MEDITERRANEAN SEA: Survivors aboard a deflating rubber dinghy rescued in the central Mediterranean Sea have reported that 50 people who departed Libya with them a week ago perished during the journey, the humanitarian rescue group SOS Mediterranee said today.

The European charity’s ship Ocean Viking spotted the dinghy with 25 people on board on Wednesday. Two were unconscious, and died.

The other 23 were in serious condition, exhausted, dehydrated and with burns from fuel on board the boat.

BELGIUM: A platoon of about 30 soldiers belonging to Belgium’s armed forces will be dismissed because of serious cases of violence and harassment, the minister of defence said today.

Ludivine Dedonder said that several people had already been placed under protection, while suspects were dismissed or transferred to other units. 

She said there is no place for any form of “sexism, racism or extremism” within the country’s military.

JAPAN: A high court ruled today that denying same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and called for urgent government action to address the lack of any law allowing for such unions. 

The court does not have the power to overturn the current marriage law, which has been interpreted to restrict marriage as between a man and a woman. 

FRANCE: Hundreds of victims of child sexual abuse by priests or church representatives have received financial compensation so far from France’s Catholic church under a sweeping reparations programme, an independent body in charge of the process said today.

An annual report by the Independent National Authority for Recognition and Reparation said 1,351 victims came forward to claim compensation and seek psychological support.