Content warning: This article contains mentions of sexual misconduct.
In Brazil, the Supreme Court upholds X ban
Brazil’s highest court banned the social media platform X, citing an alleged spread of misinformation on the platform and owner Elon Musk’s continuous violations of court orders to suspend accounts that violated national law. The Aug. 30 decision comes after months of contention between Musk and Brazilian authorities over content moderation on the platform.
“Elon Musk showed his total disrespect for Brazilian sovereignty and, in particular, for the judiciary, setting himself up as a true supranational entity and immune to the laws of each country,” Alexandre de Moraes, Brazilian Supreme Court Justice, said of his decision.
Individuals who access the platform through any means, including a virtual private network, could face daily fines of $8,900. De Moraes said the ban would stay in place until X complies with the court orders, pays its pending fines for overlooking the Supreme Court’s orders and hires a legal representative in Brazil to mediate conversation between the government and the company.
The Supreme Court justice had previously ordered the removal of X accounts for allegedly violating the country’s laws by spreading hate speech and misinformation. In response, Musk closed X’s office in Brazil in August after ignoring de Moraes’ threats to arrest the company’s legal representative if X did not suspend “certain accounts.”
“Free speech is the bedrock of democracy and an unelected pseudo-judge in Brazil is destroying it for political purposes,” Musk said in a post on Aug. 30.
Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, supported the social media platform’s ban and condemned Musk for seemingly positioning himself above the law.
“If the Supreme Court has made a decision for citizens to comply with certain things, they either have to comply or take another course of action,” Lula said in an interview with Radio MaisPB. “It’s not because the guy has a lot of money that he can disrespect it.”
In France, a sexual assault case brings French women together
Cities across France saw hundreds of people gather for demonstrations supporting Gisèle Pélicot, who was sexually abused by her husband and has since become a symbol of advocacy and resilience in the nation.
Advocates for Pélicot’s case organized more than 30 rallies throughout France on Sept. 14, where demonstrators waved flags and banners that read “Support to Gisèle” and “Victims We Believe You.” Many demonstrators argued that — despite several waves of the #MeToo movement in France — sexual violence in the country often remains unreported and unpunished.
Pélicot’s husband is currently on trial for drugging her and inviting dozens of strangers to sexually assault her over the course of nearly a decade. Pélicot’s lawyers said she decided to have a public trial and allow journalists to publish her full name to raise awareness for sexual abuse.
Her husband, who admitted his crimes to French media, is expected to testify at the trial on Sept. 16. Fifty out of 72 other men have been identified and accused of taking part in the abuse and are currently standing trial.
In Australia, Sydney expands its metro line
After nearly a decade of groundwork, Sydney has expanded its public transportation network with a new line that spans over 15.5 km over Sydney’s west and north districts.
The new line opened on Aug. 19 and spans Sydenham to Chatswood, drastically increasing accessibility between key commuter areas. The new system, estimated at $15 billion, features six stations and 45 driverless trains, decorated with installations commissioned from local Australian artists.
The metro line is projected to exceed the capacity of regular trains and reduce commute times via high-speed railways, with a train arriving at least every four minutes during morning and evening peak times. Services will also run every five minutes mid-day and every 10 minutes at night and on weekends.
The extension of the train line was scheduled to debut on Aug. 4 but was postponed following reports of a firefighter receiving an electric shock after conducting safety drills.
Contact Mariapaula Gonzalez at [email protected].
