International
Gisèle Pelicot, the victim of hundreds of rapes orchestrated by her husband, testified again at the trial
Gisèle Pelicot, the victim of hundreds of rapes orchestrated by her husband when she was under the influence of drugs, will testify again in the trial opened in early September in Avignon, in the south of France, to try to clarify some of the points that have been addressed in the process.
The victim’s statement has raised media expectations for the process, which had fallen in recent days, and which should last until December 20.
Pelicot’s lawyer, Stéphane Babonneau, assured France Bleu radio that his client “has heard many things, which have sometimes hurt, hurt and scandalized her,” while pointing out that this new testimony in the middle of the trial “will allow the case to be better judged.”
Symbol against male domination
Turned into a symbol against male domination, Gisèle Pelicot has attended almost all of the trial sessions, has listened to the testimonies of the defendants and the projection of the images recorded by her husband of the alleged rapes.
The last time he took the floor was to denounce “a humiliation” in some of the testimonies and in the strategies of some of the defenses: “They came to rape me, it’s so degrading what I hear in this room.”
In the vicinity of the Court of Avignon, several banners could be seen in support of Gisèle Pelicot and the victims of sexual abuse.
“A rape is a rape,” says one of those banners, while another read “Welcome our sisters in support of Gisèle,” a reference to the group of Spanish feminists who attended the demonstration that took place last Saturday in front of the court in support of the victim.
As is tradition, upon arrival in court Gisèle Pelicot was applauded, as a sign of support for a case that has become a cause with which this woman wants “shame to change sides”, that the victims stop being questioned, as she herself denounced that she was, and that the events she suffered for almost 10 years are never repeated.
Giséle Pelicot: “I also had an exceptional man”
Gisèle Pelicot reminded the women who today supported her relatives accused that she also had “an exceptional man.”
“These mothers, sisters, women, have said that their brothers and husbands were exceptional. I also had an exceptional man, but the profile of the rapist can be in the family, in the friends,” he said on Wednesday when he intervened again as a witness in the Court of Avignon (southeast).
This woman, who has become an authentic feminist symbol in France, explained that every day she goes to trial for all the victims of rape and for those women and men who support her day after day, with applause in the courts and with messages through social networks.
“I have realized that I don’t have to be ashamed, I have nothing to reproach myself for, I have suffered 100 violations,” he said.
He also said that his request for an open trial and his consent to have videos of the rapes shown is because he wants “all rape victims to be able to say that, if Mrs. Pelicot did it, we can do it too.”
“I don’t want them to be afraid, we don’t have to be ashamed, it’s them,” he insisted.
However, she acknowledged that she is “destroyed” at the age of 72: “I am a completely destroyed woman and I don’t know how I’m going to get up. I don’t know if my life will give me to understand everything that has happened to me.”
International
Wildfires Burn Nearly 7,800 Hectares in France as Extreme Heat Fuels Fire Risk
Wildfires have burned approximately 7,800 hectares across France during the first eight days of July, already surpassing the more than 4,400 hectares destroyed throughout the entire month of July 2025, according to data from the European Forest Fire Information System (EFFIS) analyzed by AFP.
Authorities have maintained the highest wildfire alert across much of southern France as soaring temperatures and strengthening winds continue to increase the risk of new outbreaks.
Early-season fires in the departments of Pyrénées-Orientales, Drôme, and Hérault have prompted the deployment of significant firefighting personnel and equipment from across the country as emergency services work to contain the blazes.
Officials continue to monitor weather conditions closely, warning that persistent heat and strong winds could further complicate firefighting efforts in the coming days.
International
USAR El Salvador Helps Rescue Dogs Trapped for 12 Days Beneath Earthquake Rubble
Stories of survival continue to emerge from Venezuela following the powerful 7.5- and 7.2-magnitude earthquakes that struck the country on June 24. In recent days, social media has highlighted the rescue of several dogs that survived for nearly two weeks beneath collapsed buildings.
One of the rescues involved Milo, a small-breed dog that was spotted trapped under the rubble of a collapsed building. The operation was carried out jointly by members of USAR El Salvador, Topos Azteca, and Topos Azteca Nayarit, who safely brought the animal to the surface after 12 days.
Another dog, Draco, a black-and-tan Chihuahua, was rescued from the rubble of an apartment building in La Guaira. Relatives searching for missing pets were guided by the dog’s faint barking. After being rescued, Draco received first aid and hydration from a veterinary team before being transferred to a specialized clinic for further medical treatment.
Meanwhile, the Armed Force of El Salvador announced that another rescued dog, Fénix, has begun a new chapter in El Salvador. According to the institution, the mixed-breed dog was rescued by its Humanitarian Rescue Unit (UHR) and has since been adopted by the team.
The Armed Force said Fénix will be trained as a search-and-rescue dog and is expected to join the UHR in future emergency response missions, becoming part of the unit dedicated to saving lives.
International
UN Appeals for $296 Million in Emergency Aid Following Venezuela Earthquakes
Tom Fletcher, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator, is currently in Venezuela, where he has been meeting with government officials to assess the country’s humanitarian response following the recent earthquakes.
During a virtual meeting on Wednesday with ministers organized by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Fletcher issued an urgent appeal for $296 million to fund emergency relief operations.
“We have a clear plan. We need $296 million to address the socioeconomic needs of 1.3 million people over the next six months. It is a time-bound plan,” Fletcher said. He also acknowledged the support already received, adding, “Donors are stepping up, and I pay tribute to them and thank them.”
The emergency appeal comes in addition to the $632 million humanitarian response plan launched earlier this year for Venezuela, where nearly eight million people were already in need of humanitarian assistance before the earthquakes.
According to UN officials, that plan had secured only $115 million in funding before the twin earthquakes struck. Following a new wave of international contributions, the total funding has now reached $300 million.
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