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The Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced on Tuesday that an unidentified foreign journalist was seized by "unknown individuals" in Baghdad, though the reporter’s name was not disclosed in the initial statement.Security forces swiftly pursued the kidnappers, arresting one suspect and confiscating the vehicle used in the abduction. Authorities emphasized that investigations remain ongoing to locate all participants and secure the journalist’s release.This kidnapping comes as Iraq experiences a surge in violence linked to the broader US‑Israel war on Iran. Recent weeks have seen attacks on Iraqi security forces in Anbar province and elsewhere, underscoring a volatile security environment.The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) expressed deep concern after media reports identified the victim as U.S. freelance journalist Shelley Kittleson. CPJ’s Middle East regional director, Sara Qudah, urged Iraqi authorities to "do everything in their power to locate Shelley Kittleson, ensure her immediate and safe release, and hold those responsible to account."U.S. State Department official Dylan Johnson confirmed that Washington is "aware of the reported kidnapping of an American journalist" in Baghdad. He noted that the State Department had previously issued a warning to the journalist about threats and that it is coordinating with the FBI to facilitate a swift release.Johnson also revealed that Iraqi authorities have taken into custody an individual with ties to the paramilitary group Kataib Hezbollah, who is believed to be involved in the kidnapping.Press‑freedom advocates have repeatedly called on the Iraqi government to strengthen protections for journalists. Reporters Without Borders warned that journalists face "threats from all sides" amid political instability and financial pressure, noting that abductions are often employed to "terrorise and silence" media workers.CPJ has documented a series of press‑freedom violations since the war began on February 28, including a mid‑March assault on a television crew in Kirkuk allegedly carried out by fighters affiliated with the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF), a faction of Iraq’s armed forces with Iran‑aligned elements.

Digital violence is on the rise in Africa, driven by the rapid growth of internet access and high youth populations. Experts warn that this trend has severe consequences, including mental health problems, withdrawal from public and economic life, physical attacks, and femicide.In Africa, internet access is growing exponentially, with more than 70% of the population under 30. This has created a toxic online environment with dire real-life consequences. A study across five countries in sub-Saharan Africa found that 28% of women had experienced online violence. As internet access expands, this number is expected to rise.Primary targets include women in politics, human rights activists, journalists, and women with a public profile. 46% of female parliamentarians across 50 African countries have been the target of sexist attacks online, and 42% have received threats of death, rape, beating, or abduction, often through social media.Legislation and digital literacy are crucial in combating digital violence. Only 38% of people on the continent are internet users, and among women, the figure falls to 31%. Experts stress that platforms need to be accountable for the harm that is taking place on them and put user safety over profit.Examples of digital violence include doxing, deepfake abuse, sexual harassment, intimidation, and sextortion. These actions can lead to stalking, physical violence, and damage to reputation. Globally, nearly two in every five women will experience tech-facilitated violence, while 85% of women who are online have witnessed or encountered online abuse.Fewer than 40% of countries have laws protecting women from cyber harassment or cyber stalking, leaving 44% of the world’s women and girls – 1.8 billion – without access to legal protection. In Africa, about 17 countries have introduced legislation looking at cybercrime, but most do not acknowledge the gendered nature of abuse.

A United States judge has ruled that he will not dismiss the drug-trafficking and weapons possession charges brought against former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores.In a Thursday court hearing, Judge Alvin Hellerstein questioned whether the US government has the right to bar Venezuela from funding Maduro's legal expenses. The hearing was the first for Maduro and his wife since a brief January arraignment, where they pleaded not guilty.Maduro and Flores have sought to have the charges against them thrown out. Hellerstein declined to do so, but he pressed the prosecution on some of the issues Maduro's legal team raised in its petition to dismiss the case. Among them was a decision by the administration of US President Donald Trump to prevent the Venezuelan government from financing Maduro's defence.Federal prosecutors argued that national security reasons prevented the US from allowing such payments. They also pointed to ongoing sanctions against the Venezuelan government. But Hellerstein pushed back against that argument, noting that Trump had eased sanctions against Venezuela since Maduro's abduction on January 3. He also questioned how Maduro might pose a security threat while imprisoned in New York.“The defendant is here. Flores is here. They present no further national security threat,” said Hellerstein. “I see no abiding interest of national security on the right to defend themselves.”Hellerstein emphasised that, in the US, all criminal defendants have the right to a vigorous defence, as part of the US Constitution's Sixth Amendment. Maduro, who led Venezuela from 2013 to 2026, has been charged with four criminal counts, including “narco-terrorism” conspiracy, conspiracy to import cocaine, the possession of machine guns and the conspiracy to possess machine guns and other destructive devices.He and his wife were taken into US custody on January 3, after Trump launched an attack on Venezuela. The Trump administration has framed the military operation as a “law enforcement function”, but experts say it was widely considered illegal under international law, which protects local sovereignty.Trump himself weighed in on the proceedings during a Thursday US Cabinet meeting, hinting that further charges could be brought against Maduro. “He emptied his prisons in Venezuela, emptied his prisons into our country,” Trump said of Maduro, reiterating an unsubstantiated claim. “And I hope that charge will be brought at some point. Because that was a big charge that hasn’t been brought yet. It should be brought.”

US lawmakers, including Senator Chris Murphy and Representative Greg Casar, are taking steps to regulate prediction markets by introducing the Banning Event Trading on Sensitive Operations and Federal Functions (BETS OFF) Act. This legislation seeks to prohibit wagers on sensitive events such as government actions, terrorism, war, assassination, and events where an individual knows or controls the outcome. The proposed bill comes in response to concerns that betting platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket have allowed users to profit from geopolitical conflicts, including the US and Israel's joint strikes against Iran and the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Critics argue that these platforms enable individuals with insider knowledge to influence government decisions and profit from them. Murphy emphasized that the legislation aims to prevent the monetization of sensitive events, stating, "What happens to us spiritually when every moral question in this country becomes a market?" He added that certain matters should not be influenced by the potential for profit. The lawmakers cited examples of significant profits made by users on Polymarket, including a $500,000 profit from a bet on Iran's supreme leader being out of power hours before a strike. They suggested that such trades may have been made by individuals with insider knowledge from within the White House or close to the administration. The BETS OFF Act is part of a broader effort to regulate the prediction market industry. Other proposed legislation includes measures to establish federal consumer protections, ban elected officials from profiting from prediction markets, and impose age verification for users.