Gaza genocide: ICC chief prosecutor puts his office back on collision course with America
Just months after being appointed to a nine-year term in The Hague, Khan shifted the ICC’s investigation in Afghanistan away from US forces to focus on the alleged crimes of the Taliban and local ISIS militants. The move drew criticism from human rights organisations and was seen by some as an attempt to win over Washington.
It’s not all gloom in Middle East as some Iranians are celebrating President Raisi’s death
For opponents of Iran’s clerical rulers at home and in exile, Raisi has been a hate figure since the 1980s when he was blamed for playing a leading role as a jurist in the execution of dissidents. Iran has never acknowledged that mass executions took place; amnesty International says 5,000 Iranians, possibly more, were executed in the first decade after the revolution.
Expert: Iran faces acute spare parts shortage and relies on black market to keep its aircraft in air
President Raisi was seen as a protégé to Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and a potential successor for his position within the country’s Shiite theocracy. Under the Iranian constitution, if a president dies, the country’s first vice president – in this case, Mohammad Mokhber – would become president.
Explainer: Why ICC prosecutor’s office is zeroing in on Israeli PM Netanyahu and Hamas leaders
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan said in October last year the court had jurisdiction over any potential war crimes carried out by Hamas fighters in Israel and by Israelis in the Gaza Strip.
ICC prosecutor Karim Khan applies for arrest warrants for Israeli PM Netanyahu, three Hamas leaders
Karim Khan said that he believes Netanyahu, his defence minister Yoav Gallant and three Hamas leaders – Yehia Sinwar, Mohammed Deif and Ismail Haniyeh – are responsible for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip and Israel.
Official: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his foreign minister killed in helicopter crash
An Iranian official earlier said the helicopter carrying Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was completely burned in the crash on Sunday.
Israel troops pound northern Gaza Strip as new cracks in Netanyahu coalition
At least 35,340 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli strikes since October 7, according to the enclave’s health ministry, while aid agencies have warned repeatedly of widespread hunger and dire shortages of fuel and medical supplies.
US is sending $1 billion more in weapons and ammunition to Israel, congressional aides say
The package disclosed on Tuesday includes about $700 million for tank ammunition, $500 million in tactical vehicles and $60 million in mortar rounds, the congressional aides said. They spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an arms transfer that has not yet been made public.
UN assembly approves resolution that grants Palestine new rights, revives its UN membership bid
It also demonstrated growing support for the Palestinians. A General Assembly resolution on October 27 calling for a humanitarian cease-fire in Gaza was approved 120-14 with 45 abstentions. That was just weeks after Israel launched its military offensive in response to Hamas’ October 7 attack in southern Israel, which killed 1,200 people.
Biden administration comes down hard on Israel as US accuses ally of violating international law
The State Department’s report included contradictions: It listed numerous credible reports of civilian harm and said Israel did not at first cooperate with Washington to boost humanitarian assistance to the enclave. But in each instance it said it could not make a definitive assessment whether any breaches of law had occurred.
