imbituva ⁠municipal ⁠health department. City authorities did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment or confirmation.

Imbituva is a city of about 30,000 people, roughly 180 km (110 miles) west of Parana's capital Curitiba.

World

France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats in Coming Days, Foreign Minister Says

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot arrives to attend the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, France, July 14, 2026. (Reuters)
French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot arrives to attend the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, France, July 14, 2026. (Reuters)
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France to Expel Two Iranian Diplomats in Coming Days, Foreign Minister Says

French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot arrives to attend the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, France, July 14, 2026. (Reuters)
French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noel Barrot arrives to attend the annual Bastille Day military parade on the Champs-Elysees avenue in Paris, France, July 14, 2026. (Reuters)

France will expel two Iranian diplomats in the coming days in response to an incident in July involving two staff of the French embassy in Tehran.

"I had announced that this intolerable act would have consequences. And ‌so it has. ‌Two Iranian diplomats in ‌France will ⁠be expelled in ⁠the very near future," Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in a post on X.

Last month, the French ministry said the two French embassy staff had been detained and physically intimidated by ⁠Iranian security services in Tehran.

Barrot had ‌summoned the ‌Iranian charge d'affaires in Paris in protest following ‌the incident on July 19.

Barrot's comments ‌came one day after the Iranian ministry said two French embassy employees, who were involved in July in a diplomatic dispute ‌in Tehran, would not be allowed to return to Iran.

Iranian Foreign ⁠Ministry ⁠spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said the two French staff had violated the Vienna Convention, which defines the rules and privileges of diplomatic missions, by engaging in activities supporting Iranian civil society.

French Foreign Ministry spokesperson Pascal Confavreux said in a statement that "the Iranian authorities have chosen to make completely false accusations against our agents and to fabricate a case of interference to justify their actions."

World

US Expands Charges Against Iranians in Massive Hacking Scheme

A U.S. Justice Department logo or seal showing Justice Department headquarters, known as "Main Justice," is seen behind the podium in the Department's headquarters briefing room before a news conference with the Attorney General in Washington, January 24, 2023. (Reuters)
A U.S. Justice Department logo or seal showing Justice Department headquarters, known as "Main Justice," is seen behind the podium in the Department's headquarters briefing room before a news conference with the Attorney General in Washington, January 24, 2023. (Reuters)
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US Expands Charges Against Iranians in Massive Hacking Scheme

A U.S. Justice Department logo or seal showing Justice Department headquarters, known as "Main Justice," is seen behind the podium in the Department's headquarters briefing room before a news conference with the Attorney General in Washington, January 24, 2023. (Reuters)
A U.S. Justice Department logo or seal showing Justice Department headquarters, known as "Main Justice," is seen behind the podium in the Department's headquarters briefing room before a news conference with the Attorney General in Washington, January 24, 2023. (Reuters)

US authorities expanded its prosecution of a sprawling Iranian hacking network Tuesday, bringing to 17 the number of indicted suspects for an alleged campaign against universities, companies, and government agencies.

The Department of Justice unveiled a new indictment targeting eight additional individuals, with nine of the 17 defendants having already been indicted in 2018.

Prosecutors are offering a $10 million reward for information leading to the prosecution of five of them, identified as Behzad Mesri, Mojtaba Galekuhi, Arman Kahzadian, Keyvan Fayaz, and Saber Shahbazi Ballojeh.

All are linked to the Mabna Institute, an organization based in Iran that is said to have carried out hacking operations on behalf of the Iranian government and the Revolutionary Guards, prosecutors said.

The campaign, carried out mainly between 2013 and 2017, was aimed in particular at stealing scientific data and intellectual property.

The expanded case now covers the hacking of 144 US universities and 178 foreign universities, as well as at least 42 US companies, 11 foreign firms, five US government agencies, and two NGOs.

The hackers are said to have targeted more than 100,000 accounts belonging to professors, the Justice Department said.

They are believed to have stolen some 31.5 terabytes of data, including scientific articles, dissertations and other research work.

"More than eight years after making the original indictment public, these charges make clear that the passage of time will not deter us from identifying and pursuing those who target the United States from abroad," said US Attorney Jamie McDonald for the Southern District of New York.

The US Treasury announced in 2018 that it had imposed sanctions on the nine individuals initially indicted, as well as on a tenth suspect who was allegedly involved in an attempted extortion case against HBO, from which he had stolen the script of an unaired episode of the hit series "Game of Thrones."