Uphold

Switzerland's highest court has upheld a landmark ruling concerning war crimes committed during Liberia's civil war, according to Reuters. The decision affirms an earlier verdict in a case closely watched for its implications for universal jurisdiction, marking a significant moment in Switzerland's efforts to prosecute international atrocities committed abroad.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has pledged to maintain Japan's "exclusively defense-oriented" posture, pushing back after Beijing escalated accusations that Tokyo is pursuing "remilitarization." The exchange marks a fresh diplomatic flashpoint between the two countries, with Koizumi reaffirming constitutional limits on Japan's military role even as regional tensions and defense spending debates continue to draw attention.

Erin Patterson, convicted of murdering three relatives with a poisoned beef Wellington lunch in Australia, argued her trial was unfair on seven grounds. Three appeal judges have rejected all of them, upholding her convictions. The case, one of Australia's most notorious recent criminal trials, continues to draw wide attention as her sentence stands.

A Florida appeals court has upheld the removal of an incumbent commissioner from the Tamarac City Commission ballot, according to the Sun Sentinel. The ruling blocks the sitting officeholder from seeking re-election, leaving the race to be contested by other candidates. The decision resolves the legal challenge over the incumbent's eligibility to appear on the ballot.

The presidents of China and Germany have jointly said the two countries should work to uphold the international order, in comments reported by U.S. News & World Report. The statement signals an emphasis on multilateralism and rules-based cooperation between Beijing and Berlin at a time of global tension, and is drawing attention to what role the two powers intend to play in defending the existing system.

Koen Lenaerts, president of the Court of Justice of the European Union, has said the International Criminal Court deserves the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought. He argued the court should be recognised for its work upholding international justice, speaking in an interview on European affairs. The proposal adds to ongoing debate in Europe about backing international legal institutions.

Advocacy groups are asking the Supreme Court to uphold a lower court order that has blocked construction of the border wall in southwestern Texas. The appeal puts the wall project back before the justices, with opponents arguing construction should remain on hold while their legal challenge continues. The dispute is part of the long-running litigation over border barrier building along the US-Mexico border.

North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein's office secured a win as the state Court of Appeals upheld convictions in a case originating in Guilford County. The ruling keeps the criminal convictions in place after an appellate challenge. Local outlet WXLV reported the decision, drawing attention from readers tracking the case and the attorney general's record in criminal appeals.

A federal court has rejected the Justice Department's attempt to set aside roughly 20,000 ballots in California, a loss for the Trump administration's legal push over the state's election procedures. The ruling drew wide attention online, with commentators framing it as a decisive rebuke of federal interference in state-run elections and a sign that courts continue to uphold California's voting rules.

Italy's highest court has upheld the closure of the former Ilva steelworks, one of Europe's largest steel plants, delivering a legal setback to Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government, which had pushed to keep the facility running. The ruling deepens uncertainty over the future of the Taranto site and the thousands of jobs tied to it.

A Missouri judge has upheld the state law permitting charter schools to operate in Boone County, home to the University of Missouri in Columbia. The ruling clears a legal challenge to the 2024 expansion of charter school access beyond Kansas City and St. Louis, keeping the door open for charter operators in the county while critics of the law weigh next steps.

Erin Patterson, convicted of murdering three people with a poisoned beef Wellington lunch served at her home in Victoria, Australia, has lost her appeal against the murder convictions. The decision upholds one of Australia's most notorious criminal cases, in which Patterson laced the meal with death cap mushrooms, killing three lunch guests and seriously illening a fourth.