International

A Brazilian court decides that offending a white man for his color does not constitute racial insult

The Superior Court of Justice (STJ) of Brazil decided on Tuesday that offenses directed at a white person because of the color of their skin do not constitute racism or racial insult, a crime criminalized in the country and that consists of offending a person because of their race, color, ethnicity or national origin.

According to a sentence unanimously approved by the members of the Sixth Chamber of the court of third instance, racial insult is only configured when the offense is directed at black people because of their race and as a way of discriminating against them.

The decision, which sets a precedent for similar processes, accepted the appeal of a black man accused of racial injury for having called a white man a “European white-headed slaver”. The plaintiff alleged that the accusation did not proceed because there is no so-called “reverse racism”.

The case occurred in the state of Alagoas (northeast) in 2023 and was considered by the Prosecutor’s Office itself as a racial insult.

The third instance magistrates concluded that racial injury does not apply to white people offended by the color of their skin, but that the offense can be considered and sanctioned as another type of crime provided for in the Criminal Code, among which simple insults are included.

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According to the judges, the 1989 Brazilian law that criminalized crimes of prejudice by race or color aimed to protect groups historically discriminated against for racism.

The decision, for the same reason, rejects the concept of “reverse racism”, understood as the act in which black people offend white people because of their race or color.

“We reject the concept of reverse racism because racism is a structural phenomenon that has historically affected minority groups and cannot be applied to majority groups in positions of power,” the sentence says.

For the investigating judge of the process, Magistrate Og Fernandes, “it is unfeasible to interpret the existence of a crime of racial insult committed against a person whose skin is white, when such a characteristic is the reason for the offense.”

Unlike racial injury, with penalties of between 2 and 5 years in prison, simple injury provides for penalties of between one and six months in prison.

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In Brazil, the country with the largest number of Afro-descendants in the world after Nigeria and with historical social differences due to racial discrimination, 56.1% of the population declares itself black or mulatto, according to the 2022 Census.

International

Two killed in shooting at restaurant near Frankfurt Airport

Two people were shot dead early Tuesday at a restaurant in Raunheim, near Frankfurt Airport, according to local police.

Preliminary findings indicate that an armed individual entered the establishment at around 03:45 local time (02:45 GMT) and opened fire on the victims, who died at the scene from their injuries.

The suspect fled and remains at large, while the motive behind the shooting is still unclear, German media reported. Authorities have launched a large-scale search operation.

International

U.S. counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to war in Iran

Joe Kent, director of the National Counterterrorism Center, announced Tuesday that he has resigned from his post, citing his opposition to the ongoing war in Iran.

In a post on X, Kent said he could not, “in good conscience,” support the conflict, arguing that Iran did not pose an imminent threat to the United States. He also claimed that the war was driven by pressure from Israel and its lobbying influence in Washington.

In a resignation letter addressed to Donald Trump, Kent alleged that at the start of the current administration, senior Israeli officials and influential figures in U.S. media carried out a disinformation campaign that undermined the “America First” platform and fostered pro-war sentiment aimed at triggering a conflict with Iran.

Kent further stated that he could not support sending a new generation of Americans to “fight and die in a war that provides no benefit to the American people and does not justify the cost in American lives.”

Since the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28, at least 13 U.S. service members have been killed, while 10 others have been seriously wounded and around 200 have sustained minor injuries, according to a report published by The Wall Street Journal.

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International

German president warns Iran war could spread and disrupt Strait of Hormuz

The president of Germany, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, warned Monday that the war involving Iran could expand and further disrupt shipping through the strategic Strait of Hormuz. He urged a swift end to hostilities between Iran, United States and Israel.

Speaking in Panama City during a joint appearance with Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino, Steinmeier said available information suggests Iran has significant capacity to disrupt maritime traffic through the key oil route.

“Iran has considerable potential to interfere with shipping through the Strait of Hormuz,” Steinmeier said through an interpreter. “We should therefore reach an end to the hostilities as soon as possible and call on all parties involved to make that happen.”

The remarks came during Steinmeier’s visit to Panama, the first by a German president to the Central American nation.

The German leader described the possibility of the conflict spreading as “very dangerous,” saying recent developments indicate that such a scenario cannot be ruled out.

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Over the weekend, U.S. President Donald Trump urged allied nations to help ensure safe passage for ships through the Strait of Hormuz after Iran moved to block the waterway in response to U.S. strikes. However, several allies—particularly in Europe—have shown little support for the proposal.

“Some are very enthusiastic, others are not, and some are countries we have helped for many years,” Trump told reporters at the White House. “We have protected them from terrible external threats, and they’re not that enthusiastic. And the level of enthusiasm is important to me.”

Meanwhile, Kaja Kallas, the European Union’s top diplomat, said the Strait of Hormuz falls “outside NATO’s scope” and stressed that “the war involving Iran is not Europe’s war.”