prisons

Ukrainian forces have retaken territory and captured Russian prisoners of war during a push along the frontline, according to Politico reporting. The advance suggests Kyiv's troops are pressing offensive operations despite a difficult battlefield situation, though no specific locations or scale of the gains have been detailed in the available report.

South Korea has voiced anger toward Ukraine over the fate of two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting alongside Russian forces. The dispute centres on what Seoul sees as its rightful claim over the prisoners and questions about their interrogation, transfer and eventual repatriation. The case has drawn attention to the broader issue of North Korean troops serving in Russia's war against Ukraine and the diplomatic friction it creates between Kyiv and Seoul.

Elizabeth Holmes, the convicted founder of blood-testing startup Theranos, is reportedly set to be transferred from federal prison to a halfway home next year. The move, reported by the Guardian, marks a new stage in her sentence for defrauding investors. It has revived debate over her case and the sentence she received.

Ukraine's Third Army Corps says entire Russian units have surrendered to Ukrainian forces, with more than 250 Russian soldiers taken prisoner in recent stages of the operation codenamed "Vivaldi". Reports circulating widely frame the mass surrenders as a sign of collapsing morale and dwindling loyalty to Russian command among frontline troops.

Iranian human rights lawyer Nasrin Sotoudeh has been awarded the Václav Havel Human Rights Prize. Sotoudeh, known for defending women's rights activists and political prisoners in Iran and for serving prison time for her work, is one of the country's most prominent rights defenders. The award honours individuals committed to defending human rights in Europe and beyond, and news of the honour is being reported across international media.

Ukraine says its forces have taken around 250 Russian soldiers prisoner during an offensive in which remote-controlled, unmanned vehicles — dubbed 'zombie cars' — were reportedly used to lead assaults and draw fire. The operation highlights Kyiv's growing use of robotic systems on the battlefield to reduce risks to its own troops while pressuring Russian positions.

Ukraine says a recent offensive, dubbed the 'zombie car' offensive, has resulted in the capture of 250 Russian soldiers. The operation reportedly relied on unmanned or remote-controlled vehicles used to draw fire and carry out assaults. The tactic highlights how both sides are adapting to drone-heavy warfare, with Ukrainian forces claiming significant territorial and personnel gains.

Attention is on the Russian prison where Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was held before his 2024 release in a prisoner swap. Reporting revisits the conditions of his detention and what his time there revealed about Russia's treatment of detained Americans and the system he left behind.

Three Egyptian security officials have been convicted in absentia over the kidnapping of Giulio Regeni, the Italian Cambridge University student found tortured and killed near Cairo in 2016. The verdict, handed down by an Italian court, is seen by human rights advocates as a rare step toward accountability, though none of the convicted men is likely to be extradited or serve prison time.

The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to allow restrictions on gender-affirming health care for transgender inmates in federal prisons. The request seeks to undo lower court rulings that blocked such limits, and it lands amid ongoing legal and political battles over transgender rights and the treatment of transgender people in the US justice system.

Norway will allocate 25 million kroner (€2.3 million) to help find and bring back Ukrainian children deported to Russia, and to support Ukrainian prisoners of war and civilians held in detention. The funding adds to international efforts to trace thousands of children who were taken from occupied Ukrainian territories, an issue that has drawn condemnation from human rights bodies.

A man has been sentenced to six years in prison for bringing explosives to a church hosting the annual Red Mass, a service traditionally held for judges and justices before the legal year begins. The case drew wide wire coverage from outlets including ABC News and The Seattle Times, with attention focused on the target's connection to the judiciary and questions about security at the event.

The Trump administration has asked the Supreme Court to block a lower court order that halted its policy on transgender inmates, reportedly ending the housing of transgender women in women's federal prisons. The emergency application goes to the justices after a district court ruled against the policy. The request sets up another high-profile clash over transgender rights and presidential authority before the Court.

The Trump administration has asked the US Supreme Court to let it enforce limits on gender-affirming care for transgender inmates in federal prisons. The request asks the justices to allow the policy to take effect while legal challenges proceed, and it lands amid ongoing national battles over transgender healthcare and prison rights.

Two people have been sentenced to 60 and 45 years in prison in connection with the death of a Telemundo reporter, according to a Guardian report. The sentencing marks a major development in a case that has drawn attention to violence against journalists. Further details about the defendants, the reporter's identity and the circumstances of the killing were not included in the available reporting.

A human rights chief is calling for greater support for North Korean prisoners of war now living in South Korea. The appeal highlights the ongoing challenges faced by former POWs from the Korean War era, many of whom were never repatriated and later defected to the South. Advocates argue they deserve recognition and assistance.

South Korea has formally demanded an apology from Ukraine after Kyiv disclosed the transfer of a North Korean prisoner of war, according to the Korea JoongAng Daily. The case touches on the fate of North Korean soldiers captured while fighting alongside Russia, a sensitive issue in Seoul. Some observers questioned the framing of the story, calling it odd or possibly contrived.

South Korea has demanded an apology from Kyiv after Ukraine shared footage or information regarding the transfer of North Korean prisoners of war. The dispute touches on the sensitive issue of North Korean soldiers captured while fighting alongside Russia in Ukraine, and how they should be handled. Dutch media are covering the diplomatic friction between the two countries.

Search interest in the Unabomber is climbing in France, where the term ranks among top queries, and it is also trending in Germany. The Unabomber refers to Ted Kaczynski, who carried out a deadly US mail-bombing campaign from 1978 to 1995 before his arrest in 1996; he died in prison in 2023. The spike suggests renewed public attention to the case, likely driven by streaming content or coverage.

A Singapore court has sentenced an Indian IT vendor to more than two years in prison for endangering government files. The case highlights how strictly Singapore treats the security of official data, even when those handling it are outside contractors. Indian media are carrying the story widely, given the vendor's nationality and the implications for Indian firms working on government IT contracts abroad.