First Thing: 51 men found guilty in Pelicot mass rape trial
Dec 19, 2024
French husband jailed for 20 years over abuse of Gisèle Pelicot. Plus, Human Rights Watch accuses Israel of genocide for restricting Gaza water supplyGood morning.A panel of judges has declared all of the 51 defendants in France’s mass rape case to be guilty, after a three-month trial that sent shockwaves around the world.Who are the men convicted of rape and assault? They include a soldier, a nurse, a butcher, a truck driver, a supermarket worker and dozens more. But the Pelicot children have said they are “disappointed by the low sentences”, Agence France-Presse reports.What happens now? “The surge of united feminist feeling that has risen throughout France is a springboard from which we can continue our battle for equality and justice,” said Clémence Guetté, the vice-president of France’s national assembly.Follow our live coverage here.What levers could Trump pull to attack critics? He could use the justice department and Internal Revenue Service to target non-profits and researchers, launch politically motivated investigations and pass legislation to restrict their activities.What have Trump’s nominees for top government roles said? Kash Patel, Trump’s nominee for FBI director, has vowed to “come after” media outlets and non-profits that he falsely claims “helped Joe Biden rig presidential elections”. Continue reading...